HE'S HERE!!!

Our Baby Henry James arrived Thursday March 25th, 2010 at 9:11pm. He was 8lbs 13oz and 20 3/4 inches.

I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday the 23rd, and my doctor checked to see if I was dialated. I wasn't but later that night around 12:30 I noticed a little blood and slight fluid when I was going to the bathroom. I thought it was just from being checked at the doctor.

The next day (Wednesday) I worked in the evening, and I kept noticing some slight "leakage" throughout the evening, yet I still thought it was from my checkup. But after work that night I was feeling consistent crampiness. So I thought maybe they were "Braxton Hicks." So then Chuck and I started timing them to see if they were consistent enough and they were about 3-6 minutes apart. So I called the doctor in the morning and she told me to come in at 11am. She checked me and said "OH yes this is amniotic fluid, you can go to the hospital and have your baby now." HAHA WOW!! COOL!! I also found it funny because at my last appointment on Tuesday our doctor was joking with us saying how Thursday was a good day for her and that's when I should go into labor...that worked out nice then!

So we arrived at the hospital around 12:30 and checked in. I was induced at 2:00 and he was born at 9:11 so labor only lasted 7 hours. Labor went very well and I managed it without medication. The hardest most intense part was near the end when I was about 8cm dialated. But it went fairly quickly after that.

My doctor is so great. It was funny because when she came in she told me I could start pushing. She pretty much just pulled up a chair, crossed her arms and legs and just sat there waiting like she was going to casually watch a tv show or something! I remember in between contractions saying something like "this is really hard" and she said "that's why they call it labor." She also said something like "this is why I love my job, because I can just sit and watch while you do all the work." HAHA! Very funny!

The atmosphere was great, and very calming. Everyone was very quiet and encouraging. Once baby Henry started emerging our doctor just casually stood up, put on some goggles and gloves and in a couple more pushes out came Henry! It was very cool. Mama, Jenny and of course Chuck were all in the delivery room with me. Everyone was (needless to say) very excited, and after all the pushing and everything, I looked up and they were all on their cell phones calling and texting everyone about our new arrival.

Henry is such a wonderful baby and he's had LOTS of visitors already. He is so blessed to have so many loving family and friends. Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes! He sends his love and kisses to everyone!! XOXOXOXOXO

"Every good and perfect gift is from above" ~James 1:17

40 weeks!

So I'm in my 40th week. My due date is this Friday the 26th. We'll see what happens. I'm just going with the flow. I had my doctors appointment today. She checked the heartbeat and also to see if I was dialated. I'm not, but she said that really doesn't mean anything at all. It's not an indicator if I'll be early or late.

Anyway, I'm just waiting now. Not really thinking about anything, not really feeling anxious, just waiting. I am really tired of having to talk to random strangers and having to answer their redundant questions about when I'm due, if I'm having twins, how I feel, if I'm ready to burst blah blah blah blah blah blah. I'm also tired of hearing people telling me that I'm huge. It's not that I take it offensively, I just don't want to humor people anymore. I think you understand. It's like if you see someone you know and you don't want to talk to them but you have to try to make conversation with them because it's polite. It's sorta like that...except I have to make conversation with EVERY STRANGER THAT COMES UP TO ME!!!

I just want to be left alone...not because I'm a crabby pregnant person...because I'm not. I'm really quite enjoyable! I've really enjoyed my pregnancy. And I know I'm cute, and I know it's an interesting topic of conversation. But I don't feel like talking about it over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. That makes sense right? YES!! I don't mind talking to my family and friends about it...they are an exception, because I want to talk to them about it. But I guess I'm just venting because it's all I hear about now a days from people I don't know!!

"A Newborn's Conversation with God"

My Auntie Jeannie sent this to me in an email and I thought it was so sweet and wanted to share it!

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?" God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don ' t have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy." God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel ' s love and be very happy."

Again the small child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don ' t know the language?" God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?" God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore." God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel ' s name." God said, You will simply call her, "Mom."

The Final Two (39 weeks)

It is St. Patty's Day and I'm in my 39th week. I usually mark my weeks on Fridays so the 19th will mark a full 39 weeks. I have my next doctor's appointment on Tues. the 23rd. We'll see if I make it that far. I think I will, but who knows.

It's funny because work scheduled me to close on Friday the 26th (my due date.) So again...we'll see what happens. I'm guessing it's going to be late though! My guess is the 28th or maybe a little later. Hopefully not much later because I don't want to deliver a ginormous bowling ball. The doctor guessed that he may be 8 or less pounds when born. Well the count down begins (or began.) Only a week left pretty much! I will have to post some more pictures!

The Final Three (38 weeks)

I had my 38 week check up on the 15th. Everything was good again blood pressure, baby's heart rate etc, etc. Just out of curiosity I asked my doctor how many babies she has delivered. She said that she's been out of residency since 1991 or so, and if she would make a low estimate of about 100 babies per year then that would make it about 2000 babies! WOW that's a lot of babies. But then she said that sometimes during her residency she would sometimes deliver 10 babies a day, so she would be in and out of rooms delivering all over the place. So she's probably delivered over 2000!! That's crazy. What an interesting profession! But then she was saying how it was very interesting but every once in a while it would be nice if she had a job making tiddly winks or something easy and less stressful, because peoples' lives are in her hands (God forbid anything like that would happen.)

So she told me I was creeping high on her list because she usually keeps a list of her patients and there are a few women who are due ahead of me. Anyway wouldn't it be interesting to have a profession where you left in the morning saying "Bye see you later I just have to go to the office to deliver a baby...be back soon." HAHA! Boy am I glad I have a low stress job!

YEEEEEAAAY!!!

I'm feeling excited. I think about baby a lot...because it is getting closer and also because he moves around A LOT!! Even right now! I try to take advantage of feeling my stomach as much as possible now because I will not feel that in another 2 or maybe more weeks. It's way cool and hard to believe that there is a little human in there. HAHA!! CRAZY!! I know babies look small when they are born but compared to where they came from (inside a womens uterus) THEY ARE BIG! How do they really have room to be comfortable? They are all bunched up in there but it must be nice cuz it's quiet, dark and warm.

When I was working a woman came in with her 3 day old baby who was born at 37 weeks. She was so cute. She was a perfect looking baby. It was interesting to think that she could have still been inside the womb at that time yet that's what she looked like...a baby ready to be born. If that makes any sense at all. I mean when I feel my baby move around they are such rolly-polly movements and I just want to know what he's doing and what he looks like! YEAY it's exciting!! I want to kiss him! :)

The Final Four (37 weeks)

"The Final Four" Chuck likes this title because this is the month for the Final Four Basketball Tournaments. But really this is Baby's final four weeks until his birthday (we'll see if he's on time.)

My 37 week check up was just another quick one. She listened for the heartbeat, he was moving around a lot again, and she checked for his position...still head down!

She also said that if he was born at 37 weeks he would be considered full term. So pretty much it could happen at any time...but I don't think so. My guess is that he's going to be late. She guessed that he would be about 8 or maybe a little less pounds when he's born. That is a good healthy size! I guessed March 28th 2:24pm 8lbs. 3oz. But I sorta think he will be later than that...but it's a Sunday and that would be good because Chuck and I both have off that day...HEAR THAT BABY?? hehe!