A month gone by

My how time flies!

Well, little Jack is a month old now (as of yesterday). He spends so much time awake now - looking around, starting to smile, cooing and "talking" to us. He's sleeping pretty well, waking up every 2-3 hours or so but pretty much going right back to sleep. He loves taking baths and widens his eyes as soon as he hits the warm water, as if to say "oh yeah - I remember this!"

The girls are still utterly smitten with this little man, as are we. They want to be near him every second of the day and I have to particularly be careful with the little two around him - so they don't "love" him too rough. ALL of them can't keep their voices down in the slightest bit, so hopefully he'll adjust soon and stop startling awake when one of them shrieks or there is a crash (which happens several times a day).

I still can't seem to eat dairy without him projectile vomting. He got J last night BIG TIME - poor guy had to take a shower. It's really hard - it seems dairy is in everything (even our bread). I have to go through my grocery list again and try to figure out meals for next week and right now I feel sort of disenchanted with the whole eating process since so much is off limits right now. But, it's worth it to have a comfortable, happy baby - definitely. I crave cheese like crack, though.

We are in the process of planning Jack's Baptism and his biggest sister's birthday. It just worked out that we could do both on the same day, so that's a big relief to Mom the uber-planner. I've ordered their cakes and just need to figure out what food we're going to have so I can place that order as well. I AM NOT cooking this time! Sorry, guys ;) I just don't know what to get yet. But she's very excited that he's being baptized the day after her birthday. Since she's having a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed party, she wants him to dress up like Captain Jack Sparrow. Um - sorry kid! No chance. Can you see that Baptism?

Made up a new collage for you guys - so I'll upload that and then I'm off to find something to eat for lunch. Crackers and water, perhaps? :)

Sweet Dreams, Little Man

Dragon tales and the water is wide
Pirates sail and lost boys fly
Fish bite moonbeams every night
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out
Superman's in pajamas on the couch
Goodnight moon, we'll find the mouse
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and match box cars
God bless dad and thanks for the stars
God hears "Amen," wherever we are
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

Focusing on the present

Okay, I know I promised an update on the recovery process but I've decided that it needs to stay in the past. Long story short, I leaked spinal fluid and had to get a blood patch (google that one!). It took me three weeks to get back to the point where I felt human again, and I think that for my own sanity and mental health I need to leave that whole experience in the past and focus on the present with my gorgeous, whole, healthy miracle.

We're entering week four of his life today and getting back to regular life. The kids are having a great time with their new homeschooling schedule, and Daddy packs up their assignments and lunches every night. When they wake up, they have all their work in folders, inside their backpacks, and their lunches and snacks are assembled and ready to go. This makes my life so much easier, since I'm pretty much constantly attending to feeding or changing the baby. If they have questions or need help, I am right here, but they're learning self-motivation and independence at the same time. It works out nicely for everyone.

Last night Jack decided that from 2:30 to 4, he was going to fall asleep and then wake up about every ten minutes (or so it seemed). We've been dealing with some milk sensitivities in him. He started projectile vomiting, which scared the heck out of all of us (including him!) It may just be overactive letdown (another one you can google - but it basically means when he latches on and my milk comes down into the ducts, it comes down FAST - so he gulps and eats very quickly and overfills his tummy) or it could be a milk sensitivity. Since 75% of the population is lactose intolerant, including over half of our family, it's not unlikely that Jackson is, too. I've elminated dairy from my diet for five days now and so far, no major puking from the peanut. He's also got reflux, and was prescribed a homeopathic remedy called silica for that. Our doctor says 1 in 4 kids are prescribed Zantac at birth now, and once you get them on it, it's very hard to get them off it. So, he wanted to try something else first. Once we can pinpoint the cause of the vomiting, we'll work on controlling the reflux. Right now he sleeps semi-upright (in a bouncy seat or his carseat) and that helps a little. He chokes a lot, though. I hate that sound - hearing him gasp for air, the gurgling deep in his throat. It's miserable.

Jack, however, is growing like a champ and doing very well - despite the vomiting and reflux. He weighed 10lbs, 8ozs at his last checkup, so he's gaining perfectly. He's just at the end of the toes on his newborn sized sleepers, but the 0-3s seem huge on him. Oddly enough, the newborn ones say 5-8lbs. Ha! Who works for Carter's design department, anyway? They're cuckoo-nuts, as my daughter would say.

So, that's our "Life, In A Nutshell" this Monday morning! :)

We're in trouble...

"One Eyed Jack" - quite the lady's man!

Could I love this little guy ANY more?

Finally - the arrival of Jackson (7/29)

Sorry it took so long for me to get this up. I am *finally* feeling well enough to sit and publish. This was written right after we got home the first time. Forgive the poor grammar - I was on some heavy duty meds still.

Went to the hospital Saturday morning after calling my doc from all the prodromal labor all week. She was the house doc for 24 hours Saturday morning to Sunday morning. Took the girls to my sister-in-law's, no traffic on Saturday (yay) and made it to the hospital in about an hour and a half total. Got in and put on the monitor and my contractions were about 4 minutes apart. Doc checked me and I was 4.5cm, and as soon as she checked me things suddenly kicked. It was as if he was waiting for us to be settled in - considerate little one. Since last time I went from 4-10 in twenty minutes, I agreed to a combination spinal epidural (which provides a little instant relief and a push-button control on the epidural). I ended up not needing to push the epidural button and had a lot of good feeling and control on my lower half (could move around, feel contractions, etc.)

My water broke, then the nurse checked me and I saw the look on her face change from anticipation to concern. She stayed very still and called the charge nurse and "house doc" (my OB). I asked what was going on, and very calmly she said she thought she felt a loop of cord. My doc came in, it was a bit of a flurry of activity, and Jack's cord had indeed prolapsed. The charge nurse had an OR prepped and "all hands were on deck" so to speak. (Actually it felt more like all hands were on me as they tried to get his head backed up enough to move the cord). I laid very still, trying to consciously will him into position - trying NOT to panic. My doc was amazing - moved the cord to the space between his ear and shoulder and then turned on pitocin. She was concerned that if I didn't dilate quickly at that point, the cord would just come right back to where it had been. I was a "stretchy 6" at that point, but his head was still not coming down very far.

From there, Jack took his time. It was another five hours before I was complete, and that last lip of cervix took an hour and a half to get thinned out and out of the way. We were all amazed at how this labor was so unique. (And impressed that Jack already knew how to get the attention of all the ladies - we had 7 nurses in the station watching his strips and popping their heads in to check on us).

I pushed through four contractions and out he came. His cheeks took a push of their own, they were so chubby. He passed meconium as he was coming out, but thankfully after his head and chest were delivered. He must've been laying on his right arm or somehow strained it because he wasn't using it for about the first hour after delivery - but we were all relieved to see that he started moving it normally shortly thereafter. He wasn't too sure what to do with that nipple in his mouth for the first five minutes, then latched on and is nursing like a champ.

Making it official - he's ours!


His first bath - they were kind enough to oblige our request to admit him in our room and the nurse brought everything down from the nursery (check out those curls!)



Sunday we had a little setback in my recovery when I developed a spinal headache/neckache. They think it will resolve itself, so I am limited in how much time I can spend vertical. It's much better when I'm lying down. Jack also seems to have pretty bad reflux - in fact, worse than any of the girls. He aspirates and chokes and then screams. It's a heart-wrenching sound and nothing helps (it even happens when he's almost entirely upright). We'll need to follow-up with our doc and probably a GI doc very shortly (as soon as I can be upright enough to ride in the car comfortably).

So, all is fairly well. I'm so glad John is home to take care of everything. I'm back off to bed.

Oh - Jack was 9lbs, 1 oz and 22 1/4 inches long.


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Phase II of my recovery coming soon...

Sweet dreams

Could it be that a week has already gone by since this sweet boy came into our lives?
Here he dreams of happy things...

Jackson - one week old

Self-soothing already

Welcome home sweet boy

The end of an era...

Today is the last day I will be a mom of all girls. The whole premise is rather bizarre. I can't believe that tomorrow at this time I'll have a son - and that he's going to be in our arms and joining our family so soon. At this point it's unfathomable what it will be like to walk into the house with him. I keep thinking of where we'll set him down first, remembering what it was like when we brought home each of the girls - how strange to see them there, a whole other person living separate from me, snuggled up in the carseat that consumes their tiny little body. I remember how strange the feeling was knowing they would never again be this theoretical entity, but forever a separate, independent person.

It has been a flurry of activity around here. We've gone to the post office, the bank, the bookstore - anything and everything we can think of to keep our minds off the ticking clock. Part of me is filled with nervous energy, fearful of the reality that is childbirth pain while at the same time so anxious to see this little soul with my own two eyes that I can hardly sit still. We're trying to get everything into place, imagining what we will need to make our lives easier those first days, and hoping that we haven't forgotten anything too terribly important. I did make the realization today that I've only gotten one of my favorite chamois crib sheets from Pottery Barn Kids - whoops! I might have to dig around and see if I at least have a backup sheet somewhere. (Those of you who are parents, especially breastfeeding ones, know how quickly sheets can get exploded on!)

So, that's that. Tomorrow morning we'll wake up very early to drop off the girls and then head to the hospital. My stomach is flip flopping just thinking of those first moments - filling out the little questionnaire, getting your bloodwork and IV put in, feeling the first contractions consume your body - changing very quickly from charming little constrictions of the abdominal muscles to the intense gnawing at your core, and the welcome visit from the anesthesiologist who brings a bittersweet mix of bee stings, popping pressure in the spine, and the release from pain as the meds slowly travel through the body. If history repeats itself, it will be only a short time after that when that primal force will transition our lives from pregnancy to parenthood once more. Each time it is no less amazing than the first, no less miraculous.

I hope I can sleep.

New things for you...

A belly shot and a ticker, too.

Closer than you think....

In fact, up until yesterday, closer than WE thought. I had an appointment yesterday with some high blood pressure, so the doctor was a bit concerned. Jack's heartrate was up in the 180s (usually more like 140-150). She had me rest and re-checked it, then sent me on my merry way when it went down.

Jack's head is "right there" - he reacted to the cervical check by turning his head back and forth as if to say "Hey, someone else is in here!" (per Dr. M). I am now dilated to 3cm and "highly favorable" for an induction, which she and I agreed to move up a bit to Saturday morning. She'll be working a 24 hour shift on Saturday and I've abandoned the notion that Jack MUST be born in August. It will be nice having here there, on staff, the entire time we're admitted (barring any major complications). At least if I need additional pain management or have any questions or concerns crop up, she will already be there just outside the room.

At this point, I'm just anxious to have him in my arms and to know that we are all safe and healthy. Things are falling into place at home. It's hard to do the little things - even cooking or planning a meal. I want to just get take-out all the time. You know that feeling when you've cleaned your house and you're going to have a party so you can't possibly mess it up again before then? That's the feeling - times a hundred. But, we're trying to stay home and eat what we have here so that we'll be able to get takeout or convenience foods next week when we REALLY need them.

I've been having a lot of contractions today (and yesterday). Dr. M. stripped my membranes yesterday at the visit and it definitely stirred up a little activity, but I don't think it's going to send me into full blown labor. The bags are packed and in the car, ready to go. The "It's a Boy" hand-outs are ready to go. We still aren't 100% on the names, but time will tell. J is the only one in disagreement at this point, so I think team estrogen will persevere. But, we'll see. I had to run out today and get a new Boppy, since they seem to smoosh down every time you use them and I need as much arm support as possible to nurse. We also grabbed some bread/milk/juice at the store, to be sure we were stocked up. I was lucky enough to have time to get my haircut, highlighted, and brows waxed. I may actually even feel HUMAN after he's born - not to mention LOOK human in the pictures. I hope. Tonight we'll watch a movie from Blockbuster home delivery, and try to relax. I think there are still a few things to be washed in preparation, and then we could stand to be sure everything is properly packed in my bag again. But, that's that. I just need something to keep my mind off contractions and on getting through to Saturday!

I'm about over it

I have to gripe - because my kids don't care and my poor, sweet, sympathetic husband hears about it all the time - so I'm just going to get it off my chest and then try to sleep.

I'm about over it. I want to cherish these last days/weeks - I want to hide Jack from the world and relish in every kick. I want to sit and daydream about what life will be like when he's here and sit in wonder at the size of my swelling belly.

And, yet, the truth is - I'm miserable. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of being tired - I'm sick of being in pain. I want to sleep! I want to lay in bed without fifteen pillows strategically positioned under my belly, behind my back, between my legs, propping me up. I want to walk up the steps without having to stop halfway to catch my breath, or feel my knees buckling beneath me. I want to lay in bed and not have to pee the second I get comfortable. I want to sit in a chair at the end of the day, then walk across my kitchen floor without limited range of motion in my feet because they're so swollen it's like they're inflated. I want to drive down the street, or sit in the bed, without watching the clock struggling to remember exactly when that last contraction was - how long it has been - and when the next one would come. I want to not feel the pressure radiate to my back, wondering if the baby is posterior and if it will cause back labor. I want to go to sleep at night and not wonder if *this* trip to the bathroom will be the one that is preceded by a gush of fluid, and not wonder constantly what traffic is like on the bridge. I want to send J off to work without the concern that he won't make it home in time for the birth, much less time to get the kids somewhere *and* me to the hospital.

And, sometimes, when I'm sitting alone or soaking in the tub, I want to be pregnant forever - and never have to return to life without the magic that is carrying a child. Not have to return to life with stretched skin and wilted muscles and that empty feeling that all is quiet and still within.

37 weeks and beginning to dilate!

There you have it, folks - it DOES get bigger than last picture! Can you believe it?

Had a good doctor appointment today. I feel so blessed to have found such an awesome obstetrician and her support staff makes it so great. I'm actually a little sad to think that I won't be seeing these women regularly after Jack is born. But, I think I'll be busy enough to manage somehow. :)

She checked progress today and all the aches and pains aren't in vain - I am dilating already and she was happy to announce that I was at 2 centimeters. This is a big difference from the last pregnancy, where I was "thick, high, and closed" all the way until the pitocin drip was put in. However, this also means things could go VERY quickly from here. Last delivery I went from 4cm to 10cm in about 20 minutes. Yikes! Hopefully we'll have some advanced warning before we get to that point, though. I keep halfway expecting to feel a gush every time I hoist myself out of bed in the middle of the night. So, we shall see. The doctor said she'll see me next week, if I make it to that point.

Miserable with fat feet

Look at the size of those feet - and where did my ankles go??? Yep - that's the joy of my pregnancy right now. When I wake up they're like that, too. I sometimes can barely feel the floor beneath my feet because they're so swollen. My OB refers to them as "Fred Flintstone" feet. :)

I can squeeze into one pair of shoes and they're stretched-out flip flops! And yes, my nails are blue - all of ours are (well, all members of the family who are female). We did pink for baby girls, so we thought it would be fun to do blue. This is OPI something Azure.

While we're at it - did you ever wonder what pitting edema looked like? It's a lovely condition where when the skin is depressed it stays indented for some time as the fluid is moved away from that spot.

Here is the profile of my left puffy foot before pressing


And after

Nesting, Nesting, Nesting....never resting...

So much to do, so little time. Although the days are creeping by at a snail's pace, it seems that there isn't enough time in the day or enough days in the week to accomplish everything on my growing list.

A big part of my nesting has been mentally preparing meals (and ideas) for the coming months. Last week we went to the bakery and got 18 bagels, which are sliced and frozen individually downstairs - blueberry and chocolate chip for the kids (and the big kid!), multigrain and asiago for me. Yesterday I baked six loaves of quick breads for easy breakfasts and snacks, so those are in the freezer as well.

I've looked into Meal Makers (one of those make-ahead meal places) but for $18-$24 an entree, I think I can do it much better (and healthier) myself. If only I had the time and energy to do so. I did manage to start soaking some navy beans today for White Bean Chicken Chili, and we'll freeze that. But it will be hot - so I don't think we'll be wanting soups and stews. If only I could make fruit salad and pasta salad ahead of time. That sounds wonderful right now!

3 weeks until we meet our boy!

...and growing

35 weeks and 2 days - exactly four weeks from now we will be on our way to meet Jack!

The day is near

After much discussion with my OB, we have agreed it would be best to induce labor. In light of the fact that my last one was born in an hour from the first little cramp until she was out, it's just too risky to wait until spontaneous labor. I very well could end up delivering in the car, or not making it in at all. With J working 30 minutes away, and the bridge traffic as it is now, we can barely make it to the river within an hour of notification. So, we know the day our boy will be joining our family and cannot wait to see him!

(And, if you missed the edit to the Name Game post - we've decided to go back to the drawing board on the middle names. Sooo - his name will definitely be Jackson, but beyond that, your guess is as good as mine!)

It keeps growing, and growing, and growing...

(See updated pic in the July post!) :)

Thought it was time to do another belly pic today (33 weeks, 1 day) and had a little fun in iPhoto with it and some older pics. It's hard to believe time has gone by so quickly. The first photo was taken on St. Patrick's Day (hence, wearing Daddy's "Dublin" tee shirt). It's long past and July 4th is approaching quickly.

With all the bridge work going on, I'm getting rather nervous that we'll even make it to the hospital in time. Our last OB visit took an hour and fifteen minutes just to get there. Add to that Daddy's commute of 30 minutes and we're looking at a van-birth somewhere on the side of the highway.

The whole crew is going out to tour the hospital this coming weekend, which should be fun. We're still trying to decide which hospital Jack will make his arrival from (assuming we make it to a hospital at all) :)

32 weeks - a peek into his crowded world

Well, I've been informed that I haven't been keeping up, so I thought I'd add Jack's newest pictures.

We are not doing a whole lot right now. I've been going to physical therapy for some horrible pain in my hip and pelvis, which doesn't seem to be working if you'd ask me at this very moment. I have to wear an SI-LOC brace, too, but it drives me nuts because I can't go to the bathroom with it on - and well, at 32 weeks that's about every fifteen seconds, on average. I managed to somehow squeak out three passing values on my glucose tolerance test, so I am free and clear of that label! Yay! Other than that, not a lot going on - just the typical aches and pains of pregnancy - reflux, sleeplessness, sciatica, etc.

The girls are getting so excited and can't wait for him to join the family. They recently had their dance recital and will be taking some time off from classic dance classes for the summer and just doing a few fun ones to keep in touch with friends.

Enough with us - let's get to the chubbster.

This is the 3D/4D ultrasound from www.gatewayultrasound.com - Julie works at my OB's office and she's a riot. We had far too much fun during this and Jack wasn't too cooperative, so this is the best we could get. They offered to have me come back this week sometime to see if he'd do better, but it's such a long drive. This is the picture I refer to as the "Uncle Fester" pic - you know, duh duh duh duht Uncle Fester? Anwyay - he looks like he's all smooshed up in there, face pressed against glass. This is the funny one. But you do get a good view of his perfect cupid's bow lips, and he looks so much like his sisters.


And then we have three of these, where his thumb keeps getting closer and closer to his mouth. I think he'll be a thumb-sucker (or whole fist sucker if he takes after his Dad, according to my Mother-in-Law, who managed to get his fists in his mouth right after he was born). But he sure is cute! You can see his little button nose here: