Finished Nursery Tour!!

We finally finished the nursery!! I can't wait to show you guys! We have had it 70% complete since about 7 weeks along but now we have everything together and decorated! I have been collecting things for his nursery since 2018 and I have had this exact simple vision for his nursery for forever! And I envisioned the nursery to be here since we started making house plans back in mid 2018. I think it's so perfect! It is basically a baby blue/white/grey/wood theme with touches of the boho, rustic look with cute zoo animals. The crib is a weathered white!

I love our rug so much!

Cody installed these floating shelves that will be perfect to read to Conner every night!

Don't worry, I will take the stuffed animals out when he is actually in the crib!

Our diaper caddy all ready!

Extra clean sheets and diaper changing pad covers.

All clean onesies from newborn to 6 months old!

Medicine and pacifier drawer! Paci's are all sterilized!

Sleep sacks since he can't fit into footed jammies with his foot.

Extra blanket drawer.

Nursing/pumping drawer!

Extra diapers!

Now since he is here and his name is revealed, I can finally show these pictures and more of our baby shower pictures with his pictures everywhere!

I hope you like it! It's the most peaceful room in the hosue!

Kayla Raborn

5/9/22

 

Birth Story!

Birth Story of Conner James Raborn!! Boy, I loved his birth, it was so so perfect! So I had a scheduled induction for Friday June 10th at midnight (so basically Thursday night) and I woke up Thursday morning at 5am to pretty strong and regular contractions. (I should also mention that I did the baby mama dance the night before, that probably did it lol). I almost didn't believe it. Then I timed them throughout the rest of the day and they varied from 30 minutes to every 3. I called my mom and told her it was time but they weren't reaching the 5-1-1 rule yet. Come 11pm (and hour before we could go in for our induction) I about couldn't take it and we went in and waited in the parking lot. I was in so much pain but it was manageable. I made it to midnight and we ran in and got checked in. I knew I was at least dilated to a 2.5 and 80% effaced because I had been for over a week and they checked me and I was already a 5 and 80% effaced!! They hooked me up to the monitors and I waited to get my IV line in to start pitocin and it took them 2 hours to find a vein and they blew 5 of my veins. It was awful. I can't believe I sat through intense contractions through all of that! They were surprised I was already dilated to where I was and was in active labor. Most inductions of course haven't really started active labor. So I was pretty much ready for my epidural and requested it. It took about an hour and I was pretty dang ready for it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be probably because I was in so much pain. The anesthesiologist was so amazing and quick and did it perfectly even with my scoliosis! It started to work immediately and I was SO happy. It was wonderful. My doctor rounded on me and said congrats and it could be 30 minutes or 3 hours then 30min-3 hours of pushing. So they got me on my side with a peanut ball to progress labor since epidurals and pitocin slow labor and about 15 minutes later I felt different and called for a nurse. They didn't believe me really and took a while to walk in and when they checked their eyes got big and said well ready to have a baby?! I was so scared but my doctor ran in and got set up and I was surprised at how much pain I could still feel down there. I just couldn't feel the contractions anymore. So that was scary. I pushed for about 30 minutes feeling like there's no way this will actually work (LOL) and then my body took over and he came shooting out right before my doctor gave me the lidocaine pain shot. He barely had time to catch him, he had to drop the shot and everything. Then our precious baby boy came put with his little hand above his head, not sunny side up thankfully and it was the most surreal feeling in the world. I just looked at Cody in awe. Conner and I did skin to skin and breastfeeding immediately. Surprisingly his little head was perfectly round, it was incredible. Cody cut the cord and my doctor stitched me up. He ended up having to give me a small episiotomy at the end because I would have torn badly otherwise. Then I quickly delivered the placenta in one push and I hardly bled! 2 hours later they wheeled me to recovery and honestly I have felt fantastic ever since. It surprised me greatly. We stayed for 2 days after that in the postpartum wing. The postpartum recovery rooms were small but nice. It wasn't so nice having them need to check our vitals every hour for 2 days straight but I'm glad we were healthy and ok. Going home a family of 3 was incredible! Our rainbow baby boy was finally here and we were in heaven. Conner James Raborn 7 pounds 8oz 20 inches long, born at 7:10am. And what a miracle, we had my sweet sweet doctor deliver. He wasn't on call until 7am that morning and it was a complete answer to a prayer. Going into natural labor on my own earlier that day helped ease my worries of induction and created a fantastic quick induction experience along with a better natural labor experience since everything was already set up and ready for me at the hospital. I wasn't in pain for long at all. Plus I still got my amazing doctor! Little Conner is so so perfect and only lost a few ounces since birth! He hates sleep though so that made the 2 days in the hospital was really rough. So little Conner came into the world at 7am that morning when he was supposed to be expected around 3pm that day or later. I love it so much! It was such a perfect experience in every way and we have bonded well as a family these past few days and have adjusted to a new life together! Oh and Lucy ADORES him! BTW, he is a mini Cody and I love that so much. Conner only has a slight clubbed foot like we suspected and we are grateful for that and start treatment in 2 weeks. Please be praying for us. We chose the name Conner long before we got engaged and James is a family name on both sides of my dads side of the family counting 18+ members with James as their first or middle name. It is an honor for him to join the group! With so much love, New Mama Kayla Raborn 6/10/22

BABY WEEK!!! And 6th Anniversary!

 We are officially at 39 weeks guys, full term. I can't believe we have finally made it this far and I am so close to meeting my son! It's getting so real and I am so ready. I am also really scared but I think that's normal. We have set an induction date to June 10th so we are less than a week away now! 

From the start of our marriage Cody has been ready for kids but I needed to check off my pre-baby list and get us fully prepared so I promised him if he let me wait as long as I wanted/needed that I would give him his baby in his arms by our 6th anniversary and dang it, I was SO close! Only 5 days off. I thought for sure he would come before our anniversary, specifically June 2nd but I was wrong. Oh well. I have to admit, we had a really really nice anniversary together and if we had baby Raborn here by then it would have definitely been a lot different. All I know is it all will work out perfectly to God's plan!

For our anniversary, we started the day off eating at First Watch our favorite restaurant then we came home and watched What to Expect when you're Expecting (of course), then we opened presents and drank sparkling sangria grape juice (my favorite), then we went and got ice cream at our favorite place, came home and took Lucy on a long family walk and ended the day having a campfire roasting smores! It was the absolute perfect day!

38 weeks 6 days for our anniversary.

Still keeping up my workouts at 38 weeks pregnant! 

Lucy isn't so sure about these new baby items in her territory LOL. 

Next post is baby announcement, birth story, and 6 week postpartum update!

With so much love,

Soon to be mom and dad!

6/4/22

BABY MONTH!!! Getting the House Ready for Baby, and Mother's Day

 We celebrated Memorial Day weekend with a simple cookout at Cody's parents house but had a blast!!!

 

Lucy scouting out her favorite spot in baby boys future bedroom!

Lucy and I are taking advantage of these hot days and I pulled out the new splash pad I bought from Target! It was a hit!!

And for the first time since we got our peony bushes, we have blooms! I was so excited! My favorite flowers in the world!!

Mom and Dad! <3

My mom has been visiting me frequently trying to get as much quality time in as possible before the baby arrives and I am LOVING it!!! We of course have to take many photo shoots to document my every growing bump!! 

 

My sweet mama is about to become a grandma!!!

We put out our Halo bassinet, baby swing, and mini pack in play around the house a few weeks ago to get Lucy used to the sounds, smells, and just them being around the house. I highly recommend doing that and also turning them on and playing the music!

 

Yesterday my mom took me to a delicious tea room to celebrate and helped me walk Lucy and then took me swimming (my absolute favorite thing ever)! I love it so much!

The food at Chelsea's on Thornton tea room in Dalton GA.

Southern Adventist indoor pool!

 

Photoshoot to document the last few days with my bump!!

Wowza, it looks like I'm smuggling a basketball!

Also with it being June 1st, we now officially can say we are having a June baby 100%. AND due to inducing for various reasons, we are in the single digits until baby arrives!! Can you believe it!? Also I am so lucky to be feeling so good this far along. I hardly feel pregnant besides seeing him move! I've been so lucky to avoid swelling, round ligament pain, stretch marks, back aches, leg cramps, and more. I am so so so thankful! 

I have also managed to keep up my prenatal workouts but I think I'm hanging my hat up with that officially at 38.5 weeks pregnant and I'm going to stick with walks with Lucy now. I experience significant contractions every day now but they always subside after about an hour. 

I was 35 weeks pregnant on Mother's Day this year and boy, how incredibly grateful am I . This was technically my 3rd mother's day because of my faith, I believe life begins at conception. My first Mother's day was filled with such nervous excitement and joy as I couldn’t believe my child was inside me and I was going to be a mom. Last year our life felt like something was missing and nothing could shake that general blanket of sadness, even though I knew it wasn't time yet. And this year, such hope, faith, and love is wrapped up in one as I feel our little one kick inside me as I'm writing this, and oh how thankful I am. We are so close to meeting him and I'm so eternally grateful to be pregnant and he is with me and healthy. Our fourth mothers day next year will be our first with our baby in our arms, Lord willing, and I absolutely cant wait. I thought about this day last year in great anticipation, and it's even better than I could have imagined. Today I think about all the mother's out there in every step of their journeys and pray for each circumstance. It is God who gives us the faith to move forward, and the hope and blessings our heart desires in His time. "Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope; because of the Lords great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness". Lamentations 3:21-23.  I'm so grateful to join the mommy club and I know I will greatly lead by my own mom's example for us. My mom is so special to me and loves Morgan and I more than words can express, and with more love than any mom I have ever seen. She rocked single parenthood so gracefully and gave us so much and gave up so much so we could have the life and future we do. I love you so much mama and I hope I'm even half the mom you are to us as I am to my little baby. I have some big shoes to fill! Today is a good day, praise God!

With so much love,

soon-to-be mama Kayla

What's in my Hospital Bag and Birth Plan!

Here's an example of my birth plan and a good template for you if you ever need to make one! I obviously left a lot of info blank for safety purposes, but you get the point! 

Birth Plan

Patient Info

Name: Kayla Raborn

Husband: Cody Raborn

OB/GYN:

Pediatrician:

Due Date: June 12th 2022

Baby’s Name:

My blood type:

Husband’s blood type:

Allergies:

Please Note that I have:

• Scoliosis (please inform anesthesiologist)

Please Note that baby has:

• Left Club foot

My Delivery is Planned as:

• Natural

During Labor I’d like:

• My doctor to deliver if possible

• An epidural sooner than later (I have scoliosis)

• Everything explained to me

• No yelling

• My husband in the room at all times

• No students or interns

Emergency Plan:

• Episiotomy only if necessary

• Only use vacuum if entirely necessary

• No forceps please

• C-Section last resort

Immediately after Delivery:

• Delayed cord clamping

• Skin-to-skin immediately and delay measurements and bath (for golden hour) 

• Seen by a lactation consultant 

• No formula, no sugar water unless emergency

• No pacifier

• Baby to be kept in room the entire time unless emergency then husband will follow with baby

They say for your hospital bag pack as if you could come in naked and they would have everything you could ever need. So I took that seriously and packed super minimalistically!

Hospital Bag:

Slippers

Shower shoes

Going home flip-flops

Going home outfit for me, baby, and Cody

Extra outfit for baby

Comfy nursing pjs

Lounge outfit

My own pillow

2 Nursing bras

Toiletries (toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, shampoo and conditioner, brush, chap stick)

Small makeup bag

Picture outfit and name plaque for baby

Phone chargers

Snacks for Cody