1 Month

Dear Elle,

I can't even put into words how my life has changed over the past month... it's unreal! I look at you and I still can't believe you are ours! It's so much fun to watch you grow and start to become more animated and alert, I can't get over how much you have changed. You have been such a good baby from the start, we couldn't have asked for more. You rarely fuss except when I can't feed you quick enough, I am in love with bath time, your little dimple is just too cute and if things keep up with your hair you will be in pigtails in no time! I am already starting to get depressed knowing I have to go back to work... even if it is only for two weeks. I don't want to leave you! You have your 1 month appointment with the doctor on Monday and I am just dying to see how much you've grown! You've already graduated to size 1 diapers and all of your Gerber newborn sized onesies are out of commission as well! Everyone says time goes by even faster after you have children. I tried to mentally prepare for that but I don't even know where the last month has gone. We love you so much and can't even remember what life was like before you.

Thank you for being our Sunshine.

All our love,

Mommy and Daddy

Come one, come all!

Our house has been full of visitors since the day we got home from the hospital. My mom was here and what a blessing that was. She stayed at a hotel close by and brought lunch or dinner every day, did our grocery shopping, cooked and helped with cleaning and some laundry. My friends were in and out and a HUGE help bringing dinners by after my mom left town. Jason's parents were in town shortly after and we had a nice visit with them too. Things are just now settling down for us and we are starting to work ourselves into somewhat of a routine. We are really lucky though... Elle is just a dollface and she is SUCH a good baby. She sleeps just about anywhere we put her and she only cries when she wants food.

It's been so nice the past few days to just be a family. I love being a family!

The Day My Life Changed... Forever!

At about 12:30am on Thursday July 24th, 2008 I woke up thinking something was going on. I woke up again at 1:30am, had a small amount of spotting and KNEW something was going to happen. By 3:30am I was up for the day and timing contractions. I knew these were different than the ones I'd had previously and that today was going to be the day. After a little over an our of them being at 10 min apart consistently I decided I should get some rest now if I could. I went back and laid down and did my best to sleep between them. By the time 5:30 rolled around I felt Jason roll over and I let him know he'd be missing work that day.

It seemed like all of a sudden my contractions jumped to 7 min. apart... then to 6 which was when I started getting ready to go to the hospital and by the time we got there they were a steady 5 min apart. We parked and and I waddled into Triage where I was checked and monitored for an hour. When she did my exam I was at 3 centimeters dilated and, it felt like it was happening REALLY fast. After the hour was over she checked me again and wanted me to walk for an hour. At this point I was 4 1/2 centimeters dilated and couldn't get out of bed, let alone walk. The nurse called Janice and next thing I know I am waiting for a nurse to take me to my labor and delivery room.

My IV was started downstairs and by the time I got up to my room the nice anesthesiologist man was walking in the door to give me my epidural. Next thing I know I am leaning over on Jason and having my epidural placed. Dr. Frank was fabulous. Just a few minutes later my mom is coming in the room and we are just waiting. Jason decided to run home and get a few things while we were waiting.

Janice came in shortly after Jason left to check me and I am at 7 centimeters. They were thinking about breaking my water but Elle was face up and they wanted to see if she would flip over first. Two minutes after Janice left I look at my mom and say "Welp, my water just broke." The nurse came in and checked me... sure enough! Water was broken.

They decided to have me labor in a couple of different positions to see if Elle would move on her own. Thanks to Dr. Frank I was able to be on my hands and knees unsupported which is what we think helped Elle to turn over.

At some point during all this madness, Katie arrives. She was out of town and called me from the airport to let me know she was on her way. I was really thankful to have her there and glad she didn't miss it!

After a couple of hours the nurse comes in to check me. Next thing I know she is telling me it's time to call Janice and let her know we are ready.

It felt like a dream. It still feels like a dream.

She had me do some pushing before Janice arrived and I had little progress. Once Janice got there I think I felt a little more at ease and I was able to start making significant progress while pushing. I remember Janice telling Jason and my mom to look at the baby's head and I remember Jason touching her head and talking to her. There were lots of encouraging words and I am so happy that everyone I wanted to be there was. I also remember that it was SO hard to keep going but I knew I had to. 30 min later my baby girl was being placed on my tummy and we are cleaning her off. She didn't even cry. She sat there and looked at me and held my finger while I toweled her off.

After about 5 min or so they took her away to the warming table so the nurse could have a look at her. They practically had to make her cry. Her Apgar scores were 9/9 a healthy baby and we couldn't ask for more. She was weighed in at 8lbs 7oz and 21 inches long and her time of birth was 6:24pm.

The next thing I know, I am trembling. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably. It took Janice a good 20 min to fix me up after I delivered the placenta (which I got to look at and it was just as cool as I thought it would be!). So back to this shaking... my body felt like it wasn't my own any more. This is one of those things that no one tells you about when you ask them about their experience giving birth. I didn't know to expect it but I do know it started to go away when I looked over and saw Jason holding our baby girl and she was just so content looking at him.

My mom left at some point to go get us dinner. I was STARVING. While she was out the nurse helped me to the bathroom and gave me recovery instructions which included giant diaper looking things and mesh underwear... just when you thought you couldn't feel any sexier!

The nurse gave Elle her first bath with Jason and just when they finished my mom came back with food and I started to feel human again. Then it was time to be wheeled up to our recovery room and be parents for our first night ever.

We have truly been blessed with an amazing daughter. She is so calm and patient and is nothing short of content as long as she can eat and sleep. We are in love with her and even more in love with each other. I can't imagine life any other way.

The 39 Week Update

Monday I had my 39 week appointment (at 39w3d)... SOME progress but I expected more after having contractions since Thursday. I am 1.5cm dilated, 80-90% effaced and the baby is about the same station, -2. I go back again on Friday for my 40 week visit where I will be monitored for a while... then again on Tuesday for more monitoring and an ultrasound if I am still pregnant. The following Friday we will have to start talking about serving an eviction notice, which I am not fond of. I wanted as little intervention as possible BUT Brittani offered to strip my membranes if I was at 2cm or more, I considered but I didn't "qualify". I guess I really just don't want anything to do with Pitocin, needing an IV and being STUCK in a bed. Blah! Hopefully it won't come to that though.

38W 3D

Had my appointment with Janice and Brittani yesterday. Things are moving along... I am still 1cm dilated but there were other changes! I am 70% effaced and "much softer" acording to Brittani and she has also moved down to -2 station from -3 last week. Things are moving right along and of course anything can happen at any time. There is a full moon coming... We will see what that brings! Not much else to report!

Officially Next

Thats right... of the 4 girls that were pregnant ahead of me... I am officially NEXT. TWO babies were born this weekend... Abigail was born on Sunday afternoon and Little Elias was born bright and early this morning. Moms and babies are all doing well but they have left me in freak out mode! ACK! The next girl in line is 2 weeks and some odd days behind me but is looking at a possible induction or scheduled c-section so if I go late she may deliver before me. I have an OB appt today so I will be back to update any progress or news but I just can't fucking believe that I am next. I've felt ready for this up until now! ACK ACK ACK!!!

Whistle while you work...

Well, I would if I could whistle but I have been working ALL DAMN DAY. I've cleaned the kitchen, organized the pots and pans, swept/swiffered/mopped, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the kitchen table, windexed the glass table, cleaned the bathrooms, washed the cushion for the papasan chair and random other little tasks. I am finally sitting down to relax for a bit and sending the hubs out for a well deserved slurpee. I didn't know I had it in me... especially since I didn't even get to sleep in on my first day off! I decided I wanted to clean as much as I could today so I could spend more of my time relaxing while I can. It feels good to get a lot of this stuff done. It's been bugging me for weeks and I feel like I finally have the time to work on it. I've decided to leave the office as the hubs' responsibility. I think my back might fall off if I tried to tackle another room. I just hope it stays this way until our little Elle arrives!