APRIL 25, 2012

4 am was always my witching hour during my pregnancy. I was either up going to the bathroom, getting a snack or woken by little kicks so it was no surprise when the contractions started around that time.  They started a little before 4 am around every 5 minutes but that didn't last long.  They quickly progressed to about every 2-3 minutes and they were getting stronger! Wow, does that hurt!
I called Steven who was just leaving work that he better get home asap.  When he got here he called the doctor's office and told them we were on our way.  It was only about a 15 minute ride but boy did it sure feel longer than that.
We got checked in to St. Peter's hospital in New Brunswick.  I know, me at a Catholic hospital of all places.  The contractions were still going strong but I was only dilated about 2 cm so bring on the pain meds.  They helped take the edge off but around 10 am they brought on the epidural! Thank you baby Jesus! Wow, can't imagine going through that without one.  My progression was slow so Steven and I just napped the afternoon away as much as we could.  They decided to break my water at some point that afternoon to move things along.  Apparently it was full of meconium, the little pooper!
Apparently I was hypertensive when I first got there but how could you not be with all that pain. After all the meds and epidural my blood  pressure got better but was still on the high side occasionally.  Also little Luca's heart rate was all over the place, especially if I rolled on to my side.  After my failure to progress more than 7 cm and all the other factors they decided it was time for a cesarean.  It wasn't an emergency so to say but they sure did act fast.  The doctor didn't like his heart rate and the fact that he was still so far up and away from my cervix after all this time.
Now for those of you who don't know Steven he is not very good with needles and all that comes with them. I have to say he was a rock through the whole thing and didn't pass out once! He put on his scrubs and stepped up just like I knew he would.
I had the epidural already so they just administered the block so I was awake for the surgery.  All seemed to be going well until they realized that little one was way wedged in there and was not coming out.  The doctor started to yell for another stool so she could get better leverage I guess and kept saying he was stuck. This is when I started to lose it literally. Get the bucket, I'm going to puke! So not only did Steven have to deal with being there for a surgery, his child being stuck and not wanting to come out but he had to hold the bucket while I puked all over the place.  What a trooper!
They finally called for another doctor to come in and assist which seemed like forever but out he finally came.  He was sunny side up and all jammed up.  The doctor said that I would never have a vaginal birth. I'm still not exactly sure why but obviously something is in the way and not moving so the little guy would have never come out. Thank god this isn't the 17th century huh! Modern medicine is fabulous!
Now I don't know if it was the drugs, the puking, the confusion but when he finally came out I still didn't know what was going on. I was like what is it? A boy or girl? He was also not crying a whole lot so I didn't even know he was out.  Turns out his little lungs had some poop water in them and his blood sugar was low so the whisked him of to the NICU and me to recovery.
I was in recovery for  about two hours then they moved me to my room.  Steven, his dad, my mom and Raymond where all waiting for me.  They went to the NICU to see Luca but I still haven't gotten to hold my little boy.  The nurse did hold him up to my face after he was born and I got to give him a little kiss but it was so quick and I was so out of it I barely saw him.
Steven kept checking on him and he went from the NICU to the transition room so they could monitor him still to make sure he was all good.
At some point in the evening I was like wait a minute... I just had a baby, where the hell is he? Finally around 12:30 am they brought the little guy in and we got to bond.  We were a family now.

D-Day and Nothing!

Today is my "due date" and so far not much going on.  I tried some old wives tales like eating spicy foods, Chinese food and eggplant parm but nothing yet. I've been trying to keep busy and moving around but my Fred Flintstone feet keep getting in the way and since no good shoes fit right now I can't really go for a long walk.
Tomorrow I am off to the doctor's for a stress test to see what's up and make sure the not so little one is doing okay.  After that they will schedule an ultra sound to see how big the beach ball is and check the amniotic fluids and all.  After that I'm sure it will be sit around and wait for another week but I am hoping things will progress soon.
Steven's mom is flying up on Thursday so I really hope her grandchild arrives before she has to leave on Sunday! That would really suck if she came up for nothing and then have to wait until the next trip to meet  number her fifth grand kid.
The other "grandma" not only is in no rush to become one still but it trying to figure out an alternative name because she refuses to be called Granny, grandma etc... She is too funny!  Someone gave her a frame that said something like my Grandmother love me and she wouldn't even take it home. I found it at MJ's in the basement.  As far as I'm concerned she is not only the best looking granny to be but one of the funniest to be around. Ask any of the kids, they all love Kaka! Yes, that is what they call her and she has a problem with Grandma?

Any day now!

Hopefully! 39 weeks + 1 day and ready! I don't think my feet can get any bigger so this kid better come soon. Went to the doctors today and the baby's head is resting comfortably on my bladder. Gee, thanks. If nothing happens this week on Tuesday I will have a stress test and ultra sound and they will take it from there to see what's next.

It's hard to believe that after 40 years my whole life is going to completely change forever. I know for the better but I'm sure it's going to be a big shock. If only I met mister right ten years ago this would all be so much easier but it is what it is. At least I have mister right and not mister right now. I know for sure he will be the best dad he can be always.

Then there are the dogs. All they do is stalk every furry fluffy baby toy and blanket. I am hoping this will be our biggest problem with them adjusting to baby. I am sure the baby will get use to dog drool as quickly as the dogs will get use to baby drool!

Come on baby...let's go already!

Found it!

Eat enough and why am I wearing blue?

Captain's Log week 38

Ok baby, come on out! I would like to wear socks again! My Miss Piggy feet are huge and my ankles seem to have disappeared yesterday. At least my sciatic nerve isn't that bad anymore, acts up much less than it did last week.

Good news is that it doesn't look like we have to move right away so that helps. I don't know what is going on with this house but the longer we can stay the better for us. My previous employer still hasn't filled out my disability papers and it's been two weeks of me chasing them around to help me. Gee, thanks! I still can't believe how horrible they have treated me after I worked my ass off for them. What mean people. So needless to say I am flat broke. Just the way you want to be when you are about to give birth.

Enough of my sob story, let's move on to Tini's. My pour little pup has been sick on and off for months and they are doing more tests which really helps our bank account but what can ya do. She is so sweet and funny and it is so sad to see her under the weather. She will just sit there shaking uncontrollably for hours on end and there is nothing I can do but wait and see what the vet says. Hopefully it isn't anything serious and we won't have to make "the decision" anytime soon.

Nesting? ah, no! I seemed to have missed that part. Cleaning? ah, no! House is a mess! Clean dogs? ah, definitely no! I can't really bend over to give them a bath. Oh well, I better go do something productive today.

Baby's Corner?

Nobody puts baby in the corner...ah yeah, we do! So since we might be moving sooner then later we just set up the baby's corner in the spare bedroom instead of the whole room. It will do for now and as we need more stuff we'll go pick it out of storage if we are still here.

I washed and organized all the 3 month clothing I got for now. Some of that stuff is soooo small! I can't image that little one won't take after it's chunko mother and father and will grow out of all that in no time.

chunky daddy ! Hard to believe that's a boy who is a very picky eater!

37 Weeks and counting!

We are getting close and I have zero done. For those that don't know the house we live in is technically owned by Steven's brother who lives in Georgia. Steven and him bought it together about 5 years ago but for some reason only Michael's name is on the mortgage. Michael fell in love and moved to Georgia and basically walked away from his house here and hasn't put a dime into it since. The mortgage on this house with the taxes is insanely high and Steven can't pay it anymore. They put the house on the market months ago but of course it is not selling because it needs so much work so inevitably it will go into foreclosure soon.

Now my take of course is then we are squatting until the bank kicks us out but Steven's take is lets move as soon as possible. I guess he doesn't want to take advantage of his brother's misfortune and totally destroy what is left of their relationship. Again, I think you all know what my answer to that is but I have been doing my best to keep out of it since this is between them and not me.

I am hoping Steven cools down and we don't actually move anytime soon. Hello? we are going to have a baby any day now and moving is the last thing I want to do.

So needless to say all the baby stuff is still in boxes and bags from the shower and I guess I'll just pilfer what I need as I need it. I barely registered for anything but of course we got so much stuff cause that's what you need when you have a kid I guess. I was planning on just emptying one of my draws and sticking the kid in there like the good ole days but I guess that is frowned upon these days. Hee hee! We have the cradle set up and a changing table so for now we will have to make do and see what happens.