Giving Aubrey her first bath!

Well, as I'm still working on getting things caught up on the ol' baby blog here, things are still a little bit out of date, but better to be late than never, I say!

Aubrey's little umbilical cord stump fell off on day 8, so we decided to give her her first at-home bath over the weekend. At first, she didn't seem to like it, but she sure was cute in her little froggy towel!

I have to apologize for the poor photo quality... with things so nuts and unorganized, it seems the easier option is always to grab the ol' cell phone camera. I promise we'll get better! Or else I'll have to get a better phone, LOL!

Going home...

After 2 nights in the hospital, they sent us home. Boy, was I ready! I don't know if this is "normal" or not, but I was feeling good, not having any soreness, and definitely going stir crazy in that hospital room. Everyone keeps telling me it wasn't the norm, but I'm thankful things post-delivery went so well... especially given my not-so-easy pregnancy. :) 

Even with the awesome view... (I felt more like I was staying in a resort than at the hospital with my little lakefront view and the cute little gazeebo outside, LOL) I was ready to get out and get going.

More than anything, Jerry and I were both looking forward to getting back to our own bed. Since I hadn't been sleeping and had been so uncomfortable for the past several weeks, I especially was looking forward to reconnecting with my old friend, the bed. LOL

Riding in the wheelchair to meet "Daddy" at the front door with the car:

Already loving those car rides... she sacks out every time! 

Of course, you know I just had to ride in the back seat with her... and Daddy was driving slow and careful on the back roads going home. No I-45 for this new family!! LOL

Hanging out at home the first day:

(being held by Uncle Dylan)

(snuggling in bed with Daddy)

(snuggling with Mommy in the glider)

(sleeping in the bassinet for the first time)

I don't think I will ever forget that first night. Jerry jumped up every time he heard Aubrey squeak or grunt or anything. It was like a shot out of a gun, LOL. She was pretty good for the most part, but we were up 3 or 4 times that night. I also remember snuggling with her in bed that first night before we put her down... we watched "Legends of the Fall" on DVD b/c we had caught the end of it on TV at the hospital. What a strange thing to remember, haha!

Hospital, Day 2

After the delivery, for the most part the remainder of our stay was just a bunch of sitting around. Especially for me. But because my blood pressure was still up and down, they decided to keep us an extra night to monitor me. But we do have some pictures from that 2nd day to share...

Aubrey's first checkup:

Getting "hospital-issue" newborn photos taken:

And just some hanging out:

(snuggling with Daddy at the hospital)

It's impossible not to take hundreds of pictures... LOL There's no way I could put them all up here, but these are some of my favorites. :)

The Birth Day

Well, it's no secret that I've been a little busy and have failed to maintain my blog. I have tons of stuff to post, and I think it's about time I get to updating!

So, June 3rd was my scheduled induction. After a visit with the OBGYN on the 1st and a high blood pressure reading, he decided it was time for Miss Aubrey to make her debut.

We arrived at the hospital at 6am, ready for the big day. As odd as it was to have this all planned and scheduled, it was really nice to have time to plan, have enough notice so my family could get into town, make sure everything was ready, and even get a shower before we headed in.

After checking in, I was settled in my room and getting hooked up to the monitors by 6:30. After I was all hooked up, the nurse told me I had had already had contractions registering 3 minutes apart... Apparently, I had already been having contractions and didn't even realize it!

The plan was to go all natural for the birth, and knowing I had already been having contractions without really feeling them was definitely encouraging. They started me on the pitocin to get things moving along, as my blood pressure was still pretty high. Doc came in and broke my water around 7:30am and we were well underway.

Jerry rubbed my back during every contraction and brought me all the ice I could want, he was a great coach and totally supportive. I could not have asked for a better partner in this!! Needless to say, all things considered, I was still feeling pretty optimistic about the whole natural birth thing.

(J rubbing my back through the contractions)

About 5 hours in, I was really starting to be in pain. I agreed to let them give me some medicine in the IV but was still resisting the epidural. (What can I say, I'm stubborn.) Let's just say the medicine sucked. It wasn't so much "pain" medication like they told me, as a sedative. So there I was, essentially sedated and "sleeping" but still feeling EVERYTHING. Not so much help. When it finally wore off, and I was reaching my 7th hour of labor, I practically demanded the epidural. LOL

I was in pain, pain like I've never felt before. I was shaking and breathing heavy and quite frankly, it scared the heck out of me. I knew that if I didn't take the epi that there was no way I was going to make it to the end in one piece... and neither would anyone around me. haha! The epidural itself was pretty awful. It certainly didn't help that the anesthesiologist was a freakin' jerk and on his cell phone the whole time. Believe me- he got some rude, snotty comments from me regarding his cell phone usage. (And then I reported him to the hospital administrator post-delivery. Jackass.) It's a good thing they made Jerry leave the room for the epi because I feel sure he would have kicked that guys ass. What unprofessional behavior on his part, not to mention the fact that his distraction was at my expense.

Anyway, with the epidural in place and a clicker in my hand to administer more medicine as I needed it, I was feeling much better. No longer drowsy, but in much much less pain. 'Round about the 10th hour of labor, it was getting close to pushing time. The nurse didn't even have to tell me I was ready, because I could feel it. No pain still, but I could tell she was ready and was bearing down to come out. I pushed for about 4 contractions and out came our beautiful baby girl!! (4:47 pm)

Jerry cut the cord and they proceeded to clean her up and get her vitals. She weighed in at 8lb. 3.9oz. and measured 21 inches long. We heard her cry for the first time and both burst into tears! Here's some pictures of us holding her for the first time!

So... After everyone had a chance to come in to meet her, the baby nurse came in to give her her first bath.

(some of these pictures have poor quality... but I've been collecting them from several different people, so they're all different.)

What was really cool about the way the hospital set up the birthing center was that everything was done right in our room.  Labor, delivery, all the baby checking, cleaning up, and our whole stay was in the same suite. It was pretty nice to be able to settle in- and to not have them grabbing the baby and taking her away all the time. She was always right there with us day and night. :)

(one of the nurses made us a special hat with a bow on it since she's a girl! SO sweet & so cute!)

So that was pretty much our first day with Aubrey! It was a roller coaster, and one of the coolest and most emotional experiences I've ever had. Maybe I was just lucky, I don't know, but it was not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, for sure. :)

It's time.

I've been pregnant for what seems like forever. Every single day has been devoted to thinking about being pregnant, preparing for our little Aubrey, and wondering what life will be like when she arrives. Very little of my attention has been focused elsewhere. It's been all about her. It's all about this. All about the moment when it all becomes real. That moment has come.

Yesterday afternoon was my weekly OBGYN appointment. After getting a higher than normal blood pressure reading, the doc went to check my cervix. He felt the baby and poked around in there talking to himself and wearing a different look than usual. Then he said, "I think it's time to schedule an induction."

I may have freaked out a little bit. I asked him, "What? Right now?" LOL

When I was finally able to get dressed, he came back in and he had scheduled me for Thursday, June 3rd at 6am. Tomorrow. Tomorrow! Jerry and I could hardly believe it. Doc said it was mostly due to my spike in blood pressure, as that was a sign things were underway and no need to let it get any higher. He also mentioned that she's plenty big enough, and waiting would only allow her to get larger, thus making it more difficult for me to deliver naturally... which is what we want- natural.

So... tomorrow morning at 6am we will be going to the hospital to deliver our baby girl. 

It's surreal to know this. To know that in a few short hours I'll be hooked up to some hormones to make me start contracting. To know that by this very time tomorrow I'll be holding my baby girl that we've waited so very long to meet. Our baby.

The one that will make us parents, make us a threesome, make us a family.

I am overcome with emotion. I just didn't think it would hit me like this. I guess I thought it would all just  happen. Like it does on TV and the movies. It would be a a big crazy thing, rushing around, making a hundred phone calls, without a moment to stop and think about, and feel, what was happening. Instead, I'm sitting here alone- for the last time- in our house, thinking about the unbelievable blessing we are about to be bestowed with, and how radically our lives will be changing in the next 24 hours. 

...

There is a moment in which your life's dream is just about to come true... and I don't think that everyone gets to experience that feeling... but in that moment, if you're lucky enough to recognize it, your heart spills over. You have a small window of time in which you can bask in your good fortune, your hard work, and reflect on all the things that have made this dream possible.

There is nothing on this Earth that I have ever wanted more than to be a mother. I was made for it, and I feel infinitely blessed to have a partner who I love with more than just the heart in my chest, someone who is my best friend, my confidante, my rock, and my true other half to share it with. That in itself is a dream come true, but now... in a very short time... we'll have our dream. Our dream of a family together, and I couldn't be happier in this moment.