P.S.

BY THE WAY... the pale blue blanket with the stitched trim that Hunter is wrapped in when lying on his polka dotted changing table cover in the last posting, well... it was made by my great grandmother, Ma Graham! So, Hunter is using a blanky made by his great, great grandma ~ pretty cool, huh? It's *also* in great condition though it's seen much use through the yrs -- they really don't make things like they used to!

Sept 28th, 2007

It's hard to believe that Hunter is already 10 days old and yet ONLY 10 days old... feels like we'v e gotten into a groove with him and that he's been a part of the family longer than that :)

Last night Grandma Lyn came over to help out -- which was a great help! She loves to hold Hunter and talk to him... She left today and so it's me, Charlie and Hunter just hanging out. Tonight we may take him for a little walk in his stroller or maybe go for a run to the coffee shop... I have not gotten outta the house all day and need to, even if for a lil' bit. Charlie and Hunter are both taking a snooze, so I couldn't resist taking this picture of them: Like father, like son! :)

Oh, but before the snoozefest, Anutie Hilary came over for a visit... it was fun! Hunter slept thru most of it until his feeding, but it was fun for Mommy! But Hil left before I could snap her photo again, dang it. (People who don't know Hilary will start to think I made her up as an imaginary friend.) She is picking me up for a bridal shower tomorrow since I cannot drive -- I will make it my mission to get her picture with Hunter then. (I am just going to the bridal shower for a quick visit b/c I don't want to leave Hunter for too long, and I want to be rested and home for my sister Kathy and Tim's visit with their daughters Samantha and Kara. It'll be Hunter's 1st time meeting them!)

Also, the other morning, Nana/Barbara helped Krista give Hunter his 1st sponge bath. He hated it, of course... but he was so clean and yummy when it was all over. Krista hadn't taken HER bath/shower yet and so I look a little rough, like any new parent might...

And these other pics are just cuz we're "camera-happy" when it comes to Hunter... so cute, I just wanna kiss him all the time! His shirt says, "Not Too Little to Giggle" if you can't read it ~ a gift from Mona ~ so adorable. And the other picture is Nana holding him; he's such a smart kid, he knows to hold that dang pacifer in, otherwise it keeps fallin' out! What a scrumptious little boy. ;)

Ciao for now...
Hugs, Krista, Charlie and Hunter

The Pix We Posted Last of Our Friends and Familia Over @ the Casa

Brig & Emily and Pat and Caden came over to meet Hunter for the 1st time the other day... it was great to see them and chat. They think Hunter is a REAL cutie pahtootie -- we knew there were more than one reason we liked them! ~Hey Brig! You left without me getting your picture! Guess you'll just have to come over again ;)

FYI: So many of Krista's girlfriends have been preggo at the same time as she that Hunter will not be lacking for friends (and maybe even a girlfriend!): Emily's son Caden (only 3 mo older) and Hilary's son Ben (only 2 mo older) and Mona's 2nd daughter (still in utero, but will be a month younger, due in Oct)...

Then tonight, my sister Karen and our brother-in-law Kevin brought their two sons, our nephews Aidan and Sean, by to have them meet their new cousin for the first time... It was so cute; they were so excited! Aidan did a super job at holding the baby so gently... but he's so anxious for Hunter to be at least a year old, to start talking and playing with him and Sean. We also had a yummy dinner all together with Nana/Barbara ...Thanks for the fun guys. And Kelly, you timed your call just right... I missed dinner clean up -- nice! ~ Not that they would have wanted my help anyhow... they're still doting on me...;)

p.s.
The pix we posted here of Hunter Solo were just cute, I thought... the one with his finger on his face makes him look rather pensive... the other, well, my sister Kathy said she wanted to see a picture with his body showing, i.e. not all bundled up like a papoose. He really likes swadling, but now he also likes his two little hands free to clasp in front of him as he sort of self-soothes. It's adorable. Will have to get a picture of that ;)
Ciao for now!
Love,
K & C & H

September 26th, 2007

To all of you who were worried about how we're faring, well, we're all doing MUCH better now! I think I wrote the intial LONG entry after the never-ending hospital stay (where we got NO sleep)& was SO tired b/c we didn't take the fam up on their offer for help that 1st night home... call it mine and Charlie's independent nature or foolishness, but we kinda wanted to see what we could do on our own... And guess what was discovered? IT'S HARD! But we DO now know we CAN do it as a team... but, do we need to prove anything more? Heck no! So we've decided there is no need to be martyrs and since that inital night home from the hopsital, we have had Lyn, aka Grandma, spend the night one time and help out; and then Barbara, aka Nana, came over and helped the next 3 nights... And now Lyn will come back and Barbara will get a break... and that tag team will keep up through Charlie's transition of returning to work next week.

AH! We're so blessed to have family near... and friends too! But I think some of you were hesitant to visit or call b/c I sounded so out of sorts... but let me tell ya, I am getting better day by day and am SO much more rested than I was before... The anemia will still make my motor slower than normal, but b/c of this invaluable help, I able to really concentrate on ONLY that which is essential: breastfeeding Hunter, taking care of myself, and lovin' on Charlie (instead of biting his head off b/c I would normally be so sleep deprived!) ~ BTW, Thanks again to Dad and Kevin for bringing over dinner those 2 nights~ I also have to say that Hunter has been a real gem so far as well... a really good baby... so the grandmothers tell us! :) Last night he slept for 5 hours in a row b/c he didn't require a feeding! I'd feel a little bad like he's not getting enough to eat BUT he's feeding quite well during the day, about every 3 hours (& for all you parents out there who HAVE to be interested in poopy diapers and such, we think he's filling his quota...)

Oh and we had our Pediatrician appt on Monday , which went really well... Hunter HATED being weighed naked and squawked like anything... but he got checked out by the doctor and is doing A-O.K.! He is down from his borthweight (8lbs 15 oz), but not by too much -- 8lbs 7oz -- and the doc says he should be up to birthweight by his 2 wk appt no problem. And, what's more is that we LOVE our doctor! ~ BTW, Hil, thanks for the recommendation -- South Riding Peds and *especially* Dr. Ben ROCKS! :)

And... I had my follow up OBGYN appt on Tues and the doc took my staples out and said the incision looks just fine... and that the swelling and size of the belly will dissipate with time... and she assured me that though anemia is the pits, I will feel like a whole new woman for my 6 week check up... So, essentially she put my mind at ease... and sure enough as each day passes I feel a lil better :)

Anyhow, as Charlie returns to work on Oct 1st, I would love some company if you all would like to meet my little main man, Hunter... just give me call to arrange a time to pop over. (703) 327-2494. (Says my good friend Em: shower and get out at least once per day whilst on maternity leave... so if I don't get out, at least ya'll can be my reason for showering!)

OK, I will sign off for now... Take care and love to you all.
--Krista & Charlie (& Hunter)

Visitors in Hospital

We had some family and friends show up at the hospital and would like to share some pictures of them with all of you. By the way, the Hospital Photographer took a picture of Hunter for us and here is the link to it: www.welcomenewborn.com You have to type in Krista's full legal last name: Hennessey Jacks and secret word: Hunter91807 to get to the picture. Enjoy!

Good to be home

We are so glad to be home. Krista is still feeling weak from losing all that blood and we are both exhausted from lack of sleep. Hunter is doing really, really well. Here are a few more pictures for you to check out. The team leader nurse for Post Partum section took this picture of Krista, myself and Hunter. As soon as we got home, we put Hunter in the vibrating papasan chair. I think he likes it. Not sure if he likes the vibrating feature of it yet but we'll see. The last picture shows Hunter sleeping contently in his new pack'n'play.

Sept 18th 2007

September 18th is Hunter Thomas Jacks' BIRTHDAY! Yes, that is the name of our new baby boy! He did not come "down the shoot" as we'd hoped, though we labored all day (the 17th) with a pitocin drip (which causes contractions) and then in another last ditch effort, broke the water manually <-- which, by the way, causes MUCH stronger contractions! Anyhow, Krista only dilated to 1 cm, 50% effacement the entire day --so we knew it was just not happenin'. So, before the water was broken (and hence a commitment made to have the baby one way or another), the doc gave us a choice to go home and see if we went into labor spontaneously within the next week OR to go ahead with a C-section. We chose the latter, OF COURSE, because we had it in our minds that we'd be going home with a baby!

We entered into the O.R. around 1:00 AM and Hunter arrived at 1:12AM! He arrived healthy as an ox, measuring 20 in and weighing in at 8 llbs and 15 oz <-- uh, let's just go ahead and say he was a 9-pounder and maybe a vaginal delivery was never quite meant to be for me! ;) When he gave his "lusty cry" Charlie brought him over to Krista, who TOTALLY out of it on drugs (we came to learn I am VERY senstitive to them), still managed to say, "Shhhh it's your Mommy, don't cry, I love you..." and you know what? Those baby books are RIGHT -- babies do know their Momma's voice right away -- and sure enough, Hunter was soothed and quieted right down!

So... the good news is that Hunter is healthy... the downside is that Krista is struggling... First, like I said before, narcotics and I don't go well together. I was extremely nauseous before the O.R. and after the O.R., vomiting several times... also the epidural didn't go smoothly as the anesthesiologist brushed a nerve and gave us a scare with some involuntary spasms and nerve pain in my right foot... to counteract the pain he game me more narcotics... in turn, the narcotics made me nauesated. Then, because the pitocin drip ran all day, my uterus didn't contract as it should have after the C-section and so Charlie and the doc tell me that I lost A LOT of blood in the O.R. which now has made me anemic. (Thanks to our parents, both sets of Hunter's grandparents, for being there for the middle-of-the-night delivery; Charlie was grateful to have their company as he waited for me while I spent 2 hrs in recovery.) Anyhow, the effects of anemia are lightheadedness, nausea, and generally feeling WEAK. I have had some pretty good success breastfeeding but it also wears me out further b/c of the anemia... I am trying to keep my head up and say "this too shall pass" but it's hard since I just want to be there for my son and yet I don't feel anywhere near to myself <-- not that anyone does 5 days after having a baby... Still, I anticipated the sleep deprivation; I had NOT anticipated the curveball of being anemic: nausea/ no strength.

But alas! THANK GOD for a husband like Charlie -- he has been absolutely AMAZING... So loving, so hands-on and so supportive despite the lack of sleep! (I am only able to write this entry b/c Charlie made some food for me that helped with the nausea; and he helps me get my meds. God bless him!) Charlie and I also VERY much appreciate the love and support of our family and friends! Thanks to all who called, visited, and wished us well, (i.e. sending flowers to the hopsital: Hil, Lisa, Jen Z. & Barbara & then brownies n' cookies, yum Lyn & Mona, and balloons, Karen...)

We were SO glad to be going home yesterday, Sept 22nd! You have NO idea... the hospital staff was GREAT but our stay at the hospital seemed to be one big revolving door of interruptions to our sleep (and poor Charlie had to sleep on that horrible fold out bed made for someone 5 ft tall, not 6 ft 2, for five nights!) And we had not seen the "light of day" since last Sunday! We went home on Saturday... felt like we'd been captive at the hospital forever... But also, maybe it felt like forever b/c we now wonder: WAS THERE LIFE BEFORE HUNTER? It seems so (according to our years of photo albums of Life Pre-Hunter) but we were NOT prepared for the overwhelming sense of love we felt for our little boy until Hunter actually arrived. We'd never really known what we were in for, but we knew we'd love the little guy... BUT the fierceness of that love took us by surprise & it is something else. (Charlie said he hasn't cried this much in 30 years! I, personally, just cry even more now...hee hee). You peeps who already were a part of the "Parent Club"... WE GET IT NOW ;)

Sorry for the LONG entry but we had almost a week to catch you folks up on.
We will update you more on homelife in our next entry!

Love to all,
Krista & Charlie & Hunter
p.s.
We didn't go home on Fri as we thought we would; instead we went home Sat afternoon. Besides Krista's anemia, Hunter was slightly jaundiced... so we thought IN CASE he needed bili lights blanket to help him, we'd be better off just staying another night. Turns out he didn't need any medication/procedure to turn himself around; he just needed to flush it all from his system over time. Yay :)

September 16th, 2007

We go into the hospital tonight, Sunday evening, so they can "ripen the cervix" before officially inducing on Monday morning... Charlie and I are feeling the gamut of emotions... excitement, fear (b/c it's all outside our range of experience, i.e. unknown), joy, and sheer curiosity to meet our son finally! Charlie has his list of calls to make, and some of our immediate family will call extended family for us... and then Hilary Loder, a dear friend to Krista and Charlie, has offered to make some calls as well AND send some initial pix via email to those addresses she knows. But no worries: if you don't see anything in your email in-box for the next few days, check the blog by the end of next weekend (Sept 23rd) and we should have posted some hospital pix by then! :) And from there on out, we hope to post pix and updates about the baby & this new experience called Parenthood! :)
And, FYI, friends and family local to Loudoun Hospital (where we are delivering) are welcome to visit... you may want to call Charlie to make sure it's a good time before popping in though: 703-400-7385
Thanks for all your warm wishes, thoughts, prayers, and love.
~ Krista & Charlie

Sept 14th, 2007

Charlie and I are relieved to have put in our last day of work for a while as we await Baby Boy Jacks' arrival. I am feeling as big as a house and am quite happy to not have to report to work, although my students this year are really quite wonderful. Charlie and I plan on just kicking back, relaxing and enjoying our weekend as a Twosome before we become a Threesome Monday!