Well, it's just Owen and Mommy today. So far, so good. It's 11:30 a.m., Owen's eaten, Mommy has eaten breakfast and showered, and Owen is napping in his crib. He should be waking up soon for his next feeding.
This morning, I laid in bed just listening to him cooing and 'talking' through the monitor. What wonderful sounds. I'm thinking of going to my college this afternoon and showing him off to a couple of people there. I really want to get out of the house. Maybe after lunch we'll do that. I'm also thinking of going out to Jeffy's mom's work on Wednesday (Jeffy doesn't have to work that day) so she can show off her new grandbaby.
I'm going to get myself lunch now while I still have a sleeping baby. Watch, as soon as I get into the kitchen and get things started, he's going to wake up...
10.24.2005
10.20.2005
The First Week
Owen is a week old, as of yesterday. He is amazing. For starters, he only fusses in about two or three situations - he's dirty, he's hungry and we don't pick up on his hunger cues soon enough, or he's being messed with (getting dressed or undressed or changed sometimes). He is a very hearty eater. We had an appointment with a lactation nurse on Monday and Owen passed with flying colors. We are continuing to use a nipple shield (or boob condom as Daddy calls it...) during feedings and he's getting a sufficient amount of milk. I'm also pumping after feedings four times a day to help with my supply (the shield can cause my supply of milk to be lower than if we weren't using the shield). Let's just say that my milk is definately in and that Owen likes it. He comes in to feed like a kamakazi pilot. It's pretty funny to watch. We also had our first appointment with the pediatrician on Tuesday and Owen again passed with flying colors. He gained an ounce between the lactation appointment on Monday and the peds appointment on Tuesday. The ped. said that he's looking great, the jaundice is clearing up (thanks in part to Mommy's milk), and he looks great.
Now that he is a week old, Owen is starting to realize that his crib is for sleeping and he can put himself to sleep at night. It's a really nice change from earlier in the week where he had to be totally out before we could put him in and have it work. Now, he can go in the crib slightly awake and be out without fussing! Yay Owen! The other great thing is that (and I know that some moms out there will hate us for this...) he feeds sometime between 10 and 11 at night, again between 2 and 3 in the morning, and then once again between 6 and 7. Mom and Dad get good chunks of sleep and we are loving it! Thank you, Owen!
Max, the cat, is getting Owen figured out. I was honestly worried about Max's reaction to Owen because Max doesn't like strange people, especially kids. Max is getting to the point where he realizes that Owen doesn't pose too much of a threat to him. He's been within inches of the baby (with Mom keeping a close eye on the interaction) several times now. He's pretty much stopped hissing at Owen, too. He hid for the first few days we were home. I honestly forgot we had a cat for those days.
Well, someone needs his pants changed. I'll try to write more soon.
Now that he is a week old, Owen is starting to realize that his crib is for sleeping and he can put himself to sleep at night. It's a really nice change from earlier in the week where he had to be totally out before we could put him in and have it work. Now, he can go in the crib slightly awake and be out without fussing! Yay Owen! The other great thing is that (and I know that some moms out there will hate us for this...) he feeds sometime between 10 and 11 at night, again between 2 and 3 in the morning, and then once again between 6 and 7. Mom and Dad get good chunks of sleep and we are loving it! Thank you, Owen!
Max, the cat, is getting Owen figured out. I was honestly worried about Max's reaction to Owen because Max doesn't like strange people, especially kids. Max is getting to the point where he realizes that Owen doesn't pose too much of a threat to him. He's been within inches of the baby (with Mom keeping a close eye on the interaction) several times now. He's pretty much stopped hissing at Owen, too. He hid for the first few days we were home. I honestly forgot we had a cat for those days.
Well, someone needs his pants changed. I'll try to write more soon.
10.16.2005
Bob is here!
Only he isn't Bob, he's Owen Gabriel. Born on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 at 1:31 p.m. Owen weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and was 20.5" long. Imagine what his weight would have (could have) been if he had made it to his due date which is October 19. The doctor said Owen probably would have been close to 9 pounds. I am so glad he decided to come a week early. I was so ready for him to be born, as Jeffy and people I work with can attest to. The last few weeks were pretty miserable. I was big and majorly uncomfortable.
The basics for now (more later when he's not so hungry...) We went to see the OB on Monday afternoon, he did a pelvic and was at 2-3 cm. He told me he "moved some things around in there" and not to be worried if I started bleeding. He also told me that it may have been enough to put me into labor. Well, my contractions changed after we left his office on Monday night. I was really uncomfortable on Tuesday during the day at work. I even considered calling Jeffy and having him come get me. I got home, crashed on the couch, and realized that my contractions were starting to come quite quickly and they were more uncomfortable than ever before. By about 5:30, I knew I was in labor and that we needed to start timing the contractions. I finished packing my suitcase - there were things that I hadn't put in yet because I was using them between when I packed it initially and when we went to the hospital. Jeffy had dinner going (it came with us on paper plates, I didn't eat - wasn't hungry). We got there about 7:00 on Tuesday night and got a bed in the triage area of L & D where they monitored me for a little bit to see if I really was in labor. The nurse wasn't sure so she told us she wanted me to walk for about an hour to see if it made any changes in my cervix. As she finished telling us the game plan, the plan got changed. My water broke. I was staying.
Labor was a lot harder than I expeted. I stayed on top of things and my breathing worked for a few hours. THen the back labor set in. I couldn't deal with it anymore (especially after being stalled at 5 cm for four hours) so Iasked for drugs. There was only one problem. There was just one anesthesiologist available in the middle of the night and he was in on three c-sections. I was low woman on the totem pole. The systemic drugs they gave me through the I.V. worked for a couple of contractions, then didn't do any good. I finally got my epidural at 8:00 a.m., was ready to push by 10, pushed for two hours with very little progress. Luckily, I was able to wait and rest (drugs are good!) from about noon until about one when my OB came in. He offered me two options: push some more and see what happened, or go with a vaccuum assist. I took door number two. Good thing too, because turns out Owen was stuck and all the pushing in the world wouldn't have budged him. So, for 15-30 minutes I pushed like nothing else and the OB pulled. Owen finally his debut, daddy calling it (it's a boy! I saw the outdoor plumbing and thought, "That's a scrotum!") They layed him on my chest (he was so warm!) and I fell in love with another man.
I'll post pictures after I feed him.
The basics for now (more later when he's not so hungry...) We went to see the OB on Monday afternoon, he did a pelvic and was at 2-3 cm. He told me he "moved some things around in there" and not to be worried if I started bleeding. He also told me that it may have been enough to put me into labor. Well, my contractions changed after we left his office on Monday night. I was really uncomfortable on Tuesday during the day at work. I even considered calling Jeffy and having him come get me. I got home, crashed on the couch, and realized that my contractions were starting to come quite quickly and they were more uncomfortable than ever before. By about 5:30, I knew I was in labor and that we needed to start timing the contractions. I finished packing my suitcase - there were things that I hadn't put in yet because I was using them between when I packed it initially and when we went to the hospital. Jeffy had dinner going (it came with us on paper plates, I didn't eat - wasn't hungry). We got there about 7:00 on Tuesday night and got a bed in the triage area of L & D where they monitored me for a little bit to see if I really was in labor. The nurse wasn't sure so she told us she wanted me to walk for about an hour to see if it made any changes in my cervix. As she finished telling us the game plan, the plan got changed. My water broke. I was staying.
Labor was a lot harder than I expeted. I stayed on top of things and my breathing worked for a few hours. THen the back labor set in. I couldn't deal with it anymore (especially after being stalled at 5 cm for four hours) so Iasked for drugs. There was only one problem. There was just one anesthesiologist available in the middle of the night and he was in on three c-sections. I was low woman on the totem pole. The systemic drugs they gave me through the I.V. worked for a couple of contractions, then didn't do any good. I finally got my epidural at 8:00 a.m., was ready to push by 10, pushed for two hours with very little progress. Luckily, I was able to wait and rest (drugs are good!) from about noon until about one when my OB came in. He offered me two options: push some more and see what happened, or go with a vaccuum assist. I took door number two. Good thing too, because turns out Owen was stuck and all the pushing in the world wouldn't have budged him. So, for 15-30 minutes I pushed like nothing else and the OB pulled. Owen finally his debut, daddy calling it (it's a boy! I saw the outdoor plumbing and thought, "That's a scrotum!") They layed him on my chest (he was so warm!) and I fell in love with another man.
I'll post pictures after I feed him.
10.10.2005
One year and a new life
It's an interesting day. It was one year ago today that I had my miscarraige. I've done a lot of healing since then and generally, things are fine. I still have my moments, and I suspect I always will. I have learned several things in the last year. One is that I am a strong woman, stronger than I ever knew I could be. I have taken the attitude that while we may not be able to control what happens to us, we can control how we react and respond to those things we'd rather not deal with. I also know that I will cherish every moment I have with my children because I know what it is to have lost a child. I am in absolute wonder of this new life inside of me. Having lost Jacob, this child will be all that much more special. I wouldn't have this baby if I hadn't lost Jacob. Interesting how life works out, isn't it.
10.08.2005
10.06.2005
Down to the Wire - 38 Weeks
Well, we made it. It's the home stretch. I'm term (have been for a week), dilating (2 cm.), and effacing (70%). The baby could come at any time. I think I have a sub, but will find out for sure today sometime. My last day of work is scheduled to be next Wednesday, the 12th, with my due date on the 19th. I'll honestly be surprized if I make my due date. I'm taking things one day at a time, always in tune with what is going on. OB appointments are weekly now. It is absolutely unreal. I see other women ready to pop and think "I'll never get there", but now I am. The only other experience I can compare it to is getting married (always the bridesmaid, never the bride...) I am amazed that in a matter of days or weeks, we will be a family of three, and no longer just a couple.
I'm finding I have lots of energy (relatively speaking, of course) in the mornings, but by the end of the day, I have none. Jeffy is now also having to help me sit up in bed in the morning. He's really sweet about it, though he does laugh at me every day because I'm so pathetic at this point. This morning he tried to convince me that mornings are our friend. I told him "Nuh-uh. No way." He 'argued' back at me (we have these 'fights' pretty frequently - they're quite fun and very light-hearted), at which point I told him that "I reject your reality and substitute my own (thank you Adam Savage of the Mythbusters for that line). My reality is that mornings suck!" He just laughed. I hope we're in as good of humor when we're not getting full nights of sleep. It will make things easier and more fun.
My showers were fun. We got lots of great things for the baby, and one great thing for me! My brother-in-law's mother got me a gift certificate to a local salon and spa. I'm using it tomorrow afternoon, in conjunction with a couple of others I got last December, to get a maternity massage. I can't wait! We have lots of really cute clothes, but we'll need to get more once we find out if this child is Annabelle or Owen.
I know, people are waiting for pictures. I need to get my hind end on the computer at home and just do it.
I'm finding I have lots of energy (relatively speaking, of course) in the mornings, but by the end of the day, I have none. Jeffy is now also having to help me sit up in bed in the morning. He's really sweet about it, though he does laugh at me every day because I'm so pathetic at this point. This morning he tried to convince me that mornings are our friend. I told him "Nuh-uh. No way." He 'argued' back at me (we have these 'fights' pretty frequently - they're quite fun and very light-hearted), at which point I told him that "I reject your reality and substitute my own (thank you Adam Savage of the Mythbusters for that line). My reality is that mornings suck!" He just laughed. I hope we're in as good of humor when we're not getting full nights of sleep. It will make things easier and more fun.
My showers were fun. We got lots of great things for the baby, and one great thing for me! My brother-in-law's mother got me a gift certificate to a local salon and spa. I'm using it tomorrow afternoon, in conjunction with a couple of others I got last December, to get a maternity massage. I can't wait! We have lots of really cute clothes, but we'll need to get more once we find out if this child is Annabelle or Owen.
I know, people are waiting for pictures. I need to get my hind end on the computer at home and just do it.
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