Elana's First Week

So Elana is now one week old. She poops, sleeps, and eats. That is about as exciting as it gets. My mom and Shannen have been around all week to help me out. Angela covered one afternoon too. I am surprisingly not to exhausted but Leaf my say otherwise. I may be a bit grouchy at times....but is that really any different than normal?

I will say the biggest surprise has been breast feeding. Elana is a bit early and the lactation lady claims that is why she is having a hard time. She has got the process down know but it was a rough start. I am glad we pushed through but I see why people give up.

So I hope this week goes as great as last week and that Elana continues to thrive and grow.

Flickr

If I did not include you in the Flickr account let me know and I can add you so that you can see the pictures of the baby. For obvious reasons we do not want all the pictures we ever take to be shown to the whole world. Email me and I will get you hooked up.

The Big Day

Last Friday started out like any other day...my mom and I made plans to go to Old Sac and walk around to see if we could get things started. First, I had to go to one of my many fetal monitoring appointments. At this point in the day everything was going pretty normal. I was having contractions but nothing painful. During the monitoring the nurse told me she needed to go see the doctor because she thought something was up. I knew this was a bad sign, my day was about to change. Of all days, this was not the day to have the baby. Leaf had to work all weekend and my doctor would not be available until Monday! Luck would have it that this was the day. The doctors decided the baby was coming and I was admitted to the hospital.

From this point nothing was in my hands and I was totally okay with that. I figured out pretty early on in his process to just go with the flow. Overall the experience was really a breeze for me. For all the little nagging things I had to deal with during the pregnancy the delivery was cake. Obviously, this was my first experience with any of this so all I had was books, friends, and the Baby Story to go on for what I would experience. I expected a much more unpleasant experience.

First, on the advice of my sister and doctor I got an epidural. I was lucky that the nurse and doctors gave me some control. If I was in pain they would up the medicine but the plan was to use it as little as possible. The second thing that made everything great was my nurse, Cindy. She was amazing and kept me relaxed and informed about what was happening. The times are a little fuzzy but somewhere around 10 pm I was informed that my regular doctor could come if I delivered before midnight or if I was still in labor in the morning. At that point I came to grips with the fact Jen would not be there (which just made my eyes water right now) but I wanted to do a good job because she had done an amazing job with me during the pregnancy. Sometime shortly after this news I was checked and at 8 cm...the baby was coming and coming soon. I was still feeling contractions but nothing like those ladies on TV. I was pretty shocked that this was all I felt. Around 12 I told the nurse I think something is happening and they checked me again and decided to change my position to a sitting position. I was there for about an hour until I really felt the urge to push. Then it was total relief when I could push. I would equate the feeling to taking a very large poop. I was able to talk up until the very end and I never swore or raised my voice or anything. After just 50 minutes of pushing Elana Kathleen was born.


Right now everyone is doing great and just enjoying the experience. I am off to breastfeed once again.

Darlene cursed me

Darlene has been teasing me that I am having the worlds longest labor...now of course it is happening. I have been having regular contractions since Monday afternoon. Tuesday I was at the hospital so I figured what the heck get checked. Which turned into an 4 hour event. I had to go walk for 2 hours to see if anything happened. Well obviously since I am writing this nothing happened. I am stuck at 4 cm. Today I am 4 cm. Despite literally walking miles. I walked all over the place and nothing to show for it but more contractions. So here I sit on Wednesday at 11 pm still waiting. I double checked all the books and well this is only supposed to last 14 hours on average....I have heard all the advice. Just for the record whoever came up with the idea to have sex to bring on active labor is a masochist. First, being 9 months pregnant that is not really high on my list of things to do. Second, I am in pain...why would I want to possibly add to that? Third, I am pretty sure that is what got me into this whole mess.

Since we are on the topic...I find it a bit ironic that I will not go topless at the beach but complete strangers know my cervix is dilated 4 cm. Leaf tells his friends, coworkers, and I have told complete strangers...for some reason this is acceptable. I was listening to Leaf update his friend and it totally occured to me they are talking about my vagina. Like it is public property or something. I guess in a short while I will have my body back and maybe some privacy.

So I am off to rest and hope for progress.

A rude awakening is coming...

Lately Leaf and I have been debating about the dogs and how they will cope with the upcoming changes. We (which really means me) have been working on the dogs staying outside more when we are home and reteaching some basic commands.

That being said it has become apparent to me that the person who will have the hardest time adjusting is Leaf. In 9 years of wedded bliss Leaf has become accustomed to certain things. I am not blaming him at all I am the one to blame. Slowly over time I just did things like cook, clean, wash clothes...I guess the traditional housewife stuff. When I started working we tried to split the chores but Leaf was in school and stressed. I picked up the slack, as anyone would, because marriage is a give and take.

Fast forward to today. I have been done with school for months, not working, and back to my old ways. So to say Leaf is spoiled is an understatement but I enjoy spoiling him. He never asks for much but he never wants for much either. I make sure he gets things he likes for his lunches and for dinner. I make him "special" drinks....which is just decaf coffee with milk or hot chocolate but he thinks they are special somehow. I wash his clothes when he needs them, pack his lunch when he running late...which he figured out so that has happened twice this week, make him breakfast sometimes even in bed. I am sure he knows those days are ending so he is milking it for all it is worth and I cannot blame the guy.

This week he has the "world's worst" cough. First, it must be said Leaf is a HUGE wimp when he is sick (sorry Leaf). He manages to pull it together when other people are around but I get the uncensored version. Come to think of it, he was not always this way. This is new in the last few years. When we were first married he just wanted to be left alone. Anyway, he whines, he moans, you name it he does it. He has been on his death bed at least twice in the last few months needing constant care. Last night though he added a new layer to the behavior....grouchiness. He was grouchy at everything and everyone. Like a 15 year old with PMS. Finally, I was pushed to my limit and told him to take his grouchy self to bed and that I had enough of him. Then it hit me...Leaf will be the one with the rude awakening. He is going to have to learn to share and there may be a battle. All I can say is I am not breastfeeding him too!

So, I am sure I will hear about this one. I warn Leaf all the time to be careful what you say and do because it may end up on my blog. I am guessing this will get me in some trouble BUT I am the one who spoils Leaf so I have no one to blame but myself. Plus, I do it all because I love him.

So who is the one...

The other day as I was making one of many trips to a public bathroom it occured to me, "who is the idiot who actually flushes a public toilet with their hand?" With the exception of old people and the infirm who should not do that crazy balancing act we all do, who touches that? Think about it...you are standing in a public restroom, in puddles of god knows what. It is cleaned by some high school kid who could give a crap (no pun intended) if the bathroom floor is really clean. Then you take your contaminated foot and flush the toilet! When you think about it that way maybe I should not wear shoes in the house!

I would hate to think the hand flusher is the person behind the counter at Subway or the nice lady at the bank. I know they may wash their hands but come on, how clean can you get them? Plus, there is a large percentage of people who do not wash their hands then touch that door handle we all have to grab to leave a bathroom. This I have observed many times. Because of this I have, on occasion, waited at the door for someone to enter the bathroom so I could slip out without out having to touch the handle. This could be excessive but you know a non-hand washer probably flushes the toilet with their hands!

So good luck next time you visit th cesspool otherwise known as a public bathroom.

AAHHH...okay I am ready

The thank you cards are written (not sent yet), all the essential baby stuff is set up, and the shower is over. We are as ready as we are going to be. Today I had a doctors appointment and I am 2-3 centimeters and 60% effaced. So she could come tomorrow or in 3 weeks. My guess is sooner rather than later.

Last weekend was the baby shower and Shannen, Darlene, my Mom, Angela, and Janet did a fabulous job. Everything was wonderful and just what I wanted. Low key. It was great to see all my friends and family. I know I do not seem that excited when I talk to people or open presents but Leaf can attest that I get really calm when big things are going to happen.

Me opening some presents.

The "girls"


Diaper cakes made by Darlene....she is really talented.

So after the shower I spent most of this week getting things organized and figuring out what essentials we needed to pick up. First, kids are expensive. Who knew you needed all that stuff for something that is so small. Jack and Arnold were easy..some toys, some food, and a bed. They did bite and occasionally have accidents in the house but they were cheap by comparison. I am sure potty training the dogs will be just like a kid so we should be set, right mom?

The first big challenge of our parenting careers already occur ed...installing the car seats. I am pretty good at it since I have done it several times for my nieces. The biggest problem is I am 9 months pregnant and cannot push and pull as hard as I need to at this point. I got one in my car with no issues and showed Leaf how to do it. Then it was his car and a different seat. At one point Leaf had me sitting in the seat while he was trying to tighten the straps, we were snapping at each other and he was really mad. Finally, I said "why don't you push and I will pull." Well there was the problem something was twisted so it would not tighten. The car seat is now safely installed and peace is back in our home.

So, as for now, I am just having irregular contractions and waiting for something to happen. I will try to post before we leave for the hospital. Until then...