Babymoon with the Baby

Three weeks before Baby Choi was born, David and I took a "babymoon" to Vail.  On Wednesday, David and I decided to relive the babymoon, but this time with the baby.  It was nice to get away from the scorching heat for a day and enjoy the cool weather in Frisco/Breckenridge.

Good thing Alistair loves his car seat.  He pretty much slept the whole day.

Next time you're in Frisco, stop by the Lost Cajun.  A little restaurant with delicious food.

Fried Catfish

Shrimp Po Boy

I can't believe Alistair is 6 weeks old.  I'm halfway through with my maternity leave.  Time is flying by and soon I'll have to go back to work and leave my little man :( 

Breastfeeding Haiku

Public breastfeeding:

Don't want to, but I have to

My son is hungry.

Father and Son

This Father's Day is extra special for obvious reasons.  Happy Father's Day to David J.  I knew you'd be great. 

He cooks, he cleans, he wakes up to change Alistair's poopy diaper.  He deserves the #1 Dad award!  
 

Post Diarrhea



Multitasking

David is so good at calming Alistair down.  The hospital gave us a useful pamphlet titled "How to Calm a Crying Baby".  Most useful tip ever: stand up, hold the baby close, and repeatedly bend at your knees.

 

3 weeks old!

I can't believe Alistair is already 3 weeks old.  Last week we went in for our 2 week check-up.  Alistair is in the 50th percentile for head circumference (14 cm) and weight (8 lbs 4 oz) and 90th percentile for height (22 in)!  Minus the occasional fussy moments and the huge diarrhea diapers, he's been a great baby so far.  He even lets us sleep four consecutive hours at night.  A real treat!

He loves his bath time :)

First Bath!

Third Bath!

Alistair looks different every day.  Sometimes he looks like David.  Sometimes he looks like David's grandpa.  Sometimes he looks like David's sister.  I think he looks a little like my brother in this picture...

Happy Baby <3

We truly have the best family and friends.  Everyone has been really helpful and we (especially me) couldn't have gotten through these past couple of weeks without them.

Reading with Auntie Bob

It's a BOY!

Hello again everyone!  Sorry for the late post.  These past couple of days have flown by and Baby Choi  is already 1 week old!

Here's our birth story...

If you recall from the last post, our May 16th due date came and went with no baby in sight.  I tried everything to naturally induce labor.  I even tried the Blazing Hot Sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Twas a huge mistake...instantly irritated the bowels and still no baby.  On Sunday night (May 22nd), I started feeling sporadic contractions stronger than usual and by 4:00 am Monday morning I thought I was going into labor.  I calmly woke David and told him it was time to go.  Here's the goodbye video we shot...

When we arrived at the Advista Adventist Hospital, we were admitted into the triage to make sure I really was in labor.  Sadly, all the contractions I felt Sunday into Monday meant nothing because it turns out I was still only 2-3 cm dilated and 80% effaced!  For those of you who don't know what that means, you're ready to go into labor when your cervix has opened to 10 cm and and when your cervix has thinned to 100%.  We walked around the hospital for an hour and the nurse re-checked me.  Still no progress, so we packed up and decided to go home.  Judging from my calmness in the video, I should have known I wasn't really in labor.  How naive of me because when I truly went into labor, I could barely walk or talk. 

After coming home from the hospital I felt defeated and I was preparing myself for medical induction  (something David and I wanted to avoid).  However, at around 7:00 pm Monday night, I started feeling a lot of back pain and pressure in my butt.  I figured this was a result of my cracked tailbone.  At around 8:00 pm I got into the tub and tried my best to tough it out.  Later that night around 11:00 pm, I couldn't stand it any longer.  David called the doctor and she suggested coming into the hospital to get a morphine drip so I could rest through the night and induce in the morning.  I definitely didn't want to take this route for the safety of the baby.  David suggested we still go into the hospital to get checked.  Although I didn't want to make another trip to the hospital, I agreed. 

My contractions were exactly 5 minutes apart during the car ride and when we arrived at the hospital (around 11:45 pm) I was already 5-6 cm dilated!  Even though the pain was unlike anything I've ever felt, I still wanted to have a natural labor so I declined the epidural.  I labored in the tub for about an hour and by the time I got back into the room, I was 9 cm!  I pushed for 30 minutes and at 2:46 am on Tuesday May 24th, Alistair Eaton Choi was born.  He weighed 7 lbs 15 oz and measured 21 inches long.  Some babies are ugly, but I think he's the cutest thing in the whole world.  

One day old!

Going home on Thursday May 26th!

Surprisingly he looks just like the ultrasound photo!  For those of you who couldn't make out his face, hope these pictures side-by-side help!  Also, he loves sleeping with one arm up, probably because that's the way he slept in my belly.

David and I are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends.  We've had so many visitors and our refrigerator is the fullest it's ever been!  I have hundreds of pictures to share, eventually I'll download them!

Just like in utero, he hiccups often.  Enjoy :)

6 days old :)

Lazy Uterus

Thursday May 19th, 9:23 pm.  STILL NO BABY.  Is it possible I have a lazy uterus?! 

Starting at 36 weeks, I've had the option to have my cervix checked for dilation.  For the last four weeks I've politely declined.  I haven't felt any painful contractions so on Monday's 40 week appointment, my OB referred to my uterus as "lazy".  HAHA.  I finally caved and had her check my cervix on Wednesday (2 days past due).  Turns out I'm 2-3 cm dilated and 80% effaced!  BOOYA Dr. Spears, not so lazy after all!   

Anyways, we've scheduled a medical induction for next Tuesday, May 24th at 7:30 am.  Pray the baby arrives before then.  I've tried various natural methods this week but to no avail!

Monday, May 16th:

• prenatal massage - relaxation
• spicy mapa tofu - stimulates the gut and bowel and encourages the uterus to contract
• pineapple - contains enzyme bromelain which is thought to help soften cervix

Tuesday, May 17th:

• walk - the pressure of the baby's head pressing down on the cervix from the inside stimulates the release of oxytocin
• acupuncture - 18 very fine needles inserted in the ear, lower back, feet, ankles, hands, and shoulders used to stimulate energy within the body

Wednesday, May 18th:

• strip membranes - remove the membranes around the amniotic sac, causing your body to naturally release hormones that begin labor

Thursday, May 19th:

• acupressure - top pick for naturally inducing labor, acupuncture minus the needles, stimulates contractions
 



  
• red raspberry leaf tea - help prepare the uterine muscles for labour to start

Any other suggestions?

Our Home

We bought our house in 2008, a year before we got married.  There was significant water damage but thanks to a full year of my dad's hard work (dry walling, texturing, interior/exterior painting, new carpet, new wood floors, new bathrooms, etc.) our house is now a home. 

April 2008 - Before we painted the exterior

April 2008 - Front Door

April 2008 -Water Damage!

 

April 2008 - Master Bedroom

   

April 2008 - Dad Texturing Walls

  

April 2008 - Living Room

 

April 2008 - Awesome picture of Mom digging a tree out of the window well

 

2 years later, April 2011...David vacuuming :)

For those of you who have never been to our home, here's a video we shot tonight...welcome to the Choi's!



At last!  After what seems like forever, we're finally done with the nursery.  Good thing Baby Choi is fashionably late because I just added the finishing touch today (a day past due date). 



February 2011 - David putting the crib together



May 17, 2011 - Nursery is DONE!