A December to Remember

I realize it's been a long time since I've blogged.  Like, almost 10 months long time.  Obviously, a lot has happened in those 10 months.  Ella has learned to walk, talk (about 15-20 words), she has gotten curly hair and she turned one years old (can you believe it!?!).  She's running all over the place, she loves reading, animals and swimming, and she's even recently started dancing. 

We recently received some news we thought was worth sharing with everyone.... we are expecting our second little miracle December 14th.  Our 12 week ultrasound was Friday, June 1.  That ultrasound is still my favorite one.  You get to see the whole baby on the screen, watch them move for the first time, and hear their heartbeat for the first time.  This baby was so cooperative in the beginning, allowing the technician to get all the measurements.  Then all of the sudden he (and yes, I really do think it's a boy this time!) did a flip!  It was SO awesome!  Then he started doing baby crunches and almost looked like he was reclining and relaxing!  Such a fun day... I can't wait until the end of July when we get to see him again via ultrasound.  And I believe this time we won't keep everyone in suspense until December!  :)

Pretty much every one I have told that we are expecting has been shocked by this news, including Chris and myself.  We weren't exactly trying to have another baby, we just placed every thing in God's hands and wah-lah!  Within a month and a half of Ella's first birthday, we had conceived again!  I always wanted a more than one child and I always wanted them close together.  Who knew that I would have exactly what I wanted?  I am honestly adjusting to being pregnant again, which is strange because I seem to have great pregnancies.  But I was just getting used to being a non-nursing mother who could finally fit into her old clothes!  Thankfully we have 6 more months to get everything ready and get Ella healthy. 

For those who don't know, Ella's being having quite a few ear infections.  Tomorrow she's having tubes put in her ears and her adenoids removed.  I'm nervous about it, obviously, but at this point I'm more anxious.  I just want my baby healthy! 

So keep all of us Figs in your thoughts and prayers, as we have a lot going on!  And praise him for all our blessings!  We miss you all and hope to see you soon!

Long Time No Blog

Well, it's been several months since I last blogged and we have a lot to report on!  Ella will be six months old tomorrow (I know.... already!) and is rolling all over the house.  We started her on oatmeal and fruits, which she actually seems to like.  So far, apples and pears seem to be her favorite, although you wouldn't know it from the video below.  We're anticipating she weighs over 18 pounds now, but we'll know for sure after her six-month check up this Thursday. 

In July, Ella had a busy month!  She attended her first professional baseball game (Rays versus Cardinals) and took her first flight.  I went to Kansas City and took Ella with me.  I was definitely nervous about flying with her, but she did GREAT!  In the 5 hours of flying (both there and back), she didn't even cry for 5 minutes.  She's the best!  Truthfully, Chris and I count our blessings every day for being so fortunate to have such a wonderful girl.  If there's such a thing as a perfect baby, I'm sure we have her!

Other news to report is that we are now residents of Tampa.  We had decided to start looking for a "deal" a couple months ago, telling our realtor that we were in no hurry to find a home.  Our goal was to be moved by Ella's 1st birthday.  Well, wouldn't you know that we found this house and fell in love.  We could imagine Ella running through these halls and learning to swim in this pool, etc.  It had Figueredo written all over it.  So, here we are!  I'll take pictures and post them as we tackle and decorate each room.  For the most part, the house was move in ready - we just painted the guest room and Ella's room before moving in.  We have a few more rooms to put our touch on, but it feels more like home every day! 

I'll post a couple recent pictures (from her 4 month photo shoot) of Ella so you can see how cute she's getting!!  We can't believe how the time is just flying by!



On the plane - July 29, 2011



Ella Update

I know it's been a long time since my last post, but at least I have updates to provide everyone!  Ella just turned two months old this past Saturday.  It's hard to believe that she's already that old, and I know that it will keep going by faster and faster.  A lot has changed in the last month.  Ella is now smiling and cooing and her face actually lights up when she sees me or Chris.  It makes everything we had to overcome to have her worth it each time I see that face!  She is a a great baby and we are truly lucky.  She started sleeping through the night at about 6 1/2 weeks and she's acting like she's ready to eliminate her 10:00 pm feeding already.  She has a strong neck and back, holding her head up and even making it a while in her bumbo.  She constantly has to see what's going on around her.  In fact, if you face her away from the action or put her on her stomach, it's a guaranteed meeting with Miss Fussypants!  We'll definitely have our hands full with this one!

We actually had her 2 month checkup today.  She already weighs 13 pounds 3 ounces and is 24 inches long (that's 1 pound, 3 ounces and 2 inches bigger than 3 1/2 weeks ago).  And yes, that is off the charts.  The doctor is very happy with her weight gain and always tells me what a healthy, happy girl we have - music to a mother's ears!  She even survived her vaccines (and I did too)!

Yesterday we celebrated Ella's first Easter at my parents condo.   Ella was, of course, the center of attention and looked adorable in her Easter dress... although I may be biased.  I was talking with my mom and mother-in-law about life before Ella.  Maybe you mother's can relate to this, or maybe it's just me, but it feels as though I have been Ella's mom my whole life.  I can remember my life before she was born, but even thinking back through those memories, it seems like Ella was always a part of them somehow. 

Anyway, all of us Figueredo's are doing well.  I started back to work a couple weeks ago and am fortunate enough to work for a company that is allowing me three days in the office and the other days at home.  And I surprised myself that I haven't been obsessed with Ella all day when I am in the office.  I'm sure that having her with my parents gives me peace of mind, and I am so thankful for their help.  It gives me great joy to know that Ella is in good hands, but (and more importantly) I'm happy that they will get to know her, like really know her, and that she will know them.  All too often grandparents live in another state and rarely see their grandchildren.  I'm grateful that Ella will have the opportunity to see all of her grandparents often. 

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter, which is quickly becoming my new favorite holiday.  I still love Thanksgiving and Christmas for the family gatherings and traditions, but Easter honors a day that is important to me and grows more so every year.  My prayer is that you all took a moment to remember what Easter is all about and honored your praises for the glorious gift of eternal life!! 

Miss you all and hope you're doing well!!

Visiting daddy at work!

Ella's Aunt Kari and Aunt Brianne came to visit - April 9, 2011

Bumbo #5

Such a big girl!  April 23, 2011

So excited for her 1st Easter basket

Our first Easter as a family

Me and my little princess

I can't believe Ella will be three weeks old tomorrow.  Time already seems to be flying - I know I'm going to blink and be sending her off to kindergarten.  The first couple weeks have been an adjustment period for all three of us, but we're definitely making progress. 

Honestly, the hardest part has been not driving for the first two weeks (which I'm glad is over) but also the fact that now that I can drive, I have no where to go!  The doctor doesn't want her out in public places since it's still flu season, so I'm pretty much stuck at home for the next 2 weeks.  But, at least I'm stuck at home with cute little Ella! 

I've been recovering quite well from the c-section.  I figured it would be much harder to bounce back from than it has been.  Now that all of my swelling is down (yes, I can finally see my "old" ankles again!) I feel pretty good.  I still have a lot of weight to lose and a lot of toning up to do, but that'll have to come later!  :)

As for Ella, she's been doing well.  We had a doctor appointment on February 28th to check out her jaundice, which is now all gone.  She weighed 9lb 7oz at her appointment on Monday, so she has already started gaining a lot of her weight back (she was 9lb 3oz when we left the hospital on Saturday, Feb 26).  She was in the 95th percentile in height and weight (whose kid is this again?!?) and is looking great!  At her two week appointment she was already up to 10lb 6oz, so we'll have a large baby on our hands for a while (at least until she's more active). 

Now we're all taking things in stride and learning our baby girl.  She's been opening her eyes up more (which are still blue, but we're anticipating them turning brown) and lifting her head up wonderfully.  We're still trying to identify her cries, which I'm sure will take time.  It's much easier to listen for differences when it's not 2am!  :) 

There's not too much else to report as of now, but I'll be updating after her next doctor appointment on March 30.  In the meantime, we had some newborn photos taken.  You can check them out at http://www.juliekyler.com/private/BabyElla

We hope you enjoy! 

A Labor of Love

Well, the big day has come and gone (although I'm sure there are many big days ahead!).   As you may know, I was due on February 16th, which came and went without a sign of Baby Figs.  When talking with the doctor, we agreed to schedule an induction for little munchkin starting on February 22nd.  All the while I was having reservations about starting the process too soon and rushing into delivering this baby.  Little did I know....

Tuesday afternoon we reported to Morton Plant Hospital to start the induction process.  At about 5:30pm they inserted a drug called Cervidil to help get my cervix softer and ready for dilation.  I had to leave that in overnight and they would start Pitocin in the morning to help get contractions started.  Around 7:00 am the nurse started me on the lowest dose of the drug.  Just after 8:00 am my doctor came in and broke my water - and yes, it was disgusting!  The "good" contractions started around 9:30 or 10:00, most of which were in my back.  I labored until noon and when I was checked, I was already 4 cm.  Like a naive, first-timer laborer, I though to myself "so far, this is easy!".  At least I was smart and ordered the epidural right then because the anesthesiologist didn't make it into our room until 1:15pm.  By the time the epidural was in, I was already 7 cm.  Things were moving right along and I thought I would hold our baby before dinner.  At 2:45 I started feeling pressure and was measured at 9cm.  I really couldn't believe how fast my labor was progressing.  Even with the epidural, you could still feel a lot of pressure from the little one's head and I was getting anxious to meet him/her.  While I wasn't experiencing pain, it was very uncomfortable and I couldn't imagine anyone doing it naturally.  By 5:45 I was still only measuring 9 cm and the doctor said it was time for a c-section.  She already thought the baby was on the large side (approximately 8 to 8 1/2 pounds) and was concerned that my pelvis was too small to push the baby out, which is why my labor had stopped progressing.  Scared and crying, I agreed.  I had a feeling we were going to need a c-section for some reason. 


About 6:15 they got me prepped and ready for surgery and wheeled me into the O.R.  Chris joined me by about 6:45 and within 5 minutes they were letting us know that this baby had some chubby cheeks on her and that their 8 1/2 pound guesstimate was way off.  A couple minutes later, Chris and I heard "It's a Girl", which are three words that we did not think we would hear.  I really swore that we were having a boy.  Chris left and went to be by Ella Rose Figueredo and watch her get cleaned up and cut her umbilical cord.  He brought her over to me and I got to kiss on her cheeks (which are huge!) and look at her beautiful face.  I couldn't believe I was looking at, touching and hearing my daughter.  We had waited for this moment for so long that it felt surreal.  Chris left to take Ella to meet the family and to get her first check-up done.  A few minutes later, a nurse came back in to tell me that Ella weighed 9 lbs 13 oz.  I thought I had misheard!!  I have never heard of a baby in either of our families that weighed that much at birth.  And I never thought I was carrying a child that was just 3 ounces short of 10 pounds!!  But, she's here and she's perfect!  We're all just trying to adjust to a crying newborn at 3:00 am!!  Thanks for everyone's continued thoughts and prayers for a healthy, happy newborn!  Below are some pictures from her first days!! 

Last pregnancy picture - February 22nd (40 weeks, 6 days)

Waiting to get hooked up to monitors

Happy parents-to-be (obviously before contractions started)

It's a Girl!  First family photo - February 23rd, 2011

Ella Rose's first weigh in - 9 lbs 13.2 ozs!!!

Proud Grandma Mimi

I could kiss those chubby cheeks all day.

Our sweet little Princess.

Has this entire thing been a hoax?

I've heard from several people that I'm "all belly" or that it looks like I've shoved a basketball up my shirt.  I'm starting to wonder if some of those people are right.  I have had such a great pregnancy with such few symptoms that I'm wondering if I'm actually pregnant!  Seriously though, with each passing week, I am more convinced that a baby will never come and that I will be pregnant forever.  I had another doctor appointment this morning and there are still no changes.  I'm not dilated at all, in fact, the doctor stated I wasn't even close.  And with my due date in two days, this is slightly disheartening.  The only consolation I have is that it's hard to predict when a baby will make it's appearance and there's still some time to go into labor naturally, which is what I'm counting on.  But, in preparation for Plan B (an induction), I have to have a nonstress test on the baby Friday morning, where they will listen to the baby's heartbeat for 30 straight minutes.  Then, if all goes well, we will plan to induce early next week.

Obviously, I have mixed emotions about this.   Who wants to be induced?  I haven't heard good things about pitocin and the entire induction process.  Plus there's a higher chance for c-section and all the extra medicines in my, and the baby's, system.  On the other hand, I don't want the baby to overstay his welcome, which I know can lead to skin problems, low amniotic fluid and placental issues. 

So, we're currently STILL playing the waiting game!  I know Chris is ready for this baby to get here and I'm getting more ready every day.  All I want is this baby to be healthy and happy.  I'm trying to put all of my faith in the Lord that whatever course this baby uses to come into this world will be the best option for us.  Please pray that we go into labor before next Tuesday, and if not, that the delivery is smooth and as stress free as possible.  At the latest, this baby will be here before February 23rd!! 

More to come!!  I hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Baby Talk and Chili Recipes

I had another doctor appointment today and there's nothing new to report.  I'm still not dilated and I'm a short 9 days away from my due date.  I figure next week (pending I'm still pregnant) that they will begin discussing induction options.  I'm hopeful that they won't induce too soon and will at least allow me to have an appointment on February 21 (especially since my original due date was February 23rd). 

So, since there's not too much to discuss, I figured I'd offer up a recipe this week!  I made this chili last night for the Super Bowl and was told it was good, so I hope you enjoy it!

1lb lean beef
1lb italian sausage
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 can of crushed tomatoes (26 oz)
1 can of tomato puree (26 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
2 cans chili beans, drained and rinsed (I usually use one chili bean and one black bean)
1/4 cup of chili powder (this time I used a packet of chili mix instead)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
tabasco, red pepper flakes and worcestershire sauce

I saute the onion and green pepper in a little olive oil for a minute or two and then add in all of my ground meat (both the lean beef and sausage).  Once it's browned, I add some worcestershire sauce and all the spices to the meat and mix it together.  Then I add the beans, crushed, diced and tomato puree and stir it all together.  I keep it on the stove top all day over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Obviously, the longer it sits, the better it is!  If you have people who like it a little spicier, consider adding fresh, diced jalapeno in with the onions and green peppers in the beginning or adding red pepper flakes or tabasco when adding the spices.  I usually find only adding mild spice appeals to more people and they can add their own heat at the end.  I usually garnish it with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and tostitos chips to crumble in the chili if any one wants it (that's my favorite way to eat it!).  Hopefully if you have been a victim of the snow and cold weather this winter you can use this to warm up you and your family!  I'll keep you updated if/when the baby comes before next week!!