DFW-CVG-NORWALK-DFW, road trip with baby

Thanks to my years spent as a Flight Attendant, I will (perhaps) remember most airport codes...NERD ALERT!

Scott and I recently ventured (I say that lightly) out to Ohio with our 5 1/2 month old. Our choice of transportation was our brand new Toyota Hybrid Highlander. We decided to leave at 8:30 pm on July 27, to drive STRAIGHT to Cincinnati....did I mention, with our 5 month old?? HA! I joke, but we honestly couldn't have left at a better time. So at 8:30 pm, with a sleepy baby, we embarked on a 16 hour drive to Cincinnati. Our drive took us from Texas-Arkansas-Tennessee-Kentucky-OHIO.

Peyton slept the majority of the trip. We were able to make it Ohio in 15 hours, 4 pit stops (gas, potty, diaper changes), and with the help of Yo Gabba Gabba (better known as baby crack). I pumped the whole way up and one of us was always in the back ready for a crisis. Oddly, Peyton who rarely took a binky prior to the trip, was not graciously accepting of one.

Ohio bound

We spent the weekend in Cincinnati and visited with Scott's (and now my) friends. Carly, Justin, and Kellen got to meet Peyton for the first time. And I got to visit with Kellen, whom I hand't seen in 9 months!

Kellen showing Peyton his Helicopter

Carly with the babies :)

One thing I have noticed since having a baby is, I'm so focused on getting cute pictures of my baby, I forget to get pictures of Scott and myself. I guess there are worse things in life. But I really wish I would have gotten a few pictures of Carly and me. I also got to see Paul and Tami's house and meet her for the first time! She was 9 months pregnant with Noah. Again, no pictures!! Thankfully, the last day we were in town, at  the Stone's cook out, Mike made sure we got a group shot.

left to right: Carly's parents, Ron and Carol, Megan, Casey, Kellen, Justin, Carly, Mike (kneeling), Scott, Peyton, ME, Timmy and Katrina. oh, and of course Odon's butt

We had fun visiting with everyone in Cincy, but I was eager to see Scott's family and introduce Peyton to everyone for the first time and to Connie again. I love my in-laws and wished they lived closer!

Uncle Jimmy first time meeting Peyton

Peyton's Great Grandma Young

I LOVE little cute things and absolutely loved this little chair at Grandma Young's house

this is precious. Grammy and Peyton

Grandpa Bill even got down on the floor to entertain Peyton. He's a lucky little guy

I spent the week in Ohio and because this was a working vacation for Scott (He took 2 weeks off work when Peyton was born.) he returned to Cincinnati to work. Peyton and I thoroughly enjoyed spending much needed time with the Youngs. One of the days, Connie, Peyton, and I also enjoyed brunch at Great Grandma Young's house, there eagerly waiting to meet Peyton was his Great Aunt Lizy. 

On a side note, where did "great" when referring to your parent's grandparents and aunt and uncle derive from?

Great Aunt Lizy got Peyton this laughing horse.
 I thought it plus his diaper box made for a good horse and carriage.

I feel like whenever we're in Ohio, we're always doing something besides just visiting. Scott and I got married there and I have been up there many times to do wedding related stuff (pictures, shopping for venues, showers, getting married, etc.) This trip included getting Peyton baptized. Peyton being baptized wasn't the initial reason for our visit, but with my sister coming into town (from NY), and Scott's parent's being there, this was the perfect opportunity to do it. Besides, this church has so much meaning to our family; it is the place we united our love, where Scott went to school, he was also baptized there, and his parent's were married there. With my nomad background, I always appreciate strong rooted families.

That weekend my sister and her family (husband and 2 kids) came down from New York. They stayed in the coolest loft condo in downtown Sandusky. It actually made me want to move to a loft condo.

Peyton's baptism was the following Sunday after we initially got to Ohio. His baptism couldn't have gone more smoothly! He was beyond good, he must have known God was watching him. His baptism took place during mass and the same priest who married us, preformed his baptism. It was very special.

all dressed in white

Peyton and his Godmother, aka Aunt Millie 

these pics are adorable 

My baby boy

Us with Peyton's God parents, cousins, and grandparents 

After Peyton's baptism, we went to the family cottage on lake Erie and had a light lunch, finger sandwiches, chips, and cake. We're simple people.

Connie got this cake for the occasion

The cool thing about the cottage is that the surrounding cottages are all family dating back 5 or 6 generations. This is Uncle David who is really like a 4th cousin...I think

Great Aunt Jeanne

kiddos playing frisbee

Vincent was so smitten with his baby cousin

The journey back to TX was longer 19 hours. YIKES! Scott and I have done this drive a couple of times, but attempting it with a baby was VERY scary. We decided to leave even earlier in the night. I think we pulled out of Scott's parent's driveway just before 7 pm. Peyton was a little fussier on the car ride home, and bc the first trip was so easy I neglected to pump prior. Lets just say, there were several instances I spent hunched over Peyton's carseat trying to nurse him. Needless to say, we made it back okay. Tired, but in one long stretch.

1 month of Peyton!

Peyton's first month of life has been incredible. Who knew you could love something so much in such a short period of time. We're so overwhelmed by the love and support of our family and friends.  It's amazing how something so special can bring us all together and that's what Peyton's birth did.

We left the hospital Friday morning (2/24) and we're shortly greeted with my mom and her husband's arrival. I was still an emotional, hormonal mess and cried about everything once we got home. Later that afternoon, Scott left to pick his mom up at the airport. Peyton had both his grandmother's (Grammy and Mimi) under one roof. 

this makes me happy!

 

Mimi and Grammy

My mom was so happy, I don't think I've ever seen her that happy!

Scott's mom stayed with us for a couple of weeks. I was so grateful to have her here and for everything she helped us with. I really do wish she lived closer. I didn't grow up knowing my grandparents and always longed for the that kind of relationship. Especially when I saw so many of my friends with amazing grandparents. I'm excited that Peyton will grow up knowing his!

Uncle Derek moved in with briefly before he went to travel the world/move to Singapore.

Peyton had his newborn pictures taken when he was 8 days old! Kati Mendez ofMemories Held Still did his pictures and she did an amazing job!

The first month of Peyton's life went by so quickly. Even though he didn't do much, I couldn't seem to put him down or take my eyes off of him. Being a new mom is something I cannot even begin to describe. I feel like my heart doubled in size! 

there's reason to blog again! Peyton's Birth

Hello world, I'm back! It's been nearly 2 years since my last entry and lots has happened. I know, I promised you a blog about our wedding, and somehow life happened and I never got around to writing that blog. I plan to write that blog (I swear), but this is not of that blog. 


I wanted to start a blogging again for my baby! Yup! A baby has happened in my absence from blogging. I contemplated writing a fill in blog, but I would rather just pick up with were we're at in life now. -I will just back us up to Peyton's birth.


AHEM- Peyton's birth...the weekend before:


By the time I reached 38 weeks in my pregnancy, I'd gain 60 lbs (gasp)! This was not planned. By my 3rd trimester my Dr told me I was anemic and this left me tired 24/7. I think I slept the whole entire last month of my pregnancy. With being lethargic and reaching a phase to which I just didn't care anymore, it was easy to pack on the pounds. And I did! I was so heavy and PREGNANT. I just wanted my body back and to meet my baby. With all of my discomfort, and I'm sure complaining, a friend told me that pineapples helped you naturally go into labor. Because I was desperate to be "normal" again I ventured out to Sams club and bought a whole case of pineapples. I'm sure I was a vision, big ole me walking in and then walking out with my pineapples. 


That Friday I ate a can of pineapples and they were tasty! After eating a can, I realized I had 7 more cans left. Don't get me wrong, I love pineapple, but was I really going to sit there and eat 7 cans of this stuff? And did this really work? I decided to google "pineapple inducing labor". Yup, there it was, pineapple has a natural enzyme that helps naturally induce labor, BUT the pineapple has to be FRESH (canning process kills that enzyme)! ha! of course, just my luck. I also read that kiwis have that same enzyme. "Scotttttt, can you go get me a fresh pineapple and some Kiwis???" haha thank goodness for Scott! 


After 30mins-time it took to send him to the store and cut my pineapple, I was back on track to meeting Mr. Peyton. I only managed to eat 1/2 a pineapple that night. Saturday morning I woke up to have more pineapple with a side of kiwi. I noticed something happened which contributes to labor being around the corner. I'll spare the details because it's not something worth sharing. By the time Sunday rolled around, I had eatin 2 1/2 pineapples and 10 kiwis. Yes, my mouth was raw and I coud bare no more! Luckily, I started having contractions, every 10 minutes.


My contractions kept on 10 minutes apart until 11pm monday night. -they started becoming more intense and were now 5 mins apart. After enduring 3 hours of consistent contractions at 5 mins aprt (after already enduring 2 days of contractions), I begged Scott to take me to the hospital.

We arrived at North Hills hospital around 2:45 am. I was 90% effaced, and dilated to a 5. Within an hour, we were admitted. I originally planned on an all natural labor, but my contractions were horrible and I was exhausted from 2 straight days of them and opted for an epidural. By 5 am I had my epidural and was not dilated to 7-8...things seemed to be on track. my Dr. arrived around 8:30 am. Without examining me, he was there to break my water and he did. An hour later I was 95% effaced and dilated to a 10. My Dr, wanted me to try and start pushing and so did my body. I pushed for an hour straight and Peyton's head wasn't budging. His head was in sight, but not moving any further. My dr. also informed us that he was face up -which explained the horrible back pain I'd been having.

After the first failed attempt of trying to push him out, (that's all my body wanted to do was push), the 2nd round of pushing was met with pitocin  (bc my contractions were not speeding up). I pushed again for another hour and Peytons heart rate dropped from 165 to 65. My dr came back in and by the look of his face, I already knew what he was thinking and before he could say anything, I began to cry and repetitively tell him "no". With Peyton not making any progress and his heart rate dropping the way it was, he wanted me to have a c-section. By this time my epidural ran out and I was in horrible pain, back labor and pitocin made for the worst contractions and I could feel EVERYTHING. Because of the pain and Peyton's heart rate not being steady, I gave up and opted for the c-section.

By around 4pm, I was rolled into the OR and by 4:29 pm Peyton Christopher Young was born. 7lbs, 11oz, 20 1/3 inches long. He brought instand tears to our eyes.

This is when my epidural ran out and I was in horrific pain. Scott saw it as a photo op! 

First family photo. I was pretty out of it!

It's a boy!

I cannot believe this little guy was inside of me for 9 months!

:)

Uncle Derek was there too!

<3