He's Here! He's Here!

he's here, he's here!!
Category: Life

Sorry it's taken so long for me to give an update. I have been really tired and busy. Here's my birth story.

Last Monday night Matt and I went to the hospital so that I could be induced first thing Tuesday Morning. They asked me 101 questions, took my blood and put Cirvidil in, this is a drug used to "ripen" your cervix so that the induction will be more productive. Anyway, hope that you never have to get Cirvidil put in, it was not comfortable! They gave me an Ambien to help me sleep and it worked. Matt said that it made me snore loud and I slept through the nurses taking my temperature and blood pressure all night.

Tuesday morning at about 6:00 they woke me up so that I could take a shower before they gave me pitocin to start contractions. They held off giving me Pitocin for a while because I was already having contractions on my own, unfortunately after a couple hours they weren't progressing so they had to give me some Pitocin.

The Dr. checked me at around 8:30 and I was dilated 1 and he tried to break my water but the baby was up so high that he couldn't reach to break it so he said he'd try again later. I had contractions all morning, not too bad though. at about 2:00 the Dr. came in again and tried to break my water. I was only dilated to almost a 2 at this point (you should dilate one centimeter an hour) and he still couldn't reach my water to break it. (this was also extremely uncomfortable (uncomfortable is a major understatement)) I was kind of bummed out that I had not progressed more in 6 hours of labor. About 5 minutes after the Dr. left the room I had my first contraction from the depths of Hell. It was so painful, I can't even describe it so that you would understand what it felt like. When that contraction was over I had another one about 30 seconds later and they just kept getting more painful and closer together I was convinced that this was real labor then I felt water run out between my legs and I told the nurse that I think my water just broke. Matt was wonderful he helped me breath to get through the contractions and tried to help me the best that he could. I just kept having these contractions with sometimes only about 10 seconds to rest finally after about 40 minutes of this I told Matt that I wanted an epidural.

I told that nurse and wouldn't you know it someone else was getting one right then! I kept thinking that I needed it more than she did and that the anesthesiologist should come do mine first. The nurse said that I had to sign a release and I was like, I'll sign anything to make this pain go away! So finally about a half an hour later the anesthesiologist came in and I was laying there half naked because I was so hot and didn't care who saw me. He asked me a bunch of questions and told me all the risks and I did not care I just wanted the pain to go away. Finally after about an hour and a half of these contractions they were gone. I was so releved until the Dr. came in and checked me and I was dilated to a 2! All those painful contractions had done no good. The Dr said that he recommended a C-section. I asked him to give me a few minutes to talk about it with Matthew and His mother was in the room too. I wanted to go ahead and get the C-section and the nurse thought that it would be the best thing to do so that's what I did. Matt called my Mom and let her know that we decided to have a c-section and her and my Dad walked into my room right as they were wheeling me out to the delivery room.

He was born at 5:52 and he was beautiful and perfectly healthy Matthew saw him first and he cried when he saw him. His name is Henry Patrick Hawkins and I love him more than you can understand unless you have children.

41 Weeks and 1 day today

41 weeks and 1 day today
Current mood: happy
Category: Life

Well, I am going to have a baby, finally. I went to the Dr today and they scheduled an induction for Tuesday...Yeah!!!! I am hoping however that I have the baby on my own before Tuesday though. Please pray for me that I go into labor before Tuesday.

I am going to use this weekend to relax and make sure everything is in order for the baby when we bring him home next week. I will post pictures as soon as I can.

40 weeks today...I'm due, I'm due!!

40 weeks today...I'm due, I'm due!!
Current mood: okay

Well the day that I have been waiting for for the last 8 months has come and I haven't had the first sign of labor so unless something happens in the next few hours he will not be born on his due date. Well, now it's just a waiting game unless the Dr. decides to induce me, which I really don't want to do!! I stayed home from work today because I don't feel good so maybe that means labor is soon (I'm grasping at straws here). Well, pray for me that I can have the baby soon...I really don't want to write a 41 week blog.

39 Weeks

39 Weeks!
Current mood: content
Category: Life

⁷Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!

⁸Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.

⁹And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

¹⁰Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2Corinthians 12:7-10

I read this verse today and although I've read it and heard it countless times it spoke to me today about how I have been whining about my pains that go along with pregnancy and that I just want the baby to get here! and I realized that I should just use my weaknesses to exalt Christ. I know that if I just wait on God that my baby will be born on the perfect day at the perfect time because God is perfect and his timing is perfect.

I was thinking about trying all kinds of things to try to self induce labor...eat pineapple, drink some castor oil, walk 5 miles, and other things that I don't want to mention among mixed company. but now I am just going to live my life, relax, and let God do his thing. I have put my baby and my pregnancy in God's hands from the beginning and now that my due date is so close I'm trying to take control back from him.

So, 1 week from today is my due date and it looks like, possibly, next Thursday I will be writing a blog entitled "40 weeks today". but that's ok. I just really hope I never write a blog entitled "43 weeks today"!!!

Warning: Contains Whining and TMI!

Current mood: frustrated
Category: Life

I never thought that I would be like this and by this I mean impatient for labor to start so much so that I was crying like a baby on Sunday because I didn't want to do anything but have a baby. I have 9 days left and I am sort of frustrated because nothing has happened to my body that are supposed to be indications that the baby is coming in the next 2 to 4 weeks. He has not "dropped", I have not lost my mucus plug (sorry TMI), I have not nested, and as of Friday's appt. I have not dilated at all.

I must have a really fun uterus. He obviously is having a good time in there! It looks like I am going to have a fully cooked baby, which I guess is a good thing. I should be happy that he will have a better start in life and all that good stuff. I just wish that I didn't have to be so miserable in the process. I can't eat anything for dinner for fear of waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air because of acid reflux and heartburn, my knees and back hurt during the day and my back and hips hurt at night and that's not even mentioning the fake contractions I have all day!

Well, I know that it will all be over soon. He can't stay in there for too much longer!

38 Weeks

38 Weeks!!
Current mood: crazy
Category: Life

Well, obviously the full moon did nothing. : (

He is still in there warm and snug as a bug in a rug. (I'm starting to sound like a mom) I had such weird dreams last night. I won't even tell you what they were about because they were kind of gross. just take my word for it.

As much as I want the baby to get here I am really not ready yet. (I don't feel ready anyway.) My countdown to my due date says I have 14 days left but something tells me, and I'm sure its the pessimistic side of me, that it's going to be more like 20 days left. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Anybody wanna guess what day he'll be born?

Full Moon Tonight

Full Moon Tonight
Current mood: optimistic
Category: Life

I know that it is probably just an old wive's tale but supposedly nights with full moons are the busiest nights in labor and delivery at hospitals. Somehow the moon causes contractions and / or water to break.

I am hoping that the full moon will cause some labor to start. I may be out on my front lawn doing a moon dance tonight. Everybody sprinkle some labor dust on me!!

37 Weeks

Well, I went to the Dr. today and still no sign that the baby is ready to come out. Oh, well.... now that I'm considered "full term" it is fine with me if he comes out any time now! I have 20 days left until my due date at least. that seems like no time at all but I am so impatient that I know it will seem like forever!!

36 Weeks

36 weeks
Current mood: ecstatic

Well, I won't be having the baby this weekend. I went to the Dr. yesterday and I asked her to do an internal exam (I never thought I would want one of those!!) She said that my cervix was closed up but the good news is that the baby is head down. Hopefully that means I won't have to worry about him being breech when the time comes to deliver him into this world. I really hope that he comes in the next 2 or 3 weeks! Matt has to go to Nashville the last week of August and he won't be able to go if the baby hasn't come yet.

I can't wait until I can post pictures of my little boy on here for you all to see!

I need to clean the house and I don't want to....come on nesting instinct!! I need you!

35 weeks and 35 days left

Current mood: excited

I am getting really excited! I packed my hospital bag over the weekend and put the car seat in the car I was kind of scared to pack my bag, it seemed too early. I thought that if I packed my bag I would go into labor or something.

The ladies at work are giving me a baby shower today and I am so excited! I get presents and I get to eat pizza! I don't know which I am more excited about ; ) I am having another shower on Sunday that ladies at my church are giving. I am going to have a lot of thank you cards to write next week!

34 weeks and counting

Well, Thursday was 34 weeks and it seems like time is dragging on. I want August to get here! I can't sleep good because I can't get comfortable and I wake up every hour to go to the bathroom and I wake up a couple times with heartburn or acid reflux (Tums are like candy lately). This must be nature's way of getting you ready to wake up several times a night to tend to the baby.

I had to leave work one day last week because I was tired. I went home and slept for about 3 hours and came back to work. My boss is so nice! Of course I can't afford to do that every week. less hours means smaller paycheck.

I am having two baby showers this week and I am very excited! It's just one more sign that the day is getting closer.

I had a Dr. appt on Friday (I start going every week now) and I gained 8 pounds in 2 weeks! The Dr. said that it was probably mostly fluid. I hope so!!! I hope that when I go this Friday I will weigh the same or less. I also had an internal exam Friday....very fun. His only comment was "nice and tight" gee, thanks.

32 and 33 Weeks

49 days to go I cant believe that I am going to have a baby next month!

I am trying to get everything in order for after the baby comes, especially since I feel more helpless every day. I sometimes feel like I cant do anything because Im so awkward with this huge belly. I measured my waist last night and it was a slender 42.5 inches! I think it was like 29 inches when I got pregnant.

I got my insurance forms to fill out when the baby gets here so that I can add him to my policy. My insurance premiums are going to go from $25 a week to $94 a week! Yikes!

I am taking my childbirth class on Saturday and I am looking forward to it. I hope to learn a lot.

Well, I think that this is that part of pregnancy when it starts being a pain and you just cant wait to get the baby out! Of course, I want to wait until 40 weeks I just want it to get here fast!

31 weeks today

31 Weeks Today
Current mood: good
Category: Life

31...ahhh yes only 9 weeks left, we have reached the next level of the countdown. I have been having some Braxton-Hicks contractions this week. For those of you who have never been pregnant before, no they are not named after Tony Braxton and Taylor Hicks' rendition of "In the Ghetto", they are like fake contractions. My body is practicing for the real thing.

They don't hurt or anything, it's just like all of a sudden my stomach muscles will get hard like I'm trying to flex my six pack (yeah like I'll have one of those anytime soon)

Matt and I went to our newborn care class last Saturday. I thought that it was worth it. I learned a lot. This week I'm going to breastfeeding class. I hope that it is helpful as well. I don't think that I'll make Matt go with me, I'm sure that he'll be happy about that, since he can't breastfeed anyway.

The Big 3 0

Well, I am 30 weeks now and at most (I hope) 10 weeks left. I know that it is going to go by so fast. I discovered that I have stretch marks yesterday. What a bummer! I was so hoping that I wouldn't get any. Oh well, I guess they are battle scars for growing a child inside my body.

I have a doctor's appt today and I want to ask so many questions all of a sudden. Usually when I go they say "do you have any questions?" and I always say no. but today I have a million. I have never seen the dr. I am seeing today so, hopefully he's nice. If he's not nice, I'll wait until next appt. to ask my questions. I'm such a scaredy pants!

Tomorrow Matt and I are going to take our newborn care class so we will be parenting pros after tomorrow! Well, I at least will feel a little bit better about what to do with this helpless little human when he comes out for the first few months anyway.

I want to go see Nacho Libre tomorrow too. I hope that we can, it looks very funny. Jack Black always cracks me up anyway.

29 weeks a little late

Well, this weekend I finally finished getting the baby room cleaned out. It looks so good. I can't wait to get the dressers in there so it will be complete. I am getting so excited but I still have 11 weeks left! I'm almost to single digits.

I have not been able to sleep very well that last couple nights. I feel tired but I just lay in bed for like an hour before I go to sleep. I am also having problems with my back and neck hurting when I wake up in the morning. If I have the same problem tonight I may start taking a warm bath before bed at night to relax. It couldn't hurt!

Well, Matt came home today (he's been in Arkansas for the last 2 weeks) I am so glad that he's home I missed him too much! I told him I would cook tacos for him for dinner so hopefully I can get through it. I still don't care too much for cooking.

Lamaze and other horror stories

Lamaze and other horror stories
Current mood: scared
Category: Life

I watched this Lamaze/childbirth DVD this weekend. Oh my stars! I am not looking forward to giving birth after watching that! I was actually crying while watching parts of it because it scared me so much.

Even the description of the epidural didn't sound too hot. and I definately don't want a C-section! I really would like to have the baby without drugs just like they did in the old days but I don't know if I'll be able to. I am kind of a wuss sometimes but I can be tough sometimes too if I want to.

I think what I'm going to do is try it without drugs and just with the breathing techniques and then if I can't stand it and my labor is progressing slowly I might decide that I want drugs in the middle of it.

I just don't want to be so numb that I can't feel to push the baby out and then I'll end up having to have a C-section. Pray for me y'all!

Just for fun I read in the Bible where God promised Pain in Child Birth to Eve. Ahhh I hope that fruit was worth it Eve.

28 weeks today

28 Weeks Today
Current mood: content
Category: Life

Well, 28 weeks, so close to 30. I think that I start my 3rd trimester this week. Yay! I was a little scared yesterday, my face got all red and blotchy looking and all the freckles on my face looked darker than usual but my skin seems to be normal today, which is a relief!

I go to the doctor tomorrow and I think it's just the normal stuff, ya know, pee in a cup, get weighed, blood pressure checked, listen to the baby's heartbeat, get my belly measured and go home. I guess I'll find out about my diabetes test tomorrow. I think that everything probably came out normal otherwise, I think that the doctor would've called me by now.

I had to buy a substitute wedding ring this past weekend because my fingers are swollen and I can't wear my wedding ring or engagement ring. I guess that I won't get to wear diamonds until my baby gets here. Oh well, the sacrifices you make for motherhood.

27 weeks

Well I am 27 weeks this week and I am feeling good. I am going to the beach this weekend so I get to wear my maternity bathing suit for the first time.

I had my gestational diabetes 3 hour test done yesterday because I failed the glucose tolerance test last Friday at my Dr. appt. I think I just ate too much sugar last Friday.

I had to do a special diet Mon - Wed this week and then I couldn't eat or drink anything after Midnight Thurs. morning. I showed up at Mary Black Hospital at 7:30 and they registered me and sent me to the lab where they took my blood. After they tested my blood they brought me a very sweet, flat orange soda that I had to drink in 5 minutes or less. Then I just had to sit and wait.

About an hour and 15 minutes later they took my blood again. More waiting and two episodes of Roseanne later took my blood ...then an episode of A Different World and the Cosby Show later took it again. I got to leave at 11:30.

So....let's hope everything comes back ok!

26 weeks today, that's half a year! huh

My countdown is into the double digits now...

98 days til my due date. I guess this is where the countdown really starts. 14 weeks left, yay!

I am going to the Dr. tomorrow for my check up. This is the first time in my life that I have actually looked forward to going to the doctor. I guess its because Im going to the Dr. to make sure my baby is safe. Its amazing to think that if my baby was born today that he could survive! He is still so tiny (hes almost 2 lbs)

Tomorrow I have to drink an orange soda and wait 1 hour for them to screen for gestational diabetes. I hope everything comes back normal. I think that it will, God has been so good to me through my whole pregnancy. I have faith that he will continue to watch over my baby and me. I know every woman probably feels this way but I feel like my son is special, like God has something really special planned for his life and I cant wait to see what it is. I just pray that God will give Matt and me wisdom to raise him right and that my son will have a soul that yearns to follow God.

I thank all of you who pray for my baby and for me.

25 weeks

So, yeah I was 25 weeks prego on Thursday but I've had a very busy weekend! Please forgive me.

I now have a new trick! I can make my belly button pop out. I will show anyone who wants to see it. Most people don't though.

I am starting to get nervous and kind of scared about the baby coming. I don't know whether I'm ready or not. but I guess, ready or not here he comes!