She's here!! The birth story

She finally made it! For all the waiting and anticipating, she made a speedy entrance into the world.
Ready for the birth story?nothing graphic, I promise.
I went to my 40 week appointment and decided to be induced rather than run the risk of having to wait another week to be induced if I didn't have her on my own before then. I really, really wanted her to come on her own but I was quite simply done. Between contractions at night and an awful cough, I was hardly sleeping.
I worried about bringing her into the world before she was ready so I prayed that night about it. I felt good about the decision and i had different phrases from my patriarchal blessing come to my mind. One if those phrases had to do with miracles.  Not exactly what you want to think about before giving birth, because that makes you realize the possibilities of a crisis to warrant a need for a miracle. None the less, I felt good about it.
So we show up get checked in and get ready to be induced. I ask them to just break my water and not give me petocin yet. They break my water at 8:24 with what the midwife called her "magic fingers"
I get up and take a stroll down the hallway and immediately the contractions start.  Remember the horrid cough I mentioned that kept me up at night? Well, I was not in short supply of coughs that morning and with each cough came a contraction. And probably after 2 strolls down the hall I started having back pain with the contractions. Probably by the third time down the hall I was done. it was waaayy too painful. I got back and called the nurse to ask for a birthing ball since she mentioned to me that the back pain is because she is malpositioned and the ball will help. Anyway she gets in there sees the pain and asked if I want the epidural.  Yes. Most definitely yes! Not caring I only made it all of 30 min or so without it.
During this time she got me ready for the epidural. I was to the point that the pain felt like too much to bear. It felt like she was getting ready to come out. She checked me and I was at an 8, I started at a 4.  I was starting to feel the need to push as the anesthesiologist was getting the epidural ready. He got it in, thankfully. I began to realize that during this time there were lots of nurses and people in there preparing for me to have this baby... however,  no doctor. This was around 9:45. Apparently,  had I not gotten the epidural, I would have not been able to not push and would have had her much earlier.

My doctor didn't show up for another 45 minutes. With each contraction I felt the need to push, I could feel her just hanging out there. My body was shaking uncontrollably.  I had no idea that was part of the transition phase. And unfortunately,  I got to experience 45 minutes of this phase. My nurses were all anxiously looking out for my doctor. I wanted so much to push her out. Finally my doctor gets there and with about three sets of pushes she was born. I have never had my epidural be low enough to he able to feel my baby come out or the need to push. It was pretty amazing to say the least. Usually, I feel like a big fat whale out of water and can't move a muscle.

In little over 2 hours of having my water broken, I had a baby ...and it could have been much sooner had my doctor been there.

.....stay tuned for the rest of the story. (It's taking me forever to type this so i'll have to do it in snippets.)

hopefully the last

Here I am at 40 weeks today.

 Totally look bigger in the next picture, which probably more like what I really am .

For kicks and giggles,  here's the primary presidency picture-minus one counselor who is not pregnant and our chorister....i'm at 37 weeks here

Rewind

33 weeks 

Gone are the hopes that I'd go early.  All those Braxton hicks and contractions threw me off giving me false hope since I never had contractions until I was in labor with my previous pregnancies. I was fully prepared to go over until I had all those and until I realized I was having a bunch of family here for the football game and I wanted more recovery time.

Since my last post, I have felt substantially more tired, mostly since the contractions and Braxton hicks happen during the night.  I just feel bummed.  However, today is a beautiful day and I'd hate to miss it cooped up in a hospital not able to feel the crisp air. And I have yet another day to get over this cough...can't imagine it after having a baby or a c-section.

Anyway, this is more of journal entry I guess. Just here for documentation. It's amazing how much blends in after so many years and can't remember about the pregnancy and birth of your children. Hopefully, this is my last pregnancy post. Next one, you'll get to meet the babe.

Let's do this

This is weird. I am almost 40 weeks and I feel mostly energetic and often times not pregnant. I was driving in the car, feeling like I should go for a run.  I don't run, basically ever, but I had the feeling of wanting exercise.  Now, don't get me wrong there are times I feel entirely pregnant and tired but I definitely have moments I could almost forget...until I try to bend over or lift something.

After yesterday's appointment,  where they told me nothing has changed, that I decided I was going to do what I needed to bring this baby in this world today. I feel selfish because Little miss is finally getting some one- on- one time with me and having another baby will change the dynamic in our home for both girls and I feel like I should hold onto that as long as I can But I want to be done. So I have been on three walks since that said appointment and had GG work on some pressure points. I did end up having some more painful braxton hix through the night but they were gone by morning.  Sigh. I'm starting to loose hope but I still have 11 more hours. :) otherwise, I should wait until Sunday when my mom and dad will be available to help again.

Wish me luck!

Another check...pallets

My back porch is almost cleared off..hopefully by the end of the day but I need a break, so I blog.  :) here are the other pallet projects that have been sitting half finished or slowly progressing to being finished.

 I kinda feel like it needs a little something more....

Maybe if I some how move it over so it's not entirely in the corner, it might look bigger.
 Suggestions welcome.

The Halloween sign...granted it will have pumpkins and a cornstalk or hay bale,  whatever I can find cheap.

Christmas trees

I might need to paint them white too but all that work aging the wood would be wasted,  like it was on the fence. I do think i'll put lights on them though and a little something else for decoration, just not sure what. Once again, ideas welcome.

Oh so many things to do

2 weeks left,  supposedly. I have been preparing in my mind for a 40-41 week pregnancy.  Last week they checked me and I was a big fat ZERO everything. Today however I was 3 cm....progress.  yessssss!
I have been busy checking stuff off my mental list.

• Nursery. Done checkity check.
• Rearrange our bedroom for the pack n play. Check, finally. I decluttered our dresser and it feels great.
• Washed and put the babes clothes in the drawers. So the whole "life changing organizer cleaner" way of putting clothes away is totally the way to go with babe's clothes. Haven't tried it with my own but it's awesome looking and effective with the baby's clothes.
• Stock up on food for boo's school lunches and for our meals...always in process but a good start.
• A few meals frozen away. Check.
• Finally got a relatively good deal on size 1 diapers. Totally  stocked up on diapers for a few months.
• Headbands made for the babe...definitely not necessary but something I wanted to do. Check.
  
• Pallet projects...still in progress but getting closer. Once that is done, get our patio table cleaned off.
• Packed a sleep over bag for the girls at grandma's and grandpa's. Check.

• There are still a few things I want cleaned that I just need to do.
•  last night in the middle of the night I was having some painful Braxton hix (contractions, do you think?) I realized I didn't have a hospital bag packed. I haven't pre register for the hospital and I haven't bought the girls any big sister gifts ( totally not essential but fun). 
• My rose bushes are also calling for my attention to remove the black spot leaves but it may not happen. 

And tomorrow is Boo's first day of school.  I've shopping for things she needs since she has been growing like a weed. And I really want to get into the swing of things with school before baby comes. Which is very possible but dare I say, it might be possible she comes early.  I know, I need to bite my tongue.

so busy, so much done and so much to do.

The nest

Okay, I think i'm ready to say I am done with the baby's room. It's simple, definitely not professional,  but I love it and am so happy to have a room that is all coordinated.

 The dresser:

 Remember this from the last post...HUGE improvement :

The crib:

 Don't look close, it is awful but I love the white with little details on this crib. However,  I will never paint a crib again...at least not in 90-100 degree weather.

The glider:

So proud of this. I covered the cushions!  I don't  sew, hot gluing is my method but I sewed it and I did it all by myself. *high five*
Like I said simple, but ahhh it feels so good to have a completed room in our home. And now I can sit and rock my babe to sleep.

Ruffling my feathers

I have been most definitely nesting. And with GG home this summer we actually got some projects done.  The big thing we have been working on was baby girl's bedroom. I thought i'd get that room painted before we moved in to the house a year and a half ago. I tested some pinks, didn't like it and decided it was better to move in sooner than later instead of paint. So I gave up and  for the last 15 months we have had pink splotches on the wall in that room. 

While i'm not quite ready for the reveal of the room here are the before pictures:

This is the wall with the tester paints covering the two pink colors. Don't know how I didn't go crazy looking at it for that long. 

The dresser. We have been toting this pretty ugly old thing around for the last 7 years. It's had it's use but it hasn't been pretty.

And the crib, loved it in the green but it doesn't match what I had in mind for when little miss was born or what I have in mind for this little one

Real quick on this picture.  This was me with Boo at like 39 weeks. I woke up that morning and I could see my ankles, I was do excited to wear my high heels since I could actually get my feet in them. This was a good picture because that is not how I looked in most of my pictures during that pregnancy.

Anyway.

I wish I had taken a picture of the glider we bought and re did but, i'm super excited to add that piece to our baby's room. Last time, I would sit on the floor and nurse little miss in the middle of the night. I decided that I had been crazy and we were going to remedy the situation . 

I'm loving the progress we have made and I already just sit in there sometimes and day dream holding this little babe....and to be honest, i also imagine the long nights nursing, pumping, diaper changes and crying....but then I go back to the cuddling and loving. Parenting is roller coaster of emotions. Anyway, stay tuned for the reveal.