mom_da_bomb_14's Xanga

It's a boy!

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:16:43 GMT

We had a beautiful baby boy at 8:58 am on July 26th! He weighed 9 lbs and measured 19 3/4 inches long. I have no idea how he fit inside me!

It was a very exciting birth - mostly because I was scheduled for a c-section a full week later on August 1st. However, I woke up at 3am on 7/26 with contractions. I just lay in bed half asleep in denial for almost three hours. I was convinced it was false labor since my due date was not until 8/6. However, around 5:30 am a couple other things happened (I'll spare you the gross details) that made me realize it was real labor. I called the doctor who said to drink 4 glasses of water and then come to the hospital to get checked. Then I woke up my poor husband who almost had a heart attack when I said, "Get. Up. I. Am. In. Labor." He looked at me like he didn't know what the word "labor" meant.

By 6:30am, we were at the Birth Center and my mom was home with our other 2 kids. The nurse was slowly hooking me up to monitors and chatting away between my contractions. On a happy note, we went to high school together and I vaguely remember as a fellow band geek - so it was a lot of fun when she had to give me an internal exam. Especially when her eyes shot open wide and she said "Oh YEAH - you're having this baby today!" I was already at 5 centimeters.

This was right about the time I started to pretend I was on an episode of ER. Nurses and doctors were rushing in talking about "calling in another team" and "postponing another surgery" and "this is her 3rd c-section, we've got to roll". It was a Saturday morning, so apparently there wasn't enough surgical staff at the hospital so they paged a whole team. They gave me a shot of muscle relaxers to stop the contractions because they said it would take a while to get the OR ready. Then 10 minutes later, the doctor comes back in and says "No, we are doing this now. We can't risk her getting to 10 cm." They ended up making the poor guy who needed an appendectomy wait.

I was vacillating between total excitement and immense fear. We had no name! We didn't know where our infant car seat was! Who will take care of our kids for the next 4 days!?? We had no name! My fellow band geek is helping me strip down and get into a Johnny! We had no name! I AM NOT READY FOR THIS!!!!

To make a long story short, the c-section was kind of grueling because I had built up so much scar tissue from my previous 2 c-sections. I could hear the doctor doing a lot of grunting and groaning as she tried to pull the baby out. It took a long time. Oh, and did I mention that Band Geek Nurse accompanied us to the OR as did my neighbor who happens to be a midwife? It was surreal. Anyway, they had to make some extra cuts in my uterus to get the baby out because he was so big and there was so much scar tissue. The good news is that he was born safely and is perfectly healthy. The bad news is that I can't have any more kids because of it.

They finally pulled the baby out and somebody yelled, "IT'S A BOY!" This was another total shock to me. I was convinced I had a girl in there. When they wrapped him up and my husband brought him around the curtain for me to see, I just stared at him. Here was a boy...a week early. It really threw me for a loop. I was expecting a girl on August 1st.

But who cares!???!! He's beautiful and perfect and very healthy.

In postpartum news: a Juicy Juice commercial just made me cry!

Milk and babies

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:31:13 GMT

Well, it happened today! One of the major milestones of pregnancy that I think I invented: The Day You See Milk That Will Expire After Your Baby is Born.

I don't know why, but I always get a little freaked out/excited in the dairy aisle whenever I go to pull a gallon of milk of the shelf and notice that the milk's expiration date is AFTER my due date. For me, it's the one thing that makes the impending delivery seem real.

So.....now I guess we have to get serious about picking some names. Any suggestions? We truly don't have any ideas and we need one for a boy or a girl since we don't know what we are having.

Ode to Pregnancy

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:54:16 GMT

Ohhhh Pregnancy....I hate you.

Just when I was cursing you out (you know the swollen ankles, morning sickness, mood swings, smell aversions, kicks to the kidneys, ribs & bladder, varicosities, big fat sweaty belly part of you) and wishing you to be over, a new feeling washed over me in a wave of hormones that only another pregnant woman can appreciate:

Pregnancy....I LOOOOOOVE you!

Don't go away in 16 days! Don't leave me forever! (we've decided to not have any more kids after this) I love to rub my big belly. I love to exchange knowing smiles with other women as I struggle to fit down the grocery aisle. I love the smiles and excitement and congratulations that people extend to me when they see this 9 month belly hanging out. I love feeling life inside of me. I love taking a trip up to the buffet table for seconds without feeling like everyone in the room thinks I'm a pig! I even love commiserating with other women about the bad pregnancy stuff. I CANNOT believe I only have 16 more days to enjoy this. I haven't been paying attention!!!!

All joking aside, it does make me really sad that I won't ever be pregnant again. Even though I know in my heart of hearts I don't want any more kids. Pregnancy is just so miraculous and special. It really is an amazing ride.

We'll see what the hormones bring tomorrow!

I'm too busy to have a baby

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:37:41 GMT

Today my mom suggested that I make a calendar for the kids so they can cross out the days until the baby comes as a way to help them prepare for this big change in their life. That's when I realized that my scheduled c-section is only 17 days away. AGGGHHHH!

I need to make one of these calendars for myself! I'm in total denial that we are about to have a baby. We have no names picked ou, nothing is unpacked, the infant carseat is (hopefully) somewhere in the back of the garage I think, and I have a to-do list a mile long.

Now here comes my big long whine....and I know it is mostly the hormones talking....

I'm too busy to have a baby right now! I'm having too much fun this summer with Delaney and David doing all the summer kid stuff: beach, playgrounds, pool parties, berry picking, ice cream cones, visiting friends, playing in the sandbox, sidewalk chalk, etc. I remember feeling this way when I was 8 months pregnant with David. I was weepy all the time because I would not ever have any more one-on-one time with Delaney. This time, I know a newborn and c-section recovery will bring our summer to a grinding halt. Then in September, Delaney starts preschool and David is most likely starting his pre-school program (for his speech delay) in November when he turns 3. It hit me today that these are my last 17 days of being a free SAHM with no set plans or place to be. I love waking up in the morning and deciding what to do for the day based on how the kids and I are feeling. If we want to go to the beach - we can. If we want to stay home in our jammies until 11am - we can.

I need to stand in front of a mirror, stare at my huge belly and say over and over, "You are having a baby in 17 days. You are having a baby in 17 days. You are having a baby in 17 days. You are having a baby in 17 days. You are having a baby in 17 days." Maybe that will get it through my head.

Does anyone else with multiple kids ever feel this way?

Birth plans

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:04:33 GMT

I liked Nurse Jenna's post about Birth Plan vs. Birth Wish. I didn't type up a birth plan for Delaney's birth because I kind of thought it might be a lot like planning a wedding (which I HATED). With a wedding - the more you plan, the more things can go awry. It's the same with a birth. The more of a set idea you have in your head of how the birth will go, the more chances you have to be disappointed.

With a wedding, no matter what goes wrong, you will still end up married at the end of the day. And with your child's birth, your midwife/doctor will do whatever it takes to get your baby born in the safest, healthiest way possible.

And isn't that the whole point?

Where were you one year ago today?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:02:07 GMT

Getting married! Oh wait, no that was 7 years ago today.

One year ago today...hmmmm....right where I am now, just with no pregnant belly.

On a funny note, my husband and I were talking about how today is our anniversary as I waddled around the kitchen and both kids were whining about breakfast. I asked him, "On the morning of our wedding, if someone gave you a picture of me with this huge belly and our two kids (I point to them as they whine and wail and the dirty kitchen) and told you that this would be your life in 7 years would you still have met me down the aisle?"

He PAUSED for a while and then kind of giggled and said, "I don't know...."

I punched him in the shoulder and then we gave eachother a Happy Anniversary hug and kiss. We're twisted.

I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

I love June.

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:49:58 GMT

We had such a great summer day today. I took the kids strawberry picking in the morning and the strawberries were perfect! I swear that nothing on Earth tastes as good as a fresh strawberry that is all warm from sitting in the sun. Both kids had a blast, running around with juice running down their chins.

Then we went out for ice cream with Dad after dinner. Life doesn't get much better than that.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:01:40 GMT

Even though this is my third pregnancy, I still signed up for the weekly fetus updates from Babycenter. In case you are unfamiliar, it's a little synopsis of what is going on in the womb at each week of pregnancy (how big the baby is, what is forming, etc.) I love them, I'm absolutely addicted!

When I was pregnant with my first, I scanned my email inbox every day hoping that another week had gone by and I had "earned" an update. I read everything twice and then thought about it all day long. I loved thinking things like, "Well, of course I'm tired today - I'm making the baby's liver!"

Now, as Baby #3 is growing inside me, I'm completely distracted at all times by my other two kids, husband, life in general. I rarely get to focus on my pregnancy (or myself for that matter! ) So now the weekly emails give me a 30 second chance to think about Baby #3. And to marvel that he/she already has fingernails!!??!

Shyness

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:56:51 GMT

My kids are shy, especially my 4 year-old daughter. In new situations, she likes to take a while to observe things before jumping in to talk to someone new or participate in the activity. I never really thought much about it since I was shy as a kid too. And I think I turned out ok!

But recently, I've run into several people along the way who think shyness is something that needs to be addressed in occupational/speech therapy. They ask if I've discussed her shyness with a pediatrician. They ask if I'm worried. Or they are offended when my daughter doesn't instantly say "hi" and give them a hug.

Seriously??? People get offended when a 4 year-old won't say "hi"? IT'S A FOUR YEAR-OLD! Someone even suggested I make a sticker chart to reward her for saying "hi" to new people.

It just interests me. I grew up in a family where a bunch of the members were shy. I thought shyness was pretty common in kids. But recently, I've been hearing more and more negative comments about it and people trying to suggest ways to "fix it".

Are your kids shy?

Time to book my next Spa stay

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:04:59 GMT

I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant with baby #3 and I caught myself daydreaming the other day about my upcoming 4 days in the hospital. Ahhhh, a nurse who'll come at the call of a button, food that just shows up at each meal time (and actually tastes pretty good!), no dishes or cleaning, cable tv. I even get to have a massage! And oh yeah - a cute newborn to snuggle with! I mentioned my daydreaming episode to my husband and he just laughed and said, "It's like you think of that birth center as a spa or something."

The weird thing is is that I do, I really do. I can't wait to go back!

It's the happiest place in the world - full of brand new little babies and HOPE. Yeah, yeah, every once in a while you hear a woman screaming in pain, but for the most part everyone is in a really good mood, floating around on that post partum high. Smiling at the other new parents and grandparents in the hallway. And you can have all the gingerale and painkillers you want.

Trust me, I've done this c-section thang two times before. I'm not forgetting the horrendous pain, those weird leg braces you have to wear that pulse the blood through your legs the first night, the horror of looking down to see honest-to-goodness STAPLES on your stomach, or getting woken up every 2 hours so the nurse can take your vitals. And, I'm not one of those moms who instantly had "mothering instincts" and was all blissed out. I had trouble nursing, post partum blues, etc. But I still love the Birth Center.

Maybe I'm seeing it all through percoset-tinged glasses, but I like all that horror and trauma. You have a beautiful new baby for crying out loud - this is such a life changing event...It should be a little dramatic and painful.

I don't understand the woman who give birth and ask to go home like 10 hours later. I was locking my door to avoid the discharge nurse. I even called my insurance company to try to get another day's stay out of them.

Did anyone else love their maternity hospital stay?