Here comes Remington Melissa!

Remi is here!!!

Remington Melissa Dill

February 16, 2016

5:54 pm

7 pounds 11 ounces

20.5 inches

On the Sunday before baby's due date, so on Valentine's Day, I noticed significantly decreased movements and started to worry. After lots of thoughts and discussion we decided that I would call in the morning to go in and get checked. Monday morning we went in and did a non-stress test at the hospital. Jana, one of my midwives, thought that movements did seem decreased and that we may even need to have a baby that day! After more testing, that all went well, and talking with doctors, I was allowed to go home with an expectation of induction on the Wednesday at the latest. We were mostly trying to make it until my mom flew in on Tuesday night.
After more talking at home and more worrying, we decided to call my mom and have her fly up as soon as she could. She ended up arriving in Kalispell that night around midnight.
With my mom in Kalispell already we decided to induce the next day following my appointment!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016 we went in for an appointment and got the ok to head over to hospital to be induced!
It all seemed so surreal heading into the Labor and Delivery department calm and planned - no contractions or sense of urgency or too much uncertainty. We were having a baby today!
I got gowned up and settled in and then got hooked up to monitors - boo! I was hoping to remain untethered as long as possible, if not the whole time, shooting for a natural birth so I could move, but with the worry of baby's health leading to induction, that meant Pitocin, IVs, and monitors - but hey, I was really just up for whatever would be best for me and baby :)
The morning went by chatting and on social media of course. Nora rotated taking trips to the playroom and cafeteria with Grandmas. She even fell asleep for a nap in the delivery room. It was nice having Kevin to myself too!
I think I made it a good couple of hours with contractions without too much discomfort. I believe I came into Labor & Delivery dilated to a 2. After a few hours, and still comfortable, we decided we would break my water to get things really moving.
Then, things got intense! I remember laboring for a few more hours on the side of the bed with the worst back labor ever! I got to a point that I couldn't talk and just had to focus on relaxing through the contractions. I felt almost nothing in my belly or pelvis because the back labor was so distracting (painful!)! Then the pain got to a point that I could no longer stand or really control my legs so I opted for an epidural in hopes of having maybe a little bit of relief, and with that a clearer mind and more control. I had made it all the way to 8 cm dilated before I decided to get an epidural.
The epidural helped a little bit, made the duration of the back shattering pain shorter, but not less intense I think. Once I got to this point I remember they added two more meds to my IV line in hopes of tackling the back labor. Between the IV cocktail and the intense pain all I can remember is spending another bit focusing on Kevin and the counter pressure my amazing Midwife, Amber Lavin, was giving me on my back to also help with the pain.
Then at one point I remember Amber coming in close to my face and telling me it was time to push. She said, "It's going to hurt like hell, but I promise you can do it!" and I remember responding something like, "well alright, guess here we go." and 9 minutes and maybe only 10 pushes later, Miss Remington Melissa Dill was here! I remember thinking the sooner I push this baby out, the sooner the pain will stop - pretty good motivation if you ask me. I had felt everything, unfortunately, but maybe thanks to my back labor, nothing even bothered me except my back through it all!
I remember my mom crying over her middle name while Kevin and I cried over the sweetest new addition we now had in our lives!
I ended up hemorrhaging about 1.5 liters of blood immediately after delivery, they think because of the speed of delivery, but we steered clear of a blood transfusion. So after the bleeding stopped and entirely too much stabbing at my uterus to get it to contract, we were able to enjoy the amazing moment and bliss we were experiencing!
Nora was completely unsure, and would not come near me or the baby for at least the first few hours! haha
The next few days of recovery in the hospital were actually pretty nice! We were treated very well and even Kevin had his own twin bed in our private room.

After 3 days, and the ok on my blood levels, we headed home to adjust to our now larger family!

At the Midwives' office the morning of

Here we go!

Just after admitting and gowning up

Facetiming to pass the time! 

Napping Nora

Feelin' it ...

LOVE this man of mine! He was, and is, my rock!

No clue what's going on. She has snacks so it doesn't matter ;)

The moment Miss Remi arrived! Melt my heart!

Nora LOVED talking about what was the same between them.
Here she's talking about how they both can yawn!

Grandpa got impatient and drove up that night from CA!

Going home!!

In LOVE!

Pregnancy the Second Time Around

This pregnancy, like I said in the beginning, was almost completely opposite from my pregnancy with Nora. (I am of course writing this a month after the new little one came!)
I was super sick and queasy almost all of the pregnancy. My hormones were all over the place and I had every typical symptom of pregnancy! Not to mention the stress this little on put on us during gestation!
To start out with the craziness, we were so set it was a boy and we even had names picked out, then on the 20 week ultrasound we found out we were having another GIRL!! We were all blown away! Almost all of our family and friends were on the "little man" bandwagon. Kevin's first words were, "Are you sure?" and "Well, I'm gonna buy another gun." Haha!
Then to start the stressful period of the pregnancy, that was also what I think was a period of immense growth between Kevin and I, we got results back from the ultrasound saying that the baby's measurements were borderline abnormal. The perinatologist suggested that we go back for some monitoring.
When we went back in about 4 weeks later the measurements we were worried about had increased. While everything else about baby looked in perfect condition, the cerebral ventricles in her brain were enlarged. We were counseled about what this could mean for our baby from everything from signs of Down's Syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities to some chance of everything being completely normal if it doesn't continue to increase. We were advised to start with some non-invasive genetic screening and see if that could tell us more about what was going on.
Our world seemed to almost shrink down to that moment and freeze, that is the only way I can explain it. There was even a small possibility we could loose her just before or after birth with these abnormalities! We were also told odds were more in our favor already however, because she had already made it this far in gestation. Then just like that, when I allowed even the smallest amount of positive outcomes to be what I held onto, I had a wave of peace come over me and a very distinct feeling of calm and comfort that I can only explain came from my Father in Heaven. I knew in that moment, whatever was to come, that I could not do it, but we - Kevin, The Lord, and I - could. This large roller coaster of emotion and huge learning and growing experience seemed to last hours, when in fact, it was a small moment, maybe just a minute, but a powerful one at that, spent holding my husbands had and simply looking into his eyes and agreeing that we would love the journey to come together no matter what.
The blood test was taken and we waited. We waited for so long!
Then the results came. The results that, over the phone, at home alone, told me that our baby girl's cells flagged for Turner's Syndrome, or Monosomy X. A female sex-gene linked abnormality where she will only be with one X chromosome. Again, the same feelings came as before as I was told we should expect a baby with stunted growth, some mild physical abnormalities, and a non-functional reproductive tract. First fear and sadness, and then hope and light as I learned that this does not normally affect nervous or cognitive development.
Then a more invasive test, an amniocentesis, was recommended as soon as possible along with another monitoring ultrasound for further results. An amnio would mean they place a needle into the amniotic fluid and draw a sample in order to test the baby's direct cells for abnormalities. This test would give us concrete, for sure answers. We headed to Kalispell that night for further counseling and the next steps.
Ultimately I debated over the amnio for a few weeks, got a priesthood blessing, and was almost decided I was not going to do it. Then after talking with a friend, Rochelle, in the head of L&D at the hospital I decided I would do the test, in order to best prepare staff for the medical needs baby may have at birth since respiratory complications and muscle function issues were common.
So went in for the scheduled testing day in mid December and made the compromise to wait just a little longer until I was past 32 weeks gestation in case of the small chance it induces early labor.
When the time came for the amniocentesis we asked for a family fast for the amnio to go smoothly and also for the baby's ventricles to stabilize. I was very nervous and didn't really know what to expect. The whole procedure really lasted all of about 15 seconds, and aside from some expected uterine cramping, was altogether uneventful. We also found out during the ultrasound that the baby's ventricles had not gotten any larger, so that was a good sign as well - another testimony builder.
Waiting for the results was one of the longest waiting periods I have ever been through!

The day the results came in the Perinatologist called me and let me know that the baby's chromosomes looked even more perfect than we could have hoped for! We were going to continue to watch the ventricles, but Dr. Guinn was not very concerned about them at all since they had not continued to grow. This meant no abnormalities and no complications expected at birth! I cried on the phone, after the call, and in the subsequent calls to family!
I honestly felt like I was finally able to enjoy my pregnancy and bond with my new baby without any hesitation. It was a great feeling and one I realized I had taken for granted with Nora.
Then we just had the regular, no sleep, always achey and tired, last trimester of pregnancy. I remember at this point just being so ready to have the baby and be done being huge and uncomfortable, as well as to be done stressing over this little one I hadn't even met yet. But we just kept waiting ;)

Here's some pictures through this pregnancy!

Our first ultrasound at 14 weeks, that I practically had to beg my OB for!

Oh ya, I ran a 5k MudRun with my work while pregnant and with a cold! And I finished!

16 weeks and first belly pic!

19 weeks

Our announcement to the world :)

26 weeks

28 weeks - Thanksgiving!

3D Ultrasound at our 28 week checkup

31 weeks - headed to a work party!

37 weeks

38 weeks

The BIG day, 39 weeks, and just heading over to the hospital after my appointment with my Midwife

Baby #2!

I'm sitting at my computer on a rare night I get a moment to myself, grateful for everything we have and all we are blessed with - including ANOTHER CHILD!
We got up the guts and took a positive test June 13th! Kevin has been away on an internship in Nevada for most of the summer so we were waiting to find out until we could be together for a weekend in Salt Lake City.
In all honesty I knew at least a week before simply from symptoms - fatigue, sore back, sore feet, and a very sore chest! (Remember I'm writing this for my memory mostly, so if you're afraid of details, you've been warned!)
I told work as soon as I was suspicious to be able to avoid exposure to radiation and anesthetic gasses. As soon as we knew for sure we rushed to a children's clothing store and bought an adorable "Sister of the year" shirt to let Nora tell the family! We met Mike and Jenny at the Hogle Zoo with Nora and showed them first. Then later that night we video chatted with most of the family and waited until they noticed the hint ... most of them took a few minutes and weren't sure if it even meant what they thought! It was so great!
As of today Kevin and I as well as our moms are betting on a boy this time.
I just can't wait for my first appointment (July 17th - and Kevin will be here too!) or first movements and all those little things that make it seem more and more real ... and will help with my anxiety about the little one. Isn't it crazy that this one is already upping my anxiety?? It's gotta be a boy right?? haha

AS OF TODAY
Far along: 6 weeks, 3 days
Baby size: Maine blueberry ... apparently different from a regular blueberry ... also the size of a sweet pea.
Symptoms: I want to take at least four naps a day, and this past week I've stared feeling nauseous!
Cravings: No real cravings except salty things.
Belly & body: I have yet to take a belly picture :( ... we'll get there though! I can't tell if I see belly showing yet or if it's in my head, or it's just food ;), but I'm so excited either way! I'm around 135 lbs starting, and of course still fitting into my clothes (be nice! I'm trusting you!) so we'll see where we go from there!

Here are some pictures of our little Bug in her famous t-shirt! (and general pics of that awesome weekend!)