so, after doing a lot of research last night, when we noticed that the “rash” on august’s bottom was starting to not look so “rash-ish,” we called the 24 hr. advice line that kaiser had given us to call with any questions. the advice nurse talked to mark for some time and then told him that it sounded like august had an “inguinal hernia” and that we should bring him into the ER right away.
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the post script in my last entry made me think of a few things mark has said since august was born that i’d like to write FTR.
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today was one of the tougher days i’ve had with august. it came after a good night, however, no matter how good the nights can be, mark and i still aren’t getting much sleep…so, i’m seeing a good night doesn’t really balance a tough day out very well if we aren’t very rested and don’t have much energy to take on feisty baby days.
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nights are getting a bit easier. last night was a pretty good night. we still got to bed late but i did get a good uninterrupted three hour stretch of sleep…and august is sleeping in his bassinet right now which is huge as he had taken to not wanting anything to do with it the past few days. so, if you were wondering, i’ll complete that thought for you and let you know that, yes, he did sleep with us during that time, BUT he slept in his bassinet no prob last night and he is right now so we’re crossing our fingers that it sticks.
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last night was a pretty tough night for august…and therefore, also a tough night for mom and dad. as well as any neighbors that heard his screaming and that cry of his that feels as if it’s going to break all mirrors and windows. it’s rare that we hear that one but, when we do, it’s so awful because i feel so helpless to help him.

august has shown signs of normal newborn congestion since he’s been born but the past couple of days it’s seemed to increase.

i have been battling a cough/cold since the first week of coming home from the hospital. after stressing about it affecting august and the breastfeeding, i called the hospital seeking advice and was told that august should be fine since he is protected with my immunity and that i shouldn’t stop breastfeeding or fret too much about the signs of congestion.
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01) right now, august is sleeping on daddy. he loves falling asleep on our chests. especially skin-to-skin.

02) phoebe is starting to come around and getting used to the idea of baby. today, while august and i napped, she laid at the bottom of the bed and napped with us. she didn’t even move when august started stirring and was hitting her as he kicked his feet. however, she still won’t come to me when i call her if i am holding august. …one day at a tiiiime.

03) breastfeeding was a bit scary the first couple of days after august was born (he was so small it was hard for him to get a good latch before he’d get tired and give up). it got better after day two and then four days ago, got really scary again (august would get really fussy at the breast before feedings– he’d scream, bite, claw at my breasts…this wore me out emotionally and physically. i won’t say that i didn’t cry more than once.) however, the past day and a half, he’s been better and is latching on and feeding without much of a fuss which makes mommy (and everyone within earshot) happy.

04) august lost 6% of his body weight within 24 hours of being born. this caused quite a fuss at the hospital and a lot of stress and heart ache for all of us…especially me. while at the hospital and after learning about his significant weight loss, i stayed up all night working on the breastfeeding and was able to feed him enough so that he gained two ounces in one night. since then, we weighed august two days ago, and he was at 6.1 lbs. go, august! go, me!

05) i am still not getting much sleep. pretty much on average three hours of sleep a night. mark gets a bit more…but not much and lately has been trying his best to relieve me of forcing myself to stay up as much as i do.
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august rylan retzloff:

born: august 11, 2008 @ 1:27 AM PST (40W4D).
birth location: antioch (east bay), california.
birth weight: 5 lbs 13 oz.
birth height: 20″.

a few days after coming home from the hospital, i started my birth story but haven’t even looked at it the past few days. we’ve been busy! hopefully, i’ll be able to return to it and finish it soon after things settle down a bit (if that even happens!).

my results from the 24 hr. urine testing came back and confirmed that i have a very mild form of pre-eclampsia. however, since baby is full term, the doctor at labor and delivery recommended that we come in so that they can get induce labor before the pre-eclampsia gets any worse.

the doctor says that aside from the consistent amount of protein in my urine, everything looks as it should and that she is confident that i will be able to have a normal delivery with midwives (and under her supervision should there be any difficulties).

i can’t promise that we will be taking/making any phone calls once we are admitted and they begin the process but we will try our best to keep the twitter (http://www.twitter.com/sarahretzloff) updated. you can view it by going to that link or viewing the twitter box (the pink one on the upper right hand side) on the baby blog (tip: going to the actual twitter site ensures more up to the minute updates.

we can’t even describe the emotions we’re feeling right now but it can pretty much be summed up as excited with a still crazy sense of surreality that we are going to be meeting our little august so very soon (hopefully! ;p).

love you all!

a friend of mine, who was due around the same time as me (we were due within a day of one another), went into active labor yesterday. her husband is keeping a labor log going at their site (great idea we might have to steal) and i have been keeping tabs on them.

even though slightly envious that they’ll be meeting their bug soon, if they haven’t already!!!!, i am overwhelmed with excitement and happiness for them.

it’s so crazy and beautiful to be experiencing and witnessing life created and now being born into the world. and not just experiencing it within me, but all around me.

i know quite a few women who have recently become pregnant or just had babies…and have gotten to know women, through the journal community i am a part, who are all experiencing similar things or are having their babies. i can’t even describe how beautiful and exciting it all is.
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i just randomly woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep so i decided to grab the computer and check on some stuff online in the living room so that i wouldn’t wake mark.

about fifteen minutes after i came out here, mark sleepily walked out with a blanket wrapped around him and laid on the couch beside me.

i thought he had fallen asleep and was quickly trying to wrap something up so i could take him back to bed with me.

i then heard him sleepily ask what i was doing and then offer to get me an otter pop. of course, i couldn’t refuse.

so, he picked me out a blue one. <3