THIS MOMENT

Ezra is rocking at tummy time! I am so in awe of this strong baby boy. I really think he is going to be the happiest boy when he can start moving around on his own. This is definitely the first step to getting there! 

Hip Mama: Ice Cream Parlour

In early September my mom group has an annual tradition to go to Klavon's Ice Cream in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. The ice cream parlour has so much history, opening originally in 1923! The place has so much character and it's a real treat for kids and adults alike. 

I was thrilled to see my photos from last year compared to this year. For one, we added another baby! I love that Ezra is joining in on our traditions and adventures. I can't wait until he is a little bigger and can fully enjoy them himself! Second, Jack is so much bigger! He's not a toddler anymore, he's really a kid now! He's takes in the experience so much more. He loves his strawberry ice cream and can order it himself. He picked where he wanted to sit...multiple times as we table hopped. I take such joy in seeing this boy grow up. For most of the Hip Mama kids, this is a back to school treat. That's what this will be for Jack when we come next year since he'll be starting preschool. As the years go by I hope it's a trip he looks forward to and will be a great little celebration to start to his school year! 

Birth Story: Ezra Thomas Cole

This beautiful baby boy was born on April 22, 2016 at 6:04am. He weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 20 inches long. And he officially has one of the craziest birth stories out there!

In the weeks leading up to his birth I was just not feeling right. I was so swollen, tired and just not feeling well. So after lots of talking with the midwives, one of them finally understood that these weren't just normal complaints. I developed preeclampsia again, as I did with Jack, and had to be closely monitored. I spent a few nights in the hospital without the doctors deciding to induce me. On April 21st I went in for my usual Non-Stress-Test and was supposed to meet with the high risk doctors to discuss when I would be induced. That morning I really felt awful and was throwing up, so Mom decided she would come with me and Hope said she would watch Jack, which all turned out to be completely necessary. After checking my blood pressure, I was immediately sent upstairs to triage to be induced. My cervix was actually soft and I was slightly dilated.

Ben rushed to the hospital and was by my side to care for me and the baby. Dad, Hope and Ron also came to the hospital, while Jody and Lizzy watched Jack. I am so thankful that I had such a strong supportive family with me!

Induction started and I was very awake and active for it. I was put on magnesium which immediately felt like I was put inside an oven. But other than that while we waited for the pitocin to kick in and start labor, I was feeling pretty good. I was able to joke around and talk with everyone. The turning point was when the midwives tried to insert a foley balloon. Hope stayed in the room because we thought it would be no big deal, but the midwives had trouble with it. I ended up in so much pain that I started throwing up. Hope may be scarred for life and not want to ever have a baby, haha! I did get an epidural. I always wanted a natural birth but the magnesium kept me confined to the bed and it was just impossible for me to cope with the pain on my own without being able to move.

After all night with pitocen I finally became dilated and ready to give birth. Everyone was sleeping in the lobby, except for Ben who was in my room. He was so great, getting me drinks, keeping me calm and I know he was so tired. He slept for a bit but I had to wake him up because I knew it was time. He got my mom and the midwives and we started. After a few pushes we were getting there, and that's when the real craziness started.

I remember looking at Ben and locking eyes and just smiling at each other. Then everyone turned to look at the monitor for the contraction and I heard everyone start shouting. Ben passed out. He just fell right down, hitting his head off of the linoleum floor. A midwife turned to me and said, "Don't be scared but there are going to be a lot of people in here". I had to stop pushing and the room was rushed with nurses and doctors asking me if Ben was prone to seizures. I was so overwhelmed and scared. He finally woke up after a few minutes and was so upset. He didn't want to leave the room, but he had to be taken to the emergency room. He wouldn't get up so a nurse had to get his dad to help him and convince him to go. It was so sweet that he didn't want to leave me. He left and I yelled to him that everything would be alright.

Two pushes later and I pushed out our baby. Ben just missed it by two pushes. The contractions were so painful, but that last push was incredible. I felt so proud of my body for doing this and it was an experience I'll never forget. I didn't even tear, so no stitches for later (HALLELUJAH!). The pediatric doctors were brought in because I had gestational diabetes so they had to check the baby immediately. As the midwives pulled the baby out and set him on my stomach to cut the cord, one of the pediatric nurses walked by and said "What a beautiful baby boy" and my mom, the midwives and I all said in unison, "No, it's a girl!" as the midwife was cutting the cord. I think that shocked her and she jerked her hand, causing the cord to spray cord blood all over my nurse, who was holding the baby. She was covered in blood and said "Just keep going" while they finished up with the baby. She had to go to the emergency room because blood got in her eye! So that's two people from my birth room to go to the emergency room! Then I had a moment to fully realize I had a BOY! I was in total shock, but complete joy that this little baby was mine! They checked him out and then brought him to me. I got to hold him on my chest and then breast feed him right away. Even though Ezra is not who I was expecting, I fell instantly in love and connected to this surprise boy!

We got to spend several hours together as everyone settled down. But Ben was still in the emergency room and was having a hard time. He lost his memory of most of the previous day. He was so confused that we had a boy and kept asking if this was his first. In fact, Ron didn't even believe it when he heard it was a boy. He thought my dad was joking and had to remind him that Ben was really confused and not to joke around! My dad had to tell them repeatedly that it really was a boy! By about 3pm we were able to go down to the emergency room so that Ben could meet his new son. Because I was on magnesium I couldn't get out of bed, so I was wheeled down, with Ezra being wheeled down in a bassinet! Finally Ben got to hold his boy and we confirmed that he was our Ezra Thomas. I didn't want to say the name until I knew that we both were sure it was perfect!

After our visit, Ben was released to a room so we were all wheeled in our beds to our respective rooms! It was so funny, a train of Coles! Later that night, Jack came to visit and got to meet his new brother. It was one of the sweetest moments. He was so excited and thrilled to see the baby. He was afraid to get on my hospital bed, but kept going to see the baby. Over the next few days, it was clear that Jack was meant to be a brother. It was so natural to him and he had such an instant connection to Ezra. I'm so thankful for my boys and their obvious love for each other!

We ended up being the talk of the hospital with that wild birth! As crazy as it was, we were all safe and mostly healthy ( a concussion for Ben). My heart was so full and I couldn't stop smiling the whole hospital stay. I honestly felt guilty about smiling because of poor Ben's condition, but adding Ezra to our family was just too exciting to not smile!

My Growing Bump

I wasn't one to take those perfectly staged photos with the month number on my belly, but I did try to take more bump photos during this pregnancy. I seemed to have a theme with my pregnancy style: stripes and denim! I really loved my body during pregnancy, despite some of the harder moments with swelling and some pain. I was so proud of my body for growing this baby! I loved as I got bigger because I knew that meant my baby was gaining weight! I'm so thankful that I was able to carry my babies and I will never forget what it was like to have them in my belly!

EMAILING MY TODDLER

Before Jack was born I remember seeing a commercial for Google that showed a parent emailing his child throughout it’s life. I know it’s just a commercial but it really stuck with me and I always said I would do that when I became a mom. And that’s just what I did! I started an email account for Jack and have been “talking” to him as often as I can remember to send something! 

I hope it will mean something to him someday. My dad has saved so many little mementos from when he was a kid, teenager, twenty-something and I always get a kick out of seeing them and imagining him at that time. I hope this gives Jack a glimpse of who I am right now and also shows him his childhood in a different way from just a scrapbook. 

And actually when I think about this, I started doing this before the Google commercial. I used to have these red notebooks in middle, then high school that I would write in and I always started it “Dear Kids”. It was definitely just my journal, but I pretended to be telling my kids what was going on in my life because a journal felt too impersonal. I wish I had those notebooks now. I remember spilling pop on one and ruining it, but I know I had more. I can’t believe I forgot about them until right now! Thankfully I can’t spill Coke on an email! 

THIS WEEKEND I:

Watched: The Big Short
Listened: to several directors on headset at work 
Learned: that I still get swollen while pregnant, high blood pressure or not 
Ate: a PBJ because all I want is peanut butter 
Read: several books to Jack 
Drank: milk because I’m craving it too! 
Thought: and thought and thought about the economy after watching The Big Short 
Wished: I could take a really long nap 
Realized: that I was this tired last pregnancy and that I’m not just lazy 
Bought: a new wardrobe at IKEA

THIS MOMENT

SNAP DAY

We had such a great day today! I’m glad I documented some of it for SnapChat. I usually do this when we go somewhere fun and I want my sister to share in it while she’s in Chicago. But now I’m glad to have this morning till night glimpse of a day with Jack. I know in 10 years I’ll be overjoyed to see my little guy as a toddler!

It was an average day but we did a lot and that made it so awesome! We woke up easily with no alarm and headed out for a Hip Mama play date at the trampoline park. It was Jack’s first time there. He is a relatively shy kid and I really notice his attachment to me when we’re with other kids. But today I was thrilled to see his interest in the other kids and parents. He’s definitely learning and I think day care is helping with that. Then we ran to the store for some groceries and it started snowing a ton! Instead of freaking out about the snow like a normal Perri or even Pittsburgher, for that matter, I decided we needed a sled for Jack. So we ran by Toys R Us to buy one with a gift card from Christmas! It was perfect! I put it right to use and dragged Jack to the house while I carried in the groceries! Then we bundled right back up into his snowsuit and headed outside for a few more rides on the sled. He loved it! Our evening was easy at home and I even prepped healthy meals for the week and made smoothie bags for the freezer. I felt like a Pinterest SAHM today! Ha! Honestly though I’m glad I was so productive!

Not every day is this action packed but I do feel great when it happens. Plus it helps on the days that Jack watches like 3 hours of Daniel Tiger while I lay on the couch because I’m too tired to move (I don’t snapchat those days). I can remind myself that’s sometimes it all comes together and I know that I’m not terrible at this parenting thing!

THIS MOMENT

Painting with trucks at Tot Time this week! I’m so excited about our membership to the Children’s Museum so we can make this a regular thing!

30 BEFORE 30: #11

So I did it! I hit the five year mark of full time employment at KDKA-TV! I began part time while a sophomore in college working a few hours a week to run audio for a very (VERY) simple call-in show. But it was my start! From there I interned with a reporter and a newscast director, then was hired in the Operations and Engineering Department as a part time employee. After a year in Operations I was finally hired full time! I can’t believe how fast it has gone and that I’ve been at the station almost a decade total! 2017 will mark that milestone! 

I feel really proud of myself for setting a goal in TV and sticking to it. I went to college knowing that this is what I wanted to do with my life and I made it happen, with the help of so many mentors and great colleagues. It’s not my perfect job, but it’s TV and I’m happy that I get to do it. It lacks in creativity and sometimes that frustrates me, but I’m thrilled I have a chance to freelance in addition to this work. Shooting and editing, working with a big crew on a live event are some of my favorite parts about freelancing and TV. But I’m glad I have a stable TV home (watch, a week from now I’ll be laid off because I told myself this job is stable) where I know what I’m doing and can work in the field I chose.