My New Year's Resolutions...

A little late getting started, but better late than never! Life changes when you have a baby! So I am focusing my resolutions to help Alan and I transition from couple to parents. With the opportunity to work for Demand Studios and write articles from home, I will be able to focus more on keeping our life a little more organized and less chaotic. I am hoping that I stick to these resolutions and will make them part of our life. I want to start good habits now, instead of trying to figure it out when we have more than just Benjamin to take care of. So here they are;

1. Home: Set the timer for 15 minutes and straighten the house. Also, complete one cleaning chore a day. This works out to be; Monday: laundry day Tuesday: vacuum and mop the floors. Wednesday: run errands. Thursday: clean bathrooms. Friday: clean kitchen. Saturday: big projects. Sunday: planning for the week ahead.
2. Cook healthy meals: follow the Mediterranean food pyramid. Develop a weekly menu (this will help ensure healthy meals and cut costs at the grocery store)
3. Exercise 4 times a week. I would like to run the mini marathon (aka 1/2 marathon) again this year, but with Alan being gone 3-4 nights during the week, I'm not sure how it will go.
4. Read one book a month
5. Date night at least once a month

I may have to tweak them as I find out what works for our little family.

Snowy Days...

It has snowed here and thankfully I don't have to be out in it! I can enjoy the beautiful snow from my couch with a hot cup of coffee and a sleeping baby in my arms! However, we did venture out (just to the front and backyard) to take some picture of Benjamin in his first snow. Benjamin looked a little confused but okay with the fact he was bundled up so much that he couldn't move. We took a few pictures and then I went to go inside with the little man. Headed up the steps and went to open the door, when the door didn't open I knew we had locked ourselves out. Told Alan and he thought I was joking. Haha...no! We got back in and unbundled Benjamin who was nice and warm in his snowsuit.

He ate and then took a nice long nap! We have about 4 inches of snow and its sticking around for more than a day or two. Temperatures have been freezing; lows have been about 10 and high's around 20 give or take a couple of degrees each way.

Best get going, never know how long these naps of his may last and so I try to get as much stuff done as possible!

Till we see you in person, lots of love and hugs!

How Time Does Fly

We have survived the first month, Benjamin is now almost 6 weeks old. That first month was the hardest but the most rewarding month of my life. He has grown so much already, little fat rolls have now appeared on his once skinny bird legs. When he cries crocodile tears run down his face and when he smiles it melts my heart.

Benjamin had his first fever last weekend. He had been coughing and sneezing and when I woke up Saturday morning, he felt warm. I took his temp (yep, stuck it you know where) and it was 101.3 I called the Dr. and they wanted to see him right away. They tested him for RSV and checked his white blood count. RSV came back negative, but he wanted to see him back Monday morning to recheck. We went home with instructions to give him infant Tylenol, watch his fever, and how fussy he gets. If he gets so fussy he can't be consoled or his fever stays high despite the Tylenol head to Kosiar Children's Hospital and call him and he would meet us down there. I never thought I would be scared for my child to have a fever. But as the Dr. said with a baby at 5 weeks having a fever it wasn't good. Thankfully his fever stayed down and only spiked once on Sunday. Monday my mom and I headed back to the Dr. and Benjamin checked out just fine.

So now with that behind us and a mark added in the book of parenthood, I am feeling a little more confident and experienced. However, I know I have a lot more to learn!

The Birth Story (from laboring woman's point of view)

Benjamin's estimated due date, Nov. 24th came and went without Benjamin showing up or any sign that he may be making his entrance into the world anytime soon. Only 5% of babies are born on their estimated due dates, so I didn't think too much of it. Thanksgiving was spent over at Kim and Hugh's house, ate turkey and lots of other good food. We threatened Benjamin that this was his last meal if he didn't start making any progress! Guess it worked because Friday morning at 2:30 in the morning I woke up with contractions.

The contractions weren't too painful and nothing timeable, so didn't wake Alan. We did things around the house Friday and then went to Lowes and Meijers to stock up on food and other items since we figured that we would be having a baby by the weekend. I'm sure people at Lowes and the grocery store thought we were crazy since I would have to stop walking and breathe through contractions. We came home and Alan finished painting the closet doors and I did some cleaning. The contractions were all over the place, time wise; they would be 10 minutes apart for an hour and then go to 6 minutes and then back to 8 minutes and then 5 minutes. When they got to 4 minutes apart for an hour, we decided it was time to go to the hospital; that was at 7pm Friday.

Ok, before I go any further, let me tell you what I had pictured Benjamin's birth to be:

1. go natural, but not against the epidural if necessary

2. have Alan cut the cord

3. do NOT want a c-section

Three simple things...ok, back to the story.

We got to Baptist East and checked in, the nurse checked me and I was only dilated a centimeter! I wanted to cry, I had been awake and in labor since 2:30 that morning and I was only a centimeter??? REALLY??? The nurse said that they wanted to check out Benjamin's heart rate and then they will send us home. Sounded like a great plan, didn't want to stay in the hospital if I didn't have to. So the nurse got me hooked up to the contraction monitor and the heart rate monitor. Benjamin's heart rate was all over the place; up and down so they wouldn't let me get out of bed to walk around. Do you know how hard it is to lay in bed while going through contractions? Not fun. Two hours go by and Benjamin isn't calming down, I would have a contraction and his heart rate would go up (which its supposed to do) but wouldn't go back down after the contraction. He would be kicking me after the contractions, which made his heart rate stay elevated, which lead to me being admitted to the hospital. So much for laboring at home. The nurse finally let me walk around a bit and that seemed to help ease the pain.

Ok, here is where is gets a little blurry, now keep in mind I had been awake since 2:30 Friday morning.

I think it was Saturday morning and I had been awake for more than 24 hours, I was exhausted and had progressed to 5 centimeters, half way there (which is a lot further than you think!). I was throwing up and Alan did great, didn't puke! I remember laying in the bed hooked up to the monitors and watching Alan sleep in a chair and being so mad at him for sleeping. I was in pain and I needed his help, but every time I tried to call him a contraction would come on and I couldn't speak. My nurse came in to check on me and she said that I wasn't progressing and she suggested the epidural. I was all game at this point. Give me the drugs! I was exhausted! The epidural was great (other than Alan almost passing out when they had to give it to me) , actually there are no words for how wonderful an epidural is after you have been awake and in labor for more than 30 hours. Once the epidural kicked in, I returned to my normal self and not hating my husband and took back the words "this is it, no more kids, this is your only one!" I was able to relax and I think I slept, but not sure. Alan called my parents around 11am and then his parents. We had many visitors and everyone was so excited, won't be long now!

They broke my water and found that Benjamin had already had a bowl movement, so a neonatologist had to be present at the birth. The then had to slide a wire up me to attach to Benjamin's head so that the monitor more closely how he was doing. The also had to slip a tube up there to flush out the poopy amniotic fluid. Hours passed and by 4pm Saturday I was at 9 centimeters! Woohoo! We are all getting excited! However, little Benjamin wasn't quite in position, he was still very high. They cranked up the pitocin and tried to get me to 10 centimeters, but Benjamin wasn't dropping. The Dr. came in and said that we could wait one more hour, but then we would need to do a c-section.

I cried and I'm pretty sure I saw Alan wiping away tears. I did not want a c-section. Alan almost passed out when we watched a video of one in class! I needed him to be there! My mom and grandma were great (both nurses so they know what they are talking about) and said that we have to do what is best for Benjamin and me. I had been running a fever and my blood pressure was really low, 78/39

Around 4pm Saturday they started prepping me for the surgery. At this point I just wanted it to be over with. Alan said he would be ok to go back with me, he promised he would not look over the sheet to see the surgery. We said goodbye to my family and off we went. They got me ready and then they brought Alan in where he sat on my right hand side by my head. He kissed my forehead and told me everything was going to be ok. The anesthesiologist was a younger guy and was awesome. I was throwing up and he gave me meds to make me feel better. My teeth were chattering and I was shaking, which was normal he said. I asked him what they were doing and he told me every step. "They are making the cut..." "Now you will feel like some one is jumping on you, like a trampoline..." "They are pulling him out..." "He is here!" Alan saw him and looked at me and I said "go." Alan went over to the warmer to see our son. I still hadn't heard him cry, but they reassured me he was ok. I later found out that they had to intubate him and bag him so that the meconium wouldn't get in his lungs. Then I heard him cry! Alan took him out to meet our family. I wish I could have been there to see their face and hear what they had to say. After they put me back together, I went to recovery where Alan and Benjamin sat waiting. The nurse encouraged me to breastfeed and he latched on immediately, there the three of us sat for an hour getting to know each other. At that point it didn't matter how he got here, didn't matter that Alan didn't get to cut the cord, or that I wanted a natural childbirth. Benjamin arrived a healthy, 7 pound 9 ounces and 20 inches long at 5:07 pm Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009.

And that is all that matters.

40 weeks and Dr. appt.

So today is the estimated due date of little Benjamin Thomas and looks like he is staying put. Our little turkey wants to cook a little longer (despite my belly button sticking out, saying "I'm done")

As Dr. L started pressing on my belly he asked about movement and such and then said, "I think your little guy has flipped." "WHAT!?! He is grounded if that's true!" Alan said "how does he have any room to flip?" Dr. L said, "lets find out for sure." So when he checked me internally he said "nope, I can feel his head." WHEW! Not funny Benjamin for tricking us like that!

Dr. L said I am one centimeter (up from a fingertip, woohoo) dilated and 50% effaced (guess he over estimated last week when he said I was 60%). Dr. L was excited that I lost the mucus plug last Thursday...at least something is happening!

We asked Dr. L what the chances of me delivering this week are and he said "40-50% chance" Alan said, "so that's like saying its partly cloudy?"Dr. L laughed and said "yeah." Guess the doctors don't even know for sure. So we scheduled a appointment for next Tuesday (I'll be 41 weeks!) and then we will schedule an induction for that week. Dr. L is on call Dec. 3rd and 4th so we would do it sometime then.

Maybe our little turkey really wants to be a December baby instead. Guess we will wait and see. Benjamin you have at the most 10 days to come on out on your own.

39 weeks

Still pregnant and waiting for our little one to join us. It's been frustrating just waiting, but I am finally coming to terms that this kid will come when he is ready. I was telling Alan this morning that I am going to enjoy the time that we have left to be just us. Because when Benjamin decides to arrive, we will be mom and dad FOREVER! It will never just be the two of US! It's kind of sad in a way, but we are excited about what is to come.

I went to the Dr. yesterday (it was supposed to be my last appointment) and not much change. I am 60% effaced and still a fingertip dialated, but he said it was "softer." We talked about what projects I have been doing, especially cleaning the grout on the kitchen floor. He asked what I used and if I resealed it. Obviously there wasn't much to talk about in the baby department so coversation turned to cleaning grout. We sscheduled an appoitment for next Tuesday which is Benjamin's due date and said he would see me then. So it looks like we could have a Thanksgiving baby or a December baby. I wouldn't mind an early December baby, I need someone else to share my birthday month with!

38 Weeks, time for an update

At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life.

Its been awhile since I have last updated, so here is a short recap of past Dr. appointments:

36 week appointment: 50% effaced, and a fingertip dilated, and baby is low. I am happy and excited, things are starting to move along!

37 week appointment: no progress. I was hoping that the Braxton Hicks contractions and the constant pressure and pain in my hips and pelvis was a sign that things are moving along. Unfortunately, I've been in pain for nothing.

38 week appointment (today): again nothing. Dr. asked before he even checked me; "any contractions?" "Nope" "Lost your mucus plug?" "Nope" He laughed and asked "should I even check you?" I laughed and said "maybe, we went hiking at Cumberland falls and Cumberland gap this weekend." That didn't even do it and I got a 'you-shouldn't-have traveled-that-far' talk. I am now grounded and have to stay within 60 minutes of the hospital.

So little monkey, it is time for you to start making your way out. I know you are very comfy in there and really don't want to leave, but can you please make your momma happy and make some progress towards entering this world? Please? The Dr. won't induce me until I am 10 days overdue, Benjamin please don't make me go that long! My belly feels sooo heavy, you press on my bladder all the time, and the every day aches and pains are starting to wear on me. I have cleaned and cleaned the house, the last load of your new clothes are in the dryer now. We got the car seat inspected and the hospital bag is almost packed. We are just missing you! Your daddy is ready for you as well, all while we were hiking this weekend he kept talking about all the places he was going to take you, the things we would do together, and the places we would see. So little one, we love you and we are ready!