Ryder's Birth and NICU Experience

My water broke about 630 am on Saturday November 19th, so we grabbed some things and headed up to Cedar City to go to the hospital ( i never switched OB's after college so we were delivering in cedar and not Saint George).  Once at the hospital i was started on Pitocin to get labor going.  I labored for a couple hours and was feeling pretty good with contractions about every two minutes apart.  The nurse came in to check me at about 1230 to see if i was any more dialated and i started gushing blood.  All of a sudden Ryder's heart rate couldnt be found.  They first thought that my placenta had separated from the uterine wall so they rushed me back for an emergency c section.  I hadnt had an epidural or anything while i was in labor, so they knocked me out for the c section since they didnt have enough time to do a spinal. Taylor was left alone in the hospital room and i cant imagine how he felt. Ryder was born at 1255 pm at 5lbs 8 oz and 17 in long. During my c section they found that Ryder's umbilical cord had separared from the placenta.  The blood that i had been gushing was his and not mine.  As soon as he was born he was given an immediate blood transfusion, and the doctor began working on him since he had lost so much blood.  We are so blessed that Dr. Newbold was in Cedar City that day.  He was only in Cedar for a friends baby circumcision. Just by chance he was there and saved Ryders life.  My OB said that without Newbold, Ryder would have passed away.  After his blood transfusion Ryder was Life Flighted by helicopter to the NICU in St George.  I didnt get to hold, touch, or see Ryder up close until Sunday evening when I was released from the Cedar hospital. 

 Before his Flight to Saint George

 In the NICU with all his tubes, Ivs, and Ventilators

 Getting to touch him for the first time

 With his ventilator still  in

 Getting to hold him for the first time

 It was so scary seeing him hooked up to all the monitors and equipment

 They were able to take his ventilator out Monday morning, and he started breathing on his own.  From there he just excelled and only got better and better.  Monday night he was still being fed through his feeding tube but on Tuesday i got to start breastfeeding. Tuesday they were able to take out his PIK line in his arm and they took out his feeding tube later that night. I stayed at the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday night so i could feed him.  We were able to leave the hospital on Thanksgiving Thursday with Ryder!!

 No more ventilator!

 Tay holding him for the first time

 Still had the feeding tube in!

 The nurses decorate the door of each babies room in the NICU

 No more tubes, wires, or IVS!

 Last night in the hospital

 At home finally!

 1st bath at home

 1st family pic at home

I just want to thank everyone who was there for us that week and  for those who prayed.  Prayer is so powerful and im certain they helped him.  Im so grateful to the doctors,nurses, and Heavenly Father for getting Ryder home  safe to us.  He is the absolute best thing  that has ever happened to Taylor and I.



Ultrasound 8/2/2011

Meet Taylor and I's little man :) We had an ultrasound appointment yesterday and they did a bunch of pictures and measurements.  He weighs a pound now, and all of his measurements looked spot on for where he should be.  I am now 22 weeks along. It was nice seeing him on the ultrasound and realizing there is actually a baby in there :)  Seeing the ultrasound makes me so excited to be a mom and start this new journey with Tay. 

Here is our little man Ryder (we think thats his name, unless something else sparks our interest, but we are pretty set). This is just a side profile pic and he has his hand up by his mouth sucking on his fingers...The ultrasound tech had a hard time getting his picture, he kept wanting to hide his face.  So this is the only clear one we got.  He is definitely an active little fella!  Cant wait to meet him :)



20 weeks :)

Well i have officially reached my 20 weeks halfway point of my pregancy!! WOOHOO! I finally gave in and took a couple recent belly pics... here ya go!

I know im not huge, but i feel it!!!!  :) Here are things i have noticed about my pregnancy so far:

1. Everyone tells me about how much they loved food when they were pregnant... uhm can i jump on that bandwagon please! I am the complete opposite. Nothing ever sounds good or appetizing. Im still waiting for that little prego side effect to kick in :)
2. I have been able to feel the baby move for a little while, and he is one hyper fella. He also hates it when i sneeze.... weird! If i sneeze, he has a little moving freak out haha. 
3. I had my first pregnancy emotional breakdown today..... FOR NO REASON. LITERALLY.  My poor husband, he must think he is living with a crazy person.
4. We are not 100 percent set on a name yet but our front runner is Ryder James Pendley.

Since we have moved i was able to bring up my dog Max (aka Maxwell or Maximus) and if you know me, you know he is my world.  I cant tell you how nice it is to have him. I love seeing his little wagging tail when i get home... LOVE LOVE LOVE :) Heavenly Father definitely made Max as a natural anti depressant for this woman! :)

As of late :)

This summer has been great so far, but its so freaking hot! I usually dont mind the heat at all, but being pregnant changes that! I feel like my internal cooling system just got thrown out the window! I am now almost 18 weeks so this pregnancy is just chugging along :) We went to Disneyland last weekend with Taylor's family, and it was definitely a different experience being pregnant. Next time i go to disneyland i will have a baby with me, crazy! :) I dont like taking pictures of myself pregnant, not that i dont think being pregnant is a beautiful thing.  I just am getting used to having a mom body and not a gymnast body:)  I have had some requests for a belly picture so ill post one :) here are a couple pictures of disney as well.

 

WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE HAVING A LITTLE BOY:)

Here is a picture of his face from our sonogram yesterday.  I have another ultrasound appointment in two weeks and will post more then :)

Graduation, New York, And A Baby :)

Sorry I havent been up to date on this thing lately!! Life has been crazy in our little household!  I graduated from SUU in May with  a degree in Family Services, which is basically a social work degree. Graduation was a ton of fun, but at this point in time i was fighting off morning sickness!!! I found out in April that Taylor and I are expecting a baby.  I was really sick in April and May but have been so much better lately! I am due December 11th.  We might be able to find out the sex Monday, so i will be sure to get back on here and let all of you know!! :)



Tay is currently in the hiring process for the Border Patrol.  We should find out in the next month if he is hired because the academy for the border patrol starts in August.  However, if he is hired he will be in New Mexico for four months training, and i will either be in Las Vegas or St G by my lonesome! We would move sometime in late november to wherever he is stationed, just in time for our baby to be born in early December. Yikes!! But everything always has a way of working out and i know this holds true when it comes to Tay and I.

After graduation we went to New York.  It was a ton of fun, but definitely overwhelming.  I think i can only handle a week! It didnt help i was trying not to puke the whole time!
Some of my favorite things of New York:
1. The Pizza------ holy crap!
2. Being able to walk anywhere
3. YANKEE GAME- was my absolute favorite part of the trip.  The atmosphere in Yankee Stadium is so much fun and Tay was just over the moon.  It felt really good to make him so happy at this game!
4. The food in general was great!
5. Central Park
6. The Tiffany and Co Store- any girls favorite place!! 
7. We were able to get dinner with one of Taylor's cousins. It was great getting to meet him and Tay hadnt seen him in many years :) There is a picture of them somewhere below!

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