I thought I was bad at updating our blog before....oh, how things change when there is a baby in the house! He is now the center of attention most of the time, which is just how he likes it! : ) Nothing like waiting over 6 months to update!
So to pick up where I left off last post, we ended up having Bryk early with a planned induction at 37 weeks due to continued elevated blood pressure. I had been on bedrest for 3 weeks and not only was I going insane because I couldn't do anything or go anywhere, I was SO excited to meet this little boy! My wonderful grandparents, Momma-D and Poppy came and lived with us during those 3 weeks of bedrest to make sure we were well fed and the house stayed livable! Were we ever SO thankful! Don't know what I would do without those two!
I had always thought that the day I had my baby would be such a happy and exciting day...well in this case, I was wrong. I was admitted to the hospital on February 25 to begin the medication for induction. They gave me the first dose at 8pm and there were immediate contractions, which made me both excited and nervous for my mother to leave. Mild contractions continued all through the night and at 6am on February 26, they started the IV Pitocin to really get labor started. After several hours I had not progressed at all. We continued with this until around 1pm with no progression. Not only was I discouraged because I was not progressing, but my blood pressure was extremely elevated so the nurse was having me lay only on my left side (the position of preference to decrease blood pressure), allowing only 1-2 visitors in my room, and not allowing tv at all. Talk about being miserably uncomfortable with the added monitoring equipment strapped to my stomach and the IV pole I had to drag with me any time I had to go to the bathroom! Dr. Adams, my OB doctor, came by and checked me and said that she would return in a few hours to try and break my water. Well again, unsuccessful! I was so tired, uncomfortable, and VERY emotional. Dr. Adams came back at 5:30 and gave me a couple of options. She said we could continue what we were doing, stop and allow me to rest and eat and start again at 8pm, or go for a c-section that night. Dr. Adams also explained that with my elevated blood pressure she wanted to get Bryk here no later than the following evening, so if all other interventions failed she would take me for a c-section the next evening regardless. After some thought and lots of tears, Carter and I opted for a c-section that night. No more had we made the decision than they were getting us prepped for OR. I was incredibly nervous, even though I had seen and knew exactly what was going on. It is just a little different when you are placed in that situation and it is you and your baby that are in the hands of doctors and nurses. After getting my epidural in, which took several attempts, they allowed Carter back to see me. He walked in all scrubbed up and was white as a sheet! After Carter got sat down next to me the OR crew got right to work, and Bryk was born within minutes! It really is crazy how fast they work! Our beautiful baby boy, Bryk Carter Brandt, was born on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, at 7pm weighing 4 lbs. 12 oz. and 17 3/4" in length. I immediately began crying tears of joy!
"For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him." 1 Samuel 1:27
That is exactly how I felt! We had prayed so hard all through the pregnancy and especially within the last few weeks, and God granted exactly what we had asked...He gave us a healthy, beautiful baby boy!
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| After all the fluids they gave me, my face resembled a basketball |
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| Daddy all ready for the OR |
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| Seeing our baby boy for the 1st time |
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| After getting his 1st bath |
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| Daddy admiring this precious baby |
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| Our 1st family picture |
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| Our sweet baby Bryk |
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| Grumps & Dandee getting to hold Bryk for the 1st time |
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| Aunt Aub getting to hold Bryk |
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| Poppy & Momma-D loving on Bryk |
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| I am one day old! His preemie clothes fit great! |
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| Uncle Seth seeing Bryk for the 1st time, which was Uncle Seth's 1st time to hold a baby as well! He did great! |
They kept us in the hospital until Friday just to monitor Bryk's weight since he was so tiny. He had lost to 4 lbs. 5 oz. when they let us go home. It's hard to believe he was that small! After going through 3 outfits, due to Bryk peeing or pooping on them we settled on his Texas Tech outfit that Grumps had bought him!
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| This will give you a little insight to how small our little man was. In his carseat all ready to go home! |
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| Aunt Aub & Uncle Dane visiting us at home |
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| Bryk's 1st bath! He looked SO tiny in his little bathtub! He fills it completely out now! |
Mike & Vicky got to come down about a week after Bryk was born, which was great because my mom had to go back to work. We loved getting to visit with them and of course they enjoyed seeing Bryk!
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| Grandpa & Grandma came to hang out and love on Bryk |
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| A little preview of one wall of Bryk's nursery. Momma-D & I made his bedding and I made the quilt. Daddy was such a helper and trooper and helped me stripe the wall to match the fabric. |
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| All ready to go have my newborn pictures made! |
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| One of my favorite pics of Bryk! I am 2 weeks old! |
During all of this my grandad, Poppy, ended up with a kidney stone. He was miserable and seeing doctors here in San Angelo, so unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, they hung around for another few weeks. It was nice to have so much help during those first few weeks at home. I have to say that those first few weeks were incredibly exhausting and emotional, but Bryk was totally worth it! Here are some of Bryk's newborn pics, taken by the always awesome, Annette Levasque!
So, since then Bryk has been such a trooper! In his short little 6 months of life he has been to a funeral, 2 weddings, a couple of wedding showers, flown twice, and been on his 1st family vacation. When Bryk was only 3 weeks old we found out that my Uncle Junior had unexpectedly passed away. It was such a shocker for all of us and was very emotional. Carter and I packed up and set up camp in Welch for a couple weeks to be with my family. It was such a hard and sad time, but it was really nice to spend some time with my family and of course show Bryk off.
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| Relaxing with Grumps & Aunt Aub while we were staying in Welch |
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| He thought the flash was too bright! The cute sweat suit Momma & Dandee bought him to wear to Lubbock one day. It was still a little chilly in March. |
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| I am about 1 month old! |
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| My great grandmother, Me-ma, meeting Bryk for the 1st time! He is her 4th great-great grandchild. |
We spent Easter in Welch with my family. Poppy & Momma-D cooked and the whole family ate lunch after church. It was fun! It is going to be a lot of fun in a couple of years when all of Poppy & Momma-D's great grandchildren are old enough to Easter egg hunt! Next Easter there will be at least 3 more great grandchildren!
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| Bryk's Easter outfit |
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| Bryk's 1st Easter |
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| Drake & Bryk |
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| Our family |
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| Poppy & Momma-D with Drake & Bryk. Drake is holding a baby chick that he got for Easter. |
As I said in my last post, Aubree & Dane got engaged over Christmas, so we then went to a few wedding showers. It was fun to get Bryk dressed in all of his cute clothes and show him off, because of course we think he is the cutest baby EVER! : )
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| Aub's wedding shower in Welch |
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| Aub's lingere shower |
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| Dressed in my cute Hurley outfit that Dandee bought me! Ready to go with Aunt Aub for bridal pictures! |
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| I am so cute! About 5-6 weeks old. |
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| Sporting my outfit that Grandpa & Grandma sent me for Easter! |
We flew to Minnesota at the end of April for Kayla Mullins', a family friend, wedding. It was our first time flying with a baby, but he did great! We really enjoyed spending some time with Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Meg, & Aunt Kay!
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| We survived our 1st time flying! |
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| Aunt Meg & Aunt Kay with Bryk all dressed up for the wedding. |
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| Grandpa & Grandma with Bryk |
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| Our little family! |
While we were in Minnesota for the wedding, our best friends, the Heimbecker's, had a big surprise and had their baby about 6 weeks early! Jackson Daniel Heimbecker was born on April 26, 2013 at 9:21 am weighing 4 lbs. 14 oz and 17 in. in length! Momma & baby did great! Jackson had to stay a couple of weeks in the NICU to monitor his weight and breathing. He is precious! We were so sad we couldn't be there for his birth and so anxious to see both momma and Jackson when we returned home!
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| Bryk's first shots- 2 months |
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| Bryk hung out outside with Momma & Daddy while we washed windows. It was still a little cold...is this not the CUTEST picture ever!? |
We had a busy May! Aubree graduated from college with her Master's Degree in Accounting, we celebrated at a few wedding showers for Dane & Aub, had Aub's bachelorette party, Bryk got dedicated at church, Dane & Aub got married, and we flew to Minnesota for Kaylee's high school graduation! So proud of both Aub & Kaylee for graduating! Oh...and how could I forget that I had to start back to work on top of all of this! I was dreading going back to work and so sad and nervous to leave my baby! I cried the whole night before and the morning of the first day back. The comfort was knowing what an AMAZING babysitter we have. Carter and I interviewed several people, and when we interviewed Aaron & Ashley Byrd, we were blown away! Ashley keeps Bryk in her home. She has an adorable now 2 year old, Sophia. Every time I go to work I know that Bryk is in very good hands, and Ashley is awesome about sending me updates and pictures throughout the day! The Byrd's were a total and complete answer to our prayers!
Our neighbor has a pool and she lets us use it whenever we want. So we decided to take Bryk swimming early June. He did great and really didn't mind the water at all! A few pics of the different times we went swimming!
In June we had Father's Day and Dandee's 50th birthday. For Father's Day we had our 1st outing on the boat for the summer, which was Bryk's 1st time ever out on the lake. He did great! He didn't even mind wearing his bulky life jacket!
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| Happy Father's Day! |
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| Just floating in the lake! He does so good at the lake! |
For Dandee's birthday we had a surprise party at Carter & I's house. Some of our close friends came and helped decorate while Aub and I distracted Mom. Carter and Dad cooked burgers and Momma-D made a wonderful red velvet cake!
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| Dandee with all her "over the hill" get-up! |
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| Poppy and Bryk hanging out |
For 4th of July Grumps & Dandee and some other family all came down to the lake. We all watched the fireworks from our backyard.
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| Bryk's 1st 4th of July |
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| Drake & Brykster |
Carter & I both celebrated birthdays in July. I turned 26 and Carter turned 28...kinda hard to believe we are already that old...and that we have a baby! For our birthdays we decided to take a little family vacation to Ruidoso, NM. We went to the horse races one day while we were there. We had a pretty good time, but Bryk was teething and extremely fussy and I ended up getting super sick so we came home early. Once we got home we stayed with my mom and dad so that I could recuperate and Mom could help with Bryk.
So far in August we have just stayed home, other than going to Welch once. Dandee & Grumps have come to visit us a few times here in San Angelo.
Overall, our lives have been forever changed by this little boy! He has been such a blessing and we couldn't imaging our lives without him. I'll admit that it has not always been easy, it has actually been challenging and frustrating at times figuring out this parenting thing. But, I am beyond blessed to have Carter by my side to figure things out with!
Ok...so I am going to conclude this incredibly long post by saying that I am going to try to do better about updating. My goal is still once a month, but they will be much shorter and more photos than anything, mostly because I take a million of our handsome little man! I am going to post an additional quick post of month by month pics and a little update as to what Bryk was doing/learning then!
So wonderful to see you all so happy and blessed!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
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