Week Numero Dos

(same outfit as the week 1 photo - so embarrassing!).

Week 2 of Jayden's life included Carmen's return to work, Grandma Barb leaving and the day Jayden was actually supposed to be born (9/21/11)!
Because Jayden's schedule was SO off, we tried to adjust his days/nights. I began feeding every 1-1/2 to 2 hours, which was rough on me. But it did wonders for his nighttime sleeping. Not that I was well-rested, by any means, but I was getting chunks of 2 to 2-1/2 hours of sleep, which at least was an improvement.

Everything is NEW (aka Week 1)

A lot happened in the first week of Jayden's life - more than anything he started learning how to survive in this big scary world of ours! He was visited (and held and oohed and aahed over) by lots of friends and family. He got two new stuffed animals - a bear and Eeyore (thanks Megan and Danny!). He got flowers (thanks Matt and Laurie!). He got a shot (ouch!) and a circumcision (even more ouch!). It turned out he was jaundiced, but not alarmingly so; we were able to leave the hospital on Wednesday, September 14th. The whole way home I was wanting to stay in the hospital, for the support and safety net that it offered. Jayden looks so small in the car seat!

Jasmine met Jayden and Jayden met Jasmine - we can tell it's going to be a lasting friendship already. We went on walks, we fed (a lot) and we slept a little, although not so much at night. Grandma Barb was visiting and made us lots of good meals and even cleaned the house for us! Here's Jayden at one week (you might as well get used to the picture taking, kid - it'll be with you the rest of your life!):

BIRTH Day!

September 11, 2011: A typical Sunday in the Wallace household - lots of football, a couple of breakfast burritos, general laziness. I felt more tired than usual, and skipped yoga for that reason, but figured it was because we'd done a lot the day before (moving stuff in and out of the second bedroom and into storage). That evening, right after the Jets-Cowboys game started my water broke. I knew right away what had happened, but just didn't want to believe it. I made sure I showered before calling my doctor and heading to the hospital - because clearly, that was important! At the hospital, the nurses confirmed that my water did indeed break, which meant the baby would be coming some time in the next 24 hours! Carmen and I called everyone and settled in to our delivery room at about 8 pm (after watching the Jets win - yay!).

I spent the next six hours in labor, but not making much progress. By 2 am I was in pain and was shaking, so opted for the epidural. From 2:30 am to about 9 am, I was put on and taken off of oxygen, put on and taken off and put on pitocin/oxytocin (all in efforts to stabilize the baby's heartbeat, which was low) and FINALLY, at about 10:05 am, it came time for the baby to enter our world! My delivery nurse, Candise, called Dr. Wheeler, and at 10:31 am, Jayden Ajani Wallace arrived! He weighed in at 7 lbs, 12 ozs and measured 21-1/2 inches long.