Parker Kate Arrives

From 5:00 am to 8:00 am I labored with the epidural.  Which have I mentioned was AMAZING. ha.  I could feel pressure when the contractions would come and I loved watching it on the monitor.  The monitor would register how intense it was and I couldn't get over that I wasn't feeling any pain.  Our families were in and out between these times as well.  Everyone was just so excited for her to get here.  I kept telling everyone to be patient because I didn't think she would arrive until the afternoon.  The nurses kept telling me that first time moms dilate slowly. Last time we checked was at 3:30 when I was a 4.

Side funny story: My mom, Debbie and JP were all sitting in the L&D room with me chatting around 6:00 am.  I saw/heard something fall off the bed.  I told mom to see what it was.  She said, "ummm that was your leg."  She tried to put it back up in the bed and it just kept sliding off.  I could not stop laughing.  Apparently the epidural was working.  They also give you a button to push every 15 minutes to give yourself more epidural.  You better believe I was pushing this thing every 15 minutes on the dot.

7:50 am - My doctor finally arrived to check me out.  I had dilated to an 8!  Woohoo!  I was so excited and ready to get this pushing started....and then they told me my doctor had a scheduled surgery from 8:00 am - 10:00 am and she did not want me delivering without her.  Ugh, more waiting.  It turns out this was actually probably a good thing.  Parker was gonna be good and ready when I could finally start pushing.

10:20 am - My doctor comes back in to check on me again...finally.  I was at a 10.  "You ready?" she says.  OMG, this is happening, like right now.  She told me to hold my legs and that we would do a practice push.  Now, I consider myself to be kinda strong, but trying to lift two dead weight legs was a challenge.  She counted down and I did a "practice push."  She then said "ok, stop, this baby is coming, no more practicing."

The next contraction, I started pushing.  I didn't want to push too hard at first.  I was scared from previous stories I had heard... hemorrhoids, ripping, hernia, etc. Doc said, you are gonna have to push harder than that.

JP also went into coach mode.  He was holding my leg, yelling "puuuuush!"   You would have thought he had done this before.  JP, is there something you need to tell me?

I pushed the next two contractions.  This was by far the coolest thing I had ever done.  I got a serious adrenaline rush.  I actually thought this was fun.  On that third contraction and push, Parker Kate McEnery arrived into this world.  I couldn't believe it.  She was finally here!  It was all such a blur and a miracle!

Going into labor

As I sit here watching my beautfiul baby sleep, I can't even figure out where to start on these blogs.  I have sooooo much to say!  These past couple weeks have been such a whirlwind.  Since she came into this world, I have been a sappy, happy, emotional, busy MOTHER! I know everyone says this, but it is seriously the coolest, most joyful experience in the world.  It's also one of the hardest things I've ever done.

P helping me blog

It's like God dropped this precious gift off with no instructions.  I felt so lost.  I am finally getting into a routine and learning how things get done.
  I will try to go through how everything went down so I'll start with laboring at home.  Bare with me...these will probably be long. (PS can these blogs count as her baby book)


Laboring at home: Wednesday, October 2nd
I woke up at 3:30 am on Wednesday morning with some bad cramps.  They just felt like menstrual cramps, but I hadn't had any of these so I was a little concerned.  I started googling "can contractions feel like mentrual cramps" and I found that yes, they can start out that way.  It's totally  not what I expected contractions to feel like.  I was having these cramps like every 15-30 minutes from 3:30 am - 6:30 am.  Even though they had kinda stopped, I decided I should probably stay home from work.  I worked from home that day and when JP got home from work, the cramps/contractions started getting closer together and much stronger.  At about 6:30 pm Wednesday night, we started timing and logging these.  


I just knew this little chickadee would be later than her due date so I was convinced I was in "false labor."  (her due date was October 7th)  That is until the stupid contractions started bringing tears to 
my eyes around 8:30 pm.  From 8:30-12:30 I labored at home, just waiting for these bitches to get close enough together and last long enough, that I could call the doctor.  Every contraction I was thinking, "hurry and end, hurry and end, no wait, last long enough to call the doc, so I can go to the hospital and get an epidural!"  Finally at 12:30, we called the doc and they told us to go to the hospital.

Getting checked in

Hospital: Thursday October 3rd
  We got to the hospital at 1:00 am.  We checked in and then they told me that they had to make sure I was in "active labor."  If you aren't in active labor, they send you home...ummm, what?!?!  Well, if you send me home, can I take an epidural with me?? 

Not happy about more laboring sans epidural

Anyway, so when I came in, I was dilated to a 3.  They made me labor for 2 more hours to make sure I was progressing.  They came in around 3:30 am and I had dilated to a 4.  Thank God!  I don't have to go home.  By the way, the contractions at home and at the hospital (pre epidural) were by far the hardest part of labor.  They asked me when I wanted my epidural.  ummmm, now!  I had been laboring for 9ish hours and was going on 24 hours of no sleep.  I was already exhausted at this point.

J was exhausted too

 
5:00 am - I finally got the epidural.  I have said this before, but I have no idea how people do it without the epidural.  Going into labor, I was nervous about the epidural. But by the time I finally got it, I didn't so much care if it was going to hurt.  I just wanted the pain to go away!  It totally did not hurt by the way.  They give you a numbing shot first.  My IV in my arm hurt worse than the epidural.  Probably because the nurse had to stick me twice.  Anyway, everything was smooth sailing about ten minutes later.  They also started me on Pitocin so I would be ready to go when the doctor got in at 8:00am.  P apparently didn't like the Pitocin.  It made her heart rate drop (or spike, I can't really remember)  Nothing to be too scared about, but they lowered the Pitocin and made me wear this awful oxygen mask.

Up next, Parker's arrival :)

It's Official...I'm a bitchy pregnant woman

I'm over it.  I don't want to be pregnant anymore.  I know I have so much to be grateful for, but I'm sick of it.

I'm sick of...

• living in the bathroom
• my aching back
• these crazy intense groin pains that I've recently started getting (apparently from my ligaments stretching and her head dropping)
• 2.5 hour weekly doctor appointments
• not being able to work out
• no raw sushi, lunch meat, wine, wine, or wine
• and most of all...maternity clothes

Hopefully I am just having a moment of weakness today and this mood won't last until she's here.  12 more days!

On a happier note, I had a doctor's appointment yesterday.  Parkers weight hasn't changed and she still looks great.  It looks like she has really long skinny feet and no hair.  ha!  She was also sporting a guns up with her hand. I screamed I was so giddy.  Pretty sure the sonographer thought I was nuts.  Not gonna lie, I was thinking, I can't wait to brag to JP about this.  And then her little index finger went down and her hand went from a gun to a gig em.  Like she was telling me, I got
daddy's back too.  Of course the sonographer only got a pic of the gig em.

Her thumb is on the right

 

Parker's Nursery

Quick pregnancy update before I get to her nursery. 

PK is growing!  Per the sonographer, she has gained a pound from last week and Dr. D says she looks beautiful.  I feel like my stomach is growing by the hour too!  So as of now, no need to schedule an induction.  Yay!

Onto her nursery...

I love the way her nursery turned out.  I still have some finishing details but you get the idea.

 

 

Parker - your room and parents are waiting on you!

 

37 weeks

Wow, I haven't blogged in so long.  I don't even know where to start.  I can't believe we are 20 days out from her due date. 

 

We have still been super busy getting everything ready before she gets here.  We have finished her nursery and the back yard (pics to come soon), packed for the hospital, installed the car seats (why is that so hard?) and assembled all things PK.  I guess we are as ready as we are gonna get!

 

JP putting together the bassinet

Max does not like the new swing

 

 

Pregnancy updates...

 

• I've started going to the doctor weekly now.  As of last week, P-nut is measuring 1.5 weeks small at 5.5 pounds (doesn't seem small to me!)  The doc is watching her growth closely now.  She hooks me up to the fetal monitor each visit which takes forever.  They have to get so many minutes of a continuous heart rate which is hard to do when you have an active baby.  My machine kept making a failure beep because Parker would move and it couldn't detect her heart rate.  Anyway, apparently docs don't like it if they think the baby isn't growing in the womb anymore.  Dr. D said she will want to induce early if this is the case.  I really do not want to be induced for multiple reasons, but I'm no doctor so we will see how it goes. 
• Nightly bathroom trips are 3-4 times now
• I have major acid reflux, but it doesn't hurt.  The only symptom is regurgitation.  Gross, I know.  I cannot eat within two hours of bed or I'm up all night.  I guess God is preparing me for little sleep.
• I can't run anymore.  Saturday was the first time I wasn't able to.  Too much pressure now which is a bummer.  Walking is lame.

I have another appointment tomorrow...hopefully she's still growing and all looks good.  I will try to keep the blog updated.  No promises. 

 

I can't believe we will have a baby so soon!!  God is good. :)

Weekend of Classes

This weekend we had 14 hours of classes.  Talk about exhausting and overwhelming.  We did learn so much though.  I even signed up for additional classes.  I cannot believe how much we did not know or really ever think about.

Some interesting things from class...

Child birth class
- Natural birth is whack: They made us sit through videos of women giving birth without medication.  Torture.  I don't need to see that or hear the sounds they made.  I totally do not understand the no epidural thing.  I'd let them knock me out completely if I could.  (low pain tolerance)
- You have to get a catheter if you have an epidural:  That makes sense since you can't walk, but I hadn't ever thought about it.  That idea creeps me out.

Child Care Class
- Don't use baby powder anymore...the baby inhales it
- Babe doesn't need lotion either.  They need to learn to regulate moisture on their own.

Breast Feeding Class
- You have to feed your baby...like, a lot more than I thought. Apparently they lose weight after birth and the docs want them back to birth weight at two weeks old.  Which means, you have to feed them at least every three hours, even if they are sleeping, for the first two weeks.  AND if you want to breastfeed, you can't introduce a bottle yet.  Ummmm, what?  I will be her sole feeder 8-12 times a day?
-Breastfeeding is also whack...yes, it is a miracle and yes, I want to try, but it's still weird.  I could go on but I'll leave it at that.

Although I make it sound displeasing, we really did enjoy our classes.  I am definitely more overwhelmed now, but also more prepared.  Which is good because it's getting way close.  48 more days if she's on time.

What I wish I'd known about pregnancy and birth...

This was the title of an email I got today via the Baby Center.  I usually ignore most of their email blurbs.  I figure if they are important or interesting, Ashley will let me know.  Yes, she signed up on Baby Center with me so she could follow along through the whole pregnancy and get all the updates.

Want to know what I learned from this article?  Nothing, except that the women who post on here are really bitchy pregnant women.  They griped about everything… morning sickness, exhaustion, swelling, ligament pain, etc.  I kinda thought everyone knew about those things going into pregnancy?  I was looking for some good, new info!

Anyway, I wanted to put a positive spin on pregnancy, so I posted a short comment about pregnancy actually being enjoyable.  I have been blessed with a rather easy pregnancy and an extremely supportive husband.  Yes, I definitely have my days that I am more emotional, whiny, moody, and just want a dang glass of wine, but I’ve tried to keep a positive attitude for the most part.  (Well, I think I have anyway…maybe I should ask JP for the truth).  So I put together the following list;  (I went back and forth with the name for this list.  I thought, “Why my friends shouldn’t be scared to get knocked up” sounded good too.)

Why pregnancy doesn’t suck so bad…

1.       Ice Cream – I eat it almost every day now.  It’s easier to justify the calories when you’re pregnant.  Plus, P needs the calcium, right?  I’m pretty sure JP has enjoyed this part too.

2.       People are really nice – I feel like I am treated like a queen sometimes.  People go out of their way to help the preggers out.  Even strangers are always asking if I need help, open doors, and ask to carry stuff for me.  It’s nice to know that there are still a lot of good people in this world.

3.       Massages – As you know, my back hurts a lot lately so JP is usually willing to give me a back massage.  (It’s the least he can do, right?)

4.       You always have an excuse – Bad mood? Forget something?  Want to eat 3 pieces of cake? Accidentally park your car on the work bench in the garage?...Doesn’t matter.  You’re pregnant.  You are making a human and you have crazy hormones. It can be an excuse for everything.

5.       (My favorite perk of all) There is a baby in there – This little miracle still blows my mind daily.  Seriously, how is she living in there?  I still get excited with each move, kick, punch, and hiccup. 

“Children are a gift from the Lord.  They are a reward from Him” Psalm 127:3

God is good J