Celeste: 3 months!

Celeste is 3 months old today!  She weighs 11lbs 5oz. We finally figured out her food issues and she's on special hypoallergenic formula for milk and soy protein intolerance. She hates the taste, but we sweeten it with alcohol free vanilla extract and she's finally drinking it. She only takes about 20oz a day, but she's gaining 1/2-1oz a day which is just perfect. 

Likes: putting everything in her mouth, falling asleep on her playmat, talking/cooing all the time, doing sit-ups, kicking, rolling over when she's doing tummy time

Dislikes: overstimulation, being put into her car seat, hot weather 

I go back to work next week! My 3 months off flew by. I'm sad but I know it's time. 

Celeste is 8 weeks old!

I cannot believe we have an 8 week old and that I have been doing this for two months already! It's amazing how quickly time flies, and how quickly the unknown becomes the routine.  

 Celeste is doing really well lately. She had been experiencing nightly screams right around dinner time where the only thing that calmed her down was a car ride. It was a bit of a bummer to have to expect to spend 30 minutes to an hour driving around but at least we had a solution.  Lately, she seems to have dropped the extreme cries. Last night, she was being extremely fussy and crying and we did a bath. It soothed her and she was able to fall asleep soon after.   Baths have become a part of the routine.  I highly recommend it to any new moms reading this. I also think time helped. The doctor had said usually the witching hour begins to decline at 6 weeks, and she was right.  

Celeste and I are continuing to enjoy my time off. I confirmed with my office that my return to work date will be July 5th. I am trying to soak up my time with her. I am lucky though, my office agreed to let me return at part-time, so I will be working 20 hours per week. We worked out a schedule with family watching her while I am at work.  I'm hoping for the best with this new schedule. I love my job and I'd like to keep it, and I hope it will allow me enough time to bond with her while I can have adult time too. 

She continues to smile all the time! Doug said she half-laughed the other day. I keep trying to recreate it but I have not been able to just yet. 

That's it from here for now! 

Happy 3 weeks to Celeste! 

Our little pumpkin is 3 weeks old today!!  

Likes:

Chest snuggles 

Naps

Daddy reading to her 

Car Rides

Her special green pacifier

Eating

Morning quiet alert time with Mommy & music 

Pandora shuffled music stations

Dislikes:

Between 4pm-5pm usually every day, she has her first witching hour where she will fuss for no reason at all.  It returns again sometime in the evening, right when Doug and I are getting ready to enjoy dinner.  She does not like these times of day! 

Ziggy toe kisses 

Being put down when she's asleep, unless it's night time 

Birth Story: Celeste Evangeline Lief

Birth story for our little miracle! 

Wednesday evening, 3/30 at about 10:30pm I went to use the bathroom and when I wiped, there was a ton of bright red blood on the toilet paper. I ran to my husband to show him I was bleeding and I had to run back to the toilet as I felt something was gushing out. I was super sure it was my water and it was tinged with blood. We grabbed our mostly packed hospital bag, threw a few other things together, and drove to the hospital. 

Once there they checked my fluids twice with the fluid ferning test but it wasn't showing up as amniotic fluid. They weren't sure what it was, but hooked me up to the NST to monitor the baby and the bloods as well. They said they could either admit me, or wait for the bleeding to stop and send me home. It depended on how I was doing and how much more blood was going to come out. I bled for awhile but it mostly halted after that. They kept me on to see if I would go into labor on my own, and I started having a few small contractions here and there.  I was only about 1.5cm dilated at this point. 

At around 3:30am or so, my nurse showed up and shared that she had talked to my doctor and she had decided to admit me for induction. I was already scheduled to come back in 4 days anyways, and the unexplained bleeding was enough for them to keep me. They started the pitocin drip and the antibiotics since I was strep b positive.  

The pitocin kicked in and I started contractions pretty much right away and they escalated over the next few hours. At 7am my doctor showed up to check on me and I think at that point I was only about 2cm dilated. It took about 4-5 hours before the pain got horrible after that and the next time they checked me, I was dilated to about a 3cm and significantly effaced. Baby's head was quite far up though. I believe it was about this point where my waters broke and the contractions got unbearable. I said I couldn't take it and they ordered the epidural. Once the epidural was in (and that was rough all on its own because the contractions were hitting every 2 minutes and it took us awhile to find the right spot, and I had to stay very still, which is almost impossible when you're in crazy pain), but then I had literally 0 pain once it was fully administered. The only bad part of the epi was the leg numbness which made me freak out for awhile. It wasn't something I was comfortable with. 

So from about 12-4pm, on 3/31, I slept and labored painlessly. The heart rate monitor started to show a high fetal heart rate. Baby was about 5.5cm dilated, had not dropped, and was showing signs of fetal distress. My doctor came in and decided we should do a c-section. She said she didn't think the baby could endure the stress of labor given how long it was taking me to progress. The pitocin was speeding up her heart rate but stopping the pitocin would slow down the progress. So it was a catch-22. We agreed to do the section and got wheeled in around 5:30pm. The section was really uncomfortable for me. I was one of the rare few who get severe shoulder pain during the cutting. I was also shaking uncontrollably. But the baby was born at 5:48pm and it was all worth it! I finally got to spend time with her about 30 minutes later and daddy got the first skin to skin with her. 

I had severe itching due to a side effect with the epidural. I was unable to sleep due to the itching.  That has since gone away, but sleep is an issue due to anxiety. I'm assured it's normal for now and I'm doing my best to catch a few hours here and there. 

We love our little baby girl and while the labor was a long hard day, it was worth it! 

Celeste Evangeline

Born 3/31/16

5:48pm

6 lbs, 4oz, 19.5" 

T Minus 8 Days to Baby

I can't believe it's been almost two years since I have posted. Essentially, two years ago from January was when our attempt to start a family began. And here we are, 8 days from my due date and I feel like I have so much to share. 

Like I said, we decided to try to have a baby around January 2014. I won't get into all the TMI details, but we were extremely unsuccessful.  Months passed with negative after negative pregnancy test. Those months were hard on my soul.  I couldn't stop dividing everyone I know into two categories: those that had children and those that did not. My Facebook feed became a platform for moms to showcase their beautiful children. My own page seemed empty in comparison; I showed off photos of my adorable puppy instead. He was my consolation prize. In fact, we got him right around the 9 months of trying point. Don't get me wrong, I loved him. But there was a hole in my heart in the shape of a baby footprint that no affectionate, smart, sweet puppy could fill.   

After months of trying on our own, we sought help. We tried a few rounds of fertility medication. Those proved to be unsuccessful. We also tried one round of intrauterine insemination (IUI), which also was unsuccessful.  Health conditions on my end began to reveal themselves - Celiac Disease, Thyroid Disorder.  We began to get those under control.    We interviewed a new fertility doctor and were excited to move forward with one more IUI before considering IVF when I got pregnant, mostly all on my own (We did something called a trigger shot to ensure ovulation) I couldn't believe it. All my months of trying and my wish had come true. 

I remember squealing the news to Doug as I ran downstairs to show him. I had shown him many many false alarms previously, with lines so faint you had to close your eyes to imagine them to actually see them. But this one was pink. And it was real. And I sobbed. It was finally my turn.  

The first month was nerves. All nerves. I was convinced something was going to happen to the baby. We did prenatal testing around the 10th week and were blessed with finding out the gender very early on. I even surprised Doug with the news. 

We had an early scare where we rushed to the hospital because i was bleeding. I remember repeating over and over that I didn't want to go. I didn't want to lose my precious miracle. And she was a miracle because she was still alive, heart beating strong. 

Months passed and my bump grew. It was amazing to see my body change.  Here are some bump progression pics: 

Even more exciting was being able to capture her change from inside of me. I went to far too many ultrasounds than the average girl. But I didn't care. 

(I apologize for the way these are uploading - I can't seem to center all of them!) 

 

So here we are. Today I am 8 days away from meeting my little girl. I am impatient. Uncomfortable.  Ready! 

Finally, a Diagnosis!

It's been a long road to diagnosis, but I am thrilled to be here. Tears of happiness poured out of my eyes when my doctor confirmed the diagnosis.  But let's travel back for a second. 

I've been troubled with stomach issues for at least ten years. The first bout of problems happened around my brother's wedding. I remember a group of us went to Las Vegas after the wedding, and I spent a chunk of that trip in my hotel room with stomach discomfort. From then on, I would have alternating months of feeling fine with other months feeling awful. Sometimes the problems lasted for years before I started to feel a semblance of normalcy. But the pain always returned. 

I saw a few GI doctors here and there, most of whom diagnosed me with IBS and sent me on my way. No one ever thought to test my blood for food allergies, much less Celiac Disease. 

Recently, the problems returned with a vengeance and I was no longer willing to accept IBS as a diagnosis. IBS is a true disorder, but only when you've eliminated several other things. I hadn't had those eliminations yet. In doing research for possible causes, I stumbled upon Celiac disease and everything seemed to match up. Many of the symptoms listed matched how I was feeling. 

Around that same time, my general practitioner ordered regular blood work, this time with an allergy profile. The results showed a wheat allergy, so I began to cut wheat from my diet.  I saw a GI who had me tested for Celiac. All the paperwork indicated I had it, but the doctor said there was no way I did. 

I was confused and needing answers. She didn't have time to help me, so I made an appointment with yet another GI. He confirmed my suspicions in minutes of my consultation. I had Celiac. I have Celiac. 

It's been 10 years of not feeling well. So upon hearing this news, I cried. But these were happy tears, because it's not in my head and I finally have something to work with.  I can feel better. It may take work, but I'm on the right path. 

And once again, I've self diagnosed accurately! 

If you're reading this and you want more detailed information, I'm happy to share. If my troublesome journey can help light the way of your journey, I'm an open book, so please ask.

2013 Year in Review

It was a huge year for the Liefermans. Most of the highlights center around our wedding and the events that surrounded it, but there were a few other goodies in there as well.

The year kicked off with lots of wedding planning. To start, our lovely photographers, Adam & Laura, scheduled us an engagement shoot to get us comfortable in front of the camera. I adore this set of photos they took, and I'll cherish them forever.

 

 We celebrated Doug's 33rd birthday with a big group of friends at a great hamburger restaurant in Redondo Beach.  

I was a lucky girl, I had three wonderful bridal showers thrown for me.

My friend Tania coordinated a very fun bachelorette weekend for the girls (+1 boy) so it was off to Vegas we went. Lots of pool side lounging, delicious food, and of course, gambling!One of my favorite memories of the trip is taking the photo below, only because it made us all laugh hysterically. Tania first chose the world's oldest person to try to figure out how to manipulate an iphone camera. When that failed, she chased down a young boy to do it, which was equally entertaining and odd. In the end, we got a great picture, so it was worth it. 

I somehow managed to lose a lot of weight right before the wedding. Here's one of the pictures I found, which really motivates me to get into better shape again. Without the impending stress of a wedding and wedding photos, I gained a lot of weight back the second half of the year. 

After a bit more planning, the wedding was upon us. We celebrated the night before with a great dinner at Roman Cucina after the rehearsal itself. It was a nice night and it allowed Doug and I to really talk to more people one on one. Here's Jessica and me in matching outfits the day before the wedding. 

And then the big day arrived. It went so fast, with all the getting ready and photos, and then suddenly it was gone. I had a blast. We picked the best location for a wedding, The Summit House - the food, the decor, the service. I couldn't have chosen a better place to marry my love.  

After the wedding, we had one day to pack and then it was off to Ireland. It's hard to sum up the trip in words, so I'll use pictures. It was a two week adventure around the island in a rental car. 

When we returned from our trip, I was antsy to begin our search for a new home. We went to see lots of homes, but nothing clicked. The search continued.  

We took a mini trip out to Palm Springs. Doug had to work, so I took a day off at the office and joined him for some fun in the sun. Of course we had to gamble, and I got really lucky and won $1000 on a poker machine. 

And then it happened. Somehow the universe presented us a house we loved and everything fell into place. We made an offer, and the house was ours! 

Moving presented a bit of a problem. We lived in Aliso Viejo, but my work was in Long Beach. Not one to commute, I decided to leave my job and find something closer to home. It was bittersweet - leaving a place I had worked for four years, and not seeing my friend on a daily basis. But in the end, it was time for a change and I'm ready for the next big adventure that awaits me, whatever that may be. Here's a photo of Tania and me at my farewell lunch. 

To commemorate our big move and my 33rd birthday, we had a big party at the house in November. We rented a karaoke machine and lots of family and friends came. It was a really nice night.  But I couldn't find any photos :)

Finally, to ring in the new year, we had some friends over for a quiet night in, with drinks, dinner, and games. 

2014 is here and everything is great. 2013 was a year of change, of finding my footing and learning more about who I am, and not accepting things, either about myself, or others, that I easily did in the past. It was a year of growth. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds for us!