Week Number Two

Well, we're half way through week number two alone and I must say, things are going really well! Quinlan is responding very well to a nice routine and we're both adjusting to being together all day. John has been really supportive and so encouraging - calling me during the day to check in. I feel more like myself every day and my body is healing nicely. I am very thankful and really loving being a mom!

Here are just a few of my "favorites" about Quinlan thus far:

1. The way he curls his little tongue when he is in the middle of a BIG cry
2. His "eh-eh-eh" grunt right before he launches into a scream
3. The way he flails his arms when he's awake, startled or upset (maybe he'll be a swimmer!)
4. The fact that he hates to have a dirty diaper :)
5. The way he smiles after he is done eating (well, with his eyes closed and probably due to gas!)
6. How he tucks his little legs under his butt if you lay him on his tummy
7. The powerful kicks he makes with his legs

My little boy is already growing up so fast!!

Picture post to follow shortly....we finally captured some of him awake!

Some of our favorites...

P.S. We are working on getting pictures of Quinlan when he's awake!

My First Week ALONE

Due to peer pressure....here is a new post! ;)

John went back to work on Monday and the reality of my new life set in. My goal for the week is to try and implement more routine with Quinlan...eating/wake time/nap time, etc. and Monday started off on a horrible note. Mr. Q must have known that Papa wasn't around and he would not take a nap all morning long and fussed off and on for about 4 hours straight. I spent most of the morning in tears and doing a lot of praying!

It was hard to wake up on Tuesday with a positive, encouraged attitude. However, the day went a lot better, I adjusted a few things and Quinlan responded much better and even took a few morning naps! I was so happy! It's amazing just how much work having a newborn is. Whoever thinks that stay-at-home moms sit around, watch soaps and eat bon-bons all day is dead wrong! I feel like I have accomplished a lot because I have been able to take a shower every day so far this week!

So today is Wednesday and so far, so good. Daddy is coming home for lunch which will be really nice! I am trying to remind myself that having a newborn is all about learning and that everything takes time.

Quinlan really is a joy and we love him so much...being parents really is an amazing honor!

Picture post coming soon...

The BIG Weigh In

Well, yesterday we took Quinlan to the doctor for his first checkup and he is doing great! He has surpassed his birth weight and now weighs a whooping 8lbs and 7ozs! He's a healthy boy so we are thankful. He is in the 75% for his height and weight. Yippy!

THE NAME

Many people have asked us about how we came up with the name Quinlan John and what does his name mean…so we thought you might like to know!

During John and I’s courtship, one of the first things he told me was that he really liked the name Quinn (Quinn is John’s mom’s maiden name) and that he wanted to name his firstborn child this name and that his future wife had better like it! J Well, lucky for him, I loved the name. Well, after a few years of marriage as we got closer to starting a family, we started talking more about names for our children. We decided that as much as we liked the name Quinn, we thought it night be nice to alter it just a bit. That’s how we settled on Quinlan – it still incorporated Quinn, but was unique as well.

The meaning of the name Quinlan is “Fit, shapely and strong”. We thought we would go with this meaning versus the other meaning for Quinlan which is “Born from a handsome descendent” though John (and probably Grandpa Darling as well) likes this meaning an awful lot! J

And lastly, Quinlan’s middle name is in honor of his dear papa!!

Note: We plan to keep his name as Quinlan and not shorten it to Quinn - in case inquiring minds wanted to know!

AT HOME

Going home - first ride in the car-seat and loving it!





















Sleeping Baby
















All swaddled up! (Thanks Meyers)

THE PICTURES

Here are some much anticipated pictures of our new little boy! Enjoy!!

Celeste holding Quinlan for the first time - 4 hours after birth.













First Family Photo














Mama with her baby













Our Son













Papa with his Boy

THE DETAILS – Day 2

Sunday, January 7, 2007

12:30am – I was dilated to 5 and was having severe back labor and my whole body was shaking. We decided that we both needed rest and needed it badly. The pain was very intense. I went the epidural route and I am so glad that I did.

1:00am – I received the epidural and within minutes was able to feel the relief and finally get some much needed rest. We both slept for the next 5 hours or so.

5:00am – The nurse came in and checked me over and surprise – I was dilated to a 7-8. I had labored well over night and a lot of progress was made.

6:00am – I dilated to 8-9 and my doctor was called. She arrived and thus began the long, tumultuous wait to get to 10 cm.

10:00am – Still not dilated to 10 so they up my Pitocin even more and also because my contractions were not strong enough.

10:30am – Finally made it to 10 cm and the pushing began.

11:00am – Pushing…and we find out that baby is “sunny side up” – meaning his head was coming out face up rather than face down.

11:30am – More pushing….

12:00pm – Still pushing and was close to crowning.

12:30pm – Pushing some more and no progress was being made. An OB doctor was called in to assess the situation and give her advice. We basically had two options…go the C-section route or try the vacuum. After all that pushing, we decided to give the vacuum a try which is pretty much like putting a toilet plunger (only a much smaller version) on your baby’s head. The OB doc said she would only try for 20 minutes and then if nothing happened, we’d have to go with the C-section.

12:50pm – No progress was made at all – Baby R was stuck and we had no other options. They started prepping me for surgery and wheeled me into the OR (Operating Room).

1:33pm – Baby Quinlan John was born and he scored 9 out of 10 on the Apgar test, all vitals were great and John assisted with cutting his umbilical cord. There was cause for concern due to severe bruising and fluid between his skull and skin that covered the top of his head down to the nape of his neck.

Quinlan spent the next 40 hours in the Intermediate Care Nursery for observation and additional support.

THE DETAILS – Day 1

Many of you have probably heard by now of the ordeal we went through to bring Quinlan into this world – and an ORDEAL it was – but we thought we would share some of them anyway. The easiest way would be by giving the timeline of events…so here we go!

Saturday, January 6, 2007

7:15am – We arrived at the hospital for induction and got settled into our labor and delivery room. We had no idea that we would be spending hours in this room preparing for Quinlan to make his arrival.

8:45am – I found out that I am dilated to 1 cm, am 30% effaced and am at -4 station (where the estimate baby’s head is at in the birth canal) and I received my first dose of a cervix softener (an induction drug).

12:45pm – I received my second dose of softener, no change.

4:45pm – I received my third does of softener, still no change.

8:45pm – I am now dilated to 2 cm, almost 50% effaced and am now a 0 station. I started having very heavy contractions, one right after the other. My doctor is called and it’s decided to hold off on any more softeners to see if I will continue to labor on my own.

10:30pm – We water breaks and heavy labor comes on! I start having violent contractions that are coming ever few minutes with barely any down time. I start having severe back labor and whole body shaking soon follows. The pain is getting to be quite unbearable. John encourages me to hang in there and continue to push through the pain.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

With pride and joy, we are finally able to announce the birth of our new baby BOY!!!

Quinlan John Rundquist

(which means “fit, shapely and strong” - maybe the prediction of a future runner just like his Papa??)

Born: January 7, 2007

Time: 1:33pm

Weight: 8lbs 5oz

Length: 21 inches

It feels like we waited a lifetime for this moment, and I guess we really have! It is hard to put into words the amount of thankfulness and joy that John and I have right now. As we look at our newborn baby boy, nothing but love and gratefulness fill our hearts. Our dream has finally come true and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome!

Final thoughts

Well, tomorrow is almost here and as a dear friend wrote to me this morning...

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're only a day away!!!

I have peace this morning as I get things prepared for tomorrow and for our stay at the hospital. I know God is in control. I was able to spend some time with my mom yesterday and she gave this wonderful saying from a book of hers (she couldn't remember which book). It says:

"Go where God leads, trusting Him to supply the courage, confidence, grace and resources at the right moment." Amen.

We hope to be able to post good news of our baby's arrival very soon!

Thanks for praying for us.

No baby yet???

We have now entered 2007 and no baby yet! It's hard to believe that I am already 3 days past my due date (which was 12/31/06). Only the Lord knows when this baby will come, but we do have a plan of action...

This morning we went to the doctor and as it turns out, I am still NOT dilated. You'd think being 40 1/2 weeks pregnant that I would be dilated some, but no, nothing. So, now we enter the phase of induction.

The plan right now is that I will go to the hospital on Saturday morning to be induced. There is no telling how long it will take for my body to respond to the induction before I go into labor. It could be a day, two days, maybe even three. But, by next week there will be a baby in our arms - one way or another!

Prayer requests:

1. That God would give us strength and energy as we wait out the induction at the hospital.

2. That the induction would "take" and that it would get things moving fast and soon.

3. That baby would remain healthy and without stress during this process.

4. That we would be patient and stay encouraged.

Thanks everyone for all your prayers and for your thoughtful check-ins. We have appreciated so very much all of the kindness that we have received.

God is good and we are so excited that this baby will be here soon!

More updates to follow....