Friday, March 22, 2013
1 week!
Cooper's toes--he likes to sit next to me on the couch while I am nursing *spoiler alert: I am always nursing* and play with the animal noises app on my phone. I have read 3.5 books in this baby's 7 days-- lots of couch time.
Gymboree and Baby Gap super teeny up to 7 lb clothes are getting small, and she can wear Carter's newborns.
Jack made bunny ears at school-- his last day before SPRING BREAK! They don't go back until April 2-- Ben is on FMLA until April 1, thank God. Also, WTAF, Wisconsin? Harry and Jack picked them to win! I had them out in the sweet 16, but STILL!
Moby! It was good for breakfast this morning and cleaning up lunch this afternoon.
Jack finally figured out that he could change te camera view on my phone, and he took 100 selfies just like this.
She took this nap, one in the rock n play while I showered, and 2 quickies in the Ergo, but otherwise was up most of the day. Um.
We all picked Harry up from school-- her first walk across the street and the first day of her life that temps climbed above freezing.
Cooper is so self sufficient. He can access his own snacks and bowls, and he has turned this shelf into his table. He spilled his water and cleaned it up with a towel he got out of the drawer.
And he can jump!
Dorothy is a week old today. She already looks bigger, and she lost her umbilical cord stump this morning. She's so sweet and snuggly-- we can't believe our luck.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Sugar free
Dorothy had an alarming amount of awake time today.
She spent some of it flailing in her gym, her jerky limbs accidentally encountering her hangy toys.
I took lots of pictures of her open eyes
More flaily gym time.
More open eye pictures.
She had some tummy time.
She pooped 8 times and wet 10 diapers.
Ben and I added up all the time she has spent not being held, including car rides home from the hospital and to and from the doctor and 2 blissful showers she has spent in the rock and play: maybe 90 minutes of her life. Otherwise, she's in our arms, on our chests, on her big brothers' laps, or in the Ergo. It's lovely.
When Cooper was born, I gave up caffeine cold turkey. This time? Sweets. I was going to cut chocolate out anyway because it has a history of bothering the babies' tummies, but I went whole-hog and abandoned it all. For "dessert" I have been eating grapes, clementines, or Greek yogurt. It's really hard! I ordered baked goods for Easter next weekend and felt a pang knowing I won't be eating them. Sigh.
She spent some of it flailing in her gym, her jerky limbs accidentally encountering her hangy toys.
She pooped 8 times and wet 10 diapers.
Ben and I added up all the time she has spent not being held, including car rides home from the hospital and to and from the doctor and 2 blissful showers she has spent in the rock and play: maybe 90 minutes of her life. Otherwise, she's in our arms, on our chests, on her big brothers' laps, or in the Ergo. It's lovely.
When Cooper was born, I gave up caffeine cold turkey. This time? Sweets. I was going to cut chocolate out anyway because it has a history of bothering the babies' tummies, but I went whole-hog and abandoned it all. For "dessert" I have been eating grapes, clementines, or Greek yogurt. It's really hard! I ordered baked goods for Easter next weekend and felt a pang knowing I won't be eating them. Sigh.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Dorothy's due date
Today is Dorothy's due date and her fourth day on the outside.
I am so happy to not be pregnant anymore! Phew! Also am so happy that natural childbirth is just a memory. .
I have been breastfeeding pretty much nonstop since 2:18 am on March 15-- my butt has already worn grooves in both couches and my bed, and everyone is used to the sight of my boobs all the time. Classy.
Dorothy has been an excellent eater so far-- it's her favorite thing to do. She has also spent between 5:30 and 7 in the Ergo the last couple of nights, allowing me to clean up dinner and put Cooper to bed, which has been lovely.
Cooper is suddenly huge and doughy when just 5 days ago, he was the baby I toted everywhere on my hip.
What the hell is up with St. Patrick's Day? Except for green beer day at Miami of Ohio, I have never thought twice about it, but this year. my Facebook feed blew up with celebrations, and the kids' school made a major deal out of it, which was cool because my dad got this picture when he picked Jack up at school on Friday.
See Cooper's dark circles? He's finally getting it together, but he's slightly off his routine with Dorothy around. I think he especially misses our routine of snuggling in bed for the first 30 minutes of his day. Ben takes him downstairs, so the baby and I can sleep some more, but he always wants to come in our room.
Harry's hands are chafed because he is constantly washing them just in case he can hold the baby.
Such a big yawn for grandma
Jack loves to kiss her which would be even cuter if he didn't have a violent hacking cough.
Pretty sure she was cold.
But she may have objected to the head piece.
She did approve of her car seat and after we got home from the doctor, she slept long enough for me to eat lunch, clean lunch up, wash the kitchen floor, put away the upstairs laundry, and dust the bedrooms and living rooms, which, you know, is all stuff I love to do. (For real-- not being sarcastic.)
So far so good-- sleep deprivation has not set in yet, though...
I am so happy to not be pregnant anymore! Phew! Also am so happy that natural childbirth is just a memory. .
I have been breastfeeding pretty much nonstop since 2:18 am on March 15-- my butt has already worn grooves in both couches and my bed, and everyone is used to the sight of my boobs all the time. Classy.
Dorothy has been an excellent eater so far-- it's her favorite thing to do. She has also spent between 5:30 and 7 in the Ergo the last couple of nights, allowing me to clean up dinner and put Cooper to bed, which has been lovely.
Cooper is suddenly huge and doughy when just 5 days ago, he was the baby I toted everywhere on my hip.
What the hell is up with St. Patrick's Day? Except for green beer day at Miami of Ohio, I have never thought twice about it, but this year. my Facebook feed blew up with celebrations, and the kids' school made a major deal out of it, which was cool because my dad got this picture when he picked Jack up at school on Friday.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Big bows and big bros
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| Jack took this before we left for the hospital |
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| And this-- labor in action |
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| A big brother totem pole waiting for Ben when he came home Friday morning |
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| On the way to see their sister before school |
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| So many children! |
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| He's an old pro |
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| Just needs a little help |
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| Loves holding the baby |
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| The baby |
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| A small bow. |
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| Another |
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| Or maybe a hat would be better |
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| Or a turban |
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| Whole fam |
Friday, March 15, 2013
Our Dottie Lou, Our Baby Dot
On Ben's 34th birthday, I made him quit drinking the free beer at our favorite birthday bar because I started having contractions. At 5:45 pm on Wednesday, March 13.
I went to bed crampy, freshly showered, with the remaining items for my hospital bag stacked neatly on my dresser and an outfit laid out on my bathroom counter.
Ben, Harry, and I were all excited and had trouble thinking about anything but our potential Pi Day baby. I woke up at 2:40 am on Thursday, March 14 with regular contractions.
I used the breathing up technique from HypnoBirthing and stayed in bed as limp and relaxed as possible until 6, when I jumped up to do my hair, put on my makeup, and encourage my parents to cancel their workdays and drive 4 hours to be at our house before the kids got out for early dismissal.
(Ben was up with a too-excited-to-sleep Harry from 4:50 on).
And then my contractions stopped.
Ben and I spent the morning bitching at each other about who's fault it was that my parents were en route and how totally screwed we were bound to be when the baby did actually arrive, sometime next week. We also bundled the kids up and took them on a walk.
Thanks to a stint on the elliptical, labor picked up again at 2:48 pm, about 12 hours since I woke up to contractions. I again did the side-lying/HypnoBirthing breathing from 2:48-6:30, where I had contractions about 5-7 minutes apart that lasted for around a minute. When they got closer to 4-6 minutes apart, we went to the hospital.
You know you have too many kids when you want to take your iconic on the way in photo from the last few times.
In triage, we found that after laboring on and off since 6pm the previous day-- more than 24 hours-- I was only 4 centimeters. WTF?
I thought seriously about an epidural because I was so, so tired (and starving-- all I ate yesterday was greek yogurt and string cheese), and I could not deal with the thought of working hard for hours to come.
Ben said I should skip it, and I took his advice. We spent an hour or so walking the floor, and I drank a huge apple juice, which helped the hunger.
Then we spent an hour lying quietly in our ginormous birth suite-- Ben on the couch with an iTunes movie and headphones, me side lying and breathing up, so relaxed I dozed between contractions.
Even after all that, I was only 5 cm at my next check at 10.
I paced awhile, swayed, even bounced on the birth ball for a few contractions, and then my awesome nurse suggested I get in the tub.
I am not someone who would ever even think about bathing at a hotel, but I wasted precisely no time getting naked and jumping under the jets, where I stayed for 3 hours. At midnight, the resident donned a shoulder-length vet glove to check my cervix and said 7.5, but I didn't even care because I felt almost no pain and was sleeping between contractions. Between the hot water, whirlpool jets, and HypnoBirth breathing, I was in heaven.
Until 1 am, whe transition happened, and all the relaxation in the world couldn't stop that horrible pain.
At 1:48, the OB on call told me I was 9, and I said "Are you fucking kidding me?"
I had 3 contractions back-to-back, one on the birth ball, with Ben pushing on my back, one standing up, panicked and holding onto Ben, and one on my hands and knees on the bed saying fuck over and over again.
At 2, it was time to push. Pushing is the WORST.
But, at 2:18, there she was, Dorothy Tallulah, born bright-eyed and ready to eat.
She stayed on my stomach/at my breast/ in my arms for over and hour before we found she was 6 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches long.
She definitely looks like big brothers.
And she is already an over achiever: 9 hours old, and she has met her wet and dirty count for today!
Well, first we eat a huge deli sub from room service. THEN we sleep.
I went to bed crampy, freshly showered, with the remaining items for my hospital bag stacked neatly on my dresser and an outfit laid out on my bathroom counter.
Ben, Harry, and I were all excited and had trouble thinking about anything but our potential Pi Day baby. I woke up at 2:40 am on Thursday, March 14 with regular contractions.
I used the breathing up technique from HypnoBirthing and stayed in bed as limp and relaxed as possible until 6, when I jumped up to do my hair, put on my makeup, and encourage my parents to cancel their workdays and drive 4 hours to be at our house before the kids got out for early dismissal.
(Ben was up with a too-excited-to-sleep Harry from 4:50 on).
And then my contractions stopped.
Ben and I spent the morning bitching at each other about who's fault it was that my parents were en route and how totally screwed we were bound to be when the baby did actually arrive, sometime next week. We also bundled the kids up and took them on a walk.
Thanks to a stint on the elliptical, labor picked up again at 2:48 pm, about 12 hours since I woke up to contractions. I again did the side-lying/HypnoBirthing breathing from 2:48-6:30, where I had contractions about 5-7 minutes apart that lasted for around a minute. When they got closer to 4-6 minutes apart, we went to the hospital.
You know you have too many kids when you want to take your iconic on the way in photo from the last few times.
I thought seriously about an epidural because I was so, so tired (and starving-- all I ate yesterday was greek yogurt and string cheese), and I could not deal with the thought of working hard for hours to come.
Ben said I should skip it, and I took his advice. We spent an hour or so walking the floor, and I drank a huge apple juice, which helped the hunger.
Even after all that, I was only 5 cm at my next check at 10.
I paced awhile, swayed, even bounced on the birth ball for a few contractions, and then my awesome nurse suggested I get in the tub.
I am not someone who would ever even think about bathing at a hotel, but I wasted precisely no time getting naked and jumping under the jets, where I stayed for 3 hours. At midnight, the resident donned a shoulder-length vet glove to check my cervix and said 7.5, but I didn't even care because I felt almost no pain and was sleeping between contractions. Between the hot water, whirlpool jets, and HypnoBirth breathing, I was in heaven.
Until 1 am, whe transition happened, and all the relaxation in the world couldn't stop that horrible pain.
At 1:48, the OB on call told me I was 9, and I said "Are you fucking kidding me?"
I had 3 contractions back-to-back, one on the birth ball, with Ben pushing on my back, one standing up, panicked and holding onto Ben, and one on my hands and knees on the bed saying fuck over and over again.
At 2, it was time to push. Pushing is the WORST.
But, at 2:18, there she was, Dorothy Tallulah, born bright-eyed and ready to eat.
Now, we sleep.
Well, first we eat a huge deli sub from room service. THEN we sleep.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
39 weeks!
Poor Ben. In the time it took him to box up a year's worth of receipts, post-it notes, and W2s and meet with our accountant, I spent a ton of money on MOAR rag doll and poofy headbands. I need to have the baby so I can have a shopping hiatus-- having an infant to tote around will slow me down for sure. Although there is wifi at the hospital, and I am going to bring my computer...
We finally picked a middle name, and I am so excited about it that I ordered it on a rag doll-- now she'll have one with her first name and one with her middle name. A little strange, but what can I say? I LOVE this baby's name. Ben picked the first name-- he loves it so, so much, and we picked my favorite middle name in the universe, so both of us are over the moon excited.
When I packed my hospital bag for the boys, I brought them a going home outfit and a cute hat to wear in the hospital. That was pretty much it. They wore the hospital-issued side-snap t-shirts. Jack spent a day or so in a super tiny Gymboree alligator sleeper (that Cooper wore and that is also hanging up in the baby's closet right now). I brought a couple Aden+Anais swaddle blankets for Cooper (and I have packed them for the baby, too-- the same blankets even though they are blue and yellow and brown). But for the most part, everything in my bag was for me.
This time, I have 3 hats, two different headbands with 3 interchangeable bows and flowers, 2 night gowns, 3 different pairs of booties, and a coming home outfit complete with hat. Ha! (And reading that convinced me to throw in another super teeny Gymbo sleeper.)
I am due a week from today, but it seems that every kid is staying inside longer, so WHO KNOWS. (Seriously. H was due on 7-3 and was born on 6-14. Jack was due on 4-20 and was born on 4-16, and Cooper was due on 9-3 and was born on 9-9).
I am waking up at least 3 times a night to pee, so that's good practice.
Little Gym really wore me out today, as did a nice slow waddle around Costco, but I am still exercising 5 days a week. Every work out I think-- maybe this will be the one that jump starts labor, but so far no dice.
Hockey season is finally over! Harry and Jack celebrated by playing in a tournament. Jack did not appear to have any clue what was going on and spent his time on the ice skating to a slow song in his head, but Harry SCORED A GOAL! It was so cute that Ben and I both choked up a little-- he pumped his arms and screamed "That was me!" with his big gap-toothed smile. It was adorable.
On a totally unrelated note, Jack has decided that he needs to be the person who waters the plants. While adorable, this has turned a five minute task into a 20 minute one, especially if you factor in clean up time. But it sure is cute-- he talks to them and kisses them, too.
We finally picked a middle name, and I am so excited about it that I ordered it on a rag doll-- now she'll have one with her first name and one with her middle name. A little strange, but what can I say? I LOVE this baby's name. Ben picked the first name-- he loves it so, so much, and we picked my favorite middle name in the universe, so both of us are over the moon excited.
When I packed my hospital bag for the boys, I brought them a going home outfit and a cute hat to wear in the hospital. That was pretty much it. They wore the hospital-issued side-snap t-shirts. Jack spent a day or so in a super tiny Gymboree alligator sleeper (that Cooper wore and that is also hanging up in the baby's closet right now). I brought a couple Aden+Anais swaddle blankets for Cooper (and I have packed them for the baby, too-- the same blankets even though they are blue and yellow and brown). But for the most part, everything in my bag was for me.
This time, I have 3 hats, two different headbands with 3 interchangeable bows and flowers, 2 night gowns, 3 different pairs of booties, and a coming home outfit complete with hat. Ha! (And reading that convinced me to throw in another super teeny Gymbo sleeper.)
I am due a week from today, but it seems that every kid is staying inside longer, so WHO KNOWS. (Seriously. H was due on 7-3 and was born on 6-14. Jack was due on 4-20 and was born on 4-16, and Cooper was due on 9-3 and was born on 9-9).
I am waking up at least 3 times a night to pee, so that's good practice.
Little Gym really wore me out today, as did a nice slow waddle around Costco, but I am still exercising 5 days a week. Every work out I think-- maybe this will be the one that jump starts labor, but so far no dice.
Hockey season is finally over! Harry and Jack celebrated by playing in a tournament. Jack did not appear to have any clue what was going on and spent his time on the ice skating to a slow song in his head, but Harry SCORED A GOAL! It was so cute that Ben and I both choked up a little-- he pumped his arms and screamed "That was me!" with his big gap-toothed smile. It was adorable.
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