The Day Our Lives Changed Forever

That blog title is purely for Jenn's enjoyment (or annoyment). Throughout both of our pregnancies, people have reiterated the fact that having a baby is going to change our lives. Oh, we have no idea, it will change our lives forever. Well, we both had taken that into consideration when deciding to get pregnant, and we were okay with it!!

Anyway, I'm going to try to post the labor story and some pictures, and I'll try really hard not to make this blog post the longest in history.

April 18, 2009

We started off the morning like any other Saturday morning - yard sales! Stephen and I decided to hit a few yard sales and run some errands. One of the places we had to go was Best Buy, because earlier in the morning Stephen had crushed his phone in the recliner, so we were going to get it replaced under the warranty. While we were there - for an hour and a half - oh my word - I had to keep going to the bathroom. Not just normal going to the bathroom. Like, I would go to the bathroom and while I was washing my hands I would need to go right back into the stall. I was worried that I was either leaking amniotic fluid or my water was breaking, so I called labor and delivery at the hospital to talk to a nurse. I described to her as well as I could, and she pretty much said it could be my water but the only way they'd know for sure was if I came in. She said just to come in if I wanted to, which I really didn't, because who wants to go to the hospital and come home without a baby? So we headed off to Petsmart, to get something for Cassie and look at the fishies for future reference. While we were there, I started feeling uncomfortable enough that I got tired of looking at the fish REALLY fast - and that was probably my chance to get Stephen to buy me one! As we were in the checkout line I felt the leakage begin and raced back to the bathroom. As we hopped in the car I told Stephen I really thought we should go to the hospital, because I was worried I was leaking something that shouldn't be leaking. We got home and my stomach was really hurting at this point. I started timing the contractions and they were lasting about 45 seconds, so I knew they were real, and they were about 5-7 minutes apart. We decided to eat a light lunch and clean up around the house just in case we didn't come home.

We made a phone call to my parents and Jenn to let them know - this might be false labor but we're going to the hospital anyway, and we'd call and update them. We got to the hospital at 2:00pm and they did the test strip - sure enough, my water was broken. Yay! Unfortunately, I was still only 3cm dilated, which was disappointing! They had to hook me up to an IV because I have Group B Strep and had to have antibiotics every 4 hours. But at least I was still able to walk around. We walked for a while around the floor, taking a break with every contraction so I could lean on Stephen and he could rub my back. Around 5:15pm, I was at 4cm - disappointed again! My contractions were definitely getting harder at this point. I was hooked up to a machine that was showing numbers that correlated with the contractions. It went from 0-125 we think. I started hitting the 70's and 80's pretty consistently, so at that point I asked the nurse about the options for pain. I really wanted Nubain, which is a pain medication that just takes the edge off contractions but you can still feel everything. The nurse I talked to said that our group of doctors really likes Nubain, which made me happy. I told her I would go on and take some of that and then in two hours after it had worn off I would decide if I wanted more or not.

The Nubain kicked in almost immediately and those big ole contractions didn't seem so bad after that! I was able to call mom and dad and Jenn, as well as one of my friends from church, and talk right through them, so it must be some good stuff!

I quit walking around at that point because it was too much trouble being on drugs and lugging the IV around. At 7:00pm, they checked my cervix again and I was 7cm! Woohoo! I could have more Nubain at 7:15 but I asked if we could hold off. I knew I could make it through the contractions medication-free for at least 30 minutes, and then I could get some more. The nurse came in and out, and at 7:30, reminded me that if I got to 9cm I couldn't have any IV drugs. I kind of shrugged that off because hello, I was only 7 cm, but she wanted to do a cervix check again just to make sure. Yep, sure enough, in only 30 minutes I had jumped to 9cm! We kind of started laughing and I said, "Holy crap!" and the nurse was like, "I'll go on and give you this dose!" Uh, yeah! By this time my contractions were all in the 90's and over 100. After that everything went really fast. After one contraction the nurse asked if I felt the need to push. I said no and they left the room. Almost immediately I had another contraction and this time I knew what she was talking about! I wanted to PUSH! The two nurses started me pushing just to open the little lip of the cervix that was still closed, so I did this mild kind of pushing for a little while. All of a sudden, one of the nurses was like, "Uh... is Dr. Buchele on the floor?" I said, "I certainly hope so!!" He came in and I teased him about looking like he was walking into a war zone. He had on this mask that looked like a biochemical mask or something.

Anyway, it was only about 25 or 30 minutes later after some big pushes that Brianna Mae popped out! Stephen cut her umbilical cord and we just kind of stared in awe at her as they took care of her. After we held her a bit, I nursed her for the first time, got in the jacuzzi (nice!), and at that point they had our room ready so we were moved to the room we'd stay in the rest of the time. I was starving, so I ordered a cheeseburger and fries from the cafeteria and we settled in with Miss Bri for the night. The rest is history.

I can't believe it's already been a week! She has completely stolen my heart and Stephen is completely wrapped up in her, as expected. I can't wait to see all the new things she does as she grows up and starts showing her personality more.

38 weeks and HUGE!

The day before I went into labor - after working almost ten hours!

She's screaming with joy!

Our first family photo!! She's just a few minutes old here!

At long last!

We have a BABY! A real live baby! Brianna Mae was born yesterday at 9:18 pm. She weighs 6 lbs and 14 oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. I will definitely put my labor story up sometime, but I'm on the laptop and it's about to run out of battery. So I will update later!!

Yes, I'm still here

I think in the past 6 days I've heard, "Are you STILL here???" more times than I can count. So let me just reassure you, yes I am still here. No, I have not had a baby yet. No, I cannot do anything to speed up this process. So just get used to me being here!!

Dad went to Georgia last week to see our family down there, and while he was there he helped Grandpa clean up some of Grandma's things.

For example, some of her cute old hats!!

Dad captured many pictures of me and Jenn trying on these hats, which totaled a dozen or more I think. We each got to pick out a couple to take home as keepsakes. They are so cute! Another thing he brought back, though, were some "publications" of Grandma's about pregnancy. He knew we would get some laughs out of them, and laugh we did! I read a few snippets out loud yesterday during our weekly card game and we knew it would soon turn into a blog. One of these was from 1930, and the other from 1938. Let's see what words of wisdom we can find... (italicized words are quotes from the books)

• "The positive signs that a woman is pregnant are feeling the baby move and hearing the baby's heart beat. These can be determined by a doctor's examination about the fifth month." Wow! Now we can see the heartbeat on ultrasounds at least around week 6-9. Isn't that crazy??
• Avoidance of Strenuous Sports: Gold may be indulged in moderately during the first half of pregnancy. Bathing and swimming also are permissible during the first half if the water is not too cold; diving and stunt swimming should not be permitted. Horseback riding and tennis are to be forbidden.
• Baths are recommended, except that the tub bath is not safe near the end of pregnancy. If she has been used to the daily cold bath, there is no reason why she should give it up at this time, provided she feels a healthy glow afterward.
• Intercourse during the early months of pregnancy is a frequent cause of miscarriage. The danger is increased if the intercourse takes place at what would be a monthly period were the woman not pregnant. During the last two months intercourse should be forbidden, because it may bring on labor ahead of time. Now there's a saying which people start suggesting around week 37 of pregnancy: "What got you into this mess can get you out!"
• Pregnancy is not a disease, but it is nature under a strain.
• The mother, no matter how well she feels, needs rest before taking up her regular work and play. By the third or fourth day she may sit up for short periods. They may walk about the house after 2 weeks.
• At present there is no evidence that if the mother smokes moderately or takes an occasional drink of an alcoholic beverage any harm will be done her baby. (during nursing)
• Signs of Labor: The baby's movements are quieter after he sinks down into the pelvis (hah!), ensuring the mother more rest. This may be Nature's way of giving her a little respite, so that she will be better fitted to face the ordeal of labor. [Contractions] come at regular intervals. In between pains, the mother feels quite well and cheerful - another wonderful scheme of Nature to keep up her strength.
• Not so many years ago, a pregnant woman used to be urged by all to eat as much as she possibly could, and as often as she possibly could, as "she now had to feed two people instead of one." This is not only unnecessary but bad.
• There are women who during pregnancy may be subjected to cravings for unusual foods. It is a good thing to try to control these cravings and not encourage them, for very often, the hankering is after some food that is definitely harmful.
• Care of the Hair: Having a permanent wave about the middle of the fifth months will enable the mother to keep her hair looking neat until after the baby is born.
• The pregnant woman should always leave the bathroom door unlocked while she is taking a bath, and she shouldn't take her bath while she is alone in the house. These are simple precautions advisable in case she may have a slight indisposition. Like getting stuck?
• Driving is all right if the mother likes it, and she is not inclined to be nervous. She may drive until the fifth month, so long as she chooses quiet roads and goes at a moderate pace. She should never drive without being accompanied in the car by another responsible person.
• Suitable Forms of Recreation: Books, magazines, the radio, unexciting movies, and card games. Sewing and knitting may be done in moderation. (Because those activities may just make the mother too excitable!!)
• For the first three months the mother may wear her ordinary everyday corset. Thank goodness, I thought I'd have to quit wearing my corset!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed those tidbits as much as I did! Funny how some things have changed so much but they were dead-on with some of the information too.

Sorry for this post

Not a real post, but I kind of feel like I should do this pregnancy survey again since I've lasted this long...

How far along? 39 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 26 (gained, obviously)
Maternity clothes? I have one pair of black maternity pants that I do wear to work. Other than that I have one or two maternity shirts that I love and wear, but that's it.
Stretch marks? nope. I'm pretty sure I won't be getting any at this point!
Sleep: Not as good as when I wasn't pregnant, but definitely not the normal awful sleep that most pregnant women have. My problem is mainly waking up having to pee or having some hip pain and flipping over, neither of which really makes me lose that much sleep.
Best moment this week: Feeling more contractions, even though I know they aren't real
Food cravings: still nothing
Gender: girl!
Labor Signs: some contractions, dilation and effacement but still no visits to the hospital!
Belly Button in or out? still in for now (I'm guessing it'll stay in :))
Wedding rings on or off? on still
What I miss: playing rowdy games, having people not pay attention to me so much, laying flat on my back for more than 30 minutes without becoming breathless
What I am looking forward to: meeting our baby girl!!
Weekly Wisdom: Invest in a massager of some type (or borrow one).
Milestones: 6 days from estimated delivery date!!

Impatience, Easter, and A Weekend Off

Oops, I didn't realize it's been almost a week since I posted anything. I should have known we'd be too busy this past week to even get on the computer. Our family from Georgia came into town from Saturday to Wednesday. Of course, both Stephen and I still had to work, but we had some down time at night to play games and go out to eat.

Thursday we had another doctor's appointment. I am now 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced, so at least I'm still making progression. I'm hoping to NOT make it to my doctor's appointment this Thursday!

Friday night we had our Easter drama at church. Stephen videotaped it but there were some issues with the sound system, so even though the video turned out great, there were several times that the audio dipped in and out. We prayed alllll day for the rain to hold off (there was a 40% chance), and sure enough, the second we pulled out of the parking lot, there was a cloudburst. That was awesome! We got home and still had to eat dinner and we wanted to watch the video and all. At around 10:30 I had what I seriously thought was a real contraction. I didn't say anything to Stephen because he's way too excitable. Around 11:30 I had another "thing", this time in my back. But I was so not in the mood to go to the hospital and have to come back home. I mean it was raining cats and dogs outside! Anyway, by the time we went to bed I hadn't had any other feelings, so it looks like it was a false alarm anyway. Well, obviously.

Saturday we were on a mission to find a glider, but it turned out that the place we wanted to go doesn't sell gliders. We called a few local places but I'm sorry, I ain't payin' $500 for a glider. $500!!! Good grief. So I went yard saling quickly before we rode down to Badcock Furniture to check their gliders out. In my opinion, it was very worthwhile!! I got an almost-new Infantino Baby Sling, which we had registered for. And I paid $2!! Sweet! I also got either 6 or 7 diaper covers for five cents each. When I got home we went to Badcock, where we found out that when they say they sell "gliders" they are technically advertising falsely, as they have one glider, and it was well over $300. Our other big errand for the day was to get a new gun safe. We sold our old one and upgraded to a much larger one, partly because I have a lot of documents and things I keep stuffing into the old one. We just needed more room, and Stephen knew he could get a great discount through Ed's Gun Shop. So we went and picked it up, unloaded it, took our old one to his dad's house, ate some Chuckwagon (yums!) and unloaded the old one over there. No, I didn't help unload either safe, so don't freak out. Those things weigh like 600 pounds!! Stephen spent the afternoon catching up on homework that he didn't do during the week, so I was able to do a little reading, watch a little TV, and do some organizational projects that I've been wanting to do. The bad thing about those "projects" is that you can't really tell anything was done. For example, the other night I spent a couple of hours folding all the tissue paper I have and putting it in boxes, and arranging my gift bags, and putting them in a storage box. But can anyone walk into my house and see my hard work? No. I reorganized my craft bag, which took quite a while, but will anyone notice? No. Oh well, it makes me feel better anyway.

Yesterday we had a great Easter service at church. We had sunrise service, and then a delicious breakfast cooked by the men, and then our regular Sunday school and church service. Then we went to Granny and Granddaddy's for lunch with the whole family, and it was absolutely drool-worthy. We had to kind of rush off after eating because Stephen still had more homework to complete by that night. We didn't have church last night, of course, which gave him more time. Meanwhile, I napped for a good two hours to make up for getting up at 5:45 (totally not used to getting up that early!!) and I finished another book. That evening after it had cooled off some, we finally were able to plant our garden for this year. The bees were just too bad any other day - I couldn't even get near my plot. I hope our plants do well this year! Last year we had great luck with our okra and all our herbs, but our squash never came up. This year I planted okra, green bell peppers, squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe. I don't expect all of them to come up, and to tell you the truth, I'd be happy if only the okra came up again, but I will be ecstatic if anything else comes up! I can't wait to have a really huge garden, but we just don't have the space, so we really have to pick and choose what we want to plant.

Today Stephen starts swing shift, so it was really odd to wake up and have him be at home. It will be really odd when I get home and he's not there. Hopefully I will be dead asleep when he gets home at midnight or 1:00 (depending on what time he actually gets to leave). This will probably be the shortest shift change ever. As soon as Brianna comes, he'll be home for a couple of weeks anyway, and then soon he should find out about a shop chief job position he applied for. If he gets that job, he has to go back to day shift, so this could be a very short-lived change.

Well, I had something else I was going to blog about but it's slipped my mind, so I guess I'll just write about it if I ever remember it.

Was there ever any doubt?

I didn't doubt that the Heels were going to be victorious last night. This year I actually paid attention to the teams I was picking, and tried to make good decisions about my picks. No, I didn't watch any games during the regular season, but I can only do so much. Anyway, it almost paid off, because I came in third place this year. I'm very happy considering my last few years:

2008 - #11; 2007 - #15, 2006 - #16, 2005 - #8, and 2004 - #18. Maybe someday I'll get the number one spot.

Renee told me yesterday that I have "the look" and she thinks it won't be long until I go into labor. She said the look involves my nose spreading and lips swelling, but I think the look involves droopy eyes and crankiness. If looks could contain crankiness, that is. She has also ordered me to start leaving work early to go home and relax. Oh, if only.

Tonight we're going to a Hurricanes game and I am just sure this will be the thing that throws me into labor, because what's more embarrassing than to start leaking water in front of 20000 people? Gail thinks I'm going to go into labor on Wednesday because that's the day that dad leaves for Georgia. It's also the day that Stephen's family leaves to go back to Georgia, so it would definitely be inconvenient, which ups the chances.

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In the beginning of my pregnancy, everyone told me that my sense of smell would become crazy sensitive, but it never did. (Even though people kept on saying, "Just wait! Just wait!") But within the last week, I have really noticed certain smells that I could just sit and inhale for forever. Some of these include:

• coffee grounds, but not coffee
• the inside of Stephen's truck, but not either of our cars
• the vinyl room at work
• shoe stores
• gasoline

Of course, considering the fact that my desk at work is right next to the bathrooms and break room, this sense of smell sometimes has been working my gag reflex.

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Saturday I was able to hit the yard sales I wanted to hit so badly. I went with mom and dad, and we tried to go kind of late in the hopes that prices would be cut in half. I ended up getting more books than I needed to, and a couple of other tiny little things. I also got an old favorite game of mine, Beyond Balderdash. We tried it out last night. I loved it, but I'm not sure if anyone else is a fan or not!

Sunday at church we had to have another baptism! What a great "problem" to have! I think there have been only three weeks since we moved into our new sanctuary when we haven't had a baptism. It's so exciting!

I have a lot of fun things to look forward to this week, which will probably make it go pretty fast. Today I have lunch with Stephen's family, and tonight a few of us are going to the Hurricanes vs. Islanders game. Tomorrow I'll have lunch with mom. Thursday will be a doctor's appointment, and Friday I'll get to eat with Jenn (and have a day off of work!!!). Plus, this weekend is our Easter drama at church. It's going to be Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11 at 8pm. It's an outdoor drama that takes you from the time Jesus was betrayed in the garden by Judas until the resurrection. Come and see Jesus beaten as He carries the cross, see Him praying in the garden, see Him be literally lifted up on the cross, and then see the awesome ending! This is seriously an amazing play. We're not in it this year because, well, we just didn't want to commit to anything we'd end up backing out of! So we will be watching it instead of participating. Anyway, if you get to come, you WON'T regret it!

I have some pictures and videos to post but I don't know when I'll have time to do it. I'll attempt it sometime this week!!

So ready!!

I haven't blogged lately even though we've had a lot going on, because truthfully, all I really want to talk about is my upcoming labor! But I think people are probably pretty tired of hearing about that.

Last Saturday we had a "Meet and Greet" dinner at church. We have just had so many new people visiting, and so many new families joining that people are getting the new people mixed up. It was a chance to get together and eat (we are Baptist, after all!) and just hang out. We had probably 60 or so people show up, so it was a lot of fun. Right before the night ended we each stood up and told how we found our church. It was really interesting, because some people had been there from the very beginning, and some have only been coming a month or less. We had a blast!

Sunday we had our first youth drama of the year. I am doing youth drama this year with my friend Allison. Stephen just happened to be in this drama and has now caught the bug. He has proclaimed that he will be Allison's assistant while I am out on "maternity leave". :) Anyway, I have a video of our practice on Saturday but not the real thing, unfortunately. There was a user error for whoever was using our video camera to shoot it on Sunday. Uh, that would be me. We got our camera on Saturday and I was expected to know how to use it on Sunday! NOT! So I blew it. But at least I captured the practice one. I think I can post it on here, but we haven't really played with it yet.

Monday we went to mom and dad's for their famous hamburgers and french fries. It was so much better than I imagined. I was very upset because I could only hold two burgers. It was devastating.

Yesterday was my 37-week appointment at the doctor's. I am officially 2cm dilated and 70% effaced. I'm having a bit of mild pain today but nothing major. Actually, yesterday I was technically told to "go home and put my feet up" but they said if I really wanted to go to work I could. So here I am - for now anyway. At least I know that if I need to leave, I can. Renee might have a heart attack, but other than that they'll be fine with me leaving. Just kidding!

I would love to go into labor at anytime but I'm just waiting on God's timing! Also there are some great yard sales tomorrow that I REALLY don't want to miss. So I am torn.

Sorry there's not more to update about, but maybe there will be soon!