Eliana's Birth Story

Eliana Noelle was born at 9:02 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, 2015. That's right, we had a New Year's baby! She came kicking and screaming into this world with just 3 pushes (in about 10 minutes) after roughly 10 hours of labor. She was 8 lbs. 5 oz., 20 3/4'' with a beautiful, perfectly round head of dark hair. Her chest was 13 3/4'' and her head was 13 1/2''.

Though she was born on New Year's Day (and due on Christmas Day), her birth story actually begins on Tuesday, Dec. 30. I started the day with a trip to the gym. Since I went into labor with Melina 4 hours after working out on the elliptical, I thought it was worth a try with this baby -- I really wanted to have her before the new year (mostly for insurance/deductible purposes). Since I was 40 weeks, 5 days, I figured it was pretty safe to try and move things along naturally. I got some pretty strange looks from people at the gym and a few comments from old men wondering about my due date and saying that the "little rascal" was going to be a very healthy baby. I guess it's not every day you see an overdue woman on a cardio machine! The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, much to my dismay. (The day before, I had been to the doctor and was dilated between 2-3 and about 80% effaced. My doctor was out of the office so I saw his associate, who stripped my membranes. He talked about induction but I said that was out of the question for me and proceeded with scheduling an appointment for the following Monday with my doctor, hoping and praying that wouldn't be necessary).

The evening of the 30th, shortly after going to bed, fairly strong contractions began. They came every 10-15 minutes, but didn't get stronger or closer together. I dozed between them, got up and walked around the house and used a heating pad on my back to ease the pain. I practiced breathing through them and totally relaxing my entire body (this was good practice for the real deal). I think I finally fell asleep around 2 or 3 a.m. and was surprised, when Gabriel came in to wake me up at 8 a.m., that I hadn't gone into real labor!

On New Year's Eve, Jeremy woke with a fever, severe body aches and a cough. It appeared that he had the same thing the kids had (they'd gotten fevers on the day after Christmas, followed by bad coughs and ear infections, so I was glad I hadn't had the baby on her due date). Expecting it was influenza, I urged Jeremy to go see a doctor and get on antivirals. I needed him there in the delivery room with me so he had to get healthy fast!

I called our doctor's office, but since our doctor was on vacation, he couldn't call anything in and the covering physician told us to go to an immediate care center. I dropped the kids off at my parents' and went with Jeremy to Med-Point. After a 4-hour wait, the doctor declared his case a "flu shot fail" and prescribed TamiFlu. I tucked Jeremy in at home, picked up his meds and headed to my parents' to get the kids. I stayed for dinner -- Chinese -- and left around 8:30 p.m. Though I had lost part of my mucous plug that evening, I really didn't think I would go into labor that night. I hadn't had any contractions at all during the day.

I put the kids to bed as soon as we got home and got myself ready for bed. Despite the fact that it was New Year's Eve, with my husband sick and feeling exhausted from being up much of the night before, I went to bed around 10 p.m. At 11 p.m., I woke up in severe pain. I warmed up my heating pad and laid back down, but the contractions were coming one on top of another. I got up and paced around the house, waking Jeremy around 11:30 p.m., crying because I was in pain and didn't want this to be "it." I didn't want to go to the hospital without him. He called my parents (my mom was planning to help coach me anyway) just before midnight and asked them to come take me to the hospital. Then he called his mom to come help with the kids. In all of the commotion, Gabriel woke up and wouldn't go back to bed. He laid on one couch while I laid on the other and waited for my parents to come.

I don't remember much about the ride to the hospital -- except that I could feel every bump in the road and it seemed like the road was especially bumpy during each contraction. I ate a banana and sipped Gatorade between contractions, and we made it to Memorial Hospital by 12:30 a.m. I did a fairly good job relaxing through contractions as they got me checked in and asked what seemed like way too many questions. I shared my simple birth plan with the triage nurse -- I wanted as little intervention as possible, no pitocin, no pain medication/epidural, intermittent heart rate monitoring (as opposed to continuous), no cord cutting until it stopped pulsing and immediate skin-to-skin with the baby. The nurse was extremely respectful of my wishes and attached my birth plan to my chart. I remember telling every nurse, doctor, etc. about my husband who had the flu and couldn't be there.

I think it was almost 2 a.m. before the resident came in and checked me. I was 5 c.m., 90% effaced, the baby was head down and at 0 station, so I was admitted to labor and delivery. We got settled into a birthing suite, expecting a long night as the doctor on call with my doctor's practice wouldn't be doing rounds until the morning. We turned off most of the lights and Mom and Dad took turns napping in the recliner. I felt so bad that I was the reason they had to be up all night. The contractions slowed down a bit after I relaxed and I was able to doze between them and at least rest my body for a few hours. I remember glancing over at the isolette and wondering if there would ever really be a baby in there.

At 4 a.m., the resident came back and asked if I'd like to be checked again but said it was totally up to me. I declined that check and kept on resting. I'm not sure what time it was, but there was a shift change and I got a new nurse who was extremely helpful. She asked where the contractions were hurting most and I said in my back. She said that wasn't good (it indicated the baby wasn't in a good position) and encouraged me to try different positions to get the baby to turn. I did pelvic rocks, sat on the birthing ball, and walked around the room for a while, then laid back down to rest. The contractions were getting stronger and closer, but they were still bearable.

At some point, the on-call doctor called and wanted to know how I was progressing, so the nurse asked if she could check me. I agreed and she said I was a "stretchy 7 and about 90% effaced." She said the doctor would be making rounds after 7 a.m. and that I was doing a great job.

I knew what was coming -- I knew the doctor would want to break my water and that removing that cushion would increase my level of pain significantly -- but I felt encouraged that I was making really good progress. Maybe there would actually be a baby in that incubator after all! The nurse got busy setting up for delivery, wheeling in tables of instruments and supplies. I wondered why she was doing that so soon because I didn't believe the baby would be born that quickly.

At a little after 7 a.m., Dr. Walls -- the on-call doctor for my doctor's practice -- came in. He was younger than I expected (we hadn't met previously) and very sure of himself. He talked with me first about the "game plan" so we be "on the same page." Good, I thought. I wanted to know his philosophy and I wanted him to be aware of my wishes. He asked about my previous deliveries and found out that I pushed for 6 hours with Gabriel (under an epidural) but just 20 minutes with Melina (naturally). He said he was a "push coach" and that even his first-time moms didn't push for more than an hour. We discussed breaking my water and I said I was okay with that. He wanted to be sure there was no meconium staining.

When he checked me, though, I became disheartened. He said I was between 5-6, 80% effaced and at -2 station. Then, he mentioned that I might need pitocin to help strengthen contractions/move things along because we wouldn't want to "belabor the process" (was he trying to be ironic?!). It was 7:30 a.m. at this point and I was dumbfounded. How could I have been laboring at the hospital for hours with negative change? How could the baby have moved up instead of down?

After the doctor had left, my mom (visibly upset) told my nurse that the doctor had really discouraged me. The nurse looked at me and said, "No, you are a stretchy 7. Everyone's checks are different." This explained why my doctor's check was so different from the resident's. She then added, "This is your birth. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do" (referencing the pitocin). My nurse was so incredible. I can't tell you how encouraging she was to me!

After my water was broken, things got intense really quickly. I began to struggle to relax through contractions. Since I was still having a lot of back pain during them, my nurse encouraged me to try different positions during contractions to get the baby into the best birthing position. I sat on the birthing ball, swayed, walked, did the Texas roll.

When things got really painful, my dad drew a warm bath for me, then went down to the cafeteria to get some breakfast. My mom and the nurse helped me into the bath and things got even more intense. I really struggled to relax and that's when I needed my mom's coaching the most. At one point, I couldn't lean back/rest anymore and I leaned forward, then squatted against the tub. I was grabbing the sides of the tub and vocalizing through contractions -- they were excruciating. My mom stepped away briefly to call and check on my sister Mia, who is just 6 and should have been waking up around that time. I screamed and she came right back. I told her to get me out of the tub NOW and get me an epidural. She looked at me with disbelief saying I could do it, that I was doing it, but when I screamed it again, she just said, "Okay" and called the nurse to help me.

"She's in transition. Let's get her to the bed. I need to check her -- she sounds like she's pushy," I heard the nurse say through my birthing haze.

The next thing I remember, I was in the bed on my right side, clinging to the rail as my body was literally pushing with every contraction -- I couldn't stop it. Things moved very quickly. I don't know that the nurse actually checked me -- or if the baby was crowing at that point, but she told me it was time to push. The doctor and another resident rushed in; so did another nurse.

My dad had returned from getting breakfast and I yelled that he had to stay out. Someone told me to move to the end of the bed and that I needed to scoot down more. I kept calling out to Jesus to help me and thinking I was going to die. I kept hearing my mom saying that Jesus was helping me. Once I had moved down far enough, I didn't need to be told -- I pushed. Eliana actually seemed to ease out. I wasn't pushing frantically like I had with Melina. Deliberately, in just about 3 pushes, she was born and laid on my chest. I cried out, "Thank you Jesus! She's here! She's really here." I called Jeremy shortly after that and shared the news through tears. I couldn't believe she was born, without medication, and I didn't die in the process. I also couldn't believe her daddy wasn't there to witness it.

Dr. Walls told me I made pushing look easy (haha!) and my dad asked him if he could tell I was an athlete (though I really don't feel like one anymore). His response was that having a healthy mom/pregnancy makes all the difference. With that, he redeemed himself in my eyes, but I really think young doctors need to be trained about natural delivery -- that it is possible and sometimes the best way to "move things along" is to leave mom alone!

Birth is hard. Contractions are excruciating. But the prize at the end is so worth it!

Jeremy couldn't come to the hospital until he had been fever-free for 24 hours, which ended up being the day I was discharged, and because of the widespread flu, children under 18 weren't permitted to visit. So, during my stay, I didn't have many visitors, except for my wonderful mom. I missed the kids so much. I missed my routine. I didn't get much sleep, but did get quite a bit of rest.

Eliana was a natural nurser who latched on a few minutes after delivery. The lactation consultants were impressed that I had nursed two previous babies for an extended period of time and was still nursing my 22-month-old. They really didn't have much advice to give me, but kept coming in anyway.

Since her birth three weeks ago, I've jumped back into life quickly. Since Jeremy was still feeling sick after we came home from the hospital, I had to! I was so glad that though I had a second degree tear, my recovery was much, much quicker than with Melina. I was up and around the same day I delivered and the day after we came home from the hospital, we went to church and had dinner at my parents'.

Honestly, life with a newborn isn't what's difficult. Because of pregnancy (and the need for frequent potty breaks), I'm used to interrupted sleep. I co-sleep with her and she's already sleeping in 5 hour stretches and nursing when she needs to during the night. During the day, the toughest thing is keeping the older two out of trouble when I'm sitting down to nurse. Ellie is very content when worn, which is good since I need my hands/arms to tend to the other kids.

At first, she wouldn't sleep anywhere but in my arms, on someone's chest or in the wrap, but now she'll sleep in the bounce chair and she gets really cozy in her car seat and will sleep for hours when we're out running errands. Life with three has been an adjustment for everyone! Melina loves her little sister but still craves attention. Gabriel is having sleeping issues (getting up in the night/wanting to sleep with dad or mom) and is struggling with his new schedule (staying home most of the time vs. always going somewhere when I went to work). He's also transitioning between taking naps and giving them up. Overall, though, I think we're managing, day by day, moment by moment.

We're thankful for all the help we've received from family and friends, but most of all, we're thankful for three healthy children.

For now, Ellie completes our family.

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Melina's Birth Story

We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

 

Melina Isabel came out in three contractions (about 12 pushes) at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, 2013. She was 8 lbs. 10 oz. and 20 3/4 in. long. The entire non-medicated labor lasted about 13 hours. This second birth experience was completely different than my first.

I was induced with my first—twice—and had him vaginally (12 days after his estimated due date) after a grueling 6 hours of pushing. I remember the pain being so intense after they broke my water (10 hours into active labor) that I produced no change after an additional 2 hours of laboring and ended up getting an epidural. Thank goodness for my very patient doctor who respected my birth plan because I’m sure any other doctor would have called a c-section long before my son was born. After that experience, I knew I would never induce (unless medically necessary) again.

I went through my entire second pregnancy with the same doctor, reiterating my wishes that I did not want to induce again and again. When my due date (Feb. 10) came and went, I had my 40-week appointment and half expected I would need to have a non-stress test at 41 weeks the following Monday. But my little girl had other plans.

On Friday the 15^th, after putting my son to bed, I went to the gym to work out. I work full-time as a writer/office manager—a very sedentary job—and I thought perhaps getting my hips moving would help the baby get into a good position for birth. I worked out pretty hard on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes, finishing up just before the gym closed, then came home and got on my laptop to tie up a few loose ends for work. I just had a “feeling” that was something I should do.

Throughout this pregnancy (unlike my first), I had felt many Braxton hicks contractions along the way, but when I got up from the computer that night, I felt a tightening followed by pain. “Was that a contraction—a real contraction?” I thought. I quickly dismissed the idea and took a soothing bath, then prepared for bed. Clearly, I was in denial because I gave my husband Ambien (it helps him sleep—but I wouldn’t have given it to him had I thought we’d be heading to the hospital that night).

I tossed and turned for a few hours, feeling twinges here and there. At around 1:30 a.m., the twinges became more painful and rhythmic and I noticed they were coming about every 5 minutes. I waited almost two hours before waking my very groggy husband to tell him I thought I might be in labor.

We called his mom (who was coming to watch our son) and my parents to tell them what was happening. By 4:30, my contractions were about 4 minutes apart and increasingly painful, so we left for the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital around 5 a.m. and it took what seemed like forever for them to monitor the baby and get the resident in to “check” me. Finally, my husband had the nurse check me because I was in so much discomfort lying on my back. I wanted to move! I was at 5 c.m. and 80% effaced—in active labor, so they admitted me.

We got settled in our birthing suite and I alternated between resting, walking around and sitting on the birthing ball. Let me tell you, being able to move freely (as opposed to lying on your back with constant monitoring due to Pitocin induction or an epidural) helped a lot with the contractions. I found that pelvic rocks made my contractions more intense, while walking didn’t really do much.

At some point in the early morning, my mom came to help coach me through labor. She also brought coffee for my exhausted husband, who was going on about 2 hours of sleep and was incredibly groggy from his sleeping pill. My husband and my mom alternated walking me around the childbirth unit and soothing me through contractions. I had a lot of back labor, so pressure and a heating pad helped, plus soothing touch and light conversation between contractions.

My nurse was great and very encouraging. She checked the baby’s heart rate about every half hour for a few minutes, but other than that, she let me labor quietly. Mid-morning, she checked my cervix (per the on-call doctor’s request) and found that I was only to 6, but about 90% effaced. She thought that the baby had moved down, but said the doctor would probably want to break my water to “speed things up” when she came to do rounds.

The idea of breaking my water terrified me. With my first delivery, breaking my water is what sealed the deal for the epidural. I couldn’t handle the pain. How would this time be different?

When the doctor came in at 11:30, I was prepared to discuss breaking my water with her, but I wasn’t sure I’d consent to it. Well, it turns out she didn’t care what I thought. She checked me, then stuck a hook in and broke my water, without so much as mentioning what she was going to do. This infuriated my husband and my mom, who were both astonished at what had just happened. I just sat there, dumbfounded as the next contraction came over me. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I really wanted to have this baby without medication, but I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to handle the pain.

My husband and my mom prayed over me and offered support. My husband assured me that many were praying and read encouraging facebook posts as they came through. But I was weary and exhausted.

The nurse suggested I go into the tub to rest for a while, so that’s just what I did. And not only did my contractions NOT increase in intensity, they seemed to space out and slow down altogether. I rested in the warm water and allowed myself to get lost in the feeling of weightlessness for I don’t know how long. It was almost like sleeping—almost—but then another contraction would hit and I would have to concentrate on relaxing.

At some point, I decided it was time to get out and get things moving along. I got back on the birthing ball—a position I would stay in for most of the remainder of my labor. Because my water trickled out very slowly with each contraction, the pain was bearable. My husband pressed a heating pad to my back while my mom breathed through contractions with me and helped me relax.

The nurse checked me again. I was at a stretchy 7-8 and 100% effaced. She called the doctor to update her and came back to say the doctor recommended Pitocin if things didn’t progress quickly. I immediately rejected the idea and my support team backed me. Things were happening quickly.

The rest is kind-of a blur. I remember feeling an intense amount of pressure and wanting/needing to push. The nurse checked me again and said I was at 9 ½, but a lip of cervix wasn’t going away on the right side. I got in bed and began bearing down lightly with each contraction.

It wasn’t long—though it seemed like eons to me—before I was ready to push. The doctor almost didn’t make it, my daughter came so fast. I remember the excruciating pain and intense pressure as I pushed, and nearly hyperventilating because I was pushing so hard (4 pushes per contraction). I didn’t believe my mom when she said, “The baby is coming – NOW” because it took so long to have my son. I stared in disbelief when, with a final push, the doctor was holding my squirmy, hot little girl.

Seeing her was overwhelming. I held her for a few moments on my chest, before passing her off for skin-to-skin with daddy while the doctor fixed me up. I had sustained a second degree tear—something I also had with my son, and the doctor thought it looked like I tore in the same place.

For the rest of the day, I was completely exhausted and drained, but filled with joy. She was so beautiful, a wonderful nurser and a great sleeper. Throughout our hospital stay, the nurses commented on what a peaceful baby she was. That’s probably because I kept her in bed with me most of the time and let her nurse as often as she liked. I figured she’d been inside for 9 months, so right next to mama was right where she belonged.

Looking back at the experience 11 days later, yes, there are things (such as the water breaking without my consent) that I wish had gone differently. But I am so thankful that I got to experience natural labor and delivery. It was an amazing, empowering experience.

I am still somewhat sore and still healing, but I am truly amazed at how quickly my body has bounced back. God created women to be able to do this. We are truly fearfully and wonderfully made.

Gabriel's Birth Story

Well, it's been a month and a half since I've written, and for the last five weeks, I've had a good excuse: taking care of my little son. Gabriel Michael arrived at 6:21 a.m. on Sunday July 10, 2011 after 24 hours of labor, six of which were spent pushing. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, and yet it is by far the most rewarding. Would I do it again for him? In a heartbeat. I wouldn't even have to think about it. Here is his birth story, which was written the day after he was born. I wanted to capture the events soon after they happened so I wouldn't forget the details.

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Gabriel's birth story is one for the record books ... of things not going as planned. I had written up a beautiful birth plan for bringing our little one into this world and it seemed nothing went as we had hoped. At my 40 week appointment, my doctor discussed the possibility of induction with me, partially because the baby was seemingly so large (we did an ultrasound the next day and he was predicted to be 8lbs. 12oz.) and partially because I had only dilated to 1 and was only 50% effaced and his head, though fixed in the pelvis, was still really high. At my 41 week appointment, since there was no change in dilation, effacement or head placement, Jeremy and I decided to take the induction route, figuring we'd have to do it anyway at 42 weeks and the baby was only getting larger. Plus, the doctor said if it didn't work, we could go home and take a few days to see if I would go into labor on my own.

We went in to be induced on Wednesday (7/6) night into Thursday (7/7), starting with Cervidil to ripen the cervix (which got me 10% more effaced) and then continuing with Pitocin the next day. For all the horrors I'd heard about Pitocin, it really wasn't that bad. I relaxed through contractions all day, only to find at the end of the day that there was no change in dilation or effacement. Feeling a bit defeated and totally exhausted, we opted to go home and try inducing again on Saturday (7/9). I was praying all the while that I'd go into labor on my own, since I really wanted to do this naturally; my baby just didn't want to come!

On Saturday, we started up with Pitocin at 6 a.m. Again, contractions were not really all that bad. The nurses were really careful to make sure my uterus totally relaxed between contractions and that they weren't too close together. They used the lowest dose possible to achieve a steady contraction pattern, which, for me, wasn't that high and the pain was definitely bearable. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., nothing really happened. The contractions weren't too severe and I began to think I'd never have my baby. Then, at 2:30 p.m., my body slipped into active labor and in that moment, everything got stronger, more intense and I became much more focused.

For the active part of my labor, I alternated between all sorts of positions trying to find something comfortable. We walked the halls, used the birthing ball, squatting bar, rocking chair, etc. I didn't talk much, just tried to relax and breathe through each contraction. At 5 p.m., my doctor checked me and found that I was between 60-70% effaced and dilated to 3. He said to continue with the Pitocin and keep him informed of changes. My nurses were awesome helping me relax through contractions and Jeremy was a wonderful coach.

By 9 p.m., the nurse commented on a noticeable change in my demeanor and called the resident in to check me. I was dilated between 5-6, 80% effaced and the baby's head was still quite high, but he thought breaking my water would cause things to speed up. He called my doctor and he gave the go-ahead, so I agreed to have my water broken at 9:30 p.m. I was warned that contractions would get more intense but had no idea what I was up against.

I was in excruciating pain and relaxing through contractions was getting harder and harder, the longer things went on. At 11:30 p.m., I was devastated to find that there hadn't been much change in dilation, though effacement was almost complete, and I could no longer relax and work through my contractions. They had been STRONG for 9 hours at this point and excruciatingly painful for 2. I begged for an epidural when one of the nurses suggested that it might allow me to relax and let my body do the work to get me further dilated and get the baby's head further down. It was against our birth plan and Jeremy reminded me that I had told him under no circumstances was he to allow me to have one, no matter how hard I begged, but I told him I couldn't do this anymore and so we conceded to have one at a low dose. Honestly, I think the epidural was the reason I was able to deliver the way I did, because we had no idea what was to come.

The epidural really did allow me to relax enough to dilate to 10 in a very short time, but I progressed so fast that I still felt every contraction. At 12:30 a.m., I was at 10 and completely effaced, but the baby's head was still -2 station. We tried a few test pushes so I could get the hang of how to do that. It's crazy how intense the contractions were at this point (the epidural was useless in easing that pain), but pushing actually relieved some of the pain. The rest is sort-of a blur. All I know is that I kept looking at the clock and feeling anxious that it was taking so long. I ended up pushing for 6 hours. I have no idea where I found the strength. I said I wanted to give up on multiple occasions. My poor exhausted husband was beside himself that I was in so much pain and was so tired himself after holding my legs for 4 hours that I requested another nurse come in to relieve him. That's when the magic happened. These two angels -- Renee and Katie, Memorial nurses -- wouldn't let me give up. They had me pushing in all sorts of positions to try and turn the baby so he could move down. They told me Dr. Durbin had confidence in me (he had all his birthing stuff in the room and had come in to check on my progress throughout the night) or he would have called it and declared it a c-section. Well, whatever we collectively did worked because Gabriel turned and I was able to get his head down through pushing.

Immediately after birth

Gabriel's first night

At 6 a.m., Jeremy needed reinforcements so he brought in his mom, my mom and our sisters. I can't believe I didn't care that I was laying there, legs open to the world and all these people were in the room. I was in the pushing zone. Renee helped me relax between pushes and find my center, she helped me use my breath and find the "spot" to push to. Finally, at 6:20, he was crowing and at 6:21, he was born in a big gush. I've never worked so hard for anything in my life and I am beyond exhausted, but he is absolutely worth it. He was born completely alert with excellent sucking reflexes, and I got that great endorphin rush, despite the epidural.

I've already told my husband that I will NEVER induce again and I do wonder if things would have been so different if nature had just taken its course. That being said, I am somewhat of an epic tale around here now. I guess I can be known as the girl who pushed. And I am so glad that despite the Pitocin, I was able to go through so much of my labor naturally. I will say it's true that the more medical intervention you invite in, the more likely you are to have more intervention. But in the end, the healthy baby is all that matters and you deal with the cards you get dealt. Gabriel handled the trauma of his labor and birth like a champ. His heart rate remained consistent throughout the whole process and he was kicking and squirming like normal even through the long pushing stage! I do wonder if his head circumference (14.5 in.) had something to do with his difficulty getting down. Or maybe it's just my body. In any event, we are happy to have him here with us, and I am happy this ordeal is over!

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Pregnancy - 39 Weeks

And now for the longest (who knows how many) days of my life, waiting for our little one to come. I'm not quite sure where the last two months went, or why I stopped writing in that time. I guess we just got busy. Busy with preparations, work and showers; busy with life and home remodeling. The bathroom is almost done, the nursery has been complete for a few weeks now. All that's missing is its precious new occupant.

Every morning is filled with eager anticipation as I wonder, will this be the day I get to meet my little boy? While taking walks this week, I've had many contractions, gaining in intensity with each step, but when I stop, so do the contractions. It's an exciting but frustrating guessing game waiting for a baby to come. Yearning to meet him. The due date is still four days away and I know that many first-time moms go late, but I'm hoping beyond hope that that won't be the case for me. I'm also hoping for a natural labor and delivery. Well, I'm doing more than hoping. I'm praying for it.

I've wrapped up all my work projects, packed my hospital bag, washed all of my newborn and 0-3 mos. clothes and organized Gabriel's nursery. Now I just need to tidy up the house so it'll be clean when we bring the baby home. I really can't wait to meet him. I dream about him and wonder what  he'll look like (besides having a turned up nose and long limbs, as the ultrasound revealed).

As for me, though my rash went away two weeks after it began, this week has brought with it an overall itchiness (just from over-stretched skin) that I can barely stand. That's another reason I can't wait to have this little boy. I'm itchy, huge (I have to roll out of bed now, lol!) and so tired of being tired. But he's still active as ever and probably super comfy all scrunched up inside me. He likes to stretch out his legs into my ribs and leave me short of breath from pressing on my diaphragm. I do still delight in his movements, but I'll delight even more in him once he's out!

Here's to hoping my little one will come soon (maybe this weekend?). I have a doctor appointment on Monday so if he hasn't come by then, perhaps we'll know more at that time. Hopefully next time I post I'll be introducing everyone to my new little love.

Pregnancy - 31 Weeks!

Well, the third trimester is getting better. There are several reasons for this. For one thing, my rash seems to be healing! At my last OB appointment (exactly one week ago), my doctor prescribed an antihistamine to help me itch less so I can sleep ... and boy oh boy does sleep make a difference! Even though my OB said the rash won't likely go away completely until I deliver, my nightly regiment of Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap and an Aveno oatmeal bath, followed by slathering my entire body in Eucerin lotion and the itchiest spots with hydrocortisone cream, seems to be working. The rash, which started at my belly a few weeks ago and spread to my arms and legs, is becoming less itchy and fading. In fact, my belly isn't itching at all anymore and the rash on my arms seems to be going away. I know a lot of people have been praying for me, too, and I'm sure that has made a difference.

Another reason this trimester has gotten better has been the baby's movement. He's such a little wiggle worm lately and I find myself laughing at the positions he gets himself into. Today, while at work, I literally felt the length of a little leg up by my ribs. I pushed lightly on it and it rolled away. The other night, I felt him hiccuping while I was trying to sleep. And tonight, while we were relaxing, my  husband sat with his hand on my stomach for about an hour and we just marveled at the movements. Sometimes they're so strong that my whole belly jumps! These stronger movements just reassure me that my baby is healthy and getting bigger.

We celebrated our first anniversary last weekend with a trip to Red Lobster after a long day of working on the house. We are remodeling our bathroom so my husband and his friend worked on completely gutting it (down to studs). Thank God the tub still works, but we can't shower for now. As for me, I spent most of the day working on the nursery, finishing up painting and trim (with low-VOC/baby safe paint, of course). It's looking really cute :). My husband surprised me with an anniversary/early Mother's Day ring. It's so beautiful and totally caught me off guard since remodeling the bathroom was supposed to be our combined anniversary gift. What can I say? He's amazing and I love him.

Here are a few pics of the nursery in progress, as well as the ring. I can't wait to get it finished and baby-ready!

This shows the wall color and valance. We still need to put the crown molding up.

We painted the closet with a fresh coat of white. It looks so much better now!

Here's my new ring. It's part of the Sirena collection at Helzberg and I can't stop staring at my hand. My hubby has such great taste in jewelry!