Starting a new blog

So this completes my Journey through pregnancy to child birth supernaturally. Now I will be starting a blog for the life of Rayna and Motherhood. Please continue to follow this journey!!!!

Rayna Victoria White's Arrival (late post dated 09/23)

Well almost two weeks old and I haven't had a chance to sit down and journal her wonderful unexpected but totally expected arrival.

So Rayna Victoria White decided to enter the world on September 7, 2013 at 0542. I remember after an  exhausting week I was totally feeling tired of being pregnant. The increased weight gain  was getting to me the bi-weekly appts to the doctors at Bethesda and FBCH, the 1/2 days and dealing with staffing had all become very intense in this last week. I can remember asking Jason if he could do the next two weeks of carrying our daughter for me.........

PAUSE... (Gotta Pump my boobs feel like they are about to explode, more on that whole process in my next blog entry).
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IM BACK 5 hours later, LOL

Wow so being a mommy your schedule is no longer your own. Since I took my pause I have breast fed, ate lunch, napped, pumped and breast fed again!!!

So back to her amazing arrival...

On Friday Sept 6, (My mommies bday) I called off work because I hadn't slept the night before at all and was just feeling blah... So Hubby and I stayed home and chilled for the day. Later that night I was downstairs filling out thank you cards hubby made us some chocolate chip cookies nice and warm out the over at 9pm. We then went up to bed and for once in a very infrequent time my hubby wanted some loving!!!!! He has been so careful during this pregnancy. Intimacy was not the priority, a healthy pregnancy and baby was.. EVEN THOUGH A GIRL HAS NEEDS!! TMI right..

Okay so after intimacy, we clean up and Jason notices blood. I go to bathroom and in the toilet I see a large blood clot. So I text our Dr (yes i have her cell phone.. benefits of Navy and caring doctor) and ask what we should do. She suggested coming in to get evaluated. So we decided at 11pm to drive to Fort Belvoir to get checked out.
We get there around 12 am and I get hooked up to the monitor ... Baby is fine and from the monitor I'm not showing any contractions. So the Dr. comes and says he wanted o check my cervix  he does and he says there is no active bleeding but he can see some blood around the cervical opening. He then checks to see if I was dilated. When doing this he says well you are 4 cm DILATED... Im like really how does that happen... I never once felt a contraction!!

So now the story changes quickly because due to my medical history I was not to go into full labor with contractions!! SO after much deliberation they decide i need to be transported to Bethesda to have a C-section because the risk of uterine rupture was greater than having a 34 week baby...@@

At this point I still don't fathom the thought of having a baby tonight!!

So at one point the Dr's suggested that I have the baby at FBCH then medivac my baby to Bethesda... NO I DON"T THINK SO.. I did not want to be separated from baby and luckily my Dr agreed. I hadn't progressed any more than 4 cm so the compromise was the DR would ride in the ambulance with us to Bethesda which was cool I experienced some mild like cramps which were bearable ever since i was checked by he Dr.

Cute little facts that makes me know the angels were in my favor.. MY EMT's name was Robyn spelled just like mine with a Y!!!! and the Dr that scheduled to do my C-section was Dr. Hope!!

here is my crew, Dr. and Robyn and Doug (i think)

So we get to Bethesda and it becomes real!!!! I have the anesthegolist come talk about spinal block, I prayed with her!! Then the surgical process begins>>>> Blood Work, Shaving the who who, and signing a lot of consents>>>>>>> Check out Daddy who was very TIRED all ready and overwhelmed...

Go DADDY!!

So Im rushed to prep spinal tap goes great in the OR. with a all girl operating team... everyone is in good spirits I never feel rushed or like it was an emergency everything went so smoothly I could feel gods hand all over it.. There was a peace, a calm!!

So Hubby comes and sits with me at head of the bed and we wait to hear our baby girl cry.. everything started around 0445 and at 0542 we hear the most beautiful sound.. A cry from our baby!!!

I didn't really feel overwhelmed or anything because I couldn't see anything. I just heard her. I asked how 

was she and everyone said perfect!! SO she was rushed over and cleaned up and daddy went to cut the umbilical cord....  this is what he got to see....

31 weeks special attention Rayna!!

Today was Rayna's growth check and again the doctors want to remind me of her being on the small side. However she is growing. She weighs 3 pounds 5 ounces. And her abdominal circumference was up from 8% to 13%. So,she is growing.. Today during her non stress test she had a dip in her heart rate which bought us a ticket to labor and delivery triage for us to be monitored for an additional 1.5 hrs. I

It has come to my realization that my baby requires special attention and likes for people too look at her closely!! The ultrasound lady took her picture and was ooh and ahhing over her. Saying how cute she is.. The doctor said all babies are not cute but our baby is!!  I would have to agree she is adorable!! She has the cutest plump lips and cheeks. Can't wait to kiss her and hold her.

Lately I've been feeling tired and annoyed. Like I should be doing more but don't know what. I've been comparing pregnancy and delivery experiences with moms. And no two are alike. One comforting theme is that if the baby comes today or tomorrow she will make it!!! We are on the home stretch...!! I'm glad too because I'm getting a little tired of being pregnant. My poor husband is getting the wrath of it!! But he is taking it like a champ!! I'm blessed to have him!

Showers of Blessings

This past weekend was full of fun. Starting with my shower in Harrisburg, pa for baby Rayna!!! She was blessed by many gifts and showered with lots of love from family new and old friends and God truly smiled on the day!! 

The decor was beautiful featuring the baby room colors yellow and gray for our little sunshine!!!

Thanking God for these two ladies who have raised me and taught me what it means to be a mom!!

My god mommy aunt verna and mommy!!

Look My sister and niece made this phenomenal fruit salad....

Many friends from high school college and childhood..

Love these ladies hostess with the mostest

My forever friends from early childhood and beyond!!!

My wonderful sorors who are always there for support!! Shout out to my personal photographer Kameel Hall.

Rayna is so blessed already.

Rayna's moving

Rayna is ::

Beautiful 

Calm

Loving

Joyous

 

So I'm 27 weeks today and feeling great. I really am feeling Rayna move more and stronger now. I can even see her moving in my stomach. I'm always like ok is that her foot or her hand. My husband can even feel her now. He said last night it felt like she was doing karate in my belly.

 I love to feel her little self moving. It makes it real!!!! 

I'm thankful to God for my supernatural pregnancy. So far I have been blessed with no issues. Besides our scare or I should say faith building experience in the beginning with the bleeding. My blood pressure has been stable and  I passed my blood glucose test....!!! Yay!

My Soror Michele went into labor early this Saturday ( July 13) with her beautiful baby Girl Maya. Made me think my time is coming. I am getting excited and I love being pregnant it is so special!! I constantly think about what she is going to look like. How she will smile and how she will cry and talk. 

Wow a baby. I'm having a baby!!!

Getting things ready for the room!!

Alexandria reads to Rayna

I love bath time łately as it helps me soothe my aching muscles in my pelvis and hips. Well I always have girl talk with my bonus daughter when I'm chillin in the tub and asked her to read to Rayna. Well she chose to children's  bible to read to her. It was so awesome and sweet. Sisterly Bond all ready!, I'm so blessed to have two beautiful Girls to share my life with and a wonderful husband to spoil us all!! 

Our Baby Girl 24 weeks

She is getting big!! Dr says she is measuring small (a  week behind her due date). But she is perfect to me!! She will be short and petite like her mommy!! My grandma and great grandma never passed 5 ft they were 4ft.. Good things come in small packages!!

She is still a thumb sucker like her daddy!!

Time to Get your Room Ready!!

I am officially in nesting mode.. I am ready to get Rayna Victoria' s room ready. Here are some ideas

I am choosing yellow and gray as her colors because she is my little sunshine who makes me happy when skies are gray!!! 

Hopefully we will be painting her room this weekend or at least buying some paint,.

Halfway Mark-20 weeks

We made it halfway!!! Some days it still feels unreal. I'm having a baby!! My life is already changing. Iam getting in the mode of being a mommy. Thinking her room colors will be yellow and gray because she is my sunshine she makes me happy when skies are gray!!! 

We are getting ready to go see west coast grandma on Monday. Really excited to enjoy California and take a break from work.

One thing I am super happy about is how great I feel!! This little girl brings me so much joy.

Jason has been very supportive and I know his heart pleaded for a boy but I think he is beginning to understand the blessing of having girls is. My hearts desire is they all get to know each other as sisters!!

Airport Ready! Flying to see my in loves!! 21 weeks!!

It's A Girl!

Today was the day my life has officially changed. I know we sometimes get wrapped up in what we want and forget about what God gives us is what we need!!! 

I needed my sweet news of our baby girl our princess being formed in my womb. The ultrasound room was filled with my husband and pastor and Chica, Kenya. We looked at all the babies parts. Her head and lungs and heart. When it came down to determining the sex of the baby my little darling had those legs squeezed shut but the skilled sonographer was able to verify and confirm we are Having a Girl!!! 

My husbands reaction was expected as he knew I was carrying his son!!! I felt a little bad for him for a quick second because I too wanted to bear his first Son!! But we quickly realigned our minds and started praising God for the gift of life and didn't want the baby to feel any rejection. 

I prayed for my hubby's attitude to change as I heard him say "another girl" or another little princess. I'm excited and I know he is too. 

I received some beautiful gifts from friends for our baby girl... I am going to have fun fun fun shopping for this sweet little precious miracle girl!!

Yay tickled Pink!,,,

Mommy and Daddy on the way to OBGYN Appt

We haven't taken many pics as the baby bump has grown!!!

18 week love letter to my baby

On Mother's Day I wanted to thank you for allowing me to be a mom to you! I can't wait to hold you in my arms, to smell your tiny neck, and kiss your big juicy jaws! I know we had a rough weeks last week with me having so much pain but knowing its worth it to see you grow! Thanks for my first Mother's Day gift of feeling you move about in my belly tonight! I can feel you little butt rolling up in a ball feeling like a formed fist poking out my stomach. I also had a pain free day which was icing on the cake. I can't wait to celebrating life long Mothers days and other holidays. Your dad is super cool and excited to meet you too. He talks to you every night and is confident your his first born son. We shall see hopefully tomorrow if you allow us the privilege. However girl or boy we will always love you for we created you with the purest and deepest love. I can't imagine life without your father and as I watch him sleep tonight I see your face staring at me. The peaceful lovable and serene face. I love you my child sweet dreams....!

15 week OB appointment

Time is going by. I could honestly say I feel like I felt some flutters this past weekend. I also experienced some lower left abdominal pain. The doctor said it could be a combination of round ligament pain and also scar tissue and adhesions from past surgeries.

We had an ultrasound and wow how the baby has grown you could really see his spinal cord and his little feet kicking. He wasn't as active today kinda resting. We still weren't able to confirm his sex. But everything in me yells BOY BOY!!

I've been complimented on my pregnancy glow and how I radiate and I know this little one has given me so much joy already!! He makes me happy!! I love love being pregnant so glad god gave me an opportunity to carry life!!! It's Amazing!!!

On our way to grandma house

Today I'm going to Harrisburg to see my mom and family. They haven't seen me since I've been pregnant so I'm pretty excited. I'm also very cautious because my family has so much love for each other they constantly bicker. They make up drama just to keep it going but that's how we love at the end of the day it's just us. Love seeing my great nieces and nephews for they have been my babies for so long loving on me just when I needed it the most. Hubby is working his long weekend shifts so this will be my first trip to the burg without him in a long time. I'm ready for the ride. The baby and I will be rocking out In my cool comfy tank and maxi skirt from old navy!! My first maternity tank!! Love it. Ooh and the jean jacket is maternity too but sure ill get wear out of it after maternity as well!

Big Sister Approved

Today we told my Bonus Daughter (Jason's Daughter) the news. I was very nervous and hesitant with telling her sooner than now. Last year after my ectopic rupture and surgery it was spring break and Lexi was here with us and she took such good care of me! I was so thankful because I she wasn't with me I probable would have went into a deep depression. She helped me get out of bed daily watched Criminal Minds and ate pizza all day!

So we purchased T-shirt to tell her the news and give to her this spring break but due to last minute changes she was unable to come so we had to Skype her!! Since I was in the second trimester I was more confident with telling her. She appeared excited about the news. My prayer is she always knows we love her and her place in her daddy's heart is irreplaceable!! Blended families are very unique and tied together by a lot of love and prayer!