Our Princess is HERE!

Karris Grace Knight arrived on 8-15 at 11:27AM weighing 6lb 12oz and was 19.5 inches long. After going into the hospital on Sunday at 4PM for a scheduled induction, much to everyone's delight my progress Monday morning was great! My cervix was completely softened and I was dilated to a 2 as of 5:00AM. The nurses started me on Pitocin at 5:30AM. I didn't get much sleep on Sunday night because the heart monitor for Karris kept on not reading her heart rate because she was so active (which has continued to hold true!) and because of me moving around trying to get comfortable in my sleep. But, I was so excited - getting up at 5 was no problem at all! I could feel a few strong contractions that night too, which was also exciting!

After the Pitocin was up and going, regular contractions really started between 7-8AM. By 9AM I was having very regular contractions and I was in EXTREME pain. They were every 2-3 minutes and lasting a good minute. Poor Daniel was so upset for me that I really thought he was going to be in tears. The nurses would not get give me anything for the pain, because since things were progressing so quickly they knew as soon as my doctor got there he would likely order an epidural. So let me just tell you how NOT fun having active labor contractions are with no pain medicine! And I feel like I have a pretty high pain threshold! It was horrible. I didn't cry, but I was so close and it truly makes me want to cry even thinking about it! Luckily, Dr. S showed up around 9:30 and ordered my epidural. It was administered around 9:30ish. Talk about heaven! Woooo hoooo. I was on cloud 9. From there they just monitored baby Karris and I. Around 10:30, the nurses started getting concerned because Karris' heart rate was dropping to the low 100's. (Infant heart rates should be between 120-160). After positioning me different ways and giving me oxygen, a little after 11 Dr. S decided an emergency C-section was necessary because Karris was likely on her umbilical cord, or regardless, something wasn't quite right! So... the whole thing happened very, very quickly. I was in the operating room for the C-section at 11:20 and Karris was born at 11:27. Daniel was in there with me for the surgery. It was truly amazing. As soon as they laid her next to me, I saw Daniel cry for the first time and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I looked at Karris and I said "Karris, I am your mommy" and she quit crying and look right at me with her big, gorgeous eyes. Afterwards, I went to recovery for awhile and Daniel got to take her to the nursery and spend about 15 minutes with her until they bathed her etc. Around 2:00 they brought her into our room and she hasn't been out of my sight since! She is the sweetest baby and I can't get enough of her. Daniel is the best daddy I could've ever imagined. I often wondered how he would take to daddyhood - and I can say that he is better than I imagined. I already don't want her to grow up and she isn't even a week old. I find myself telling people and thinking about it all the time. She is so perfect in my eyes. I absolutely cannot explain the love I have for her and the love that now have for Daniel. It has made our relationship stronger than I could ever imagine. I am on cloud 9 as you can see and I never want to get off!

39 Week Update!

Still no change today, looks like I am like my mom. She had to get induced with all 3 of us because her cervix wouldn't soften and it seems like mine doesn't want to either. So, if she isn't here by Sunday they will start an induction. We are to be at the hospital at 4:00 and they will start Cervidil at 5pm! Usually takes 8-12 hours to soften cervix then I will be receiving Pitocin. So hopefully Karris arrives sometime midday on Monday! (Unless she comes on her own before then, but when I asked the Dr. if he thought she would, he quickly said no.) So just keep us in your prayers. I am very nervous about getting indcued. I would much rather have her own my own - but he thinks she will likely be 8lbs as it is. So I don't want to chance a C-section OR a 10 lb baby. I am still counting my blessings, because the positive with the cervix not softening is it's strong and I hopefully won't ever have to worry about a preemie or being on bedrest in the future. So that is a plus I must say.. especially with the number of people I have known go into labor early or have to be on bedrest. So, there is always a silver lining! If for some crazy reason I go into labor before Sunday - we shall update! I am so excited to OFFICIALLY know I will be a mommy in LESS than a week!!! XOXO

Nursery Complete!

Rocker & Dresser 

Side table and wreath for the door after she is born :)

 Other wall with her books on chest of drawers & toys in the floor

Her hairbow holder (the first thing I ever made for her!) and rocking chair that my brothers and I used growing up!

Crib

VENTING :)

I am taking a moment to vent. I have never done this before.. but it is time haha. So here we go... and if you don't want to read this, then don't. I'll probably update tomorrow with a doctor update so that will be a little more exciting for you.

#1 - Just because you have had a baby before me, whether it be 10 minutes, 10 days, 10 weeks, or 10 years - I do not need to know every piece of advice that you think you should offer me. If I have any questions for you, I will be sure to ask. And if I do ask, don't be a know it all. Just be honest and supportive. Don't act like you are super mom. I promise that I won't once Karris is here. Heck, I am not even super wife or super friend or super daughter... I know I won't be super mom. But I will do everything in my power to be as good of a mom I can be.

#2 - Your baby is not perfect and life is not peaches and cream immediately after you have your little one. It is a fact... it is an adjustment. So quit trying to pretend that life just keeps on keeping on like it was before your little one was here. It is hard for everyone, regardless of if you have a "perfect" baby. (Which if you act like you have a perfect baby, it's pretty much a dead giveaway you probably don't anyway.)

#3 - Just because something works for you doesn't mean it is going to work for me. All people parent differently and all babies adjust differently. If I want to stay locked up in the house with Karris for 6 months, maybe I will. Haha just kidding. I'll probably have her at the mall when she is a week and a half old. Hey - I never missed a day of school K-12th grade - so my parents must have done something right letting me be around germs early on!

#4 - My doctor is in charge of me and Karris. He will know what is right for us as far as induction, waiting it out, etc. And as soon as he tells me what I should or shouldn't do - I will go with it. There is a reason he is a doctor and delivers tons of babies weekly successfully.

#5 - It is hot as H-E double hockey stick outside. And I have an extra 30 pounds on me and the heat index is like 110 or something crazy today. I know you are probably hot too, but believe me, unless you are a 400lb obese person - I promise that I am probably hotter. Not to mention, I can't even pull myself up out of the bed without pulling my comforter for support, or the cushions on the couch, or pushing up out of the bathtub using the side and the railing... mmk?

#6 - I did go to nursing school and I did graduate and I did do L&D clinicals. (A whole 6 months of them actually - wow!) So, not that I am by any means a pro (far from it actually) - I have seen many different deliveries, many different mommies and many different babies. Note the key word is different. No 2 are the same. Like no 2 pregnancies are always the same. All I can do is pray for a smooth, healthy labor and delivery for both Karris and I. (And Daniel too, sometimes I am more worried about him passing out than anything.) And I pray that if God blesses us with another baby one day - that my pregnancy will go as smooth as this one has. Because everyone knows I have been so very, very lucky. No sickness.. no complications.. no nothing. But like I said, next time around I'll probably be sick as a dog on top of taking care of a 3 year old or whatever age Karris happens to be. Hey - it's the way the world works, right?

#7 - This is it, I promise. I am ready for Karris to be here. SO ready. This last week is hard because I feel like a cow. Sometimes I feel like I can't even breathe when I am laying down. But one thing that I have heard from people I know will be true, as soon as she is in my arms - all of these last few days of misery will all go out the window. Maybe I'll crack a window and let in the 110 degree heat to prepare. Just kidding.

XOXO - COME ON BABY KARRIS!

Oh my, oh my, what a year!!

As my facebook status says this morning, "It's hard to believe this time last year it was a rainy day to start our wedding weekend and I had just finished the hardest semester of nursing school yet.. who would've thought in a year's time we'd be preparing for our BIGGEST blessing and excitement to date, the same weekend a year later! We can't wait to hold you and just stare at you sweet Karris :) :) You will be the best anniversary gift in this world!" - that about sums it up! Looking over this past year, I have gone from engaged to married to now expecting this sweet baby girl. Add that on top of finishing nursing school, clinicals and working full time - you can ONLY imagine why these past 4 days without working have seemingly driven me to the brink of insanity MAJOR boredom. :) Just kidding. I seem to always find something to clean or organize. I know I can drive poor Daniel nuts sometimes with this. But, can't be too prepared! On that note, since I started ths blog in December - I am going to add a few wedding pictures from August 7, 2010 :) Can't believe it's been a year. I am so blessed with an amazing husband who is the hardest worker I know and who is so sweet and loving. I know that I can be hard to live with sometimes with my OCD and criticism - but Daniel is so laid back it really balances out my highstrung energy!

First picture after saying I do!

Wedding Shower in July 2010

On to Karris - MAYBE this will be my last post before she gets here :) :) I hope so! her official due date, as I have mentioned before is August 14. But since she has always measured 2 days earlier, I usually catch myself saying August 12. (Which is a WEEK away!!!!) She DID flip back we confirmed at the 37 weeks appointment. Which was a week and a half ago. This past Tuesday, at the 38 week, my doctor was out delivering (wish it was me!) so I saw his partner for the first time. She confirmed Karris is still head down, so that is wonderful news. I doubt she will flip within the next week or so. It is probably a little too tight in there now! BUT, the ultrasound tech said the fact she has flipped 3x since 32 weeks is HIGHLY unusual too, so she laughed when I asked if she was there to stay. I have faith that she is though. I wasn't dilated or anything this week at the doctor, so Karris is holding on. I have started to have some mild contractions in the past few days - but nothing too exciting to call the doctor just yet.

Updated pic of the nursery - from my phone, so not very clear!

This was me way back 3 weeks ago at 36 weeks haha. As you can see I am way bigger!

Other than all of this, we are so ready. I got to meet my friend Ava's sweet baby boy, Seven Reed Doutt last week and also got to see him at lunch yesterday. He is precious and SO tiny. I am so glad to have gotten to hold and spend time with him, because honestly it had been awhile since those labor & delivery clinicals last fall. It is amazing how fast they grow in such a short time. Aside from Seven, I have had 5 other friends have babies in the past month! 4 boys and 2 girls and all the babies are healthy and the mommies are too. I am ready to jump on the mommy wagon. (As if you can't tell!) I have to also post a picture of something that Daniel's sweet aunt made for us - she made Karris a blanket out of different fabrics and used Daniel's grandmother, Elyse's. old thread to sew her blanket! Grandma Elyse passed away 10 years ago and her husband, Daniel's grandfather, passed away this past Tuesday. This is the first grand & greatgrandchild for both of our families, so we have looked at it as with death comes new life, and his granddad probably wanted to be with his grandmother to see the arrival of their first great-grandchild together. :)

This is baby Seven! He is smiling :) He was a week and a half old here - precious!

Blanket made by Aunt Barbara with Grandma Elyse's thread - means so much to us!