Hope...

Wanted to share this video with you. It was recorded at our church and is called cardboard testimonies. These are real stories from real people just like you & me.

I hope that no matter what you might be going through in life, that this might encourage you and give you hope in a Savior that's bigger than any daily crisis you may face or any struggle that you may be going through.

Enjoy!

M

Finally...a blog post

Well - I would start at the beginning...but I'm not sure where that would be. So I'll start from what I can last remember...

Friday night - one week ago...Aaron mentions that he has a sore throat

Saturday morning - my mom leaves and heads back to GA

Saturday afternoon Aaron's Dad and family come to visit and help-out

Aaron at this point is confined to the floor sleeping, aching, runny nose - with what seem to be flu-like symptoms. He's quarantined from me and Walker for the entire weekend.

Sunday Aaron's family leaves, heads back to GA

Sunday afternoon...I have been changing diapers, feeding, bathing, and tending to the baby all by myself for what seems like an eternity

Call my mom - seem to be experiencing an emotional (hormonal), i miss my husband, i can't do this anymore, i need help kind-of-moment/breakdown.

Sunday night - about to take a shower - Walker starts crying, sitting on the edge of the bed in next-to-nothing - and my mom appears (in real life) standing in my bedroom door.

She came to the rescue! She fed Walker formula all night so that I could catch-up on sleep and that made such a difference.

I was more than relieved...

Monday morning we packed-up the family and headed to GA for some R&R, extra hands and a chance for Aaron to get well without me losing my mind:)

We came back Thursday night, Aaron had seminary and really couldn't miss another class.

Friday morning we had our first pediatrician appt. Walker weighs 9lb 8oz is 22" long and in the 75th percentile for everything.

So...that's a review of last week...

Walker seems to be a great baby. He still nurses like a champ and only wakes at night to eat. I have been so blessed to have Aaron home and know that it will be so hard when he goes back to work on Monday.

Some things I have noticed about Walker:

his eyes do open!! he's been awake a lot more during the day so i get to see a little more of his personality

when i lay him on my chest he holds his head up and looks around like a little turtle

he loves his daddy. he just looks so intently at his face and is really soothed by him

he loves car rides...and falls asleep anytime we put him in the carrier

he's got a great set of lungs...that's for sure!

I think I hear them now!

M

Our First Week...

We made it our first week (9 days). We've had lots of family in town visiting and helping out - which has been great! Walker is so precious. He nurses well, sleeps good at night and mostly cries when he's hungry - which is quite frequently!Bath time is fun too...Walker fusses a little when he gets cold - but when bath time is over he's SO content - you just want to snuggle with him in his warm little towel.
Aaron is sick (the first time in 2 years) - which has made things a little rough - but we are just praying that he will be well soon and back to normal. It's hard having to stay away from him - but we just don't want to get the whole family sick! Any prayers you could send our way would be wonderful!

Till next time...

Michele

Walker's Birth Story

So - Thursday afternoon - Aaron and I went to the pool for about an hour just to relax and hang out. He said he wanted to take me on a date and walk around the mall...wow - what fun!

We went to Cafe Lazio - a little Italian restaurant in Hoover, and of course I ordered the Eggplant Parmesan. I noticed at the pool that my mild contractions had moved a little into my back...but didn't think much about it! Well - after dinner we went to Dick's Sporting Goods and walked around until they closed. By the time we got home, the contractions were more noticeable, and there was def. a pattern.

So I began to time my contractions using iContraction on my iPhone. I did this ALL night and slept in 4-5 minute intervals. The contractions were tough - but Aaron would press his fist or forearm into my back and it would ease some of the pain. By 6am they were 1:15 long and spaced about 5 minutes apart. we debated for a while about calling family because I wanted to make FOR SURE that this was the real thing!

After talking to our doula, and calling the doc office we decided to head to the hospital at about 9:30am. Sure enough I was dilated to a 4 and 90% effaced. That was a miracle to me seeing as how less than 24 hours ago I was 1cm and not thinned out at all.

We were pit in a room, and on the monitor. I was totally mobile throughout the entire labor, so i could walk around, use the big ball, and move as I needed. I labored until 4pm, got to 8cm, and my water broke.

This time was by far the most intense thing I have ever experienced. I would have NEVER made it that far without Aaron. He was a STAR! I drew so much strength from him for very contraction, through every breath and every moment. I have honestly never experienced so much love between us in my life. It was incredible.

So i was checked at 8cm, the baby was still pretty high and my contractions were nearly unbearable. Then - literally all of a sudden...everything stopped. The contractions stopped, the dilation stopped, and my cervix began to swell. I was so tired and wasn't sure that I could go on any longer without medication. Aaron and I decided to go ahead and start pitocin, and take an epidural.

Once the epidural was administered, I got a ton of relief. The pitocin started my contractions back, but nothing progressed. The baby was still high - and as far as they could tell, he was stuck. Just not moving down at all. I remember feeling my stomach - and he was still very high. After praying about it, talking with each other, our doula, the nurse and the doctor, we all agreed that going to c-section would be the best option.

So the prepped me, wheeled me in at 7:00pm, Aaron came in and sat by my head the entire time. He told me how proud of me he was, how great I had done, and just comforted me through the surgery. He said that was the hardest part for him of the whole day. I can only imagine. So 14 minutes later - Walker Monroe Zakeri was brought into the world at 8lbs 13 oz 21.25"!

He was healthy, aside from an incredible cone head that he developed from being stuck. The doctor said he would have never come down - he was just too big.

we were wheeled into recovery for an hour - got to bond, nurse and just enjoy some alone time with our son.

All in all I am so thankful for how things turned out. I wasn't induced, I experienced labor with my husband to the FULLEST, and in the end - we have a healthy baby boy to nurture and care for! These pictures are in reverse order - but hey...you get the point! I'll post more pics later - possibly between feeding and napping:)

Walker's singing debut

Baby Update

After spending a lovely 2 hours at the doctors office today...we still have no progress...bit of a bummer if you ask me.

The good news is:

Weight gain is great

Blood Pressure is great

Belly is measuring great

Pee is great

Baby is head-down

I feel great

However...

there's no progression

no thinning

and the baby is "big" estimated at 9lbs. 5oz.

It's hard to believe that this little peanut (at 10 weeks and 5 days) could now be so big!

I know it's the obligation of the doctor to tell me ALL the facts...but it's like taking a drink from a firehose listening to all the "what-if's" and thinking about what could "go wrong" at this point.

So the plan as of now is that I am scheduled to arrive at the hospital at 8pm for induction on Sunday night the 16th. That's the "plan" but my prayer is still that I would go into labor on my own before then. I'm just not ready to check into the hospital...not in labor.

So other than that things are going well. We truly covet your prayers during this time. I don't want to live in fear - but at times it tends to overshadow all the great things that have happened over the past 9 or so months. We're super-excited and so very anxious to meet our "little" guy no matter how he decides to make his entrance!

Hope your week finishes out great!

Michele

A Weekend of Surprises...

Well...if you came looking for a baby...he's still not here:)

BUT - it was a great weekend!

Thursday after work - I was SO VERY TIRED...so - I took a nap. Around 7pm - I heard the doorbell, knocking, doorbell, knocking...and it just got louder and louder. I jumped out of bed - ran in circles around the room to find something appropriate to answer the door in, finally make it to the door and there's no one there. Strange. Simultaneously - Aaron pulls in the driveway and looks at me like I'm crazy.

"What are you doing out here?"

I reply - "Well - someone has been banging on the door and ringing the doorbell like crazy - then I came outside and no one's here."

Then - from around the corner I hear: "Maybe it's your mom and sister..." and sure enough - it was...after I caught my breath from being scared to death - my neighbor pops out from the other corner of the house (she was headed to the bedroom window to see if I was alive) and scared me again...and yes...still no baby:)

SO - they surprised me and came to spend the weekend. My sister starts school Monday and they wanted to be here just in case Walker made his big entrance this weekend.

Friday - I took the day off work - so relaxing! We met Aaron for lunch and apparently there was another "surprise" Well - they convinced me that the surprise was to go see a movie - but we had to stop by the Apple store first so that my mom could get a program she needed for her computer. There was a long line outside the store (tax free weekend) so we headed to the back of the line. The Apple specialist looks at Aaron and says "are you Aaron - and do you have an appointment at 12:30?" WHAT - Aaron has an appointment - I have been tricked AGAIN!! He scheduled an appointment so that we could get a new computer!! I was in SHOCK! Especially since I had already experienced home computer drama earlier that day!!

So we picked out a Macbook - got a program or 2 - got a student discount, a free printer and a free 8GB ipod touch (which will be for sale on e-bay this week) it was lovely surprise! Aaron says it's an early "push present"...I'll take that:) He's so thoughtful - it's really something that we needed and making it a surprise was SO MUCH FUN!! Here's my surprise face below...

Saturday and Sunday we relaxed, did some back-to-school shopping, spent some time at the pool and just enjoyed hanging out. We made some FABULOUS turkey burgers - I'll post the recipe later - they were a hit!

We waved goodbye tonight - sad to see them leave - but we know we'll see them again in at least one week!

M

Thrifty Opinions...

There's a program done here in Alabama called Grow Alabama. It seems like a great idea - it's all locally grown and delivered weekly. Anyhow - if you get a chance - check it out and let me know what you think.

Seems convenient - since the farmer's market is about 25 minutes away, and we really don't have any great road-side stands nearby. Just thought I'd try to grab a few opinions from you seasoned, professional money savers:)

Thanks!

M