Working mommy...

My house is never clean, laundry is piling up, grocery shopping isn't getting done, and bills are being forgotten. My mind is definitely not focused between learning the in's and out's of my new job and all my love and undivided attention going to my little man. I'm slowly learning how to prioritize everything and learning to raise a beautiful human being that everything else has been put on the back burner. I went back to work to train for my new job a week and a half after I had given birth to Kymani. I like to work, but now I'm a mommy and I would just love to sit home and take care of my little guy. I would love to be able to have a clean home and a hot meal prepared for my husband every night, but that dream looks as though it can only be in the future. There is just not enough time in the day for all the things I'd like to get done. Benson is returning to school full-time and so it is kind of up to me to make some income so we can live. It's going to be hard, because I have to depend on so many people to help watch my little man while I work. But on the upside I love my new job. I am an aesthetic instructor and I LOVE IT. I feel I have so much more to learn and I am very eager. I am grateful for this job opportunity and how well it works with my schedule. It truly is a blessing for my little family. Being a working mommy is very hard, maybe over time I'll learn how to handle it all. But for now I'm having a little bit of a hard time. But all in all it is the sacrifice I have to make so my husband is able to continue his education and in the long run it'll all pay off.

Getting healthy update...

When I was pregnant I enjoyed myself by eating things that I love. I didn't pig out or have crazy cravings or anything. But I definitely ate until I was full, and didn't hold back on eating anything I wanted. I have lost 40 lbs already but have another 30 lbs to lose to be back to my previous weight. So finally this week (6 weeks post) I have started logging everything I eat and doing portions along with calorie counting, and exercising for about 1.5 hours at the gym on nights that I have someone to watch my baby Kymani. So far I've lost 3 lbs. in a week with just doing those 2 things and I feel so great!!! I ran a mile in 10 minutes and I'll admit I was HANGING at the end of it, but felt so accomplished. It's not too bad of a time for just having a baby and not running for 11 months. It's all looking up from here :) I hope to have lost 6-10 lbs by the end of this month. I'll keep you updated!!!
I'll also be taking weekly pictures as well to track my progress :) I'm making a life style change and I'm loving it.

Fit to Pregnant to Fit Again...

So now is the time that I feel I have fully recovered and getting the hang of things. My energy level is slowly regaining and I plan to start my exercise regime again. I shamefully gained quite a bit of weight during my pregnancy...but I have to admit I did enjoy my pregnancy. I have already lost about 35-40 lbs so far, but still have quite a bit left to go. I know it's going to be hard, and it will take time. So I will be recording my journey and what I'll be doing to shed the baby weight. I plan to do clean eating, and exercise. So here we go!!!!

 

1 month old...

KYMANI MOSESE POWELSON PURCELL

I can't believe how fast time has flown by! My baby is growing all too quickly, and it's so bitter sweet. I love him more than anything and cannot get enough of him. I wish I could stop time, stop time so I wouldn't have to go back to work, and I could just hold my son and be able to admire this miracle that my Heavenly Father has trusted me with. He is so perfect. But here are a few things that my little man has been doing for the past month....

Kymani is now responding to my voice, he smiles and coo's at me. Every crooked smile melts my heart and lets me know that he is starting to recognize who I am. He also has the cutest dimples I've ever seen, just like his daddy's.

Kymani has been in my opinion a very quick developer. He has been holding up his head very well since birth, and can do it for longer periods of time.

He loves tummy time, and learned to roll over from tummy to back at 3 weeks!!! I about died when he did it for the first time, I didn't think their were supposed to do that until a few months old.

He is also a big eater...maybe the Samoan side is coming out in him!!! Even though it took us 3 weeks for him and I to learn to latch and nurse correctly, persistence, pain, and patients were totally worth it!!! I love that bond I'm able to have with my son. Even though he takes his time, and could eat for hours we still supplement with formula.

I weighed him the other day...drum roll... he weighed in at 11 lbs 3 oz!!! Growing boy!!!

He has lost all his hair on top of his head...and it's long on the sides and back. He looks like an old man !!! hahaha but a fuzz is starting to come in :)

Kymani is very alert and wide awake...all the time. Most newborns sleep the first month...ummm nope not my little man. His eyes are still the newborn slate gray blue color. So his eyes could go either way, brown black like his dad or blue like me!

Kymani and I cuddle EVERY morning. I have kind of spoiled him with holding and cuddling him. I'm kicking myself now because it's hard to get ready in the mornings when I don't have help and Kymani feels the need to be held. But I just can't put him down, I would love to hold him in my arms ALL DAY LONG!

He loves stroller rides on warm summer nights. We unfortunately were delayed due to the fires in the area this summer. I didn't want to expose him to the nasty air we were having, but it has since rained and the fires contained so we are out and about again.

He is sleeping from 12:00AM to 5 or 6:00 AM, unless him and I fall asleep together he'll sleep soundly until 8:00 AM :)

Kymani LOVES bath time!

Kymani has several Mongolian spots located on his bum. They look like bruises, but they are just pigmented spots. The doctor said it's common in ethnicity's that have darker skin tone. Even though Kymani is fairer skin toned now, he said most likely he'll darken up with time.

I love the spirit that is now in my home. I feel so happy all the time and cherish the feeling of love with in our home. He brings such a pure feeling, I cannot stand to listen to any music, watch any TV show, or talk about anything that would disrupt what he has brought into our home. I feel we have been so blessed that Kymani didn't have to go to the NICU at birth, he didn't have jaundice, and hasn't had any health issues. We truly have been blessed.

Our birth story...

Last morning of pregnancy...bitter sweet.

On May 29th I heard the best news ever, after enduring my diagnosis of PUPPS, my doctor wanted to induce me right away due to PUPPS potentially causing problems if we waited for me to go into labor naturally. I also was not about to sit around and wait for my little man to come, with the stupid rash. I came home from the doctor with Benson and we were both beaming with excitement!!! We tried to stay busy and keep our mind off being so nervous. We definitely did not sleep at all that night. We had to be at the hospital at 5:00am!!! So there wasn't really a point to sleeping in my opinion.
I got out of bed at 3:40 to shower and ready myself to go to the hospital. I woke Benson at 4:15 so he could shower and get ready as well. I had the biggest pit in my stomach. I had never been so nervous in my life!!! I Hannah Purcell was about to go and give birth to my first child. Of course me being the cry baby basket case that I am, cried off and on all while getting ready that morning. I was so worried about the baby and hoping he was going to be okay, and that I was strong enough to give birth to him. Finally 4:30 rolled around and we headed out to Orem Community Hospital. I offered a prayer in the car and couldn't control my tears, but felt very comforted by the spirit that everything was going to be okay.
We walked into the hospital, bags in tow. I registered myself and we were taken back to our room. It was very large and nice. I would be delivering and finishing out my stay in the same room. I immediately was made comfortable by the nursing staff. I got dressed in my hospital gown...(I'll admit I loved the excuse to be able to wear nothing and just a gown, it was so much more comfortable!!!) I jumped up on the bed and my admitting nurse started hooking up my IV. I must say the IV and blood draw hurt SO bad!!! I am not a bleeder, and have a hard time giving blood or finding a decent vein for IV's. I wanted to cry. Our admitting nurse finally found a vein that'd work and we got the pitocin and saline started. I was checked and was only dilated to 2cm. After being all hooked up, and made comfortable we started the waiting game. Shift change had come along at 6:00am and I received another amazing nurse. She checked me and I had been dilated to 3cm 100% effaced. So things were slowly moving along. At this time I was feeling slight contractions, but nothing too bad. Time went by, I kept myself entertained by catching up on Glee episodes I have missed and sleeping. by 7:00am my nurse came in to check me again and she said "Okay, do you want the epidural?" I didn't know what to say... I was afraid to make this decision for myself. Benson had just barely left to grab something to eat and I was all alone. I asked the nurse " When is the best time to get the epidural? I'm so nervous." She said " Get it now before he breaks your water, because after he does that, that's when the real pain starts." I think I am someone who is not meant to experience the pain of child birth. So I made the immediate decision that I was going to get the epidural.

Catching up on some Glee.

The nurse put in my order to the doctor and he came right away. I didn't think he would get there so quickly, it was like getting my Jimmy Johns order...freaky fast delivery. I was still alone due to Benson getting food. I was told to sit on the edge of the bed and Dr. Lyman started his procedure. I was trying so hard to hold still and not shake. My sweet nurse came over and held my hand because I was so nervous. To my relief Benson walked in just as I was receiving the numbing shot. I wasn't going to have to go through this alone!!! 10 minutes later Dr. Lyman said "okay your done lay back and enjoy!" I was so surprised, I didn't feel a thing!!! I sat back, let my body get warm and tingly and I could no longer feel from the waist down.

For the next hour I would sit and watch my contractions and babies heart rate on the monitor. My nurse then came in and took my blood pressure. When the machine released the pressure off my arm the machine went crazy and was beeping. The nurse checked babies heart rate, he wasn't doing so good. My blood pressure was so low that I wasn't getting oxygen to the placenta so when ever I had a contraction baby had a really hard time recovering from it. I was placed on oxygen.

On my oxygen for the whole duration of my labor.

 I was placed on nurse checks/ blood pressure checks every 15 minutes. An hour later my blood pressure was not coming back up. There were high concerns for the baby at this time. My nurse finally came in and said, "I'm going to try a couple more things if it doesn't work then we are pulling you in for an emergency C- section." My pitocin had to be lowered, and then I was given a medication to increase my heart rate. Still being on my 15 minute checks, I began to get really worried. I didn't want to have a C- section, but I was so worried that baby wasn't going to be okay. I said a quiet prayer to my Heavenly Father that my baby and I would be okay. After giving me several doses of the heart rate medication, and being on constant oxygen things started to improve. My nurse finally figured out that if she keeps giving me doses of the heart rate medication it improved our situation and we wouldn't have to rush me in for a C-section. I was then put on 30 minute checks, and my pitocin was put back at the normal dose but baby was still on a close watch.
Finally feeling at ease the next few hours went by fairly quickly. I took lots of naps, watched more episodes of glee and surfed the Internet. I did hate when the nurse would bring in my food tray, but unfortunately I wasn't able to eat any of it. I was told I couldn't eat, except for clear liquids. I was STARVING!!! I hadn't eaten since 10:30 the previous night. So Benson got to eat my food trays... and I ate my Popsicles.

I was then 5:30 pm and my Mom and Dad joined Benson and I in our room. I wanted my mom there for the delivery. Next thing I know my nurse is coming in, checked my cervix and said "Okay you are a 10! I'll call Dr. Judd and we'll get this little guy here." This was the part I was nervous for, I was nervous that I wasn't going able to bring Kymani into this world. My nurse came back and said okay we are going to have you start pushing. She got me all prepared and I started to push. I had heard embarrassing stories of women who had a bowel movements while pushing. I was more focused on trying not to embarrass myself (because I couldn't feel a thing due to the epidural). Finally Dr. Judd had joined us and had asked me to start pushing. He said " This is a big baby, and he's not moving a whole lot. You can sit here and try to push for the next two and a half hours, or I can have him here in 5 minutes with the forceps." By this time I was pretty exhausted and decided that forceps sounded like a pretty good idea. When we got started, (sorry TMI) I felt as though my insides were being ripped out of me. The epidural had slightly wore off so I had a little bit of feeling, I had never wanted to be over so badly as I did then. Finally our little man was out! I instantly was trying to listen for his cry. I was hoping everything was okay and he wouldn't have to go to the NICU. He was making gurgling noises and as they cleared his mouth and lungs he was crying. Hearing his cries were instant relief. I had noticed he had some rolls on his legs and arms. He had a little bit of wavy hair. I sat there in the bed, while Benson, my Mom and Dad were over in the corner of the room watching baby get weighed and wiped off. Finally they swaddled him and I was handed the love of my life.
Everything had changed for me when they handed me my son. I hadn't seen anything more perfect in my life, 10 fingers and toes so little and perfect. A sweet head, with baby fuzz. I had never seen anything so sweet. I never knew I could fall so in love so quickly with anything, but it is possible when you see the sweet face of a newborn. My Kymani Mosese Powelson Purcell had finally arrived on Wednesday May 30th, 2012 at 6:08pm weighing 8lbs. 10oz.

Youngest Steelers Fan

Skin to Skin with Daddy

Skin to skin with Mommy

Sweet sweet boy

Heading home!!!