December 30, 2005

The Birth Story...

Ok...here we go!

About 10 p.m. Dec. 16 (Friday night) we were laying in bed and I was getting a searing pain across my hips - as if someone put a sword in my left hip and out through my right hip. Of course, I didn't feel this warranted waking up hubby or calling doctor (dummy!)... I just though maybe I pulled something with my ENORMOUS BELLY rolling over or something.

About 2 a.m., the pain woke me up again. I got up to pee and it was SO MUCH WORSE STANDING UP I walked to the bathroom doubled over. BUT these were so not contractions, so I continued to think I had just pulled something. Of course I laid back down and realized I hadn't felt the baby move (going to the bathroom usually woke him up). So I laid there for a few minutes... no movement... I started cursing myself for sending the damn doppler back, because I really could've used it then. Note that I still did not think of waking hubby or calling the doc. Doubled over, I walked downstairs for a huge glass of cold orange juice to wake the baby. FINALLY, I got a little movement and about 2:50 a.m. went back to lay down.

I must've fallen asleep even w/the searing pain becuase POP!!! At 3 a.m. I felt my water break and lept out of bed (this must've been quite a sight at my size and with my coordination! But I saved our wonderful mattress! Not a drop! Could I use any more exclaimation points??!!) and RAN to the bathroom (we have off-white carpets!)... I yelled for Eric as I couldn't leave my spot in the bathroom w/out making a mess to start bringing me things.

* Please note here: because the DR had told me 12 hours earlier I was not having this baby any time soon hubby had dosed himself up on super-duper cold medicine!

So he's running around finishing packing my bag, bringing me things, putting sheets on the guest bed and I'm running from the toilet to the shower - no way am I going into L&D stinky!

My brother arrives at about 3:30 a.m. and we give him instructions on what to do with Son while we're gone and we get into hubby's car (note that this is his NEW car, which he adores almost as much as he adores me!). Lots of towels are spread around...

The contractions get pretty strong on the ride over... I tell hubby to PLEASE drive smoothly as driving over bumps while having a contraction HURTS LIKE HELL. I ask him a couple times if I hurt this much w/our first son, as I didn't think anything had hurt quite like these contractions and he continues to laugh at me.

We arrive at the hospital at 4 a.m. and are sent to the L&D triage. We are the ONLY people in the triage at the hospital which is nice (it's a big room w/curtains so you can hear EVERYTHING). The contractions are quite painful, as we can tell from the monitors (as if I couldn't feel them!)

The nurse asks me all the questions and if I'm SURE my water broke. "OH, I'm SURE" I tell her. She gets out the test stick and checks (this hurt WORSE THAN THE CONTRACTIONS, I don't know why) and exclaims that yes! My water has broken! Then she checks me - 3 cm! Progress! Of course, with the pain I was in, I was sure I was at least 6!

About 5:30 a.m. (why they are so slow at all this when I AM THE ONLY WOMAN AROUND I am not sure) I get wheeled to my delivery room. So there are like 6 nurses setting stuff up in my room and getting me settled (this is nice! Lots of attention, as they were just hanging out bored before I arrived!). They start the IV when I wasn't looking so it surprised me to be stabbed in the arm, but she did a good job.

I tell them I'm ready for the epidrual! Send him in! And the order is placed. They turn the IV on super fast to get the liquids in before he arrives which makes me COLD and a wonderful nurse brings HEATED BLANKETS to warm me up! An angel! I tell them I want to pee before the epidural guy comes and they say No. After you are 3 c.m. w/broken water, they don't let you out of bed. Damn.

The epidural guy arrives around 6:15 a.m. Sitting still for the epidural wasn't has hard as I remember it being. Though I did squeeze the hell out of hubby's hand. The first numbing pinch shot was the worst of it. He said I'd probably feel 2 more contractions before the meds kicked in - he was WRONG! It took effect right away and I watched the next contraction on the monitor w/out pain! I could feel the tightening of my uterus, BUT NO PAIN! WONDER OF WONDERS! Then they checked me and said I was between 5 and 6 c.m.

Then, hubby and I settled in for some sleep! Man were we tired! Last time, my labor was 13 hours from start to end, so we were not worried at all, just ready for some Z's.

About 8:30 I told the nurse I was pretty sure I had to pee. She said she'd like to check me before, because sometimes any activity down there can speed things up. She also said they were going to start me on pitocin since my contractions were 180 seconds long - they like to see nice 60 second mountain ones, not 180 second ones. Thank GOD I had an epidural, as I'm sure 180 second contractions would've killed me. Seriously. She checked me and made a face. ???

You're ready, she said. WHAT? You're ready and your doctor doesn't get here until 9, she said, so just wait. WAIT? I'm sorry, WHAT? She told me if the urge to push was so strong I couldn't ignore it, let her know, but otherwise, just wait. And don't push.

Great. So I start feeling, of course, like I really need to push. I can see it coming, thank goodness on the monitor, the urge to push starts w/each contraction. Let me tell you - having the urge to push, but not pushing, is just as excrutiating as contractions with no epidural. That is damn hard and takes a lot of energy and focus.

At 9 the DR that I had seen Friday morning (who promised I was no where near labor and would have an 8 pd. baby) came in. He said the baby was still a little high so let's have another couple of contractions to bring the baby down to save me some pushing. He said he'd be back.

At 9:45 a.m. he came back in to check me and the look on his face said everything - the baby was already almost out! On his own! You've never seen medical people run like when the DR gives the order! At about 9:50 I started pushing - unlike w/my son, I could feel everything. EVERYTHING. It just didn't hurt. It was a very strange sensation. I mentioned it to the DR between contractions. He said I had the perfect epidural then, because it's easier to push when you can feel the baby and your muscles. I don't know - I don't think I wanted to feel all that. I know from having my son I can push w/out all that feeling (he was 20 minutes of pushing) - I still don't think I needed quite all those sensations.

BUT - anyway! The pushing! I'm pushing with the second contraction. I have the DR, hubby, and 4 nurses all aound me. All of a sudden I hear hubby... "I'm sorry, I have to sit down..." and BOOM. He hits the floor. YIKES!

Then - ALL THE NURSES run over to him and the DR stops whatever it was he's doing to face that way. UM hello? Yes, I'm worried about him too, but I've got a BABY COMING RIGHT NOW AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO CATCH IT... Finally 2 nurses tend to him and 2 to me. For the third contraction, I push holding my own darn right leg. We think it was a mix of cold medicine/no food/excitement/anxiety that did it, as he didn't pass out w/our first son.

Then, Baby T is here. Screaming away instantly. The DR says "wow, that's a big one!". Hubby walks over and says yeah, he's big. I look at him - he doesn't look so big to me, then they put him on my chest. Wow. He IS big. But he's also the most adorable little guy that I've worked so hard to bring into our lives for almost exactly 3 years now. I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude that we've made it to the point of having and holding a live baby!

More in the next installment! Including! Plastic flip flops! Babies that eat NOTHING and VOMIT a lot! Much fun!

Almost 4!

Happy Birthday to my Son, who will be 4 years old tomorrow! At 5:30 p.m. to be exact! I can't believe how the time has flown or how my little baby has grown into such a wonderful little boy... he amazes me all the time and is the reason I wanted another so badly - with the love I feel for him and get from him, how could I not want more more more??!!

Happy Birthday little one!

December 27, 2005

Growing so fast...

As of Saturday, we are officially out of Newborn size clothes (which is a shame, because we only got to wear like 20 of the gazillion newborn outfits we have, since we only had 5 days since we got home from the hospital) and Newborn size diapers (good thing I only bought a small amount of those!)...

Big Brother got to hold Baby T for the first time last night! He loved it- I forgot to ask - would anyone like baby pics??!! :-)

December 25, 2005

December 23, 2005

What I did yesterday....

* I realize I forgot to include diaper changes! There was 1 right before EVERY feeding and a few interspersed throughout the day!

  • 12:45 a.m. - Baby T requests his feeding
  • 1:00 a.m. - after much debating, give Baby T 2 more ounces than usual because he is demanding it. Bringing the total for this feeding to 4 oz. Commence worrying that he's going to choke on spitup in his sleep.
  • 1:15 a.m. (or so) - Baby T and I sleep in chair in living room.
  • 2:15 a.m. - I wake up and put Baby T in crib.
  • 4 a.m. - realize it's time for Baby T's feeding - goto his room to find him sound asleep, almost rolled over??!! Commence worrying that he'll suffocate himself sleeping on belly. Return to bed.
  • 5:30 a.m. - Baby T requests feeding. Just a hair over 2 ounces. Fall asleep in chair w/Baby T on my chest again (this is quite a wonderful snuggly position).
  • 7:45 a.m. - Son wakes up and requests that we start drawing Christmas pictures that I promised last night.
  • 8:30 a.m. - make Son pancakes and sausage for breakfast. Substitute pancakes for whole wheat bread slice when he declares my pancakes not as good as Grammy's. Clean bottles, start laundry, play with Son.
  • 9:40 a.m. - Baby T wants more food. Just over 2 oz.
  • 10:30 a.m. - Baby T wants more food. Just over 1 oz.
  • 11 a.m. - put Baby T in crib for nap, give Son a bath.
  • 12 p.m. - do breakfast dishes, was bottles, and start bottle sterilizer.
  • 12:30 p.m. - make lunch for me and Son.
  • 12:45 p.m. - feed Baby T 1 oz.
  • 1 p.m. - clean up from lunch and play with son
  • 3 p.m. - send Son to neighbors house for Christmas party.
  • 3:30 p.m. - feed Baby T 2 oz.
  • 4 p.m. - hold Baby T.
  • 4:30 p.m. - wash and sterilize bottles, clean kitchen.
  • 5 p.m. - SHOWER!
  • 5:45 p.m. - in-laws arrive with presents and we order pizza.
  • 6 p.m. - feed Baby T 2 oz.
  • 6:30 - Baby T fools us into thinking he's hungry again, he eats 0 oz.
  • 7 p.m. - Baby T has HUGE spit up all over Dad, requires cleaning of both parties.
  • 8 p.m. - In laws leave.
  • 8:15 p.m. - Baby T eats 1 1/4 oz.
  • 9 p.m. - get Son ready for bed.
  • 10 p.m. - Feed Baby T 2 1/4 oz.
  • 10:30 p.m. - sponge bath for Baby T.
  • 11 p.m. feed Baby T 1 oz.
  • 12 a.m. - Mom & Dad off to bed!!!!!

    ( please note: Dad is HUGE HELPER - this does not include all the things HE DID yesterday like feeding Baby T, cleaning up, changing diapers, playing with Son, etc.)
  • December 22, 2005

    Please don't

    Please don't call me for the express purpose of telling me how TIRED you are or how much stuff you have to do... I really have NO sympathy for you if you at least had the opportunity to sleep all night and not have to watch a 6 day old and a 4 year old all day today. Honestly!

    Please don't

    Please don't call me for the express purpose of telling me how TIRED you are or how much stuff you have to do... I really have NO sympathy for you if you at least had the opportunity to sleep all night and not have to watch a 6 day old and a 4 year old all day today. Honestly!

    Thank you very much

    Baby T! For sleeping from 1:15 a.m. last night until 5:30 a.m. this morning! Mommy REALLY REALLY apapreciates it!

    December 21, 2005

    Wednesday!

    I just got up from a glorious 2 hour nap! Our system is such - I do the nights and hubby does mornings and daytimes that I want a nap...so a 2 hour midday nap is JUST what I needed!

    I was running around just now like a MAD WOMAN because my in-laws are coming this evening and the house is a STY!!! Then my uterus starting hurting and I got hot - so I sat down to rest and oops! the laptop is right there calling my name!

    We had son's Christmas show today - and it was glorious! You've never seen a show until you've watched your preschooler sing Christmas songs in a preschool show. Fabulous and I couldn't have been more proud of my little man. There was 1 4 year old who had TWO piano recitals during the show, with no sheet music. Seriously. I was quite impressed to say the least.

    Baby T is at his first DRs appt right now w/hubby - I hope it goes well.

    I'm feeling more and more human with every day. Today when I got dressed in my work clothes for the show, I put on a pair of pants I bought in October. Humph! They were full belly pants! I had no idea as by the time I bought them, it was impossible to even get them 1/2 way up the bottom of my belly so for me they were very low rise. I thought I looked quite good for giving birth only 4 days ago! I did create the cone of protection around Baby T though, no one was getting their grubby hands in or on the car seat or baby but me and hubby.

    AND the woman in the pew in front of us had a 3 week old (who, BTW, is not yet as heavy as my son!) and set her car seat carrier in the aisle. EVERY DAMN person that went up the aisle to snap a picture kicked it or walked into it. EVERY ONE. Finally, appalled, I had to suggest to her to set it on the pew in front of her (luckily the baby wasn't in it, which I didn't know and the people walking up the aisle certainly didn't know as she had the canopy up) and told her people kept kicking it. She was shocked (she hadn't seen it, was filming the show)...

    I couldn't believe people in a CHURCH would be so careless!
    #1 - it is not yours, don't kick it or walk into it, watch where you are going!
    #2 - it is a device made for holding babies, which every damn person in that room knows, as they were each there to watch a child no older than 4 in the show - and everyone one of them had a carrier like that I'm sure. YOU SHOULD GO OUT OF YOUR WAY NOT TO KICK IT OR BUMP IT on your way by.

    What is wrong w/these people...

    Anyway, son #1 just got up from his nap, gotta run!

    December 20, 2005

    Tuesday Update

    Baby T does not like crib. Mom also not using all of brainpower, as I spent 2 hours trying to get us comfy in our family room chair together last night, about 3:30 a.m.,only to realize the chair sits right in front of the PACK & PLAY, which he happily slept in all day. Duh, put him in pack and play and he was quite comfy. It is a godsend.

    I'll work on the birth story - I'm going to publish a censored one here, and a TMI/helpful hints one for anyone that might want some helpful hints and/or fresh memories from day 0 and day 1 with a newborn and a new non-pregnant body!

    Seriously guys, thank you very much for the emails!

    December 19, 2005

    A New Family Member!

    Little son #2 arrived Saturday morning, at 10:02 a.m. weighing in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces! Surprising us with timing as well as size!!!

    More later - just got home and tired! Thanks everyone for the emails! It's wonderful to know people are hoping we're ok!!

    December 16, 2005

    Friday Evening Update...

    Nothing yet.

    Discussing w/hubby induction options... If they induce Tuesday, I miss the Christmas show on Wednesday at Son's school. Also if they induce Wednesday, I ALSO miss the show. If they induce Thursday, since I'm Strep +, I won't be eligible to be released until Saturday evening, at the EARLIEST, more likely Sunday. Which means missing my Son's Surprise at seeing the Santa bounty :-(

    So unless they can induce Monday night or Tuesday, I'll maybe just take my chances? What do you guys think??

    Dr. Appt.

    Surprise! NO CHANGE.

    How this is possible is BEYOND me. I have another appt. Monday, where they want to discuss being induced... so I guess from here we just wait some more???!!

    December 15, 2005

    Evening Update...

    Nothing yet.

    BUT - my joints are so loose today my right leg about pops out of the hip joint every 25 steps or so - and this is QUITE painful and a little scary.

    AND it's a full moon tonight! I'll update again in the morn after my 9:15 a.m. DR appt and taking my son to ToysRUs to shop for presents from him to other people...

    And good night!

    Today's Driving Idiots...

    What the HELL is wrong with people???

    In our ride in today, the road in front of my neighborhood is 55 mph. We cruising along at least at 60 mph, when the woman in front of me decides the guy turning out of an office complex onto the road we're on should be let out. While this is a very nice gesture, going from 60 to 0, with no warning to the people behind you about WHAT you are doing or WHY you are doing it is CRAAAAAZZZEEE... Not to mention it'd be MY FAULT for rear-ending her (and totaling her Chevy Malibu w/my huge truck) AND I'd have to be rushed to the hospital, but have to wait for someone to come retrieve my son...oh the mess! So I hope she understood when I laid on the truck's horn and almost skidded into her, as the people behind me swerved for the ditches. Nice work lady.

    THEN - we're taking a local shortcut thru an office park (still behind the same nutty lady) and she thinks I'm chasing her maybe because she's FLYING THRU it... anyway, a parking shuttle comes off the ramp to my right and apparently wants to turn left at the light, which is THREE LANES over...and just cruises across the lanes almost hitting me and the cars in the 2 lanes next to me. Nice.

    Grrrr... AND because of the work they're doing in the garage, the only spaces available are ON TOP and we're getting ice today.... also, very nice. It'll be fun cleaning off my car and walking to it!!!!

    December 14, 2005

    GRRRR....

    I just looked at our Amazon Recent Orders - hubby's been buying things for himself!!?? Doesn't he know that's MY JOB this time of year?? Good grief!

    Wednesday Morning Update...

    No Baby Yet. Darn it all.

    In other news... going for lunch for an hour walk around Tysons II. Hopefully that helps a bit - at the very least, I should be able to get some more shopping done. One would think that with all this shopping I'd be done by now, of course, one would be WRONG, but that's what one would think.

    December 13, 2005

    December 12, 2005

    So true...




    Your Christmas is Most Like: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation



    Christmas is a big, boisterous event at your place.

    And no matter what, something hilarious usually happens.



    Also - the Christmas tree we put up YESTERDAY has already fallen down once (just like last year!) (no, son was not involved, just Dad!)

    Check...

    daily 1 hour of walking done at Tyson's during lunch - there better be a baby coming soon! That was A LOT of walking!

    Nothing yet...

    38 weeks tomorrow.

    Honestly, I am STUNNED to the core. NO WAY had I thought I would be pregnant past 37 weeks or so. I don't know why, that's just the timeline I had in my head. So now I pretty much don't know what to do with myself.

    I came downstairs today for work and hubby gave me an odd look - apparently my cute GAP sweater has been outgrown in the belly area. Great... now that's like 3 outfits I have left that fit.

    Side note: the baby was really quiet yesterday... then when we went to bed about 11:30 he got all excited and awake and SERIOUSLY SQUIRMY until 2 a.m. Seriously, 2 a.m.? That has to be way past his bed time. I could feel him hitting down around my cervix, as if he was feeling for the exit (as cool as that sounds, at 2 a.m. it is not INTERESTING or COMFORTABLE). Also checking with his feet to see if there were any exits inside or outside of my ribcage.

    But I try to remember - every day that he stays in, that's one day older and easier to take care of he will be. His older brother was SUCH an easy baby, I'm a little afraid of what we're in for - I hope he's just like his big brother in that department!

    December 09, 2005

    Why Pottery Barn Can Be A Pain In The Ass...

    Remember Pottery Barn? The place where I ordered our nursery set? Although I had to order it from online, instead of in the store, because apparently "Pottery Barn Kids" the store and "Pottery Barn Kids" online are different entities - even though they do share some items and order from the same place? The same place that cancelled my order then had to next day air my shipment to me after I found out and had waited 2 weeks for it?

    Well - I wanted curtains for the nursery. They had 3 in stock and ordered 1 for me from the distribution center. So a week later I get a note saying it'll arrive around 12/8/05. No problem. The next day, I get a letter saying it'll arrive 2/5/06?? Whatever. I'm irritated but not enough to call. If they're out of them, they're out and not much I can do about it (apparently I can be laid back once in a while).

    SO TODAY ( 12/9/05 ) I get a box from Pottery Barn Kids...with a panel. And a bill for THREE panels, saying one more is on it's way "soon" and another is on back order and a receipt for a credit card charge for THREE PANELS.

    ???

    I call their customer service and what the lady wants me to believe is that even though MY PRINTED RECEIPT says otherwise, they are only sending the 1, and only charged me $51.45. So I pull up my credit card statement online while I've got her and see they've charged me once on 11/30 and once on 12/7, but credited it back on 12/8. For some reason, she says, they always double charge it then refund one. WHAT? That doesn't make any sense.

    I explain to her I do not appreciate random charges to my credit card, regardless of what they "usually" do. She says, but we only charged you once. I say, actually, NO, you charged me twice, but you did refund one, so the NET is $51.45, but you did charge twice, which I did not approve and do not approve and I'd better not see any more fiddle faddling w/my credit card. She says no, we charged you once. We go around about once vs. twice (she acknowledges that charges were made on 11/30/05 and 12/7/05, but since they also credited, it isn't actually a charge) before I HAD to hang up on her before my head exploded.

    December 08, 2005

    Dr. Update...

    1+ cm dilated and 70% effaced.

    So I could have a baby today or anytime in the next 3 weeks. Thanks for the update Dr.

    Something that occurred to me this morning...

    I was getting ready for work and I thought - "What if I go into labor at work?"...

    Not worrying about how I get to the hospital (Hubby works only minutes away, and my work is CLOSER to the hospital than our house) but WHAT ABOUT THE CAMERA? AND THE VIDEO RECORDER?

    What if I was in labor and we didn't have those things?? I most definitely want pictures of my newborn! And of me with the newborn! And of hubby with the newborn, etc. What if they are at home while we're in the hospital?

    Now I know Hubby's solution would be to run to Best Buy (right around the corner) and purchase a new state-of-the-art camera and recorder, but come on, we really don't need to drop that kind of money just because we are unprepared!

    So this morning I packed the camera bag and slipped it into my truck, just in case.

    Um... well... yeah.... ok

    I got nothing. Sitting here waiting to go into labor is pretty much taking up all of my brain power today. Every day I wake up and think "is it today? Is December 8 a good birthday?". This would be so much easier with a finite end date. And the shirt I have on today (which I did wear to work last week - I'm pretty well down to 4 outfits or so) is SO SMALL on me now. Must spend day hiding from people that know me.

    Dr. appt. at 1:45 to be checked, let's hope for some progress!

    December 07, 2005

    And MORE Shopping!

    I went to the mall at lunch to walk a bit (please baby please decide to come soon!) and get a Christmas present for my cousin.

    I found the perfect item at Hechts, and while in line I realized I left my 20% coupon in the car, at the other end of the mall. I was seriously going to beg the clerk to give me the 20% off w/out the coupon and not walk to my car to get it, when the lady in front of me just offered me hers! Wonder of wonders! I couldn't say thank you enough!

    The mall wasn't bad yet...but give it a week as shoppers start to make even getting NEAR the mall at lunchtime unbearable. Hopefully I'll be done with my shopping (and holding a new baby!) by then!

    A brighter day today!

    Feeling much better today - we ALL went to bed early last night and I think we're all much better for it!

    Nothing new to report - just a regular day, going shopping at lunch to try and get this Christmas present thing done!

    ALSO! If you want to exchange real Christmas/Holiday cards, please send me an email, though be forewarned, we are waiting until after baby #2 arrives to take the picture and order cards! :-)

    December 06, 2005

    Practice Time is OVER! (37 Weeks today)

    Ok - listen here Mr. Uterus (or Ms. Uterus, if you prefer)...

    2 weeks ago, when you were contracting every 3-4 minutes for 8 HOURS I was excited because I thought we were getting somewhere (pls. note, these hours were from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m.). Then my DR said I was still 0 c.m. dialated.

    These contractions continued on and off, though not so close together or at night, for another week. Again, DR said I was 0 c.m. dialated.

    So, last night's fun and games, from 1 a.m. - 3 a.m. producing mild (but not-so mild I could sleep thru them) contractions every 6 minutes was just plain annoying. I get it - we've "practiced" enough.

    Please only commence with contractions if it is the real deal. Thank you. (because now I am REALLY REALLY tired and quite cranky today. I'm generally so tired I need a nap anyway by about 1 p.m. and now I was ready for my nap by 8 a.m.)

    December 05, 2005

    Gloomy Monday...

    It's gross here. Everyone just waiting for snow, or for lack of snow. Our forecasters are so bad, we never actually know what is going to happen until it's done.

    It was a nice weekend, but got even better last night at 6:45 p.m. when hubby and son returned home! It was SO GOOD to see them again!!!!!! And to have my house hustling and bustling w/the sounds of a 4 year old!

    I'll check back in later w/a weather report!

    December 02, 2005

    What on earth...

    shall I do with myself? My husband and son have gone visiting relatives and left me here by myself until Sunday night... what does one DO with all that free time?? :-)

    (please note: we WILL NOT be going into labor before Sunday night, when they return. Got it Mr. Uterus?)

    December 01, 2005

    No progress...

    Just back from the OB's weekly check...( yes, it's nice to be checked, but MAN does it hurt )...

    No progress, still 0 cm. dialated. So much for giving birth at 36 / 37 weeks.

    Gained 1 pd. in a week. Which is right on target for this stage of pregnancy (the BABY should gain 1 pd. a week from here on out).

    I got nothing else. I'm tired and large and feeling a bit cranky today.