Sound the drums, fanfare the trumpets, herrrrrrrrrre she is

Mattigan "Matti" Kensi Barth

Seconds after her arrival, Daddy snapped this photo

Oma introducing herself

Notice the heavy metal sign Matti is flashing.

She's all, "Rock on!  That was fun!"  

Meeting Opa for the first time

Long fingers and long feet.  Joe says she has my torso/long legs/arms but
his calves and thighs.  One thing she doesn't seem to like is keeping her feet under
the blanket.  As I am still to this today overheated if my feet are covered, she
may have inherited this.  Hahaha

Holy tiny diapers!

Hi Mama and Daddy!  Mama's first glimpse of Matti's face.

Good morning Miss Matti.  It's good to see your face!  Love Mama and Daddy

Happy Birthday Mattigan!

Well, baby Barth decided to make her arrival last night. :). Mama was fine and Daddy worked yesterday and then Mama had some back pain which turned out to be back labor.... And very VERY quickly we had a baby.  Joe was amazing and right there for the whole thing. Quite frankly I would've run the other way if I'd been him!

Mattigan "Matti" Kensi Barth
2 lb 11 oz
2/26/14
9:21pm

Mattigan = Ashley read in a book years ago
Kensi = Kim Erin (N) Sam (I)

Matti is doing well.  We haven't held her yet or really seen her face because she has a cpap mask on.  She is breathing on her own.  The mask is what you use when you have sleep apnea so if she doesn't breath for a second it'll give her a little puff of air.

She will be here probably about 7 weeks to get her to about 34 weeks old. We are headed home/my mom's after we are discharged tomorrow.  We'll divide time at home and at the hospital. She can't be overstimulated so we'll learn her schedule and help with feedings and diaper changes. The main focus is on gaining weight and getting bigger.

We'll upload pictures but we're looking forward to dinner and then sleep and this ipad won't let me upload without doing something fancy so it might have to wait til tomorrow...

Happy Birthday Mattigan!
Love Mama, Daddy, and The Khaleesi

48 hours down, 7 weeks to go

We are thru the first 48 hours!  Joe's at work.  I'm nesting in. :)

We are 27 weeks, 2 days.

Next goals: 28 weeks, move to antepatrum room

No News is Good News

Nothing new to report so that's fantastic. :)

Off one med, couple doses of the other and then we're done with the first 48 hours.
Baby is doing great. Has plenty of fluid around her to help her lungs develop and everything looks strong. Mama is also doing great.  Baby even gained a little weight since last Thursday so she's at 2lbs 5 oz.

Here's our goals:
- get thru 48 hours
- no contractions, no infections (for baby or me), and plenty of fluid for baby to develop in
- then week by week we're trying to get baby to gain weight and develop with 30 weeks as a good place to be
- then the big goal is 34 weeks

Mama will be in hospital until baby is born. So hopefully a longggg stay. :)  If baby or Mama needs to deliver baby will stay in hospital until 34 weeks at least. Again, care has been fantastic. Only wish is getting my meals earlier but we're learning the ropes already.

Joe and I are doing fine. Hoping to move to an antepartum room (the more long term stay rooms) so we can settle in a little more. Maybe in the next day or so. For now, we celebrate every milestone, like me getting to shower yay! And baby staying put yay!  :)

Step by Step, Day by Day

(Yes, I just went there. If you don't remember TGIF tv, I shake my head at you. :p)

Thank you for all of your notes! Means a ton to us to hear from all of you. It's good to know you care and also to have something to refer back to when things suck.

We are doing great. Just playing it hour by hour today. No contractions. We'll be going off the meds in a couple hours, then one more med for a couple more doses. So it's just a waiting game. Joe is off work today. If all goes smoothly, then he'll be back at work tomorrow. Care has been excellent, this was the right choice of hospital.

Joe is amazing. He's rubbing my feet, bringing me what I need from home or store, keeping me smiling, getting immunization shots, and just being him. There isn't a lot of details in wedding vows about "better or worse", but anyone who has been in a long relationship knows that it goes way beyond date nights.  There's money stress, and taking care of each other which includes glorious things like holding a spit bucket while your special other brushes their teeth, and sharing your day and your thoughts and your worries.  It's being strong enough for each other when that might mean showing weakness. And revelling in each other's success even when it's something small like being able to eat real food and not another popsicle or jello!

We are staying positive crossed with realistic. I call it... Posistic. (Pose-is-tic). It's hard on both of us, me being here obviously not easy, but him having to go to work to pay for what is def going to be the most epic medical bill of all time is just as hard on him. If you don't know, I got to heli-vac from our first hospital to St. Joe's. I didn't get to enjoy a lot of the view, but rooftop view was cool at sunset.  And you know I'll do whatever I can to fly!  Baby is still surrounded by a lot of fluid so as long as contractions don't start again, we can keep on keeping on. Lots of good visuals in ultrasound yesterday so we are feeling posistic. :)

Love and thoughts to all. Feel free to write, email (a.m.barth@hotmail.com), call/text (we are 2 hours before east coast and 1 before Nebraska). Ashley 315-854-0366 Joe 315-854-4219),  personal msg on FB, or blog. IMPORTANT we have a lot of nursing staff coming and going so if I have to hang up quick, nothing is necessarily going on, it's just important I answer their questions. :) So sorry in advance for any rudeness. Breakfast of champions now so check in again later. Peace out.

Update

NOTICE If you call and we hang up on you, don't freak out. I have a ton of nurses and doctors who need my attention. I'll call you back soon as i can.

We are doing fine. At st joes hospital in phoenix in labor and delivery high risk room 5 (will change in a day or two possibly).

St. Joseph’s is located at:
350 West Thomas Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85013

If you are going to visit please call ahead. We are hour to hour day to day right now so while we want to see you it'd be better assuming we are awake and ready. :) Kids are a no go, obviously sick adults no go too.

We stopped contractions for now.  They may resume after meds are done tomorrow. If they resume, hello baby.

Baby has turned is NO longer breech. So unless they need her out quick should NOT need c-section. She was 2 lbs 3 oz last Thurs which is 3 oz bigger than "average" last week.

If contractions don't resume, we wait.  My water sort of broke but baby still has fluid around her so for now we wait. If she and i have no infecion, we wait as long as we can be delivering. 1 day, 1 week, 7 weeks whatever we can get, every day is huge.. Big goal is 34 weeks (7 from now).

As long as I stay stable, Joe will be at work during the day. I will be at the hospital until she is born. If she is early, she will stay until at least 34 weeks. The Khaleesi is at Casa Oma and Opa until we break outta here.

Care is fantastic. Can't say I want to be here but it is great if you have to.

If you'd like to send anything, we especially appreciate letters, care packages with things to do, gift cards for books, movies, music, (itunes, amazon, walmart). We don't have a lot of room for flowers though we got a beautiful arrangement today. We are not sure of course, but I am thinking we will need small clothes whereas i thought we were set with newborn stuff! So hello target, walmart, babiesrus as we find that rocking chair, small clothes, burb cloths. Lol. This is on the list for what to get before baby...that is on my computer....that half is now irrelevant. Ah well.

Surprise, we're in the hospital

Hi all. It's been a long day so here's the short version: baby decided we'd have some drama this morning. My back pain turned out to be contractions. But we have stabilized with meds for now. We'll stay in hospital and try to wait as long as we can to deliver. First hurdle to get to Tues so we get meds to baby. Bed times for us now :) we'll keep updating as we have updates. Good night.

Storm Force begins Life's Journey on Planet Earth

Dominic Charles Benasutti
7lbs 13oz Born 2:27am

Thank you Husband for my wildflowers.
Love you!

Happy Birthday to our nephew Dominic Charles Benasutti!

And Happy Valentine's Day to the rest of you!

Mommy Sam and Dominic
Look at his little smile.  He's so happy with Mommy.

Daddy Patrick and Dominic
(Note the headlines on the TV.  I have nicknamed Dominic "Storm Force".  I think it's a fantastic nickname.  Very G. I. Joe.)

Sam calls this picture her 'little Italian man'.  I love his face!

He looks very content.

Oma and Dominic
Note his squinty smiley face of happiness.

Opa and Dominic
Note Dominic sticking out his tongue to say, 'ha, I'm going to be a handful.  Except for maybe Opa.  His hands are huge.'