We appreciate all the prayers so so much. Please continue to pray for Gabriel's continued progress with eating and his time in NICU without any setbacks. Much love.
How cute are those cheeks?
Daddy loves holding Gabe :)
Friday, December 23, 2011
3 weeks old today :)
It's crazy, but Gabe has already been in the hospital for 3 weeks! I went back to work two weeks ago to finish up my rotation while he was still in the hospital, and thankfully time has been passing pretty fast. I go every day at lunch, after work, then Michael and I go after dinner every day to visit the cutie pie. He is doing great so far! He has been off the oxygen since a couple days after birth, and he got off his IV at the 1 week mark. We have also moved from the isolette bed to a regular crib! He was under the UV light for a little while, but has gotten off of that too, so he is technically just a "feeder/grower" now! At the last weigh-in we were there for, Gabe weighed 4 lbs 7 oz, but he has probably gained more since then. We have also been taking bottles for the past 4 days, and they are increasing those as well. Hopefully he will come home not too long after the new year so 2012 can start off great :) I am so ready to have him home!
We appreciate all the prayers so so much. Please continue to pray for Gabriel's continued progress with eating and his time in NICU without any setbacks. Much love.
We appreciate all the prayers so so much. Please continue to pray for Gabriel's continued progress with eating and his time in NICU without any setbacks. Much love.
Monday, December 5, 2011
he is perfect.
All the attempts to stop early labor were unsuccessful, and Gabriel David Hochstetler was born on December 2, 2011 at 8:16 pm. He was a small 3 lb 13 oz, but so amazingly perfect. Because he was born at only 30 weeks and 1 day, he will require several weeks in the NICU. I could have never imagined how difficult having a baby in the NICU could be, and I am having trouble holding it together. It is unreal how helpless you feel knowing you can really do nothing. Michael is truly the most amazing person in the whole world, and I don't know what I would do without him. He has been such a great husband to me throughout the pregnancy, but seeing him now after the labor/delivery process and in this role as a dad is just incredible; I don't know what I did to deserve him.
Everyone please pray for Gabe's time in the NICU and his return home in the upcoming weeks, as well as for mine and Michael's strength throughout this process.
Everyone please pray for Gabe's time in the NICU and his return home in the upcoming weeks, as well as for mine and Michael's strength throughout this process.
My precious boys.
Gabe may have some strawberry blonde hair...uh oh
My angel holding daddy's finger
Friday, December 2, 2011
slight changes in plans...
Well, I guess Gabriel really is my baby. He pretty much is thinking he is going to do whatever he wants (in this case, try to come way too early). Starting this weekend, I was pretty uncomfortable, but just dealt with it as being 30 weeks pregnant. I thought I'd be fine until I only slept for a total of 10 mins on Sunday night and hurt until Monday - so I decided a call to the doctor would be in our best interest. They got me in early, told me I was having some contractions but not dilating. I was prescribed a muscle relaxer to try to stop them and sent home instructed to call should I need anything. Monday night was still uncomfortable, but I managed to sleep about 2 and a half hours. I went to my rotation on Tuesday and began to hurt again pretty badly. As soon as I got home, I took some of the medicine my doctor gave me and tried to sleep. After what felt like an eternity, I looked at the clock and realized it wasn't even midnight yet. I woke poor Michael up and said we should probably go to the ER.
They immediately transferred me to labor and delivery (common practice for 30 weeks pregnant) and hooked me up to 24 hour monitoring. That morning, my doctor came back to check me again (this is only a day and a half since I'd last seen her), and I quickly asked if I could be back to my rotation by Friday to finish these last 2 and a half weeks of my second long term. Little did I know, that would be the least of my worries at this point. I had already dilated a cm and they were going to start steriod injections to speed up lung development should Gabe be delievered any time soon. I then had it in my mind I would just be committed to 48 hours then I'd be on my way to finish this dang rotation.
Well, after another very painful night (contractions every 5-7 mins for the 5th day in a row), I was checked again to only be told I was now dilated to 2 cm even after all the drugs I've been given to stop the contractions, and my water had already broken. This news comes with more bad news - I will be in the hospital until we have a baby (anywhere from 1 day to 4 weeks). Here's to hoping for more time! We signed TONS of paperwork, talked to SEVERAL specialists, and have been preparing for what life with a preemie is like (my school knowledge really works against me here, and I have been crying/worrying nonstop).
One major highlight came last night when the NICU doctor came to speak to me (per orders from my clinical instructors over at WK South haha) to ease my mind with great statistics for 30 week babies - especially those with steriod shots given before birth! We are just praying for the best and hoping to be in the hospital (as AWFUL/PAINFUL/BORING/UNCOMFORTABLE as it is for me) for as much more time as we can get for Gabe to grow.
We very much appreciate all possible prayers as I go through these next few weeks (and months in the NICU once Gabe comes). Our friends will still get to meet him once he's out of NI (around the same time he was due to come anyway), but Michael and I are planning on meeting a bouncing baby boy before Christmas...
They immediately transferred me to labor and delivery (common practice for 30 weeks pregnant) and hooked me up to 24 hour monitoring. That morning, my doctor came back to check me again (this is only a day and a half since I'd last seen her), and I quickly asked if I could be back to my rotation by Friday to finish these last 2 and a half weeks of my second long term. Little did I know, that would be the least of my worries at this point. I had already dilated a cm and they were going to start steriod injections to speed up lung development should Gabe be delievered any time soon. I then had it in my mind I would just be committed to 48 hours then I'd be on my way to finish this dang rotation.
Well, after another very painful night (contractions every 5-7 mins for the 5th day in a row), I was checked again to only be told I was now dilated to 2 cm even after all the drugs I've been given to stop the contractions, and my water had already broken. This news comes with more bad news - I will be in the hospital until we have a baby (anywhere from 1 day to 4 weeks). Here's to hoping for more time! We signed TONS of paperwork, talked to SEVERAL specialists, and have been preparing for what life with a preemie is like (my school knowledge really works against me here, and I have been crying/worrying nonstop).
One major highlight came last night when the NICU doctor came to speak to me (per orders from my clinical instructors over at WK South haha) to ease my mind with great statistics for 30 week babies - especially those with steriod shots given before birth! We are just praying for the best and hoping to be in the hospital (as AWFUL/PAINFUL/BORING/UNCOMFORTABLE as it is for me) for as much more time as we can get for Gabe to grow.
We very much appreciate all possible prayers as I go through these next few weeks (and months in the NICU once Gabe comes). Our friends will still get to meet him once he's out of NI (around the same time he was due to come anyway), but Michael and I are planning on meeting a bouncing baby boy before Christmas...
Saturday, November 12, 2011
the final stretch...
It's hard to believe that we are exactly 8 weeks away from meeting Gabe! I promise posts will be much more plentiful when I have a really cute baby model of whom I will post millions of pictures.
Some updates:
BABY SHOWER IS SUNDAY! Whoa, where did the time go?! I am so excited to see my family and friends and to shower baby Gabe with so much love.
I have been worried about every little thing since the pregnancy began, but it has been worse lately. Being a diabetic has always had its challenges, but being a pregnant diabetic is just more difficult than I could have ever imagined. I have started weekly doctor's appointments, so at least my mind is somewhat eased when I see that perfect wiggle worm and hear that heartbeat.
I am halfway done with my second long term clinical rotation! YAY! I am loving it (though I am exhausted, and my feet look like tree trunks by the end of each day). One step closer to being DR. HOCHSTETLER and having an income :)
Michael is the PERFECT husband. I am so blessed to have married such a wonderful man who takes care of me and helps out with EVERY household chore when I just want to put my feet up and relax. I never knew I could love someone so much. The only drawback: hunting season. I am so dang bored on the weekends!
We appreciate the continued prayers as we finish this crazy ride, and we are so excited to have a healthy baby in January! Oh, and I can't wait to have some (a lot of) wine haha
Some updates:
BABY SHOWER IS SUNDAY! Whoa, where did the time go?! I am so excited to see my family and friends and to shower baby Gabe with so much love.
I have been worried about every little thing since the pregnancy began, but it has been worse lately. Being a diabetic has always had its challenges, but being a pregnant diabetic is just more difficult than I could have ever imagined. I have started weekly doctor's appointments, so at least my mind is somewhat eased when I see that perfect wiggle worm and hear that heartbeat.
I am halfway done with my second long term clinical rotation! YAY! I am loving it (though I am exhausted, and my feet look like tree trunks by the end of each day). One step closer to being DR. HOCHSTETLER and having an income :)
Michael is the PERFECT husband. I am so blessed to have married such a wonderful man who takes care of me and helps out with EVERY household chore when I just want to put my feet up and relax. I never knew I could love someone so much. The only drawback: hunting season. I am so dang bored on the weekends!
We appreciate the continued prayers as we finish this crazy ride, and we are so excited to have a healthy baby in January! Oh, and I can't wait to have some (a lot of) wine haha
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
planning is fun :)
As we await sweet baby Gabe's arrival, I get to start planning all the fun baby things. My parents are buying the nursery furniture, and we picked out some precious bedding while it was on sale. I also started a baby gift registry at Babies R Us online which was completely overwhelming and scary! I could never have imagined so many needs for such a tiny person. Thankfully, my mom is throwing us a baby shower in late November (before the Christmas crazy-ness) and just in time for Gabe's January birthday. I am so so excited!
It's hard to believe we will be welcoming our son so soon! Football season has begun, Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner, and Christmas isn't too far behind. Before we know it, new years will pass and we will be bringing Gabe home from the hospital. I am so thankful for the encouragement and prayers from our friends and family and ask that it continues for the next few months. Doctor's appointments are plentiful, and it's getting tough as I try to finish out these clinical rotations, but I am so thankful for every milestone Gabe and I pass healthily together.
Much love and updates to come as we progress :)
It's hard to believe we will be welcoming our son so soon! Football season has begun, Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner, and Christmas isn't too far behind. Before we know it, new years will pass and we will be bringing Gabe home from the hospital. I am so thankful for the encouragement and prayers from our friends and family and ask that it continues for the next few months. Doctor's appointments are plentiful, and it's getting tough as I try to finish out these clinical rotations, but I am so thankful for every milestone Gabe and I pass healthily together.
Much love and updates to come as we progress :)
The new crib and bedding
Letters from the fabulous etsy.com that match the bedding :)
Some TECH clothes for next year and PJ's for this year!
Michael, Gabe, and I at Gabe's first Louisiana Tech game!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
it's a boy!
As unconventional as it started, and as unexpected as it was....Michael and I are excited to be welcoming a new addition to the family in January! We found out at our 17 week scan last Thursday that we are having a baby boy who appears to be perfect so far. Gabriel "Gabe" David Hochstetler will make his debut in just about 4 months!
We (and by "we" I mean Michael) have been busy getting the house ready for baby Gabe. We have redone the kitchen, much too late in my opinion, and we have cleared out what is to be his nursery. I have mostly been complaining of how uncomfortable I am and have been talking Michael's ear off about ideas that pop into my head while he is the perfect husband and pretends to listen and tends to my ever so annoying needs.
Michael and I are looking forward to sharing this journey via baby blog, and I ask for prayers and encouragement through this new experience in our lives. Here are some pictures (sorry they're fuzzy) of the newest little Hochstetler!
We (and by "we" I mean Michael) have been busy getting the house ready for baby Gabe. We have redone the kitchen, much too late in my opinion, and we have cleared out what is to be his nursery. I have mostly been complaining of how uncomfortable I am and have been talking Michael's ear off about ideas that pop into my head while he is the perfect husband and pretends to listen and tends to my ever so annoying needs.
Michael and I are looking forward to sharing this journey via baby blog, and I ask for prayers and encouragement through this new experience in our lives. Here are some pictures (sorry they're fuzzy) of the newest little Hochstetler!
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