Announcing...

Our newest arrival...Justin Brody Kuik.

Well, after 36 weeks and a few days (the longest of all my pregnancies) we are so thankful to annouce the birth of our new son.

Justin arrived on Wednesday, May 27th at 6:10pm weighing in at 7lbs5oz.

As you may know I had finished taking all my pre-term labor medications and so it was a matter of wait and see for the last week or so. I had been having lots of contractions and such for weeks and weeks but on wednesday they started to increase and get stronger throughout the day. By the afternoon they were about 6-7 minutes apart so I called the doctor who told me to go to Labor & Delivery to be checked. By the time we arrived around 4:30 the nurse noticed on the contraction monitor that I was actually contracting every 2 - 4 minutes. She called the doctor and he said to prep the OR and he would be over shortly. It all happened rather quickly and our little guy was born just a short while later just after 6pm.

He is doing well, but has been in the nursery since his birth. He has needed a bit of help breathing and keeping his blood sugar levels up. The pediatrician noticed a bit of an infection in one of his lungs she thought after viewing an x-ray shortly after his birth and so he is on IV antibiotics at this time. Today they have been decreasing his oxygen in his little tent and he has been staying stable. When he is on room air (21% oxygen) and staying stable then I will be able to try nursing. I think this will be wonderful for both Justin and his Mom :) It is hard to have a little newborn and not be able to hold and cuddle and nurse right away although Brad and I have both had a chance to hold him a couple of times while we hold the oxygen tube to his face. So sweet to hold our little boy.

We have been so blessed, especially with the birth now of our fourth child (who big brother Braden is very excited about) and also for all the prayers and help we have been recieving so graciously these past months. It is such a blessing from the Lord to have such support around us all the time. Thank you for what you have done for our family!!

35 weeks and counting :)

I didn't think I'd be so blessed to be able to post at 35 weeks with this pregnancy but we have indeed been incredibly blessed. With much, much prayer and patience we are facing almost turning 36 weeks this sunday. This is the furthest I have carried any pregnancy even though my wonderful doctor did not expect me to carry much past 33 weeks.

It's so fun to feel this baby grow and move. I am measuring about 38 weeks now and the doctor and I agree that this baby won't be tiny ;) and of course the further I carry the bigger he/she is getting!! So, I suppose now I am finally at peace with having a c-section ;)

Everything seems great with baby. Heartbeat is going strong every week. We've been to the hospital in the last week to be monitored and my contractions are holding at about 4 - 6 an hour and as long as they don't get much closer together the doctor is ok with me being at home and waiting for things to change. I am still on the nifedepine and should be for another 5ish days or so. This week I am done with the progesterone shots (hooray) and so now we are starting to await (some days more patiently than others) the arrival of this little one.

Thanks for continuing to check up on us and keeping us in your prayers!!

xoxoxo

ALMOST 34 weeks!!

Yay! I guess officially it's monday that I'll be 34 weeks along. This has been a big goal for us and now it's almost here. I am feeling quite pregnant :) and loving it! There isn't much to say but more of the same.

The medication that I'm on isn't working as well as before so there are definately more episodes of frequent contractions but I told my doctor this past wednesday that my goal each week is to stay out of the hospital! So far so good :) I have been doing lots of resting especially in the afternoons and evenings. Of course, I am also getting a bit anxious and this makes the laying down and relaxing not always so "relaxing" :\ I feel like getting up and being busy but well, the nesting will have to wait a bit I guess!

Of course, as great as 34 weeks is I am hoping for another couple of weeks to make sure this babe is healthy and happy when he/she is born. The best thing about the 34 week mark is that I can deliver the baby in B'ham instead of Seattle. It will be so much nicer for us and the kids if I am close to home and they can share in all the fun and excitement of meeting their new little brother or sister sooner than later!

I'll will try to keep you posted in the next few weeks yet :)