A Week Old and So Much to Be Thankful For

We have survived the first week and none of us are worse for the wear (except maybe Hunter, the dog). We are developing a night time routine that seems to work 80% of the time. I'm no more awake or cognizant now than I was a week ago but maybe I don't need to be quite as awake to feed as I did a week ago. We even ventured out into the world yesterday, we went for pizza for lunch, and of course she was an angel. The family at the table behind us couldn't have been genuinely happier for us.

Courtney is adorable and we probably have a million pictures of her sleeping - I know, not very exciting. But we love her more with each passing day and wonder how we survived without her in our lives before.

My parents have been hugely helpful and it's been great having them here with us. Mom's even making us Thanksgiving dinner tonight - woohoo!!

Well, it's feeding time for Courtney. For someone so incredibly small, she sure does eat a lot.

And now we're home

Courtney, 30 minutes or so old and very unhappy!!

Sleeping Beauty

We finally got home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. We were set and ready to go around noon but the OB was MIA and phoned in our release around 3. Needless to say, we'd been sitting around for so long, waiting and waiting, that by the time our awesome nurse came in with the "ok", we were all in a coma. I mean, we were out. The nurse, Margi - the best nurse ever, had been working on getting us released for hours. Needless to say, once she got the ok, we were out of there in about 10 minutes. It was a crazy, whirlwind time. I mean, I had been in a sleeping coma 5 minutes before and now it's TIME-TO-GO-NOOOOW and really, I needed to pee.

The nice tech wheeled us out and took us OUTSIDE in the COLD while we waited for Paul to get the car. She had a lovely conversation on her phone while Courtney and I sat there shivering. Once Paul pulled the car up and got our stuff loaded (which had quadrupuled since we'd been there, even though we had barely left the room), we had to tackle the car seat. Here we are, outside the hospital, it's coooold out, Courtney is swaddled up tight and not at all ready to be placed in her seat and we've only once put anything in a carseat - a doll for practice. Needless to say, it didn't go well. Once we drove about 5 feet, I had Paul pull over so I could try it again. I'm still not sure she was in there right, I think she is too small. We're going to need to figure it out before our pediatricians appointment tomorrow.

I was on roll with my post and then got distracted and now I'm so tired I can't remember what I was going to say. More later, if I can remember....

Courtney Cecilia is Here!!

Our beautiful baby girl has arrived!! Courtney Cecilia was born on November 20th at 12:34am. She weighed 6lbs 11 oz and measured 20 inches long. She's just beautiful!!

It was quite the experience. I went into the OB for my 9am appointment and was told that my blood pressure was high and it was time to get to the hospital. Right that minute! Paul and I headed over and we were pretty nervous and excited. We checked in to room A-1, we thought that was a good sign, and the fun began. I was hooked up to the petocin and had my water broken around 12:30 or so. There was a LOT of sitting and waiting while we waited for things to happen. I think I finally got the epidural around 4:30, a good 30 minutes too late, at least. I was in crazy pain, maybe I'm a wimp but the epidural was so worth it. I don't know why you wouldn't get one, given the option - I loved it!! Around 9:30 I was told that I was 7-8cm and for the next couple of hours, I didn't budge at all. However, I was in incredible pain and had to call the anesthesiologist in for more drugs. At 11:45 the midwife and the OB came in to let me know that they weren't happy with the progress I was making and every time I had a contraction, the babies heart beat was dropping too low. They had decided that I would need an emergency c-section (as in, I needed it right-that-minute) and within seconds there were tons of people in my room. It all happened very quickly and I was really nervous. Never, in all 40 weeks, had I envisioned myself getting cut open. I had always envisioned giving birth, having the baby on me immediately after she was out, and being alert for all the bathing and everything and that's definitely not what happened. The anesthesiologist threw Paul's outfit at him and he got all dressed and I was whisked to the OR. They didn't let Paul in right away but he came in after a few minutes.

It wasn't a terrible experience but it certainly wasn't enjoyable. There was a drape in my face and Paul was by my head. I was awake for all of it and could feel some tugging and lots of pressure but it was all very surreal. I had no idea what was going on and it seemed like it took forever for Courtney to come out. All of a sudden, the doctor told Paul to stand up and get the camera and there she was. She was crying and making all kinds of noise but I didn't really get to see her. They took her to the warming station about 10 feet behind me and Paul went over with her. I could kind of see what they were doing but couldn't really see her well but I could hear her and they finally brought her over to me so I could see her. Of course, I was crying but they were still working on me, putting me back together and I couldn't hold her or anything.

Paul and Courtney went off to the recovery room and the doctor told Paul that I'd be in recovery in about 15 minutes. (Disclaimer to the queasy here.) Apparently, there was a lot of blood from my uterus and they couldn't get it to stop so it took a long time to get me all back together - sew it up and put it back in place. I could feel a lot of pressure and tugging and pulling and it was very unnerving. They finally finished up though and wheeled me off to recovery.

In the meantime, Courtney was bathed and had all of the tests run on her (she scored a 9.9 on her Apgar - an overachiever already) and P was there to take pictures and video. He was worried about me though because it was taking so long for them to get me into recovery and no one would tell him anything. And, of course, he wasn't allowed back into the OR to see what was going on.

Needless to say, I finally arrived in recovery where I finally got to hold Courtney and take my first shot at feeding her. She's so amazing. She's so tiny and adorable and beautiful and has so many little facial expressions - and that was all in the first 5 minutes of meeting her.

We didn't get to our room until close to 4 and Thursday proved to be a very long day. Lots of doctors and nurses, in and out all day but each day is better than the last and we're all getting along very well as a family. Of course, we're still in the hospital so we're pretty self contained in our little cocoon of a room but that's ok.

My folks come in later today and we'll get to go home tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to getting home and being back with our own things.

I love being a mommy and just love my little girl. It's so amazing how quickly one can be overcome with feelings over a 6lb little person.

And I would be remiss not to mention that Paul has been an amazing husband, helper and dad. He's been a HUGE help with everything from diapers to getting me water and peanut butter crackers, burping and washing bottles and everything. I think we're both very lucky that there's a McDonalds in the hospital to keep him well fed with Egg McMuffins. I just love my little family and couldn't be happier.

Still....

Pregnant.
Just waiting for my doctors appointment tomorrow.
But today, I'm still pregnant.
And uncomfortable.
And I can't wait to meet my little girl.
But she needs to hurry up and get here.
I think I'm going CRAZY!!

Just thought you all wanted to know.

Still Pregnant

Well, the eggplant didn't work. Twice it didn't work. We went again on Friday night and I had leftovers on Saturday for lunch and no baby yet. I've eaten pineapple, drank the raspberry tea, this that and the other and no luck. However, I do know there's an end in sight.

I had a doctors appointment on Wednesday and LBH is still hanging out, in the warmth. (I can't say I blame her, it's cold here.) She's not really doing much of anything, including making progress. I did get an ultrasound and they've estimated her at 7.2 pounds, give or take 1/2 a pound (I've also read that the ultrasound can be off by as much as 2 pounds), I'm hoping to take 1/2 a pound. If I haven't delivered by my appointment on Wednesday, they'll check me in Weds night and I'll be induced Thursday morning. So, if all goes well, I should have a baby by Thursday!! EEEEKKK!!!

I'm so excited for this phase to be over. People say all the time that I'm small but that doesn't make me feel any better. I'm terribly uncomfortable, I can't sleep, my bladder is getting stomped on regularly, and I'm running out of clothes. I know that this is the "easy" part but I feel like I'm ready for the next challenging but rewarding part of life. If only LBH would get here...

Did it work?

We went to Scalini's for dinner last night where I ordered the infamous Eggplant Parm. Scalini's is "known" for their eggplant parm inducing labor in women. If it's going to work, it will supposedly work within 48 hours. It's been about 13 hours, nothing yet. Keep your fingers crossed!!

If nothing else, the dinner was really good and it made Paul's "list" of places we'd go back to. That's good because if it doesn't work, we're going back next weekend.

No progress

I went to the doctor today and it was a very disappointing and unexciting visit. The midwife said I'm only 1cm dilated with no real progress. No effacement, no dropping, no nothing. UGH!!! I'm very uncomfortable and would like to meet this little lady already. I asked when we could pick a date to induce, if we get to that point, and the evil lady said not for another couple of weeks. A couple of weeks!!!! If anyone has any suggestions on what I can do to get this show going, please let me know. I'm over being pregnant and want to see my baby girl!!