A BABY STORY

At our 36 week ultrasound the tech told us that Jax was weighing in at just under 8lbs and his head was measuring in the 97th percentile... And then I flipped out a tad. 97th percentile at 36 weeks? I thought for sure we were headed down the road to a 10 pound baby. My amniotic fluid was very low. It was at a 7 and a 5 is considered to be dangerous. So, we had an ultrasound the following week where a different tech told us the same thing. They all used the terms "huge" and "That's a good sized noggin." I was dilated to a 2 and 80% at 36 weeks. The way the pregnancy had been going my doctor told me to plan for a baby any day. So, that's what we did. Then, we waited... and waited. And after weeks of no baby I ended up being induced. 

The initial plan was to start me on Friday May 1st. This week also happened to be finals week for Trevor. He had 2 ten page papers he wrote this week and was trying to get everything done at work to be able to take some time off. On Wednesday evening my Doctor called me and asked if we could switch it to Thursday since his Grandpa passed away and had family in town for the next few days. Poor Trevor got up on Thursday and went into work early only to work all day and come home at 7:30 that night to go to the hospital and stay up all night to have a baby. Poor kid was exhausted. 

When we got to the hospital on Thursday night 3 out of the 5 nurses on duty that night we had already previously had. How pathetic is that. We knew the majority of the nurses from spending so much time there. Our nurses name was Whitney. We had previously had her when I ended up in labor and delivery for being dehydrated and had an infection. The very first time we had her she struggled to put up my bed rail. She actually had to go get another nurse to put it up. I was a little scared to think my nurse couldn't put up a simple bed rail but was going to stick me with needles. So, when we ended up with her again I was a little nervous but we actually laughed about it and then she proved that it was just that bed and that she was actually capable of putting up a bed rail. 

This time around I was going to try and go natural (TRY being the key word.) I had a terrible experience with Brecklyn and the epidural so I was going to try and avoid that again this time around. By the time 3:30 a.m. rolled around  I was still stuck at a 5. I had been stuck at a 5 for hours and wasn't progressing. The contractions were getting so close together that I couldn't even catch a breathe in between them. I remember gripping the bed rail so hard I was convinced I was going to break it all while Trevor, Casie and my mom were all standing there saying "breathe, just breathe" like it was that easy. So, I opted for some pain medication through my IV while we waited for the anesthesiologist which was wicked strong stuff that I would not recommend to anyone. All I remember is the nurse saying "this will take about 60 seconds to kick in" and within 25 seconds I was passed out. It made me so loopy that there's a good 30 minutes that I have no recollection of. Trev said I was calling the anesthesiologist "Morty." His name was Dr. Mortensen. I don't remember much about getting the epidural. Apparently, Casie had to hold me up on the bed cause I kept tipping over. Luckily, this drug didn't last long and everything flew by after that. I got the epidural at 3:30 am and went from a 5 to a 10 and was holding Jax by 4:50am. By the time the doctor got there he pretty much jumped in his suit I gave 3 pushes and there he was. 

This "huge" baby they all expected ended up being 7lbs 9 oz. 20 in. with a perfectly normal sized head. 

Brecklyn actually named him. Ever since we found out it was a boy she started calling him "sister Jaxon" and it just kinda stuck. The middle name Brent is after Grandpa Jeppson. Jax has some big shoes to fill with that name. Grandpa Jeppson will always hold a special place in my heart and I couldn't ask for a better person to name my son after. 

Jax is the snuggliest little mama's boy you'll ever meet. He loves sleeping on my chest but his head has to touch mine and if its not he uses his feet to push himself up my chest until he nuzzles in under my chin. I just never want to put him down. Most nights he sleeps like a champ. His last feeding is at mid night and then he will usually sleep till 5 or 6. I can't complain about that. Brecklyn absolutely loves him. She mauls him all day long, She has already begun torturing him. The other day I caught her sticking a ramon noodle up his nose and when I asked what she was doing she responded with "Just sharing with my broder." Can't get mad at that, right? She has also started teaching him pat-a-cake already. 

33 week pregnancy update.. or 36?.. we don't know.

I guess it's true that the first child is spoiled. With Brecklyn's pregnancy I blogged every week, took weekly belly pictures and used a big fancy chalk board to compare her to the size of fruit she was each week. This time around I think I have snapped 3 selfies and that's about it. But, lets be real, this pregnancy has completely kicked my trash along with taken Trevor down with me. Poor Trevor has taken the brunt of it all. He not only is finishing up his last and final semester of college, working 40+ hours each week, is the 1st counselor in the Young Men's Presidency and then comes home to be Mr. Mom. I don't know what I would do with out him.

The last two months have been complete chaos. I've been admitted to the hospital three different times for early labor, dehydration and infections. I've been sick pretty much since the day I found out I pregnant. I've never puked in so many different toilets, garbage cans, bushes or parking lots before in my life. We've have numerous extra doctor's appointments, had to have bio physical ultrasounds done on this little guy and just when I thought things were starting to get back to normal I get kicked down with Pneumonia. It's been a long few months and we couldn't have done it without our amazing family and friends that have helped out so much. During all this I couldn't help but think how easy I have it compared to what my sister has gone through. She is not only a single mom living in California on her own where family isn't an hour away to help and has spent the last how many months in surgeries with my niece due to a broken foot all during the busiest tax season for her. She makes me look like a pansy that has it easy over here.

On the upside, when we had our bio physical ultrasound done on Monday the ultrasound tech told us that the baby, who still has no name or who Brecklyn calls "Sister Jaxon", was measuring at 36 weeks 3 days and I'm only 33 weeks. My doctor hasn't confirmed it yet if he is going to change my due date or just let me ride it out to see what happens.  He has measured big since our 20 week ultrasound. For some reason we make huge babies and it isn't a pleasant thing but, the least this little guy could do is cut his stay in the womb by 3 weeks, c'mon now.

This is the latest baby bump picture taken at 31 weeks. 

The Innocence of a Potty Trained Toddler.

Brecklyn has been potty trained now for 2 months. I'll probably regret saying this, but potty training her was the easiest thing.  She just caught on to it so quick. Although, using public restrooms with her is pretty hilarious. One thing I have learned being a mom is to laugh at the embarrassing moments. For some reason it helps the situation. 
Every time Brecklyn uses a potty at church, the grocery store, pretty much anywhere there are other people in the bathroom she always gives them a high five followed with "Good Job. You a big girl now" or "You want a treat?" She makes sure to announce to everyone that she has "big turds." Literally, yells it... thanks to her father. Luckily these strangers just laugh and tell her how adorable she is. 
There is one public bathroom experience with her that I will never forget. We were at Sam's Club and another lady came in, sat down in the stall right next to us with raging diarrhea. Brecklyn was laughing uncontrollably and yelling "her fart" and "OHHH her got big turds" all while I was trying to keep myself from laughing. The only thought on my mind was beating this lady out of the bathroom. There was no way that I was going face her after that one.  


Toddlers... such good entertainment. 

Brecklyn

Brecklyn,

     You are the happiest, most outgoing and by far funniest little girl there is. You may look like a Johnson but personality wise your all Eschler, it's scary. Your talking full sentences pretty much to anybody that will listen to you. You never stop. EVER. There are a few words you can't quite pronounce right. For example, shopping and broccoli both come out sounding like the F word. Don't how ask us how your confusing the two words, we may need to get your ears checked. :)

Of course, everyone has taken advantage of this and tells you to say things like "No more shopping, daddy" and to yell at the top of your lungs "I LIKE SHOPPING!!" It's hard not to laugh.

     A few months ago your dad taught you a little trick that when you fart you pointed at someone else to blame them. Well, now it's turned into you yelling "MAMA FART" or "DADDY FART" every time you let one rip. I appreciate you yelling "MAMA FART" in the aisle full of people at the grocery store and I have to make the walk of shame while they are trying to hold their giggles under their breathe. Just know there will be pay back my friend.

Love, Mom

You love helping with the grocery shopping. 

You pick up random things like doughnuts and toys 

and toss them in your cart like it's no big deal. 

Of course, in the middle of moving 

you found all the baby toys that are now your favorite.

And apparently you had a very exhausting day 

cause it's totally normal to crash out on the bathroom floor. 

Our house is Disneyland.

      I guess it's been quite awhile since I've been on this thing. The last post I wrote about was us moving, funny thing is we just moved again. I swear we move more then we change toilet paper rolls but hey, I can't complain about getting a bigger house every 9 months. Although, next time I'll keep in mind not to move being 6 months preggers. Not a good idea. Moving sent me into labor at 23 weeks. Yee-haw. 
     Last Tuesday, January 6th, was moving day. I started having bad contractions Tuesday night but after an hour went by they simmered down. Wednesday was a whole new story. We spent the evening in Labor and Delivery followed by 4 days of bed rest. And can I just mention bed rest is not what it's all cracked up to be. I always joked around how fabulous it would be for someone to tell me to sit in bed and do absolutely nothing. It's awful. Especially when everyone else is going out of their way to do all the heavy lifting. It's probably one of the worst feelings ever. Anyways, long story short, I'm not on strict bed rest anymore as long as I still take it super easy that the contractions don't get worse. Hopefully this all settles down and we sail to my due date with flying colors. 
     Next at the Eschler fun house, the flu has arrived. Trev came home from work puking his guts out and Brecklyn isn't far behind him. I tell ya, I don't understand why there isn't a line up at our front door to join all the fun.