One Week and Counting...

One week old

Thanks to everyone for all your well-wishes and comments about how cute my new baby is. Even if it was obligatory, I still appreciate them :-) All in all, I would say things are going really well. I think if someone says they just absolutely love the first few weeks of having a newborn they are either lying or delusional, but that's just me. I do feel blessed, though. She is a sweet baby and she likes to sleep a lot, and that includes during the night. The last few days she has been sleeping in 4 - 5 hour chunks! The first time she did it at night, I woke up at like 4:00 in the morning and ran over to make sure she was still alive. Now if I wake up, I just think sweet.

My mom and youngest sister Ali flew in the Saturday before I had Little Miss (The Diva doesn't fit her - she is too sweet). It was so nice to have them here, as my mom kept the house running the entire week after I had the baby. And believe me, we did not pay well and gave her a run for her money. Thanks again, Mom!

My dad drove up this last weekend to see his new granddaughter. While he was here we went on and did her baby blessing here at our home with our family, the bishop and a couple of friends. Here is a picture from her blessing day (5 days old):

With grandparents

I was scheduled to be induced on the 15th even though I wasn't due until the 20th because, well, just because. She was big, I was bigger, I kept having low blood sugar issues, and I was just ready to get on with it. So we went in at 6:30 a.m. but they didn't get me hooked up on the pitocin until 8:00. I think it was about 2 hours later that they broke my water. Things were going pretty slow because my contractions were not getting into a regular pattern despite being cranked up on the pitocin. And all I could think about the whole time was how I was starving! I wanted to eat a steak. Finally, later in the afternoon things started to move a little quicker and around 4:00 I was feeling a lot of pressure "down there." I told them and they said I was at a 9 1/2. The nurse said she would come back in about 15 minutes. So 30 minutes later I ring them again, "Um, hellllooooo?" are you coming back because this kid is about to fall out of me!

Sure enough I was complete and ready to go. Earlier they had asked me if I would mind if during the delivery a paramedic student could stand in the room and observe (from over by the baby station) as part of his training. I didn't really care at that point, because, well, let's face it - it's not like half the hospital floor hasn't already seen your crotch by then anyway. So there I am in all my glory and in walks Mr. Hottie Paramedic Student! He was like 20, but still! We both studiously avoided eye contact.

So it was time to push. I had an interesting experience with the epidural this time, though. In the past, I have been able to move my legs, feel plenty of pressure, etc. This time, I could do that with my right leg, but not my left leg. It was dead. Completely. I could sort of wiggle my big toe and that was it. Very strange sensation and one I did not like because I could never tell if when they told me to push harder if I was actually doing anything. I was thinking that I was going to be so ticked off if I couldn't get this kid out because I couldn't feel what I was doing! But, thankfully, I ended up pushing for only about 20 minutes and at 5:01 p.m. Little Miss was here.

I just remember feeling sooo tired during the delivery and afterward. A very different experience, as well. With my other births, I remember feeling a rush of endorphins afterwards and being wide awake, wanting to take in everything around me. This time I was so wasted. And it wasn't even close to being my hardest or longest labor, so I don't know what the deal was. I chalk it up to being older. And hungry.

That night was a killer thunderstorm. There were like 70 mph straight line winds, crazy lightning and of course massive rain. A nurse actually came in and told me that we were under a tornado watch and if it turned into a warning I would have to be moved out into the hall. Luckily, that didn't happen.

All in all, the boys have responded really well to having a new little sister in their midsts. Little Man has done exceptionally well considering he was uprooted from his position of being the youngest. He loves to help with her and calls her "our baby" whenever he is not referring to her as HeeHaw. Yeah, not sure where that one came from, but that's what she's been dubbed.

In summary: I think it's going to be fun to have a little girl!