Tenley Elizabeth Stanford

Tenley Elizabeth Stanford
born February 21st, 2012
8 lbs 10 ounces

Pre-Birth
We had a long weekend just before having Tenley to get all ready.  It was nice to wait to get it all done, as it took my mind off the ceasarean.   It is very nerve wracking to know in a few days you are going to walk in the hospital just fine, then have to drink some REALLY nasty drink (kind of like a cup of strong vinegar) for anti-nausea, then get needles poked in my back of freezing and get cut open, layer by layer.....  At least its very rewarding!  
The night before surgery we decided to go out for wing night as I had to start fasting just afterwards, and wanted something somewhat filling.   BIG mistake as I had heartburn ALL night and I couldn't take any drink or any tums.      
Day of Birth
We had to arrive at the hospital at 6am to start prepping.   They get the IV in, get me in hospital gear, do a stress test on the baby to make sure everything is ok, and then we wait till 8am to go to the surgery room.  We waited about another 20 minutes as my dr. was late.
After I am numb and laying down they start cutting right away.   After a few minutes I start to hear a vacuum type thing and the suction all of a sudden popping off sound.   The surgeon kept telling people to bring in the other surgeon as the baby's head was stuck.   From what I gathered with listening to them talking, the baby got stuck in the scar tissue and they didn't want to cut me open more then needed.   Finally after a long wait she got out at 8:50am.   Normally they hand my baby to me right away to hold and then do all the measuring after surgery, but this time they took her and made sure she was alright from the foreceps and vacuum before handing her to me.   After a long wait they handed me my baby girl.

Most people when they first see her, are shocked with how much hair she has, especially for her not to have black hair as they usually see ethnic babies with that much hair, not so much caucasian.  I have a hard time figuring out who she looks like, maybe later on she'll have more similarities, but for now she's one of a kind in my eyes.
Post Birth
After a few days of nasty hospital food, awesome pain drugs (oxycodone), and enjoying my cute baby girl alone, I was able to go home Thursday morning.  Recovery has been pretty good, once the staples got out it felt much better.  Lee took a week off (goes back to work tomorrow) which has been a huge help.   The hardest part about recovery is not being able to drive for 3 weeks or pick up Tenley in her carseat for 6 weeks.   I am sure I will break the rules a little early, but for now my Mom or Lee have been able to help out.
Zoë and Dreyton have waited a LONG time for their baby sister, so they were super excited to meet her.   

Tenley had some complications from the vacuum and foreceps.   She got some bruising on her face and eye.   She also started to have an increase in jaundice just as we were getting released from the hospital.   We had to keep seeing the nurse for a few extra days and she had to get a vial of blood out of her poor foot each day until it went down.   Luckily Monday, her jaundice levels went way down and we no longer have to see the nurse daily.  
Before picture of bruising

 A week later picture, bruising has gone down.  

She also got a hematoma on her head.   When Lee was bathing her he found the soft bump on her head, and as soon as he did it was a flashback to when Dreyton had a skull fracture at 6 mos of age.   I knew she hadn't bumped her head at all so we called the early start line and gave them our information. They told us it was from the vacuum at birth and the swelling would go down in a week or so.  
She is such a good baby so far, and making this transition to having a newborn again easy.
 (note:  this is written before Lee has headed back to work yet)
How She Got Her Name
It has always been difficult to figure names out for our babies as Lee and I don't have the same taste.   I got the name Tenley from a girl on bachelorette and really liked it.   We were debating on two names, Brynnlee or Tenley.   The reason I chose Tenley was because I don't like names that can be shortened into a different name like Brynn.   Once I find a name that I like its hard for me to switch to anything else, so I had to convince Lee.   Lee doesn't ever say if he likes a name just to bug me, he knows when i've made up my mind and will try to get some kind of deal before he finally agrees.  
Elizabeth we had chosen for a long time as the middle name.  It's my Grandma Sefcik's first name, and my Granny Naylor's middle name.   So to get both my grandma's in one name was perfect.

Kind of funny, my family doctors birthday was on Feb 21, AND her middle name is Elizabeth too.

More Pictures
                              uh, she's screaming mommy                    maybe kisses will help

The girls

We got a really nice surprise baby girl package sent to us from Lee's work, had some really cute stuff, and even some BDO branded items.

you can kind of see the hematoma in the picture above, as it was just after bath time so her hair is flat.  on Tenley's left side in the back, on the top.  
 Tenley and Grandma Sefcik on her one week birthday.

Family Update

These past few months have gone by quickly, nice to be back to a schedule after the holidays and a routine.     Life doesn't really slow down from December-February though. With Christmas, Dreyton's Birthday, Lee's Birthday, Lee's Grad, My Birthday, Valentines Day, Anniversary and then the baby is born.   This all happens before the end of February, not to mention day to day stuff.

Lee

Lee is now in his 30's!   He celebrated his birthday by going on a guy's night to a movie, then playing some xbox at home afterwards with some friends.   He doesn't get to do that much as he's quite busy with other things.

He has been enjoying basketball with his mens league each week, as well as church basketball that runs through January. He also coaches Zoë's basketball team each Friday.

Lee's been working really hard these past couple months with a few big files that need to be done in tight deadlines.   I would like to think its slowing down soon but busy season isn't even here yet..   We are super excited that he got through all his CASB exams, and UFE exam, with all his hard work this past year.    Nice to know he doesn't have to do assignments in the evenings anymore, or study all summer long during paid vacation time.    He just has a few more months to finish off the hour requirements he needs, then he is officially a CA (chartered accountant)!   We celebrated this weekend by going to his graduation, and a Ball in honour of all the new CA's.  

My dad was able to welcome Lee into the CA Program being a CA himself.













Lee's co-workers from BDO that passed the UFE this year as well

The Ball at the Telus Convention Centre

You would think that would be enough to keep him busy, but he is also a Ward Missionary Leader which he enjoys, and goes out with the missionaries to teach once in awhile as well.   

Zoë

Zoë LOVES kindergarten, she has fun learning and keeping busy. If there's ever a day where she stays home most of the day she's very restless and begging to go out.   She is all about pretending right now, pretend this and pretend that. Dreyton and her keep busy most days playing pretend.

Zoë is on a basketball league with 5 other boys and Daddy as her coach. She is starting to get the hang of dribbling and passing a bit more. The first few times were more practicing ballet in the middle of a game.  She has also just started a sports class which is weekly at the YMCA, each week they learn a new sport.

She is such a girly girl (not sure where that came from, as I am not).   I went shopping the other day with her, which was an interesting experience.  From high heel shoes, to hair supplies, to jewelry, to makeup, she could have spent hours in the store (and LOTS of money).  

She also was very excited that Nana Stanford took her to get her first manicure.

Dreyton

Dreyton is my easy kid right now, he is very content to play anything and everything.   His favourite things to do are puzzles or to play on any electronic.   

He is in the same sports class as Zoë, he gets so excited to go each week to learn a new sport.    He loves to wrestle with anybody that will join him.  

Dreyton also just started speech therapy which he LOVES.   His speech has improved a tonne in the past few months before he started speech, so they dont' think he will need help for long, mostly with his S sounds.   They play game after game while he's there, so he doesn't even realize that he's learning at the same time.     

Kristy (me)

I have been keeping really busy lately being a taxi driver.   I am in the car multiple times a day driving kids to school, YMCA, basketball etc.    I have also been trying to finish projects around the house and getting ready for our new baby to join the family.   

It is crazy to think I have less then a month before this baby arrives, the time has come so fast it seems.   I am not sure how i'll be able to do it with me driving around so much with a newborn, but i'm sure I'll figure it out.

Dreytons 4th Birthday

My baby boy is now 4.   It feels like he has been 4 for along time already, he's just growing up so fast.

The one and only benefit of having his birthday on the 27th is extended family that live out of town are usually around, and most people aren't working. Dreyton decided he wanted to go bowling, so we had both sides of the family come to Chinook Bowladrome. It was alot of fun (minus looking for parking).

Opening presents and Cake time.  

he LOVES Transformers

In the evening we babysat Anya and went to Montana's for dinner.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Christmas Eve

I have been really bad at taking pictures lately, I didn't even bring my camera for our Christmas Eve Sefcik get together.

For Christmas Eve we booked the church and all the Sefcik extended family that was in town came. We had soups and sandwiches for dinner and visited lots. We also had a program where anyone who wants to sing, dance, and play instruments can. Dreyton was too shy to do his Santa got stuck up the chimney song (maybe next year), and Zoë and Jayden did a couple songs they learned in kindergarten together.

at the end of the program Santa dropped in and gave all the kids a little present

Zoë had some secret words with Santa.

She told Gramma that it wasn't the real Santa because he had a garbage bag and not a red sack.   I told her that the sack was full with presents as it was Christmas eve, so he only had a garbage bag.  Not sure if she believed me.
Then while the kids were entertained with there new toys, in true Sefcik style, we played some games till it was time to take the kids home to bed.

Early Christmas Morning

Usually for Christmas morning we take all our presents and go to my parents early in the morning and Santa has normally brought the gifts there. This year we decided to have Santa presents at our house and start the tradition of being by ourselves for a bit in the morning, before heading to extended families.    I enjoyed having a bit of time just with us in our own home. 

Zoë's Santa Gifts (barbie furniture for her dollhouse, and a sitting up pillow/blanket set)

Dreytons Santa Gifts (marble track, and a bumblebee transformer)

Misty has been sleeping on the floor next to our bed which drives me crazy as I am always stepping on her in the night. Santa brought her a cat bed which she loves, and I know where she is so i'm not stepping on her.   First time smelling catnip, she was going crazy wanting to get in the stocking.

Dreyton was able to see Santa a few times before Christmas at different holiday events.  He made sure to remind him each time that he wanted a bumblebee transformer.

Later Christmas Morning

We soon headed to my parents place to open presents with the Sefcik side.
The tradition has always been to open up presents from youngest to oldest.   Each time the kids would open a present they'd all disappear to go play while the adults opened up their gifts, and we'd have to find them and get them back when it was there turn again.  

The four older kids all got light sabres.  Lee had fun teaching Dreyton all about them and have him watch some older cartoon star wars to get him excited for them.

The girls got karaoke machines from Gramma and Papa,
Zoë LOVES hers, and plays it daily (in her room, where I cannot hear it much)

Went to Church

It was nice to have church on Christmas.  It broke up the time well inbetween families and to get the true meaning of Christmas in as well with a Christmas program.

Christmas Afternoon

We had a couple hours after church to just relax and enjoy some quiet time before we had the Stanford side over at our place.  Yet again, I didnt' get much pictures..   

We opened up presents, kids were SO spoiled this year from everyone.  
Dreyton got a spiderman bike and Zoë got a keyboard from Nana they were super excited about. 

We then had a ham dinner for Christmas Day which was very good.   Apparently too good for me, I must have had too much, as I had a 4 hour gallstone attack that evening...   SO not fun...!

Boxing Day

I had fun putting ALL the Christmas decorations and Christmas tree away till next year.   I love having it up for December, but once Christmas is over I just want to get organized and clean up.  

Random Events

December Advent Calendar

I thought December would have been quite slow as we had most of our Christmas parties late November.   I was wrong..!

I did an advent calendar that we had an activity to do each day, and that got a little crazy fitting stuff in with school and other activities.   Kids had lots of fun and are really missing it now that Christmas is over.   Some of the things we did were paint ornaments, look at Christmas lights, bake, read a xmas story, go to Nativity pageant etc.  

Christmas Party

Zoë's friend Saryn Cahoon and her sisters had a party with a few of their close friends.   Zoë was so excited to be invited and had so much fun.

 Who could not be in heaven with all those candies/chocolate bars/and iciing?   Making chocolate bar trains.  

 Dreyton ended up crashing the girl party at the end, while husbands went to Priesthood meeting.  





Baby #3 Moving Around

It's a girl!

I have been wanting to start going through baby clothes, but not 100% knowing what the baby was going to be it was frustrating to know I'd have to go through both sets of clothes and not be able to get it ready. I finally caved and did the 3D ultrasound.

I knew instantly before the technician said anything that it was DEFINITELY a girl.

We have the baby names narrowed to two names, maybe by the time the baby is born we'll have picked one.

3D pictures are a little strange looking, but its fun to look at the close features at the same time. This baby has a decent amount of hair so far, as did both my others. She kept yawning and opening and closing her eyes during the ultrasound. They said the baby is about 2.8 lbs right now which is right on track for being 29 weeks.

**WARNING**-graphic content: the following image may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

hard to see in this picture, but there's the back of her legs and in the middle by the G is the girl parts.