Baby Ethan

Here are two photos of our newest little angel!

Ethan Michael - taken Dec 23

Ethan Michael - taken Dec 24

A Birth Story: ALL the details!

Last picture of me pregnant -
Taken Monday at 7:45am just before we left for the hospital.

We waited all weekend in anticipation that I'd go into labor on my own...but Monday morning came, and we got ready to go to the hospital to be induced. We dropped Austin off at daycare, and continued on our way to the Birth Center. I walked up to the desk and they were expecting me.

We were shown into Labor and Delivery Room #2, where at 8:25 I was checked and was 3cm, and the doctor broke my water. Talk about a weird sensation.....but then afterward it was even stranger yet with it feeling like I was peeing in the bed but not actually pushing anything out. It was quite a gross feeling.

My body was trying to go into labor, since I was having mild contractions that were irregular in timing and duration. It needed more help, so at 9:30, I was given Pitocin to start up the contractions. Now, with Austin when I was in labor I was at home all day, doing all the work on my own, so when I was ready to go to the hospital I was at 7cm and then wanted the Epidural for pain. With this baby, since I was induced, the contractions were coming faster, and were stronger. Shortly after noon they were getting so strong and close together (every two minutes apart, lasting about 1 minute) I buckled and decided that I wasn't going to suffer and be in so much pain if I knew I didn't have to. So I asked for the Epidural and got it around 12:45. Ahhhh...relief!!

Between 1pm and 3pm I dilated from 3cm to 8cm...then I started feeling pressure and pain on the left side of my belly. At this point I was laying on my right side since I had been on my left and my left leg was going completely numb, just as it did with Austin. My parents showed up. We chatted for a bit, then the nurses and Michael helped me roll to my left side. I was still feeling the pain, still feeling mild contractions when I figured I shouldn't be feeling anything, really. I told the nurse that I was feeling lots of pressure. I started feeling funny, anxious. I had my parents go get Austin from daycare and take him back to our home. It was now 3:30.

I started feeling lots of pressure, like I wanted to push. I was checked and she couldn't feel the cervix anymore, so I was dilated to 10cm now. In 30 minutes I dilated 2cm! While laying on my left side, she said we'd try one push as we lifted up my right leg. So.....push...and she said "Ok...stop. We need to get the doctor in here. You're crowning!"

When the doctor came in at 3:45, we just all stared at each other, waiting, waiting, for the next contraction to come....they were a little farther apart - so that between 3:45 and 4:07 I had three contractions that I pushed through. before the baby came out. The first one went well; in the mirror I could see the baby's head. The next contraction went well; I could still see the baby's head and I thought: "This looks awfully familiar. An opening too small for a head trying to come out. Crap. I'm going to get cut again." The doctor finished off my thought with: "Can you feel this at all?" I blurted out: "Nope, just make the cut and let's go!"

Snip, snip.

Another contraction, #3, and I push and then feel the baby coming out...then one more push and GUSH! "Stop, stop pushing! Whoa! Stop..." I look to my left where the sweet nurse who had been with me all day is now covered in my goop...and the doctor is literally catching our baby, who without the cord partially around its neck would have landed in the waste bucket below my bottom. The baby exploded out of me like a cannon ball...

It's a BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew it! I just had a feeling....and I was relieved! He is so perfect....such a handsome little man! And a good set of lungs on him! His cry made my heart sing!


His stats:

Name: ETHAN MICHAEL DREVLOW
DOB: 12/22/2008
TOB: 4:07 PM
Weight: 7lbs 3oz
Length: 20 inches

The Four of us Together for the First Time

End in Sight

I made it past my due date to another OB appointment today at 3:45.....and after some discussion with the doctor, there is end in sight. I am still dialated at 1cm and effaced at 50% - "staged and ready to go at any time; the conditions are favorable" the doctor said. Geez, sounds like he was giving a weather report or something! My regular OB will be back in the office on Monday the 22nd, (conveniently she's been in Peru on missionary work) and is on-call for deliveries that day, so if I don't have the baby by then, I am to report to the hospital at 8:00 to be induced.

Come on, baby - I hope it doesn't come to that! I'd like you to decide when to come - you know when it's time - I'm being patient so work with me!

SO...I'm not going to blog on anything more about being pregnant - the next post on this topic will be to let you know I'm either in labor and headed for the hospital, or I'll be sharing a great, super-exciting birthing story with pictures!

It Came and Went...

My due date was yesterday - it came and went without any excitement or signs. I was shopping yesterday at Walgreens, picking up a photo order, and the cashier said "You're so cute with that little belly of yours! When are you due?" I replied "Oh, today!". I got the weirdest look back - saying 'Why are you walking, what are you doing out in public, why are you shopping, driving, etc., are you crazy lady?' My thought - what else am I supposed to be doing? Sitting in a chair at home waiting? Talk about boring! But, I might take the advice of my dear husband and call it quits as far as teaching after today - I'll see what the doctor says when I see him at 3:45 this afternoon, pending nothing happens between now and then. It is getting harder and harder to walk 'normally' - after sitting for a bit I get so stiff, I waddle, and sometimes I feel like I'll stand up and the baby will fall right out! Geez, if it were that easy......I guess the baby is all warm and secure in there, s/he doesn't want to come out yet. The weather has been bitterly cold, and we're supposed to get 5-10 inches of snow tomorrow night into Friday.....

Patience

My due date is approaching - TOMORROW - and still....no signs of baby wanting to make a move. I still continue to have Braxton-Hicks contractions, but that's about all. I thought the baby would have arrived this past weekend....but alas, I'm back at school teaching, waiting, hoping my water doesn't break while I'm up in front of my class teaching or walking about the room.

So, we're still waiting....I know Michael is getting anxious, too. He called me after school today when he got home and I was leaving Younkers- "Any contractions yet?!" I said no, and I just heard a "(sigh), OK, I'll see you at home in a few minutes then."

Patience.

If I make it to my next appointment on December 17th, we'll find out more...or I'll coerce the doctor into 'helping'.....

Austin still waits for his baby brother or sister to sit next to him in the car, and to feed him/her, and to show him/her his tractors. He's getting excited, too.

Patience.

UGH - Stuck, but getting closer...

So, another OB appointment today, new (male) doctor....he's OK, but I prefer my lady OB. Just like her better in every sense possible.

I'm still at 1cm and 50%....but he said baby's head is really low, and usually the baby doesn't engage that far down until just before labor starts.

So I wait.

Just when are you going to decide to come out, baby?

I feel like (and walk like) a 99 year old woman getting out of a chair when I sit for too long...

I'm ready to eat spicy chili - or a whole pineapple - or do jumping jacks, or do the stairs about 50 times....maybe a bumpy tractor ride? Will that help you?

Nah. I'll try and be patient....but if I'm still pregnant on the 16th.......??!!

Ha!

Our SANTA Tree!?

On Sunday afternoon we bundled up and ventured out in the gently falling snow to Kramer's Trees to walk amongst the growing acres of trees, choose the 'perfect one', and saw it down....

But, it is not a Christmas Tree to Austin ---- but a Santa Tree. I don't know where he got that from, he can say the word Christmas just fine, but for right now he insists on Santa Tree.

Austin was excited this year, and he helped pick out our tree. He watched excitedly as Michael cut it down.

Then we loaded it up in the back of the truck, went to pay the man and we were off back home We couldn't bring it in right away because it was full of snow and wet, so Michael propped it up in the garage overnight and we brought it in on Monday evening. It waited in our home and had a great big drink of water until tonight, Tuesday, when we brought out the ornaments and decorated it.

Here Austin is looking at the first ornament on the tree - he got to hang it all by himself. It's a tractor ornament, of course! (Don't ask why he's only in a t-shirt, diaper, and Crocs....)

Putting on the finishing touches....

It is a beautiful tree!

A Snow Day!

Today we woke up, looked outside, and got what we were promised by the local weather forecasters....snow! Lots of it - enough of it - that they cancelled classes for both Michael and I. I called Tiny Tigers and told them Austin would not be coming today....I was keeping him home all to myself! Michael went into work to get caught up on some tech stuff, while Austin and I enjoyed our day off together....just the two of us, since our lives will be changing soon with the new baby. Together we rearranged some toys that needed a new space due to our tree being up....we put the lights up on the tree, we read books, we made sandwiches for lunch...then Austin fell off the chair at the island and needed cuddle time. We rocked and cuddled together in the glider then fell asleep together and had a nice nap. We all ventured out tonight and did a little shopping...mine is just about all done; there are just 2-3 things I need to pick up yet. What a great feeling. I need to start wrapping - my favorite part!!

"Momma, My Baby's Cryin' because....."

Our little cutie-patootie Austin is so funny regarding the baby growing inside my belly! He thinks now everyone has a baby in their belly - including him, and if he wants something, its not him that wants it, its his baby. "Momma, my baby's cryin' because it wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich..." or "Momma, my baby's cryin' because it wants something to drink..." The very first time he said it, I had to turn my head and let out a quiet laugh and a big smile....I found it funny and cute at the same time.

Out of the mouth of a babe....

I'm in LOVE with a DOCTOR!

Ok, so it's probably not what you think.....but I'm in love...in love with the Rug Doctor! I had Michael go to Menard's and rent one for the day so I could completely clean the rug in our living room and the one on the landing upstairs, and I ran it over the carpets in the downstairs bedroom and Austin's room (just the traffic/exposed areas, not moving the furniture in those...since hopefully they'll be torn out relatively soon and replaced with wood). The carpets look so much better - and fresh smelling now! Hmmm...if only I could keep my husband's shoes, his drinks of choice, and the dog off the carpets, I'd be set! :)

One and Fifty

So --- it's a start, at least! On Tuesday I went to the OB and I was "checked", and I am 1cm dialated and 50% effaced....we'll see how fast I progress from there. The baby has dropped - it happened over Thanksgiving break. My students and colleagues have noticed, not to mention me - since my pants tend to slide down a bit more in front if I'm wearing the wonderful demi-panel maternity pants, and even my panties 'roll' down in the front. I wasn't too gung-ho about purchasing maternity panties with Austin, so I never did, and figured my Victoria's Secret panties would do me just fine again...which they are. But they roll down in front and it's kind of funny thinking about it! Baby's bag is ready for the hospital...and mine is as much as it can be for now. Yippee - almost there!