1 Week Down

I can't believe that Josephine is a week old already! It probably doesnt seem like it because we were in the hospital for 3 full days. Josephine has had a busy week with many visitors and has enjoyed meeting everyone.

 

 

 

Kyong and Emma brought Bunny slippers!

 

 

my handsome man

 

haha bundled up and ready to go

 

Grandma Betsy came down from NY

So did Great Grandpa Scully

Finally a pic of the 3 of us!

 

Brittani and Schaffer

 

We have also started tummy time

 

and managed to get a walk in

 

1 week old

 

 

 

.

And Baby Makes 5

Well...she's here! Nick and I have waited for so long and Josephine finally made her appearance on Friday, October 5th at 7:24 am....Life as we know it has officially changed and we couldn't be happier.

So most of you know that I was scheduled to be induced last Thursday at 8am. I was really hoping that she would come before that or at least my water would break but no such luck. So on our last day of "freedom" our anniversary, we just hung out, enjoyed each others company and prepared ourselves for the following day. I actually did get a few hours of sleep, but we woke up early the next morning, showered, boarded the dogs and started to head to the hospital.

We were heading down 23 and I got a call from the hospital asking if I was on my way and would I be OK with waiting because they have had a huge surge of women come in that morning and during the evening and they were full! I couldn't believe it. I am a very nervous and anxious person and psyched myself up on the way there only to be let down. I asked the nurse if she thought I would even go in that day and she said, "I hope so". I HOPE SO, what the hell do you mean...I literally started to cry and she said that they had a few c-sections scheduled and will give me a call an hour before we need to be there. As soon as we got back home I went back upstairs to lay down and try to relax. I got a call at 9 saying we needed to be there at 10- no going back now.

Now, I HATE doctors and all things medical. I've never even been in the hospital before (as a patient) so I would say all things considered I did pretty well. Of course we had to do paperwork, check vitals, get an IV going, and set up on the fetal heart monitors. Things didn't really begin until 11:45-12pm. I will spare everyone the gory details, but let me tell you..if your doctor is recommending a induction with a balloon tell her to jump off a bridge because that was the worst thing EVER! The midwife obviously didn't care that I would like to have a working vagina after everything was said and done, I literally thought she was going to rip my insides out. Once the balloon is inserted they started me on a pitocin drip and started to inflate the balloon every hour. I needed to to get at least 4cm and then they said it will fall out.

I did pretty well with this all things considered, but my contractions started right away and were uncomfortable but not unbearable. They said it could take up to 12 hours for the balloon to fall out- I thought they were nuts, I was wrong. I was allowed to eat popsicles, drink water, eat Italian ice and that was it. I don't remember what time it was but I knew my contractions were starting to make me really uncomfortable and I needed to get some rest, so they gave me a shot of Nubian in my drip. I wasn't allowed to get an epidural until the balloon fell out, so this would at least take some of the edge off. Well, let me tell you, it did. I rarely take a Tylenol let alone pain medication so needless to say it completely knocked me out and I felt drunk and slept most of the day. The nurse said I needed to change positions because it will help things "move along" so as soon as I rolled to my right side I threw up all over the place..well not all over the place in the proper container but still. Nick and I would just watch the monitor and see when a contraction was coming and try to get through it.

From this point its kind of a blur...my mom and sister were going to come down and I told them not to bother, this baby isn't coming until tomorrow. Finally at 11:30pm they decided to take the balloon out and see how far along I was- I was 6cm, THANK YOU GOD! I ordered the epidural right away and I was set by midnight. The epidural was interesting, it didn't hurt a bit, and my left leg was completely numb but not my right...I tried laying there, flipping to my sides, but I could still feel the contractions really sharply in my right hip. Granted it wasn't as bad as it would have been, but still.

Every hour after this the nurse would come in and check my cervix and roll me from side to side. Around 3-3:30am I told her that I felt different and pressure in my butt. She said I was at 9 and to let her know if the pressure gets worse. Then at 4am I started to push. I really didn't know what to expect, I just thought, oh I'd be here maybe an hour, hour and a half tops...wrong again. This was definitely the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. Our nurse was amazing, she would tell me when I was pushing well and when I needed to do better. I don't remember what time Dr. Charles came in, maybe 5:30-6am. I thought, sweet must not be too much longer. They kept telling me, I see her head, she has hair, but she just wouldn't come out! Just because you have an epidural doesn't mean you don't feel whats going on down there- you do and its not pleasant. I was so exhausted at this point and I couldn't have done it without Nick. He was with me the whole time, pushing and counting and coaching me along. Half way through I needed supplemental oxygen because I was so tired and having a hard time breathing. FINALLY 3 hours later she decided to come out and meet the world. 8lb 12.6 oz and 21in long! We couldn't believe how big she was!

She is absolutely perfect and beautiful. She has Nicks dark coloring and lips, and my dimples and ears. Of course we'll have to wait a little bit more to see who she really looks like, but shes perfect in every way.

checking in- holy big belly

anxiously waiting

 

her poor head was so misshapen because of

all the pushing

she came out screaming and pooped all over me

 

 

 

one of my meals

 

I told you I'd get my McDonald's!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary! I can't believe its only been 3 years, it feels like much longer. So to celebrate we are just hanging out and waiting for this baby to make her appearance. We went to the doctor this morning and I am almost 3cm dilated, so still scheduled for the induction tomorrow morning unless things change today. Here is a short timeline for our anniversary.

PS- please keep my Dad in your prayers today...he is having back surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Our first photo- Nov 2006

Lovely wedding day- Oct 3, 2009

Cabo- Oct 3rd, 2011

and today Oct 3, 2012. I wasn't going to post this

because I look like hell. I get a pass being 41 weeks

pregnant!

Happy Monday!

40 Weeks!

Wow, can't believe we actually made it to 40 weeks! Nick and I were sure she would make an early appearance, but in the last few weeks it seems that shes been so happy in there, and will come in her own time- stubborn like her father!

I went to the doctor yesterday for my weekly check-up and got some exciting news. I am now 1.5cm dilated and 50% effaced (thinned out). She said that was a huge improvement from where I was a week ago. So this could mean shes on her way this weekend, if not I have an appointment scheduled for next Wednesday and if she's still not here, induction date for Thursday Oct 4th at 8am! I have had a lot more pain in my lower abdomen this week and shooting pains down my legs, so I'm not surprised that I started to dilate. Now it really is a waiting game to see when I will actually go into labor or if I will be induced on Thursday.

Since the beginning Nick and I have always hoped for an October baby, because it's a very special month for us. It's the month of our first date (Oct 18th), when we got married (Oct 3rd), and hopefully when we will have a baby. Even if she comes on the 1st at 12:01am we would be thrilled. (This also means that she would be the oldest in her class).

 

Weeks Along: 40

Size of baby: Jackfruit- about 7.5 lbs and 20 inches

Cravings: Anything sweet and carbs

Stretch Marks: Still don't have any

Sleep:  Not sleeping through the night, I think my body is preparing me for the 3-6am feedings

Movement: She has slowed down a bit which is normal

Symptoms: Swollen ankles and feet- my weight fluctuates 3-4lbs throughout the day

Exercise: Yes, still trying to get a walk in everyday

Favorite Project: Cleaning out our pantry- no really...I got rid of a ton of stuff last week and it felt great

Looking Forward: Getting my body back- not in shape, just having it to myself again!

Am I Ready?: Yes and No. I'll just leave it at that

 

Here are our hospital essentials that are packed and ready to go...

 

 

The sweater and booties are what Keri and I came home in

30 years ago

 

Love our car seat

 

Riley is ready for the Holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update

We went to the hospital today to get an ultrasound and make sure everything was OK. Of course it was pretty uneventful (which is a good thing), bottom line....she is absolutely fine and just happy in her little home and has no intention of leaving anytime soon. Her positioning was perfect, fluid level was normal and her heartbeat was strong. HOWEVER, when the tech took her measurements she thinks shes at 8lbs!!!! I did NOT sign up for that. I really thought she was around 7-7.5 at the most, but I pray that she isn't 8+ lbs.  She definitely knows when the Dr or tech is probing my stomach because she kicks it every time- apparently she doesn't like to be bothered, because when we finally got a good shot of her head, she was blinking, looking at us and happily swallowing and smacking her lips. I had eaten fruit and a banana and chocolate chip muffin before I went so she was a happy camper.

Here are a few pictures from today. It was really hard to see what we were looking at because she is so scrunched in there the tech really had to look at all angles to get a clear picture. Oh yea, and she apparently has hair too!

profile picture- the big white spot is her cheek

and her eye is above the white triangle

her fist

 

and here is a dress that Nick picked out

 

 

Peeing My Pants at Work

OK, I didn't reaaaally pee my pants at work. But a co-worker introduced me to this freaking hilarious blog and I cant stop laughing- it literally made my day. She tells it like it is and is just hysterical so I decided to steal one of her posts and here it is. Her website is  www.pregnantchicken.com

New Dad Survival Guide- 8 Essential Tips

I was going to do a post on what dads should do during delivery but decided that was too difficult because so much depends on the guy. Some men get all silent and queasy whereas others are all up in their lady's junk with a camcorder saying "Honey, I don't know how you're doing this!?".
The only thing I would tell a fella who's about to go in to a delivery room is that your name is no longer your own – it's simply "dad". So you'll hear "Dad, do you want to grab a leg?", "That's right, Dad. Just help with breathing and stop talking." or "Dad, if you think you're going to pussy out and faint, get the hell out of the way and don't look down". However, once you get home the rules become a little more universal so here are just a few tips to help make the first few weeks and months smoother for everyone:

1. If you're going to be late coming home don't wait until the last minute to tell her. Remember when you'd have to do chin ups and you knew you had to do 20? You'd get to 18 and think "I only have two more to go, I can make it" then some asshat comes along and says "Gimme 10 more". How much do you like that guy? Not so much.

2. Come home and get in the house. When you get home this is not the time to chit chat with the neighbour over the fence about how it's gong with the new baby. Assume that it is always Lord of the Rings orc war in the house and get your ass inside to relive the day shift because your wife has probably been walking around with that baby thinking "I only have to hang in there 30 more minutes....29.....28." (see point above).

3. Pretend you like the baby. I know, I know, you like the baby but most new mothers are wired with this demented sense of responsibility so even if their baby is screaming like a rabid howler monkey they don't want to leave it. So if you go in and say something like "take a shower, I've missed him all day and I can't wait to hold him" then take the wailing, purple terror and pretend to love it like a playoff game. In turn, she will be more willing to go bathe, eat or generally reset to be less crazy. It's win-win.

4. Don't ask "What's for Dinner" If everyone in the house is alive when you get home that's a successful day. My friend's husband asked her why dinner wasn't ready because "she'd been sitting at home all day doing nothing". If you ask "What's for dinner?" the answer will be "Your left testicle". Eat cereal, order take-out or drink pumped breastmilk. Your choice.

5. Don't whine about how hard your day was. This is important, Gentlemen. Even if your day consisted of being gang raped by angry silver back gorillas, she can trump you. Not only can she trump you but it may include details that you otherwise wouldn't have known about and don't want to hear. You're tired. You're stressed. But don't open Pandora's box. Also consider that this is someone who is up all night looking at your peaceful, sleeping vulnerable body. Don't give her yet another reason to smother you with a nursing pillow. She's probably already plotted your death a couple of times by now so don't push her over the edge.

6. Don't say you're babysitting. The mother of your child may be too tired to catch this slip but any woman who has had more than 20 minutes of consecutive sleep is going to do a slow, Chucky-head-turn and hiss "You're not babysitting. You're parenting." In your defense, I totally understand this statement. If you're not the primary caregiver and you're stepping in to take care of the baby then you are technically babysitting. Use terms like "Daddy Duty", "On call" and "At the helm" to be on the safe side and if you catch yourself saying "babysitting", quickly guard your nuts.

7. Don't lie on your back and hold the baby above your head facing you. They puke. It's the infant equivalent of the Funny Home Video guy pitching to the kid with the baseball bat and getting squared in the pills. All guys seem to like lying on their backs, hold the baby in the air and fly them over their face. Babies LOVE this and this joy often sends a surge of yak right into your who's-daddy's-airplane-open-mouth. They give no warning. They are vomit grenades.

8. Be CIA guy. Too often I think Fathers get shoved to the side and it's all about the baby, and to a lesser extend, the mom. Love the shadows, my friend. Be a gazelle in the grassland and don't draw attention to yourself because you're in the trenches and there's no glory in the trenches. Be like those awesome CIA guys with the silly putty in their ear who silently, seamlessly get the odd glass of water before it's asked for, load the dishwasher and do those slow motion body blocks when your dirty cousin with the cold sores tries to stick her finger in the baby's mouth. Your work will go unnoticed at first but when the dust settles you'll be revered and adored.

Your job at this time is really important. You're the voice of reason, the pillar of strength and the cavalry wrapped in to one. You need to be there for your spouse because she's probably like Newt when Ripley first finds her in Aliens – terrified, tired, dirty and overwhelmed and the worst time is mostly at night. Mostly.

It takes a great guy to step up and dig in during those first few months, but a guy who says "I'll be home early, I'm bringing dinner and I want to take the baby for a walk as soon as I get home", now that's a fucking man.

39 Weeks

OK, so I wasn't going to post anything until I was 40 weeks, but then I thought- what if I don't make it to 40?? And then all of my fantastic readers would miss out on the last 3 weeks! So this what we know right now and what has been going on.

Baby Sarli is still a very active girl and apparently likes her home so much that she has decided to stay there for the time being. All of my appointments have gone well. Heartbeat is strong, seems to be in position, has dropped a bit, weight gain under control (thanks to a two pound weight loss!), baby is around 6-6.5 pounds (she said I'm on the petite side)....BUT not dilated at all.

Nick and I saw Dr. Charles today and she said that I have improved a little bit but I'm still not even 1cm dilated, so at this point she had me schedule a ultrasound for next week to check my fluid level, weight and position of the baby. She said its totally routine for this to happen with first time moms and its nothing to be concerned about. However when we were scheduling the appointment we had a few people tell us that the same exact thing happened to them and they ended up delivering that very weekend! So you never know what could happen. As Nick likes to say, "she needs to come out of jail."

The one thing that has been nice and welcoming is the change in weather. We have had our air off for the last week and its been so nice not to be so swollen and sweaty all the time. My feet get really swollen at the end of the day and especially after I take Simba for a walk. I did have cankles (gross) and of course Nick had to get the last word in...he said, " I didn't realize those were your feet, I thought they were ham hocks" nice, real nice. :)

The only other thing I have been doing lately is making meals and freezing them and dreaming of what I am going to eat my first week as a free woman. On the menu I have... McDonald's #2 breakfast with an OJ immediately following birth (depending on the time of course), sushi ( any and all kinds), Penn Station Italian sub with french fries, tuna noodle (frozen and ready to go), potato soup (frozen and ready to go), dad's chili, and I plan on making crock pot chicken and dumplings this weekend and freezing that as well. I know what you're thinking... this isn't the most healthy meal plan, but lay off me...I'm starving and just want these things have I have been deprived of the last 9 months, OK!

Weeks Along: 39

Size of baby: Watermelon- about 6.5 lbs and 20 inches

Cravings: Anything sweet and cheesy

Stretch Marks: Still don't have any

Sleep: Eh, sleeping OK. I wake up multiple times through the night to go to the bathroom

Movement: Still crazy and moving around a lot

Symptoms: Swollen ankles and feet

Exercise: Yes, still trying to get a walk in everyday

Favorite Project: Catching up on my reading

Looking Forward: Seeing her for the first time, not having to work for 3 months, and fall tv

Am I Ready?: Yes and No. I am not uncomfortable at this point...unless she is kicking me (or rather headbutting me) and it feels like my bladder is going to come flying out of my body...that's no fun

 

This and That...

We haven't been too busy as of lately, just biding our time until her arrival. As you can see the dogs haven't been doing much either-these photos were taken after a day in Mansfield. They were absolutely pooped and immediately jumped into our NEW bed and made themselves comfortable. Nick and I concluded that Riley got into the pillows because she doesn't like our new firm mattress- haha. Oh yea, and Simba likes to watch Nick leave every morning- who's that doggy in the window...

 

Also we have put together a few other baby items this weekend.

 

Bunny Bun- which I'm sure will be a favorite of hers

And I stocked the diaper caddy from Aunt Jessica with all

the essentials- diapers, wipes, boogie wipes, desitin, burp cloth,

and hand sanitizer

9 Months!!!

OK, so we made it!! I can't believe that I am in the home stretch and very soon we will get to meet our little Miss Sarli. It seems like we just found out we were expecting ( waaaay back in January) and this entire year has flown by. I am starting to get antsy and just waiting for my water to break or contractions to start, but I'm not ready yet- I hope she comes closer to her due date- but when she's ready, she's ready. She's pretty bossy, so I know she will come on her terms.

Last weekend Nick and I finished up most of our little projects. We (he) assembled the bassinet, installed the car seat, put up the mobile, packed some things in my hospital bag, and hung some of Keri's poofs in her room! The only thing I really have left to do is to make some meals and freeze them for our first week home. We also had a baby care basics class last weekend ( they went over diapering, bathing, cord care, calming techniques, etc...) so, like I said to Nick...shit is about to get real! hahah. We will absolutely keep everyone updated when we head to the hospital!

                 

Weeks Along: 36

Size of baby: Honeydew Melon- about 6 lbs and 19 in

Cravings: Anything sweet

Stretch Marks: Still don't have any

Sleep: Eh, I am definitely getting up every night to pee and moving from side to side is proving more difficult. We just got a new bed so hopefully that helps

Movement: She hasn't run out of room yet- still very active

Symptoms: My fingers, toes and ankles swell throughout the day- no more wedding ring

Exercise: Yes, still trying to get a walk in everyday- I don't want to blow up this last month!

Favorite Project: Filling out her baby book

Looking Forward: to wearing regular clothes again and having a waistline

Am I Ready?: Yes and No. I am ready to meet her, but not ready to go through the birthing process. We are hoping she has an October birthday..but I honestly don't know if I can wait another month.