Monday, December 17, 2018

To the Girl with Baby on her Christmas List

To the girl with baby on her Christmas list this year...I know, I get it.

I know the feeling of thinking about giving your parents "I love grandma" onesie.

I know how badly you want to shock friends and family as you announce you will go from a family of 2 to 3.

I get what it's like having a stash of baby clothes in your closet, collecting dust now.

I get what its like dreading every family party, trying to avoid the question of when it will be your turn. To try and think of an excuse that will be acceptable.

I get what its like to wake up on Christmas morning and wonder if you will go through another one alone.

I know what its like to count down the days and realize "This could be... could be the year", that if everything lines up perfectly, you'll be giving your partner the ultimate gift this year.

I get what it's like to walk through the aisles on Black Friday and think about grabbing baby supplies because maybe one day you'll need it.. if you're lucky.

I get what it's like to get asked why. Why you don't have kids yet, and I get what's it's like to lie through your teeth.

I get what it's like to buy for each other, hoping it will fill the hole, and drown out the pain of no kid on Christmas.

I get what it's like to have a good life, but want something more.

I get what it's like to have Christmas hurt a little more than it should.


Thursday, November 1, 2018

Blayke Lynnie's Birth Story

October 25, 2018 was the day. The day we would go from a family of 2 (plus the fur baby) to a family of 3 (still with a fur baby)!

I kept telling everyone I was going to go into labor early, I had absolutely no reason to think that, I just wanted her here early so I told everyone she would be early. I didn't quite expect her to listen or to come THIS early, but now that she's here and she's healthy and happy, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Tuesday morning at 3:30a I woke up having to pee.. the usual pregnancy in the middle of the night, she kicked my bladder, oh my goodness I can't hold it, have to pee. Only this time when I got up I was already wet? A gush of fluid just came out of me. I thought she had just kicked my bladder extra hard and that I was becoming "too pregnant" to control my on bladder. I cleaned up the mess (and myself) and went back to sleep. All day that day I kept having random gushes of fluid come and go as though I was 84 and didn't know how to control my bladder. Totally embarrassed I finally told my husband so we could have a good laugh. Which we did. Then he left. He flew out to San Francisco the following morning and I had an important event so we just kept pushing the random gushing off and figured it was just another one of those weird pregnancy things.

Finally Wednesday night after lots of failed Googling what the hell could be leaking out of me I called my personal nurse. My sisters in nursing school so I just assume she knows everything. She told me it was possible to have some pre-membrane rupture something and that I should probably go to the hospital. Seeing how I was still without a husband and wasn't in any type of pain I figured I would just call my doctor the following morning and see what he suggested.

Sure enough Thursday morning/early afternoon rolled around and I called the doctor. Their reply was "Go to labor and delivery now, and pack your things". I called for Matthew who had just gotten back from San Francisco and told him to load the car seat as I proceeded to pour myself some cereal. "What are you doing!?" he asked as I started lolly gagging around and taking pictures of my baby bump. I replied that labor takes forever and I wasn't having any contractions so I was going to take my time and if this really was it I should take pics of the bump for time being.

Finally about 12p I got into the car and we headed off to labor and delivery. They ran some paper test to see if I was dripping amniotic fluid and it came back negative. I told the nurse the gushes come and go.. she very nicely told me that I was basically peeing my pants and just wasn't use to it. SO EMBARRASSING! I was so upset we waisted everyones time and was determined to not step foot back in that hospital until I was having the world's worst contractions. The nurse came in with the discharge papers when the worst thing happened.. my baby's heart rate had dropped.

After putting oxygen on me and repositioning myself her heart rate came back up and she was showing all the signs of a healthy and happy baby again. The nurse then informed me that we needed to stay another hour to make sure that didn't happen again. TWICE! Two more times her heart rate dropped down into the 70s. For the first time this entire pregnancy, I was scared.

The doctor was called and the decision was made to give baby a BPP test (Biophysical Profile). Basically a stress test. I went down for an ultra sound to find things were not good. Baby stopped moving. Her heart rate was great and her lungs were doing practice breaths, but baby did NOT want to move. That's when the rad tech discovered it... the bonus child.

The entire pregnancy I kept joking that our little miss was grounded because she kept digging into my hip, well don't worry she's not grounded anymore. It wasn't her at all! Located on my right ovary was a MASSIVE cyst! It weighed more than my baby! I've talked openly about our infertility journey, and we did IUI to get pregnant. The cyst appeared on my baseline ultrasound before we got pregnant so they thought it would just go away naturally... nope it grew with the baby!

I was sent back up to my room and told to wait for the doctor. Nurses came in to mentally prepare me for a C-section. I could care less about how she came into the world, I just needed my baby to be okay.

Doctor Jones came in and told me I had 2 options. 1. C-section to remove baby right now and the cyst as well. 2. Wait to see if labor happens and then be rushed back after to have the cyst removed surgically while praying the entire time the cyst would not burst and baby would be okay.  Then he followed up with "if you were my daughter I would chose number 1". I completely agreed and then he said "Great, call family now, you're having a baby within the hour"
Natural selfie you take before heading back to become parents

Naturally after a 4 min conversation with Grammy Jen the Scoffield clan was doing 90 on the freeway and I was heading back for surgery. As I stood up there came the gushing fluid I had for the past few days, confirmed, my water had been broke since Tuesday.
The proudest grandpa

I was told multiple times to prepare for pain and to lose control and feel my blood pressure drop... to which nothing happened. It's not that it wasn't painful, the anesthesia shot in my back hurt like hell, but not nearly as bad as they made it sound.

Getting ready!

Within 5 minutes I was asked "ready to have a baby?" and 3 seconds later I heard her screams. Coming in at 5lbs 1oz. The bonus child weighing 6lbs. I just sat in awe. Awe that she was mine, she was healthy, that she let me know she was ready to be here, and awe that everything happened so perfectly timed so we could get her here the safest way possible.
 The pure shock of being a mom and having the cutest baby
 First family of 3 picture
We are adjusting to this newborn life... kinda... 

Monday, August 6, 2018

Favorite Place I've Ever Lived

A while back someone asked me where my favorite place I've ever lived had been.. I didn't even hesitate to answer "Saratoga Springs, Utah". But why? After living on islands surrounded by warm water, or a city with such rich culture that I found something new everyday and my answer is Saratoga Springs?? But why??

Let's take it back. Back to when I lived on an island, I lived in a house I'll probably never be able to afford, didn't pay a single bill, worked a VERY good job with my husband. Fast forward today and I live in a decent size home, pay more bills than I thought someone could pay, and expecting a baby that I am 100% clueless about how to raise. And yet... I couldn't be happier. 

Saratoga Springs was the first place I actually lived. Over 2 years ago I moved from the Caribbean and to a big city. I still remember on the plane breaking down when I looked down and saw city lights and no cruise ships... I cried in seat 16A until we landed. I want to be very clear, I loved my island living, and my city living, and all the adventures that went along with it. BUT.. Saratoga Springs was the first place I didn't feel numb. If you read my last blog post, you know that I suffered from depression and anxiety pretty bad… but today, I'm good. And really good, not just have good days good, but everyday is a good day. 

I remember praying so hard for my depression to go away, I remember eating healthy, working out, and taking medication to try and get a sense of relief and no matter how hard I tired or how bad I wanted it, the cloud was still there. Then the craziest thing happened... I woke up one day, and it was gone. The thoughts were gone, the desire to live was there. I have no idea what happened, I have my theories, but the truth is it doesn't matter. I am living. I am happy. and I love Saratoga Spring, Utah!

So yes, if you ask me where my favorite place I’ve ever lived was, I’m going to answer right here. Here in this little town I now call mine, this home I get to bring a baby home to, and yes the home I pay A LOT of bills for. So to those of you out there struggling with anxiety and depression, I just want to let you know I’m sorry. Everyone is different so I’m not going to say I know what you’re going through, but just know I am sorry. I’m sorry for this exhausting, gut wrenching, lost hope, feeling you are going through. I pray one day you wake up… and start living. 



 ps look at the view form my house ↑

Pics of some the places we have lived ↓