True love at first snuggle

After 9 months and 24+ hours of labor I was ready for my sweet, handsome little boy to be put in my arms. HOWEVER do you think it was that easy....no! After a c-section you go to recovery for about an hour. Well after my c-section my blood pressure was high and I spiked a fever. When I got to my room I was ready for Micah to be brought to me, and to finally get to hold my baby. Well, because of my fever that was a big, fat NO! Chuck unfortunately had to give me the news, I was so upset all I could do was cry. I had waited so long to hold him, and now he was here and I couldn't even see him.

I know everyone thinks that they have the best husband, but my husband takes that award hands down. We asked the nurse how often she would take my temp and she said every hour, we asked if she could do it every 20-30 minutes and we were told "well the doctor didn't put that in the notes, so we'll see". At this point it was time for Micah to eat so I sent Chuck upstairs to feed him. The mommy and baby nurse assigned to us asked how I was doing and Chuck told her about my temp and what the nurse said. This wonderful women called straight down and said they needed to take my temp, well it was NORMAL!!! All of a sudden in comes the nurse, Chuck and MICAH!! As soon as Chuck heard my temp had gone down he asked the nurses to get Micah ready to go see his mommy!

I had Micah at 8:14 pm and at 2 am Micah and mommy got to snuggle for the very first time! Life was finally complete...Mommy, Daddy & Micah were all together

 

Our first picture together

My handsome boy

 

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Gotta love the cat!

****This post is at the request of my husband****

When Chuck and I got married, I became the proud co-owner of his Siamese cat, Ocean. Now anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a big animal person. While I don't mind them at other peoples houses, I prefer to have NO animals in my house. So let me just share this has always been a sore subject between the two of us.

From the moment the test said "pregnant" I was concerned about the cat and a baby. Ocean is a cat that has to warm up to you, wants attention only when he asks for it, and talks ALL the time. He had always been good around Chucks nieces, and my friends baby...but how would he be with a baby all the time?

At night I was Oceans perch, he would stand on my back when I would try to go to bed and would sleep between my legs. It was amazing how intuitive an animal can be, right from the beginning Ocean was protective of me. Before I even went to the doctors he had stopped standing on me, he REFUSED to jump over my lap (he would jump off the couch and walk to the other side and jump back up, I SWEAR!). He knew that something was going on!

The funniest thing was that at night. I was of course tired, and trying to get enough sleep that I had fallen into a nightly routine. I would brush my teeth, put on my pajamas, and then crawl into bed to read or watch a little tv and fall asleep. This could usually all be done by 9 (10 at the latest). Well Ocean also got used to my routine, and if by 9:30 I hadn't made my way into the bedroom he would stand in the doorway and yowl at me. Now I don't mean one little yowl, he would yowl until I got into bed and then he would lay down next to me.

As it got closer to my due date, Ocean became protective. If I was gone to long he would have to come check me out as soon as I got home, and he HATED if anyone but Chuck touched my belly or came to close. He also began sleeping in the nursery. He continued to be this way after we first brought Micah home (he was our little watch cat). Chuck was very good about doing research to help Ocean transition into having a baby in the house. We also set things up early so he could check them out and learn not to go into them (although he NEVER got in the crib and trust me if he wanted to he could have) and we also got baby wash and lotion so he could get accustomed to the smell.

Slowly Ocean lost interest in Micah, he was no longer new and didn't do anything....he couldn't roll, walk, and rarely did he make a lot of noise (he was never a big crier). Then Micah got older and Micah found interest in Ocean. It is so funny now to watch them because Ocean wants Micah's toys and Micah wants Ocean's toys. They fight over the windows, whose going to get attention and if you could only see Micah chase after Ocean!

While I am not an animal person, our family & life would not be the same without this little fur ball. He helps relieve my husbands stress, keeps Micah entertained, and how many people can say that they have a cat who would tell them it was time for bed. So I just gotta love the cat.....

It's Time to Deliver!

WARNING: Below there is a picture of a baby right after they were born...no bath yet!

Those three words that a mom-to-be waits 9 months to hear "time to push" were never uttered to me.  I am ok with that.  I was not (nor am I) one of those people that felt that I had failed if I couldn't have a baby naturally.  No matter how you have a baby...you have had a baby!  It's hard work either way.  I was in labor for over 24 hours, and by the time my doctor tossed out the words "cesarean section" (or c-section) I was all for it.  I hadn't dilated past 5-6cm but was having contractions for someone who was about 9 to pushing!  I also had to have internal monitors (yes, its just like it sounds...but really at this point you have no modesty left in you), and was on oxygen.

I was ready to have my baby in my arms.  The doctor got her team together, I got MORE drugs, Chuck and I made all the phone calls that HAD to be made, and then we waited.  That 45 minutes, was the LONGEST 45 minutes of my life. 
As the nurses were wheeling me to the operating room, I just kept thinking "soon my family will be complete, and all my dreams will have come true."  I was ready to hear that first cry, to see that face,and to hold him and whisper "I Love You Micah Jace".  They get me all set and Chuck comes in....it's time.  All of a sudden the anesthesiologist says "your baby is about the be born", Chuck jumps up and starts taking pictures, and then I hear that sound I was waiting for...wahhhhhh! It was music to my ears. In the next second this face comes over the curtain, it is the most perfect, handsome face I've ever seen...it was my son (my son...I like how that sounds!)

The doctors and nurses finish what they need to.  Micah heads off to the nursery and I head to recovery.  I am so anxious to hold my baby and be my family of three.  A sense of peace, love and a happiness I've never felt before that moment washed over me...it's official I'm a MOM! 

Thank God for the Epidural

At 39 weeks I was induced.  My baby was coming (or that's what I was told). The night before my induction, I couldn't sleep.  I know, I know...I should have been sleeping after all the next day my whole life was going to change. The baby I'd been carrying for 9 months, but had been dreaming about my whole life was FINALLY going to be here.  Really, do you think YOU
would have been sleeping?!  At about  5:30-6 in the morning I got up, showered, did my hair and makeup, packed my last minute things, got my husband up, made sure everything in the nursery was ready, quadruple checked to make sure we had everything, and called the hospital to check us in.  It was finally time to head to the hospital.  All I could think was the next time I walk through my front door my little baby boy would be in my arms.

Upon arrival I was checked (and shocker I was 0 dilated & 0 effaced).  The nurse started the pitocin, and I felt great.  I was visiting, checking facebook, and making phone calls.  Having a baby was going to be easy....yeah right!  Well by 8-9 that night I was dilated 2 cm...YIPPEEE!  NOT... at 10-11pm they decided to stop the pitocin to let me sleep. Whole lot that did, by 3am they were back in there starting it up again.  (Really do they think I slept AT ALL during the whole 4-5 hours they gave me).

When the pitocin started again, boy did it start.  Contractions came on strong...baby time?!  Not quite yet, at 9am my doctor (and when I say my, I mean MY doctor!) came in and decided to break my water....then the real fun began.   I was having severe contractions within a couple  hours.  I had told myself I wanted to get to 5-6cm before an epidural, but an epidural was not out of the question.  Well, we decided to try nubain and NEVER again.  That made me so loopy I felt like my body was floating.  Finally after about 2 hours of not speaking to my husband, I asked for the epidural.  I was sure I was giving up to soon, but the nurse said "No dear.  You are at least 6 cm if not more.  You've done great!"  (I would like to say now, that a nice, cheer you on, loves her job nurse is the best...I'm so thankful for the nurses I had).

It was time for the epidural and I was wondering how I was going to do it.  I was having contractions one right after another, how was I going to sit still?  My husband couldn't bear to watch, so he stepped out, and my nurse (thank god for her) helped me. I kept breathing and by some miracle, the contractions stopped long enough for me to receive that big, long, gift from god needle!  [WARNING:  this part still bothers me to this day!]  After my epidural had been placed, the anesthesiologist informed me that he had dropped the second half of my numbing medication on the floor, and since I was sitting so still he just finished instead of getting more. ( YES, you read that right....only half the numbing medication was given.)  To be fair, within a few minutes I didn't care because well, I felt NO PAIN :)

I have to tell you, that labor is called labor for a reason. It is not easy, its hard...but it is SO worth it in the end. You just have a hard time remembering that or focusing on it at the time.  So anyway, I feel no pain and keep waiting to hear those three little words "time to push" but they never are said....

When will this baby get here?

9 months never went by so slow yet so fast in all my life! There was so much to do and I always felt there wasn't enough time to get ready for my new bundle. YET the anticipation of wanting to hold my baby and know what he looked liked was killing me and I wondered how come this is taking so long?! Like many other moms-to-be I wanted my cake and to eat it too. The 9 months you are pregnant (and let's be serious its more like 10) are the most frantic, exciting, emotional an longest month of your life (thus far).

I was fortunate I didn't get that big in the beginning and then all of a sudden "BAM" baby belly galore! I swore up and down if one more person asked me when i was due and then looked at me like I was crazy when I said end of April (in February) I was going to flip! I just kept thinking this baby needs to hurry up and be born so people leave me alone.

At about 30 weeks my pregnancy started to get complicated. I was in and out of the hospital with possibility of delivery at any time, twice weekly NSTs and was put on bed rest/home rest. If I wasn't already anxious boy oh boy I was now! I was concerned not only for myself but for my baby. Finally at 39 weeks the doctor induced (that alone was an experience all of it's own) the wait was over...baby was on the way!

Baby, baby, who wants a baby?!

Before becoming a MOM all I ever wanted was to be one. I loved my life...my family, friends and husband were my world, but I always felt something was missing. I would see others with their kids, and wonder when it was going to happen for me.

When Chuck and I got married I knew that eventually we would start a family. I was ready, but well he needed some time. I had figured after a couple years he would be ready, so let me tell you my surprise when only after 8-9 months of marriage he said "I think we should try to have a baby!"

I was so excited but feared that because I wanted it SO bad it would take us awhile....but nope after one week (yes you read that right ONE week) I was pregnant! Just like that my world changed forever and would never be the same...all from one little word on a stick "PREGNANT"....