A birthday and a story

We welcomed sweet baby #4 on the night of the 26th.  This is the first time that I delivered on my actual due date!  So, this little one was right on time! HER stats are: 7lbs 13oz, 19.75" , and born at 7:48pm - oh, and practically perfect apgar scores too!  Just under 6 hours of being AT the hospital and she made her debut.

I guess I will go ahead and dish her entire labor and delivery.  This is mostly for my own benefit, however.  So that I can remind myself of how I felt at the time (hopefully to discourage another delivery.... unless it is necessary of course).  At almost 38 weeks, I had an OB appointment where I asked my midwife to check me.  I was a good 3cm and 50% effaced.  "Any day" were the words that were used.  Of course, I walked out of the room being hopeful that indeed she was right.... ANY day.  Completely going against what my brain was telling me, "um... Janice?  you remember you can walk around at a 3 for weeks.... right???!"  To which my conscious replied, "yeah... but maybe this time will be different."  NOPE!!!  So, the next week - I was scheduled for an appointment on Friday.  This was the friday before my Grandmother's birthday.  My grandmother is battling cancer right now and I thought it would be a wonderful gift for her to have a great-grandchild born on her birthday (in her honor mostly).  Her birthday was Sunday, the 18th.  I was hoping to get my membranes stripped at my Friday appointment so I could definitely have this baby by the 18th.  Friday morning I get a call from the clinic saying they needed to reschedule my appointment.  My midwife was sick and unable to be at work that day. So... I was scheduled with a different midwife for Monday.  I made it through the weekend with contractions like crazy 3-5 minutes apart - but not hurting me at all.  So, I went to bed each night and woke up the next morning - with nothing! Monday came and I went to my appointment, she checked me and said I was a 4cm and 50% effaced (to which I probably wouldn't efface more than that until I was in true labor - her words.... not mine).  She stripped my membranes in hopes it would send me into labor later that day.  Very late that night Jeremiah and I decided we should head into the hospital and see if we could have a baby.  We went to the hospital, got checked after hearing a woman practically deliver a baby in the triage (I THINK they got her to a delivery room in time.... she was trying NOT to push as they wheeled her down the hall) area.  I hadn't made much progress, I was a 4-5cm they said and 75% effaced.  Not quite the criteria they were looking for and my contractions started going away.  I told them I would be fine with going home and sleeping - and we'd be back if anything more developed.  Once we got home, we decided it would be awesome if the baby could just wait until Jeremiah finished his schooling for work (which would conclude on Friday the 23rd) so.....I pretty much laid around tuesday and wednesday.  I was honestly afraid of doing ANYTHING for fear it would send me into labor.  I needed to hang in there until at least Friday - preferably the weekend to keep things easy for kids and school and Jeremiah.  On my due date, I had another OB appointment - new midwife again - mine was at the hospital delivering babies all week long - and she was SO surprised to even see me there.  She asked what I was doing there and when she checked me.... I was at a 5, she went ahead and swept me (stripped my membranes again) and told me if I even had 4 contractions in one hour to go to the hospital. Oh... and when she checked to see when the soonest was she could schedule me to be induced.... it was Oct 6th.  I would need to come in for my 41 week appointment on the 3rd, have a stress test done on the baby, and then hang in there until the 6th.  YEAH RIGHT!  I was so over this pregnancy and so miserable too!  Just waiting for pain - that was pretty much what I was doing.  I would catch myself asking for the pain as I went throughout the day.  "Bring on the pain" I would mutter under my breath.   So, I basically wanted to cry because I felt that this baby didn't want to come out at all and I was going to have to be pregnant until October 6th before I could finally get a baby out of this deal.

Luckily for me (and by the mercy of our Heavenly Father) I started contracting 20 minutes after my appointment and they continued every 5 minutes apart until my mother-in-law was able to get over here and take over the "kid" shift.  We called Linda, our wonderful doula - a member of the Norfolk 1st ward, and she met us at the house.  We headed over to Portsmouth and had to park at the top level of the parking garage..... let's just say parking was definitely scarce!  By the time we got to the Labor and Delivery triage area...it was about 2pm.  I asked for Wendy (my midwife) - told her how my appointment went that morning - and she took us back to a room for evaluation.  She checked me and evaluated me and baby before letting us know that they would go ahead and keep me.  She was able to get us to a delivery room and start us on our way of answering the wonderful questions they have to get you all checked in before her shift was over.  I was really looking forward to having a chance for Wendy to deliver one of my babies!  By the time the questions were over, and Wendy was about to leave, she suggested that maybe we break my water and start some pitocin to help things along.  When the time came for that (about 4pm) a new shift of doctors were there.  A young doctor came in and suggested we break my water and said she would allow my body the chance to labor on it's own before we add the help of pitocin.  After breaking my water about 4pm, my body took over and was finally giving contractions that were changing my cervix.  I used a birthing ball, slow dancing, and at times the pressure of sitting in the bed to help things along - all the while I continued losing amniotic fluid (there wasn't a bulging of waters when they broke my water, so I lost it over time as I labored).  The next time I was scheduled to be checked was 6 pm.  Contractions were getting more intense, but I was still able to breathe through them and have my husband rub on my back and help me relax.  My husband was fantastic through my labor and delivery!  At 6pm, I think I was 7cm and 80% effaced.  From there contractions became stronger and I was finding myself fatigued and drained.  Basically, things felt like they were making things progress..... I was feeling a little bit of natural "loopiness" at this point. They were also having a difficult time keeping track of Lilia's heartbeat and wanted it to be monitored constantly.  They ended up putting in an internal fetal monitor (attached to her scalp) to allow for me to continue moving around and to keep a better track of her condition.   Linda and Jeremiah were at my side constantly at this point - Linda helping to massage my head to keep my expressions relaxed and Jeremiah at my lower back to give me some counter pressure for the slight back labor I was feeling.  I believe it was after 7pm when there was a drop in Lilia's heart rate - extremely low and they all rushed into my room and rolled me on my left side as they lowered my bed for the baby to recover. They checked my cervix and I was completely effaced and 8 cm.   After what seemed like a time frame of 10 minutes there was a second deceleration in Lilia's heartbeat.  They again rushed in, rolled me on my side, and lowered the bed.  This time they checked me and I was a 9.   A matter of minutes again and there was the urge to push.  I felt my body bearing down on Lilia's little body - ready to get this child into the world.  I called for the nurse ("Hello?  Hello!?)  and they all rushed in again, some trying to prepare the room and bed for us.  They checked me and said I was still a 9 but if I felt the urge to push again, to go ahead and try pushing.  So, I waited for it, the time came, I pushed..... and screamed!  My body had officially had enough.  My husband and Linda (as well as probably 6 others) were trying to tell me to stop screaming and breathing - but to hold my breath and bear down to push.  I couldn't.  All I could do was push AND scream until her head and body had been delivered (less than 5 minutes).  Then they handed her up to me and I held her on my chest while I finally felt relief and let everyone do their thing.  I never really know much about what happens after all of that.  Most of that is just a blur.  I had a very small tear this time around and definitely asked for IV drugs when they were kneading my abdomen like a ball of dough trying to get the placenta loosened enough to deliver it.  Hey, I just had a baby and I didn't really want to have to feel someone mashing down on my abdomen!   After Lilia got here... we had some down time in the delivery room (not really sure why) and found out that some people from the first ward were in another delivery room just down the hall and hopefully having their baby sometime soon.  Jeremiah went over to say hello and I found out that my screaming was quite the talk of the delivery floor.  Yipes!  Really hope I didn't add to anyone's distress and really am sorry for screaming, but.... like I told everyone in the room, I'm sorry.... I couldn't help it!  I couldn't control it - it was pushing time and I had one goal - to.....get.....that.....baby.... OUT!   Here she is:

Lilia Rose

With Big Sister Julia

With "biggest" sister Melanie

Big brother already filling the part of protector

My boys falling in love with our newest angel

Humility 101

When it comes to humility, I am definitely a "beginner" and desperately in need of lessons.  I took a trip to the hospital early this morning (12:20-2:30am) and got a couple doses.  I was having contractions that felt more real than ones I'd been having before, plus I was stripped on top of that and was hoping that it had helped this progress.  I still wasn't in significant pain, but with Jeremiah's schedule at school and this being his final week (tests) and stuff... I was trying to work fast!  Resulting in me going in too early.  I didn't have much progress (if any) from earlier that morning. It was good to see that the baby was well and in a good position for the next little bit it will be in there - so that was comforting news!  While I was there, a woman was rushed past my door (the curtain was pulled in my room, so I couldn't see anything) - followed by delivery sounds (woman struggling to hold onto her control) and then rushed off in a wheelchair after the call "I need some help in here, I have a fully dilated patient!"    Needless to say, the woman delivered - hopefully in a delivery room... I couldn't hear a baby cry or anything of that sort, so I am just assuming of course.  BUT, that experience HORRIFIED me!  I started doubting myself and thinking.... I feel like I am pretty beat up this 4th time around and how am I going to cope with the pain?  Basically, I'm currently afraid of pain - who isn't?  It is causing me to really worry about this delivery - and I know I shouldn't.  I'm a veteran, right?!  Please keep your fingers crossed that I can figure it out and be tough/brave!  I can do this, I can do this!!!  I CAN!   Having that scare has sufficiently humbled me to be willing to allow the LORD'S will.  Imagine that, trusting in the Lord (who knows best of course!) and being willing to allow things to happen the way they are supposed to!  I am now VERY hopeful the baby will hold off until Friday when Jeremiah is done with classes and can be there for me 24/7 for whatever I need.  I am hoping that is the Lord's will, but will take whichever day the Lord deems is best.   I am humbled and now VERY cautious to not overdo things!

Dear Portsmouth

Please clear a recovery room for me so I can have this baby.  I know there are supposed to be hundreds of deliveries this month, but I would really like a room TO MYSELF!  Hurry too please, my body is falling apart! Thanks

      Janice

It's Autumn time!

Er.... well, weekend at least.  Today was a GORGEOUS day - one I hope will repeat itself many many times in the months ahead.  However.... this morning's events.... I would rather NOT repeat so much. I got a call from my OB clinic saying that my midwife was sick and they would have to reschedule me.  The soonest they could get me in to see ANYBODY is monday, so.... if this baby is still sitting tight by then I guess I will see someone new for a day and hopefully that will be the last time I go to the clinic before this baby is born.  I will be 39 weeks come Monday and I do not wish to make a 40 week appointment!

Every morning we walk to school, the children think it is SUPER important to reach the van first so then they can reach the stroller first (which only Hunter rides in anyway).  Well, Melanie wanted to be sure she was first I guess for some reason and shoved her brother out of her way so she could run and make it first to the van.  NICE! There was definite skid time on the concrete - the poor boy looks like Rocky Balboa! (I took a picture as documentation and will post it asap - pretty much to remind her for the rest of her days of what she did to her little brother... out of selfishness)  My sweet boy, all dinged up on the left side of his little perfect face.  I had to walk to and from school with the humiliation that comes from people/kids looking at your child's face and thinking "Yikes!  Ouch!"  - and then glancing up at you as if you were the obvious culprit.  I so badly wished I had a sign that read:  "Handiwork of big sister".  Obviously, having half your face scraped raw hurts, so once we returned home... Hunter quickly got frustrated with his predicament and needed some quality time with me. We sat together for about a half hour or so enjoying the time we had together.

Thankfully my husband had a VERY short day at school today and he was able to join us not long after we had gotten home from taking the girls to school.  We went out to lunch together and got some errands accomplished that have been needing to be done.  More checks on our lists!
Once we got home, I tried to stay on top of some housework and decided that soup would be the perfect dinner for our first Autumn day.   Which soup you ask?  Potato soup - and a stinkin good recipe at that!  It is a family favorite!  I am so stinkin excited for the beautiful weather to stay - I hope it does this year - so I can enjoy it to the fullest!

Hair's done, house is "clean", come on baby!!!

Last night was the "finishing" touches to getting me pretty much ready for this baby to arrive.  I have been trying hard all week long to get this baby here (cleaning, mopping, walking, etc) and nothing so far.  I got my hair re-highlighted last night (thanks so much Stacey!) and got a nice little trim too to freshen things up.  Initially I did have grand plans to get a pedicure and at least have my nails be a decent length (chronic nail biter) - but those haven't happened.  Not that it matters much, my feet will be covered with socks and I would probably only chew my nails out of boredom waiting in the hospital for us to be cleared to go home anyway.  I've been getting things done around the house and I'm pretty much to a point where it is as clean as it can get and be fairly easily maintained while housing 3 children 6 years and younger.  Dusting done, carpets vacuumed, floor swept, kitchen in order, playroom - well..... it's a playroom, upstairs and bathrooms all in decent order.  Now, we just need a baby! This whole ordeal has been such an emotional roller coaster for me. First we pleaded the route of "most convenient" while the hubby was still on leave and my mother in law was already at home with the kids, and the weekend was approaching.  Then, my sweet doula got sick - now I'm sick, she's on the mend, and another weekend is approaching.  BUT, hubby will still be in school one more week - so that leaves me in charge of the drop off and pick up of the girls (which is quite complicated actually).  Drop off is easy enough - sign Julia in.  Pick up for the two are separated by 35 minutes! When it's almost 100 degrees outside, it makes it hard to wait around to get my 1st grader from school.  Add a newborn.... yeah, you get the idea.   Then... my doula also happens to be pretty talented with a camera in her hand and was asked to photograph a wedding at the Washington D.C. temple NEXT weekend.  Not really sure when this little one will arrive, I hope that it is soon - but it also seems that no matter what day that is.... things will probably be CRAZY! 

Patience

Yeah, let's just say I don't have a large supply of it nowadays.  I'm really trying, but being super huge with child and trying to be kind all the time gets old fast.  However, our sweet and all knowing Father in Heaven is giving me no other option than to be patient at this time.  How I love these life lessons sometimes! Argh. I get the blessing of practicing patience in waiting for this child to come into the world.  Waiting for a baby to show up is probably one of the most frustrating things in the world at the end of pregnancy.  Being a military spouse, at this particular military hospital, no inductions until 41 weeks.  Hmmm.  I am definitely NOT 41 weeks and I really hope Heavenly Father has mercy on my poor soul so that I don't have to still be pregnant at that time.  I see it as a little "unfair".  There are so many people with inductions or c-sections scheduled BEFORE my due date that are due AFTER me.  Unless I go a week overdue, I do not get the luxury of picking the day my child arrives in the world.  I get to roll with the punches.  There are so many women having their babies - I really just kinda want to get mine already, you know!?  So, for now I am doing my best to exercise patience.  I am also trying my best to have enough faith to leave this in the Lord's hands and trust it will all work out.  That's what I'm gunna do - and I'm sure everything will turn out fine whenever the baby decides to show.

The Handsome 2 year old!

My little guy turned 2 today.  For those of you that don't know about my family, I am one of THREE girls.  No brothers AT ALL.  Which naturally means of course that I spent most of my entire childhood/teenage years asking for a brother.  Sometimes, I even asked for an OLDER brother.  If my parents ever fulfilled that wish, I am sure it would have been VERY uncomfortable for my mom.  Needless to say, it never happened.   So, I pushed that desire on into my married life.  I wanted a son.  A boy for my wonderful dad to get to be a grandfather to.  Take him fishing, camping, etc.... all those wonderful guy things.   Our third child was the winner.  I was SO excited to be a mother to a son!  I didn't know how to take care of one because I never had that opportunity before, but, I was going to figure it out.   The day that I had my little man, the nurse in my delivery room said, "you love all your children, but your son will be your heart".  I wasn't really sure what all that meant at the time, but I do now.  There is something so precious about the relationship between a mother and son.  I love my guy to pieces and really wish I get to have another someday.  I love my girls, please don't misunderstand, but..... that nurse was right..... he is my heart.  There are times where he gets into things or does something he shouldn't, but he brings so much joy to my life!  He's funny, smart, and extremely loving.  We are so blessed to have him be a part of our family and I know his daddy is really excited for the years to come.  LOVE YOU BUDDY!

Contractions

The past couple of days have been full of 'em!  As if I wasn't already completely and totally uncomfortable at this stage in pregnancy with all the added "beat up" parts of my body starting to fail me.  I am just truly miserable right now.  UGH!  I keep praying that as soon as this baby is fully developed, it get here as soon as possible please!  This poor mother can't take another 3 weeks of throbbing veins, a sore pelvis, pinching pain, and contractions.  Last night they were around 10 minutes apart.  They didn't hurt, but, I was definitely hoping they would end up waking me with the need to go to the hospital early this morning.  I NEED TO HAVE THIS BABY NOW!!!!  Part of me is worried too that the school my husband HAS to attend in order to be qualified to do his next duty station will not be too excited about the idea of my husband missing a day of school for me to have a baby.  This is another reason why I think I may be contracting already (OUCH! shooting pain as we speak!).  Maybe they aren't going to be nice about it and my only chance to have him around is to have this baby this week.  I'm not really sure, but.... I really really hope this baby comes soon.  Maybe I should give up on my "vote" of the day I would like to deliver, and start focusing my prayers to help this baby come when it's father can be there and be of the most help to the rest of the family without interrupting work duties.  I think if it means I get to go earlier than my hoped for day, I can live with that, right?!  Earth is ready for you baby!! 

Two down, one to go

At last!  The first day of school!  This morning when I woke up, #2 was already up and getting dressed in her clothes for school.  She was so excited to be starting school!  Last night we gathered everything we needed to get this morning started off without too much problem.  They still needed to help make their lunches - and they did a pretty good job with that!  As they marched off to school today, #2 took the lead as usual. She was far ahead of the pack as we trekked in the muggy weather to the school.  After we dropped her off at her class room with her BAGS of school supplies, we started the trip back to the house with just Little Man in the stroller.  He started looking around and asking for "Na!?" (#2).  He couldn't believe he was all by himself -  poor little guy was missing his buddy!  When it was time to go pick up the girls, I told him we were going to get "Na" and he got excited, ran for the door and grabbed his shoes.  It was the cutest thing to see how much he wanted to see his sister.  Unfortunately, the weather for the rest of the week looks to be the same: MUGGY - so instead of sending them to school in jeans, we'll be going in shorts.  I am pretty sure I'll be praying pretty hard for some fall weather to finally show up so we can enjoy the outdoors a bit more.  It's September for crying out loud!  Let's get some apple pie weather started!

Destructo-girl - First Day of Pre-K!

Little Momma - First Day of 1st Grade!

WAKE UP CALL!

Lately, I have been trying to get my home in order so that when the military (well.... housing more specifically) decides to spring "Hey, we have a 5 bedroom available.... you want it?  Great, you have two weeks to move" scenario, I am ready to roll!  In trying to "clean sweep" my house (not completely there yet of course) and I have seriously contemplated tossing the BINS of pre-pregnancy clothes I have.  That may shock some of you that I technically have that many clothes since I mostly wear t-shirts and jeans.  By t-shirts I mean very BASIC, possibly 10 year old ones.  Yeah.... bad, I know.  So, I am looking for a "make-over".  I will be a mother to 4 children soon (hopefully really soon) and it's about time I swallow my age (almost 27) and start dressing like a mother.  No... "mother" isn't supposed to be read, "frumpy".  I am going for a feminine look with a sense of basic style (I am no fashion guru) that makes me look presentable and nice.  Here's the kicker.... I need some help from you who peruse my blog on occasion.  Where do you buy your clothes?  What are your favorite stores for sales (shoes, clothes, bags, etc)?   As I lose this weight after baby (and I WILL lose the weight this time around) I want to have some things to look forward to and get excited about.  Bye bye scruffy teenager sports shirts, hello decent looking mother of four!