Little Gabriel has been growing like a weed! In addition to eating "big people food", he's also jabbering like crazy (Dadadadada! Mamamama! Rarararara! I'm not sure where the last one came from!), and has started army crawling (though he doesn't get too far)!
So of course, I am feeling like my little tiny baby isn't little at all anymore. In an effort to feel a connection to what used to be, I thought a few days ago that it would be a good idea to try nursing again. (Keep in mind, it's been around two months since I gave up trying to get him to nurse, and about 3.5 months since his refusal first began and I became an exclusive pumper.)
Well... let's just say he got his point across! My darling little angel first turned his head away, and when I continued to offer he looked up at me, leaned in real close, and bit me!
OUCH! He has teeth! So I'm really done this time. Done. Done. DONE!
I have a new found respect for my pump now. At least it doesn't bite.
I hear you, Gabriel, loud and clear. I promise to only offer mommy milk in a bottle from now on.
This post is part of the Breastfeeding Blog Hop. This week's topic is pumping. Take a peek at some of the other posts below, and share some BFing love!!
Showing posts with label Gabriel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gabriel. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2011
Why I'm Moooing
This post is my contribution to The Breastfeeding Blog Hop hosted by Life with Levi, The Slacker Mom, and Diary of a Devil Dog Wife. This week'ss topic is pumping. Feel free to link up, and please visit the other blogs listed below to share some BFing love!!
From the beginning, I didn't find breastfeeding all that difficult. We did have some latching issues in the hospital, but with the help of a nipple shield we got off to a great start! My milk came in (phew!), his latch caught on (finally!), and I reached my first initial goal (3 months). Success!
While pregnant, I had decided that love it or hate it, I would at least nurse for 3 months. So when that milestone rolled around, I set my next goal- 1 year. Things were going so well that I knew I'd make it to a year easy. Then it hit- the nursing strike. No matter what I tried, my darling little 4 month old screamed bloody murder at the sight of my breast. Everything I read said to be patient and keep trying...but not to be pushy. So I'd offer, he'd scream, and I would give him a bottle. My breast pump became my best friend, and I felt like a failure. I reminded myself daily that he was still getting my milk, and that was all that mattered; my broken heart felt otherwise. I missed the emotional aspect of nursing, and felt like i should be mooing as I pumped away my day.
During the month and a half I tried to work through the strike, we had just a handful of nursing sessions, each in the bathtub. I know the warm water relaxed both of us and calmed the mountain of stress I was carrying on my back. I could tell he found comfort in nursing, and that made our situation much harder on me. I considered our tub sessions a step in the right direction, but it wasn't long before they became screaming sessions instead. I finally decided that a month and a half of being rejected was all I had in me, and threw in the towel.
I realized though that since I'd already been pumping that whole time, there really was nothing keeping me from continuing. After doing a little research online, I was quickly empowered by the number of moms committed to exclusively pumping. (which is how i was introduced to Life with Levi's, Jen!)
Gabriel is 7 months old now, and I'm as determined as ever to make it to one year! Now that I have a good routine, and have become creative with when and where I pump, it's really not that big of a deal. I enjoy knowing I'm doing the best i can for my son. Sure I still feel a little like mooing.
MOOOOOooooooo!
That feels better.
Gabriel is 7 months old now, and I'm as determined as ever to make it to one year! Now that I have a good routine, and have become creative with when and where I pump, it's really not that big of a deal. I enjoy knowing I'm doing the best i can for my son. Sure I still feel a little like mooing.
MOOOOOooooooo!
That feels better.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Swim Lessons
I read that in Florida, Arizona, Texas, and California, drowning is the number one cause of death for children under 5 years of age. That's such a frightening thought! So when we attended swim lessons with my nieces and nephew today, I was so excited when the instructor offered to teach Gabriel as well. At the beginning of the session she showed me how to teach him to hold his breath. He did it the first time she put his head under the water! We practiced while the other kids had their lessons.
Scout has gone from being terrified to put her face in the water, to being a little fish! Prior to our visit, she mastered the swim-float-swim technique, and her skills were put to the test while fully clothed. Her instructor simulated her falling into the pool by turning her over in the water. She had to pull her jacket off of her face, float to catch her breath, and then swim to safety. She passed with flying colors! So today, she had her first snorkel lesson!
Jack and Davie are still working on swim-float-swim, and are doing great! I was so impressed!
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After all three kids had their lesson Gabriel got to take his turn. She would place him in the water on his tummy face down, and then help him to roll over and float on his back. It was amazing how well he did! With just one lesson he was doing a pretty decent job of floating without help.
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I'd never given much thought to it before (seeing that we don't have a pool), but I am such a fan of teaching young children how to swim to safety (or an infant how to float until they can be rescued) after talking with the swim instructor! The pool is a place of fun for most, but the reality is, it can be deadly. The simple solution, and one that I'm learning many Florida residents are very passionate about, is teaching young children pool safety and survival techniques.
If you live near Clermont, Fl and are interested in lessons for your infant or child, please contact Kathleen Pickard at (352)24-FLOAT or visit the Swim Safely Facebook page.
Scout has gone from being terrified to put her face in the water, to being a little fish! Prior to our visit, she mastered the swim-float-swim technique, and her skills were put to the test while fully clothed. Her instructor simulated her falling into the pool by turning her over in the water. She had to pull her jacket off of her face, float to catch her breath, and then swim to safety. She passed with flying colors! So today, she had her first snorkel lesson!
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| A pro already! |
After all three kids had their lesson Gabriel got to take his turn. She would place him in the water on his tummy face down, and then help him to roll over and float on his back. It was amazing how well he did! With just one lesson he was doing a pretty decent job of floating without help.
I'd never given much thought to it before (seeing that we don't have a pool), but I am such a fan of teaching young children how to swim to safety (or an infant how to float until they can be rescued) after talking with the swim instructor! The pool is a place of fun for most, but the reality is, it can be deadly. The simple solution, and one that I'm learning many Florida residents are very passionate about, is teaching young children pool safety and survival techniques.
If you live near Clermont, Fl and are interested in lessons for your infant or child, please contact Kathleen Pickard at (352)24-FLOAT or visit the Swim Safely Facebook page.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Gabriel's First Flight
Gabriel and I set out on an exciting voyage yesterday- his very first flight! To start our trip we first had to drive about 4 hours to Dallas. (There were no direct flights out of Tulsa to Orlando. Plus it cost much less to drive to and fly out of Dallas.) Gabriel napped and played in the car and was really a delight. We arrived at DFW about an hour and a half before our flight and found out that our flight was delayed. After checking our bag and carseat (with help from Mimi and Gramps- thanks!), and making our way through security, we had over 2 hours to kill. I found a quiet spot and layed a blanket down for Gabriel to play on. He smiled, played and people watched and smiled some more. Prior to boarding, he took a bottle and fell asleep. Perfect! We boarded the plane and made our way to the last row. This awful set up was only balanced out by the fact that the only 2 empty seats were right next to us!! The captain came on, and Gabriel woke up to flirt with the flight attendant and the lady seated across from us. I was feeling confident that we were going to make it through the flight just fine. Gabriel had napped, I had come prepared with snacks, bottles, and new toys to entertain him with. So off we went! I had planned to give Gabriel a bottle during take off to help with his ears, but he had other plans. Instead of drinking some of the bottle I had, he returned the bottle he had drank earlier- soaking himself and me!
So I changed his outfit (remember, I'm prepared!) and realized I had forgotten a lessen that I had learned the hard way once already- always have a change of clothes for me too. The plane had just taken off for a 2.5 hour flight and my shirt was soaking wet and smelled bad, real bad.
I was a little rattled, but told myself that it could be worse. Then it got worse. We hit some turbulence (not too much, but more than I have ever experienced) and once again Gabriel projectile vomited all over me. Then my pants were soaked too.
Gabriel smiled at me though and continued to play with his fun new toys. The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful, and my sweet baby feel asleep right before we landed. We were the last (and the stinkiest) passengers off the plane.
I then took off my mom hat and put on my Super Mom cape (which is what I'm now calling the sling I carry Gabriel in). I wish I had taken a picture, but since I had no free hands and no actual super powers, that was truly impossible.
Gabriel strapped to my front side, I pulled my carry on behind me, with the diaper bag strapped to it. We made our way down to baggage claim where I picked up the suitcase I had checked and his carseat. Like a balancing act you'd see at the circus, I held his carseat handle and the handle to my suitcase in one hand, my carry on in the other, and made my way outside. I know I was a sight because one lady said as I passed by, "Oh excuse me. Wow, she has a lot of stuff. AND a baby?! Somebody help that lady!" I found it funny that she thought it was wise for someone else to help me and not to just do it herself, but it didn't matter anyway. Super Mom had things under control! I was smelly, exhausted, and loaded down like a pack mule, but on the other side of those sliding glass doors was victory- our chariot to our home for the next 3 weeks!
Now that I've had hot shower, a good night's sleep, and a fun day of play with my nieces and nephew, I know I'd do it all over again. Except next time, with a change of clothes in hand.
So I changed his outfit (remember, I'm prepared!) and realized I had forgotten a lessen that I had learned the hard way once already- always have a change of clothes for me too. The plane had just taken off for a 2.5 hour flight and my shirt was soaking wet and smelled bad, real bad.
I was a little rattled, but told myself that it could be worse. Then it got worse. We hit some turbulence (not too much, but more than I have ever experienced) and once again Gabriel projectile vomited all over me. Then my pants were soaked too.
Gabriel smiled at me though and continued to play with his fun new toys. The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful, and my sweet baby feel asleep right before we landed. We were the last (and the stinkiest) passengers off the plane.
I then took off my mom hat and put on my Super Mom cape (which is what I'm now calling the sling I carry Gabriel in). I wish I had taken a picture, but since I had no free hands and no actual super powers, that was truly impossible.
Gabriel strapped to my front side, I pulled my carry on behind me, with the diaper bag strapped to it. We made our way down to baggage claim where I picked up the suitcase I had checked and his carseat. Like a balancing act you'd see at the circus, I held his carseat handle and the handle to my suitcase in one hand, my carry on in the other, and made my way outside. I know I was a sight because one lady said as I passed by, "Oh excuse me. Wow, she has a lot of stuff. AND a baby?! Somebody help that lady!" I found it funny that she thought it was wise for someone else to help me and not to just do it herself, but it didn't matter anyway. Super Mom had things under control! I was smelly, exhausted, and loaded down like a pack mule, but on the other side of those sliding glass doors was victory- our chariot to our home for the next 3 weeks!
Now that I've had hot shower, a good night's sleep, and a fun day of play with my nieces and nephew, I know I'd do it all over again. Except next time, with a change of clothes in hand.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Our Father's Day
Gabriel and I really missed Daddy today. It breaks my heart that he missed his first Father's Day. I hope that because today was Sunday that he was in fact allowed some down time to relax. (They are supposed to be able to attend church, write letters home, etc.) I wonder if his RDC yelled, "HAPPY Blank-ety-blank FATHER'S DAY!" to all the wonderful fathers in boot camp? It's the thought that counts, right?
To celebrate Joey today, Gabriel and I made Daddy a special letter.
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To celebrate Joey today, Gabriel and I made Daddy a special letter.
Gabriel was pretty upset about all the goo on his hands and feet, but calmed down after he had a chance to inspect the strange substance for himself.
A quick trip to the tub washed away all his concerns (and the paint too!).
We still haven't received a letter from Daddy or our packet from the Navy, so we won't be able to send this letter just yet. I've been writing since he left though, so I'm hoping to get his address soon. I know our letters will mean a great deal to him (especially this one!), as well as all the pictures I'll be enclosing.
How did you spend your Father's Day?
How did you spend your Father's Day?
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Rise and Shine!
I've never been a morning person. I'm writing this at 3am, so my love of being up late may have something to do with that! I love a quiet house, the tv and computer to myself, and a late night snack. So mornings are not my friend...until recently.
Our morning routine starts around 6-7, when Gabriel wakes up. He sleeps in bed with me, which means I wake up to smiles instead of cries from the other room. I love that his stirring wakes me up, and I'm then able to watch him wake up, roll over, look up at me and smile his gigantic smile. He almost always pats my cheek as he's grinning from ear to ear. I know this is his way of saying, "Good morning, Momma."
We make our way downstairs, and I put Gabriel in his exersaucer. He plays, and I watch. I love how active he is the morning. He mashes buttons, spins noisemakers, chews on the toys that hang out far enough, and smiles and smiles and smiles! Recently, he's been cracking me up looking at himself in the mirror. He catches a glimpse, leans in real close, and then cheeses so big!
But quickly chooses the quicker route...
(Notice those bananas are still hanging out on his tray. He wasn't a fan. Bananas are one of the very few things I don't like. I know I said Mmmmm in the same way I have with every other food he's tried, but maybe he picked up my icky banana vibe?)
Our morning routine starts around 6-7, when Gabriel wakes up. He sleeps in bed with me, which means I wake up to smiles instead of cries from the other room. I love that his stirring wakes me up, and I'm then able to watch him wake up, roll over, look up at me and smile his gigantic smile. He almost always pats my cheek as he's grinning from ear to ear. I know this is his way of saying, "Good morning, Momma."
We make our way downstairs, and I put Gabriel in his exersaucer. He plays, and I watch. I love how active he is the morning. He mashes buttons, spins noisemakers, chews on the toys that hang out far enough, and smiles and smiles and smiles! Recently, he's been cracking me up looking at himself in the mirror. He catches a glimpse, leans in real close, and then cheeses so big!
After some good playing, we head into the kitchen for some breakfast. Gabriel watches me whip up something yummy from his highchair. Lately, he's been having oatmeal and a fruit. He always starts out using his spoon.
But quickly chooses the quicker route...
(Notice those bananas are still hanging out on his tray. He wasn't a fan. Bananas are one of the very few things I don't like. I know I said Mmmmm in the same way I have with every other food he's tried, but maybe he picked up my icky banana vibe?)
This face might be a pretty good indicator that I need to Mmmmm with a little more enthusiasm.
I was laughing at his face instead of making sure the camera was focused...darn it!
After a good wipe down, Gabriel is usually ready for a nap. I join in on the fun most days. I can't seem to turn down a nap. Plus, it's the perfect way to round out our morning. I never would have imagined loving mornings like I do now. Just another way this little man has improved my life!
Are you a morning person? What's your morning routine?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Gabriel's Adventures in Baby Led Weaning
I mentioned in an earlier post that we had decided on baby led weaning as our method of introducing solid foods to Gabriel. Now that we've been at it for a while, I couldn't be more thrilled with that decision! Gabriel loves feeding himself, and I love that I can take pictures instead of manning the spoon! Here's some pictures of our recent adventures with solid foods!
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| He made a face at first, but loved his broccoli. |
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| He couldn't get enough mango! Call it coincedence if you choose, but he made Mmmmm noises the whole time! |
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| Oatmeal was yummy and super messy! He used a spoon at first, but as you can tell it didn't last long. |
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Using a mesh feeder helps him hold real slippery fruit like cantaloupe.   |
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Baby Led Weaning
So far, Gabriel has had ZERO interest in baby food. He'll let you put in a bite of baby mush and that's about it. He has however, been eye-balling and reaching for everything that we eat for quite some time now. Our pediatrician told us at his four month appointment that we could start trying solids and mentioned that he is a big fan of just letting baby try a taste of what's on your plate. We weren't opposed to that at all, but I guess at the time I didn't think too much about it. We tried rice cereal and oatmeal on and off with no success. I wasn't in a hurry to get him to eat solid foods yet; it's more about exploring at this age anyway. So after laying off for about a month or more, we tried sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, apples, and bananas all several times- still nothing. He started to become more agitated while watching the big people eat though, so slowly I started giving him a taste. He tore up the sweet potato I was eating at Outback Steakhouse, went to town on a lemon wedge that we gave him as a joke, and snatched Mimi's piece of raisin bread right out of her hand and shoved it in his mouth!! (By the way, seeing whole re-hydrated raisins later in his diaper was really quite disturbing!) So I started wondering why I couldn't just give him normal table food? After a little research online, I found quite a bit of information on Baby Led Weaning, which is just a fancy name for giving your little one regular food in manageable pieces that they eat all on their own. This obviously means lots of messes to clean up, but also means that baby is learning to chew before swallowing (which baby food doesn't teach); they're exploring different textures, and developing fine motor skills. So it's been decided. Gabriel will be a BLW baby. Although we've played around at this already without really knowing it, today was the first time Gabriel sat in his seat and was served up regular food that was all his own. He thoroughly enjoyed nom nom noming on his green beans!
For more info on baby led weaning and the most adorable pics of babes chowing down, visit http://www.babyledweaning.com/
Did any of you choose to skip over baby food? I'd love to hear your experiences!
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| Green bean cigarette? |
For more info on baby led weaning and the most adorable pics of babes chowing down, visit http://www.babyledweaning.com/
Did any of you choose to skip over baby food? I'd love to hear your experiences!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Growing, Going, and Girls
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| His favorite place to play- besides Mommy and Daddy's laps of course! |
Last week we decided to try giving him some rice cereal. He opened wide like a little birdie, and smiled the entire time! I think he really liked it.
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| Mmmmm...Yummy! |
Cereal or not, this boy has been making good use of all the food going into his fat belly. He shot out of his 0-3 month clothing (at 4 months), and doesn't really have any growing room left in the new 3-6 month sleepers I bought him. I swear he grew 3 inches overnight! It's a good thing too, because he's only been growing wide for some time now. I kept telling him that if he didn't start growing long ways that he was going to be a square!
Gabriel and I have been on the go quite a bit lately. He loves to be out and about, so I try to take him visiting or just on a stroll at least every other day or so. It's so refreshing to get out of the house, and he really does enjoy it. He has started staying awake on our car rides more often, and gets very excited when I turn on the tunes. He sings along most of the time now (even though he never seems to get the words right!) and it's all I can do to keep my eyes on the road instead of watching him in his backseat mirror. He just melts my heart.
Last weekend, we got together with all the other couples from our childbirth class for a little reunion. It was so fun hearing everyone's birth stories and getting to see all the babies! We ended our little party by lining up all the babies for pictures. Here's a picture of the group in order of birth.
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| Chase, Blaise, Ethan, Naomi, Gabriel, Parker, and Isaiah |
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| He's such a ladies man! |
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| "Look Momma, a pretty girl!" |
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| Only a good friend would let you snack on their tutu! |
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Gabe's discovery
Look what Gabe found in the tub today-
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| "What is this?" |
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| "I can touch it!" |
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| "Did you know this was here?" |
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| He's pretty pleased with his accomplishment! |
Friday, March 4, 2011
No Mommy, that's for babies!
At 3 months old, my sweet little baby has decided he is a baby no more! With all the world to see and explore, he is no longer content just laying around cooing. No sir! He wants to explore! How do 3 month olds explore you ask? They can't crawl, can't walk, and can't say, "Hey Mom let's go look over there!" So Gabriel fusses. You lay the kid down for one second and he fusses.
It's really quite comical. It's as if he's trying to tell me that he's tired of having to look at the ceiling. Our good friends told us about enjoying "happy baby" while it lasted. They explained that both of their kids reached a stage where they could see something across the room they wanted but because they couldn't crawl yet they had no way to get to it. Add to that the inability to say what it is that they want and you get a fussy baby. I'm wondering if our "happy baby" time had already elapsed.
Some days he requires my FULL attention every minute! He requires that I sit with him in my lap playing with something or watching tv (I know it's awful, but the kid loves tv screens! Funny sidebar- Joey and I took him to the mall to walk around and as we were strolling through Sears a sales lady stopped us to talk to him. She said, "Well hello there! Hi! Hi? You're not looking at me!" He had his head turned away from her and was staring at the wall of tvs in the electronics department! LOL I had to apologize and explain that he also ignores me if there's a tv in the room!) On grumpy days, he also insists I carry him around the house, or venture out in the stroller. I'm actually quite happy that he's taken an interest in riding in the stroller because I could stand to lose a few. Tuesday's stroll began with a failed attempt at a picture with a smile. He was way more interested in hitting the road than having his picture taken.
He's also decided he's way too big to be carted around in his carseat. How's a growing boy supposed to explore sitting in that darn carseat! Once again, I think that ceiling is pretty boring. Wednesday lunches with Grandma, GiGi, and Aunt Staci are going to be much more enjoyable now that I've discovered that the kid loves his stroller.
It's hard to believe that in just 3 short months, my tiny baby boy has grown so much. Cuddling used to be his favorite way to spend the day, but he's discovered now that there's a whole new world out there. I just know I'm going to spin around and he'll be headed off to college.
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The meltdown is beginning! |
It's really quite comical. It's as if he's trying to tell me that he's tired of having to look at the ceiling. Our good friends told us about enjoying "happy baby" while it lasted. They explained that both of their kids reached a stage where they could see something across the room they wanted but because they couldn't crawl yet they had no way to get to it. Add to that the inability to say what it is that they want and you get a fussy baby. I'm wondering if our "happy baby" time had already elapsed.
Some days he requires my FULL attention every minute! He requires that I sit with him in my lap playing with something or watching tv (I know it's awful, but the kid loves tv screens! Funny sidebar- Joey and I took him to the mall to walk around and as we were strolling through Sears a sales lady stopped us to talk to him. She said, "Well hello there! Hi! Hi? You're not looking at me!" He had his head turned away from her and was staring at the wall of tvs in the electronics department! LOL I had to apologize and explain that he also ignores me if there's a tv in the room!) On grumpy days, he also insists I carry him around the house, or venture out in the stroller. I'm actually quite happy that he's taken an interest in riding in the stroller because I could stand to lose a few. Tuesday's stroll began with a failed attempt at a picture with a smile. He was way more interested in hitting the road than having his picture taken.
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"Really? Again with the camera! Can we go already?!" |
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| I have no idea why playing in the stroller is better than his carseat, but whatever! |
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Part Three- The Birth
**Bradley friends- reading this part will take away the excitement come story hour at the reunion! I don’t mind if you don’t, but just in case you wanted to be surprised! J
On Thanksgiving day (three days before my due date), I joked with family that my plan was to eat as much as possible to force him out! I figured if I ate a ton, he'd run out of room, and I'd get to eat as much as I wanted without being judged!! We got home from the family dinner at about 5:30pm and I was exhausted so I took a nap. I woke up at about 7:30pm and was still exhausted, and even though I knew I'd end up messing up my sleep pattern by going back to bed, I had no choice because I could barely keep my eyes open. I woke up at about 3am, and felt rested, but was frustrated that I was wide awake at 3am. I picked up a book and started reading and at about 3:30am I had my first contraction. I knew instantly that it was the real deal because it felt so much more intense than the Braxton hicks contractions I'd been having off and on. I figured I'd labor for quite a while (being that it was my first) so I just kept reading. Only what seemed like a few minutes passed by and I had another, so I decided to follow the advice from my Bradley class- drink a glass of water, take a walk, take a bath, and try to sleep and see if labor speeds up, slows down, or stops all together. I didn't feel up to a walk (and it was 3am!), but I grabbed a bottle of water and drew a bath. It seemed like the bath made things worse, and I was uncomfortable so I got out and tried laying down in bed. I couldn't even begin to get comfortable, and it seemed like my contractions were a lot closer together than they should be this early on- so I grabbed my phone to time them. They were 5 minutes apart, but only lasting 45 seconds so I figured I still had a ways to go. I drew another bath and climbed in with my book, but with the first contraction tossed the book across the bathroom. I did my best to relax, and after a while I got out of the tub to time my contractions again, but I had to concentrate so hard on relaxing through the contractions that I couldn't time them myself. Joey was at work and was supposed to get off at 7am, but at 5:30am (after 2 hours of laboring alone) I gave in and called him. He got home a little after 6, and started timing my contractions as soon as he got there- only 45 seconds long, and the first few were 4 and 5 min apart. (We had learned in class that for most, it was best to follow the 5-1-1 rule: wait to go to the hospital until your contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting one minute for one hour.) My contractions were REALLY intense and Joey could tell I was having trouble relaxing- something I'd been practicing for months. So he asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. Our hospital was 45 minutes away and my biggest fear was getting there too soon. Knowing that I would be more comfortable laboring at home as long as possible, I told him that they needed to be longer than 45 seconds before we left. Right after our hospital conversation my contractions seemed to be coming one on top of another so he timed them- TWO minutes apart! So he then got real serious about going to the hospital and I agreed to go only if he'd promise that we would leave if I wasn't dilated to at least a 5. He agreed and off we went (it was about 7am). I was very restless in the car, but because Joey had just left work he asked if he could swing through McDonalds and get something to eat. I wanted to say no, but I knew that he'd need the energy (he had been at work for over 10 hours!) so I agreed. We got on the highway and I turned around in the seat, took the headrest off, and hugged the seat while up on my knees. My contractions bounced back and forth between being 4-5 minutes apart to being one right after the other. I so desperately wanted out of that car! We reached the first of two tolls we needed to go through before reaching the hospital. I instructed Joey to just drive through the pike pass lane (even though we didn’t have a pass). He didn’t seem to think that slowing down and paying the toll was a big deal- plus he’s an honest man J so I bit my tongue. By the time we reached the second toll I was so desperate to get there that I shouted, “Don’t you dare stop and pay the toll!“ Joey did as he was told, and went on through. (Nothing happened to us by the way… so I guess they don’t monitor that in Oklahoma?) We finally got to the hospital a little after 8am, and it took quite a while for me to walk to the elevator, ride up to the 3rd floor, and over to L&D. Why didn't I get a wheelchair everyone asks? I couldn't stand the thought of sitting so I walked ever so slowly stopping numerous times to get through contractions. They got me into a room, made me lay down to strap a monitor on me (GRRR!), and checked me- I was a 7! They told me they were calling my midwife, going to get me the wireless monitor so that I could get up from the bed, and that I needed to let them know if my water broke or if I had an urge to push. I looked at Joey and said, "You better call everyone!" So he made a few phone calls, they took some blood, and in about 45 min the midwife was there. She checked me again- I was an 8 and baby was at +1 station! She recommended breaking my water, and left us to think it over. Joey insisted it wouldn't cause problems at this point in the game (I didn't want any interventions) and when she returned we agreed to let her. She gathered her stuff, broke my water, and told me that I should let her know when I felt the urge to push. I still didn't have the wireless monitor and she could tell I was suffering in the bed so she told me I could get up and could move as far as the cords would reach. So Joey helped me up, and the second my feet hit the floor I felt the urge! They had me lay back down, told me to bear down a little, and let them know if that made it feel better. When I screamed YES, my midwife checked me- only a small lip left- and everyone went crazy rushing around grabbing things and throwing on paper outfits!! I was turned over on my side hugging the rail on the side of the bed. There wasn’t much time in between each of my contractions, and I was struggling to regain my composure. I remember losing my focus and Joey bringing me back down to earth by getting right next to my head and saying directly into my ear, “You HAVE to breathe. Remember to breathe. Slow, deep breaths.” Joey encouraged me every second, and at times it seemed like he was the only one in the room. The entire pushing phase is really a blur to me- it was even right afterward. I do remember feeling like nothing was happening through many contractions. My nurse, Francis, kept saying, “Push Push Push! You’ve almost got it! You’ve almost got it!“ I was so frustrated by her saying that because I could tell that wasn’t the case at all. I was pushing with all my might and he wasn’t budging. I imagine that was her way of encouraging me, but I didn’t like that she was insinuating that he was almost out- I knew that wasn’t true. When things started moving again they told me to feel Gabriel crowning and Joey said when I did that I started sobbing uncontrollably (I don't remember the sobbing at all), and then got down to business! I knew we were almost there when my midwife’s voice got more excited and Joey leaned in real close and said into my ear, “Don’t stop pushing!” He was out that very contraction! I only pushed for 35 minutes total (so lucky!) and got to cut the cord myself. They laid my 6 pound 10 ounce bluish colored baby boy on my stomach and I just stared at him in a state of shock.
I had imagined feeling an overwhelming sense of love and emotion in that moment, but the truth was that all I really felt was relieved that he was finally out of me! They took him across the room to clean him up, and when they brought him back to me I got to experience that whirlwind of emotion holding my precious baby boy. His little swollen blue eyes looked up at me and I melted into the bed. Years of planning, praying, daydreaming, and crying myself to sleep had all brought me to this moment. I was holding MY SON…and he was perfect.
For those of you that need the details- Gabriel David was born November 26, 2010 at 9:43am. He weighed 6 lbs 10 oz and was 19.25in long. His apgar was an 8/9- docked for color both times. He was a lovely shade of blue! J We were in fact successful with our natural childbirth, and my labor from first contraction to his arrival was just over 6 hours. They told me the next time that I should labor on the steps of the hospital instead of at home!
For those of you in the Tulsa, OK area that are now or may be pregnant soon- look into seeing my midwife, Kim Kmita. (South Tulsa Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates 918-858-0008) She was amazing!! We delivered at Saint Francis South and I could not say enough about the incredible care we received there. Every single nurse was very friendly and helpful, the food was great, the rooms nice- all around great experience! We took Bradley classes from Katherine (Kathy) Taylor. She was a terrific instructor, and is also a doula as well!! (momsdoula7@gmail.com or 918-494-2804)
On Thanksgiving day (three days before my due date), I joked with family that my plan was to eat as much as possible to force him out! I figured if I ate a ton, he'd run out of room, and I'd get to eat as much as I wanted without being judged!! We got home from the family dinner at about 5:30pm and I was exhausted so I took a nap. I woke up at about 7:30pm and was still exhausted, and even though I knew I'd end up messing up my sleep pattern by going back to bed, I had no choice because I could barely keep my eyes open. I woke up at about 3am, and felt rested, but was frustrated that I was wide awake at 3am. I picked up a book and started reading and at about 3:30am I had my first contraction. I knew instantly that it was the real deal because it felt so much more intense than the Braxton hicks contractions I'd been having off and on. I figured I'd labor for quite a while (being that it was my first) so I just kept reading. Only what seemed like a few minutes passed by and I had another, so I decided to follow the advice from my Bradley class- drink a glass of water, take a walk, take a bath, and try to sleep and see if labor speeds up, slows down, or stops all together. I didn't feel up to a walk (and it was 3am!), but I grabbed a bottle of water and drew a bath. It seemed like the bath made things worse, and I was uncomfortable so I got out and tried laying down in bed. I couldn't even begin to get comfortable, and it seemed like my contractions were a lot closer together than they should be this early on- so I grabbed my phone to time them. They were 5 minutes apart, but only lasting 45 seconds so I figured I still had a ways to go. I drew another bath and climbed in with my book, but with the first contraction tossed the book across the bathroom. I did my best to relax, and after a while I got out of the tub to time my contractions again, but I had to concentrate so hard on relaxing through the contractions that I couldn't time them myself. Joey was at work and was supposed to get off at 7am, but at 5:30am (after 2 hours of laboring alone) I gave in and called him. He got home a little after 6, and started timing my contractions as soon as he got there- only 45 seconds long, and the first few were 4 and 5 min apart. (We had learned in class that for most, it was best to follow the 5-1-1 rule: wait to go to the hospital until your contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting one minute for one hour.) My contractions were REALLY intense and Joey could tell I was having trouble relaxing- something I'd been practicing for months. So he asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. Our hospital was 45 minutes away and my biggest fear was getting there too soon. Knowing that I would be more comfortable laboring at home as long as possible, I told him that they needed to be longer than 45 seconds before we left. Right after our hospital conversation my contractions seemed to be coming one on top of another so he timed them- TWO minutes apart! So he then got real serious about going to the hospital and I agreed to go only if he'd promise that we would leave if I wasn't dilated to at least a 5. He agreed and off we went (it was about 7am). I was very restless in the car, but because Joey had just left work he asked if he could swing through McDonalds and get something to eat. I wanted to say no, but I knew that he'd need the energy (he had been at work for over 10 hours!) so I agreed. We got on the highway and I turned around in the seat, took the headrest off, and hugged the seat while up on my knees. My contractions bounced back and forth between being 4-5 minutes apart to being one right after the other. I so desperately wanted out of that car! We reached the first of two tolls we needed to go through before reaching the hospital. I instructed Joey to just drive through the pike pass lane (even though we didn’t have a pass). He didn’t seem to think that slowing down and paying the toll was a big deal- plus he’s an honest man J so I bit my tongue. By the time we reached the second toll I was so desperate to get there that I shouted, “Don’t you dare stop and pay the toll!“ Joey did as he was told, and went on through. (Nothing happened to us by the way… so I guess they don’t monitor that in Oklahoma?) We finally got to the hospital a little after 8am, and it took quite a while for me to walk to the elevator, ride up to the 3rd floor, and over to L&D. Why didn't I get a wheelchair everyone asks? I couldn't stand the thought of sitting so I walked ever so slowly stopping numerous times to get through contractions. They got me into a room, made me lay down to strap a monitor on me (GRRR!), and checked me- I was a 7! They told me they were calling my midwife, going to get me the wireless monitor so that I could get up from the bed, and that I needed to let them know if my water broke or if I had an urge to push. I looked at Joey and said, "You better call everyone!" So he made a few phone calls, they took some blood, and in about 45 min the midwife was there. She checked me again- I was an 8 and baby was at +1 station! She recommended breaking my water, and left us to think it over. Joey insisted it wouldn't cause problems at this point in the game (I didn't want any interventions) and when she returned we agreed to let her. She gathered her stuff, broke my water, and told me that I should let her know when I felt the urge to push. I still didn't have the wireless monitor and she could tell I was suffering in the bed so she told me I could get up and could move as far as the cords would reach. So Joey helped me up, and the second my feet hit the floor I felt the urge! They had me lay back down, told me to bear down a little, and let them know if that made it feel better. When I screamed YES, my midwife checked me- only a small lip left- and everyone went crazy rushing around grabbing things and throwing on paper outfits!! I was turned over on my side hugging the rail on the side of the bed. There wasn’t much time in between each of my contractions, and I was struggling to regain my composure. I remember losing my focus and Joey bringing me back down to earth by getting right next to my head and saying directly into my ear, “You HAVE to breathe. Remember to breathe. Slow, deep breaths.” Joey encouraged me every second, and at times it seemed like he was the only one in the room. The entire pushing phase is really a blur to me- it was even right afterward. I do remember feeling like nothing was happening through many contractions. My nurse, Francis, kept saying, “Push Push Push! You’ve almost got it! You’ve almost got it!“ I was so frustrated by her saying that because I could tell that wasn’t the case at all. I was pushing with all my might and he wasn’t budging. I imagine that was her way of encouraging me, but I didn’t like that she was insinuating that he was almost out- I knew that wasn’t true. When things started moving again they told me to feel Gabriel crowning and Joey said when I did that I started sobbing uncontrollably (I don't remember the sobbing at all), and then got down to business! I knew we were almost there when my midwife’s voice got more excited and Joey leaned in real close and said into my ear, “Don’t stop pushing!” He was out that very contraction! I only pushed for 35 minutes total (so lucky!) and got to cut the cord myself. They laid my 6 pound 10 ounce bluish colored baby boy on my stomach and I just stared at him in a state of shock.
For those of you in the Tulsa, OK area that are now or may be pregnant soon- look into seeing my midwife, Kim Kmita. (South Tulsa Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates 918-858-0008) She was amazing!! We delivered at Saint Francis South and I could not say enough about the incredible care we received there. Every single nurse was very friendly and helpful, the food was great, the rooms nice- all around great experience! We took Bradley classes from Katherine (Kathy) Taylor. She was a terrific instructor, and is also a doula as well!! (momsdoula7@gmail.com or 918-494-2804)
Part Two- Carrying Gabriel
Shortly after, my “morning” sickness set it. If you could see me say what I just typed, you’d see me using air quotes and rolling my eyes simultaneously. I’ve heard it referred to as all day sickness, and I consider that a more realistic description. It could also be called near death sickness, never ending sickness, or bowl worshiping sickness. For those of you that have seen Bill Cosby Himself, his bit on the drunk getting sick and saying to the toilet bowl, “Ohhhh toilet bowl. Thank you for being so cool on the side. You’re my only friend toilet bowl.” This was me every day. I couldn’t even keep down a sip of water. So my doctor put me on a medication for it. This same medication is also used to treat extreme nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients!! That’s how bad it was. The medication helped, it didn’t make it go away, but it did allow me to retain some of the things I ate and drank. (by the way- I lost 17 pounds before I gained an ounce, and this so called morning sickness continued well into my third trimester!) The months drudged on, and I kept my mind off my misery by reading. I read countless pregnancy books, and constantly taught those around me the wonders of the human body. How anyone could experience pregnancy and not know there is a God is beyond me. When I first started reading about labor, I was searching for an alternative to an epidural. I knew I didn’t want one, and although I was laughed out of town- I really thought I wanted to attempt natural birth. So in doing some research I came across the Bradley Method- Husband Coached Childbirth. It was based on a healthy diet, exercise, and natural childbirth through relaxation coached by- you guessed it- the husband! I knew after reading just a little that this method was for me! So I signed up. The course was 12 weeks long, and although that was much more than all the other types of classes I’d seen, it also boasted very high success rates. Practice makes perfect, so I made the commitment to learn and practice for 12 straight weeks. To my utter disappointment and humiliation, Joey ended up not being able to attend class with me. His new job didn’t allow for shift changes, and the nights I had class were nights he had to work. (I might quickly mention that Joey had a new job because we had moved from Minnesota back to our hometown…you should thank me for sparing you that saga!) My saint of a sister-in-law, Staci, stepped up to the plate though and went with me to class each week so I wouldn‘t be there alone. Now the funny thing about this was that she was also pregnant and only a few weeks behind me! We were quite the sight wobbling into class each week, and doing an awkward dance around our bellies each time we tried to practice relaxation techniques or labor positions. We did our best though, and I was able to bring home a lot of great info to Joey. I decided on using a midwife instead of a doctor, in order to feel less pressure to receive unnecessary medical interventions during labor. The one I used came very highly recommended to me by a close friend, and my Bradley instructor mentioned hearing great things about her as well. Now she’s not at all the midwife you may be imagining- a lady with hot water and towels, right? Admit it, that’s what you pictured! She works in a doctor’s office, and delivers in hospitals. This sort of in between option was exactly what Joey and I were looking for. A midwife that supported natural labor, and a hospital just in case things didn’t go as planned. The end of pregnancy was much more challenging than I had expected. Now don’t get me wrong- I DID expect to be tired, uncomfortable, and miserable. I just had no idea how extreme all of those feelings would be. I tried to prepare myself mentally to go past my due date, but I admit that I did count down days to myself. Others counting down the days to me however, were considered the spawn of Satan! A bit of advice to those with little experience around a pregnant woman about to pop- don’t let yourself utter any of the following- “You’re ALMOST there!” “Any day now!” “Only ___ more days!”, “When’s that baby coming?” or “No baby YET?“ Oh if you only knew the hateful things I said to Joey about people I truly love and care for! J At least during the last few weeks I had a lot to keep me busy- an appointment with my midwife each week, the last few Bradley classes, a class on breastfeeding, one last baby shower, and the long awaited family Thanksgiving.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Gabriel's Birth Story- Part One
My first order of business on this blog of mine is to finally get around to writing my Peanut's birth story.
First, I think it’s important to tell the back story. So here it goes...
The road to parenthood was long and very trying, but through those trials Joey and I learned many lessens and grew our marriage by leaps and bounds. The story really starts years ago when after a discussion on kids, we decided to no longer prevent pregnancy and adopted an “if it happens, it happens” attitude. This time period was spent like any other in our married life- no worries, carefree and just enjoying each other. Until I felt the tug. An immense desire from deep down in my soul that I NEEDED a baby, and I needed it now. My body picked up this idea and ran with it, sending constant nagging signals to my brain- “MAKE A BABY! MAKE A BABY!” When I discussed this with Joey, I was devastated when he told me he didn’t feel prepared to commit to actually trying just yet. I find it funny now that we actually thought our deciding it was time equaled getting pregnant! I did my best to ignore the foghorn that blew in my heart each day, and it was truly challenging. About two years after first adopting our if it happens attitude, I brought up the subject once again. This time I couldn’t believe how nonchalant Joey was when he told me he was feeling ready to start a family. So it began- “trying” that is. It started out extremely exciting. Every time we would say, “We could have just made our baby!” It was thrilling! Though after months of charting my cycle, waking at 6am to take my temperature before getting out of bed, peeing on countless sticks that inevitably ended up in the trash or thrown against the wall- we started to worry. We decided that after six cycles if we weren’t pregnant that we should probably visit a doctor. (the usual practice is to go after a year with no success, but because we had spent two years having unprotected sex prior to really trying, we figured this was the better route.) On our sixth cycle- seven months in and our last chance before seeing the doctor- I decided I had had enough of the stress associated with trying. I tossed my ovulation sticks, quit waking to temp, and threw my worries out as well. I wanted to make one last effort to conceive a baby with a clear mind and a positive attitude. In doing so I was able to revisit the good ol’ days when trying was fun and exciting. I left our family’s future to God and enjoyed my husband in the meantime. To our surprise- that did the trick! (You know praying about it, leaving it to God, trusting his timing- little things like that!) After seeing that beautiful word pop up, we both cried and laughed and jumped up and down and hugged and hugged and kissed and hugged some more. J We spent weeks planning and dreaming of things to come. A trip to visit family was in order- news like this is face to face news! So we took the twelve hour drive home, shared the news, and floated around on cloud nine with our family. All of that excitement came to a sudden halt on the ride back. My back was hurting badly, I had noticed some spotting after using the restroom, and I just had an overall feeling that something was wrong. The spotting wasn’t a lot, and from what I had read could have been nothing at all, but I just felt like something wasn‘t right- but assured Joey otherwise. After we returned home, the spotting picked up, and my back pain became worse. I screamed when I knew it was all over, and Joey came rushing into the bathroom. The spotting had turned into bleeding- and lots of it- and I was in more pain than I had ever been in. Through gushing tears I asked Joey to take me to the emergency room. I hoped that it wasn’t really happening, and tried to talk myself into it being something else. Only I couldn’t think of anything else it could be. I was losing the one thing I wanted more than life itself. The hospital confirmed our fears, and we went home broken. I still tear upwhen I think of Joey on that day. He was doing his best to hide his feelings and support me. I’ll never forget the look on his face. Seeing that was harder than hearing the news. Healing was difficult to say the least. Our styles of grief and coping were polar opposite, and it was challenging to coexist during that time. I couldn’t understand how he could just forget about what happened- or at least that’s what it seemed like to me. When I would talk to others and mention “losing the baby”, Joey would get angry and tell me not to say that and instead to refer to it as my miscarriage. He wanted to separate himself from all that had happened, and I desperately needed to talk about all the hurt I was feeling and the fear I had that we would never have a family to call our own. We took a giant leap forward in the healing process when we finally talked it out and had a better understanding of how the other one needed to deal with their feelings. Joey let me spew all my emotions, and I in turn avoided speaking about our loss to or around him afterward. We did our best to carry on, and found that with each new day, it hurt a little less. Just two months after our loss I made a trip to the doctor for what I thought to be a bladder infection. I was having some pain in my abdomen every time I used the restroom. After peeing in the cup, I was told that I didn’t have any infections and that my urine seemed just fine. Puzzled by those results, I asked my doctor what else it could be. He went into a few things and explained that looking into those things would take larger procedures like an ultrasound. I didn’t want to be a crazy person and have all kinds of unnecessary tests and told my doctor so. He agreed that giving it a week or so first may be a good idea- seeing as it could just be something that would go away on it’s own. We decided to go ahead and set up an ultrasound for a week away that I would cancel if I didn’t end up needing it. He told me that before sending me for an ultrasound that it was necessary for him to run a pregnancy test- it was procedure. His exact words to me were, “I’m sure that’s not the issue, but…” I could tell that he was nervous even mentioning pregnancy tests to me, knowing my recent loss. He asked me to wait while they ran the test and set up the appointment for my ultrasound. Now I know the purpose of this post kind of gives away what those test results were, but I like to tell the story anyway- so just read! Shortly after, my doctor returned holding a piece of paper that he just handed to me without a word. I found this very odd and looked at him like he was loco. When I looked down to read the report he had handed me, my eyes immediately focused in on the word POSITIVE. Confused I read the entire report- Specimen collected 03/25/10, Pregnancy Testing, Urine HCG, Result- Positive. I looked up at my doctor that was grinning from ear to ear and exclaimed, “I’M PREGNANT?!” He laughed and said, “It looks that way. Congratulations!” I was elated. I grabbed my purse and headed home as fast as I could. Joey was leaving for work and there was no way I could wait until he got off to share the news. I called him and asked him to wait on me to get back before he left. He was a little agitated (the man HATES to be late!), but my doctor’s office was only a block away from our house so I was there in less than a minute. I might have slightly exceeded the speed limit J I told Joey the same way my doctor had told me- not a word, just handed him the paper. He read it and smiled his gigantic smile I love, and laughed as he said, “Your pregnant?! How’d that happen?“ We laughed about it, hugged, and Joey rushed off to work. We were both baffled. Baffled and beyond excited!
First, I think it’s important to tell the back story. So here it goes...
The road to parenthood was long and very trying, but through those trials Joey and I learned many lessens and grew our marriage by leaps and bounds. The story really starts years ago when after a discussion on kids, we decided to no longer prevent pregnancy and adopted an “if it happens, it happens” attitude. This time period was spent like any other in our married life- no worries, carefree and just enjoying each other. Until I felt the tug. An immense desire from deep down in my soul that I NEEDED a baby, and I needed it now. My body picked up this idea and ran with it, sending constant nagging signals to my brain- “MAKE A BABY! MAKE A BABY!” When I discussed this with Joey, I was devastated when he told me he didn’t feel prepared to commit to actually trying just yet. I find it funny now that we actually thought our deciding it was time equaled getting pregnant! I did my best to ignore the foghorn that blew in my heart each day, and it was truly challenging. About two years after first adopting our if it happens attitude, I brought up the subject once again. This time I couldn’t believe how nonchalant Joey was when he told me he was feeling ready to start a family. So it began- “trying” that is. It started out extremely exciting. Every time we would say, “We could have just made our baby!” It was thrilling! Though after months of charting my cycle, waking at 6am to take my temperature before getting out of bed, peeing on countless sticks that inevitably ended up in the trash or thrown against the wall- we started to worry. We decided that after six cycles if we weren’t pregnant that we should probably visit a doctor. (the usual practice is to go after a year with no success, but because we had spent two years having unprotected sex prior to really trying, we figured this was the better route.) On our sixth cycle- seven months in and our last chance before seeing the doctor- I decided I had had enough of the stress associated with trying. I tossed my ovulation sticks, quit waking to temp, and threw my worries out as well. I wanted to make one last effort to conceive a baby with a clear mind and a positive attitude. In doing so I was able to revisit the good ol’ days when trying was fun and exciting. I left our family’s future to God and enjoyed my husband in the meantime. To our surprise- that did the trick! (You know praying about it, leaving it to God, trusting his timing- little things like that!) After seeing that beautiful word pop up, we both cried and laughed and jumped up and down and hugged and hugged and kissed and hugged some more. J We spent weeks planning and dreaming of things to come. A trip to visit family was in order- news like this is face to face news! So we took the twelve hour drive home, shared the news, and floated around on cloud nine with our family. All of that excitement came to a sudden halt on the ride back. My back was hurting badly, I had noticed some spotting after using the restroom, and I just had an overall feeling that something was wrong. The spotting wasn’t a lot, and from what I had read could have been nothing at all, but I just felt like something wasn‘t right- but assured Joey otherwise. After we returned home, the spotting picked up, and my back pain became worse. I screamed when I knew it was all over, and Joey came rushing into the bathroom. The spotting had turned into bleeding- and lots of it- and I was in more pain than I had ever been in. Through gushing tears I asked Joey to take me to the emergency room. I hoped that it wasn’t really happening, and tried to talk myself into it being something else. Only I couldn’t think of anything else it could be. I was losing the one thing I wanted more than life itself. The hospital confirmed our fears, and we went home broken. I still tear upwhen I think of Joey on that day. He was doing his best to hide his feelings and support me. I’ll never forget the look on his face. Seeing that was harder than hearing the news. Healing was difficult to say the least. Our styles of grief and coping were polar opposite, and it was challenging to coexist during that time. I couldn’t understand how he could just forget about what happened- or at least that’s what it seemed like to me. When I would talk to others and mention “losing the baby”, Joey would get angry and tell me not to say that and instead to refer to it as my miscarriage. He wanted to separate himself from all that had happened, and I desperately needed to talk about all the hurt I was feeling and the fear I had that we would never have a family to call our own. We took a giant leap forward in the healing process when we finally talked it out and had a better understanding of how the other one needed to deal with their feelings. Joey let me spew all my emotions, and I in turn avoided speaking about our loss to or around him afterward. We did our best to carry on, and found that with each new day, it hurt a little less. Just two months after our loss I made a trip to the doctor for what I thought to be a bladder infection. I was having some pain in my abdomen every time I used the restroom. After peeing in the cup, I was told that I didn’t have any infections and that my urine seemed just fine. Puzzled by those results, I asked my doctor what else it could be. He went into a few things and explained that looking into those things would take larger procedures like an ultrasound. I didn’t want to be a crazy person and have all kinds of unnecessary tests and told my doctor so. He agreed that giving it a week or so first may be a good idea- seeing as it could just be something that would go away on it’s own. We decided to go ahead and set up an ultrasound for a week away that I would cancel if I didn’t end up needing it. He told me that before sending me for an ultrasound that it was necessary for him to run a pregnancy test- it was procedure. His exact words to me were, “I’m sure that’s not the issue, but…” I could tell that he was nervous even mentioning pregnancy tests to me, knowing my recent loss. He asked me to wait while they ran the test and set up the appointment for my ultrasound. Now I know the purpose of this post kind of gives away what those test results were, but I like to tell the story anyway- so just read! Shortly after, my doctor returned holding a piece of paper that he just handed to me without a word. I found this very odd and looked at him like he was loco. When I looked down to read the report he had handed me, my eyes immediately focused in on the word POSITIVE. Confused I read the entire report- Specimen collected 03/25/10, Pregnancy Testing, Urine HCG, Result- Positive. I looked up at my doctor that was grinning from ear to ear and exclaimed, “I’M PREGNANT?!” He laughed and said, “It looks that way. Congratulations!” I was elated. I grabbed my purse and headed home as fast as I could. Joey was leaving for work and there was no way I could wait until he got off to share the news. I called him and asked him to wait on me to get back before he left. He was a little agitated (the man HATES to be late!), but my doctor’s office was only a block away from our house so I was there in less than a minute. I might have slightly exceeded the speed limit J I told Joey the same way my doctor had told me- not a word, just handed him the paper. He read it and smiled his gigantic smile I love, and laughed as he said, “Your pregnant?! How’d that happen?“ We laughed about it, hugged, and Joey rushed off to work. We were both baffled. Baffled and beyond excited!
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