6 weeks

Wow! One and a half months old. The time is flying by. I'm so glad to be home and to be able to be here with Zoe for these pictures this week. What a crazy weekend last week. I'm finally feeling better and the good news is that on Friday I had my blood work done and the infection is almost done. Great news... I will get the PICC line out on Tuesday the 5th! I can't wait!

For Memorial Day we decided to still go to Saint Joseph to see my parents and to go to the Senior PGA. It was a nice relaxing weekend. We spent Friday evening, Saturday, and then we left on Sunday. We spent the weekend eating good food and enjoying Aunt Debbie and Uncle Bob who were also in town for the PGA. It was tons of fun!

Zoe is getting big, she has really become more vocal this week. She even cried with tears for the first time, which broke my heart. Kent and I decided to run to Kohls for some shopping (our first shopping trip with Zoe!). Zoe wanted nothing to do with that. She cried all the way to the gas station around the corner. While Kent pumped gas, I jumped in the back and was able to calm her down. We continued our journey and were actually really successful. Crisis averted. We made the rest of the trip to Kohls and enjoyed shopping. As long as the stroller was moving Zoe was a happy shopper! Below are her 6 week old pictures. She is really smiling more often and in response to our silly faces and noises! The pose in the second is how she usually is all day... what a diva :)

Back to the hospital we go

Wow, what a weekend. After Aunt Jaclyn left on Thursday, I was really feeling sick. I had a fever and chills. I called the doctor and they recommended going back to the hospital to get checked out because they didn't know what was causing the pain and fever. I called Kent home from work and he took me back to the hospital. I figured I'd spend all night in the ER waiting in triage for some antibiotics. Boy was I wrong. I got there and they took me right away up to mother and baby to check out my incision from the c-section. They quickly realized I had an infection so I was hooked up to pain meds, broad spectrum antibiotics, and IV fluids right away. That night Kent, Zoe, and I spent the night in the hospital. My mom came home from Ohio early to join and help us at the hospital. Friday and Saturday are a blur. I felt like I was on an episode of House. I had four different teams of doctors trying to figure out what kind of an infection I had, what caused it, and how to treat it. I ended up in the CCU because my blood pressure dropped so low and my heart rate was going so high. Zoe couldn't stay at the hospital then so she had to go home. Kent's parents helped us out by coming up to help watch Zoe at home. We even had some help from Patty, who was able to donate her breast milk because I was not able to breastfeed while in the hospital and on so many meds. It was crushing for me to not see Zoe and to not be able to feed her, but I was so thankful that she was still getting breast milk and that she was healthy at home.

By Sunday I started feeling better, they found that the infection was a strep A gram positive infection. We were lucky that the four broad spectrum antibiotics were designed to combat that infection so we were back on the right track. I was transferred out of the CCU and was back to a regular room on Monday so Zoe could come back and visit. It was so great to see her and know that she was doing well. On Tuesday I was able to leave. They had to insert a PICC line so that I could continue the antibiotics at home. I was sent home with two antibiotics, one oral, and one for the PICC line. I was just so happy to be going home. I will continue to be on antibiotics until June 5 at least, but at least they are safe and I can begin to breast feed again and I'll be home getting better! Hurray!

What a crazy scary weekend. Thank you to everyone who helped with Zoe and with me! We really appreciate the help and support from our wonderful family and friends! Thanks for the prayers!

5 Weeks Old

Zoe is five weeks old today. I spent the weekend in the hospital, but Kent went home to take some great pictures so we wouldn't miss a week! It was so hard to miss this photo shoot. Hopefully, I'll be home soon to continue to take these pictures and watch her grow up! Zoe is doing great and is starting to smile when you talk and play with her! It's wonderfully rewarding! She is still enjoying her play mat and loves looking at her big blue whale. She is even grabbing the different toys.

Aunt Jaclyn's Visit

Aunt Jaclyn came up to visit today. She is on her way to the Detroit airport tomorrow for a trip with her friends to Florida. She came to visit and spend some time with Zoe! It was a ton of fun to have her here with us and to spend some quality time with Zoe! We relaxed on Wednesday and had tons of fun. Thursday Aunt Jaclyn watched Zoe while I got to take a nap! It was very needed and I spent two hours napping! Aunt Jaclyn had to leave around noon to catch her flight, but it was a great visit and we had a blast playing with Zoe!

One month old

Time is really flying by! One month ago today my little peanut was born! It's hard to believe it's already been a month. Zoe is really growing up fast! Here are a few pictures from our one month photo shoot. Aunt Jaclyn made the adorable outfit for Zoe! The ruffles on the but were super cute too! Even Petoskey joined in the fun for the photo shoot! She was great and laid down for the picture, posed so perfectly and then as soon as Kent took the picture, she jumped up and I had to quickly grab Zoe. Note to self, wait a while for the next Petoskey picture with Zoe! The picture did turn out cute though :)

4 Weeks Old

Zoe is getting big fast. Here are a few pictures from her 4 week old shoot! I can't believe she will be one month old on Tuesday! It was a wonderful weekend in Cleveland but we are all happy to be home!

Happy Mother's Day

For my very first mothers day, we spent the day in Cleveland with family! We got up early in the hotel and went to church with my mom, Grandma and Grandpa Hudson, and Aunt Debbie and Uncle Bob. It was a nice service and Zoe was perfect. Grandma held her the entire service. Aunt Debbie didn't even know she was there because she didn't make a peep.

After church we went to Aunt Debbie's for a brunch. It was great to see everyone. Aunt Pat and Uncle Greg joined us and Duane and Michelle and their three kids joined us too! It was wonderful spending the morning with family. We even got a 4 generation photo to celebrate!

We headed home after a great day and a wonderful weekend!

First Trip To Ohio

We decided to all travel to Ohio this weekend to see Jaclyn for some much needed wedding dress shopping! We left early and got to Ohio around 2pm. We checked into our hotel, Zoe's first, and for the first time ever needed a hotel cart to get our stuff (or should I say Zoe's stuff) up to the room! It was crazy. How can someone so small require so much stuff :)

At 3 pm Zoe and I met Jaclyn at Catan's for dress shopping. We met Jaclyn, Mom, Grandma Dorthory, Aunt Lori, Elizabeth, and Dan's mom too. It was a blast! We saw a ton of beautiful dresses and Jaclyn looked great in them all. When she tried on her dress we all knew it was the one. Jaclyn looked so beautiful and just beamed in the dress. I can't wait to watch her walk down the isle!

After dress shopping we met the family at a local Italian restaurant. Aunt Sharron, Uncle Jim, Aunt Lori, Uncle Ron, Liz, Matthew, and Andrew, Grandma and Grandpa Fodo, and Dan's parents joined us for dinner to celebrate Jaclyn's dress, Liz's birthday, and to meet Zoe. It was tons of fun to see everyone.

After a wonderful dinner we went back to the hotel for a quiet evening. It was a great day seeing family and spending time with Jaclyn! Looking forward to November 17!

Our first Mommy daughter lunch

Well Zoe, almost four weeks later we did it! You and I ventured out into the world all on our own. We were both sick of being cooped up in the house so I decided we should meet Kim for lunch today! We took all morning to get ready. Seriously, I was up at 8 and showered by 9 and then suddenly it was 11 and time to go! Where the time went, I'm not sure, but it took the entire time to get us both ready and out the door. Getting you in the car was terrifying. I was so nervous to drive with you in the car.

We got to the office a few minutes early, so I could pick up my work laptop and see some of my friends from work. Kim finished up her phone call and the three of us went out to lunch. We went out to Panera and I tried out the Moby wrap because the car seat was too heavy still for me to carry all over. You loved it. You were perfect throughout lunch and fell asleep. Everyone in the restaurant was looking at you and saying how cute you were. I loved having both hands free to eat and talk with Kim. By the end of the meal you were just getting a little fussy, but it was because you had gotten so hot in the Moby wrap. We will have to figure out a way to not get so warm so that we can use it this summer :) We dropped Kim off and were on our way back home. I had a blast with you today for our first, of many, mother daughter lunches! Looking forward to many more to come!

Oh wonderful sleep... how I missed you!

Sleep is not overrated! It is so very necessary and I never thought twice about it until now. Zoe is a wonderful, happy kid, but when it comes to sleeping at night, she is just like me. Not interested! We have tried everything at night to help Zoe sleep. Usually she is up for at least an hour at each feeding. It's hard to get her back to sleep and it is frustrating in the middle of the night to not be able to go back to bed. We usually have about 3-4 feedings too, so it makes a really long night.

Until last night... last night was wonderful! Zoe took a little while to fall asleep at 10 pm, but then she finally fell asleep at 10:30! It was a rough start. Zoe did sleep until 2, which was wonderful! Then she fell right back to sleep after eating and she slept again until 6! Plus at 6, Zoe fell back to sleep pretty quickly again! I felt amazing! I woke up refreshed and feeling great! Thanks Zoe for such a great night of sleep. Let's keep that up :)

Three Weeks Old!

This week Kent went back to work on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were long days! It was just Zoe and I on Tuesday and we did a great job! It was nice to spend the day just the two of us. Kent's parents came up on Wednesday to help because Kent also had golf after work. He wasn't home until after 9 pm! Gayle and I spent the day playing with Zoe and Gary helped to cut down the rest of the tree on the side of the house. They both really enjoyed spending more time with Zoe!

Kent was back home for Thursday and Friday and it was nice to be just the three of us again! Jaclyn and Dan came up on Saturday to watch Zoe for our first time going out. Kent and I decided to go to dinner to celebrate his birthday on Monday. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I know Jaclyn and Dan were the best first babysitters, but it was the first time I'd been away from you in over 10 months! :) I cried leaving and a little at dinner. Overall we had a really nice time and we enjoyed the hour and a half getting out of the house. I was so happy and relieved to get back home and see you once dinner was over!

Here are your three week old pictures! You are really filling out and getting big :)