First Day/Night Home - November 28

Our first day home felt just right! We arrived home around 1:30 to a paparazzi shooting video and pictures so that we could always remember the moment. Both sets of parents were here and after settling in and unpacking we just hung out with the little guy.

Trevor is a sleepy baby. We call him sack of potatoes because at this point he would rather sleep than eat. We'd wake him up for feedings only for him to sack out in our laps!! We wondered if that meant he would be up all night, but fortunately he slept a lot at night too. We tried using the bassinet that Jeff and Dawn borrowed us in our room but Trevor didn't really take to it at all. When he was having a bit of a fit and nothing else worked Sara held him in the football position in bed with us and then he slept for almost 4 hours! We realize that is a big no, no, but we all were exhausted and it worked out just fine fortunately.

On Sunday the nurse from the hospital called to check in and we let her know that he wasn't eating much. We told her that he wasn't breastfeeding at all so we were doing 15 ml dropper feedings of formula every few hours. Well, she was extremely concerned because when we were discharged Trevor had lost more than 10% of his body weight (he was at 7 lbs 13 oz) and now she figured he was high 6's or low 7's. So of course this brought Sara to tears that we were already failing as parenting and starving our child. We increased his formula feedings to ounces via bottle as instructed and waited to meet with the at-home nurse on Monday and a lactation consultant on Tuesday.

In those meetings we learned that we weren't failing as parents by any means, we actually were doing quite well! Trevor just was particular in his feedings and latching for breastfeeding would take time. In the meantime, we made the decision to pump and bottle feed the expressed milk if an attempt at breast feeding was not successful. His weight at the lactation consultant on Tuesday was 7 lbs 6 ounces so we needed him to gain weight and he would with this new plan!

Here's a picture we wanted to share. The little pic is of Brian when he was a newborn. Quite a resemblance huh?

Going Home!

We were discharged from the hospital Saturday morning (November 28) and boy did it feel good to go home with Trevor. The Pediatrician and Sara's Doctor said it was up to us whether we wanted to be discharged Saturday or Sunday. We decided that our hospital experience was nice...even the food was good...but we were just ready to be in the comfort of our own house.

Here is Trevor leaving the hospital:


And here we are at home sweet home!



We introduced Trevor and Randle to one another by having Brian carry Trevor into the house and setting him down. We had sent parents home with receiving blankets and clothes that smelled of Trevor so that Randle could get used to the scent and it must have worked. When Randle met Trevor in person he sniffed for less than a minute and was done!

Hospital Visitors

Because of H1N1, the hospital where we delivered had strict rules on visitors...no children, no more than 2 visitors at a time, and visiting hours were 11-8. However, we did still manage to have some visitors during our 2.5 day stay.

Both sets of Grandparents got to see him everyday and our siblings got to meet Trevor on Friday!

His Name

We thought choosing a name for our son would be hard work given that Sara likes more unique names and Brian likes more traditional/conservative names, but we actually came to agreement on a name very quickly. The amazing part is that we've known his name since July 4 weekend when we were poolside at the Hillins' in Scottsdale....and never let it slip once! Mom Hillins was going through the name book letter by letter throwing out names. Sara and Brian weren't necessarily participating in the event given we knew we didn't want to share his name before he was born but we played along by listening and sometimes saying "no, we don't like that name" or "we like the name, but it rhymes with so and so" or "we don't like the abbreviation." Later, in our room, Sara said to Brian "I like Trevor, do you?" and Brian said yes. We never really spoke about the name again in case that Sara's brother and wife named their boy Trevor, but the morning that we got the text that their son was born and his name was Sam, Brian turned to Sara and said "looks like we've got Trevor" and that was it!!

The middle name is a different story. We had always known that it would be Steven, after Sara's Dad. However, when Sara's Grandma passed away we started thinking that maybe we would have a middle name that honored her. So, Trevor went without a middle name until Friday afternoon when we decided it would be Kelly. Kelly is Sara's Grandma's married name, Sara's Mom's maiden name, and both Sara's and her brother Jim's middle name. :)

Trevor Kelly means prudent warrior and we think that is perfect!

Trevor's Birth Story

Sara had planned to take Wednesday, November 25 as a vacation day as an early start to the holiday and the scheduled induction for Friday. She wrapped up work the day before. Well, Wednesday started out like any other day except that thoughts of Sara's Grandmas weighed heavy on Sara's mind. Her funeral was today and Sara was disappointed that she couldn't go, although she contemplated driving given that nothing seemed to be happening on the baby front. A few friends and family members even commented that they received emails from Sara at 5:00 am on Wednesday!!

Well, Brian was headed to work but doing something on the computer quick before leaving. Sara was about to figure out her plans for the day. Randle had just come in from outside and had brought in some unwanted leaves. The time was 8:00 am. Sara bent over to pick up one of the leaves and felt that something was different. She hurried to the bathroom and realized that her water broke!! Luckily Brian was still at home and got to be part of the excitement. We called the doctor and they told us to make our way to the hospital. Well, Sara wanted to eat breakfast and take a quick shower so she did while Brian packed up the bags for the hospital.

We were at the hospital at 9:30 and got put in the maternal assessment center. They checked Sara's vitals but skipped the check to see if her water had broke because it was clear that it had and was continuing to break! At 11:00 we were in our birthing room and at 12:00 they started Pitocin to help bring on contractions. After your water breaks, you really only have 18 hours to deliver the baby, otherwise the baby doesn't have enough fluid. Contractions were mild at first so we were holding on getting an epidural. At one point Sara thought, hmmm maybe she can do this naturally. And then all of a sudden the contractions got much more intense and were much closer together...every 2 minutes. At that point we decided to get the Anesthesiologist to administer the epidural. Oh, wow...epidurals are amazing!! Sara said you still feel things but not with the intensity as before. The weird part was how much your body shakes like you're cold, but in reality it is all the adrenaline and your body laboring even though you don't feel much of it. At that point we were over 4 cm dilated and it was around 4:00, we were progressing about 1 cm an hour which is about right. We watched some TV and the movie UP. Our friend Mara who had her son Finn by c-section on Monday at the same hospital stopped by for a visit too!

A little before 10:00 pm Sara reached 10 centimeters and the doctor was on her way from delivering another baby at a different hospital (she and the nurse had been in communication all day). With the nurse we did some practice pushes and she said Sara was doing very well. When Dr. Lehrman arrived she reviewed Sara's chart and witnessed some pushing. We pushed for about 20 minutes total. The doctor left the room and shortly after requested that the nurse see her for a moment. Well they were out there for like 15 minutes and Brian was getting upset, like really? who leaves when the baby is coming!! Well, when they made their way back into the room they gave us the news that baby Hillins wasn't tolerating the contractions well. His baseline heartrate was 140 or so and during the contractions his heart rate went to 200 and then dropped to 100 afterward. Dr. Lehrman said it was best if we did a c-section to get the baby out safely. She said we could continue pushing but it could be 2-3 hours before the baby arrived and that was no guarantee that a c-section still wouldn't be needed. Sara and Brian were a bit frustrated only because of the long day we've had and the excitement that we had about giving birth, but the doctor knows best so we followed her advice. That was 11:00pm.

By 11:10pm Sara was wheeled into the operating room. She pretty much had tears the whole way there. She was anxious about the procedure since she didn't do any research on c-section. She just remembered the "bad stories" about people getting blood clots, infections, and sometimes even dying. C-sections are a major abdominal surgery. At 11:20pm Brian rejoined Sara in the operating room. The nurses and doctors tried to help keep us calm by having small talk with us...where did you meet, how long have you been married, etc but all we wanted was for them to focus on the procedure!

Throughout labor and then the c-section, we kept the 3-D image of Baby H close - here it is turned sideways - faced to the left:


At 11:29pm baby Hillins was born. Some memorable moments included when they were pulling him out they said he had a lot of hair, when his butt was out they said oh he's a big boy, and at some point they said "he's really long...oh wait, his legs aren't even out yet!!" Even the nurses weren't exactly sure how baby Hillins fit inside Sara given how small/basketball she was! He was 8 lbs 12 oz and 22 inches in length. Dr. Lehrman said after the operation that it was definitely for the best that we did a c-section because Sara had a small pelvic bone and the baby was big! You could even see on his head where he got "stuck" in the birth canal...he had a bit of an indentation about 1 cm past his forehead.

The entire process was certainly amazing and we were so glad to hear our little guy cry. Brian got to hold him right away and Sara got to see him. He was the most precious looking baby!! The took him to the nursery and monitored him for a while because his heart rate wasn't coming down. After a little while though it did. He was given an apgar score of 9. Brian spent time with him in the nursery to make sure all was well and then came back to the operating room to see Sara. Sara just remembers telling the nurses and doctors to please not leave any parts (tools/bandages/etc) in her!! At around 1:30 or so they put Sara in a recovery room and brought in Trevor (at this point we confirmed the name). What a little cutie!! He loved looking at Mommy and Daddy!

Around 3:00 am we got put in our hospital room and a nurse came in to check Sara and Trevor's vitals and to give Trevor a bath. Nurses came in pretty much every hour to check on Sara, give her medicine and whatnot. They were all surprised to see Brian sleeping on a blow-up mattress he had brought in, but it was a good thing he did. That was much more comfortable for his back than the old hospital fold-out chair. We put Trevor in the nursery that night so we could get a few hours of sleep, but let's be honest, we were too excited to sleep (well, Sara at least) plus with getting woken up every hour, sleep just wasn't meant to be had!!

What a wonderful, although long day! We know with certainty that Grandma Kelly had a hand in bringing Trevor into the world on the day of her funeral. It really is a circle of life. She wanted us to focus on the baby rather than be sad about her going to heaven. We know though that she was with that day helping us along and continues to watch over us. She is Trevor's special angel.

Trevor Kelly Hillins is Here

Sara and Brian are delighted to announce the birth of Trevor Kelly Hillins, born on Wednesday 11/25/2009 at 11:29 PM. After a long day of labor and 20 min of pushing, little Trevor showed signs that he wanted to come much quicker via C-section. Trevor was born weighing 8lbs 12oz and was 22inches in length. Mom and Trevor are doing well and we are looking forward to heading home on Saturday or Sunday.

Happy Late Thanksgiving Wishes from The Hillins Family!

Induction Scheduled

Just got back from our doctors appointment. Learned that fluid level looks good, heartbeat was strong, head is further down and we're more dilated and more effaced!! Induction is scheduled for Friday but we may go before then! EXCITING!!!!

Sara continues to do well with pregnancy. No real complaints these days except for the baby seems to be sitting on a nerve. She walks like a 90 year old! Maybe it's sympathy pains for Brian. Whatever it is, she's looking forward to the pain exiting soon. Sara is going to finish up work today and take a vacation day tomorrow prior to Thursday and Friday being holiday days. The plan is to rest and relax prior to Baby H's arrival!

Given today's news, we have determined that we will be unable to go to Grandma K's wake and funeral. This was a very tough decision for us. There is a chance that it will be videotaped, but if not we're sure there will be pictures. We know Grandma K understands why we can't be there and know that she wouldn't want us there given the risk of going into labor without a hospital nearby. Instead, we'll be sharing special prayers and memories between the three of us tonight and many thoughts and prayers will be said tomorrow while her funeral will be going on. We love you Grandma K and know you are with us on this special journey to bring Baby H into this world. You are his special angel!

I Love You

Those three special words will forever be a memory in our hearts as those were the last words we heard Grandma Kelly say to us on Saturday morning around 10:30am. And we know it wasn't an easy thing for her to muster the energy to say them given that she didn't talk much at all the night before or that day, but she did and it meant more to us than words could ever express. We know that she probably had a hard time letting go of the notion of not meeting her great-grandson given how excited she has been the past nine months sharing in Sara's pregnancy. She even tried to arrange being transferred to Abbott (where she knew Baby H would be born) instead of Sioux Falls, but family told her that she would be able to meet him before even Sara and Brian would and that she would be his special angel forever. We were able to share his name with her and we're glad to know she approved and liked it! She said "that's a nice name" after we told her and after she guessed his name would be Matthew.

Grandma Kelly joined our heavenly Father on Saturday at 1:08pm. She's is in a better place and somehow we feel more at peace knowing that she is now with us all of the time. One of the hardest parts in all of this was not being with her during her final hours. We know that she knew why we couldn't be there with her, but it didn't make it any easier. Hearing her say "I love you" so clearly and knowing that she heard us say it to her was one of our most precious lasting memories.

This has been hard on Mom and Dad Roslansky too...being down there and losing a parent while their daughter is pregnant and overdue and hurting for not being there with them. Thank goodness for cell phones and texting capabilities. They drove up to our house late yesterday afternoon so we could all see one another as well as celebrate Dad's 60th birthday (which was Sunday) and Annie's birthday which was Friday. We enjoyed pumpkin pie and brownie ice cream cake before they headed for home. We really appreciated them taking the extra time to see us. We needed each other and all of the hugs. They brought with them Grandma Kelly's shirt that she asked Sara's Mom to get from her apt. in Lakefield (possibly thinking she would wear it for a picture with Baby H) along with the hair brush that they had brought to the hospital. The shirt still smells like Grandma Kelly so after holding it tight for a while and wrapping it around Sara's belly to surround Baby H, we sealed it in a ziploc bag to hopefully forever maintain that smell.

The wake will be Tuesday evening and the funeral will be Wednesday evening. It is still up in the air whether we will be able to attend, but it is leaning towards not likely. We know she understands that it is simply too far for us to travel given recent developments that could mean impending labor and delivery and if we aren't able to participate we will drive down another time and have our own funeral.

There really is a circle of life. Not sure if we shared before but Brian's Grandma Stepien passed away the same time we found out we were pregnant. She actually told Brian's Mom before we did. Although she didn't mention it was Brian and Sara having a baby, she said "she's pregnant." Family thought it was another grand-daughter. Grandma Stepien also said "it's a boy." So special. Now at the end of our pregnancy heaven gained another angel in Grandma Kelly. We're sure that the two of them, along with Sara's other Grandma are chatting up there about our little boy and will be watching over us forever.

On Saturday night, in honor of Sara's Grandma we went out and bought a Fry Daddy and made donut holes. Sara and her Grandma would make these together as special treats when Sara visited. Sara could almost feel her Grandma's presence in making them, especially when she was getting frustrated because the donut holes weren't turning out as round as her Grandma's. She got the sudden idea to change the way she was using the two spoons and what do you know? The donut holes were now coming out circular! On Sunday, we made Grandma's homemade macaroni and cheese recipe and Jim, Annie, and Sam came over to indulge. We pretty much ate the whole batch the four of us!! Homemade macaroni and cheese will always remind us of Grandma Kelly.

Last but not least, we had to share this picture of Sam kissing his future cousin. Sara's Mom was holding him and slowly he just kept leaning over until he reached Sara's belly. Sam put his lips right on her and it really looked like he was content kissing Baby H. Eventually he turned his head and just kind of rested his head on her belly, like he was having a little conversation telling his cousin to come out and play! Life really is precious!

Sad Day

Today was a sad day. On Thursday night we received word that Sara's Grandma was in the hospital with a bowel blockage. We went to bed thinking all would be all right, it just needed some time. However, on Friday they moved her to a larger hospital in Sioux Falls and they did a cat scan. We learned that her bowel was perforated and surgery would be needed to fix it. This particular surgery would be tough for a 20-year old, nonetheless a 93-year old. Grandma decided to forgo the surgery, which is understandable given the care that would be needed after surgery, if she indeed even made it through surgery. She is on pain medicine and the doctors are giving her 24-48 hours to live.

Grandma Kelly has had a very rich life and we are all better people for knowing her. She is an amazing and special lady who will always be our angel watching over us. We have so many memories in our hearts, too many to write about but Brian will always remember her big smile, funny wit, and our Godfathers pizza outings among other things. Sara will remember the 'Grandma and me' slumber parties every summer, her yummy baking and homemade macaroni and cheese, girls-only vacations to Mexico, and so many more special times. Sara and her Grandma have a bond that is very rare so what is happening is especially tough for Sara.

The extremely hard part in all of this is knowing that our son and his Great-Grandma will never have the opportunity to meet. Tears start flowing just thinking about this. It's also hard knowing that we can't go to Sioux Falls to give her one last hug and say 'see you later' in person. Sioux Falls is simply too far away from our hospital here, but we have been able to talk to her a few times and we know that she knows how much we love her and how much we'll miss her. We love you Grandma K, we always will and we know you'll be watching over us from heaven.

These are two pictures she had hung on her fridge of us:

Procedure Complete

Sara had her membranes stripped this morning in an attempt to help speed Baby H's arrival up. People (including the doctor) warned her that it would hurt but she was surprised to find that it didn't hurt as bad as she thought it would. Disclaimer: don't get us wrong, it hurt, but that can't be anything compared to actual contractions and labor. The doctor who did it was the doctor who delivered our niece Brooke via c-section 22 months ago! They said if the procedure helped we would know something in 24-48 hours, so keep your fingers crossed!

One of the little weekly gifts we opened yesterday from Mom and Dad Roslansky was a bib that said "Baby's First Thanksgiving!" We are praying that he indeed is here by then to wear it!!

40 Week Birthday

As Brian was saying Happy Birthday to Baby H this morning, he pointed out that birthday technically means day of your birth....hint! hint!!

We learned at the doctors appointment this morning that progress is similar to last week, so we're going back in tomorrow to have Sara's membranes stripped. The doctor said it tends to induce labor in 50% of cases so it's worth a try! Our doctor is on call all weekend so we're hoping that the stars are aligned and Baby H comes sometime between tomorrow and Sunday night!

We partially wondered if the baby was waiting for Mommy's to do list to be complete before arriving, but that doesn't seem to be the case. On Tuesday night Sara finished her last scrapbook - one that included all of his ultrasound pictures and Sara's belly pictures - so literally the only thing left on Sara's to do list is "Have Baby" (yes, it's really on the list). Anytime Baby H or Mommy and Daddy will just keep poking you until you come out!

1 Day to Go - HA!

So Baby H has still not made his appearance. Not quite sure where he got this lackadaisical attitude - his Mommy is always on-time or early so maybe tonight or tomorrow will be the day!! Sara continues to feel great pregnancy-wise although she has a sinus infection that has her not feeling so hot. She worked from home yesterday and put in a half day at work today. It's hard feeling icky but not being able to take anything. Oh well, it's worth it in the end. We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 7:30 am so we'll keep you all updated on what the doctor has to say!

Mom and Dad Hillins came to town on Friday and we've been having fun spending time with them. On Monday they cooked a delicious meal - ham, scalloped potatoes, corn souffle, green beans, salad, bread, and red velvet cake. YUM!!! We feel like royalty with everyone waiting on us. Dawn even made one of her very yummy homemade lasagnas for us to freeze and eat when Baby H arrives....hopefully we'll be eating that soon!!

Baby H Still Cooking!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Baby H continues to cook in Mommy. He must be content in there although there are a few things starting to happen that make us think that he might make his grand entrance soon! Sara's been diligent about walking, bouncing on a birth ball, eating spicy food and pineapple, getting a pedicure and just about anything else people say helps to bring on labor. Yesterday Sara's lower back started hurting and she's had some contractions/cramping in the front. Keep your fingers crossed!! We're ready to meet our little guy!

39 Weeks!

Happy Birthday Baby H! Here are pics from today, week 39:

Co-workers, friends, family, and strangers are convinced the baby will cook for a while longer given how "small" Sara is for having a due date next week, but we'll see!! Sara continues to feel great although her back is a tad sore by the end of the day. She continues to wear high heels and has yet to develop the pregnant waddle. We feel very blessed that pregnancy has been such a great experience!

Brian's back continues to get a little better every day. He's continued with the chiropractor appointments and they seem to be helping slowly but surely. He has another appointment tomorrow at 7am. That time will come awfully early given that some of his medicine causes insomnia and can't usually fall asleep until 1am, but we're reminded that it is just good practice for when Baby H does come!

8 or so Days and Counting!

Just returned from our 39 week appointment. Learned we have a little progress on the dilation front - now we're for sure 1 cm (last week it was 1/2 to one), Baby H has plenty of amniotic fluid, his heart looked great, and he's about 7 and a half pounds. Can't wait to meet the little guy whenever he decides to make his appearance.

Brian's back gets a little better every day. Still hard to sit or stand for long periods of time. His back is a bit stiff in the morning too. He's been sleeping on the downstairs bed because it is the hardest mattress which seems to help some. He had another chiropractor appointment this morning where he had a minor adjustment done. He may go back another time this afternoon and then he will go back both Thursday and Friday mornings. He went back to the regular doctor yesterday to get more anti-inflammatory medicine. Sara's ob-gyn also recommended that Brian see a physical therapist, so he'll make an appointment with that person for this week too. Lots of people want to see him heal quickly so that he can be active for Baby H's arrival! Sara dropped Brian off at work today (his first day since last week), we'll see how long he lasts there. We're hoping maybe until 1pm and then he can work from home where it is more comfortable.

Our chef, house cleaner, landscaper/trimmer, fertilizer, garbage man, errand runner, light bulb changer, Brian's chauffeur, Christmas light hanger-upper, overall handyman checked out of Casa Hillins last night after dinner. Sara's Dad has been here since Sunday night helping out and boy did he do a wonderful job. We really appreciated him being here, we couldn't have done it without him!

Good Things Happening!

Good things are happening at the Hillins household. Brian's parents are coming on Friday and staying through December 2. Big window so they should be here when the little guy is born and it will be nice to all be together for Thanksgiving. Matter-of-fact, we're hoping that timing works to host Thanksgiving at our house with both the Hillins and Roslansky families! It will be nice for the Hillins to spend time with the little guy since they aren't here full-time. We really appreciate their offer to help so we're not afraid to put them to work, so to speak, with errands, dinners, and what not. Thanks Mom and Dad Hillins for spending 20 days with us!

Other good news is that this weekend, Jim and Annie asked us to be Sam's Godparents. Of course, we are honored to do so! Jim and Annie asked each of their siblings to be Godparents which we think is a great idea. That way couples are kept together and no sibling is excluded. His baptism is Saturday evening of the Thanksgiving weekend so we once again are hoping that Baby H's arrival timing allows us to participate in Sam's special day.

Last but not least, Brian continues to improve little by little. He is still in a lot of pain and is very stiff, but is a tad more mobile today than in previous days. He has a chiropractor appointment at 9 this morning so we'll see what he says. The biggest prescription thus far has been rest and relaxation so as to not re-aggravate the herniated disc or make it worse. Brian has been doing great with that. Matter-of-fact, yesterday Sara's Dad and Brian watched Nacho Libre, which they claim is the worst movie ever and at night after a fabulous pork chop dinner compliments of Chef Roslansky, everyone watched Knowing with Nicholas Cage...second worst movie ever. Wonder what movie will be in store for tonight?

Sara on the Go, Brian Not So

Brian's back is much worse than originally thought, although you could tell every time when he moved he grimaced. Friday he was in so much pain he had to leave work early and went back to the doctor. They prescribed Vicatin which helps a little bit, but just masks the real problem. Luckily, we called our sister-in-laws chiropractor on Friday around 4pm and they got him in on Saturday. They diagnosed a herniated disc. Ouch is an understatement! The chiropractor even came in on Sunday to check in on his progress and ended up sending him home with the electrode machine (as Sara calls it) and has him doing some exercises to try to reduce the inflammation. On Monday, Brian will see him twice. This chiropractor is fabulous...we really are blessed with good doctors! So, since Brian is in no shape to drive, Sara's Dad will come up and chauffeur him and take care of him in general. It's nice that he can do that for Brian, we sure appreciate it!

Sara on the other hand is on the go. Maybe it is nesting but she usually likes to get her "to do" list done and fortunately she is still somewhat mobile to get the tasks crossed off. Saturday consisted of taking B to the chiropractor, going to the jewelry store to get her rings checked/cleaned, going to CostCo, taking the leaves to the Fall Clean-up site, taking both cars in for oil changes, getting Chipotle, putting on winter comforter, packing up ARC donations, dropping off ARC donations, getting and installing new windshield wipers, making returns and shopping at Babies R Us, Target run, and picking up the house. Whew! However, Sara's Dad came up to help with most of that since Brian was out of commission. Thanks Dad!!! People continue to be surprised that she's due in just 2 weeks, we guess that's a compliment that she looks good, but Sara is getting ready to meet Baby H. She is a bit uncomfortable when sitting for long periods of time and would love to have a permanent masseuse at her disposal at the house! Otherwise, still doing good. Tonight she is going to make some sugar cookies (did we mention before the sugar cravings?!?!)

On Saturday night, Jim, Annie, and Sam came over with dinner in tow. That was nice!! We ate downstairs in the bar so that Brian could stand up and join us (laying and standing are his two preferred positions). It was nice catching up with them and seeing Sam. We can't believe how much he grows between the times we get to see him!

We'll keep you updated on Brian's back! We've appreciated everyone's offers to help out. Keep praying that he has a quick recovery...Sara is a bit freaked out at the notion that he won't be functional for labor and delivery, but we do have a plan if needed. Jim is on call to take her to the hospital and be her person until one of Sara's cousins can take over during labor and delivery. Fortunately they are both nurses, one even works in labor and delivery!! And we're sure Sara's Mom will be present as well if Brian isn't!

All Belly!

Never thought Sara would post a pic of her belly like this, but some friends and family have been requesting a true belly shot, so here you go!! Sara really is all belly....a little basketball :)

Today, Week 38:


Week 33:

No stretch marks yet, but we have some days to go! Her belly button is finally a partial outie - better late than never. Still waiting for the dark line to appear. Sara continues to feel really good. Sugar cravings have intensified...Baby really likes Heath bars - YIKES! She gained one pound since last week's doctor appointment, so she's up to 29 pounds total. Sleep has been okay, Sara's internal wake-up time is now 5:14 AM so we're starting to think that Baby H will be a morning baby.

This weekend we're having a date night on Friday, otherwise keeping it low key. Brian pinched a nerve on his back and has been in pain since Saturday. It's not fun to see someone you love in pain, but he says it is getting a little better every day. He's on anti-inflammatory and pain meds, but nothing too strong so that he is alert in case Baby H makes his appearance soon (Brian's choice).

Randle has been a very good puppy lately. He must know the Baby will be here soon. He loves to sniff Sara's belly. Wonder what exactly he smells? Here is a pic of Randle from tonight. What a cutie! He really wants his treat!

38 Week Appointment

We have progression! Sara is about 1 cm dilated and the doctor thinks the baby is about 7 and a half pounds. The doctor thinks that he will see us next week for our 39 week appointment but most likely not the 40 week appointment (ie Baby H probably will make an appearance before his due date of November 19). We're excited but patient. Sara definitely doesn't mind having him in her so whenever he decides to come, he'll come. We're also wondering if maybe Baby H will come the weekend of November 20 since that is when our doctor is on call. It would be neat if he delievered our little one. It would also be neat if he came on November 22 so that he would share a birthday with Sara's Dad. Sara shares the same birthday with her Grandpa Kelly so maybe the tradition will continue?!?! But both of those scenarios put us past our due date. We just say, what's meant to be, will be!!

Yesterday, Sara's work had a baby shower for her. A fun time was had by all! The pacifier corsage was cute, the cake was super yummy, and the 3 layer diaper cake one of Sara's employees made was just wow! We once again were overwhelmed by people's generosity for the little guy. He received a lot of clothes, bibs, blankets, and toys. He even received a little snowsuit!! Too cute!!

And the Best Husband Ever Award Goes to....

....Brian Michael Hillins!! He is so sweet. He went out and bought Sara a piece of white cake with white frosting after knowing she was craving it. Added bonus were the sprinkles which Sara absolutely loves!! :)

37 Weeks - Full-term!

We are 37 weeks today, so we made it full-term! Yipppeee!! At the Doctor this morning we learned that his head is much further down now, but still no dilation. The cervix has thinned out quite a bit too so the Doctor is anticipating seeing dilation at our appointment next week. The Doctor did a non-stress test today to monitor the baby's movements. All looked great!

Sara had a growth spurt between the last appointment and today - she gained 2 pounds, so she's up to 28. The Doctor says that is right on track, so he's happy. Good! Wonder what it will do for next week's weigh-in when she enjoys a Pumpkin Pie blizzard this weekend and polishes off the second loaf of pumpkin bread she made this week. Oh well!! Happy Mommy equals happy baby (and husband)!

How are you feeling?

How are you feeling is common question that Sara must get about 10 times a day from work colleagues and friends, so thought we should post how Sara is feeling for all of you that don't see her on a daily basis. Sara continues to feel great - still at 26 pound weight gain, no water retention so she continues to wear high heels daily, no real cravings (although last night she really wanted a piece of white cake with white frosting), heartburn has subsided, and no real food aversions (although it's a rare occasion that she eats fruits, vegetables, or meat). She doesn't have that exhausting feeling that people talk about, but she does try to be in bed by 10:30pm. Sitting for hours at a time can get uncomfortable because the baby likes to position himself right along her ribs. Sleeping is pretty much the same. She doesn't have to get up to use the rest room a lot but she will change which side she sleeps on every few hours to avoid hip, leg, and tummy pain. Nesting hasn't really kicked in yet. Sara is all belly...from the back you can't even tell she's pregnant and depending on if she's wearing a black top you may not be able to tell from the front either. View from the side? Well that is a different story!

Sara had her H1N1 vaccine last night. No side effects at all, but she didn't with the seasonal flu vaccine either. We're just glad that she got it because now Baby Boy H should get some of the coverage/benefits too!

We're a tad jealous that Sara's parents and Brian's parents are in Vegas together. Sara's Mom surprised Sara's Dad with a trip there to celebrate his upcoming 60th birthday on November 22! Since the Hillins live just a few hours away and can't resist a trip to hit the slots or see the Roslansky's, they decided to join as well! From what we hear, a good time is being had by all!

Tonight will be a fun night - we're meeting Jim, Annie, and Sam for the Godfather's Pizza buffet. The last time we were all there was about this same time during Annie's pregnancy. Babies must like the cinnamon streusel dessert pizza. YUM!

Happy Birthday Randle!

Randle turned 5 years old today! What a big boy!! Every year we make him feel very special on his big day and this year was no exception. Last night he slept on an extra comfy bed (ie put his bed on top of piled cushions to make it super soft) and this morning he got an extra long belly rub and a peanut-butter kong filled with extra peanut butter. Yes, he still had to spend his special day in his kennel, but at night he had his real birthday celebration complete with gifts and a cake!

He received a new toy, rawhide sticks, and his favorite treat - a flossie!! We think he was in heaven. You only turn 5 once, so gotta make the most of it! He is the oldest member of the house now - 5 in doggie years equals 35 in human years. Happy Birthday Randle!!

36 Week Appt

We had our 36 week appointment today. Can we just say how much we love our Doctor? He's the absolute best!! We learned that Baby H is about 6.5 pounds, his head is down, and he has a strong heartbeat. We're not dilated yet. The Doctor thinks we are on track for the week before or the week after November 19 (due date). Sara continues to track right on to where the Doctor wants her to be and has gained 26 pounds to date still. The Doctor thinks Baby H will be between 8 and 8.5 pounds. Can't wait for the little guy to get here!!!! From here on out we have appointments every week so look for blog updates on this subject weekly!

We also learned that our hospital has new visiting rules in effect because of H1N1. We're glad they are taking precautions but a little bummed that our visitor experience will be a little different than Jeff/Dawn's and Jim/Annie's. The new rules are:
- Visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Visitors must sign in and be screened for influenza-like illness
- Sibling visitors must be age 5 or older
- Non-sibling visitors must be age 16 or older
- Maximum of three visitors per patient at a time
- Visitors are asked to follow hand-hygiene procedures by washing hands or using the antibacterial foam provided throughout the hospital.
So, that means we won't be seeing Sam, Brooke or Lauren at the hospital and we can only have 2 people besides the two of us in at a time. But, we can have all the photo ops we want with everyone once we're home. The most important thing is that Baby H stay well!

3D Pic of Baby H at Week 35 and 2 Days

We had our second 3D-4D ultrasound on Saturday. It was a free session as part of a promotion and we were glad that it was indeed free because we didn't get to see much this time around. We learned that he's dropped quite a bit and he's facing Sara's back so good pictures were nearly impossible but it was fun to see him even from just a 2D angle and the few 3D images and 4D movements we did get. We got this shot near the end of the session - yep, his eye is open. A little weird but all of a sudden it's like he winked at us. So precious!!!
He's definitely filled out and continues to look like Brian did as a baby. We're pretty sure he's going to be a big baby complete with chubby cheeks to pinch. We'll see what our Doctor says at our 36 week appointment on Wednesday!

Frank, Tammy, Sienna, and Sam!

We've had quite a few visitors this past week and we love it. First we had family friends Frank, Tammy, and little Sienna over for dinner. Frank was in town on business and it was great to see them and catch up!

Last night we had the pleasure of watching Sam. He is growing up so fast!!! He loved our pack and play probably because it has the vibrate feature. Big thank you to Aunt Kathy, Uncle Bob, and cousins Sarah and Emily!! He was so intent on getting the elephant, but he'll have to wait a bit until his arms are a bit longer!!

Such Wonderful Sister-in-Laws and 35 Weeks!

Today is Baby H's 35 week birthday - only 5 or so weeks left!!! Amazing!! Here is today's belly pic:

Sara had an appointment with an anesthesiologist today to determine if she was a candidate for an epidural given her mild scoliosis. Good news on that front! If she decides she wants an epidural, she can get one and it should be successful. The anesthesiologist made Sara's day when the doctor told Sara it was good that she was skinny because she could easily see and feel her spine to see the space where the epidural would go. You don't hear those words everyday, especially after gaining 26 pounds to-date!!

Our sister-in-laws are the best and wanted to let the world know that via this blog! Both Annie and Dawn have been borrowing Sara maternity clothes to wear this pregnancy and such cute clothes at that. Sara keeps them in a separate closet and enjoys going shopping in her other closet on some days! Sara gets compliments at work every day (no, not even exaggerating) on her wardrobe and people are impressed that she hardly wears the same things twice. HA! Just wait people, she will soon. But, a big thank you to Annie and Dawn for borrowing Sara such cute clothes for the next few weeks! She really appreciates it!

Winter is Here!

We had a fabulous anniversary weekend!! After dropping Randle off at his favorite home away from home, we headed to Stillwater, the city where Brian proposed. We checked into a Bed and Breakfast, had a few cocktails (or mocktails for Sara) and played a game of Yahtzee. We found a game Sara sucks at - Brian beat her by a landslide!! Then we headed to the restaurant that we ate at after getting engaged. We even had the same table!!

After dinner we hit a local bar to catch a few innings of the Twins/Yankees game...ironic considering during our wedding the Twins were playing the Yankees and the Yankees were staying at the downtown hotel we hosted our wedding reception at. In our room we had a wood burning fireplace which was nice. It reminded us of our old house. Our "new" house has only gas fireplaces. Thank goodness that kept us warm because we woke up to snow on the ground!!!

So, we'd say that winter is officially here. Although today it is a bit warmer out so Sara went out to take some pics of the beautiful fall foliage.

Tonight our good family friends Frank, Tammy, and their new daughter Sienna will be visiting us. They are in town for Frank's work so we're excited they have time to come over and have dinner It will be great to catch up and meet Sienna!

Happy 5 Year Anniversary!

5 years ago today on a beautiful fall day in MN, we were married! It's hard to believe that it was 5 years ago, because it seems like yesterday. We've had a lot of special memories in the past few years and know there are many more yet to come!

We got married on October 9, 2004 and engaged on October 10, 2003 so this time of year is always special for us. We usually spend part of this weekend every year in Stillwater, MN where Brian proposed and this year is no different. Brian planned an awesome weekend that starts at 3pm today. More to come later!

We had our 34 week appt yesterday and learned that everything is still looking good. Measuring right on track, have gained 25 pounds to date, my cervix is closed (no dilation), and the head is down. What a great week we're having!!

Interesting Prediction

We found online a labor prediction quiz and our results are:
"You won't need to try any secret recipes to bring on labor. Have your emergency numbers ready. Don't wait until the last minute to get your nursery ready. We predict your baby will come 1-2 weeks early. Your baby will most likely be born in the morning. Justmommies predicts that your baby will weigh approximately 7.5 pounds and that your labor will be about 11 hours long."
Of course, this is just for entertainment purposes, but we can't help but wonder if it will be true?!?!?

Sam!

We had a wonderful day watching our nephew Sam. He's such a good baby. Hardly made a peep except for his baby babbling. We can't believe he'll be 7 weeks old tomorrow, it doesn't seem that long ago we were visiting him in the hospital when he was just an hour old. He is so alert, attentive, and strong. He will be rolling over in no time. He can already go from his back to his side without any trouble. He loved playing with his future cousin's toys...especially the bouncy chair with mirror and the swing!

No real updates on Sara's pregnancy. We're 33 weeks now but at our Doctor's appt he reminded us that we should really be ready for between 4 and 8 weeks. We thought about going long, but never really thought about going early. This news made us realize we really should pack the hospital bag and install the car seat soon!!

Sara continues to enjoy pregnancy. It's easy to say when you have no real symptoms except the weight gain. However, she has experienced a few bouts of heartburn in the past week or so. At first she thought it was due to chocolate, but then realized that it was happening at the same time in the afternoon...so she bought her first ever bottle of Tums. Exciting stuff at the Hillins household!!

This weekend has been a weekend of staying in, which has been nice given the weather. Brrrr!!! It's definitely moved into Fall now...or possibly Winter. 45 degrees is a tad cold even for Sara who has a built in heater for the next few weeks. But, we are enjoying our basement. We are so glad that we finished it last summer. It has just about everything we need in it so once we're down there we barely come upstairs except for sleeping!

Tomorrow we'll head over to Jim and Annie's to have dinner with them as well as Annie's brother Paul, his wife Nicki, and their two little ones Brennan and Lola. So, at least we'll leave the house once this weekend (minus church), but it will be great to see everyone! And Monday.....are you ready for some football? Vikings versus Packers. Skol Vikes!

Baby H 4D Ultrasound Video

We are still so amazed by technology. Here is one of the videos that was captured from his 3D/4D ultrasound. We love this little guy so much!!

What a Weekend!

This has been a special weekend for the Hillins household! On Saturday, Sara's sister-in-laws Annie and Dawn hosted a wonderful baby shower for Baby H. 16 friends and family members were in attendance. We are overwhelmed by people's generosity for Baby H, he received a lot of nice things that we can't wait for him to use. A few of the highlights of the shower included two fun games, everyone writing a little note to Baby H is the Dr. Seuss book "Oh, The Places You'll Go," the yummy food including Sara's favorite red velvet cake, and the cute candy favors that Dawn made. Thanks Dawn and Annie for hosting such a special shower!

After the shower, we had a 3D/4D ultrasound done. The neat part was that both sets of parents could come. Neither had been to an ultrasound before so it was great to see their reactions to the pictures and movements of their Grandson. We're sure a few tears of happiness and amazement were shed. We determined that he looks a lot like Brian did as a baby - his nose, his chubby cheeks, his length. He was sucking his thumb when we first saw him, then he was holding his hands up to his face (a little camera shy?), but then he was a little poser. What a cutie!!! We're excited to go back in a few weeks for another ultrasound. It will be fun to see how he's changed!

Last but not least from the awesome weekend was tailgating and a Vikings win!! Brian ended up getting the Valhalla Voyager and spent most of Saturday cleaning it out (we won't tell you what specifically needed cleaning, but a big thank you to Brian for the awesome cleaning job). It was fun to have the VV out for the home opener. A little different for Sara this year, not drinking, but she's always entertained with people watching!! We'll store the VV at our house so that we can use it on Monday Night Football on Oct 5 versus the Packers then drive it back up to its storage location. We'll just have to see if it makes it to another game this year, hopefully so since it was so much fun, but we'll play it by ear!

Skol Vikings!

We are so excited for the home opener for the Vikings this Sunday. But it won't be like years past. Most of the Valhalla Voyager crew won't be tailgating due to work travels (we mean seriously, who has work in Europe for 8 weeks during football season?!?) and babies (well, this one is excusable especially when he's as cute as Sam!). So, we're modifying tailgating for the meantime and not getting the VV out of storage...for now.

Instead, we'll be tailgating out of the back of Sara's Explorer like the common folk. HA! Just kidding! Anyone who is tailgating is automatically very cool no matter the vehicle. We have a feeling we'll be the first ones up on Sunday and the rest of the crew that will be tailgating will join us when they can.

Even Randle is ready for football season!

Gopher Game

Sara's brother Jim invited us to the Gophers game today and what a day for outdoor football in the great state of Minnesota. It was 81 degrees and sunny....perfect!! His season tickets are in the corner of the end zone, 3 rows up. We were right in the action! The Gophers didn't win against Cal State, but it was still fun to be a part of the excitement! Love, love, love the new stadium!

Sara even got to meet up with two of her old high school friends during half time for a quick chat!

Baby H is 31 Weeks! Happy Birthday Baby!

Today is Baby H's 31 week birthday! Thursdays are such great days as he reaches new milestones. He is definitely going through a growth spurt as Sara can't consume enough food to keep him (and her) not hungry. Oh well, bring on the ice cream...actually muffins hit the spot more these days! Weight gain to date is 22 pounds and the doctor said between 21-27 at this point, so we're doing just fine on that front. When we went in for our 30 week appointment, Baby H was measuring right on track (30-30.5 cm). We also learned that he is about 3 pounds and 18.5 inches in length. We're just not quite sure how he fits in Sara's belly. It's so tiny, he must really be crunched up. Poor guy!

The Roslansky's have a family tradition of giving little gifts everyday for about a week before birthdays. We have implemented that at our house as well, which will be a fun tradition to continue with Baby H! When the Roslansky's came up last weekend they had a surprise - a big bag filled with gifts for Baby H, and you guessed it...we get to open one a week until he's born, which we'll do on his Thursday birthdays! What fun!!

So, an update would not be complete if we didn't mention little Randle (aka Randini the weenie dog). We were feeling guilty that he's been holed up in his kennel anytime we leave the house since his whole blinds eating episode in June. Actually, two different blinds eating episodes. We left him out on Sunday once when we went to church and once while we ran to Target and he did great! No accidents or destroyed blinds! Since he passed those tests with flying colors we decided he earned the honor of staying out of his kennel all day Monday while we were at work. BAD IDEA! Sara came home to what she thought was a house in tact...until she walked past the vertical blinds and low and behold found 5 destroyed blinds. She wasn't even mad, her heart just sank knowing that Randle (aka craphead now) would officially not be trusted to ever be out of his kennel when we're not home. It's only his fault. And thank goodness, replacement blinds were much cheaper than a whole set. This time, we're "only" out $67.

Seriously, how does a dog this small cause so much damage?