Happy Due Day

I 

I couldn't imagine still having her inside of me today.  I have learned anything is possible...don't be a know it all.  Plus, when a baby isn't overdue, apparently they don't have dry skin, super soft , no peeling.

 As requested, hair pic.  Allow for no makeup, no sleep, no styling, etc., but I am enjoying not having it so long.  The stylist went on and on and on about how thick it was.  No wonder my haircuts never turn out right.

Goodnight Nurse!

Busy day.  Got a haircut tho.  Must save energy for V Day love.

She's Mine, All Mine!!!

Dang!  I wish I was babealicious after birth...or when pregnant, etc.  It took all my effort to apply some mascara before the kids came to the hospital in some desperate attempt to help them know Mom sort of has it together.  But it is of great comfort to know that regardless of how old or young or fat (jiggly is more like it) I may look right now, I had the enormous honor of putting a giant flower headband on my daughter.  I have had this wish for several years, as such devices (torture devices is what my bro would probably say) did not exist when Judy was a wee babe.  I only had her wear it for a minute, and it was heaven.  Yes, the time period in which she will actually allow this will be brief, but wee! it was fun to do it in the hospital.  

My Baby Girl is perfect, though over 9 pounds hurts way worse than less than 9, for the record.  I will never forgot those horrible few minutes.  My CNM, Georgianna, is my hero.  She had this little girl out in 2-3 contractions, with me being sorta uncooperative from pain, and with a nuchal cord and a longer than normal shoulder delivery.  I have to laugh because my days of off and on labor were pretty sucky (I normally don't use such a word but they were), but when we committed to go to the hospital and at least if anything was happening, and then the nurse said I was 7 cm, I got a very LET'S GET THIS DONE attitude.  I said please get Georgianna here before my water breaks and I want this over as soon as possible.  The nurse started to walk me slowly from triage to L & D and said to let her know when I needed to stop for contractions.  I power walked through contractions (not super normal for me) and just was a lady on a mission.  Now, waiting an hourish to decide to push or not, with maybe broken water and maybe not, was a little frustrating, but being I have a reputation of getting frustrated when Lucas and Georgianna are having lightheartedness conversation while I feel I am dying, I tried to keep my conversation light and crack jokes between contractions.  Rather I was funny or pitiful will never be made known to me (thank goodness).  Through each contraction I felt sort of like pushing but not oodles, and Georgianna just waited and said let me know when they are strong enough.  I was quiet and just breathed through each one with deep breaths.  Not even looking into eyes or anything, just eyes closed, breathe through, get to pushing.  That's how it went down.  Granted, I have to say ouch through the contractions when we get to pushing.  It's like tradition, I think.  I shan't bore you with further gory details, but Georgianna is a miracle lady.  She made all the fears I developed of childbirth thanks to mi mama and some educators not come to fruition, not once but 5 times. 

But wow, once she was out and I declined touching her head and said just get her out and put her on me, and then when they plopped the little blueberry (a girl tradition apparently as Judy was also blue) on me and suctioned her, I got that I love you, I love you, I love you feeling and was thankful.  We got skin to skin because they said it would help with her problems, and Husband got a picture which I will cherish as we had missed photographing anything so intimate with the other babies.  And he is so good he didn't even get any boobage in there because I am not that kind of lady.  Sure, she turned blue again while doing her first nursing, but then she was fine.  They did poke the heck out of her (chubby babies can possibly have blood sugar issues but she turned out okay).  I love her.  I am so glad to have had each of my children, with Husband there being just who I needed him to be, with Georgianna there doing all the things needed to make it as bearable as possible, and for so many amazing nurses.  I have no jerky nurse stories.  This may be the end of an era, and a huge part of me hopes so, so, yes, I may be crazy sentimental and take as many or more pics of my kids and DG (baby girl) in the next little while than the last 10 years combined, but I am a big believer in whatever works.  And cherishing all these little things that no one else could probably care less about is what makes me tick currently.  Postpartum hormones, not good for concise, clear thinking, but I got some documentation so all is well!

P.S. DG looks like Judy Moody as a newborn except for, ya know, the extra 3/4 pound and the VERY THICK black hair.  I am so excited to continue to grow this little? family up with the husband and to see how they all turn out, hoping that the awkward parts iron themselves out!!!  Here's to the present and future!

Home Sweet Home

I can hardly guess how this will all go down as we try to get into a rhythm rounds these parts.  Wish us luck.  No work "work" for 5 weeks at least!

And suddenly everything changed

9 pounds and 4.3 ounces, 21 inches, born at 11:31 p.m. last night.

Nothing was what I expected in the last few days, but that is life.  I will say God is good, and He is there in the darkest hours.  After I survived some unpleasant hours, my heart overflowed with gratitude to Him and to those who love Him and so serve as His hands.

My baby came out SO big but so beautiful.  Her beginnings about knocked her dad and I off our feet and caused a lot of soul searching but I LOVE surprises and, for now, I feel so complete and loved and looked out for and happy.  AND though I have few answers to timing of events, I do believe there is a reason and purpose to each "surprise" in my life.

Ouch

Hulk and I are cuddling, so much so that Husband thinks a) he knows something is up and b) he is trying to get back into the womb so he can be baby again.  Poor guy.  He's going to love her though!  He is a serious baby lover.

Slushie

A couple of hours ago, because I felt stir crazy and our dog was acting a bit neurotic, we went on a walk after 3ish days of snow and 1 day of rain.  What a mess!  We haven't snow/rain boots, so the last half mile or so was pretty squishy in the shoe/sock area, but Enzo had fun and we got a little exercise and didn't fall on our bums on the half ice/half slush sort of scraped sidewalks.  Mini adventure completed.