Birth Story...

Okay, this is a post that I've been wanting to write since we've gotten home, and I have some time before the next feeding (I think) and some energy, and I wanted to get some of this written down before I forget the details. I also have worked on this in about 3 spurts over the last couple weeks. I think I finally have the details down! Warning: this is very long!!

Lila's birth story began on Tuesday, February 17 when we entered the hospital for an induction. I had a terrible time sleeping the night before - it was like a crazy version of Christmas Eve - knowing some wonderful things would be happening the next day, but how was this all going to go? I estimate that I got about 4 hours of sleep. We were up at 6am for showers, final packing, and calling the hospital to make sure they still had room for us. They did, and I tried to choke down some breakfast. The knot in my stomach was growing larger by the minute, but I knew that they were not going to let me eat anything until after she was born - and who knew how long that was going to be! Somehow I got down my english muffin with pb&j and it was time to go.

Driving over, T and I didn't talk much - I think we were both too nervous, anxious, excited, etc. Although on the way there, we did see an SUV driving crazy erratic all over the road, the median, everywhere - which certainly didn't help our nerves! We made it safely away from crazy driver and we made it to Metro on time. Apparently 8am is a popular time to check in, so we waited for about 15 minutes, got our room number, and up to the 2nd floor we went. The rooms and hallways were much more alive than our previous visits to the hospital. We had only ever been there at night when the cafe was closed and visiting hours were over.

We were taken to our labor and delivery room (217 - which I thought was cool since it was 2/17!). I got into my lovely gown and into bed I went. We had a fabulous nurse who was actually from Saranac! Weird. In went my IV and the pitocin drip began. Not surprising, my blood pressure was pretty high - I was a bit nervous about this whole thing. I was checked a couple of times over the next hour and it wasn't going down much so I had to have some blood tests to make sure I did not have pre-eclampsia. Around 9am, an intern and a resident came into the room to see how dilated I was. Still 2.5 - same as the day before. The resident decided that my labor could move along faster if she broke my water. Okay, fine.

OH MY GOD THE PAIN!!!

Apparently my uterus was up a little farther than they expected and it felt like that instrument was going to come up out my mouth she was sticking it up there so high. I seriously thought that I had broken at least a few of T's fingers as I held on to him for dear life. Little did I know that that was going to be the worst of the pain for that day!

As I sat on towels to soak up my water, things were actually pretty pleasant. I sucked on my ice chips and my nurse brought me these yummy lemonade popsicles (just like the ones I buy at Comerica Park!). We watched tv, I read a magazine. My water was steadily coming out, but it wasn't too terrible. I'd get up to go to the bathroom and T would change the towel. After a little over an hour - the flood came. I had no idea there was that much liquid in there!!! I was trying to get up to get to the bathroom, but I couldn't contain it! I sat up a bit and T said "You're sitting in a big puddle!" Yep, that's exactly what was happening and it just wouldn't stop. So I leaked all the way to the bathroom while T and my nurse changed the bed linens. Luckily, that was the worst of the gush. I still had more come, but it was easily contained by the towels. Thankfully!

By noon, I was checked again and I was now at about 3cm. Hmm... not moving very fast. The resident mentioned that some other woman was also being induced and she wasn't moving along very quickly either. Maybe a bad batch of pitocin? We could see contractions on the monitor, but rarely would I feel them. T called my parents - who were going to come to the hospital after lunch and told them to hold off for a while since nothing was going to be happening for a while.

More waiting and by 4pm I was checked again - 4cm! It took 4 hours, but at least something was moving. Around 6pm my parents made it and we all settled in to see what was going to happen. My contractions had been coming more frequently and I had been able to feel most of them. Some were becoming quite uncomfortable. I was able to get some pain meds into my IV which helped a lot. When she first pushed it in, I got quite dizzy, with some blurred vision. I told everyone that I must be getting woozy from not eating any protein all day. About a minute later, I was fine. Well, quite hungry, but fine. And with pain relief!

At 8pm I was checked again and I was now at 6cm. The nurse assured me that the first 5cm usually go pretty slowly and that the last 5cm can go quite quickly. I asked about the other woman on the pitocin and was told that she had delivered about an hour before. Me, being the competitive one, was not happy about that, but then they told me it was her 3rd child. So, that made me feel better. My new night nurse (also awesome), came in and asked how my pain was. I could tell that some of my initial meds were wearing off as I could feel more contractions again. She also said that the anesthesiologist was going to be going into a multi-hour surgery soon and if I did want to get an epidural, I may want to consider getting it soon, since if I asked for one later, it could take quite some time for me to get it. That was fine with me. I had already been outfitted with a monitor inside to more accurately track my contractions and a catheter, so I couldn't get out of bed anyway - why not add the epidural too? So, I got my epidural from an anesthesiologist who was absolutely hysterical and did a great job since all I felt was a small prick and a little burn and then I was good. Nothing to it!

Not long after this, my nurse came in and told me that I had basically topped out on the pitocin and they were going to drop my dose in half to see if the contractions would intensify and things progress a bit quicker.

I was checked a couple more times over the next few hours and I still remained at 6cm each time. The contractions were also coming one on top of the other.

At 10:30, 2 residents and the attending OB came in and said that we needed to start thinking about options. They explained that since the contractions were coming so close together, but weren't as strong as they should be, and that since Lila's head was not down into the birth canal after all this time, we needed to start considering a C-section. That option was fine with us - we just wanted a healthy baby - it didn't matter to us how she got here.

The doctors went through a bunch of scary forms that I had to sign and they said that within 30 minutes, they'd be coming to wheel me into surgery. My nurse brought T all the surgical garb that he was going to need to wear and they put a cap on me and we were ready!

A few minutes later, the doctors came back in and said that there was another woman who needed emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy and asked if I minded waiting an hour or so. I had been laying in that bed pretty much all day - what did it matter to me if it was a little longer? Since the c-section option had been taken, they had taken me totally off the pitocin which had made my contractions totally stop - there was no danger to the baby, so we stayed in the room.

I could tell that my parents were having a hard time keeping it together - yes, c-sections are considered routine these days, but I could see the fear in their eyes. The last time that I had been in the hospital, I was 6 years old and had my tonsils out. I can still remember that day - my mom sobbing as I was being wheeled down the hall to surgery. T was rolling with the punches pretty well - I could tell he was nervous, but it wasn't like we had a choice. There was no way we could say, "Um, no thanks, I think we'll just go home."

My parents and T packed up our things in our labor and delivery room (which turned out to be my non-delivery room) to take to our room where we would be staying the rest of the time in the hospital. My nurse came in a few more times with updates about when we'd be going. The other surgery took longer than expected and they were not ready for me until around 1am. So, the February 17th birthday we thought Lila would have, had now turned into the 18th.

The residents and my nurse came to wheel me down to surgery. I said good bye to my parents and down the hall I went.

The doctors and nurses loaded me onto the table - I had no control of my body due to the epidural, so everyone just pulled me around where I needed to be. After I had been there for a few minutes, T came in all suited up and sat on a stool by my head and held my hand. The doctor asked T if he wanted to watch and he said no thanks (I don't blame him!). They put up a drape so we couldn't see and it was time to rock and roll.

Around 1:30am, everything got started. After a few pokes and pulls to make sure I was good and numb, the cutting started. T leaned over and said, "Do you hear what song is on the radio?" I couldn't really hear it - so I listened closely. It was our wedding song - I Could Not Ask For More by Edwin McCain. How crazy is that?!? As for the surgery, I really didn't feel much the whole time. I did feel some pulling, but there was no pain. About 20 minutes later - the doctor said, "Ok, get your camera ready!" I looked at T and he was just frozen there on the stool. The drape had fallen down a bit so he was watching as they pulled her out. I heard her cry and the resident said, "Wow, this is a big baby!" and held up her little slimy body for us to see. T was still frozen there looking at her, so I said "Take her picture!!!" They held her up again and then she was gone to the warming bed to get cleaned up. "One fifty-seven AM," said the anesthesiologist. I told T to go over and be with her (obviously I wasn't going anywhere) and of course take lots of pictures. The doctors said, "Ok, how big do you think she is?" One said 9lbs 2oz, and another said, "No way, she's bigger than that" and another guessed 9lbs 7oz. A moment later the nurse says from the corner, "She's 9lbs 9oz!" Holy crap, I gave birth to a toddler - no wonder she wouldn't fit. I asked how long she was and no one answered me.

The nurse got her all cleaned and swaddled up and brought her over to T and I. T held her and I could move one hand so I could finally touch her. The nurse took our picture - the new family all together! Then another nurse came in and told T that there were some very anxious grandparents waiting outside the nursery to see their new granddaughter. So T and Lila went to the nursery to finish up the exams and then T could let my parents into the nursery. She was about 10 minutes old the first time they saw her.

I was in the operating room for about another 40 minutes getting put back together. During that time, over the staff intercom that my nurse had around her neck, came a voice from the nursery saying, "Tell mom that she's 21.5 inches long." I was happy to hear that she had some length to her since she was already a pretty good weight! When they were finished with me in the operating room, T came with me back to OB triage where I had to stay for about an hour so I could be monitored closely. T was with me for a while, then my mom came back for a while, then my dad. They were all telling me how amazing she was and it made me so anxious to finally be able to see and hold her!! Although, I was pretty loopy and tired at this point. I had thrown up a couple times - nothing much since I hadn't really eaten all day, and my nose was really stuffed up. I tried to blow it, but I couldn't - I didn't have enough control over my breath to be able to do it. That was a freaky thing.

After it was determined that I was okay - they wheeled me to my new room (209). My parents were there, and then they finally brought Lila in so I could see her. By this point it was about 3:30am. The nurses and everyone came in several times in the next 2 hours. My parents went home to our house. I was able to hold her for a while - but I was pretty out of it. I do quite vividly remember her being in her bassinet and starting to fuss a bit. I put my hand out and she wrapped her tiny little hand around my finger so tight and then went back to sleep. It was so cool.

That's the story of how our sweet Miss Lila came into the world. It was definitely not the way that we were anticipating - but she's here and perfect and healthy and that's all that matters.

One Week

It's been one week since Miss Lila entered our lives. :) Yesterday was her one week birthday. She had a not-so-great day - she was pretty fussy. She seems to have discovered her appetite. And she's hungry what seems like ALL THE TIME! I'm feeding her about every 2 hours (sometimes sooner) and there were a few times we had to supplement with formula because I was out and she was still hungry. Maybe a growth spurt?!?

Today was the first time I was alone with Lila - T had a dentist appt. this morning and then ran a few errands. I am happy to report that we did just fine. I fed her a couple times, she had some awake time, and the rest of the morning she has been sleeping. We're hoping that her yesterday fussiness was just yesterday and doesn't continue. So far, she seems pretty content.

Yesterday was also her first trip to Meijer! Big fun! We saw a few familiar people (how can you go to Meijer and not see people you know?!?) who were happy to oohh and aahh all over her.

Sounds like someone needs me, more later...

We're rolling now...

Ahhh... things seem to be clicking along now! The breastfeeding issues that we've been having for the past few days seem to now be behind us. Lila had her first doctor's appointment Monday and it was discovered that she has a very high palate. Because of this, our doctor thinks that's why she wouldn't latch on properly to just me. So, we have been using the shield and we've had the best feedings yet - 3 great ones in a row actually! :) What a great relief this has been for me. No screaming, no crying - just eating! :) Hallelujah!

Other than our appointment, not much else has been going on around here. Here's some more pics to tide you all over... PS- I've been working on a Flickr site so hopefully I can just keep that updated and you can all get your Lila fix! :)

After her first car ride - sleeping peacefully in her car seat. Don't you just love this little hat?!?

Grandpa and Lila watching tv - guess what it was - Golf, of course! :)

This was after her very first sponge bath. I love when she lays all out like that - so relaxed and content.

This has quickly become one of my absolute fav pics of her. She makes eye contact very easily and when she looks right at the camera, that's even better. Bright eyes, happy baby.

We're Home! :)

Saturday around noon we were finally discharged from the hospital. I must say, we had a fantastic experience with Metro Health Hospital - I would highly recommend that place to anyone! :)

Friday was a pretty uneventful day around the hospital. More picture taking, more sitting around. T and my dad came back in the morning. My mom had done a lot of the getting up with Lila in the night, so she was pretty beat. I know she didn't really want to, but she and my dad left in mid-afternoon. Since we were getting discharged sometime the next morning, they weren't coming back. It was great to send so much stuff back to our house with them - making our trip home a lot less cumbersome. We're pretty low-maintenance, as far as medical staff attention goes, so we had very few interruptions that night. We did manage to watch a movie - Get Smart - silly and hysterical. I had to hold my belly during a lot of it since it felt like I was going to burst open whenever I'd laugh.

Saturday was discharge day! :) It was also big snowstorm day. She and I both checked out just fine. In fact the word "perfect" was used to describe our beautiful girl by just about everyone who would check her over. My staples were removed, we received some parting information, and it was time to head home. We had to have the nurse check the car seat, just to make sure we put her in there correctly. I got a wheelchair ride to the entrance and it was away we go!

Wouldn't you know, that the first song that's playing on the radio is some country song about taking your daughter home from the hospital and then how she grows up so fast and that she's only like this for a short time. Here came the waterworks. Hell, I'm bawling now as I type this. So here I am, hyperventilating in the backseat watching my 3 day old sleep peacefully. T went nice and slow all the way home (we saw several slide-offs and one truck rolled over in the ditch). We made it home safe and sound.

The dogs and my parents were all there to greet us and welcome Lila home. The dogs were VERY interested in her. Every time she would make a noise or cry, they'd all come running to see what was the matter. I think they realize that they have a new pack leader! :) She certainly is the one in charge around here!

We have been having some issues breast-feeding. Because of the c-section, my body went into healing mode, instead of mommy mode. Therefore, I was getting in little to no milk. We met with both the lactation consultants while we were in the hospital and both assured me that my milk would eventually come in - it would just take a few days. Therefore, we had to supplement with formula. We used a few methods - straight bottle feeding and using a shield with formula running through a syringe and tube to make her think that what was really formula, was me. Some of those feedings went quite well. Others went horribly wrong. I can definitely see why so many women give up breast-feeding due to the work involved and frustration. When you pump and pump and nothing - not one drop - comes out, it is one of the most defeating things. Also heart-wrenching is watching your newborn scream in hunger and you not be able to provide what she needs when you're supposed to provide it. I did have some milk the day she was born - but that was it. On the day we came home, I had some to give her, but we still were having to supplement with formula. Sunday morning, I pumped to get things going and hello milk! It wasn't a ton, but it came quicker than ever and had more volume than ever. Small victories! :) Only on one feeding did we have to do some formula supplementing - but only a little. The rest was all me - and there was very little crying, screaming, frustration on Lila's part and on my part!! Sunday has been an outstanding day. :)

Saturday night was interesting. We have a small portable crib in our room for her to stay in while she's little and she did not seem to like that very much. Basically, we were up every one to two hours with her. She was either hungry, needed to be changed, or just freaked out at her new surroundings. We decided that tonight we're going to have her sleep in her boppy chair - we think that she needs to be a bit more confined and "tucked in". She was well-swaddled last night, which she usually likes, but it totally made her miserable. We'll see how tonight goes. She loves to sleep in it during the day (we've been trying hard not to always hold her when she sleeps - although what in the world is nicer than a peaceful, sleeping baby in your arms or propped up on your shoulder?). Luckily, my parents were still here, so they were able to watch her in the morning so we could catch a few more zzz's. Until the phone rang, that is. Oh well, hard lesson learned that nap time is turn off phone ringer time.

Today Lila got her first sponge bath. She is now squeaky-clean and smells great! She didn't seem to mind it very much.

My parents have now gone - they were fantastic helping us adjust and get things accomplished around the house so we didn't have to. I know that they can hardly stay away, so they'll be back tomorrow after school to get their "Lila fix" for the day.

Tomorrow we get to call and make Lila's first doctor's appointment. I don't have to go back for 2 weeks to get my incision checked. I'm still pretty sore, but pain meds are fantastic. :)

It's still difficult to comprehend that this child actually belongs to me. I am responsible for her, I created her. How is that possible?!? She's absolutely fantastic and is certainly my new purpose. She's incredible and amazes me every day with all that she can do and all the new things she's already learning. Truly an amazing miracle.

I am going to post 2 pics today. One is Lila's hospital picture. The other is a picture of me at 5 weeks old. You try to tell which is which. This has prompted me to realize that I have given birth to my twin. It's pretty amazing! Although she looks so much like me, she totally has her daddy's feet. When they did her footprints when she was born, they barely fit on the card! I think we've got a tall one here. :)

Oops, it looks like I don't have the files I need to upload the pics. Soon, I promise! :)

More pics

Hospital day 3-

We have come to the realization that hospital staff is on a mission to not let anyone get rest. Last night, I swear someone was walking into our room every 30-60 minutes to do something to either me or Lila. Apparently, there were things that were crucial to everyone's recovery that had to be done at 24 hours after something happened. Considering that we had gotten approx. 1.5 hours of sleep the night before, we were in desperate need of some sleep. Some things that happened in the middle of the night - removal of my IV, removal of my leg compressors, 2 vitals checks for me and Lila, Newborn assessment, removal of my catheter, sharps container emptying, removal of the bandages over my staples, and an escorted trip to the bathroom for me. All of these things happened at different times throughout the night and each time, it seemed like we had just gotten Lila settled down and we had all just gotten to sleep and then BAM - on go all the lights and in come in whoever needed to do whatever. It was very frustrating to say the least.

In good news, I feel about 1000% better today. Yesterday, I stood up once and got so dizzy and sick that it lasted about 10 seconds. Today, I'm totally mobile. I'm still taking pain meds for my incision area, but things are much better than yesterday. T went home tonight to actually get a full night's rest, since when we come home, he's going to have to take care of me and Lila! :) My mom is staying with us tonight.

Lila had a tough morning - I think it had a lot to do with the lack of quality sleep she got due to all our interruptions last night. She was more fussy - but once we got her feedings figured out, she took some great naps and is now back to her lovely, contented self.

Here are some pictures from today. Enjoy! :) We sure have enjoyed her! :)


All pink in the boppy


Mommy and Lila on the computer



Lila and Grandpa

Sweet sleeper

Jim and Dorie came and visited Lila

Happy new family - please notice that I have wet hair, meaning that they finally let me have a shower today! :)

My aunt and uncle came from Portage to meet Lila

Chubby cheeks

Happy Daddy and ducky

The first time I held her while standing up - it sounds like something minor, but after laying in bed for 2 days and massive meds, it was nice!

She's Here!!

I'm very happy to announce that Miss Lila Grace made her entrance on February 18, 2009 at 1:57am. She weighed 9 pounds and 9 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. She had to be delivered by C-section - I'll post the whole birth story soon - I promise. I am very sleep-deprived and medicated, so when my head is a bit clearer, I'll relay the whole sordid tale. In the meantime - here are some pics to tide you over! :)

Holy crap - we're having a c-section! Here we are all dressed and ready to go.


Here I am! The OB said "Wow, this is a BIG BABY!"

The first time the new family was all together


All cleaned up and sleeping

A very happy and proud daddy

She's finally awake!

The valentine outfit our valentine baby is wearing 4 days after Valentine's Day - she has to wear her Newborn sized clothes asap before she grows much more!


Awake and alert - just taking everything in!

Sleeping beauty.

So far, she seems to be a complete angel baby. She fusses when she's wet or hungry and other than that - she's perfectly content. She loves being cuddled and held and we're more than happy to oblige her! We feel very very lucky!

INDUCTION!!

Today is DD plus 2. At my OB appt. this morning, I was still at 2.5 cm. He said we could wait it out for another week or so, but she would just be in there getting bigger. So, our choice was to either wait and see if she comes on her own in the next week, or go in and be induced tomorrow. We quickly agreed that tomorrow was the way to go! :) So, we're scheduled to check in at 8am to get things started. We didn't know what was going to happen at the OB today, so we packed up all our stuff and got it in the truck just in case, so the truck is already packed and ready.

When we left his office, I called my mom and all she could say was "Ok, ok, ok, ok" - I could just hear the wheels turning in her head of what she needed to do and what was going to happen. We told her that they didn't need to be there right away - it should take a while to get things going.

After the OB, we went and stocked up on some bread at one of our fav places - Great Har.vest. Then it was off to the chiropractor for an adjustment and a nice relaxing massage.

We had a nice lunch and then our plan was to go walk around the mall, but I was getting tired from all the excitement of the morning and I thought that maybe I needed to conserve my energy from tomorrow (!) so we came home.

It's so nice to finally have a date - we thought we had a date for the 14th - but now it's a definite date!! :) Hooray!! My next post should be from the hospital! :)

DD plus 1

Due Date plus one day. T pushed my foot buttons for half an hour last night - to no avail, apparently. My mom and I went to GR this afternoon to walk around the mall and a few other stores. I don't move very fast, but we covered a lot of ground. Especially for me - the most physical activity I usually get is walking from my chair to the bathroom or the kitchen. We did pick up a few baby things (shocking, I know!), and a few other deals, but not a whole lot. Tomorrow we have another OB appt. We'll find out how far over he's going to let me know past my due date. I'm also going back to the chiropractor and going to get another massage. Maybe I'll just have her focus on my feet the entire time. We'll see what happens.

Here are some pics we took tonight:

My super-sized feet

T helping to hold up my belly

"Come out and play!"

40 Weeks

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. The biggest part of your baby's body is her head, but her still-pliable skull will give it the flexibility necessary to squeeze through the birth canal. Many parents are surprised by how long and sharp their newborn's nails are from the get-go. Clipping them right away (ask a nurse for help) can prevent your baby from scratching her face.
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My mom has declared that she "can't take it anymore." T will go run errands for an hour and call me 4 times while he's gone just checking in. The phone rings constantly with friends and relatives wondering if anything has happened yet. The day is winding down and it doesn't really look promising for a due date birth. As I type this, there are still 5 hours left to the day, so who really knows.

I hope everyone out there had a lovely Valentine's Day. This is the first VD since T and I have been together that we haven't gone out. I took a nice long nap this afternoon and when I woke up, T had fixed a nice dinner. I don't have much room left, so I just had a little, but it was still yummy and appreciated. This morning I also woke up to my favorite breakfast - Belgian waffles and turkey sausage. It's been a good eating day around our house! I got a mother and child locket after breakfast - very pretty! No pics to put in it yet - hopefully soon.

It feels like she's squirming all over in there. My OB always says that an active baby is a healthy baby. Well, she must be one healthy kid! Seems like she'd be running out of room in there to move. My belly keeps getting tight, but I don't have any pain and there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it.

More updates later...

Dear Baby,

Today is your due date! We're supposed to meet you today - do you not understand what it means to be punctual?! Everyone is very anxious to see you and hold you. We've gotten about 6 phone calls today and about 10 emails wondering how things are going and if anything is happening yet. It's all up to you, Baby! I tried to get my "nesting" instincts going this morning - I dusted the house and cleaned the bathrooms. People tell me that's what happens before you come - we'll see if it works! If anything, we have a nice clean house for you to come home to! Grammy is having weird dreams waiting for you to make your appearance. Please come soon so her mind can rest (although I'm not sure that ever really happens)! Your Aunt Mimi also has the day off on Monday and has been planning for weeks to come and see you on that day - that would make her happy. :) We got some snow today so it feels like winter again around here. We're supposed to get a bunch more snow later next week. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a snow day at school so Mommy's school friends could all come over and play with you?!? But whose choice is it?!? Yours, Baby!! Daddy's going to push my foot buttons tonight and see if that helps. Come on out and meet us, I think you'll like it here!
Love,
Mommy

Still nothing...

Today was just another day around our house - nothing out of the ordinary. I was up most of the night unable to sleep, but I made up for that this morning with a nice long nap. No contractions, no pain, no anything yet. T says he has things pretty well set now at work for him to take a couple weeks off once she finally gets here. YAY!

Tomorrow is her official due date - we'll see what the day brings! :) In some ways I think that it would be cool to have her birthday on Valentine's Day - a perfect present for T and I! But then I think that she'll get gypped out of a holiday - that Valentine's and her birthday will always be combined. I guess it probably always will with her due so close to the 14th anyway, so I should just stop worrying about it. More updates tomorrow...

Magic Buttons

Two days until D-Day (due day). Yes, I did let my massage therapist do her thing to my feet. She showed me what to do so we can do it at home. I have to have T do it since I can't really reach my feet. That will be our project for the weekend if nothing happens soon. Monday is my next appointment day - OB, then another massage/adjustment. Then our plan is to go walk the mall until something happens or I can't walk any farther. We'll see what the weekend brings!

Ho Hum...

It's Wednesday, also known at T-minus 3 days until due date. Last night I thought something might be happening - but I think it was just gas (I won't go into detail). Today, I'm not really feeling any differently than I do every other day. Tomorrow I'm supposed to go get my magic foot buttons pushed and I haven't decided for sure if I want her to try it or not. I may chicken out and try for Monday instead (unless something happens before then). I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the idea that any day now we're going to have a little person here. Also, independent me is having a hard time letting people take me places - my dad is taking me to the chiropractor tomorrow. Apparently I'm incapable of driving myself farther than Ionia. We'll see what tomorrow brings...

Prediction

Well, today is the date that I had in my head that I would have her. For some reason, February 10th seemed to be when I thought she would come. I know that today is not over, but I don't think that it's looking very promising. That's okay - I can hold out a few more days.

2.5!

I just got home from my OB, and I'm now 2.5 cm dilated and my cervix is thinned by half! :) He said she needs to drop some more and then we'll be all set! Heartbeat was 155 today - it's consistently been 150 over the course of the pregnancy. T thinks it's because I had a cookie before I went in! :) We like sugar at our house! Basically, it could be any day, could be her due date, or could be some time next week. Most first time pregnancies go over, so I have another appt for next Monday. Although I am getting my "magic foot buttons" pushed by my massage therapist on Thursday, so we'll see what happens first! :)

One funny thing, though - he walked in and said, "Wow! Look at those feet!" The 2lbs. I gained this week I think went right to my ankles. I had been on my feet more today than normal - usually I just go from the bed to my chair. :) I needed to get some laundry done and the new dish installer was here this morning and I didn't really feel like I could just sit here while he was here - plus I had to move some things around so that he could get to the attic. It's amazing how little it takes for me to do to make the big feet really appear. Strange.

39 Weeks

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
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Well, this sure seems to be the home stretch now! It's been another week of rest, appointments, and more rest. Some days it feels like I'm going to be pregnant forever- some days I can really see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Things I will not miss about being pregnant:
- sciatica
-water retention (cankles the size of Cadillacs and not being able to comfortably wear my wedding ring)
-inability to put on socks by myself
-crazy sore, stretched out belly
-new stretch marks appearing almost daily
-other strange aches and pains that come and go as they please
-the wondering and worrying that everything's okay in there
-constantly researching baby things - diapers, strollers, photographers, breastfeeding, etc.
-fear about impending birth - as in what kind of pain am I in store for? when will this all happen? sometimes these thoughts are almost crippling
-inability to walk very far or up/down many stairs
-taking forever to do anything!
-my brain being mush a lot of the time

Things that I will miss about being pregnant:
-having a great excuse to do - well, nothing and just rest!
-people practically tripping over themselves to help me
-being able to eat just about anything that sounded good to me (which most of the time are cheetos, lots of orange juice, doritos, oranges, spaghetti-ohs, basically things that are orange in color)
- no counting calories, points, or fat grams!
-the random kicks and movements that let me know she's doing well in there
-having her with me all the time so I know she's safe and sound
-being totally entertained for long periods of time just watching my belly pitch, twitch, and bounce around
-having these months to make new connections with T. I think that we've laughed more and talked more in the last year than ever.

As these days progress, I'll try to update as much as possible. :)

Another Appt...

Tuesday I went back to my chiropractor and massage therapist. The sciatica issue is still there, but I think it's a bit better. Well, some days it's better, some days, not so much. I made another appt for next week Thursday because my massage therapist told me there's some technique she can do with my feet that can send me into labor. I call these my "magic foot buttons". So, that would be 2 days before my due date. We'll see what happens!

Quick appt update

I just got home from my OB appt and I'm still only dilated to 1cm and he did say that my cervix is thinning more. Everything is still going along just great - no problems. I asked if he thought we were still on track for the 14th, and he thought close to that - maybe even a little after. I asked him how far he would let me go over and he said no more than a few days to a week, depending on how things are going, but that we would talk more about that next time. I have another appointment in a week! :)

I think that I finally have my bags and everything packed. The DO NOT FORGET list is on the back door so we (hopefully) won't forget things.