Updates

Disclaimer: I am writing this Wednesday night, so hopefully by the time you are reading this I've had a baby. But let's not get too crazy that this might actually happen. {grin}

• I am 41 weeks pregnant. That's a tie with Drew for longest pregnancy. I am mostly doing okay - nights are hard because I have trouble sleeping. I feel as good as you could hope at this point and am trying to focus on enjoying my last days of my last pregnancy. I'm also enjoying a lot of chocolate. {grin}
• The plan at this point is I will go to the doctor on Friday for an ultrasound. If everything is fine, I will go again Monday for a non-stress test and amniotic fluid index. If everything is fine, I would wait until 42 weeks {12/22} and be induced. So at most I have 1 more week. Seems a looooong way away, ha.
• The upside is Allison and I plan to see La La Land Thursday night when it opens in Austin. If we make it, that would be 6 potential Oscar Best Picture nominees we'd have seen together {Sully, Arrival, Moonlight, Loving, and Manchester By the Sea as the others} and 1 Brent and I rented {Hell or High Water - very good!}. Only a few left to check off with Smoochie in tow!
• The nursery is complete except for a few things that require knowledge of the gender and us having chosen a name {which we have discussed exactly 0 times}. So I want to share it when it's totally done. However, I wanted to brag on my really talented sister. She made 6 signs for the nursery that all have song lyrics I {or we} have sung to our children. Some are also songs that our mom sang to us. I love having these on the wall. So here's my favorite sign and one of my favorite songs {Moonshadow by Cat Stephens}. Isn't it perfect?

• I've been on a motivational kick you could say to gear up for another natural childbirth experience. I'm super excited but nervous {like did I rock Drew's delivery because it was so fast and if this one is long will I lose it? type thoughts}. And there's no room in here for self-doubt! I watched a documentary called Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives. Holy crunchiness. I love Ina May and have several of her books, and this was a great documentary...but man did it show a lot of births. Definitely more than I wanted to see at least!!
• I am trying a ton of natural induction methods - think raspberry leaf tea, walking, jasmine essential oil, evening primrose oil, prenatal massage... I think I've mainly just wasted some time and money because it is a FACT that my babies like it inside!

So that's a quick peak into what is going on around here. Hopefully a birth announcement is just around the corner!

Looking Forward by Looking Back...2013 Rewind

2013 was overall a great year, but it certainly has its ups and downs! As I've looked back a little at my blog posts from this year {as sporadic as they were at times}, I am overcome by feelings of gratitude for everything I have and how blessed I feel. I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store!

Best Book

By far, this award goes to Outlander. I am pretty much obsessed with this series. If we are friends on Facebook, I am constantly sharing info from the making of the show.

I am currently in book 6, and when I count up the pages I've read of this series...I'm closing in on close to 5,000 pages. #bookworm

Best Movie

To be fair, I didn't see many movies in 2013 {and have 1 still to officially review}, but for me, it was Catching Fire.

These movies are SO GOOD! Especially when you consider the other YA alternatives {*cough* Twilight I'm talking to you  *cough*}.

Best TV Show

We have to go way back for this one...Downton Abbey of course! And it comes back on Sunday! SQUEEEEE! Although season 3 was full of loss, so I really hope season 4 isn't quite so depressing.

Best Experience

I think we would all say 'duh' on this one. By far, the highlight of the year was welcoming Drew Kathleen into our family. I have spent a lot of time this week reflecting on this time last year and how amazing life is with her in our family. I am also damn proud of myself for rocking my natural birth! {Story is HERE and HERE}.

Worst Experience

Another 'duh' moment. Every.second.of.Trent's.illness.

Runners up: Thrush and the return of post-partum, ha!

Favorite Family Picture

From Drew's baptism {which also ranks high on best moments}

I also love this picture, but B was hunting so it can't really be a true favorite since my favorite guy is missing. But I just love how much I get to be with my peeps. And T's pose in this one kills me.

Best Teary-Eyed Moment

This little girl asked me to be her Godmother!

Kristen and I have always had a special bond, and I am beyond honored to be Beau's Godmother and have such an amazing friend be Godmother to my children. [waterworks...]

Bring it on 2014!

Drew's Birth Story - Part 2

In case you missed it, Part 1 is HERE.

Where we left off, Brent had just pulled up to the hospital. He dropped me off at the entrance and went to park. Walking into the hospital was horrible. I read a sign that said 'Active labor - 2nd floor'. The lady at the information desk pointed me in the direction of the elevators and up I went. I had a contraction in the elevator and am so thankful no one was there when the door opened as I was leaning on the wall and moaning. Ha! I heard Brent come in downstairs and ask about me. The woman at information asked 'Was she wearing purple?' Yup, that was me! She pointed Brent upstairs and I shouted 'Hey' at him from the balcony. I didn't wait for him though - I went into L&D without him and figured he'd find me. I needed a room NOW!

Brent met me in L&D and a nurse got assigned to take us to a room. She asked if I wanted a wheelchair. The thought of sitting down again was absolutely awful. We got to our room, and I got changed into a gown and gave the nurse my birth plan. It was now 12:00 PM. The nurse mentioned her shift being over at 1:00 and a new nurse would be assigned to take us through delivery. Little did she know...

Just a few minutes later, doula Cary arrived. I started laboring on my hands and knees on the couch, and she began coaching me through each contraction. It was wonderful. Her voice was so calming, and she really helped keep me focused on my breathing through each pain.

A few minutes after that, Liane {midwife} made it! She came over and helped Cary get me through a contraction. I will forever love both of these women. Liane told me I needed to be checked, and I know it sounded awful, but I had to lay on the bed. Here was the moment of truth. Would I be a 2 and want to die? Honestly, the 2 minutes I was on the bed were the worst of the whole day. I had 1 contraction on my back and could barely handle it. Cary and Liane kept me together, and then Liane checked me. The way it felt, I knew she was going to say 2. She said '8 cm, 80% effaced, water bag bulging.' Holy sh*t!! Looking back, this is probably why the truck ride was so bad - I was probably going through transition.

Brent said at this point the room jumped into motion. Liane got really serious. People started swarming in, Liane got herself suited up, and I began laboring on the side of the bed. They also tried to get an IV in for antibiotics from Group B Strep, but I accidentally knocked it out during pushing. Oops! I was standing leaning on the birth ball which was on the bed. Cary and Liane kept coaching me through each contraction, and Liane said I had already been through the worst and it wouldn't hurt anymore than it already did. Those were magic words.

Liane then started discussing my water. Given Baby Gurl was 41 weeks, it was highly likely there would be meconium in my water, and if that was the case, we would not be able to delay cord clamping because we would need to get her suctioned immediately. Liane must have a 6th sense because on my next contraction, my water broke and, sure enough, there was meconium in it. 

Liane told me to let her know when I felt like I needed to push. The next contraction I started to feel the urge to push, so I climbed up onto the bed and leaned over the back of it (it was elevated) and began pushing when the urge hit. These contractions didn't hurt anymore, but the feelings were so intense. That's the only way I can think to describe them. It was overwhelming how my body took over and just made me push.

I started to lose control a little and was saying 'I can't, I can't' over and over again. Cary kept encouraging me that I could and I was. She said every time 'She is almost here. You are right there.' Brent told me {I didn't hear this or don't remember} that Liane told me to stop talking and use that energy to push. Ha. Brent said he almost got in my face at that point to pep talk me, but I got myself back under control.

At this point, Liane wanted me to turn onto my side to push to give Baby Gurl more room to come out. It took me a little bit of time to move into that position, but once I did, I looked down and half of her head was out! On the next contraction, I pushed with everything I had and out popped her head! Liane then worked her body out and she was here!!!! The time was 1:02, 1 hour after we got to the hospital.

She came out screaming which was awesome because that meant she didn't have to be suctioned and we could delay clamping her cord. Happy mama!

Wow! What a day!

We did not expect labor to go that quickly, but I'm so thankful I was able to labor at home some and wasn't at the hospital very long. We had an amazing team, Brent thought Liane did a great job too (he doesn't give out praise often).

We pretty much got our ideal birth and have a healthy, beautiful baby girl. We are beyond blessed.

Drew's Birth Story - Part 1

The plan was that if Baby Gurl wasn't here by 1/2/13, I would go back to work and life would resume from the holidays as 'normal' until she did arrive. So my in-laws kept Trent Tuesday night (1/1/13) since he always stays with them on Wednesdays. Brent took him over there, got a hamburger with some friends and came home. We talked about the plan for the next day - we wanted to go see Brent's best friend who had had a baby on 12/27, eat lunch together, run some errands and then have our appointment with the OB at 3:00 PM.

Wednesday morning I woke up a little before 7:00 and willed myself to go back to sleep. I dozed for a bit and then felt something. Hmmm... I looked at the clock - 7:24 AM. I tried to doze some more and felt another something. I proceeded to feel little surges every 5-10 minutes. They weren't painful but they were definitely something. I decided I'd give them at least an hour before I woke up Brent to make sure there was consistency. I mean, at 41 weeks pregnant, it has to be labor, right? I was sure hoping so but didn't want to get too excited. I got something to eat and sat down to read and watch the time. The surges continued.

At 9:00, I went and told Brent what was happening. At 9:30, I asked him if I should call the OB and doula group. We decided it couldn't hurt since I was still contracting less than 10 minutes apart. Things still were not painful at this point...but they were definitely there. I also texted a few girlfriends to say we might be in labor! That was fun.

At the OB's office, Liane {midwife} recommended I go ahead and go to the hospital since I did test positive for GBS. I was a little surprised by that because the OB {Dr. C} had said originally that I could still labor at home for awhile even with a positive test result. I called the doula group and Cary was the doula of the day. She agreed I could probably labor at home for a little bit since I was still feeling okay, could talk through my contractions and WANTED to be at home. She said she could meet us at home or at the hospital, just to let her know. I also talked to my mom, my MIL and my sister. Everyone was very excited!

I decided to get in the tub for a bit and I started timing my contractions with an app. I wanted to see if they were closer together like I thought or if it was my imagination/hope. I filled the tub up super full and climbed in. 2 contractions later I was OUT. I did NOT enjoy those contractions in the tub and just couldn't get comfortable. {Later Brent told me he was like WTF when he saw me get into the tub, he wanted to go to the hospital!} I started timing contractions at 10:06. They were on average a minute long and about 3 1/2 minutes apart - definitely moving in the right direction and starting to be painful. 

I got into the shower at this point because I wanted to be clean and fresh at the hospital. Brent took over timing the contractions. At this point they were definitely getting worse. I was using visualization and prayer to get me through each one. I ran the 400m in high school which is about a 1 minute race. I kept thinking about each contraction like a 400, kind of funny. I said lots of Hail Marys too and realized they were starting to get bad when I couldn't finish the prayer because I couldn't remember the words.

When I got out of the shower, I still wanted to fix my hair and make-up but Brent was really pushing me to get my bag finished so he could get it in the truck. I got dressed and realized there was no way I could get ready with as quickly as the contractions were coming and as painful as they were getting, so I pulled my wet hair back and threw everything else we needed into the suitcase and Brent started loading the truck.

I randomly remember paying for the placenta encapsulation service (Cary laughed at me about this later because she saw the email come through with my payment info) and answering an email from a co-worker (No, sorry I can't chat today, having contractions...ha). 

At this point, I was having to moan through each contraction to keep myself loose and relaxed. Scared the crap out of Brent though to walk back into the house and hear me moaning in our bedroom! Sorry, honey, it felt SO good!

I took one last bump picture, called Cary to tell her to meet us at the hospital and out the door we went!

It took me a few minutes to actually get into Brent's truck as contractions hit me. He just wanted me IN THE TRUCK so we could get going! In the truck, I called my mom and the OB to let them know we were heading to the hospital. By this point, it was 11:30 AM.

The drive to the hospital was pretty brutal (and only 15 minutes). Contractions every 3 minutes sitting were not pleasant. I remember cursing the bumps in the road. I wanted to be turned around backwards hugging the seat but was just trying to manage each contraction as best as I could until we could get to the hospital.

Finally, Brent turned onto the road the hospital was on. In between contractions, I voiced a fear that I NEEDED to be at a good number. I wasn't sure I could make it if we weren't. Brent told me to not worry about a number, we'd be where we'd be and we'd make it. Love that man.

And with that, we made it to the hospital!

Part 2 coming soon...I need to feed a hungry girl! {grin}

Baby Gurl Bumpdate: 41 Weeks

Our appointment at 3:00 got cancelled. {grin}

Baby Gurl Gurley

1:02 pm on 1/2/13

9 pounds, 20 inches

Pure heaven

Yes, I'm Still Pregnant. No, I Have Nothing Else to Talk About

Well, I think it's happened. I hit my wall. I'm ready for my baby to get here!!! I am 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant. At this point with Trent, we had a 1 day old, and I thought that pregnancy would never end, ha! BUT...since I've turned into such a hippie...here we are. Still pregnant.

I am grumpy.

I feel like a whale {and the scale agrees...damn holidays}.

Nothing fits. Everything is uncomfortable.

I can't sleep. But I'm tired all.the.time.

Trent is getting to watch a ridiculous amount of movies right now {I feel terrible about this...but see the previous statement.}

I want to cry constantly.

It doesn't help that people who are due after me are having their babies.

Do I love being pregnant? Yes! I think you'd all agree I'm a little nuts about it. But I am beyond ready for our baby to be here! And I could be pregnant another TEN DAYS. Lord, help us all!

I am trying to stay positive. I'm reading positive natural birth stories. I'm focusing on how good it will be for Baby Gurl to come when she's ready. I'm reminding myself she doesn't have a calendar to remind her she's 'past due'.

So if you email me, call me or text me and I'm not super pleasant...I apologize. I'm just a little hormonal at this point. {grin}

Hopefully the next time I blog, it's a picture of a gorgeous baby!! One can dream, right?

D Day

Today is my due date! We made it 40 weeks. At this point in my pregnancy with Trent, I was DONE. Emotionally and physically DONE. I cried on and off my entire due date because I just knew our baby would be early. And he wasn't. And I was huge. And tired. And oh so ready.

Thankfully, this time around, I'm a wee bit smarter and am actually thrilled {mostly} we are still pregnant! There is SO much development that occurs in the last few weeks. Selfishly, I didn't want Trent to be a 'big baby'. Again, how silly I was! I grow big babies who like it inside their mama! And I'm proud of it!

Now, don't get me wrong...I don't want this pregnancy to last TOO much longer. I hope she's out before 12/31 (yes, as a CPA, I want that tax deduction!), but I wouldn't do anything to get her out before she's ready.

At our 39 week appointment, Brent and I discussed with Liane (our midwife) what we would do should she decide she still likes it inside at 41+ weeks. So we have a tentative plan in place, so she won't cook any longer than 42 weeks. Hopefully it doesn't come to that because I SOOOOO want to do this naturally. I feel like I missed out on a lot of the experience with Trent. I have no idea what a real contraction feels like or what early labor is like. Our experience with him was so sterile and clinical. Some people think I'm crazy for wanting to know. And they don't mind expressing their opinions to me. Lucky for them, I don't fire back too harshly. {grin}

I have a whole post in mind for WHY I want to want a natural birth and why I think it's better...but I'll save it for another day. Maybe after I accomplish my goal.  Hee hee.

I am looking forward to the end of this journey but am soaking up the last few days of Trent being our only child. We had an amazing Christmas where he got too many toys, watched too many videos, ate too much crap...and it was wonderful. My mother-in-law got me a massage as a Christmas present, so I might be trying to squeeze that in today. 

I think I should celebrate reaching my due date!