September 13, 2006

I snuggled my pillow as I walked out the front door into the darkness of the morning.  A chill rose in the Virginia air – the chill of early fall.  Gil walked me to my mini-van to start the journey, the journey to bring BT into this world.  I would begin it alone.

Bump still slept, and Gil would stay behind to get him squared away before our friend Erica would come to tend to him.  Gil still worried that he wouldn't make it to the hospital on time.  I assured him that the bureaucracy would definately slow down the beginning of my induction.  He was not comforted.

I backed the van out of the drive way and headed on my way.  I prayed.  I reflected on my last delivery.  I asked a million questions in my head of what the day would bring.  After all, at 39 my doctors worried about me.  I didn't worry though.  I laid it in the hands of the Lord.

I walked into the lobby of this, the NEW hospital.  A woman I had previously called colleague sat at the conceirge desk and congratulated me on my pending delivery.  I had to wait.  It seems there was a run on labors that morning.  I finally got tucked into my room at about 6:30.  They gave me the old – take off everything and put on this gown.

I obliged, hopped into bed and read the newspaper.  I waited and waited. Shift changeover for the nurses came at 7 AM, and I still waited.  I called Gil to let him know to take his time.  I closed my eyes and napped.

Finally at 7:30 my delivery nurse, Jackie, came in.  I recognized her from our last stay.  She hooked me up to the monitor and talked to me about induction.  As she put the IV lock into my left arm, I told her that I wanted to avoid the pitosin if we could.  She agreed and noted that my contractions were already 3 minutes apart – even if I couldn't feel them.  I probably could do this on my own if the doctor broke my water.

Dr. P came in around 8 AM – just as they brought my delicious liquid breakfast and Gil called from the lobby.  He, Bump and Erica were on their way up.  Great timing – everything at once.

It only took a minute for Dr. P to examine me and break my water.  Then he headed out and promised to be back at noon.  Jackie, my delivery nurse, fitted me with the diaper and an extra gown to hide my backside just as my family made their grand appearance.

And we waited.  Bump loved the hospital.  The waiting room for maternity had the bead toys that he calls roller coasters.  There were all kinds of fun snacks around and things to explore.  He played hide and seek with Gil in the shower.  Not too long after that, he went into the bathroom by himself.  We were shortly bombarded with a swat team of nurses.  He pulled the emergency "help" cord in the bathroom. Ooops.  Gil took him out for a donut and Erica and I discussed labor.

About 11:30 AM, Jackie was having a hard time tracking BT's heart rate.  We could hear it on the monitor, but the numbers just weren't coming up.  So, for the next hour and a half, she tried various ways to get the data.  We appreciated her diligence. 

Gil returned and Bump left with Erica for lunch and his afternoon nap. I got to dine on another delicious meal of clear liquids – broth, jello, juice and a popcicle.  MMMMMMM.  Gil glanced through the name book and kept popping out suggestions that would never be the name when Jackie came through.  Together they came up with my favorite – Hercules Bubba…

Finally, at about 1:30 I hit 8cm and transition began.  Yes, I did not want the epidural.  But the hard contractions came.  Gil at first tried to make jokes, but laughing through a contraction just doesn't cut it.  After an hour of battling through and not making much progress, I made the call for the Nubain.  Jackie tapped it in through my IV lock and I instantly relaxed – like asleep but not asleep relaxed.  For 45 glorious minutes I got a break from the pain.  But finally, the contractions overwhelmed the power of the drug and began to escalate.  I hit 10 cm at 3:30 and we started to push.

Last time I delivered, pushing was the hardest part.  We never finished lamaze and I never knew how to push.  But after and hour and 45 minutes, I learned.  Today, I remembered my lesson, but also had an excellent coach in Jackie.  After 5 rounds of pushing, Dr. P was called in.  This was it.

It's funny how the contractions seem to space themselves out more once you get to the pushing phase.  I pushed, each time making progress, but then had to wait.  Finally on my 4th round, BT's head was halfway through.  It was the most painful moment of my whole delivery.  I lay there writhing in pain as I waited for the next contraction.  Finally I said (in my head), "He's coming out", and I pushed without a contraction.  BT's head came all the way through and the great relief poured over me.  I peeked between my legs to see my baby boy. It was 4:01 PM.

Shortly, he would be in my arms – wrapped in a towel and howling at the top of his lungs.  I thought he looked a little like my Grandpa, but it was too soon to tell.   Dr. P and Jackie worked on the post delivery items necessary as Gil and I marveled at this little one.  He finally stopped screaming, just staring at me with his baby blue eyes.  We were in love.

Finally, Dr. P and Jackie finished up on me and Jackie took the nameless BT away for clean up.  Gil walked over to the place where she laid him to watch, and the post labor cramps began for me.  They were painful and frequent.  Jackie promised me something for pain as soon as she finished with the baby. One of my sister-in-laws poked her head in about this time to see the newest family member.

Things get a little murky for me about then.  I know they finished up with the baby and brought him back to me.  I couldn't hold him the pain in my uterus was so bad.  Instead Gil sat on the rocker holding him while I laid back and rested.  They brought me some peanut butter and crackers and we prayed.  I could hardly move, I was so completely exhausted.  Finally they came and whisked BT away to the nursery so that the doctor's could have their say on him.

We called Erica and let her know so she could bring Bump by.  Gil called other family members and I lay there too tired to talk.  They brought me a real dinner which I could hardly eat.  Last time I was so energized after it all.

Erica arrived with Bump after 6 PM.  Gil and Bump headed out to play with the roller coasters.  I got out of bed and took a shower – painful and not pretty.  BT's doctor came in and pronounced him perfect.  We nursed.  Erica, Gil and Bump hung around until about 9 PM.  I sat and stared at my baby boy for another hour before having him taken to the nursery so that I could get some rest.

And so ended our day.  What the weather was, I can't say. What happened in the news that day – I don't know.  But I do know that we welcomed our wonderful little boy into the world – and he would finally get a name on Friday, September 15…

 

In case you're wondering.  This is me and BT shortly after delivery. I look better than I felt.  Photo will be around for a very short time! 

 

Coming Home

Today is the day that little BT will ome home to our house. He will have a name and we are very excited about it all. I slept 8 hours last night, so I’m ready for my new charge. God is good! More later!

 

BT is Here!

hello to all. I do have internet access here, but it is slow and tedious to get to where I want. So I will be brief.

We welcomed our son into the world at 4:01 PM. They broke mywater at 8 am and I didn’t hae to have any other drugs to get me going. We had some hard times this afternoon, but your prayers were felt through it all. The boy is 9 lbs and 20 inches. No name yet. But he is beautiful and sweet. All of us, including Bump are doing well.

More later!
Blessings

 

Check off the List

I've been working off this list tonight.

• Fill Casey's Water Bottle/Dish
• Repack suitcase
• Pick up house (well, not literally, just all the junk lying around)
• Run Dishwasher
• Fold and put away laundry
• Snuggle and Spoil Bump
• Pay bills
• Shower
• Put out recyclables
• Bring sewing machine back upstairs
• Eat
• Drink
• Be Merry
• Set Alarm

I saw the doctor today, and we decided on an induction to start early, early in the AM.  I've been a little anxious about it all day due to Gil's indecisiveness on it and how we're going to handle things.  But, I've finally come to a place of peace with it – due mostly to the overwhelming pain in my pelvis and back and my attempts to quell my 2-year-old today.

I didn't do much of anything that's not on this list.  I did cut a few quilt squares for an "off the road" project I'd like to start on and some pieces for a handbag.  Other than that, I just sat around and waited for the phone line to be fixed.  Then I spoiled Bump rotten for a few hours and snuggled with him big time before bed – knowing that it's the last day for "just the two of us."

Our Great Niece, Baby Cassie – who has the digestive tract problems – will be born via c-section on Thursday afternoon.  Please pray for their family as they've recently been told things are not as "business as usual" with her condition as first indicated.  Plus, there may be other issues with the baby that they won't know until she's out.  The hospital stay for her will be 2-6 weeks – with the hospital more than an hour from mom and dad's house (plus two other little girls 2 and 4 that need care.)

And pray for me as I go into delivery without an epidural, and safe delivery of my baby pumpkin.

Details to follow.  When, where and how…I don't know. 

 

Dreams of Labor and a Tree

Last night, I kept having dreams that I was in labor.  Then I would wake up, and realize that I was not in labor, but just uncomfortable.  So I'd roll over and go back to sleep only to waken a few hours later with the same dreams.

Nothing happening, in other words.

Gil has had two days off and been busy digging a drainage ditch that he started during T.S. Ernesto.  I am grateful that Bump finds playing in the clay more enjoyable than sitting in the house with Mommy.  I'm trying to do a few things around here.

I read in the newspaper yesterday that there was indeed a great loss as a result of T.S. Ernesto.  On Colonial Parkway, near Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area there was this HUGE White Oak.  A historical marker claims that it was probably a seedling during the time of Washington and Jefferson.

It was a very distinguished tree – tall and broad.  It had huge branches that stuck out at right angles from the trunk.  Since there are few really big species of trees on the East Coast, this one really made an impression when you came across it for the first time.  When I worked at CW, I often spent my lunch hours parked outside the tree.  It was a serene and prayerful spot.

Although it survived Isabel some 3 years ago, it didn't make it through Ernesto.  The story noted that the trunk had significant rot which led to it's demise.  The park service has fenced off the area where the fallen tree is to allow its acorns to ripen.  They will be planted in the clearing where the tree was once it is removed. 

They will also be dating the tree to see how old it really was.

With the way construction is going around these parts, I don't expect to ever see a tree like this in my lifetime again.  At least not in this part of Virginia. 

 

Quilting Experiments

While I could have decided to vacuum my house during Bump's afternoon nap, instead I chose to start machine quilting my "experimental quilt".

I unrolled it the other day to show someone, and it has been calling my name ever since.  I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do to it.  I decided today to use my walking foot to sew diagonal lines across the rows.  I used a "continuous" technique I had see in some quilting book.  You quilt down one row diagonally and then up the next corner.  If you have to stitch in the ditch around the border to get to a row that you haven't done.  You work your way around the entire quilt this way.

If I hadn't already sprayed this one together, I probably would have marked the fabric, because my lines are a little wavy.  But otherwise I am amazed at how well it's turning out.  I plan to do some free motion in the border – both with some neutral thread and then a little red for fun.

For the binding, I cut strips from all the fabrics I used in construction of the quilt.  It will be interesting to see how it turns out.  It will probably end up as an extra baby blanket for BT – and then Bump will get his hands on it, too.  He's funny that way.

It's been a fun and quick project so far to occupy my time while we wait.  I might even have it finished by the time they schedule my induction for Wednesday.  I did talk to the doctor's office today with some questions and the nurse explained what they usually do for overdue patients.  So in the meantime, I've prayed that this thing would start up on it's own.  It's quite funny really. 

Someone asked whether Gil would update while I was away.  The answer – no.  Although I think the hospital does offer internet as another option you can pay for in your room.  If that is the case, I will probably go online the day after delivery.  In the meantime, I will be posting every day here until we go – and will try to get a post up if I go into labor before WED AM. 

 

An Answer for My Googling Friends

It's funny.  Since I've switched my blog over to Word Press, it's as if the Googlers suddenly found me.  On my MT version of Shelly's Journal, I'd be lucky to get 1 hit a day via Google or other search engines.  But now, things are reving up.

One thing that I've gotten the most hits off of is some variation of the search:

80% effaced how long until delivery

Well, my googling friends the answer is:

As long as it takes.

There is no definate formula with your body and delivery.  With Bump I was 50% effaced on a Monday and delivered him the following Monday.  I reached 80% two weeks ago, and have now hit 100% – but nothing else is happening.

So there is no easy answer my friends.  It's all in God's time – or once you hit 40 weeks – the time you schedule your induction. 

 

Were You Looking For Me?

I'm still here, without a contraction to speak of. All I have to say to the Doctor who thought I would drop this kid at 32 weeks is…"Look who knows so much…"

Every day is difficult to get through.  Just chasing down Bump has gotten to be quite a task.  I'm slow and fat.  I can't keep up.  And today, best of all was "The Day of No Nap."  He's asleep now, though.

I trotted out to Walmart today to once again stock my fridge and supplies for Gil in the event that he has to fend for himself for a few days.  While Bump was a good boy, my seedless watermelon had seeds, I forgot the cream cheese (although I bought bagels) and I resigned myself to kitchen duty this morning – cooking a few things and preparing a salad.  

A friend came over and brough dinner – and we went for a walk with Casey and Bump and then watched Bump run around the backyard to discover every little puddle of water from recent rain storms that had not been emptied or dried up.  He came back to the porch soaked from head to toe, and I can't imagine any of these water sources were more than a cup full.

My Casey battles back between being a happy, stupid dog like she's always been to depression.  She's stopped barking at strangers, won't go outside alone unless she's eating or really has to go, and lies around like that dog on Hee-Haw. 

Sometimes I feel the same way about Winnie.  Joyously remembering what a wonderful dog she was to lamenting over her sudden departure from our family.  Gil's not a dog person, so he thinks I'm weird.  Which makes it harder.

So, just another non-descript day here.  No craftiness to report.  No incredible stories.  Just weariness and frustration and more waiting. 

 

Nothing New Under the Sun

Well, nothing new.  I'm still here at home with things about the same as they were  yesterday.  I saw my Dr.  I'm now up to 4 cm and 100% effaced.  He's right at 0 station.  I don't know how much more ready I could be….They say anytime and are convinced that I won't make a Drs. appointment next week.

Now just for comparison, I hit this point with Bump about 7 hours after my water broke – and I still had to spend an hour and 15 minutes pushing him to the point of delivery.

We are definately worried that Gil won't make it if he comes at night.  I'm kind of wondering if I will make it.

In other news, I was tailgated to the Drs. office by an older woman in a Mercedes.  She was apparently unhappy with my driving speed – only 38 mph in a 35.  This happens to me all the time.  Sometimes people get very irate – flash their lights, honk their horns and yell.  It really and truly amazes me how people change when they get behind the wheel.  I try to drive as close to the speed limit as I can.  Why hurry?  What's the rush?

Oh well, back to my real world life today – wrestling a 2-year-old to his nap and working on finishing up MJs quilt.  I have it 1/2 tied and am planning on doing a little machine quilting on it this PM – just for stability.  If I head to the hospital before I finish the tying, I can always take some time to finalize in the hospital! 

 

To Every Season – Turn, Turn, Turn

It's waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Something has got to happen sometime, right?  Today I found myself weary from the worry and slept for probably 3 hours.  I had my beautiful little quilt all pinned and ready to be sewn, but I couldn't pull myself out of bed.

Have you every just been that tired where you keep breaking in and out of consciousness, but you can't move.  You're just that tired.  Then you break back into sleep for a while to waken and find that you really can't move at all.  So it's best just to go back to sleep.

I chased Bump a little – or better yet  – just let him run around me.  Gil finished some of his little projects around here.  It really is rather boring.

Then finally, I put Bump down to tend to "the quilt".  I couldn't wait to post final photos, so here's the prelim…. 

The second photos shows the backing fabric I decided to go with at the last minute.  I was all set to do lime green and then decided that it could be semi-reversable and more fun with something else on the back.  

Now, all I've got is tying and thread picking to do on it – oh and to sew close the hole in the top.  I'm debating on putting some decorative stitching across the top where the hole is to seal it and just make it look interesting – although It probably wouldn't look as good on the back side.  Anyone have any thoughts on this?  

I added the borders last night, but ended up having to tear off two of the side ones because it made the quilt wider than the 72 inch batting I'd purchased.  The quilt size is about 88 x 70.  It's actually much more bright and dramatic than the colors show.  I'm fairly pleased with it so far, although working with a twin size on the pinning was tough in our house since there really isn't a space that's big enough…except the floor, and a 39 week pregnant woman crawling around on the floor is not exactly fun.

Here's the quilt that inspired it all.  Made by Amy from happythings.  I had already purchased all the fabrics when Amy posted this.  I had been going back and forth in my mind between a few different designs.  Then I saw this and knew it would be perfect.  I figure kids love the bigger pieces with all the bright pictures on them.  And I have not been disappointed as Bump has already gone round with this quilt and pointed out so many things.  I'm hoping MJ will like it. 

On a side note, thanks to all on their encouragement and kind words on my torturous last days of pregnancy.  I know the Lord will provide at the appropriate time and place.  I almost wish the docs didn't tell me "any time" and leave it at that.  Then mentally I wouldn't be in the mode…but we'll get by and be holding that cute little boy soon!