Birth Story

It's been a little over 2 weeks now and I want to get this posted while I still remember, bear with me though since the times will be off - we didn't completely keep track of when things were happening. You'll get the idea though.

Tuesday September 30, 2008: We went to dinner with my husband's family and then headed in to the hospital - it was an extremely surreal drive since we knew it was the last time it would just be the two of us. It was one of those moments where I was both totally ready for what was coming, from NOT being pregnant anymore to finally getting to hold our daughter, and yet it was a little sad too since it was the end of "just the two of us". We've both had worries now and then about what a child would do to our relationship, since so far things have pretty much been perfect. We checked in to the hospital at around 8pm and were in our room by 8:10pm - which I was completely surprised by. They had me change into the hospital gown and get settled in, and then started the Cervadil around 9pm. The also set me up for an IV - which SUCKED completely - even though I was never hooked up for fluids or anything until the next day. Apparently my veins are so good that the nurse got squirted with blood and my arm was covered, of course telling her she had only one chance to get it in due to my fear of needles probably encouraged her to make sure it was right to begin with. For the next few hours we just sat and watched TV. At about 11:30pm or so we figured we should probably try and get some sleep since we were expecting it be an early morning and a LONG day. Unfortunately, the monitors they had on me seemed to alarm almost every 30 minutes which meant the nurses kept coming in and having to re-attach them. Sometime during the night I started feeling some contractions.

Wednesday October 1st, 2008: At about 4:30am, after not getting ANY sleep and putting up with the mild contractions that were getting more uncomfortable, I asked for some pain meds. This was one of the smartest things I did since I was FINALLY able to get to sleep once the Norco kicked in. About 7:30am they came in, removed the Cervadil, checked me (soft, but not further progress - this exam was rather painful too, I'm pretty sure it brought tears to my eyes), and started me on Pitocin and IV fluids. Ughh - that damned IV STILL hurt in my arm. This was the story all day though - sometimes it throbbed to the point of putting me in tears and sometimes I couldn't feel it. Within a short time I started having more irregular contractions. They were still uncomfortable and not extremely painful, but enough that I wanted some sort of pain meds to help deal with them. I personally saw no need to deal with pain or tough it out to a certain dilation, it was more a play it by ear sort of thing. Originally I was just going to go with some pain meds being added to my IV, but after talking to the nurse, who basically said if I was going to get an epidural, I might as well get it now instead of delaying it any - so I agreed. Of course, I started crying as soon as I agreed because the thought of a needle in my back REALLY freaked me out, but not as much as labor did. The anesthesiologists came in and had me sit on the edge of the bed as he prepared my back. I am sobbing to the point where I was afraid I was going to hyperventilate and the doctor is attempting to joke with me (think "I've done this twice" type jokes). My husband is trying to console me and is thinking the doctor is nuts while I'm trying not to pass out - but in all honesty, I'm glad the doctor was attempting to lighten the mood verses being serious, even if I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. Amazingly, the epidural was NOTHING like what I expected - it hurt far less than my IV did, and even hurt less than when you get a big pimple on your back. Again, totally amazed at how easily the process went. Oh, and within a short time the contractions were GONE as far as I was concerned (the monitors showed otherwise). He said they start with a low dose and only turn it up as needed, and then went on his way. They put in a catheter and I felt NOTHING. I think they checked my progress too, but no idea what it was other than I still needed to make a bunch more. After this, I sort of lose memory of what happen when and exactly in what order, but you'll get the idea. Within a few hours or less of getting the epi, I could start to feel the contractions so I asked for it to be turned up - so the anesthesiologists came back and turned it up, and all was good again. Sometime in there they hooked me up with an internal contraction monitor - it might have been at the same time as the epi or it might have been later. My doctor came in some time around lunch to check my status and while again I don't remember my progress, she did say that at the rate I was going, she expected the kid to be born sometime around 6pm. My husband's parents came up and were in and out as well. I napped on and off after getting the epi as well. At one point, the 3 of them went to eat in the waiting room while I tried to nap. I started getting some more contractions and I could feel them in my back. I just tried to stick it out since I couldn't move my feet and didn't want to increase the epidural again, but it started getting worse so I called my husband and told him I needed him to come back into the room. Within a minute of him coming back in the contractions get horribly painful in my back and I started sobbing. We called the nurse and told her I needed the epidural turned up again and once the doctor came in, he said I apparently sat up too far in the bed and since the med's were relying on gravity, it was all going to my legs instead. He laid me back down and gave me some more drugs. I think this is the time my contractions really ramped up (see picture, the bottom graph is contractions). Apparently with the intense contractions the baby's heart rate wasn't responding well so all of a sudden we had 4-5 nurses come in the room and were checking things out. The decided to switch me to an internal baby heart rate monitor and put me on oxygen as well. My husband was a little freaked out, but I was clueless as to what was going on so by the time I learned what happen, everything was all good again. After this, it was back to my husband and his parents coming in and out and me napping off an on.

Around 4:30pm the nurses came in to check on things and said my doctor was on her way and she was going to see how far along I was. It took her a while to get there and I started feeling really crappy - I was really starting to have issues with not being able to move or feel my legs and feet, my head was starting to hurt, I started feeling a little nauseous, it was basically a general, overall nastiness. Finally, my doctor came in, checked me, and said I was ready to push. WHAT?!?! Everyone talked about feeling pressure and all that jazz, but for me, it was nothing. Other than feeling sick, I didn't FEEL different as far as being ready to push and such. My husband and I looked at each other and were totally in shock. The nurse started prepping everything and getting me ready and at about 6pm, I started pushing. After a few times, I told the nurse I was going to get sick and her and my husband rustled around to get a pan for me. And then I yakked. The nurse took the pan away and I told her I needed another one since I was still feeling like I was going to get sick. At this point I was totally annoyed because I KNEW I was going to vomit but they didn't seem to care too much and were not hurrying - and the last thing I wanted was to lay there in vomit, especially since I had my own pillow from home. I coughed a little and think I got some in the nurses face (not on purpose at all and I did apologize to her). Then it was back to pushing. I couldn't really feel what I was doing but they told me I was doing great - so after about 28 minutes and a few sessions of pushing, Ruby Ann was born - October 1st, 6:28pm. They took her over to clean her up and my husband was helping while they finished with me. My doctor said I had very minimal tearing - hooray! They did all the typical stuff like deliver the placenta and rub on my belly - but who cares, I had my beautiful HEALTHY daughter and that's what mattered. I will say the one thing I was NOT ready for was I had a few bouts of what felt like back labor AFTER delivery. Luckily it was only a couple and they were completely gone with in a hour or so from delivery.

And, that's the story of how Ruby came into the world. It was a lot easier than I expected and i can't even imagine how I would have done it without pain meds. I applaud anyone who does it natural, but it is DEFINITELY not for me.

That's enough for today, I'll post more about things I learned and what we found useful next time. Ruby is getting hungry so I'm off to feed her.

Parenthood - the beginning

What a wild ride! My husband and I have been doing pretty good with Ruby since we've had her home and both been off work, and of course we've had help from both his parents and my mom being here - but boy am I nervous about doing it on my own! Let's start by saying she was almost back up to her birth weight at her first pedi appointment (6 days post birth) which made us feel good the breast feeding is going well (not to even START talking about the pain). We have both been pee'd on already, and I have to admit I didn't think little girls pee'd UP, but we've since learned otherwise. We've also learned to place a flat diaper on the changing table to soak up the pee and poo that she holds until she has her diaper off - little stinker. Even today she managed to shoot OUT of the packNplay changing table and half way across the living room. Le sigh. My husband was worried about getting poo in the washer from the cloth diapers, well, even without cloth diapers we still have poo in the washer. Guess that concern has since gone out the window!

Speaking of cloth diapers, we tried them a few times but since her cord stub is so low, the diapers are irritating the stump so we've decided to wait until it falls off to go back to them. Since we are washing burp rags and the soiled flats from the changing table daily, we'll be able to throw the cloth diapers in at the same time so I'm not expecting much of an increase in laundry once we do switch. I guess we'll have to wait an see. Meanwhile, I still have high hopes for them.

On to burp rags - man we go through a TON of these in a day. Ruby is a spitter for sure. As soon as we put her in a new outfit, she spits up. As soon as we lay her down, she spits up. With in a few minutes of stopping feeding, she spits up. Oye. Then yesterday happens - she threw up what seemed like an entire feeding in the morning - all over me of course. Fed her a few more times during the day which seemed fine, had LOTS of dirty dipes, and then yesterday even BAM! She threw up another entire feeding - so I of course lost it. My husband was out picking up my mom from the airport so I was alone with her, bawling, trying to leave a message for the after hours nurse. I was having an emotional day and this just made things worse. Our orders are to feed her for less time, but more often. She spit up more than normal first thing this morning, but not nearly as bad as yesterday - and so far today she is doing fine. So, we'll just keep watching her. Luckily, tomorrow is Monday which means the pedi office will be open if needed. Otherwise, her next appointment is Wednesday for her 2 week follow up. 2 weeks already, its hard to believe!

Now, the breast feeding saga - as much as I didn't want to believe it, it SUCKS at times. Seriously sucks. There have been several times where I've just cried because it hurt so freaking bad and wanted to just give up and use formula - but my husband has encouraged me because 1) he knows I WANT to breast feed, 2) it is healthier for her, and 3) our budget likes it more. But at 3am when you're exhausted, emotional, and feel like your nipple is being ripped off, quitting sounds like a GREAT plan. We haven't given in to that temptation yet, but its not even been 2 weeks so I'm cautious to say we're even close to being past the hard part. Luckily for me, I can feed on the right without much pain and she takes it just fine. At least we have that going for us. The left is much more of a struggle. It hurts and then leaks all over her and me while we try to get her to latch. It is quite comical but frustrating all at the same time. We're wondering if the flow is just too much for her on the left, so we got a pump today and if she continues to be fussy, we'll try things like pumping a little first before feeding and such. If we continue to have problems it might turn into feed her on the right and pump on the left. Hey - I'll need to pump when I return to work and I also want to have the little bit of additional freedom pumping / bottle feeding can offer, so this isn't a bad thing in my book. Soooooo - everyone says to at least try to stick with it for 4-6 weeks before giving up, and so far that's my plan. I'll let you know if things change, but since my husband is so supportive we just might be able to make it!

On to a few of those precious pictures I know you are ALL waiting for!

Ruby likes to nap with daddy, and unless we swaddle her, she LOVES to lay on her side. Can a sleeping baby BE any cuter?


Ruby sporting her future college wear, you can tell how proud mom is!

Ruby after her bath, we don't want her to go around smelling like sour milk and spit up do we?

Ruby and daddy on her first walk, she seemed to enjoy it - and so did we!

And don't worry, I am still planning to post my birth story once I get some more time, along with some of the things we learned as far as what was useful in the hospital and such. Hopefully with my own mom here I'll have a little time to post it soon. Until next time!

Welcome home Ruby Ann!!!

Welcome home Miss Ruby Ann!!! Our beautiful daughter was born on October 1st, 2008 at 6:28 in the evening. She weighed in at an even 8 pounds and was 20 and 1/4 inches long. Her apgar score was a 9 / 9 - which basically means all her functions were great at birth and remained great into the real world. There is so much to tell but it will have to wait until a later date so I can get back to being a new mom - I just wanted to post a few pictures and give a quick update. I promise to update with more of the details at a later date, just know the whole induction process went almost as well as we could have hoped and wasn't nearly as traumatic as I thought it was going to be. Morning sickness was MUCH worse than labor and delivery, if that says anything! On to the short story in pictures and stay tuned for future updates.

Here is mom during the day, just waiting for things to happen. The epidural was wonderful, although I started to have mental issues with not being able to move my legs - and by this I mean I was starting to go a little stir crazy.

Mom and Ruby after the birth and initial cleaning.

Dad putting on the first diaper; needless to say Ruby was already crying. She continues NOT to like having a diaper put on.

Our first family photo.

Just Ruby.

Ruby's first car ride home, I think dad was tempted to drive 10 miles an hour all the way there! It's about time SOMETHING helped him be more cautious. (Don't tell him I said that!!!)

Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes! Off to be a family...

Almost done

Thank goodness. Pebbles is still being stubborn, so I go in tonight to begin my induction. I'm a little freaked out but oh so ready. My fingers are so swollen right now that typing this hurts, she's beating up my insides, and I just feel like poo. I was hoping to spend the day cuddling and just enjoy my last day with my husband before we have anyone else to worry about, but at this point I feel so miserable I just want to be done. So with that, I expect my next post to seriously include more information on Pebbles, including pictures and a name. Hang tight until then!

Being responsible

On taking a hint from my sister-in-law, I'm going to revise my 101 Things to do in 1,0001 Days by replacing the items that cost money with alternative goals. This means stuff like replacing our cabinets and such - those things that while I would like to do them, they just don't make sense in our lives right now between the downturn in the economy and with our new focus needing to be on Pebbles. So, while we hope that this down turn just means that we get to buy more with our 401(k) and get a better deal on our retirement funds, we still need to be smart about our spending NOW and prepare to take care of our family, knowing that there is always a chance that by the time we want to retire, we may not be able to. It really is a scary thought and while it is several, SEVERAL years away, we can't just ignore it. I've spent times where I was counting my pennies and dimes to see how many taco's I could get at Taco Bell and I don't want to go back to that. My husband and I have done our best to live well within our means so that we were never put in a situation where we REALLY had to worry about money. I'll also admit that lately, we've sort of lost track in keeping up with the budget and I think it is more important now than ever for us to try and get back on track. I know we're not in trouble yet, but since no one knows whats going to happen tomorrow, a little more preparation and planning for what-ifs will help ease my mind some.

Meanwhile, I'm sorry this update doesn't include the great news of Pebbles' birth, but I think its important to get out there while its on my mind - so now I'm off to update my goals and get our budget back in order! Stay tuned, because Pebbles WILL be coming soon!

Safety first

Looking around at various safety items, we decided to go with these safety plate covers (by Mommy's Helper). From everything that I've found, they are easy to use AND seem to be the safest option. Once you pull the plug out, they immediately snap closed and restrict access to the plug. I did see a few comments about some looser plugs having a harder time staying in, but safety is more important so we'll have to figure it out. They are quite a bit more expensive than the standard little plastic plug in things, but its worth it to keep Pebbles safe.

Meanwhile, we'll need to still get pinch guards and table guards and all those other wonderful items to keep Pebbles from getting into cabinets and falling into the toilet. I'm not sure what pinch guards to get since the one's I've seen are used on the door handle side, but don't hold the door open enough to keep her little fingers from getting squashed in the hinged side. Maybe that won't be an issue, but I'm still going to do a little more research. As for the table guards, it seems the foam pipe covers is recommended and MUCH cheaper than those guards specifically made for toddlers and way over priced.


And on another note, this is the gate we are hoping to get to keep Pebbles away from the kitty litter, but still allow our furballs access. Funny thing - we figure we'll have to take Tuggles with us to the pet store to make sure he can FIT through the little door. I mean, he is 18 pounds with a head the size of a grapefruit!

Well, thats it for now! Keep your fingers cross that my next post is AFTER Pebbles is here and includes her name and cute little pictures! If not, I'm sure it will be soon.

The latest dilemna

Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo


Evenflo Smartsteps Exersaucer

The big question is which one do we get, or is it worth getting both? They both have glowing reviews so I doubt we'd be disappointed with either one. In the end, its just money right? Ughh! I know I can wait, but we still have our 10% off coupon to use as Babies R Us so ideally we could pick it up when we use that coupon, but maybe we should just wait. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Please, if you have any advice, let me know!

Nope. Nothing. Nada.

We should have known from the 3D ultrasound, we've got a stubborn one on our hands. The doctor said I've made no progress towards having pebbles in the past few weeks. I'm in the exact same position I was 3 weeks ago and so is pebbles. Ughh. I'm so ready to just be DONE. Soooo, I have my last doctor appointment scheduled for next Monday and then I'm scheduled for an induction on Wednesday October 1st, which is sort of bittersweet. Sure I can still go into labor and have her before then, but since its more common for first time moms to go overdue and since I'm showing no progress on my own, I'm planning for October 1st. And why do I say its bittersweet? Well, if I have the choice between September 28th and October 1st, I pick October first since really, October is my absolute favorite month. Its the month I get engaged in, its the month I got married in, and growing up in Michigan, it was the month it really started feeling like fall and you prepared for the holidays. Yeah, it sucks to have to wait, but honestly, I'm even more excited at the thought of her having an October birthday - does that make me crazy?

A little of this, a little of that

Here is another post full of random tidbits.

Bed rest: A Typical Day

My husband is currently on his day shift rotation for training, which means the alarm goes off at 4:30 am. I'm not even sure I knew this time existed before, but I've quickly learned it does - the sun is not up, there is no sign of life, the radio is filled with music and not your normal morning talk, and the news isn't even on yet. It is quite a strange time if you ask me, but so be it. Now, before bed rest, when I was still waiting for my alarm to go off around 6:30am, which was always too early for me, I would make sure my husband was up and then go back to sleep. I mean, 4:30am was just way too early to even think about getting up. But yeah, now that my schedule has changed a little and I don't have to worry about getting up, battling through the shower and teethbrushing that usually ends up with me gagging and possibly getting sick, and then sitting in the car for 45 minutes while driving to work, now, when I can actually stay in bed and sleep until about 7:30am or so and then just mosey into the living room in time to log on for work by 8am, well now, now I can't sleep once the alarm goes off at 4:30am. So I lay in bed while he gets ready for work, giggling at my cats picking on one another and talking to my husband as he runs around like a zombie getting ready for work. He'll leave about 5am and I finally get up and plop my butt onto the couch, turn on the morning news (because 5am is finally late enough for the news to start) and turn my computer on. I spend the next few hours browsing on the internet (catching up on blogs, checking out my baby forums, other random searching), watching the news, eating breakfast, cuddling with my kitties, and snoozing in and out on the couch. Around 7-7:30am I start my work at home time, taking my breaks for lunch and to hear updates from my husband as the day goes on, and some more kitty cuddles since they force themselves into my lap and make typing a little difficult. What is funny is I still feel like I get more done here than when I'm sitting at my desk, even with my attention hungry furballs. My husband gets home usually close to 4pm so I'm able to finish up what I'm working on while he showers, checks email, and does whatever he does to wind down from the day. Our evenings are spent together, we figure out dinner, and the only real change here is that we're usually in bed by 9:30pm so we can do it all over again the next day.

Now, let me explain the most difficult part of this - staying off my feet! I mean, even riding in the car to pick something up to eat I notice how quickly my fingers and feet begin to swell, so obviously this whole bed rest thing is doing its thing, and you might think "Wow! I wish I was prescribed rest and relaxation, I would love it!". On one hand, it is nice to know that sitting around with my feet up is truly what's best for me, but on the other hand, its so hard not DO things - like cooking and dishes and laundry and all those things I want to do to keep the house clean. It's hard to sit and watch my husband clean up the kitchen, I feel so GUILTY. Luckily, my husband is a wonderful man and was with me when the doctor told me to get off my feet and rest, so rather than resent me, he makes sure I'm following the "rules" and he does what he can to ensure the house is taken care of. The best part of it all? He keeps asking "Is the baby coming yet?" with this look of excitement in his eyes that tells me this question has nothing to do with him having to take care of the house until she's here but that he's so excited about the birth of his daughter and getting his wife back that he can hardly stand it. These are the moments where I'm looking more forward to seeing him with Pebbles than I am about holding her myself. These are also the moments when I think to myself that once Pebbles IS here, we may have to hire a housekeeper because I have a feeling we are both going to be so excited / thrilled / overwhelmed / tired when she's here that neither of us will be interested in emptying the dishwasher and swiffering the floors. Oh well, only time will tell!

Autumn is almost here

And I am soooo ready for it! The weather has slowly been getting cooler here in the wonderful DFW area - our highs are now in the 80's instead of the triple digits and the low's are in the 50's. We're almost to the point where I can leave the windows open all day (which I love!). What I'm also looking forward to is FALL FOODS - chili and lasagna and chicken and dumplings, hooray! I'm not sure how things will go when Pebbles first gets here, but I hope it settles down enough in a short period of time that I can utilize my maternity leave to do some serious cooking, not only on the weekends but during the week as well. I'm ready to start trying new recipes again, baking cookies, and basically spoiling my husband (and his family). Although, one flaw in THAT plan is if he does end up back on evening shift for the rest of the year, that would mean he's gone from about 2pm to about 10:30pm - so no dinner waiting on the table for him. I guess in that case I might be able to increase my breakfast recipes. I am keeping my hopes up a LITTLE bit that he ends up on days though, since they are having another guy who is promoting next week I think which means his department needs to ensure their schedules work together (since they don't want them over the same shift they came from while they are establishing their new role). So, while I'm not expecting it, I can still hope.

What is even better than all the great weather and fall foods though is that the holidays are right around the corner, and I love the holidays! I need to have my husband get the Halloween decorations out of the attic so they are all ready to put up (and we all know I'll start putting a few items out once he gets them down). I'm not sure what we are going to do with Pebbles for Halloween yet, I'm still leaning more towards a Halloween themed onesies or outfit verses an actual costume, but who knows. I am hoping to either take her on a short walk early evening to show her off on Halloween, of if my husband is working, we'll meet up with him for dinner. I know, BIG dreams since she could be quite the fussy little thing making any of these great plans more of a headache than anything else, but one can hope. And then there is Christmas. I can't wait for Christmas and to take Pebbles to get some cute pictures and everything. I am actually hoping we can get a nice family picture done this year, so here's to hoping Pebbles cooperates and that my double chin goes away. I guess there is always photo shop though!

Pregnancy rambling

A few things I'll miss once Pebbles is here:

1. No kitty litter duty
2. Never feeling cold
3. Not worrying about my weight
4. Having strangers offer help with everything

5. The anticipation and dreaming of having a baby

A few things I won't miss:

1. Bumping my belly on EVERYTHING
2. How hard showering and brushing my teeth can be

3. The swelling
4. The gymnastics involved in putting pants on
5. Not being able to enjoy sushi or adult beverages

A few things I've learned since getting knocked up:

1. I've become a much more conservative driver
2. I don't miss the bar
3. People lose all sense of appropriateness when it comes to pregnant women (I'm amazed at how easily people are willing to touch my stomach and the questions they ask)
4. How judgemental people can be about personal decisions (like how you feed your child and what type of birth you want)

5. 9 months is both a REALLY LONG time and a REALLY SHORT time

A few things I know I'm being naive about but can't help it (I'm being optimistic, please don't burst my bubble!):

1. My husband and I will be able to work happily together to soothe Pebbles and ward off colic
2. Cloth diapering is going to be easy and we'll have no trouble sticking with it (with which we'll be able to avoid blow-outs, leaking, and diaper rash)
3. I'll be able to avoid supplementing with formula and won't struggle too much with pain from feedings
4. I'll be able to cook and clean while on maternity leave
5. Pebbles will use all the clothing we have for her before outgrowing it

I know it is going to be hard and things won't work out even close to how we expect them to, but I have complete faith that my husband and I will do just fine in the end. Right now we are just ready to start this next chapter in our lives, so come on Pebbles, show yourself!

Totally random thoughts

I miss my family. I love that we live close to my in-laws and that we get along so well, but I still miss having my family close. I feel like they are going to miss out on Pebbles and that Pebbles is going to miss out on them.

I'm scared my cats are going to get neglected once Pebbles is here.

I can't wait to take Pebbles to Michigan in October to get fresh cider and donuts, go to a real pumpkin patch, and enjoy a true Fall.

I'm scared of needles. I cry when they show me the needle, before they even touch me with it. I thought I'd outgrow this fear when I grew up - so either I won't outgrow it or I haven't grown up.

I'm addicted to apples. Braeburn, Cameo, Crisp Pink, Fuji. Plain, with caramel, in salad - you name it. I guess there are worse things to be addicted to.

Thats all.

Neatest toy EVER!!!

Its hard to tell from the image, but these Fisher Price Alphabet "Peek-a-Blocks" are the coolest! I added them to our registry one day when I was looking for toys available "in store", so I hadn't even seen them in person (but knew I wanted some alphabet blocks for Pebbles). Luckily for us, one of my husbands generous coworkers picked these up for us. My husband even called me from work to ask me about them since he thought they were so neat. They all have little items in them (like the "D" block has ducks) and they are all so cute! I started researching them a little more and all the reviews I can find RAVE about these, so I'm even more excited now. And what's even better? They sell several different sets of these peek-a-blocks, so don't tell Pebbles, but I'm sure I'll be picking up some more sets for her (us) this Christmas. It's nice to already have ideas of stuff to get her that will eventually be "fun" for her instead of stuff like clothes and such.

Anyhow, I got so excited about these that I just had to share!

Bed rest

What does 7 lbs in 7 days and sausage fingers get you? Oh, and a little protein in your pee - it gets you put on bed rest and blood drawn. TOTALLY didn't expect my appointment to go like that today, but so be it. I've been miserable today and my fingers have ached the past couple days so a few days to lay in bed and rest is probably a good thing, although even with a doctor's note I still feel guilty- why is that?

We also scheduled the induction so if she doesn't come naturally, then we're going in on October 1st to try and convince her to come out. While I didn't show much progress at today's appointment, I think I've started to feel some contractions tonight so I have hope we can go normally - but who knows. She could come tonight and we're ready, but then again, if she waits until October 1st, well that's a pretty good day as well.

So, I'm off to bed now. I'll keep you updated as soon as there is more to update!

Full term!

Hooray! I am officially "full term" (37 weeks) and we are almost completely set to drop in baby. We had our last shower yesterday, and everyone was more than generous at all 3, I can't say enough thank you's! I am hoping to finish the last of the laundry today, as well as try to finish straightening up the nursery. We put together everything we got yesterday - stroller, pack'n'play, etc. We bought / ordered the last of the big and / or necessary items today, so now its just little things here and there - woohoo!!! Our swing and baby monitors are on their way, the wet bags and diaper pail liner are in transit, and a breastfeeding book is on order. My husband is going to have the car seat base installed in his vehicle probably Tuesday, and will then come home and we'll install the other base in my car - so that will be all set. Our hospital bag has been started, and I am hoping to complete it today, or at least have all the items I have here in it and create a list of what needs to be purchased, as well as the "grab before you go" list. Its really hard to believe its almost here, since September seemed like forever far away.

Anyhow, here is a list of some of the items we got / ordered and why:

Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Cradle Swing

This swing seemed to get great reviews on every site I looked at (4.5 out of 5 stars at Babies R Us from 691 ratings - seemed a good sample to me!). Apparently it has a light in the mobile and the mobile swings with the swing instead of just spinning. It also has the option to swing both forward and backward as well as side to side, which I was told is perfect. It obviously has various swing speeds and sounds too. The only thing I wish is that it plugged in instead of taking batteries, but you can't win them all!

Graco Ultra Clear II 49mHz Baby Monitor

We're gone back and forth on several different monitors. Some of the things we WANTED: dual monitors, both lights and sounds, rechargeable, good reviews, not super expensive. Some of the things we were not concerned with: video monitors, the angel detection set (pad in crib to detect breathing. We started out looking at the Fisher Price Lights and Sounds - Baby Bargains gave it good reviews, but all the reviews on Target.com were awful. Then we switched to the Sony 900MHz, but then I couldn't find one with 2 handsets and my husband really wants 2. So, back to researching. Finally I found the Graco one, which has lights and sounds, has dual handsets, has great reviews, is not really expensive (~$38) - but takes batteries. Off all the things we wanted, I guess the batteries vs. rechargeable was the easiest to give up. (And I got free shipping - woohoo!) While i can't give a review on these yet, again, most of the online reviews were positive - so I'm satisfied.


Graco Snugride Infant Carseat

It seems the infant seat is better than starting with a convertible seat, since it is built specifically for infants and is therefore safer then a convertible as far as fit. However, this car seat also has a snap n go base so you are not struggling with fastening your child in and getting them out of the car seat through the car door - it seems like it will make moving a baby in and out of the car a lot easier. This was important to me because I've had several parents tell me they had to take car trips to help soothe their child, which means once she's asleep, we can leave her in the carseat when we take her out of the car - and hopefully she keeps sleeping. This also (as noted in my previous posts) fits right into our stroller - again making the transition easy. Baby Bargains gave these a great review as did everyone else I talked to. And ours is really cute! Oh - one more thing, the seat is curved slightly on the bottom so that it can rock when placed on the floor, or you can use the handle to sort of lock it in place.


Playtex Drop-In Bottles

While I know my little Pebbles may decide she does NOT like these, I am really hoping she does. I received one free one in the mail, and my MIL should be getting one in the near future as well. We also picked up another couple which were being clearanced out at a local store - so these kinda chose me. HOWEVER, since they use the disposable liners, I don't have to worry about the whole BPA in the bottle since the liquid will never touch the bottle (and since our daycare is anti-glass bottles). Also, I've seen a variety of reviews where lactation consultants actually recommend these bottles and since we are hoping to do both breast feeding and bottle feeding, it seems like this would be less of a concern when it came to worrying about nipple confusion (or so I hope). Finally, since the bags sort of deflate as the baby drinks, they say there is less gas issues - which of course is a bonus.

Britax Roundabout Convertible Carseat

Once Pebbles is out of her infant seat, we're planning on using this model. Again, Baby bargains gave it great reviews as did everyone online. The roundabout is a little smaller with a slight lower weight limit than the Marathon, but how many 65lb kids still need a carseat (and I have a smaller car so space is an issue. And, of course, they have the most awesome Cowmooflage pattern, and since I love cows, how could I not?


Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump

I have to go back to work and since I am hoping to stick with the whole breastfeeding thing, I'll obviously need to pump at work. Most of the recommendations I saw on thenest.com were for the Medela Pump in Style, but the more I researched other sites, the more people I saw give the Lansinoh one excellent reviews (4.5 out of 5 starts on Target.com from 221 reviews), saying it works just as well but is much less expensive. It does NOT come with a tote bag, which for me was a bonus since it allowed me to pick something cute (Small BabySac in pink / black). This one has adjustable speeds and suction, and only has 3 pieces that require washing. The motor and suction tubing are self-contained so yo don't have to worry about getting milk into them. I was also recommended to purchase this at drugstore.com since they seem to have the best price. I don't have this yet since i want to make sure I will need it, but as of now, this is the one I plan to get.

There you have it, my list of items including the reasons we are getting them. I hope to post more of a report of how I like them in the future, after we get to use them of course. Feel free to ask about any of these items or even what we are doing for anything else. Now I'm off to do something a little more production around the house - like start the laundry!

Happy Sunday to everyone!

Case closed

The stroller saga has been closed. I learned it had been discontinued, although no one contacted me from the store I was registered with, but that is another story. When I called the store to ask if they by chance had any in stock, I was told they had the floor model and that was it. I went today and inspected it, and now its sitting all folded up in my trunk. Hooray!

And thanks for the suggestions, I knew I could get one of the strollers that help the carseat, but I REALLY wanted this matching stroller and I wasn't ready to give up yet. (Leo's are known for being stubborn!) So anyhow, my little, personal crisis has been addressed and fixed and I'm once again happy.

On a side note, I think Pebbles has dropped. I'm no doctor, but the babydoll band on my dresses are no longer wedged between my belly and bra, and it feels like I've been kicked in the pubic bone. Pregnancy is so much fun (note sarcasm here). Luckily, I don't have TOO much longer to go. Hooray #2!

Help needed!!!

The Graco Mosaic stroller in Giselle pattern we fell in love with (and matches AND accepts our matching car seat) has mysteriously disappeared from our registry, not as in purchased, but as in the store doesn't even have it listed anymore. Okay, no big deal, I'll just order it online.

*google*

*yahoo*

*msn*

Aaaack!!! I can't find ANYWHERE that has this stroller in stock. The best I've found is a place that has it back ordered ... until DECEMBER!!! Pebbles will be here in the next few weeks, i don't want to wait until DECEMBER. I'm going to call the stores tomorrow to see if anyone has any left by chance, but I'm getting quite upset that we can find this. Sooo - I ask you to help me search and see if you can find this stroller IN STOCK and let me know. I'm actually quite bummed by it now ... drats! And thanks in advance for anyone that helps look, I do appreciate it!

Belly pictures!

After multiple requests from multiple people, here are some belly pictures at 35 weeks. Enjoy!

Lots done, so much to do!

I can't believe it is already Sunday evening, although we did get quiet a bit done over the last couple days, but I know we still have so much more to do. Let's start from last week:

Thursday we started our Prepared Childbirth classes. My husband was a little hesitant at first since several of his (male) coworkers poo-poo'd on the classes, but he admitted that they actually seem more informative than he thought they would be. I think he also realizes that the classes are more for ME to get over my fears and I need his support by him being there. Either way, he said he'll be there for the next 3 with me as well. This is great since he finally was given his promotion date (Aug 25th) at which point he starts shift rotations (evenings, then days, then midnights for 2 weeks each) and luckily they are willing to work with his schedule and allow him to attend.

Friday we didn't do much, spent some time together, resting and relaxing. I feel like I'm still recovering from the trip to Michigan, so I need a night of nothingness.

For the rest of the weekend we've managed to do some more things in preparation for Pebbles arrival. I told DH the one thing we needed to get addressed was the car seat, since if she does come early, its the one thing we don't have that we can't do without. Sure it could be picked up while I was in the hospital, but we had one picked out that I really liked, so I'd rather just be prepared and get it now - so car seat has been purchased! Now, we just need to read the instructions and figure it all out, but at least we have it here.

We also washed all of her clothing and it has all been put away. There are so many freaking cute outfits and onesies and such, I can't wait to be able to put her in them! I also see what people mean about Gerber stuff shrinking. I have a few 6-9 months onesies that appear to be the same size as that rest of my 0-3 month onesies after getting washed. Yikes. Hopefully the 0-3 month sleepers will fit for a short time anyhow! (Now I'm just finishing OUR laundry so I have some clean clothes for the week!)

We dropped my husbands dry cleaning off, along with his 2 shirts to get his stripes put on. I'm pretty excited that he's promoting sooner rather than later since it gets him off the streets for the most part and eases my mind some. Plus, calling him Sergeant just sounds cooler. ***giggle***

Call me crazy (and I'm sure many of you will) but I arranged to purchase most, if not all, of the newborn size cloth diapers (CD) I hope to need for the first few months (found a good deal!). I'm still a little nervous about going cloth verses disposable, but I figure its worth a try. And if we decide against it, at least we made the EFFORT to try it and from what I can tell, it won't be hard to find someone who wants to purchase the CD's we have. I'm actually excited since there are so many cute designs and such and I'm a sucker for cute stuff.

Meanwhile, I'm 34 weeks today. 6 weeks left - if she comes on her due date (which is unlikely). I guess what freaks me out the most is that while we continue to plan for 6 more weeks, I know it really can be ANY DAY. My doctor prefers that I don't travel after 32 weeks, which means I should try to stay close to home now. Eeek! I can't believe its already been so long and I'm so far along. I really need to make sure I have the big things addressed for her arrival - and my time off work! I need to go talk to HR, follow up with my insurance, get my husband to follow up with his insurance, make sure my projects are organized in such a way that someone can take over for me as needed, along with everything that needs to be done around the house - but at least I have my husband and we have his parents if needed. Now, if I could just get the motivation to do the things at work to prepare, we'd be all set.

The verdict is in...

I'm officially a cow. Moooo!!!! I saw pictures of myself from my best friend's wedding and aaack! My face is bloated, my arms are chubby, and I just don't feel very cute. So to combat this, I refuse to be in any more pictures. Seeing them does nothing but depress me, I have no desire to remember myself looking like this anyhow. My husband still tells me I'm cute and all my friends tell me I make a cute pregnant lady, but all I see is chubbiness. Lots and lots of chubbiness. Like chubby bunny. Like I have devoured my weight in cake and ice cream chubbiness. Like holy crap, someone take that plate away from her chubbiness. My weight gain is still in the recommended range, so that's not a problem, but I swear it all went to my face, arms, and thighs.

And what makes it even better? I've started to waddle. Great.

A wedding and a baby shower

We just got back form our trip to Michigan, where we had my best friends' wedding and our baby shower all in a matter of 2 days - can we just say busy busy! The wedding was wonderful, Kristin was, of course, a beautiful bride (and I suck since I didn't take a SINGLE picture!) and I'm so glad to see her so happy with an absolutely wonderful man. I realized in our few days up there just how much I miss her, and how much it makes it even worse since they are moving to Germany for 2 years. :-( We are hoping to be able to visit next September (and most likely talking to the grandparents to see if they can watch Pebbles for a few days) which I guess would keep up with our tradition of seeing each other once a year. I think our phone calls are going to take the biggest hit, so hopefully we can manage to stay in touch over email and IM. Even though, it still sucks and breaks me heart. Maybe when they come back I can convince them Texas is a MUCH better place to live. **sniff sniff**

Anyhow, that was Friday and Saturday. Sunday, my stepmom and stepsister threw us a baby shower which also turned out to be a family get-together, which was really nice as well. I really enjoyed being able to spend some time with family that I rarely get to see, so that was definitely an added bonus. We also managed to get a BUNCH of stuff for Pebbles, and even fit it all into our luggage to bring home. Here is a quick shot of the closet, where most of her stuff is currently hanging, although we have about 30+ more onesies and sleepers on the shelves. Pebbles will definitely have enough clothing, even if we need to change her several times a day! Besides clothing, we received our Bumbo seat (which my husband has some how nicknamed "Lumpy"), a bunch of safety items, lots of cute books, some bathing items (including the Johnson and Johnson lavender bedtime wash my cousin swears by), and an amazing handmade blanket from my aunt.


However, one of the things I am most excited about right now are the AngelDry cloth diapers my cousin gave us, I mean, look how cute they are! Cloth diapers are one of those things I've been debating about since I am so easily grossed out but at the same time the thought of the cost and waste from disposable diapers makes me really sad. Right now, I am thinking we might do a combination of the two, with hopes that we can convince ourselves, our families, and our daycare to completely switch to cloth - but if not at least we'll be doing SOME. Plus, you can customize the AngelDry orders so I'm thinking I can get some holiday prints, maybe a Texas Ranger print, and possibly even some ruffle butt ones - because every baby girl needs the ruffle butts! I'll keep you informed as I learn more, but please feel free to pass on any advice, recommendations, etc. you have as well.

And ... while I was busy getting ready with all the girls for the wedding on Saturday, my husband went shopping. And, once again, he managed to find a way to show me just how lucky I am to have him. He didn't get something for himself or me, instead he found the one thing I had mentioned I wanted to make sure we got while in Michigan (but then forgot I told him). That's right, this totally Texas husband of mine manage to find the Michigan State outfit I wanted for Pebbles, he also bought a few other MSU outfits as well, but THIS is THE outfit I KNEW I wanted.


I love this man more than he will ever know, and he obviously is able to read my mind. So back off, he's taken!!! Oh, and watch for future pictures of Pebbles in this cute as can be little jumper, I'm sure there will be MANY!

Ask, and you shall receive

Remember this? The most fantastic cake pan EVER? The one my husband would have shot down had I asked because 1) I don't NEED it and 2) we don't have ANYWHERE to store it? Yup, that's right, my most wonderful in-laws got it for me for my birthday. I'm uber excited about it (oh yeah, and my husband went with his mother to get this, so he obviously wasn't COMPLETELY opposed to it). The funny part? He was right, we don't have anywhere to store it, so its still sitting on the counter. *giggle* I'll figure something out, I have no choice. Meanwhile, I might have to bake a cake this week just so I can use it. Woohoo!!!

This was just the icing on the cake though (bad joke, I know). When I got home Friday, my amazing husband had cleaned the house, bought me yellow roses, had some "Happy Birthday" balloons with the flowers, picked out not 1, but 2, perfect birthday cards, and presented me with my giftcard for a prenatal massage. The birthday gift from my dad was waiting for me too, which is a copy of "Atlas Shrugged" on CD, one of the books I've been wanting to read but haven't had time. We then went to dinner, did a little shopping, and spent the evening together. It was perfect. Saturday I pampered myself with a hair cut and highlights and then my mother in law took me out for manicures and pedicures, after which we all spent the evening napping. Sunday I woke to my husband flipping on the bedroom light at about 8am to show me he stopped at IHOP and picked up breakfast for us. This was COMPLETELY unexpected, but even better than it sounds since I've been drooling over the commercials for the Banana's Foster and Apple crisp pancakes they have right now - and he got an order of both. We sat and ate breakfast and then both laid back down to sleep. I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon just pretty much being lazy and doing a little laundry until it was time to meet his family for dinner. We all went out for Tex-Mex (of course) and back to his parents for cake. We caught the beginning of the Rangers game there and went home to watch the rest of it before my husband had to go to work. I was so nice being able to just cuddle on the couch and watch some baseball. All in all, it was a marvelous birthday weekend and I'm a little sad its over now. Maybe I'll just find a reason to celebrate for the whole month of August - it wouldn't be a first.

Dirty deleter

I deleted my previous blog because it was taken completely out of context, and I apologize for that.

That is all for now.