Birth Story

Alright, I've finally have a little time to post another blog ;)

So on Friday (9/19) morning we went into the hospital for our induction. During our initial tour I had asked what would happen if there weren't enough beds since ours was an induction. The lady said that the nurse would call my OB and he'd contact me and let me know when to come in. So anyway, we get there and lo and below - there are no more birthing rooms available. And no one has let us know. Instead, they put us in this back room - kinda like a supply room. I think they actually call it a "recovery room"... well, the recovery room is where they store all the extra supplies. It just happens to have a couple cots (not birthing beds) and fetal monitors. We figure (and are told) that they'll get us in a room when one comes available and it shouldn't be long. Ok.

So, the dr comes in and places the cytotec to start contractions more fully. Last time I had pitocin, so I had no idea what to expect, but the dr said that it mimicks labor more naturally than Pitocin and that I have a couple of hours before it gets too uncomfortable.

So, we go downstairs and get breakfast, walk around a little, etc. and come back every hour to be hooked back up to the monitors. After a couple of hours it's starting to get definitely more uncomfortable and the contractions close together. By the way, we're still waiting for a room.

Well, to make a long and story short(er), we keep waiting for a room, all the while my contractions are getting stronger and closer together. We are passed up for a room a couple of times - once because another lady came into the hospital already in full labor. Then, another time was very frustrating because the lady wasn't dilated as much as I was and our contractions were about the same apart and intensity. Ah well... we're trying to keep a good attitude, but with each passing hour, it definitely gets harder. (The bed was very uncomfortable, the room was curtained off but only about 10'x10' and Aaron had to steal a chair in order to even sit down. We didn't have a tv, radio, etc. either. Eventually we were sitting around staring at each other... it got very boring ;)

My contractions were getting very intense and finally they gave us access to the hot tub. That helped a lot, but we still didn't have a room. They didn't want to give me an epideral (for obvious reasons) until we had a room. At one point our nurse changed and the new one was... not nice. Aaron would have hit her I think if I would have let him. She came in to check on me and I told her that I was worried that I wouldn't get a room or epideral before the baby came. She basically said "Ah well, that's how it goes sometimes." You could see the blood boiling behind Aaron's eyes!

Well, they finally got us into a room a little after 7:00 p.m. (we got there at 8:00 a.m.). I was dilated to a 6 and my contractions were one minute apart, but finally we had a room. We got the epideral in quickly (we told them it had to be before they broke my water) and then the dr broke my water at 8:00. Then... he went to go get the nurses ice cream (he's a great guy, but didn't understand just how quickly I meant when I said it'd be quick). Well, I soon was breathing through contractions and trying not to push while the nurse is on the phone with my OB telling him that we're about to have a baby whether or not he's there. (By the way, the epideral was great, but I felt WAY more than I thought that I would.) There was a resident physician on the OB floor that day and he was getting ready to deliver the baby... I'm thinking "Oh please NO - get MY doctor!"

Well, Dr. Robbins gets there and we have a baby! I really love my doctor - he was great and really listened to me when I told him about my history (with Sophie I had a lot of problems - they couldn't stop my bleeding, etc.). Through his precautions and also the epideral, I was kept out of surgery this time and that was SUCH a relief!

Baby Brielle Mae was born at 9:02 p.m. She was 7 lbs 7.3 oz and 20 inches long. She is such an angel! She has very dark brown hair and quite a bit of it, which was a surprise to me. Sophie didn't have hardly any hair to speak of.

We ended up having to stay in the hospital another day and a half past what we thought we'd have to because Brielle had some elevated body temperatures. They wanted to observe her longer and run a lot of tests. They did a chest x-ray. They did blood work (which they had to stick her SO many times, oh, I'm glad I didn't see that). They put in a cathedar to get a sterile urine culture. My poor, poor baby! (I know a lot of babies have to have worse, I'm so sorry for them and their mommies and daddies!) Everything ended up coming back ok and we ended up going home on Monday night. It was so nice to be home!

Brielle is such a good baby! We're still up a lot at night to nurse and whatnot, but she is actually sleeping in the bassinet or the crib... it's AMAZING! I didn't realize that babies did that! lol (Again, Sophie only slept when she was being held...which wasn't conducive to sleeping.) She even sleeps in the bassinet in the living room while Sophie plays, the garbage disposal is running, the tv on, or there is silence, etc. WOW! She hardly ever cries, just when she's waking up and wanting to eat. She's nursing well. She's just overall such a good little baby! Ahh, what a relief. Now, if we could sleep more than an hour at a time at night, it'd be great.

Ahhh, what a sweetie! I just can't imagine our family now without her. She's so great.

Sophie is doing well too. She's having a little bit of mommy withdrawl and is a little more needy, but I think that's to be expected. She also doesn't want mommy to sleep if she's awake, so it's been great to have Grandma and Daddy to keep her occupied while Mommy takes a nap. My mom has been so helpful! Sophie loves to hold her baby sister and love on her.

We're so blessed!

Some Pictures while Lori Sleeps. A...

Brielle and Lori are doing great. Brielle was 7lbs 7.3oz, and 20in.

Lori and I with Brielle

I am one happy daddy.

Getting Ready

By now everyone knows that tomorrow is the day! Baby Day! (See, I told you I'd make it to Friday!)

I've been talking to Sophie about what's going to happen and how exciting it is and whatnot for awhile now, but today was the first day that we started talking about how baby Brielle will be here tomorrow and it's such a special day because you're going to be a big sister, etc. We've talked about how Mommy is going to go to the hospital (we point it out as we drive by all the time), how baby Brielle will come out of Mommy's tummy and Sophie will get to come and see her. How it's so special and how she's going to stay with Grandma for a little bit and what fun she'll have. I think that she really gets it. It amazes me what she'll say back to me. Tonight my mom and I (and Sophie) were going to do some last minute shopping at good ol' Target. We drove by the hospital and she asked "what's that?" (She does this every time. She knows, she just likes to hear my answer I think.) So, I say "it's the hospital. We'll go there tomorrow." And she says, "Go see Baby Brielle at hospital." She's such a smartie.

I got to thinking today that today was the last day that I would be a mother of one. Today was the last day that Sophie would be an only child. While I am super excited, and so is Sophie, it also was a little sad for me. Like Sophie's baby-hood is ending. Yes, I know she's two; she's not a baby anymore. But she's my baby. She still will be my baby, but our lives will definitely never be the same. I had grand plans for the day that we would spend together, our last day as just us. I so wish we would have accomplished them. But alas, it was a pretty normal day. I had things that needed to get done before tomorrow - like laundry, dishes, etc. She played happily and we did have a good day... just not an extra special day like I had planned.

Tomorrow will be a very special day indeed. Sophie will be more excited about spending the day with Grandma and seeing a real live, teeny-tiny baby (that's ours!) than she ever would have been about finishing the home made musical instruments that we were going to do today. I hope that I'm able to make her feel special all the time, even when a lot of my attention and time goes to a new little girl and Sophie has to learn to share Mommy. I hope she never feels second best (or first for that matter). I hope that she'll love the baby and not be too jealous. I hope that our girls will be friends growing up and throughout their lives.

Ok, I am getting sappy. Wait, I'm definitely already there.

We'll post pictures of our newest arrival as soon as we (probably Aaron) feels up to it. Thank you all for checking in on us and for your friendship and love. We love you and are glad that you can share this with us.

See ya tomorrow!

Our Little Deere

One of Sophie's newest toys (thank you Grandma and Grandpa!)

She loves to 'drive' but is still a little scared if it actually moves!
(It's like a powerwheels)


Hmmm.... what is she hauling? Hay, grass, feed?
Nope, it's her dollies. That's my girl.

Just Checkin' In

Wow, I feel popular ;) More people have called in the last two days than in... the last two weeks maybe? lol They all think that I'm going into labor and not telling anyone apparently. My mom, dad, sister, and even Aaron get paranoid if they don't hear from me for awhile. (Of course, I don't want to sound like I don't appreciate the calls - I love to hear from everyone! :)

Seriously, I went to the grocery store with Sophie today to stock up on everything before the baby comes - you know, the essentials like milk, bread, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc; the post-baby essentials, but I won't get into those; and of course the freezer food. I very rarely buy freezer food... like once in a blue moon. Most the time I'd rather my family eat sandwiches than the sodium laced, pricey freezer stuff. However, we now have at least a week's worth of only freezer stuff if we need it for after the baby is born. Ok, I digress... I call Aaron on my way home to get him to come outside and help us bring the mountain of groceries in the house. And he says... "You were gone for a long time. I was getting worried that maybe you went into labor or something." Seriously? Like I'm going to go into labor and not call my husband? Right....

So, I figure updating the blog every day is a handy way for you all to see that I'm currently still very big and pregnant. And I think my body will stay that way until Friday. Earlier in the week I was having some major contractions and whatnot, but it seems to have calmed down more today. Grocery shopping was even uneventful in the contraction department.

On the down side - I think I am now getting the cold that has been passed around my house for the last two and a half weeks. My throat is killing me. I'm trying to head it off with lots of vitamin C and lots of fluids, but so far it doesn't seem to be getting better. Sophie is still feeling sick too, although not as bad as before. Oh come on! We all need to get healthy SOON!

Still hangin' in there

I just thought I'd let everyone know that Friday is a go, as long as we don't go before then. It seems everyone I tell that I'm 4 cm and inducing on Friday says, "Ooh, do you think you'll make it that long?" Well, personally, yeah - I do. I'm trying not to get my hopes up about going earlier, so yup - I think it'll be Friday.

Also, Sophie is feeling much better today, so if Brielle did come earlier on her own accord, then I'd be perfectly fine with that. I even took Sophie to gymnastics today because she was feeling so much better. I walked in and the owner says, "You're kinda like a time bomb!" Yup. I do have to say that gymnastics was a lot harder today than it has been in the past! lol

I've been contracting a lot, but once I sit down and rest they always seem to go away eventually. Last night making dinner and whatnot it was consistently every 5 minutes. Of course, they went away, or this would be a different blog entry :) But this morning my mom called me from her recess at school (she teaches 3rd grade) to make sure that I was still around. lol My mom the worrier. Like I'd go into labor and not call her because she was at school! So, I figured I'd update everyone, just in case you too thought I might be missing in action!

No baby shower for you!

LOL (Did you read the subject heading with your best Soup Nazi impersonation? I hope so!)

Well, it looks like we'll have a baby before too much longer :)

This is how the dr's apt this morning went....

Dr: Hi Lori, how are you feeling?
Me: Uncomfortable.
Dr: Uncomfortable b/c you're pregnant, or uncomfortable b/c you're sitting on paper wearing paper?
Me: Well, both actually.

***hm hmmm hmmmm - insert lovely internal exam here - that hurts like you know what.***

Dr: Well, you're a very well established 4 cms.
Me: What?
Dr: I think we should see what days are available at the birthing unit.
Me: What? Really? Do you think I need to be induced?
Dr: Well, if you don't want to, then I'm not going to try to force you. But with how quick your other labor was, I think it's a very good idea.
Me: Uh, ok. How soon are we talking?
Dr: We'll have to call and check the available dates at the hospital, but I'd say it should be by Friday.
Me: I'm supposed to have a baby shower on Saturday.
Pause......
Me: Can I talk to my husband and then get back to you?
Dr: Sure.

***insert nurse***
Nurse: Ok, they have Wed, Thur, or Frid available.
Me: Of this week? Uh, ok. Let me talk to my husband first and I'll call you.

thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.....

That would have been my heart pounding in the last line there. A baby by Friday? Wow - am I ready? Uh, no. Am I excited, definitely. Am I freaking out a little? Uh, yeah. It seems that there is so much left to be done. I know that even if stuff doesn't get done, it's not the end of the world. The baby isn't going to care if my lawn is mowed or the hedges trimmed. The baby won't care if the house isn't as clean as I'd like it to be. The baby will only care that she's with her mommy and daddy, sister, and lots of family that love her. Oh yeah, and the whole milk bit. Definitely will care about the whole milk bit, but luckily that's built in. ;) However my daughter and husband best get over their colds ASAP! (That's what I'm the most worried about. If Sophie is sick, she can't come to the hospital to meet her sister - ugh, how terrible would that be! Get better quickly Punpkin!!)

Oh yeah, so we asked for Friday to give us as much time as possible to get Sophie over her little cold and Daddy 100% healthy too. Hopefully that date is still available. Otherwise, we might have a little one sooner! Ooohh, I'm starting to get even more excited!

Quote of the Day

Aunt Sasha: "Sean, she's not a dog - she's your cousin."

Oooooh, two posts in one day!

Can you believe it? Two posts in one day? (Now you can ooooooo and ahhhhhh, go ahead. I'll wait.)

So, now that you're done ooooo-ing and ahhhh-ing, I have to tell you how disappointed I am. Earlier tonight I started contracting... HARD. Hard enough that I had to stop what I was doing. Finally, after a few of these contractions I get my brains back and start noting the time. They're coming every 4 minutes, almost on the dot.

I tell myself to not get excited, not get my hopes up. But come on! Who doesn't get their hopes up? This goes on and on and on. I'm starting to wonder if I should call my mom to come and put Sophie to bed.... and then sure enough... they STOP. Pooh. Pooh, pooh, pooh.

Can I ever master the inversely proportional?

Maybe I should start out with what inversely proportional is - it has been a long time since math classes for most of my friends/family/fellow bloggers out there.

Inversely proportional:

Changing oppositely by same factor - involving a mathematical relationship in which an increase in one variable by a given factor brings about a decrease by the same factor in another

A relationship between two variables in which the product is a constant. When one variable increases the other decreases in proportion so that the product is unchanged.
If b is inversely proportional to a, the equation is of the form b = k/a (where k is a constant).

Ok, have I lost you (I've bored you to death, right!?)? You didn't know you'd have a vocabulary and/or math lesson today, did you?

Anyway, it seems my house is doomed to be inversely proportional... When the laundry gets cleaner, the kitchen table gets cluttered. When the kitchen table gets cleared off, the counters somehow now need cleaning. When the counters are clean, the living room looks like it has been hit by a silent tornado. Why is that? Can't it just ALL be clean and free of clutter? Arrr.

What a hypocrite!

I am so religious about checking my friends' blogs... I mean, at least once or twice a day normally (I am SO addicted). I get all happy when I see a new post. It's even better if there are pictures! I love keeping up with all the happenings, the rants, the little day-to-day stuff that each of us go through. And when I keep checking and checking (and checking) and nothing new is posted, well, I start to think "Ahh, post something new! I'm sure you have something going on. I'm sure your kid did something cute. I'm sure you have something to say!"

Hmmm, what a hypocrite I am!! I realized that I haven't exactly been the most bloggin' lady out there lately either. I try to keep it updated, but it seems to go in spurts or once a week updates. That's how I feel my life is lately. Once a week updates. Kinda like doctor appointments. Yup, the baby is doing good. Yup, Sophie is still a cute little stinker who tries my patience and makes me love her even more. Yup, Aaron is traveling... actually Aaron is home this week. GASP!!!! No, I haven't tried a new, great recipe. No, nothing new is done on the house. No, things are pretty much the same. Maybe this is why people don't post as much as I'd like them to :)

Ahh, how I wish I was witty. How I wish that I could type out a funny, laugh out loud, meaningful post every day on some issue that I seem to know more about than others.... ummm, but you've met me right? Chances are that I don't know more than you about most issues! And yeah, I wish I was witty, which means I'm not.

But here is my new goal... I am going to try (a little voice inside my head that sounds oddly like my husband is now saying "Do or do not, there is no try." I'm pretty sure the voice should sound like Yoda, not my husband...) Anyway, I am going to try (be quiet voice!) to start blogging a little more. And maybe they'll even be more than just updates from the world of Lori. Maybe they'll be rants, maybe they'll be funny, maybe they'll be witty! Gasp! Ok, probably not. This post be the closest you get to witty from me :)

Getting Ready for Baby

Since we're on the countdown, we're starting to get ready for baby Brielle!

Labor day gave us, well Aaron actually, to get the baby stuff out of storage so
we could get it all ready for the new baby.

Hmmm, who's in the infant seat???

Sophie is practicing putting the baby into the carseat....

I think that'll be Mommy's job.

And finally... I am getting ready.
WOW - can you believe there is still roughly 3 weeks left?

This isn't really a getting ready picture,
but it was just too dern cute to not post ;)