One Month Old!

I can't believe that she is one month old already!  It feels like it was just yesterday when we brought her home from the hospital.  Time is just flying by way too fast for me!

I got the idea from our friend Amee to take pictures of their baby in the same place each month to see how they have grown and every month to write down a few facts of what their baby is doing.  Thanks Amee for the awesome idea.

Ten Facts about Ke'alohi at One Month:

1. Weighs 10 pounds and 6 ounces and measures 21.5 inches.
2. Starting to smile at Mommy, Daddy and Puna.
3. About to grow out of newborn clothes.
4. Drinks three ounces of formula at each feeding.
5. Sleeps great and only wakes up once or twice to eat at night (Cross your fingers that this lasts!).
6. Great head control when we hold her.
7. Likes to sleep and nap on her side or tummy.
8. Great at tummy time.
9. Loves going on walks with Duke and Harley.
10. Hair is growing like crazy!

First Outing!

We have officially ventured out of the house.  We decided to all break free and go to the movies.  We strategically picked the first showing of the movie so that there would be the least amount of people in the theaters.  We went to see Bad Teacher, starring Cameron Diaz.  Going to the movies was a complete success.  Ke'alohi slept through most of the movie and when she wasn't sleeping, she was eating.  Lucas took one for the team and held her the whole movie, where she was perfectly content with hanging out on Daddy's chest.

Can't wait to go to our next movie!

First Photoshoot with Janel!

Ke'alohi Taking a Nap

Babies Make the Best Centerpieces

Most of you should know by now that we love Focus Photography Inc.  Janel Conlan not only did our wedding and maternity photos but she will also be taking Ke'alohi's newborn, four-month, eight-month and one-year old photos!  I can't wait to see her grow and for Ke'alohi to play with Maxine, Janel's daughter that she is expecting in August!

Here are our favorites!

The Shot of the Day

Little Feet

Opa's Visit!

We are so blessed that Opa (my dad) was able to come up to Los Angeles and visit us!  I don't think there are any two people, besides Lucas and I, that are more smitten by Ke'alohi as my parents are.  They literally could just look and her and hold her for hours.  While he was here, we were able to meet up with Lucas' parents and have the first, of hopefully many, family dinners!  The four grandparents might have spent more time looking at their grandchild, than actually eating.  Hahaha.

Sadly, my dad's trip was just too short but luckily we will be seeing my parents in September for Labor Day weekend! Can't wait!

Our Two-Year Anniversary!

I still can't believe that it has been two years since our wedding day.  To be honest, it feels like just last month we were working on seating charts and writing thank you notes for all our wedding presents.  The last two years have been amazing and I continue to love Lucas more and more each day.

He has given me an unbelievable life and the best gift anyone can ever give me... Ke'alohi...  They are the light of my life. My life is better and complete because of them!

Second Doctor's Appointment

At this doctor's appointment, we saw one of Dr. Ouchi's fellow doctors, Dr. Miller.  He was the same doctor we had seen in the hospital when Ke'alohi was first born.  She weighed in at 9 pounds and 2 ounces, measured 21.5 inches and her head circumference was 15 inches.

Dr. Miller commented on how well Ke'alohi was doing when we put her on her stomach for "tummy time" and said that we should continue to do that everyday to help her strengthen her neck and back muscles.  He also assured us that she was growing fine because by the two-week mark they hope that the babies are back to their birth weight.  So since she was now past her birth weight, he told us that we did not have to worry about her gaining too slowly.  We are going to be feeding her on demand instead of on a set schedule.

Our next appointment is in six weeks, the two-month appointment, where she gets her first set of shots! Yikes!

Our First Week Home = Craziness and Sleepless Nights

The first couple of days home we were lucky enough to not only have Puna (my mom) with us, but Will (Lucas' brother) and Lucas home to take care of Ke'alohi.  It was great having the four of us watch over her because there was definitely not a shortage of help.

We were also blessed with tons of visitors!  Lucas' parents were able to visit us a couples days and then brought with them the whole Sayin clan the next weekend!  Aunt Karen, Uncle Dan, Bailey, Jocelyn, Aidan, Julian, Aunt Selma and Aunt Kathy were all able to come visit us and shower Ke'alohi with her first load of "girly" stuff.  Let me tell you, after all the gender neutral things we have, I am loving everything pink and purple! We also got to see Elijah, Diana, Nema, Olivia, Dominique and her mom during that first week! Thanks everyone for all the love!

The biggest surprise for me has to be how great of a dad Lucas is.  He has completely taken to fatherhood better than anyone I know.  It's not that I ever doubted Lucas would be a great dad, it's just that he has far exceeded my expectations of parenting in every way.  He is so patient and loving towards Ke'alohi.  It's really remarkable.  I love him more and more when I see him with her. 

Now that Lucas is back at work, we miss him terribly and count down the minutes until we can see him again!

Ke'alohi's Piko Fell Off!

My little girl is officially growing up.  Okay, well not really but she is allowed to take baths now.  It happened this morning while Puna (my mom) was holding her.  All of a sudden Puna yelled at me to get a little bag and a camera because her piko had fallen off.

Her piko that is left behind couldn't be cuter and I can't wait to give that opu (tummy) tons of kisses in the future!

First Bath!

The next big first this week was Ke'alohi's first bath.  Surprisingly, she loves baths! The second she hit the water she completely calmed down and just chilled in the sink.  She must get the love of water from me because I just love baths and soaking in the tub!  I'm sure we will have lots of fun in the tub once her piko (belly button) falls off!

First Doctor's Appointment!

One of the first "firsts" we have had was Ke'alohi's doctor's appointment.  She weighed in at 8 pounds even, measured 20.5 inches and her head circumference was 14.6 inches. We got to meet her doctor and to our surprise and happiness, she is also from Hawaii!  We got to ask Dr. Ouchi lots of questions, like about her birthmark on her back and the little dimple on her butt.  If Dr. Ouchi being from Hawaii wasn't great enough, her office gave us tons of free formula and coupons for lots of baby stuff.

Our next appointment is in two weeks on June 13th, our wedding day!

We're Home!

We are finally home from the hospital!  It is weird to think that I hadn't been outside in the sun in almost five days.  The last few days have been a whirlwind of happiness and excitement.  We have been blessed with great doctors, nurses, family and friends that have showered us with help and love.  The first visitors we had were my mom, Lucas' parents and Elijah (Lucas' best friend and Ke'alohi's godfather).  Over the next few days Jill, Andrew, Nani, Christian, Michelle, Melissa, Kat, Autumn and Will came to see our little Ke'alohi.

Some of the things we did while we were in the hospital were learning how to bathe Ke'alohi, change diapers, change clothes, practicing putting her in the car seat and taking hundreds of photos.  If you think hundreds of photos is an exaggeration, you would be wrong because we filled up our memory card on our camera.  A luxury that Cedar Sinai Hospital provided us was a professional photographer to take some photos of Ke'alohi when she was only three days old.  We happy took advantage of the photographer so we could get some photos for her birth announcement!

A huge adjustment for me was learning how to care for her, as well as, recover from my c-section.  Getting in and out of the hospital bed wasn't easy, it was a workout.  We are so thankful and blessed that Ke'alohi was a perfectly healthy little girl and passed all her newborn screening tests, the hearing test and weight checks.  She even gave us her first "gummy" smile!  It absolutely was the best thing I have ever seen and just melted my heart!

The doctors discharged us on May 30th, our due date.  We could not get out of there fast enough but at the same time were afraid because now we are responsible for another human being.  On our drive home, Lucas drove the slowest we have ever gone and avoided all major freeways and streets.  It really was one of the cutest things I have ever witnessed out my husband and I fell in love with him all over again on that drive.

And Baby Makes Three!

As you all know, at Wednesday's appointment, my blood pressure had risen and Dr. Wyatt was a bit concerned.  He put me on 24 hour bed rest and we saw him again yesterday.  At yesterday's appointment my blood pressure was still high and that I might have pregnancy induced hypertension and was developing pre-eclampsia.  He made the decision that we should induce labor and walked us over to labor and delivery.  I know it sounds naive of me but I really thought I would go into labor like how it happens in the movies: either in the middle of the night or while I was out shopping.  I never in a million years thought that a normal doctor's appointment would turn into going directly to labor and delivery.  I was totally not prepared to be admitted that day but luckily my mom had just gotten in the night before from Hawaii and helped calm my nerves.

At 3 pm, I was hooked up to an IV and given magnesium to lower my blood pressure and pitocin to induce labor.  At 2 am, my water broke and that's when I finally came to the realization that the baby was coming.  I know what you are thinking, "Didn't the doctor's appointment, the walk over to labor and delivery or the night spent in the hospital give me any indication that the baby was coming?" Nope, I was still in denial.  The induction process was a long process and not without complications.  In the early morning hours, after my water broke and I got an epidural, my oxygen levels dropped and the baby's heart rate dropped when I would have a contraction.  So after 16 hours of labor, Dr. Wyatt made the decision that it would be best for the baby and I, if he performed an emergency c-section.

At 8:55 am, on May 27, 2011, we had a GIRL!  Ke'alohilani Amelia Jade Sayin was born weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces and measuring 21.25 inches long.

She is the most beautiful little baby girl (Okay, I might be a little biased.) and is perfect in every way.  After we had her, I was able to spend a few minutes with her and Lucas before the nurses had to take me to recovery and Ke'alohi to the nursery to get bathed and checked out.  


All in all, we are elated and so blessed to have her in our lives!

Doctors Orders = Bed Rest

At today's doctor's appointment, the doctor noticed that my blood pressure had risen since last week.  He felt I needed to rest and stay in bed for the next 24 hours.  We have to see him again tomorrow to see if it stabilized, and if it doesn't, he thinks we might have to induce labor.  Ahh, the little one really is coming soon but I hope it can stay in for another few days so I can finish up with work (as an accountant, I'd like to finish May's month-end papers), finish the nursery and get MENTALLY prepared for the baby's arrival.  We are going to be parents! 

MGA Brunch

My hula sisters planned a brunch get-together at El Torito today to celebrate the end of another year with the halau.  Actually, I'm sure they planned this brunch because they wanted another excuse to drag our husbands/boyfriends to all hang out together and because El Torito has bottomless mimosas (don't worry, only orange juice and water for me).  It was so much fun seeing everyone again since I don't get to dance with them on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays anymore.  We had a great time eating our mid-day meal of tacos, waffles and churros while talking about our next emergency MGA meeting happening at Cedar Sinai when we deliver our little one.

The Beginning of the End, The Final Month...

It is finally May!  Even though I am due May 30th, so technically I could have this baby in June, it's still crazy to say that I could have this baby THIS month.  Wow!  This week we are getting together some of the last things for the baby and I, installing the car seat and packing the hospital bag.  Everything is feeling a bit more real as we approach the final countdown.  I still can't believe the clothes and towels have been washed, and all we need is the bedding to be sent from Hawaii to finish the nursery.  Ohh yeah, and we need the baby to make everything complete.  Hahaha. Can't wait for the next few weeks!

A SURPRISE Baby Shower...

It is really hard to surprise me, really hard.  Ask Lucas or my parents, anytime around my birthday or Christmas the snooping and the questions start.  There are two ways I find out what people are getting me, I either find out with my snooping, or I question them to death that they finally give in and tell me what they got me.  Hahaha.  I know its not one of my greatest qualities, but I can't help it; I need to know what is going on!  That is what surprised me most about this surprise baby shower; I was actually SURPRISED!  

Even though I have only been with my hula halau for just under a year, they really know what the term "hula sister' means.  From the first practice they have taken me in like I have been there for years.  This whole surprise shower started off with me thinking that my hula sister Nani wanted to have Lucas and I over for lunch to meet their newest dog and to see their new lanai that they built.  Looking back on it now, I should have known that something was up when Lucas shaved that morning and said that I should try to look "presentable" for this lunch.  

When we got there I was surprised to tears and had a wonderful afternoon eating, playing games and decorating onesies.  The star of the show wasn't a game, present or an activity; it was the chocolate fountain!  We all huddled around the machine dipping everything from strawberry to lady fingers in the chocolate.  Halfway through the shower they added a little kahlua to "start the party," which is where I got cut off from the fun.  We were blessed with more presents for the baby and were overwhelmed by all the love and support from my hula sisters!

My Baby Shower!!!

I am blessed with some amazing friends and family!  First off, my baby shower could not have happened without one of my closest friends, Jill Weglarz.  One of the first things she said to me when she found out that I was pregnant was, "Can I throw you a baby shower?"  She was so unbelievably thoughtful to host the beautiful brunch we had at Shanghai Reds.  Everything from the invitations, that were designed by another close friend Cristina Hasbun, to the favors and food was perfect.  You could probably tell by how much food we all ate and by everyone stealing each other's favors that everyone was  a happy camper.

The event started off by everyone writing notes to the baby and I on one of my baby book pages.  The first game we played was everyone gave me, the mommy-to-be, some advice for when the baby comes.  Everything from "sleep when the baby sleeps" to "don't forget about your husband" was written down.  My favorite advice was from Kasey Stinson that said, "take a picture of the baby everyday."  I forget sometimes that the baby will only be small for a short time and pictures are the only way to capture them at that moment.  The next game was match the celebrity to their baby name.  Needless to say, I rocked at that game and was one of the winners.  I guess all that time reading celebrity news paid off.  The last game we played was gift bingo which involved everyone writing down different gifts they thought I would receive in little boxes and when I opened that gift, they got that square.  We had a few winners, but the real winners were Lucas and I for receiving so many wonderful gifts.

I do want to send another special shout out to my mom and my Aunt Lisa for flying in from Hawaii and Minnesota just to celebrate my baby shower with me!

Maternity Photos

If there was one thing my family is known for, it would be pictures.  Just the sheer volume of pictures my parents have of our family and my brother and I growing up is astonishing.  So one of the first things Lucas and I knew when we found out we were pregnant is that this baby would have a well-documented life.  We decided why wait till the baby came, why not start before when the baby was still in me!

We are so excited to work with Janel Conlan. She is also the person aka genius that took our engagement photos and all the beautiful photos at our wedding.  If that wasn't reason enough to work with her again, the fact that she is also pregnant made this process all the more fun.  I can't wait for our little ones to squirm, crawl and run around with each other.  These are a few of our favorites!

Maternity Ward Tour and Setting Up the Nursery!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a Type-A personality who needs to be prepared, organized and have all the information possible to feel comfortable.  That is probably why Lucas and I have signed up for four classes before the baby is born.  The month of March is our weekly Childbirth Series course taught through Cedar Sinai Hospital, where we will be delivering.  During April, we will be taking two classes at The Pump Station, a super cute store for everything mommy and baby, Infant Care and Introduction to Breastfeeding.  And lastly, during May, we will be taking an Infant and Toddler CPR class at the Red Cross.  Most of you are thinking "wow, that is a lot of classes and information," and you are probably right but better to be over prepared than under!

A part of our Childbirth Series course at Cedar Sinai included a lengthy tour of the Maternity Ward in the hospital.  Boy was it a wakeup call! This baby is coming (and coming SOON)!  We got to see where we check in, where they hook me up to all the monitors, where we will actually deliver and where they take our new family to recover.  It is a beautiful hospital that loves new mommies so much that we heard that every day from 3-4pm in the recovery department, they bring the moms warm cookies and milk.  How amazing does that sound?

Another milestone for this week was setting up the nursery!  I truly believe that I was an Ikea Assembler in another lifetime.  I love the rush and satisfaction of building something with my bare hands, something I most definitely got from my father.  He is the handiest person I know and a real-life MacGyver when it comes to putting things together.  Though with how I am growing and how easily tired I am, I could not have done it without my wonderful husband.  He was so supportive, that he would hold wood pieces for me so I could do the screwing or tighten things when I couldn't get to the little nooks due to my growing tummy.  Although we are so excited to start the transformation of this room, Duke and Harley are a little hesitant to share their room with the newest member of our family.  Lets hope they can all be good roommates!

And the Third Trimester Begins...

 

The light at the end of the tunnel is approaching, and its approaching fast!  This week marked the beginning of the end; I am officially in the third trimester.  This means we are full steam ahead and a lot of things will be happening in the next couple of weeks: classes, maternity photos, my mom's visit and our baby shower.  Today is also another milestone for us as I am now 26 years old.  It is hard to believe that we have reached the point where now for the next six months Lucas can call me a cradle robber and a cougar for marrying a younger man.  Boy, I can't wait till September when we will both be "old futts."  

This week also starts our lamaze or childbirth classes.  For the next month we will have four classes that will teach us the ins and outs of our hospital stay, breathing, and most importantly how to labor and deliver safely and hopefully painlessly (hey, a girl can hope).