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Oh HAI, World!

2010-02-21T01:02:32Z

Birth story part 1 (not for the queasy)

2010-02-19T02:02:59Z

So, as many of you know, the like 3 people that read this, I mean ;) we has the storm of the century here in Maryland last week. It started on Friday the 5th and blasted us over the weekend. We dug ourselves out and then got hit again on Monday the 8th. It was about 5 feet of snow total and the second threw/blew about 3 feet of snow along our whole street. We're at the back part of the culdesac, so it was a block worth of 3 feet of snow.

On Tuesday Peter dug out the jeep for a just in case, and since I heard we were going to get hit again I slowly and without strenuous strokes, dug out my car, since he wasn't planning on doing it. I then parked the cars both in our driveway. The blizzard was ferocious but blew over on Wednesady evening and Thursday was clear. I did some minor house picking up, but even scooting around the kitchen on my desk chair and bending slightly to get stuff wiped off the floor was apparently too much. .. Cue the mayhem.

I went upstairs with Ingrid to put her down for her nap as Peter was getting on a call at about 2pm. As I was sitting there reading her a story, it felt like I wet my pants slightly and I jumped up to go to the bathroom. There was a pink tinge and they always tell you to call the doc if that happens, so I did. I got through to the RN at about 2:25pm and she said to lay down do a kick count, call back in an hour or if there was red blood. After my hour, everything was okay but I had instructions to call/ go to the hospital if I had red blood. Within the hour I dropped my mucus plug. It's a pretty disgusting thing that I didn't really experience before. Last time since my everything came out at once while in labor and I was too busy trying tro not push Ingrid out on the floor to notice what all was there.

I had Peter call and schedule a cab while I got downstairs, because our car was blocked by several feet of snow deep and about 40 feet in length to the nearest open space. He helped me walk through that 3 feet of snow for a block so that the cab could get to us and sent me on my way to Frederick Memorial Hospital alone while he tried to figure out how to deal with the situation and Ingrid.

I got to the hospital at 5pm and checked in at the registration desk. They wheeled me back to Labor and Delivery Triage where I'd had my stay when my knee went out. They hooked me up to the monitors and finally had enough data by 5:30 to let me walk. They told me to walk for 30 minutes and come back to get checked. While I was standing at the locked door knocking, my water broke. Not the gush and splash like last time, but the I feel like I just uncontrollably peed myself kind. They had me clean myself up, and a gal came over from Labor and Delivery and took me to a real room.They checked me and I was 3cm dialated.

I was starting to fret. It was 6pm, Peter hadn't figured out to do with Ingrid and I felt like I was going to be going through the whole process alone or over the phone or something. I laid down and didn't want to get up for the life of me. I think that's partially why it went so fast the last time. I was standing all through labor. While he and I were on the phone at about 7pm, his boss's wife called and offered to watch Ingrid. He still had to sort the logistics. He had to get he and Ingrid to the hospital which involved lugging a stay bag, a toddler and a carseat a block through the snow in order to get to a taxi to bring him to the hospital and Kim would meet him there and get Ingrid. I think he arrived around 9pm and Kim showed up a little bit after. That taken care of, he could focus on helping me focus. I think it was either right before he got there, or while he was out handing off Ingrid that a nurse came in and checked my cervix again and said it was 5 1/2, but then immediately left got another nurse to check me who said I was 7-8 cm dialated. Um, big difference folks! And shoving your hand in a laboring woman's vagina is not the most comfortable thing to do to her, so you might want to get someone who can do it right the first time, eah? Peter was a good coach, again and helped me breathe through the contractions. At a little after 11pm the contractions changed flavor. They were lower numbers on the monitor, but way higher intensity and so I knew he was coming, when I started muttering and crying about just wanting them to stop. I told the nurse that he was coming and she checked my cervix (the same one that got 5 1/5 when I was 7-8) and said I was at 7. Then she left the room. I really wish people would listen to me. I felt movement. I had Peter call the nurse and as they were out there not believing me, I had a huge surge and I felt him push down the birth canal and Peter saw him crowning. They rushed in, the nurse held him in! until the doctor could get into the room and I was trying to hold back. With that big surge, I shat all over the table. It's the grosest feeling.

More later since this has taken me 5 days to write...

So much for that! Welcome Finn!

2010-02-14T12:02:49Z

Went ahead and gave birth to the little man, a month early, on the tail end of one of the biggest blizzards I've ever seen. I had to walk through 3 feet deep snow to get to the hospital. How many people get to say that? I'll type out the whole grueling ordeal after Ingrid goes for her nap aI get a little housework done.There's a mountain of laundry, a large pile of dishes, and far too much recycling in the entryway because services were pretty much not all last week.

Another task taken care of

2010-02-08T04:02:34Z

I finally got the guest bedroom situated the way that I want it, and the final steps are to get the box of old girl baby clothes and my filing box downstairs, vacuum the floor, and buy a blanket for the bed (it has sheets).

I've been really irritated that I can't do too much. If I do a lot of activity I start having contractions. I'm not willing to give birth before Feb 27th at the earliest. My dad will be here by then to help take care of Ingrid.

Thirty Days And Counting: Time For The Predictions

2010-02-06T03:02:28Z

With less than a month to go before our newest arrival makes his debut, the wild speculations in the household have been flying. My wife and I decided to put our money where our mouths were and post them online to see who gets the most victory points come D-Day. What the winner of our running bet will get is still up for debate, but the gauntlet is definitely thrown down.

Our Prediction Categories:

Date our child is born
Time of day our child is born
Number of hours in labor
How much he weighs
Hair color
Eye Color
Eyebrows (Daddy's or Mommy's)
Torso Length
Whether Mom gets pooped on in the delivery room (Ingrid set the benchmark)

According to Mom:

March 2, 2010
Around 8:30 pm
1.5 hours from contractions to delivery
8 lb., 4 oz.
Hazel
Blonde (Black at birth)
Mom's eyebrows
21.5" long
Gets pooped on

According to Dad:

March 3, 2010
Around 2:30 pm
3 hours from contractions to delivery
8 lb., 10 oz.
Brown
Brown
Dad's eyebrows
22.5" long
No poop, but possibly peed on

More things crossed off the to do list

2010-01-30T05:01:57Z

This morning I went on a recon mission. I have been looking for inexpensive bed options. I popped over to Ollie's and found a twin set and a twin matress. Two beds for 450 is not so bad. The mattress only I will be putting on Ingrid's bed so that she has a filled frame, once I can get to the store to get some twin sheets. Of course, right now, we have several inches of snow on the ground and it was so slick coming back from breakfast this morning when it started dumping snow on us, that we almost ended up on the plant median turning into the housing development.It's all of about 18 degrees out there and the snow is pure powder. If we were on a hill and snowboard worthy it might be fun.

Ingrid really wanted to play in it, but I really can't risk falling right now with my bum leg and the 8 month pregnant belly, so I couldn't take her out. Peter's been busy taking care of us inside.I think she's going to be very happy with her new bed once it gets situated upstairs.

I have had really bad back pain all last night and this morning on account of my hips being out of alignment. After breakfast I came into the house, it was almost noon, and went straight upstairs, took some tylenol, put the massager on my back, and got a little nap. I wish I was with my Reiki peeps so as to get hot Reiki hands all over me.

Pregnancy brain dump

2010-01-29T02:01:50Z

Six weeks and counting. The really anxious pregnancy dreams have started. I remember dreaming a lot about forgetting the baby or losing her after she was born when I was pregnant with Ingrid. Last night featured Peter not coming to the hospital with me, me not being able to get a room in the labor and delivery part of the hospital, but instead in some open area near the cafeteria, someone coming and taking my baby away without me knowing because I had to go to the bathroom so bad and couldn't carry HER. The final crazy was that I actually had a girl instead of a boy and didn't notice until many hours later, which might have been because in my dream I had no idea how I got to the hospital and no recollection of giving birth at all.

Peter was gone for the first half of the week, to Phoenix, and my paranoia was ramped up. I was totally anxious about going into spontaneous labor and having no one at all I could have help me and fretting about what would happen with Ingrid if that did happen. Ingrid missed him terribly, and was crying for him a lot. Yesterday, she wanted to have lunch with daddy and was very sad when we couldn't.

Had another ultrasound yesterday. The young man has flipped into the upside down position, which pleases me and my chiropractor. We were unsure whether he was going to have an easy time of it, because my hips have been all out of whack from my knee injury and the limping that has ensued.

My body has been aching so much, and my fingernails have been brittle and my voice hoarse, so I talked to my doctor today. He was ready to not make any changes to my thyroid meds, because the level was JUST within range of the labs report of range. But, since I have done my homework, I know that Endocrinologists have a much lower acceptable level and I am well beyond that. So he doubled my dosage and I'll get some more bloodwork done in 6 weeks. Hopefully that means I will start feeling better soon. My legs have ached so bad in the same sort of way they did before I started getting treated.

I can't wait to meet this little man and to start losing some weight and be able to thoroughly diagnose my knee and feel better. Only slightly over a month to go.

The list shortens

2010-01-26T09:01:48Z

things to do:

get newborn clothes for the baby
get newborn diapers for the baby
buy a replacement bed for Ingrid
clean out the guest room

set up guest room for dad
pack a bag for the hospital
put the newborn car seat in the car
wait

The replacement bed does need a mattress, but I'm trying to find one on sale, or wait until next payday, or both.

I know what needs to go in the bag, but I haven't packed it yet.

I know where the carseat is, but have not put it in the car, perhaps I should place it by the door.

I do need to finish setting up the bedroom for my dad's visit, but this morning I have decided to take it a little easy. Ingrid is at pre-school and my back is hurting from standing funny. I didn't sleep great last night with Peter out of town and woke up from about 3-5:45 anxious that I hadn't heard that he got to his hotel safe. I also had really funky dreams all night last night.

I think I'm the worst person ever about waiting. And I pretty much hate surprises. I mean if I'm going to be surprised, I definitely don't want to know about it ahead of time. The anticipation somewhat depresses me, even if it is supposed to be a good surprise.

Clearly I have rambly baby brain this morning.

Decisions

2010-01-22T03:01:31Z

I have decided what I am going to put in a bag to take to the hospital with me, one of my comfy dresses and the slipper socks that I already have from the hospital. Those are things I can spare from my general wardrobe to have in a bag by the door for a month.

Still need to figure out a tot bed for Ingrid. I'm pondering going the low twin frame, Ikea mattress route, since we want something low, but also something that is going to last more than a year or two for her.

Peter is going to help me tomorrow to get the guest bedroom situated.

Safe Baby Handling Tip No. 66

2010-01-16T02:01:40Z

Find more Safe Baby Handling Tips at Wry Baby.

Is it really only 8 weeks to go?

2010-01-14T04:01:55Z

Yep, I hate the things that pregnancy does to my body. I'd ponder having more children if I didn't have to be pregnant to have them, but then again 2 is certainly enough.

With my knee still bound up, I'm getting a tad worried about how I'm going to get everything I want done. With beds to be moved, and buy and actual baby baby clothes to buy, stuff seems overwhelming with the bum knee.

things to do:

get newborn clothes for the baby
get newborn diapers for the baby
buy a replacement bed for Ingrid
clean out the guest room
set up guest room for dad
pack a bag for the hosital
put the newborn car seat in the car
wait

I guess putting it like that it doesn't seem to be too much, but there is a bunch of heavy lifting in there :(

My suggestion is to not do this...or pre-emptive knee braces in pregnancy?

2010-01-10T11:01:03Z

Thursday night, I planned to go to bed early and knit and read. I finished the blue baby hat I was working on and decided to come down and get a needle to finish weaving in the ends and show it to Peter when I was taken by surprise. As I was to the first landing of the stairs, my left knee buckled and popped loudly. It crumpled under me, I braced myself from falling down the stairs onto my belly with my hand on the handrail and my face on the wall, I think. That's the only thing I can think of that explains the cut and fat lip I have. I didn't black out, but it happened so fast, it's hard to recall just what happened to my head.

Peter came running and I'd sat myself on the stairs and was trying to gather myself. I already knew that my knee was going to be fun. I've torn the ACL in my OTHER knee and had knee surgery on it. I had him bring me 2 Tylenol immediately and I scootched on my but down the 10 or so stairs that were left and elevated my leg on the couch and had Peter get me some ice. But I was aware that I was starting to show signs of shock and even though I hadn't hit my belly or anything, the baby wasn't moving, so after about 15 minutes of discussion and shivering uncontrollably on the couch Peter called the EMTs to the house.

Please make a note that if you have to be carried out of a house by EMTs where there is a staircase you have to traverse, if at all possible, get the chair instead of the flat board. One, you feel like you're going to fall off the board, especially going around the corner of the stairs. Two, if you're a big person, or pregnant, sometimes those EMTs are tiny and not really able to bear the weight. Peter had to help with the board and there were 3 of them besides him.

As they were putting me in the back of the ambulance there were snowflakes falling on my face. :( I started to warm up when in the ambulance, probably thanks to the oxygen they gave me. They took me to the hospital I'm planning on delivering at, so luckily I didn't have to do a lot of check in. I'd already preregistered for the birth so they had me in their computer system. Peter had to go get Ingrid out of bed and get her ready to go to the hospital. They met me in the ER after he'd gotten her up. She was very excited about it snowing outside. I was strapped flat on my back for at least 45 minutes or so, which is not good for a pregnant woman, so I asked for them to expedite getting me off the stupid board. They did so, realizing, oh 7 month pregnant lady probably shouldn't be pinned flat on her back.

The doc came in and checked me and let me off the board and we discussed x-rays. She said there really wasn't anything they'd be able to do for me even if I'd gotten an x-ray, so we opted out of getting them. They gave me a lame brace and a pair of crutches, not bothering to fit me really for either, and sent me to L&D for a baby check. I was contracting about every 2.5 minutes, very low intensity, so they kept me for observation. They kept saying soon, so Peter and Ingrid stayed. Finally at around 5 am I sent them home to get some sleep. They got blood and urine samples and sent them off to the lab. They put in an IV and gave me 2 liters of fluid, and proceeded to stick me 3 times to give me medicine that made me feel like I'd had about 1000 cups of coffee, that stops contractions. They were hoping 1 dose would do it, but I had to have 3. They are willing to give up to 10 of them, I think she said. To add insult to injury, when the Dr. came in she also gave me a pelvic exam to make sure my cervix wasn't dilated, which it was not. I can only imagine what that would have been like receiving more doses of the contraction stopper. When I was texting Peter, I was stutter typing because my hands were so shaky.

All that time, they didn't offer me any sort of relief for my leg, not even Tylenol and kept me from getting comfortable by having the fetal monitors on me. Every time I fell asleep for a few minutes they were checking on me. Finally they got the contractions under control and the blood work they did came back with no issues, so they let me go home.

Baby is fine, but my knee hurts like a mofo. I'm pretty certain I tore my ACL, and have an appointment with an Orthopedist on Thursday, when Peter is supposed to go to NYC. I'm hoping with the RICE method that the knee will be usable by Monday in order to let him go back to work. I can have him take my car, if that's the case, so I have the automatic. I have a GP appointment on Monday, an Ultrasound on Wednesday, and the Ortho on Thursday that I'd like to be able to go to and have everything checked out. I'd also like to be able to pee when I want without asking for help, be able to do basic things like hobble to the kitchen, even with crutches, and maybe even sleep in my own bed on floor 3 instead of on the couch.

The Hospital Tour

2010-01-06T06:01:46Z

All I gotta say is that I feel like I'm in backwards town that is trying to look sparkly.

Not only were hick one and hick two embarassing their respective wives, but the tour guide was positively ridiculous. Did you know your wife won't speak to you if you don't bring HER a present for giving birth? I didn't know that either. I guess Peter is lucky. I still speak to him. He didn't give me anything for having Ingrid!

Wow! You get to labor and deliver in the same room! How novel! And use a birthing ball if you want! And have a squat bar! Okay, so it's not giving birth on the exam table in your doctors office, but most places that actually have a maternity ward have those things don't they? I'm just jaded because I birthed in the big city before, I'm sure, but the lady that gave the tour tried to make it seem like this was all cutting edge stuff. A tv in the labor and delivery room! I'm sure it gets local channels, too!

Back to School

2010-01-06T11:01:35Z

Ingrid made a play of not wanting to got o preschool yesterday, but when Kelly brought out the play-doh, she was a gonner. She didn't care if I was around or not, didn't notice that I left, and was happy as a clam during her class. It doesn't hurt that they do painting a lot in class, as well. It's one of her favorite things to do. Currently, we have her easel in the kitchen and I brought up the paints so that she could paint at home. Shebrought her paint brushes up, and was so excited she couldn't wait for me to be done going to the bathroom. "I need to show you how to paint, mommy!" she kept saying.

It's funny. Aside from yarn art, I'm not really artistic at all. And really yarn art isn't neccessarily artistic the way I do it. All I do is follow a pattern or modify it just slightly to fit the yarn or needles I have available. She must have gotten all her artistic talent from her father. I'm really glad of it. I think it helps with higher thinking skills, especially later on it will.

Speaking of that, I'm also glad she shows some musical inclinations. She sings a lot and plays drums with a decent beat and appears to be interested in the guitar and wind instruments as well. She learns songs reallly fast and comes home from preschool with new ones I've not heard.

Nesting

2010-01-02T04:01:28Z

I woke up this morning and was just sick of how lax I have been with the housework. Everything had gone to the dogs and if I let it go much further, CPS would probably be on the doorstep. Well it wasn't quite THAT bad, but my over-emotional pregnant brain was telling me it was that bad. So before I even got downstairs, I cleaned the bathroom, cleaned the bedroom, tossed all the laundry down to get washed today, cleaned Ingrid's room, and picked up all my yarn in the guest room. Honestly, it wasn't all that hard to do that part. I need to remind myself of that on a daily basis.

I've been downstairs to deal with the laundry a few times now as well. I wish I could just get it all over at once. There is that nice thing about laundromats. You can wash 5 loads at a time and have it done with. I sat down in Ingrid's play rom and folded clothes while I was waiting for the was to finish and then brought a couple of bags of it up each time I've come up. I made sure not to pack them too full. That's been my downfall previously, the too heavy laundry tote, plus the too heavy pregnant belly trying to make it up 2 flights of stairs without wanting to drop it all.

I'm still in the process of doing laundry today, and hoping that I actually get it done before I go to bed tonight. That was my goal for this day. I did say to Peter, "come hell or highwater, I'm getting the laundry done today."

I'm not having too much luck cleaning the main part of the house though. The kitchen is a mess. :( It's kind of pointless to clean the living room while Ingrid is awake anyway. Peter said he will do the dishes for me.

I guess the ultimate point is, if I don't get this stuff done now, it is not gonna get done, so I better get cracking.