Dean update!

                                                                        Dean and Daddy

                                                           Dean and his double chin!                    

Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated everyone on baby Dean. My life has consisted of visiting Dean in the hospital as much as possible, pumping and sleeping when I can. Honestly, making time for much else is more then I can handle. If it weren't for our family and friends making us dinners, Nick and I would have been surviving off of cafeteria food because we haven't been grocery shopping since before Dean's birth!
But back to Dean........  We are keeping our fingers crossed that he gets to come home on Friday. I don't want to get too excited and jinx it, so that's all I'm going to write about that. He is eating and pooping like crazy. Today his weight is 5lbs 7.6oz which means he has officially gained a whole pound since birth. We measured him yesterday and he is 1 inch longer, now 18 inches long. He no longer fits in his preemie outfits because his legs are so long. We have a feeling that we're going to have one tall boy on our hands. The only reason why Dean is still in the hospital is because of some bradycardia episodes he's had. This means he drops his heartrate really low for a few seconds which is very common for preemies to do. They usually outgrow these episodes when they hit 36 or 37 weeks. The last episode he had was last Thursday and he has to have 7 days of no new episodes. Once he's done that, he is good to go! I can't believe that Dean is 3 weeks old now. The time has been flying, yet moving soooo slow at the sametime. We are more then ready for our little man to come home. Nick and I just want to hold him and love on him without having time constraints. We are so thankful for how well he has been doing and that he's learned how to eat and thrive so well. Unfortunatley, we have seen our share of babies in the NICU that have been there longer then Dean and have no expected discharge date anytime soon. We've since realized how lucky we are and how close Dean could have been one of those babies.
Thank you to everyone for your support and well-wishes. Hopefully the next update will be about Dean coming home!!!!

Getting bigger everyday!

                                                   "Papa" and Dean meeting for the first time

                                                              Great-grandpa and Dean

                                                         I love my new monkey outfit!

                                                                 The Osborne Family


So Mr. Dean Osborne is now 4lbs 7oz now, woo hoo!! Every extra ounce improves how he eats and tolerates stimulation, which in turn gets us closer to bringing him home. We think he knows this too, because he continues to impress us and all those taking care of him. The nurses and doctors still can't believe how well he is nursing and taking a bottle. At this point our main focus is just on fattening him up. He still hasn't required any oxygen support and his bilirubin has remained stable (thanks to his many, many poopy diapers that daddy loves to change!) Yesterday he had a busy day, which I'm sure was more traumatic for me then it was for him. When we arrived for his morning feeding we discovered that he had pulled out his NG tube (the tube that is in his nose and travels to his stomach) Seeing this really upset me because I could only think about how uncomfortable and maybe painful it was for him to do this. The nurse then had to re-insert the tube which he didn't like at all! Later in the day, another nurse realized that his NG tube needed to be re-placed anyways. So again he had to deal with having the tube removed and re-inserted for a second time. This got momma bear a little annoyed because I wish the nurse that re-placed the tube in the morning had noticed that it needed to be changed so he would have only had to go through that once. But like I said it probably upset me more than him, because he would stop crying almost immediately as soon as it was over.
Seeing him have these procedures performed and dealing with being poked and prodded is something that I will never get used to. I guess that makes me a mom after all :)  I'm still having moments of feeling guilty about everything that happened and thinking "if only I could have just kept him in there a few more weeks...." I know that what happened wasn't my fault, but it's something I'll just have to work through. Nick and I were totally unprepared for what happened, and then to top it off we can't even have the comfort of having our little guy with us all the time. I have never been so physically, emotionally and mentally tested in my life. Leaving him behind every night is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. If I didn't have Nick as my rock I don't know how I'd be making it through this. Luckily, this won't last forever and baby Dean will be home soon. That day will be one of the happiest days in our lives!!!!
Thank you again to everyone that has posted comments and shown their support, it has really helped us!

Dean is 5 days old!

Grandma and Dean

Just a quick update on how well Dean is doing! He continues to shock everyone with the amount of progress he's making on a day to day basis. His weight initially dropped on his second day of life down to 4lbs 0.7oz, but his weight today is back up to 4lbs. 2.9oz. His bilirubin has also dropped enough to where he no longer has to be under the blue lights. Dean is still fed primarily through the tube that is inserted through his nose and directly into his stomach. He's too small and would burn too many calories if he was nursed at every feeding. At this point I breastfeed him with every other feeding and he is such a pro at it already. The nurses told me that it might take him a few weeks to get the hang of breastfeeding, but that hasn't been the case so far. We all have decided that he thinks he's a term baby and that he's trying to show off his many skills :) Nick and I couldn't be more proud of our little man and we're hoping that he continues to improve everyday. We know that preemies are touch and go on a daily basis and we're trying to remember that even though he's having a great day today, tomorrow might be different.
This past week has been such a whirlwind and there have been moments when I can't believe what we just went through. There are times when I think I'm still pregnant and then it hits me like a ton of bricks when I remember that I'm not. The doctor told me that it indeed was a placental abruption that happened and that's why my water broke and I lost so much blood. To know that Dean went through that and is doing so well right now makes me feel so thankful beyond what words can express. Our families and friends have been so unbelievably supportive and encouraging and are the reason we've been able to get through this experience. Thanks to the two Grandmas and Auntie Kelsey, Nick and I came home to a clean house stocked with food and goodies. For the next 2 weeks our focus will be on baby Dean and spending as much time at the hospital with him as possible.
It's almost time for his next feeding, but I will continue to keep everyone posted on baby Dean and his adventures!

Dean's birth story!

                                                        The last picture of me and Dean

                                  Dean Rodney Osborne born 10/10/2011 @ 2138  4lbs. 5 oz

                                                                  Dean and Daddy!

                                                                 Dean and Mommy

                                                   The Osborne Family!

                                                                    Love him!!!

                                                             Dean loves to snuggle!                          




So here is the story so many of you have been waiting to hear.......Dean's birth story. This past Monday started off as any other Monday normally does. Nick got home from work that morning and was working on the jeep and I had just gotten out of the shower when all of a sudden I felt a little pop and small gush of blood. As I started to investigate what happened more and more blood started pouring out of me. I immediatley yelled for Nick and told him that we needed to go to the hospital now. My first thought when I saw all the blood was that I was having a placental abruption which is an emergency and if not dealt with quickly can be catastrophic to me and Dean. Nick and I rushed to the hospital and all the while I was continuing to bleed large amounts. When the nurses saw how much blood I was losing they worked quickly to get me on the monitors and start an IV. Hearing Dean's heartbeat made me feel so much better, but I also knew that something was definetley wrong, otherwise I wouldn't be bleeding like this. My doctor came into evaluate me and determined that while I was bleeding, my water had also broken and that I was starting to dilate and go into labor. At this point my contractions were tolerable and I wasn't in too much pain. When Nick and I realized that this was it and our little boy was going to be born it hit me hard and I started feeling so guilty that I couldn't get him to at least 37 weeks. I knew he was going to be ok and that 33 weekers generally do just fine especially since he had the steroid shot earlier in the pregnancy to help his lung development. His being only 33 weeks meant that he was going to be admitted to the NICU despite how well he was doing at birth. My whole pregnancy all I thought about was those first few moments after birth and how happy I would be to hold him on my chest and for Nick and I to bond with him. But this wasn't going to happen for us because they would have to take him straight to the NICU and we would be separated.
As the day progressed my contractions intensified and my bleeding continually increased and I was passing blood clots the size of golf balls. Unfortunatley, I wasn't able to get an epidural because of the blood thinning medication I had been taking during my pregnancy, so I did my best to breathe through the contractions. Nick was a really good coach and he helped me focus and keep me calm. Around 8:30 the pain was so severe and I was only dilated to 3 centimeters when the doctor checked me. She determined that she wasn't comfortable with the amount of bleeding that I was having and I told her that I was scared something bad was going to happen if I wasn't delivered soon. She decided that c-section was the best option and I completley agreed with her. Before they took me to the OR I had to get a blood transfusion due to all the blood I had lost so far. The anesthesiologist also informed me that I had to be put to sleep during the c-section because I couldn't get the spinal due to the blood thinning medication. This really upset me because Nick wouldn't be able to go with me into the OR while I was under general anesthesia and I wouldn't be awake to hear Dean's first cry. While they were prepping me for surgery I was in such excrutiating pain and was completely terrified for what was about to happen. Even though I have been a part of hundreds and hundreds of c-sections, nothing ever prepares you for going through one yourself, especially if it's an emergency situation and you're having to be put to sleep. I kept repeating to myself to breathe and stay calm. They rolled me back to the OR and Nick was able to stand outside the OR so he could go with Dean to the NICU after he was born. All the nurses and doctors did so well talking me through what they were doing and encouraging me to just breathe and focus. They all knew that I was a labor nurse and that the last thing I ever expected for my delivery was what was happening right at that moment.
Nick told me that he never was so anxious and scared in his whole life as he was during those 10 minutes that it took for Dean to be born. The NICU staff brought Nick into the OR to see Dean and he was able to trim up his umbilical cord and see how much he weighed. Nick said he was crying and waving his arms and legs and that he looked like a little fighter!

After surgery my recovery was painful, but went smoothly and I was able to go to the NICU to hold my little guy for the first time. He did so well after he was born and never had to be on oxygen. They did have to start an IV because his blood sugar dropped too low and they inserted a little tube down his nose and into his stomach so he could be fed. Dean weighed a whopping 4lbs and 5 oz when he was born, such a big boy! He has continued to impress everyone with how well he's doing and we've already determined that he is an overachiever :) He will be 72 hours old tonight at 9:30 and his IV is out and most of his monitors have been taken off. He does still have the tube in his nose because he doesn't quite have the energy to eat as much as he should to gain weight. He also had to be put under blue lights becuase his bilirubin reached a high level which is expected for preemies. Dean is more than we could have asked for and even though we weren't expecting to meet him for another couple weeks, we are so happy and feel so lucky to have him. He is such a mellow baby and loves to be cuddled skin to skin. Nothing prepared us for how much love we would feel for this little baby that we only just met. He has made us so happy even though he wasn't born in the most ideal way. He just wanted his grand entrance to be dramatic and memorable which it definitely was. The plan is for him to stay in the NICU for a minimum of 2 weeks and hopefully no more than 4. I'm being discharged from the hospital tomorrow, but Nick and I will practically be living here until we can take Dean home with us. I can't imagine how hard it's going to be to drive away from the hospital and leave him behind, but I know he will be in good hands. I can't say enough about how great the nurses and doctors have been in taking care of our little family.
I will be using this blog to keep everyone updated on Dean's progress and posting plenty of pictures. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and well-wishes. Please continue to think of Dean and pray that he continues to grow and develop as he should so he can come home to his mommy and daddy as soon as possible.

33 weeks and counting....

What a great day! The weather is so nice outside and I'm soaking up every last bit of sunshine and Vitamin D that I can before winter gets here. Since having lived in Hawaii for 3 glorious years, I've come to despise  the cold weather. The only good thing about this coming winter is that our little man will be here with us. These past 2 weeks have been pretty good to me. I'm still having contractions, but thanks to a magic little pill the doctor prescribed, the contractions ease up and I'm more comfortable.  My blood pressure has remained stable which I'm very thankful for. I guess this whole bedrest thing is actually working :)  Now that I'm further into the pregnancy, I have to go in to the hospital for twice a week monitoring. They just hook baby Dean up to the monitors and watch his hearbeat for about 30 minutes. I look forward to these appointments because they are approved activites by the doctor and an excuse to get out of the house for an hour!!! Don't tell on me, but sometimes I make a little extra trip to the coffee shop or get some lunch with girlfriends. The days I don't get out, I still keep myself busy with reading and working on Dean's baby blanket. I feel very lucky to have made some good friends since living here and their visits to see me have been much appreciated. Having my sister living with us has also been great because she keeps me company during the day and tells me to "sit down!" if I'm moving around too much, thanks Kels!
This weekend one of my best friends is having her bachelerotte party in Las Vegas! It bums me out that I can't be there to celebrate with her. But really, who wants to party with a big ole pregnant lady anyways. The bouncers at the clubs probably wouldn't even let me in! Do they even make maternity club wear?
Instead, I'm enjoying a relaxing weekend with my husband and sitting outside watching him work on the jeep. Tonight is a special treat because he's taking me out on a date to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. I can't believe it's already been a year! I definetley want to take advantage of these date nights while we can.
Baby Dean continues to grow and get stronger everyday. He moves all the time and has the hiccups at least 4 times a day which I'm sure gets really annoying. I can't believe that he's going to be here sometime in the next 4-7 weeks! We're so ready to meet you buddy :)

The past few days.....

                                                  I was not allowed to move from this chair!

                                                              Dean is going to love this!

                                                                        Cupcakes!!!

                                                               Cupcakes by Shannon

                                                                   Me and my loot!

First off let me just say that I love my husband, because as I'm writing this he is in the kitchen cooking up a delicious dinner for us. He has totally stepped up to the plate when it comes to being the domesticated wife.  He cooks, he cleans, he does it all. I'm so lucky! It hasn't been easy for me to step back and let him do all these things, but to keep this baby cooking for as long as possible I have no choice.

                                                     Nick in the kitchen doing his thing

So this past Saturday was interesting for us. I started having those pesky braxton-hicks contractions again  however this time they were actually uncomfortable.  After having a few in a row I started timing them and sure enough they were every 5 minutes. I was feeling them in my abdomen and my back. I did everything I was supposed to do: hydrate, relax, take a hot shower but nothing was making them go away or space out. After a few hours of dealing with these, I decided that it wasn't normal to be feeling this uncomfortable at 31 weeks and we went to the hospital to be checked out. They put me on the monitors and determined that I was having contractions every 5 minutes. After awhile, the nurse checked to see if I was dilated and she told me that I was almost 1 centimeter and that she didn't have to reach very far to get to my cervix. So for all of you non L&D nurses, at this point in the pregnancy my cervix should be closed and very hard to reach. The nurse also performed another test to determine if I would deliver within the next week and luckily that came back negative. After about 4 hours of being in the hospital they determined that I was ok to go home and they sent me with medication to take if the contractions started back up. Before this all happened, I was beginning to think that just maybe the bedrest order could be modified since my blood pressures had been doing so well........not so much. It seems like the only thing that keeps me from having contractions is no activity.
The next day was supposed to be my baby shower. Originally it was to take place in Fresno, but with everything going on we moved it to Sacramento instead. After everything that happened on Saturday I
decided a baby shower was not the best idea. I really didn't want to be the "debbie downer" at my own party. My mom and best friend Joy drove up from Fresno anyways to spend the day with me and my sister-in-law, Shannon,  still brought over the amazing cupcakes that she made for the shower. (By the way, if anyone is planning a party and want cupcakes......call Shannon!!!!) Two friends from work, Mardi and Noelle, stopped by and we just spent the afternoon eating and opening all of my shower gifts. It was great! Everyone went out of their way to make the afternoon special for me and I appreciate all that they did. Baby Dean made out like a bandit and he's going to be the best dressed little guy in Sacramento :)
Since Saturday, I've really made an effort to stick to this bedrest routine. Again, it's definetley not easy, but now I know that it is truly necessary for me to do this in order for him to stay in there as long as possible. Nick and I have since dubbed him "Dean the Dictator". He's not even born yet and he's already calling the shots!! Such a little stinker, but we love him so much already!!!!

An Opihi is.....

"Opihi"

An Opihi is the Hawaiian name for a limpet or sea snail. Not that we think Dean is a little snail, but more like a cute little sea creature like this picture.
So let me just start this blog by saying how annoying Braxton-Hicks contractions are! For those of you that may not know what these are, they are non-painful "practice" contractions that women experience throughout the pregnancy. Some women experience them more than others. Well, I definetley experienced them the other night, not fun! I was having them about every 3-5 minutes and despite drinking tons of water and relaxing they were not going away. Finally at about midnight I called my doctor and she reassured me that as long as they weren't painful that I shouldn't worry too much. Needless to say I wasn't able to sleep well that night and was drained yesterday. If "practice" contractions drain me like that, then I'm starting to get scared for what the real thing is going to be like. It's one thing to have watched hundreds of women go through this, but it's another when you are the patient.
Dean is moving like crazy everyday. I know he's getting bigger and stronger just based on his kicks and jabs alone. Before his movements felt like little lovetaps just reminding me that he was in there. Now they're full on punches that shake my entire body.  Last Friday I had an ultrasound that estimated his weight at 3lbs. 1 oz., big boy! His weight and measurments are all where they should be, which is very reassuring. They say at this point in the pregnancy he should be gaining 1/2 pound a week. I can't even believe that! I keep telling him that as much as I want him to be big and strong, he can save that for after he comes out of me :)