OUR STORY

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Jody and I have been married for 6 years now! We live a simple life, but it's a happy life. We've been blessed with our sweet Elsie who we adore each and every day. Here's to a blog of thoughts, memories, and who are we kidding, lots of Elsie!!
"People don't always remember what you say... They remember how you make them feel"

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Mr Cow

Oooohhh, the love Elsie has for Mr Cow (whose really a giraffe)... She has slept with this thing since she was a newborn. She would pull it up on her face to go to sleep at just a few months old. He has always stayed in the crib and used only at sleep time... Until last week!

Mr Cow has to come out of the crib every time Elsie does. We can't leave him in the car without a few tears . I had to pull him out of her hands last night to finally wash it, and she woke up twice during the process!

Today Dad got up with her, and she started crying the second he picked her up without her cow! I could hear him trying to calm her as he changed her diaper and started to prep her cereal... Finally I yelled from the back room, half asleep, and said, "she wants her cow!" He went in and grabbed it and that was the end of the fussing! Not sure what changed today to where she feels she needs this thing at her side every single second but I know I'm ordering a new one online in case we ever lose this guy!!!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Labor..

Pregnancy treated me so well.... I was never sick, I never had heart burn, I slept when I wanted, and my skin (that usually struggles) GLOWED!!! I absolutely LOVED it...

We were getting close to October 3rd, and my cousin Lara came out while I was 39 weeks, HOPING she would come. We toured Boston, did some shopping, went to the aquarium, the zoo, and everything else you can imagine... TRYING to get the time to fly by.. and lots of walking hoping that would help. Finally around 39 1/2 weeks, we started to get serious about her coming... I ate pineapple, I would bounce on an exercise ball, and finally convinced myself to drink castro oil. OHH that stuff is disgusting!!

Right after I drank it, we all went to bed, and I woke up around 4:00 AM and called my doctor because I was having contractions. He said I needed to go in because it sounded like I was in labor. My contractions were consistent but no progress was happening. We walked around the hospital for an hour, and after still no progression, we decided to go home and wait to out... WHICH bothered me... I wish they would have just induced me then. Anyways- went home, and contractions stopped and basically had a false labor.

Then 40 weeks hit... Oh I thought FOR SURE she would come a few days before her due date, if not the day of. I had a doctors appt that day, and the news they shared was, if she doesn't come this next week, we will induce you at 41 weeks on Sunday the 9th! TEARS flew down my face. This baby girl that we have waited soooo long for, finally ready, and STILL had to wait another week which by now, was MISERABLE!!! That week I was busy doing ultrasounds, and placenta testing, making sure all organs were working properly and she wasn't in any distress.

Sunday, the 9th finally came... still no dialtion and my cervix hadn't done much thinning. They started the cervidal (cervix thinning medicine) the first night. Woke up, not much progress. Decided to give me a pill, every 3 hours on Monday hoping for some progression. I was bitter, miserable, and emotional that day. I think I asked 5 times if I could call quits and do a c-section. They all laughed but that just made me more annoyed. FINALLY, Monday night, I had some light, but steady contractions. It was late, we were all tired, and decided to take a sleeping pill to have me get all the rest I can, and hopefully start labor in the morning. BOY, were they wrong. They gave me the sleeping pill with a light dose of pitocin to keep my contractions steady... By midnight, I was having full on contractions and in the worst pain imaginable... labor!! I asked for the epidural and they didn't even check me (one thing I regret) but they could see I was ready! The anastegologist did the best job on my epidural. I think I told him I loved him a million times and it still wasn't enough. I fell asleep, and slept suprisngly really well!

At 5:30 AM, I woke up, and they checked me. I was at a 10, and her head was pretty much there. The doc told the nurses to have me hold off on pushing, because he had a scheduled c-section at 6:00. Reality started to set in.. I got a little nervous. Around 9:00, I started pushing.. Felt like I pushed for an eternity.. Never saw any progress. I can remember seeing her hair, but that was all. 10:30 rolled around... I was getting tired. My nurse suggested I use a birthing bar... No progress. Finally around 11:40 AM, my doctor came in and talked about using the vacuum to help get her out. THAT made me nervous. All I could think of was a cone shaped head for the rest of her life!!! Plus, any risks of using it which he assured me that we were safe there.

I remember pushing so hard, with the help of the vacuum and FINALLY after 3 cuts, yes THREE (an episitomy all the way to the end) the relief of her head finally out... then her shoulders, and then her!!! FINALLY, after the longest wait of my life, I was able to look eyes into my sweet and most precious little girl!!! I lost it... J lost it! We had never felt such joy in our lives. She laid on my stomach for a short time, and then the nurses took her to the table to get all the meconium off her and do what they do. J went over to cut the cord, and was mesmerized by her precious self. She latched on to his fingers immediately. There's not a day that goes by, I'm not grateful for the long wait it was, the experience we had, and THE GIRL the Lord chose to come to our family. She is the best!!! We love you Elsie!!!! All 8.4 lbs of ya!!