Projectile Pooping

Did you know that baby poop shoots out?  Like it literally shoots out of the butt.  I found poop on my wipe warmer.  I feel like this baby should come with an apron.  Andy and I had to laugh today because we were changing her diaper and she pooped three times.  All we heard was a big fart and more poop came shooting out.  You have to wonder how so much poop can come out of such a teeny tiny tush.  And trust me her tush is tiny.  I think she left half of her butt in the hospital b/c Andy and I are both packing some back.  Hmmm.....

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Isabella's Arrival

So here's the long story.  On Thursday after dismissing my students for the first dismissal while walking back into the building I slipped and fell on the wet floor (it had been raining in NY for days).  I didn't land on my stomach, on my knee and my face.  My principal had a coworker drive me to my dr immediately.  When I got there they did an u/s and saw that the baby was doing well, but just to be on the safe side she hooked me up to a fetal monitor for a half an hour.  I'm glad my friend was able to stay with me, but I wasn't really nervous at this point.  I figured my doc was just being thorough.  I started feeling some contractions, but they were irregular, or so I thought.  Turns out they were coming about every 4 minutes.  My dr said that it was probably nothing and they would go away, but just to be on the safe side she wanted me to go to the hospital to be monitored for a few more hours.  I called Andy and told him to meet me at L&D and to bring the bag just in case.  At this point I still didn't think that I would have the baby yet b/c the contractions were getting farther apart and they weren't painful at all. 

At the hospital they hooked me up to a monitor again and my friend waited with me for an hour until Andy got there.  At this point the contractions started to become a little more painful, but nothing crazy.  The Dr. came in to give me an internal and it turns out I was close to 4cm dilated.  He was surprised that it wasn't causing me more pain.  I was sent to walk for 2 hours.

Walking for 2 hours in the rain was not so exciting, but it gave me time to call my parents, sister, and cousins to tell them that I was in labor.  I told them not to come until I was admitted just in case they sent me home, I was apparently still in denial.  

At around 10pm I went back to the hospital where they did another internal to find that I was 5 cm.  I was dilating pretty quickly and the pain was getting a little more intense.  They admitted me and I was put in a very nice LDR room.  Andy made the appropriate phone calls while I was given my epi.  This was not painful at all, more just uncomfortable trying to get into the correct position to get one.  

I labored for a few hours and tried to get some sleep, when the epi started to wear off.  I asked the nurse if I could have some more as at this point the contractions were getting very painful.  They were all in my back.  The Dr. came in to examine me first and I was already 10 cm dilated.  The Dr advised me against getting more epi b/c it would make it harder for me to push.  I said I would hold out as long as I could.  I labored, with waning epi, for 45 more minutes when I finally begged for more epi, but at that point it was too late and it was time to push.

Pushing was very difficult.  I could barely catch my breath and it felt like all the blood vessels in my face would burst.  It wasn't painful, just tons of pressure.  Andy was amazing.  Holding my head and giving me ice chips and encouraging me.  I couldn't imagine doing it without him.  After about an hour of pushing, Isabella Grace was born at 4 am on June 19th, weighing in at 7lbs 5 ounces and 21 inches long.  

She was born with the cord wrapped around her neck and she had swallowed a lot of fluid so the NICU nurses had to come down to drain the fluid.  It was 45 of the most terrifying minutes of my life watching them suction her, but finally we heard her wail and she was given to me and I nursed her right away.  

We left the hospital Saturday evening.  It's been incredibly hectic and wonderful. There have been so many well wishes and visitors.  It's been difficult at times, her wanting to feed nearly every hour (this has stopped since my milk has come in) and having her days and nights confused, but I've never been happier.  I can't believe how much you can love someone.  It's overwhelming.  I will try to get on the bump to post the birth story asap, but I only have short breaks when she's asleep to shower, eat, etc, plus there's been a lot of people coming by to see her.  My mom actually stayed a few days with us to help out, which has been a godsend.

Now if you managed to make it to the end of this loooooooooong post, go and pour yourself a drink b/c you deserve it!

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38 Week Update and AW'ing my DH

How far along? 38w3d
Total Weight Gain: 23 pounds
How much does baby weigh? I'm estimating her between 7 and 7.5, but she could be a big fatty and weigh closer to 8
Stretch Marks? No
Sleep? Some nights are better then others. I'd say I get up at least once to pee.
Best moment this week: Realizing that this is my last week of work! I took off the last week for a little R and R before baby comes. I'm so excited not to have to make that drive after Friday. My bladder can barely take it.
Movement: Yes, big painful jabs and rolls
Labor signs? Irregular false contractions that are getting way more intense
Belly button in or out? I have to say this skeeves me out the most.
What I miss? When maternity clothes didn't make me look like a tent.
What I'm looking forward to? Sadly enough I'm looking forward to looking 6 months pregnant again (this is what I hear you look like when you leave the hospital)
Milestone: No milestones this week.

I have to AW my husband for a second. We have an iMac for our desktop and I love it. It's fast, easy, and I never get any viruses. Ever. But we have a really craptastic Dell laptop that is always giving me trouble. It freezes, crashes, goes slow, and I'm sure it's infected with a million viruses. I swear the thing is more tempermental than I am, and at 9 months pregnant with raging roids, that's no easy feat. So I've been bugging Andy for a mac book for quite a while and he just kept telling me that we had to wait b/c they were so expensive.

So I get home from work today and he tells me that he has a surprise for me. I sit on the couch and close my eyes and he tells me how much he appreciates how well I've taken care of myself and our baby and him and how he knows it hasn't always been easy for me and that he loves me and then he puts something on my lap and I open my eyes and it's a mac book. I really have the best husband ever and now a super cool laptop. All we need is baby and we're good.

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Pomp and Circumstance

So today was my graduation from graduate school. I officially have my masters in early childhood education. Now I get my raise and my permanent certification. I'm so happy it's over. I'm sick to death of working full time and taking classes. But it's over now and I don't have to worry about going back for my 30 and above for a while, at least until Isabella is a bit older.

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37 Weeks = Full Term!

How far along? 37w5d
Total Weight Gain: 22 pounds
How much does baby weigh? Close to 7lbs I would say
Stretch Marks? None, but I'm over caring about whether or not I get them
Sleep? Is ever elusive
Best moment this week: Getting my hospital bag packed...it's finally starting to feel real
Movement: Tons of it
Food Cravings? All food
Labor signs? Irregular false contractions
Belly button in or out? Popped and nasty as ever
What I miss? Seeing my feet
What I'm looking forward to? Finally being able to meet my little girl
Milestone: Full Term. Holla!

I can't believe I'm finally full term! She can come whenever she's ready. I had my first internal today. I'm 50% effaced and 1cm dilated. It's progress, but my doc said it doesn't really mean anything. I can go into full labor tonight or it can take three weeks. But I was excited for progress.

My contractions are coming more and more. Sometimes they're regular and sometimes they're sporadic. I need to go to the hospital when they come 5-10 min apart for a solid hour. So I'll be on the lookout for that.

I didn't get a chance to put a pic up yet, but I will. Not that there's much new to see; still a big huge belly

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