No, she has a name but I feel funny about giving names on the blog hence the aliases... so, see Facebook for that! Or email me. Here are some pictures of her! We'll just call her Mary Mac for now!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
New baby girl
We are thrilled to welcome baby girl #3 to our family! She is beautiful and came into the world very easily (all things considered). I was able to have a VBAC which was my primary prayer before her birth. I already feel awesome and keep telling Lover how excited I am that it all went so well. We're grateful for all of our praying friends who helped us along!
For the record, she weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19" long. Head 13".
A little more detail for my memory that will lapse quickly (and because here I sit in my hospital room with little to do... sleeping babe, husband at home, no nurses checking blood pressure, etc. - am I on vacation?).
Here's the story:
Lover and I were planning to go together to my pre-op visit to the doctor's office on Fri morning at 8:20. I woke up at 12am with a few contractions and fell back asleep until 4 when I had a few more. I was in and out of sleep until 5:30 or 6. We both got up at 6 just b/c we were awake and needed to get things ready to get out of the house by 7:45 or so. I went on a walk at 6:30 trying to make some contractions come. They had subsided again (and I was so ready to have some consistent ones and go into labor!). By about 7:15, I was having a good # of inconsistent contractions. Lover started getting anxious -- he hates this part of the labor process b/c it's so unknown but it definitely puts him into "go" mode.
Thankfully we had childcare for the girls set up for the dr visit (thank you Wolthuises) for about 4 hrs. We dropped them off and called the doctor to see if we should go directly to hospital or into the office. They said office. The Lord was really going before us in all of this b/c the dr's office served as my triage and my quick entry into a hospital room. [Side note: the hospital was jam packed yesterday and birthed a record 20-something babies. One woman was trying to deliver in the Lobby and another delivered in triage. They didn't have enough beds to go around. ] I was 3cm and 80% effaced. Because the hospital was so full, the doctor said she might send me home and have me come back in the afternoon. I was aghast (inwardly) b/c I knew I would have a baby by then. I know my laboring self better than that. Anyway, they put me on a monitor and realized, "hey, she is having contractions at least every 5 minutes" -- let's send her to the hospital.
Arrive at DMC, wait with about 6 other laboring women in a lobby, get admitted to a room ahead of some others b/c I'm VBACing... they want to keep me monitored. Skipped triage and "relaxed" in our nicely appointed L&D room. Contractions getting stronger, IV in with some Finnegran -- knocked out but waking with some contractions. Where is my epidural???? Oh no, they lost a tube of blood so must get more blood before we can get the epidural. Ahhhh, why do people do this naturally? Pain is great and I'm in tears with every contraction. Finally, epidural about 1pm. Ahhh, hallelujah, I'm asleep again.
The contractions are coming on strong if I can feel the amount of pressure I'm feeling. I keep mentioning this to the nurse who really doesn't want to check me b/c they just put the penicillin bag up (group B strep) and it needs to be there for at least 4 hrs before you deliver (yeh, right!!). I persist until she checks me and says I'm at 9 cm now -- was at 6 just 30 minutes prior. She says things are still intact down there... i.e. just chill and keep laboring. This is nature's way of progressing your labor so you will feel pressure. Well, I've always heard women say "I just knew I needed to push" so thankfully the doctor walked in shortly thereafter and I told her I just REALLY felt the pressure and might could deal with it but kind of felt like I needed to push. She checked me immediately and said, "Yes, there's the head, you're ready." So here we go. Next contraction that the nurse and Lover were ready for, I pushed. It felt so good to be able to push and not squeeze the baby in with every contraction as I realized I'd been doing. ANyway, 2nd contraction, she came out. It was super fast and super amazing.
The most amazing thing is that there was never even a mention of a c-section. Heartrates were good and smooth the whole time. At some point (after epidural?), Lover asked the dr if we could assume we were having a vaginal birth... she said "absolutely."
Ok, that's enough for now. If you read this far, I'm impressed. This is more for my own memory than for blog readers, but I did edit somewhat in case you didn't want TMI!
I think I'll ready my book. Baby is in the nursery with pediatrician. I'm solo... weird!
For the record, she weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19" long. Head 13".
A little more detail for my memory that will lapse quickly (and because here I sit in my hospital room with little to do... sleeping babe, husband at home, no nurses checking blood pressure, etc. - am I on vacation?).
Here's the story:
Lover and I were planning to go together to my pre-op visit to the doctor's office on Fri morning at 8:20. I woke up at 12am with a few contractions and fell back asleep until 4 when I had a few more. I was in and out of sleep until 5:30 or 6. We both got up at 6 just b/c we were awake and needed to get things ready to get out of the house by 7:45 or so. I went on a walk at 6:30 trying to make some contractions come. They had subsided again (and I was so ready to have some consistent ones and go into labor!). By about 7:15, I was having a good # of inconsistent contractions. Lover started getting anxious -- he hates this part of the labor process b/c it's so unknown but it definitely puts him into "go" mode.
Thankfully we had childcare for the girls set up for the dr visit (thank you Wolthuises) for about 4 hrs. We dropped them off and called the doctor to see if we should go directly to hospital or into the office. They said office. The Lord was really going before us in all of this b/c the dr's office served as my triage and my quick entry into a hospital room. [Side note: the hospital was jam packed yesterday and birthed a record 20-something babies. One woman was trying to deliver in the Lobby and another delivered in triage. They didn't have enough beds to go around. ] I was 3cm and 80% effaced. Because the hospital was so full, the doctor said she might send me home and have me come back in the afternoon. I was aghast (inwardly) b/c I knew I would have a baby by then. I know my laboring self better than that. Anyway, they put me on a monitor and realized, "hey, she is having contractions at least every 5 minutes" -- let's send her to the hospital.
Arrive at DMC, wait with about 6 other laboring women in a lobby, get admitted to a room ahead of some others b/c I'm VBACing... they want to keep me monitored. Skipped triage and "relaxed" in our nicely appointed L&D room. Contractions getting stronger, IV in with some Finnegran -- knocked out but waking with some contractions. Where is my epidural???? Oh no, they lost a tube of blood so must get more blood before we can get the epidural. Ahhhh, why do people do this naturally? Pain is great and I'm in tears with every contraction. Finally, epidural about 1pm. Ahhh, hallelujah, I'm asleep again.
The contractions are coming on strong if I can feel the amount of pressure I'm feeling. I keep mentioning this to the nurse who really doesn't want to check me b/c they just put the penicillin bag up (group B strep) and it needs to be there for at least 4 hrs before you deliver (yeh, right!!). I persist until she checks me and says I'm at 9 cm now -- was at 6 just 30 minutes prior. She says things are still intact down there... i.e. just chill and keep laboring. This is nature's way of progressing your labor so you will feel pressure. Well, I've always heard women say "I just knew I needed to push" so thankfully the doctor walked in shortly thereafter and I told her I just REALLY felt the pressure and might could deal with it but kind of felt like I needed to push. She checked me immediately and said, "Yes, there's the head, you're ready." So here we go. Next contraction that the nurse and Lover were ready for, I pushed. It felt so good to be able to push and not squeeze the baby in with every contraction as I realized I'd been doing. ANyway, 2nd contraction, she came out. It was super fast and super amazing.
The most amazing thing is that there was never even a mention of a c-section. Heartrates were good and smooth the whole time. At some point (after epidural?), Lover asked the dr if we could assume we were having a vaginal birth... she said "absolutely."
Ok, that's enough for now. If you read this far, I'm impressed. This is more for my own memory than for blog readers, but I did edit somewhat in case you didn't want TMI!
I think I'll ready my book. Baby is in the nursery with pediatrician. I'm solo... weird!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
39 weeks and 4 days
Newly pregnant... maybe 11 weeks?
32 weeks
35 weeks
39 weeks
Still waiting to see what's in there... I really thought we'd have a baby by now but it looks like the Lord has other plans. I'm hoping to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after Caesarean) and praying this one comes before Monday at 10 AM when I'm scheduled for a c-section.
Lake Keowee with friends
Gorgeous view from most spots in the house... ahh, the SC upstate!
Not sure about life jackets. Love the water though!
This sweet one had to be taken to urgent care while there due to breathing difficulty.
The PALS... acronym of their names. They're getting along like siblings which can be good and bad but we'll focus on the good. They enjoyed being together and did very well this weekend.
Cruising on the boat was so much fun.
As long as he was driving, things were pretty safe. When she got behind the wheel, watch out!
Thanks to the Wolthuis' we had a blast at their parents' lake house in Seneca, SC, near Clemson. Lots of relaxing, climbing of a giant hill/mtn down to the water, riding in the boat and playing Settlers.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Beach with McCoys
Bibi and Gogo with their grands.
My dad is known for bringing a bushel of boiled peanuts to the beach every year. This is the within the first hour of our arrival... he's indoctrinating Bruiser on peanuts and making a good friend. She loved them! Who doesn't???
Glad we brought that tricycle. The kids fought over who would ride it and then compromised on at least riding on the back if they couldn't drive.
Cautious girl surprises us and rides the go carts with Daddy!
We had such a wonderful time getting together with the Davises and my parents for our annual beach trip. My parents are so generous to use their vacation time and dollars to take all of us on with them to Garden City Beach, SC every year. When people ask where that is, I always say "just north of Pawleys Island" about which Lover makes fun. He says, "just say it's Myrtle Beach." I refuse. I have trashy associations with Myrtle and like to think that GC is a good ways south of there. I digress.
We had such a wonderful time getting together with the Davises and my parents for our annual beach trip. My parents are so generous to use their vacation time and dollars to take all of us on with them to Garden City Beach, SC every year. When people ask where that is, I always say "just north of Pawleys Island" about which Lover makes fun. He says, "just say it's Myrtle Beach." I refuse. I have trashy associations with Myrtle and like to think that GC is a good ways south of there. I digress.
The funnest part of the trip was seeing how well all of our children got along. My sister has 4 ranging from 8 to almost 2. They all played so well with my girls and enjoyed each other's company. They'd disappear for lengths of time without any parental intervention (is that good?)... we loved it.
We all ate peanuts and drank our favorite beverages (some are pregnant remember!) and enjoyed good fellowship.
Oh, something I've wanted to add to my posts is what book I'm reading at the time so I can look back and remember.
At the beach and since, I've read:
Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Just finished Into Thin Air by John Krakauer
Starting on Shem Creek by Dorothea Benton Frank (never read her stuff)
Bruiser's First Haircut
I had to do it! I love a bob and can't stand the straggles, so, against many people's wishes, I cut off the curls to go for the neater look. The curls are still there and add much body though. She did very well and didn't seem to notice what I was doing. I need to find a pic of Nucky's first haircut... that was more challenging.
My Big Girl
During her "room time" lately, she's wanted to play car. She'll go all over the house and collect our small chairs and make a car to drive her babies around.
In the front yard baby pool. The girls have really enjoyed a "little" dip in the water and it sure saves on a pool membership! Honestly I am so grateful we didn't join the pool this year b/c we haven't been in town much AND b/c Bruiser is a crazy girl at the pool. She literally stepped into the side of the big pool last time we were there. It was silent (I was standing right beside her) and turned to find her a foot below the surface of the water. She dropped like a rock to the bottom. Gave her a good scare, but I'd bet she will try it again. I'm going to get her a bumper sticker that say "Ain't Skeered" for her scooter.
Reading to little sis. It's rare to catch moments like this around our house!
Nucky is growing up so quickly and I think that I hardly notice it or am saddened by it. That makes me sad. Everyone says they grow up fast, and I think as a mother of little ones, you're so ready for them to move on to the next phase. I look back at some pics of her when she was little and hardly remember. I want to cherish her more than I do. I love moments when I can just look at her playing happily and being kind to her sister. I love hearing the funny things she has to say. Last night when I tucked her in, she asked me to go check on Sarah (a doll who she puts to bed in the basement most nights before she goes to bed -- mind you, she puts the doll to sleep in a bouncy seat on a different level of the house in a far corner... why? who knows). She said I needed to go tie Sarah's shoe and buckle her in her seat. Then she told me when I go in there that "she might be a little bit sad, so just be gentle and tickle her a little bit." I'll have to remember that advice when this next little person comes around.
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