Goings on around the house

Chris took two weeks off of work to help take care of me and the boys.  My mom has also been here helping keep Caleb occupied, keeping me fed and rocking Micah to sleep when I need a nap.  Sadly they both have to go back to work tomorrow and I will be all alone.  It feels like my very first day of school with students.  I'm eager and excited for the day but also terrified.

Chris has been busy working on small projects around the house (he can't sit still).  You can read about his projects on his blog here

Caleb saw Daddy working and had to jump in the middle.  Yes that is a chisel in his hand but don't worry he is being supervised.  I'm pretty sure Chris had just put it down and Caleb is giving it back to him.

Helping Daddy nail in the new quarter round.

 

Caleb has been enjoying the pool table.

Playing with his trains while sporting a new hat. 

And here is sweet Micah.  He eats and sleeps and eats and sleeps.

So far Micah has been a much easier baby than Caleb was, hoping this continues.  At his 2 week appointment he weighed 9 lbs 11 oz.  Sorry for the briefness of this post, I can't seem to think in complete sentences tonight but have been meaning to post this for some time. 

Welcome Micah

I'll give you the long story later but for now here are some of the highlights with pictures.

• 11 days over due, multiple tests at the back up doctor and he scored overall 6/10 recommending induction
• We ask for his size, a sonogram later they say 10lbs now recommending c-section
• we decide to be induced :(  
• Emotional roller coaster begins as our birth plan is shattered
• get to hospital and wait 2 hours for them to finally begin pitocin (pit begins at 7:30 pm), oh it took them 3 tries with the needle, I hate needles
• 12 later I had progressed a mere 1/2 in dilation (now at 2 1/2)
• They recommend breaking my water, not so sure this is what I want so we wait
• 3 hours later we decide to break my water, at this point I'm actually at 5 cm
• My fabulous Doula asks if we can move to a room with a window
• Move rooms
• Labor increases in intensity, I start using the birthing ball (fabulously helpful)
• Chris is an essential part of relaxing through contractions
• serious back pain
• major swings in temperature (maybe transition)
• tons of pressure, curious if I am close to pushing (on a side note I never felt the urge to push with Caleb I just mentally needed to move on to the next phase and asked if I could start pushing)
• After an hour or so of tons of pressure I ask them to check me, hoping for a 10
• She says 6 or 7
• I lose it emotionally and thus physically can not relax
• Still losing it 
• Begging for an epidural at this point
• We finally decide that I need it (probably more mentally than physically at this point)
• get epidural at 12:30 pm on saturday
• Try to sleep or at least relax
• at 2 pm I am demanding my midwife show up b/c I am pushing and there is no stopping me
• A few pushes and out Micah came
• Micah has to get lots and lots of merconium (sp?) sucked out
• nicu lady says he is ok
• Happy family

41 weeks

I am still pregnant.  Just thought I would clear that up right away.  Today puts me at 41 weeks.  Maybe my due date was a little bit off and maybe Micah just isn't ready to meet the world.  But I will say I never thought I would be pregnant today.  Caleb was 5 days late so I had anticipated that this baby would take his time, but for some reason I thought a week was sufficient.

I still want to have the baby naturally.  Everything is in place and has been ready and waiting for a few weeks.  But I'm not gonna lie, the idea of a doctor saying to me, we can have this baby out in 24 hours or less with xyz interventions is a bit appealing ( think: breaking my water, pitocin, etc...).  Being "late" is way more emotionally draining than physically draining.  I feel great and the baby is doing well.  So there is no rush to hurry him out.  But I will be taking some herbs later today to encourage my body to continue what it has already started. 

This weekend we have been busy busy busy, in an attempt to encourage Micah to make his grand exit (obviously to no avail).  I have been walking a bunch, around a mall, around the house, at dusk, you name it I've been there.  By the way, last night was the first time I remember seeing lightning bugs in years.  I was enamored by them.  On friday I vacuumed my stairs and the entire upstairs.  Then I moved all the boxes with my school stuff to the basement, including a microwave. This was a total of 15 round trips.  Chris was busy working in the basement on fixing up the pool room.  He gave me a fabulous back rub after my hard work.  Then on saturday as no baby had arrived we went to the zoo.  Sadly we left the camera at home, but Caleb loved it.  I'm considering getting a season pass.  He kept saying more, more.  He wanted to see more animals, and of course did not want to be in the stroller.  I think his favorites were the gorillas, and the orangutan.  Oh and three different women asked me if I was having twins.  To which I simply replied no and let it go.  But I chuckled a bit wondering if it occurred to them to ask me when I'm due. 

Here is the most up to date belly shot. 

Check out my tub in the back ground ready to go.  Maybe I should clean my mirror?

Cushman Wedding

One of Chris' fraternity brothers got married to the sweetest gal last Saturday.  We thought that we wouldn't be able to go since we were hoping to have a baby by then but since Micah had other ideas we made it.  I felt like such a rebel leaving Caleb with my parents and heading out to the wedding at 3 (it was a bit of a drive to get there).  We had a wonderful evening with good friends, fabulous food and celebrating the glorious union of two believers.

The bride was so kind to us, since we failed to RSVP.  I know I thought I would never do that after planning a wedding.  But I had no idea if we would be able to go or not.  My intent was to respond maybe but I just forgot.  I was getting worried that there would be a seating chart and it turns out there was.  The bride had set aside a few tables for the people who didn't RSVP so we actually had seats.  So thoughtful.

Here are some pictures to document the fabulous evening, courtesy of Big Jen

Me and Big Jen

My favorite picture of us.

The sweet happy couple and Big Jen with her man

Ryan was kind enough to drive us, as long as I promised not to have a baby in his car.  He is grooving to some Justin Bieber in this picture.

A funny picture because it is sans Justin (Anna's husband) who was busy ushering.  This is us before the wedding

Chris, Ryan and Big A after the happy couple left

The ladies

A fun group of friends (minus Ryan who was busy socializing)

Belly shot at almost 40 weeks (2 days shy)

Fourth of July

Monday was my due date, but as we all know this is really just a guess and it is normal for the baby to come anywhere from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after.  Caleb was 5 days after his due date and it looks like Micah is following in his brother's footsteps. 

So we celebrated the fourth as a family of 3.  We went to the square for an hour or so when Caleb and I got pretty hot and needed the relief of air conditioning.  We were so cute because the whole family was in blue and white and red but I failed at getting a picture of us.  This is so disappointing, but by the time I thought about it everyone was soaked in sweat and that was not the part of the day I wanted to document.  After a long nap by the whole family we ventured to a good friends house for some awesome pork tacos.  Caleb played with all the other kids while we hung out with the adults.  There were 11 kids there including Caleb, ranging in age from 8 to 19 months.  Caleb had a blast and managed to find every car in the house.  He stayed up two hours after his bedtime and was wired while playing with all the kids.  Luckily he crashed once we got home, but did not sleep in the next day. Oh well.

So today puts me two days past my due date, and the waiting continues.  Here is hoping Micah decides to come out soon.