Hallie Murphy

43 pictures
Click here to view these pictures larger

Miracles Still Happen

So like the song says, "I believe in Miracles"... still rings true!

In the hospital when I was struggling with the whole breast feeding thing. My child who was born breech (another reason for what was going on) was having issues with the latching because her tongue kept pushing things from coming in her mouth and her jaw and mouth etc. were all still having to grow/learn. She was early so all these things were causing a problem with her getting the latching down and her getting the milk she needed to grow! I had asked for a lactation consultant the first day she was born and kept asking for one. The day before we were to leave, I FINALLY got one who told me about this problem as to why she was loosing weight. She then had me pump what milk I had and also had her get a paci to help aid her in forming her mouth correctly and learn to move the tongue out of the way. Then on the last day a different lady came to check on me and her and found that there were still some issues as well. She fixed those and made me feel a lot better about all this feeding. Anyways- here is the miracle she explained to me that I just HAD to share!!

She said that when babies have a deficiency or their body is needing a certain antibody to fight off something in their system, when they latch on the nipple their saliva tells the certain gland in the mother that the baby is lacking or needing that certain vitamin/antibody/mineral and then it sends it back to the baby!!! How cool is that? Then she says, there is not an animal on this planet that can do the same thing to their young! 

Labor and Delivery

And so the story continues...

They got me all ready and rolled me in the room where a man (the anesthesiologist) was standing waiting for me and the doctors. I was sitting in the chair waiting for them to tell me where to go, shaking still when in my mind all I remembered the sermon from church about how we rely and trust people we don't know with our lives. Like we walk on a plane and trust the pilot has all the hours and training needed to fly you where you are going correctly. Same thing with doctors and anesthesiologists to put us under and do surgeries with our trusting them to have all the training and schooling they need to do their job correctly. So, needless to say, out of all the shaking I asked him "So, how long have you been doing this?"  He says a big number (I don't remember what it was) and then I asked "Where did you go to school?" He proceeds to say "I'm from here, so I went to (a school in SA that I can't remember, then he said his college and his place of the school he got his Dr at)". I am asked to step on a stool and sit down curled over. The nurse who helped me thus far (who I really liked) holds my shoulders and starts talking softly to me, "it will be ok, just relax. Just relax, breath in breath out." (over and over) He (the ane guy) tells me that he is just touching me or I'll feel what feels like a pinch and then sticks me with a needle and then says it will feel like a sting and then it did. It wasn't that bad, needless to say. M'Rhea was right, the IV hurt WAY worse than this did!! I'm still shaking through all this! I am told to lay down and the doctors will be in and that I will have my baby before I know it.

Here's the good part! (Well, funny from the outsiders perspective):
I lay down on what feels like the size of a balance beam or a plank of wood. Seriously it was small. Then I have a board that runs across the top for my arms to lay straight across on. I feel something like a strap run across my legs like they are strapping me down. They proceed to put a sheet thing up that goes pretty high (like Chase's height) so I can't see what is going on. I'm still shaking now More than Ever!! I thought I was going through convulsions or having seizures still. I honestly was not concerned anymore about the surgery part as I was trying to make the shaking stop. I was afraid that the shaking would cause the doctors to cut in a  jagged line and I would have scarring or my scar would end up looking like a jack-o-lantern. Up and Down Up and Down! Chase is in the room by the time I lay down on the plank and he is trying to talk to me. I have absolutely no idea what he said or was talking about and the "ane" guy was sitting behind me talking nonsense also. I remember before they cut he asked if I could feel wet/cold running up my leg or on my side in places he was putting a cotton swab on. He did that to make sure the epi was working. It was! I felt the doctors on one side and I'm still shaking and then when I felt them on the other side I knew it was close. Then they said "Dad do you want to see your baby?" Chase stands up quickly, I tell him take pictures-take pictures and all I hear in the midst of me shaking even more now, is crying out of nowhere from the other side of the curtain. It was for real. I just seriously had a baby and she was living inside me this whole time!! What a miracle from God and a blessing that he gave life and I get to be her mom! I remember looking at Chase and even though through shaking convulsions and him wearing a mask I knew he was smiling.

I asked "does she have dimples, does she have hair, who does she look like, how much does she weigh?" Not all at once but over a few minutes while they cleaned her up and sewed me up. They rolled the weighing machine to where I could see and they weighed and measured her. I asked "how much does she weigh?" They said "5 lbs 10 oz" I said "no way!" The doctor asked "how much did you think she weighed?" I said "I thought she was atleast 9!!"Then they measured how long she was and they said "ok, she's 17.5 inches long" I said "No Way!!" They asked again, how much did you think it was? I said "She felt Atleast 25!" They laughed. After they cleaned her up they gave her to Chase and I got to watch. Once they were done sewing, they placed me on an Actual bed and that's when they gave her to me to hold. I was shaking still and felt bad because she looked like a bobble doll with her head bouncing from me shaking. I was in the "recovery room" and that's when M'Rhea came to meet her. She made sure I was ok and when it was time for me to move upstairs to the room where I would stay for the next few days she left to go back home to sleep! I am Blessed to have such a Wonderful friend like her to be there for me and stay for that long!! I will never forget her kindness and I cherish her friendship. Even better- Hallie shares her birthday with M'Rhea!!

Once morning came, my mom left to and so did my dad. Jason (one of our friends from College Station) happen to be coming to San Antonio so he came by to visit. We came to his children's birth so it was now his time. Chase's parents and little sister were going to come the following day and then my brother Mark and his wife Kacy came on Friday. We were released from the hospital on Friday at 5 pm.

 My Mom (still deciding on a name)

 My dad- "Pappadeaux"

 Jason

 M'Rhea and Jason

 Chase's Step-dad John- "PawPaw"

 Chase's Mom- "Nana"

Chase's little sister Jaiden

My brother Mark and his wife Kacy

WOW!!! What a day and week. I would never have expected it to be like this and in my wildest dreams expect to have a baby who decides to come earlier than the day she was scheduled for (which was a week early). I am so blessed and I am LOVING every minute of this whole Mom thing!!!!! 

Thanks for ALL the prayers, thoughts, words of wisdom and friendships!

... Now on to the fun blogging about mommy-hood. :)

A New Life Has Begun!!

Welcome Hallie Marie Murphy!!

So here's the run down on things...
Her name was created from a Great friends husband who knew we were calling our baby "trout" and that we like fishing. He loves to hunt and fish and so he was being creative coming up with all kinds of names with that reference or theme. (See picture to understand)

When I was reading them out loud to Chase we got to the Hali name and looked at each other and thought "hmm, that's actually kind of cute". Also, Chase said that's one of his favorite fish. We had already planned on having her middle name be mine if it was a girl and his if it was a boy. So since we ended up with a girl her middle name was going to be Marie. We didn't like the spelling with just one "L" and ending it off with just an "I" so we added the extra "L" and ending of "IE" like in my middle name.

Monday, April 9, 2012:
I got up to go to work like any normal Monday with a feeling of nausea/dizziness. That's typical since I was hospitalized for that back in January. I was also having what I thought were more contraction type feelings not the "braxton hix" like I had been having in the last few weeks/months. I had starting having these types of "contraction" feelings on Thursday but they weren't very regular so I went on about my business. This time I started keeping track because this day it seemed to be coming more frequent and stronger. So by 9 am I was consistently having these pains. I also lost my "plug" and was a little concerned about the time frame of loosing this and going into labor. I heard some people can go days, weeks with loosing this and others it takes just mere hours and they have their baby. I called my doctor after letting co-workers know and getting their thoughts. My doctor wanted me to come in and get checked early. I had a scheduled appointment for that afternoon but apparently since the contractions were happening every 5 to 10 minutes consistently she wanted to see me. I went in and she checked me out, said I was 1 cm dilated and also said if they become less than 5 minutes in 2 hours then to call her back. She thought it would be 24 to 48 hours I could have her. I had a scheduled c-section a week prior because for a while she had been breech and still had not turned. The chances of the doctor being able to move her physically was slim to none because: this being my first child, my size, her butt was down instead of her legs, her legs were folded in her face (shaped like a taco), and the placenta was in the front near her face and not in the back like it's suppose to be. I was told to go to work and if the contractions were less than 5 minutes apart or my water broke she didn't think anything was wrong. I went home and suffered through supper and kept track of them. By 9 pm I was in so much pain that it was ridiculous to think I could continue the night with them and go to work the next day. I had been keeping track and they were less than 5 minutes apart. I called my doctor's office and the on-call doctor that night happened to be MY DOCTOR! What's the chance? She said "come in to the hospital and they can check me out". She didn't think I was close but little did she know, she was Wrong! At 11:30 I was 80% effaced and still 1 cm dilated. My doctor finally came in and checked on me and brought in an ultrasound machine to see if she was still breech (She was) and then checked me again. I was at 2 cm and when she said "you're at 2 cm, let's go! You will be having your baby in 2 hours!" I looked at Chase and said Whoa. Then I looked back at her and said "For Sure? You are for Real? You aren't joking with me?" She said "No, it's Time!!" So, I text my mom and told her and Chase text his mom to let them know. I text M'Rhea who had told me she wanted to know no matter what time it was if anything happens, so I did. She came to the hospital to be with me until my mom came. She held my hand when they were putting the IV in my arm and watched them prep me for the surgery. I was nervous cause I hate needles and the thought of them cutting me open and maybe not sewing it back properly and all the other fears of being in a hospital relying on someone to do their job hopefully correct is a little nerve racking. I had to keep thinking "God is in Control" and "Do Not be Anxious, Do Not be Discouraged, for the Lord is with you wherever you go." M'Rhea was a HUGE help! I was shaking from nerves I thought I was having a seizure...

The End of the Trimesters and Beginning of Life is about to start!!

The LAST trimester of this pregnancy is Here!!

You:

* Still grow and move everyday (more at night)

* Know the sounds of voices that are familiar

* Are more active at night

* Give me Braxton Hix now

* Still have me crave Big Red,

Chocolate Milkshakes and Ice Cream

* Are sitting in my ribs with your butt

down and feet in your face

* Like having daddy blow "warting" on my belly

and giving you kisses because you kick back

I am: 

* Loving the movements and kicks I feel

* Feeling light-headed/dizzy because your head

is in my ribs!

* Having Braxton Hix A LOT

* Walking like a peguin sometimes   

* Can't wait to finally get to meet you and see

what/who you really look like

* Enjoy seeing you once a week on a sonogram

* Getting Charly horses in my feet and mostly

calves at night more often

* Not able to sleep deeply or for long periods

of time during the night anymore

Here's to the many weeks of the belly stretching and growing...

I made a video of all the sono pictures together.

It was such a great journey...

Even though I had to start going every week

from when we found out we were

having a girl (20 weeks) all the way to 34 weeks.

It was fun to be able to see her grow and move! 

Out of troubles or hardships there will be peace and joy!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to the Hospital I go...

So Monday I woke up did my daily routine, ate breakfast (blueberry muffins and hot apple cider that day), and went on to work. About 10 or 15 minutes after being there I was just standing in the cafeteria with the class and another co-worker while the kids ate breakfast. I felt a little weird like maybe I would faint/pass out. I knelt down and put my hands over my face thinking if it happened I would be closer to the floor than I was when standing up. When I felt like the weird feeling went away I stood back up and my co-worker looked at me with a face of "you ok?" I motioned to her that I felt like I was going to faint. She started talking to me telling me a story and the feeling came back but this time was more of "yep I think I'm going to faint, should I sit down?" I guess she saw the look on my face cause I remember her coming over to me and the feeling like she's patting me on the back. Next thing I know I opened my eyes and she's got "kung fu grip" on me and the nurse is standing next to me telling me to sit in the wheelchair. Not sure how long I was out for or when they called the nurse to bring a wheelchair but apparently I must have done something/fainted. I was told by the nurse that I passed out 3 times. I'm not sure if that's really passed out or just eyes rolled back or closed. She (the nurse) called my doctor who told her I needed to come to the hospital so they could do some tests. I called Chase who had to turn around from driving to work and come pick me up. 

Once we got to the hospital they immediately started taking tests, ie: EKG, blood pressure, heart, blood sugar, monitor on the belly to check the baby, etc. When one result would come in they would let us know and most of them came back quick and the result was always, "normal" or they would say "oh, it's just pregnancy related and it's normal". HOW ANNOYING!! So they were about to let me leave and again I started feeling like if I stood up I would pass out again and that's when the lady called my doctor and she came back and pricked my finger to see my blood sugar level. It was 64. She called my doctor and told her and that's when they admitted me to a room to stay overnight so they could monitor me throughout the day and night. I had never stayed the night or in a hospital all day before so this was a first. Chase left to go to work and get his computer so he could work in the room and to get some things from the house that I was hoping to have that I thought would help (pillow, blanket, phone charger, pj pants, glasses, contact case, etc.). He came back that night to sleep and be with me through the night. I'm glad he was there cause it made me feel better. They gave me Ambien to sleep which actually made me feel loopy and sad but didn't "knock me out" like I thought it does. It made me tired but I guess it doesn't help that the nurses come in the room every two to three hours to check my blood pressure and temp until 11 or 12 at night, then again at 5 am! I felt nauseous and had a headache in the night so they gave me a Sierra Mist to help.

The next morning the doctor came in and asked how it went that night and how I was doing. Said the blood sugar levels they had been checking throughout the day and night had been coming back normal. Thought maybe the dizziness and lightheaded feeling was from a build up of fluid behind my ear caused from a bad sinus infection! Wanted to keep me over night one more time to see if I continued having dizziness since I did throughout the night. That day I slept most of the day and if I wasn't sleeping, I was reading a book. Chase worked from home because his computer didn't work with the wi fi that they had. He came back that night to stay again with me. I slept better when instead of giving me Ambien they gave me a high dose of Dramamine. 

The doctor came in the next morning and said I could leave and go home!!! Still not sure what was causing all the fainting but she really thought it was the fluid behind my ears caused from sinus infection. 

This is not something I would do on a regular basis because of this thing!! I HATE needles!

Not sure what I'm going to do when the baby comes and they give me multiple ones.

This was the lunch they gave me the first day! Pasta,

garlic bread (which would have been good if it wasn't hard as a rock!),

broccoli, Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti sauce,

chocolate cake (which I actually ate all of it!) and tea

Here is dinner the first night... grilled ham and cheese, fruit plate, chips and tea

 

Chase got to check out what it was like to sleep in a hospital pull out...

Guess it was good for him to get a "trial run" before having the baby!

 

The breakfast the next morning was not as good as any of the other meals they gave me.

Frosted flakes, orange juice, milk, eggs, biscuit and sausage

 

Lunch was chicken, roll, broccoli, chocolate cake and tea

 

Dinner the second night... Cheeseburger, tator tots, fruit thing (gross) and tea

They had me do the glucose test early to see if that was the cause of everything.

Down the hatch!

I felt the same as I had been (fainty, dizzy, nauseous) before and during the test so I really thought I would fail.

I actually PASSED!!! Thank You Lord and friends for the prayers, thoughts, and encouragement!! :)

Now if I could just figure out the whole reason for going in the first place that would be nice! Getting tired of the excuse "Oh that's just a pregnancy thing".

Two Down... One to Go and Grow!!

Man, has time flown by! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was taking a test and then it coming back positive and immediately thinking "How can I tell Chase this weekend, when I go see him, we are pregnant - in a way that is cute and creative". So now I'm done with this trimester and it's all down hill from here. Pretty soon, we will finally meet this little blessing from God and bundle of Joy!! :)


Once again I've kept up with things happening during this trimester and cravings I've had, etc...
You (lil' Miss):
- still have NOT made me have nausea
- don't mind spicy foods now
- have made me still crave or want to eat often:
   hamburgers with cheese and bacon, tomatoes, ice cream,
   and pickles, candy, ICEE, chocolate pudding

- still like root beer and Big Red

- move MORE when dad has his "bump time" with you more than
   than when I try to feel for you (you're becoming daddy's little
   girl early on)

- are very active when I lay down at night to go to sleep

- seem to "dance" when bagpipe music is playing

- kick like a soccer player "in the making"!
- have a cute little button nose (from the sono pictures
   of your profile)
- might be tall and long like your daddy

I:

- still have heartburn/indigestion after I eat lunch but not as often

- finally got my energy back!

- can eat more foods that I didn't want before

- have a HUGE appetite now!

- still don't like getting up in the middle of the night to go to the
   bathroom but have figured out a pattern

- use Victoria's Secret "butter lotion" stuff to rub on my belly cause
   it seems to be the only thing that works on not making it itch,
   and it works all day!
   (I think you will come out smelling like "Love Spell")

- looking pregnant now and not "lazy"

- can wear a few of my favorite jeans but I finally bought a pair of
   maternity jeans and they are becoming my favorite!
   (didn't think I would ever think that)

- felt you kick me for the first time at 15 weeks (earlier than normal
   but it was very cool)

- still listen for you at night with my stethoscope and it's more
   fun now to hear you kick/move through it, as well as listening
   for your heartbeat.

- I have gained 17 lbs since I first found out I was pregnant
   (I started out at 105, I'm at 122 so far) In the first two
   trimesters, I have gained 17 lbs total and still gaining.

This trimester we found out what we were having...

A GIRL!! (name to be announced when she's born)

Belly pictures from this trimester (Yeah, I know I skipped a few weeks during this one)

So we have 15 weeks or less left until we get to meet this little button nosed little girl... Can't believe it!! So exciting!!