Baby Update

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

So on Monday night I started having contractions every five minutes while I was laying down. I told Jeff, who was working on a project with someone for class, and didn't really think a ton of it. I had gone to the doctor in the morning and I was a 31/2 and 90%. My Mom called during my contraction-mactions (this is what Jeff and I call them, we like to rhyme) and asked how I was because she was in Omaha for a temple office party and wanted to know if she should stay. I asked her if she had her bag packed and with her, and she did so I told her to come over and we would just see how things turned out. She and my Dad came over and I kept having them so Jeff and I decided just to go to the hospital mostly because it was convenient.

We got to the hospital and the nurse asked me my pain level and I said that it was zero. I should mention that my contractions are painless braxton hicks contractions until about 6 or 7 cm. So she kind of gave me a funny look, and Jeff and I were off to walking. At this point is was about midnight and we walked for over an hour, reading magazines and laughing, and at one point the nurse said "Stephanie, that doesn't look very laborish." Anyway she checked me and I was at a five. She told me that she thought that I was going to be going home, but since I dilated more they admitted me. Anyway she told us to get some sleep (by now it was about four in the morning)

At 7:00 in the morning a new nurse came in and told me that I was only having one contraction an hour. So they broke my water and started oxytocin and I was off to walking again. I still wasn't having very many contractions, and they weren't painful and the nurses were laughing because I was walking so fast and dragging my I.V. Another check only had me at a six, still no pain. I decided to take a nap in the rocking chair, a little bit later I started to have painful contractions, so I asked for an epidural (thinking that it would be a while till an anesthesiologist got there). Turns out he was next door so like five minutes later I had the meds. There was a spot where I was still feeling painful contractions and the pain increased with each contraction. The nurse being quite observant decided to check me again, and I was complete. She had just checked me 10 minutes before. I had no idea that I was that close to transition, thank goodness the anesthesiologist was there so quick. So labor took from 8:30 on Monday night to 3:05pm on Tuesday, it was painless except the last 45 minutes. By the way ha ha to all of you who said that I would jinx myself for saying that I was going into labor on the 16th. I was right.

Photo of a Beached Whale

I thought that I would post this for those of you who haven't seen me pregnant, in case you are curious. I am 37 weeks today so I figured I should hurry and put up the picture before I have the baby since I'm planning on having her on Monday :) However Jeff and I decided that if we had a Valentine's Day baby we could be in the newspaper and an added bonus being that Jeff wouldn't have to plan a Valentine's Day for at least 18 years because it would be our girl's birthday. That would be good for Jeff because he does tend to struggle with the concept of Valentine's Day (Hence the reason I am blogging on Valentine's Day, just kidding, we went bowling and got ice cream on an afternoon date).

A Special Valentine Message

Need I really say more? Probably not but I will anyway. Lauren and I were making Valentine cards for our friends and she was doing a lovely job, but she got just a little marker on her hand, she became obssessed with coloring on herself. I was just going to wash it off, but what is a little more marker to make a really special "personal" Valentine. So Happy Valentines Day to all of our favorite friends and family. Watch out Husker Games.

"A SMATHERING, IF YOU WILL"

Well just a few random comments for all my blogging friends. First of all a baby update.


- I am 36 weeks and four days. Which means that if I were pregnant with Lauren I wouldn't be pregnant anymore.

- I went to the doctor yesterday, and Kudos to my Mom who guessed I would be dilated about 2cm but no more than three, I measured two and a half. (But the lady had big hands so I say I am a three) I'm also 80% effaced. For those of you who really wanted to know that kind of information. They made it sound like I was coming back next week for my appointment, but I have no plans of needing that appointment. Nine months is tooo long to have a baby in the oven, I don't have patience for it. Think about it, cookies are always better a little gooey.


- For anyone who hasn't heard we like the name Reese, it is not final, but we don't have any back-ups either.


- I would post a picture of me being pregnant, but I look like a beached whale. Just kidding. I just never seem to look good when I think about Jeff taking a picture of me.


Now for my other information. Many of you have heard me talk about my chair that I was getting. I told Jeff that it was the only thing I wanted with this baby (not really true, but a good way to get what I want.) So here is a picture of my chair that came after only three weeks of waiting. They say it take 6-1o weeks. I was so excited when they said it was ready. It is the most lovely thing on earth. It rocks and swivels, and best of all I can nap in it. So I have been very diligent about making sure Lauren's hands are always clean, that I take her clothes off if she gets food on them, and have enforced the rule that all food must be eaten at the table. But last night Jeff was sitting in my chair, and I was on the floor making a grocery list, and Lauren was drawing on my paper, when she ran over to Jeff with the pen in her hand, I quickly asked Jeff if the pen was clicked, but it was too late. My chair had already been defaced. So Kim I can relate to hot chocolate on your bed. To quote Kemp "this is why we don't have nice things." Here is a picture of the damage
Can you see it? Those two offending lines of pen. It will probably come out, but I was too degratated to try. (Is that even a word? Amy says it in "little women") Being pregnant and all, things are a little more dramatic then they seem.

Scared

Last night before bed I drank three glasses of water. NOT SMART. So needless to say I got up a few times in the night. Then Lauren woke up at four and almost ran out of her room like "hey it's morning I want to play." I put her back in her bed and went back to my bed. At five I heard her knocking on her door, so I thought the only way she is going back to sleep is if I give her a bottle, So I went in with her bottle and she saw it and bless her little heart, ran to the chair. (I think she might be going through a growth spurt.) Anyway at 5:15 I went back to bed. Jeff gets up a 6:00 and so I move to the couch so the shower doesn't wake me up. At 6:25 he says "I know you hate it, but could make my lunch, I'm late." My response was a resounding "NO, buy a lunch" and I went back to sleep.

Why am I scared you might ask. When I was feeding Lauren a bottle I had visions of feeding her, then as I laid back down, having to feed the new baby. I felt scared and exhausted. What made me think that I could handle two kids? I'll answer my own question. When you think about having more kids you don't think nine months ahead, you think in the moment. Eight months ago Lauren wasn't walking yet, she was sleeping through the night about 13-14 hours and taking a two hour nap. She wasn't running away when I got her out of the car, or throwing tantrums when I put her in a shopping cart, or when leaving the park. She wasn't throwing her food on the ground when she was done, or coloring on the walls. We thought, we can handle another baby, we got this down. I have decided that you never have it down for long. Lauren was really much more manageable when she wasn't this age.

And so this is the life our new baby will be born into. And I feel worried that I am going to lose my mind, and be highly sleep deprived. Any tips?