BrOdEn bUg

Under the lights with his shades:) He had a little jaundice the first few days, but today they took away the lights.

 Just hangin' out:)

 Daddy and Broden time! Whenever daddy holds him he loves to wake up and look around.

3 days old...He loves sleeping on his tummy and his Binky!

 Mommy LOVES her baby boy!!
 

Yesterday afternoon I was discharged from the hospital. I am trying to balance wanting to be with my son every moment of every day and getting enough rest to heal:) I need a nap! We get to hold him 30 min each day. It's hard knowing that's all the time I get to hold him (much more than the first 2 days though so I am happy!) At night when we need to leave and go back home, (we are staying with Steve's wonderful/generous uncle and aunt) I tear up a little and hate leaving him. We love our little Broden Bug!!!!

Introducing...

Broden Steve Casey

 

 Born 4/26/11 @ 8:30 am

3 lbs. 10 oz.

16.75 in long

So he decided today was the day! No more sitting around:) Broden is doing great! He is in the NICU. He can breath all on his own and has his sucking reflex already. He needs help regulating his body temperature and help eating for a a while. He has a bruise on his head from coming out with his face up instead of down during delivery, but they said that will heal within 3 days or so.We are in LOVE with our little tough man.

Week 1 down...

 

Week one down (it really went by pretty fast), only 2 more to try to go...This is what I am up to:) Not a whole lot! The blanket in the pic is the one my mother-in-law made. It has turtles on it and is so cute! My mom also made a cute spots blanket. Thanks so much both of you... We love them!

We have had lots of people come visit...thanks everyone! It is so nice of you to take time to come see us! My parents came for Easter weekend... I have to say I was probably not to exciting:) but my brother and his wife came too. It was really fun to see them. We played card games...Wacky 6 is my favorite!

Steve got me a Nerf gun and my favorite caramel eggs for Easter! He is such a sweetie! We set up targets all over the room and had shooting contests! We shot at the TV,  and DVD cases we set up all over the room. Steve went back to work today, so I have to say it isn't as fun without my constant entertainment!

Baby is doing good!! Every morning he has an NST test and throughout the day they check his heart rate. Today he made me nervous... I had 3 contractions during the test and his heart rate decelerated with each one. They moved me to another monitor for the rest of the afternoon. Decelerations are not good:) so they hooked me up to closer monitoring. The doctor told me when there isn't amniotic fluid the cord can get caught between a body part and the placenta, so when you have contractions it can be pinched. There isn't fluid to make him buoyant. All is good and I am back in my regular room and they come by and check him periodically. I hope we don't have any more of that little guy:)

Update...

Well... What an unexpected change in life:)

Monday I was at Jen's when my water broke. I was exactly 31 weeks prego Monday. She took me to the hospital and Steve got off work and met us there. I was life-flighted to SLC and am at the U of U Hospital. I got quite the ride... An ambulance ride from the RS hospital to the airplane and then another ambulance ride from the plane to the hospital here in SLC. I had a whole plane all to myself:) Steve got to come along so that was nice! The flight medics were amazing and I couldn't ask for a better team.

I was put in the labor and delivery unit right away. I was having contractions 8 minutes apart. They also had seen some decelerations in the baby’s heart rate. They did a lot of tests to make sure there wasn't any oxygen getting cut off, where they would have to do a C-Section right away. That first day and a half were more nerve racking, but Tuesday afternoon everything turned around and I was able to get off all the 24-7 monitoring and was moved to the Women’s Special Care Unit. My contractions greatly decreased and the  baby is doing great!!!

They estimate he weighs 3lbs. 4oz. His heartbeat is very strong and he is still his same wiggly self. They hope I can get to 34 weeks before delivering, but since my water broke the doctor said anything can happen. I can go from no contractions to full on labor quickly so we will have to see if I can get that far. I have had antibiotics to eliminate any infections and steroids to help develop his lungs.  So I am bedridden... I can get up to go to the bathroom and can have a 30 min. wheel chair ride (whoo hoo!) once a day, otherwise I just lay here:) For being such an active person this will be quite fun for 3 more weeks, but it's all worth it!! We LOVE him tons and it really isn't that bad... They are wonderful here!

Steve's parents brought up our car and a bunch of stuff for us so we are doing well. Thanks SO much for your thoughts and prayers!!! It really means a lot... I know that is why everything has been going so good and we hope it continues to go this way!!... So Utah is our second home for a while:) 8-10 more weeks at least they said.

Love you all and will update here and there!!

Ruth and Steve

BABY Room!!

This has been a process over time... First we painted the room and found a crib and crib set we liked.

One day, I asked Steve what else we should do to the baby room and shared some ideas I had. He said sincerely "isn't it already done?" Done...too funny Stevo:) Anyways, I decided to surprise him (to show him what done looks like). While he was at work (with help from my awesome friends Jen and Brook to help me get it done on such a short time frame) we did this. I am SO glad for Jen's motivation to get things done...we had fun!! I love the circles and the newly painted/stained dresser. LOVE IT!

Steve came home in the morning from work and was VERY surprised!! The work was totally worth it to see his surprised face. He had no clue I had been up to all that. He loves it and said "So now it's done... I love it... it looks great!" I said "almost :), but yes very close". I showed him the plans for the few things to go on the opposite wall. Then it will be finished. So it is a process, but I love it! :)