A few quick pictures

Just wanted to post a few quick pictures.  Michael is doing great and goes tomorrow for his first dr. appt. and some newborn screenings.  He is nursing like a champ!!

Mommy and daddy and big sister are all doing well and getting lots of rest and enjoying the beautiful fall weather!

Linda came today and checked on us and it was so amazing to be checked on without leaving the house.  Homebirth totally rocks!! 

Michael is Here!!!

Michael finally showed up on 10/4/10 at 41 weeks 5 days.  He is 9lbs and 22inches and just perfect.  Labor started around midnight on the 3rd but was very mild and manageable until about 8pm that night.  Mike and I walked the neighborhood and then came home and camped out in our room.  Things were definitely picking up but I was still in good spirits between contractions.  At about 11:00 I started getting very emotional during contractions and decided it was time to call our fabulous doula Jessica.  She arrived around midnight and things were really progressing.  My MIL was just perfect and bringing me food and drinks and offering any support someone can give to a laboring woman and Jessica was a warm reassuring support when i thought i was losing control.  At some point around 1 am Jessica decided it was time to call our midwife Linda (thank goodness she had that insite), and she arrived around 2.  By this point i was feeling a ton of pressure in my tail bone that hurt like crazy.  I thought for sure i couldn't do anymore, but everyone kept telling me i could.  I finally had Linda check me (my first check the whole pregnancy) and i was complete.  I tried a couple pushes lying down but it was pointless and super painful.  Somehow i talked myself into kneeling/squatting and then the pushing actually felt like a great relief and he was out a few contractions laterat 4:03 am.  Only had a tiny tear that doesn't need any stitches and feel like a million bucks compared to when I had Lor.  He is just perfect and has no signs of down's syndrome or any bowel issues.  We do still have to take him for a cystic fibrosis sweat test but my gut tells me he is just fine.  Loralei is an amazing big sister and we are enjoying every minute of these fleeting first days and weeks.

41w1d

Yes, I am still here.  I saw Trinie yesterday and had a non stress test which he passed with flying colors.  She did say that the u/s showed he has probably passed meconium and that is fairly common for post date babies.  Also the cord is around his neck once but that is seen in at least 25% of babies so just to watch for heart decelerations during contractions.  I feel pretty confident both are normal things and hey, on the bright side, his bowels aren't blocked like they were possibly thinking at 20 weeks.  :)  Trying to schedule some accupressure or something to try to get things moving.

40 weeks 6 days

Still here.  Still pregnant.  My mom and Gee Wee left after a great week.  Now Mike's parents are here thru next Sunday.  Had a biophysical done today and Michael passed with flying colors (8 out of 8) so we are just waiting some more.  They are estimating him at 8lb12oz and his head is measuring right at 41 and his arms and legs at about 41w4d.  Tall little guy for sure!  Nothing promising going on that would make me think labor was close.  They said there are no signs of any problems and his bowels still look great!  Here is a great picture of his sweet little face though...

40 Weeks

40 Weeks Today!

My mom and Gee Wee are here helping me and waiting for baby Michael.  I have absolutely nothing going on and am not being checked so not even sure how things are progressing.  Tomorrow is supposed to be super hot (90ish) so I am hoping he waits until Friday when it cools back down to fall weather so I can walk through my labor and enjoy nice fall air coming in the windows.  It will be sad if my mom and Gee miss it, but it has been nice having the distraction and help with Lor.  I see Linda (homebirth midwife) at 10:30 today and can't wait.  Trinie told me on Monday she would see me next week...ha ha...so she thinks he will be fashionably late as well.

I need a final 40 week picture...and will work on it later!

39w1d, Lions Game, and Swim Class

So I am 39 weeks 1 day pregnant today and no impending signs of baby Michael making a debut.  I am guessing he will come around 41 weeks like his sister...but who knows.  At this point I can't remember being small or even smaller so here are pics from 6-8 weeks and then from tonight.  Yes, that is the same outfit, just fitting totally different.

Oh, and here is the baby in Lor's belly.  :)  Gotta love it. 

I am trying to prepare her for the birth by telling her what noises mommy might make and stuff, but so unsure of how she will handle it.  My mom and Gee Wee come on Saturday so we will have people on hand to play with her and entertain her during labor and hopefully let her just be part of the delivery and early bonding.

We had some friends over for the Detroit game on Sunday and all dressed up in our Detroit Lions gear.  It was pretty cute.  Michael's outfit is hanging patiently in the closet.  ha ha.

Lor also started swim classes again tonight.  They were supposed to be with daddy, but I figured I am still pregnant so I would swim with her one last time and let Mike get some pics.

38 Weeks, more sickies, and a hurt arm

It's been a crazy 2 weeks.  Baby Michael is still nice and cozy on the inside.  I assume he will stay that way for 2-3 more weeks.  I am measuring fine, his heart rate is great, and my bp was an impressive 106/56 today.  We met with our doula Jessica yesterday and are very excited about having her here for Michael's upcoming arrival.  Although I am over the moon to meet him and pretty excited about the work of labor, I am also pretty freaked out about my ability to handle it.  I just keep reading positive stories and having chats with baby Michael about us getting through it together.  Linda thinks he will actually not be 8 lbs...but who really knows right?  I am way bigger than with Lor so he better be 9lbs...ha ha.

I had YET ANOTHER stomach but over the weekend.  I am so tired of puking and being miserable.  I am so glad baby Michael didn't decide to come then.  Hopefully Lor and Mike will miss this one and we will all be healthy for a while now.

Lor also hurt her arm last night rough housing with daddy so daddy took her to the ER after 1.5 hours of crying.  They tried popping it back in place but were doubtful it was out of place to begin with.  They then did an x-ray to see if it was fractured or broken and it wasn't.  They wrapped and slung it and we followed up with the dr. today.  She seems 100% better now and the dr. thinks it was probably dislocated it and the ER dr. popped it back in place but didn't hear a pop.  She looked awefully cute in her "cast."