Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Baby M is here! It's a......

It's a.......GIRL!!!
We are officially a family of FIVE :)
Mia Kathryn Manuel joined our family on Monday, March 19, 2012 at 5:16 pm.  She weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long.  She is pink and healthy and perfect!  We are so in love!


Monday Timeline:

Monday started out like a normal day.  I got the kids off to school and came home to do some house work before my 38 week doctor's appointment.  I still felt like I wasn't making progress and was confident that Baby M wasn't coming any time soon. 

2:30- I saw the doctor.  I had made no change.  Just as I had suspected.  I was still sitting at barely 4cm and only 50% effaced.  Those numbers seemed promising at first...but after 3 weeks with no change, they really meant nothing to me.

3:00- I went to our storage units to meet Bryan.  He was there getting a few things for me, and I figured I would go help him look.  On the way there, I had my first contraction.  I didn't think anything of it other than, "Here we go again."  After all, I have been teased for weeks!  They seemed to be about five minutes apart, but I didn't bother timing them since it has been happening so often.

3:30- We picked up Thing 1 and Thing 2 from school.  One of the teachers laughed and said, "You're still pregnant?!"  I remember laughing and telling her I was currently having a few contractions.  I told her to cross her fingers but not to get her hopes up.  Ha, funny ;)

3:45- We go to Wal-Mart.  Yes, Wal-Mart!  Like I said, I had no idea this was "it."  Gannon had tee ball practice that afternoon, and I fully expected to be going to that practice!  He needed some shorts, so we had to go get them.  After about fifteen minutes, the contractions got stronger, so I got out the timer.  They were about three minutes apart.  I told Bryan I wanted to go home, so we headed to the checkouts.  First, though, I wanted water.  So I walked to the other side of the store to the McDonald's and got an ice water.  On the way out, the kids wanted to sit on the Elmo car, so I let them.  Bryan was going crazy!  Apparently, he realized before I did how close we actually were, ha!  He couldn't believe I was taking the time to go to McDonald's and letting the kids play on that car!

4:15- We get home (I drove, by the way, which was insanely hard!) and send the kids off to the neighbors while Bryan throws some of his things into a bag.  I almost got into the tub at this point, but for some reason, I didn't.  So glad I didn't!!

4:33- We head to the hospital.  The contractions weren't getting any closer, still about three minutes apart, but they were getting stronger.  I also could no longer sit.  When they started, it felt better to sit through them.  Now, I had to lean forward on something or kneel down and lean on the floor.  The car ride was intense because I had to sit. 

4:50- We arrive at the hospital.  We weren't sure exactly where to go, so we went into the first entrance we found.  The lady there hurried to get me a wheel chair and then rushed us down to admitting.  Again, I couldn't sit, so I knelt down on the floor and just leaned on the chair.  I had pre-registered, but for some reason it didn't work.  She had to start the admission from scratch.  OY!  She was doing everything she could to rush it, but others weren't working with her.  She finally told them she was bringing me up now and they would  finish everything else later!  Thank you!!  We get upstairs and as they try to get me in a room, other nurses were wheeling a bed out of the room.  So we waited in the hall while they cleaned up and changed the sheets. 

5:10:  They get me in the room and on the bed.  As I was getting into the bed, I felt tons of pressure!!  A nurse checked me and said that she felt no cervix.  At all.  I was complete!  I am not entirely sure what was going on in the room at this point because there was just so much chaos!  There were so many nurses and everyone was so busy.  Apparently, someone started an IV in my hand, and somehow, I yanked it out.  Then my body started to push.  I couldn't stop it.  The nurses all told me to stop pushing, but I just screamed, "I can't!!" 
 I was trying really hard to stop, but I couldn't.  My doctor wasn't there...The on-call doctor wasn't even there!!  Then one of the nurses said that they were just going to have to deliver this baby themselves.  I could feel Baby M moving down, and I knew it would only be minutes before we knew who it was!  I was so overwhelmed.  Full of excitement, emotion, adrenaline, etc.  At this point, the pain was gone.  The on-call doctor came running in just as the baby was crowning. 
He laughed and said, "I know I am going to find out in just a few seconds, but what are y'all having?" 
Together, Bryan and I answered, "We don't know!"
With that, everything in the room seemed to stop, and everyone just gathered around us waiting for the big reveal.

----When we got into the room, Bryan sent out a text to our parents that Baby M was coming now.  Mom called back, but since I was pushing, Bryan just silenced the call.  Or so he thought.  He actually answered it!!  Mom got to hear Mia being born!!  She said it was like being in the hall listening at the door, only better.  :)

5:16- It's a GIRL!!!  When she came out, Bryan just looked at me and said, "She's beautiful!"  I couldn't believe just how perfect she was!  I was so thankful to be able to count ten fingers and ten toes and to gaze into those sweet little eyes on that perfect little face.  She stayed with us for about two hours.  She stayed so alert the entire time.  Just looking around and taking everything in. 

I still can't believe how fast it all happened!  I mean, at 2:30 I had made no change...less than three hours later, she was here!  It was absolutely perfect!  Well, almost.  Everything happened so fast, Bryan never had a chance to go back to the car to get our stuff.  Which means...no camera.  Boo :(  He got a few shots with his phone, but not much.  Oh, well.  At least she has a fantastic birth story!

Here are a few of the pictures we have of her arrival.



We may not have many photos of her birth, but we aren't lacking in other photos of our little caboose!  Stay tuned for picture overloads to come!!


Friday, March 16, 2012

38 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: Thirty-eight weeks
At 6:38pm this afternoon, this will officially be the longest pregnancy yet.
It's funny-- In January, I told Bryan that I thought this would be the longest pregnancy.  That this pregnancy would go all the way to its due date, or maybe even a little later.  He laughed and said that this one would be just like the others.  Well, when I was 3cm and 50% at 35 weeks I thought maybe he was right...not so much.  Turns out, I was right!  Longest pregnancy yet.

Progress:  I don't go to the doctor until Monday, so I don't know if any progress has been made.  At my last visit, I was 4cm and at least 50%.
I am still having sporadic contractions, but they won't come together to do anything.



Total Weight Gain/Loss: +22 pounds
Size of baby:
Baby M  weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long.

Fetal Development:
"Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb." -babycenter.com
"Your baby's the size of a pumpkin!  Baby is about 18.9 to 20.9 inches long and weighs about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. Her head is now about the same circumference as her abdomen.  She may have about an inch or so of hair already.  She's slowly shedding that white goo on her skin (called vernix caseosa) but you might see some of it at birth." -thebump.com

Movement: Still moving around, but not nearly as much. Baby M is running out of room in there!!
Heartbeat: 152
Gender: We don't know!
Gut Feeling: I have NO idea! Bryan still says girl, but the last few weeks, I just don't know. At all. I am just ready to meet this little person that is going to complete our family!

Cravings: Sweets!  Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, root beer floats...YUM!
MaternityClothes: I am still wearing both regular and maternity tops, but I have retired my regular jeans.

Sleep: What's that?
What I miss: Sleep! And being able to put on my own socks and tie my shoes. I have the greatest husband ever to help me out every morning!! :)
Symptoms:


Nesting! I am going crazy trying to finish everything up around here, and while I know we have everything we need for Baby M ready, I can't help but feel like we aren't even close to being ready!
-Clumsy!! Chalk it up to preggo brain!
Leg and foot cramps! Yuck! These are contributing to my sleep issues, since that is mostly when they occur.

Missing Feet-- I am having more trouble every day reaching my feet! Putting on my socks and shoes has become nearly impossible, ha! Bryan has been so great to help me with my socks in the mornings :)

Friday, March 9, 2012

Full Term!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: Thirty-seven weeks--I'm full term!

Progress: 4 cm dilated and 50% effaced-- Last night, I had regular contractions for hours.  They got stronger, but they never got closer than five minutes apart.  So we waited it out, and obviously, it wasn't time, as I have no baby ;) 

We had another ultrasound today, and Baby M is perfect!  The estimated weight is 6 pounds 14 ounces.  A fat little potato!

In this photo, Baby M is sucking on its lower lip and has a hand in its face.


Total Weight Gain/Loss: +20 pounds
 
Size of baby:
Baby M weighs 6 pounds 14 ounces.

Fetal Development:
"Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz." -babycenter.com
"Your baby's the size of a watermelon!  Yay! Baby has reached full term. He likely measures around 18.9 to 20.9 inches and weighs about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. He's gaining about 1/2 ounce each day.  He's practicing some skills: inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping and blinking.  He's getting his first sticky poop (called meconium) ready for his first diaper."

 
Movement: Still moving around, but not nearly as much.  Baby M is running out of room in there!!
Heartbeat: 152
Gender: We don't know!
Gut Feeling: I have NO idea! Bryan still says girl, but the last few weeks, I just don't know. At all. I am just ready to meet this little person that is going to complete our family!

Cravings: Chocolate milk! I still have to have a glass of chocolate  milk every morning, but most of my other cravings have subsided. In fact, my appetite in general is decreasing. I just feel like I have nowhere to put any food!
MaternityClothes: I am still wearing both regular and maternity tops, but I have retired my regular jeans.

Sleep: What's that?
What I miss: Sleep! And being able to put on my own socks and tie my shoes. I have the greatest husband ever to help me out every morning!! :)
Symptoms:

Morning Sickness has returned with quite a vengeance.  It pretty much stinks!

Nesting! I am going crazy trying to finish everything up around here, and while I know we have everything we need for Baby M ready, I can't help but feel like we aren't even close to being ready!
-Clumsy!! Chalk it up to preggo brain!
Leg and foot cramps! Yuck! These are contributing to my sleep issues, since that is mostly when they occur.

Missing Feet-- I am having more trouble every day reaching my feet! Putting on my socks and shoes has become nearly impossible, ha! Bryan has been so great to help me with my socks in the mornings :)

Indigestion/Reflux! All. Day. Long! I keep Tums with me all the time...sometimes it helps, but usually, it doesn't.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Let's Get Pinning: Summer Fashion

It is Wednesday again, which means....Oh, How Pinteresting! with Michelle over at The Vintage Apple.



Does anyone else wish Pinterest had a store with all of their outfit ideas put together and ready to purchase?  Even better--it should all be arranged by size!  Oh, yeah, wait.....it would also be nice if some of it just happened to be in my price range!  Oh, well.  A girl can dream, right?  Here are some of my "Would love to haves" for summer this year.

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Happy pinning, everyone!  See yall next Wednesday!


Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Room for One More?

We are getting closer and closer to finding out the identity of our little caboose!  The kids are getting more excited by the day, and I can't lie, so am I!  Every day could be "The Day", and the anticipation is driving me crazy!!

I have been experiencing prodromal labor (basically false labor) for a couple of weeks, now.  This baby is a little tease!  I go back to the doctor Friday to see how much progress has been made this week.

In non-baby-news, Gannon has started tee ball, and he loves it!  Bryan is helping coach his team, and he said Gannon looks great out there.  We asked him if he was the best out there, and he said, "Well, yeah!  I'm a star!"  His team is the Marlins, and as soon as we find out colors, I will go buy his gear.  When I buy his gear, you will get pictures!

Austyn is loving ballet, too.  She is finally starting to show us some of the things she is learning in class.  Her favorite is the arafess.  Some of you may know of this as the arabesque, ha!  She couldn't be cuter dancing around in her little leotard!  I am going to try my best to get a video of her dancing, soon.

I guess the only question left is:

Is there room for one more?


In that bed, I'm not so sure.  In our home, and in our hearts--definitely!!  We will keep you posted on the arrival of Baby M!

Friday, March 2, 2012

36 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: Thirty-six weeks!

Progress:  4 cm dilated and 50% effaced-- Saturday, I had contractions that were 3-5 minutes apart and lasted for almost three hours.  Since then, Baby M has definitely dropped--you can see it in the picture pretty clearly.  I can also feel it.  I can breathe much better, and I am feeling lots of pressure.  All week, I have had sporadic contractions that always fade away. 

We had an ultrasound today, and Baby M looks perfect!  Fat, FAT cheeks!!  We don't have a breech baby (hooray!!), but we do have a baby who is face up/on its side.  That explains the pack labor/pains.


Total Weight Gain/Loss: +19 pounds
I have lost weight this week.  I did the same with Gannon and Austyn at the end, too.
Size of baby:
Baby M weighs 6 pounds 12 ounces.  Biggest baby, yet!

Fetal Development:
"Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement."
-babycenter.com
"Your baby's the size of a coconut!  She's still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range and continues to beef up.  Your once-poppy seed would be able to breathe on her own if she was born right now.  Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid.  Her liver and kidneys are in working order.  Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too."
-thebump.com

*Funny how the average baby is not quite six pounds, yet...Our little potato is already approaching seven!
Movement: Still rolling and punching, but not quite as much.  I guess there isn't much room left in there!  Still getting hiccups all the time, too.  I wonder if Baby M will have them as much after he/she is born?
Heartbeat: 143
Gender: We don't know!
Gut Feeling: I have NO idea! Bryan still says girl, but the last few weeks, I just don't know. At all. I am just ready to meet this little person that is going to complete our family!

Cravings: Chocolate milk!  I still have to have a glass of chocolate ! milk every morning, but most of my other cravings have subsided.  In fact, my appetite in general is decreasing.  I just feel like I have nowhere to put any food!
MaternityClothes: I am still wearing both regular and maternity tops, but I have retired my regular jeans.

Sleep: What's that?
What I miss: Sleep!  And being able to put on my own socks and tie my shoes.  I have the greatest husband ever to help me out every morning!!  :)
Symptoms:
Nesting! I am going crazy trying to finish everything up around here, and while I know we have everything we need for Baby M ready, I can't help but feel like we aren't even close to being ready!
-Clumsy!! Chalk it up to preggo brain!
Leg and foot cramps! Yuck! These are contributing to my sleep issues, since that is mostly when they occur.

Missing Feet-- I am having more trouble every day reaching my feet! Putting on my socks and shoes has become nearly impossible, ha! Bryan has been so great to help me with my socks in the mornings :)

 
Indigestion/Reflux! All. Day. Long! I keep Tums with me all the time...sometimes it helps, but usually, it doesn't.

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