Ahhh Heaven...

Let me first say how this has definitely been a summer for boys!  Shout out to Bossy - congrats Doll!!  :)

Now to update you all with...my birth story!!!

As I believe I had mentioned before, if Parker didn't come by his due date I was scheduled to be induced on the 21st of this month.  And as I'm sure you've guessed, he did not arrive on his own so his little butt got evicted!

Mr. CB and I checked in at  the Maternity Admissions Unit at 7:15am that morning.  I think they had an admission because I wasn't "checked in" and taken back to Labor and Delivery until 8.  No biggie...I knew my LO was going to be here sometime that day.  Once I got in the room, I had to strip down and put a hospital gown on and then I got my IV for the pitocin and hooked up to the monitor to watch my contractions and monitor Parker's heart rate.

The pitocin was started at a rate of 6mL per hour, but I wasn't feeling anything so the rate kept being increased.  At around 10:30am, my OB came by and broke my bag of waters.  That crap kinda hurt and the leaking was NOT cool!  LOL  I felt like I was constantly peeing on myself.  At around 3-4cm, the pain was starting to get uncomfortable so I had my name put on the list for an epidural (I'm a kind of "go with the flow" kind of girl, so my birth plan included an epidural if I felt I needed one...especially with the pitocin which can make labor pains more acute).  Luckily I was only second on the list so I didn't have to wait long.

The anesthesiologist was fantastic - I wasn't scared at all and barely felt a thing.  It was so funny because before I knew it, the nurse asked "Did you feel that one?"  I was like "Huh?"  And she told me that I was at the height of a contraction.  I wasn't feeling a thing and suddenly everything was fabulous!  Anyway, things progressed somewhat steadily for the rest of the afternoon (times are blurry that day).  I chilled in the bed, sipping Sprite and cranberry juice and talking to my family while updating ALL the girls at work via text messaging.

Later that afternoon/early evening , Parker was still "sunny-side up" so my OB had me lay far on my side with my knee up to open my pelvis and hopefully coax Parker to turn.  At around 8:30pm she came back in, checked me and had me do a couple of "practice pushes" to see what would happen.  After the second push, she said "Okay, let's start pushing!"  Oh man I was so excited...and my parents had gone to get something to eat!!  I had my BF call them on her cell phone but my mom didn't answer! (Her cell has a Minnesota number because that's where she's from)  So I had Mr. CB call them on my cell for her and within a minute my mom was busting in the door.  Luckily, my OB and the nurse were getting everything ready so she didn't miss anything.

It was hard to know if I was pushing correctly since I couldn't feel anything from the waist down.  But I had an awesome team.  My husband was at my head telling me how great I was doing, my mom and BF each had a leg, and of course my doc and nurse.  After about 45 minutes of pushing, Parker was finally here!!!

My sweet boy was born on Tuesday August 21, 2012 at 9:17pm.  He weighed 10 pounds 5 ounces and was 22.5 inches long!!!  When the nurse announced that, I couldn't believe my ears.  There was no way the big fella lived in my belly...I never would have guessed he weighed that much.  But he is mine and the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

This past week has been tiring but I have never been happier being at home with Parker and my husband.  We are one happy family.  I am so thankful for this blog > offering a way for us to support each other through such difficult and happy times and seeing that wishes can and do some true.

I wish all my fellow buds this much happiness and I will definitely keep reading posts!

Curly Bud...signing off.

10 weeks.

40 weeks (the BF painted this...the brown at the bottom is supposed to be sand!)

Luckily, he's a much happier baby than he was the night he born...

This  was taken the morning we went home from the hospital.

Holy cow!!!

Only NINE days left!  I'm in the single digits now...and I only just realized it this morning.  What a staggering realization.

I'm excited...nervous...anxious...bewildered...awed.  I can't wait to meet my baby boy.  Talk to you all later!

38 weeks...

Sorry everyone for not posting lately...super busy last couple of weeks.  We had our baby showers, been working on the nursery (not as close to being done as we should be given I'm due in 2 weeks) and washing baby clothes.  *sigh* And still SO much to do!!


How far along: 38 weeks today.  =o)  It's so hard to believe that it's already almost time!  Like Diva mentioned, after waiting so long it's hard to believe that this is really happening...and I mean really happening!

Total weight change: I hate this part...I think I'm gonna skip this part.  After all, I know how much dag-gone weight I've gained!

Maternity clothes: Same as last time, though even my maternity t-shirts are too snug.  But I'm told that nothing is really comfortable this late in pregnancy.  I bought some cotton shorts from Target in a few sizes too big so that I'd have something more comfy to lounge in...maternity clothes are SO expensive!

Stretch Marks: Still no new new ones.

Movement: His movements have slowed down a little to where they're not the actual kicks that I'm used to but more shifting and rolling.

Sleep: Definitely feel like I need more here lately, but the last couple of weekends have been busy so I haven't been able to get caught up like I'd like.  But hopefully the next couple of weekends will be better.  Sleeping pretty well during the night but I'm getting up more often in the night to use the bathroom since he's started dropping.

Best Moment This Past Week: Several since it's been so long since I've written: the work baby shower was on 7.19.12.  The girls definitely took care of me!!  We got so much stuff it was ridiculous!  And then the following Sunday Mr. CB's mom and grandma threw us one at their church.  Needless to say we got plenty of diapers, wipes, bath products, clothes, blankets, toys, gift cards, etc.  The women that work with Mr. CB chipped in and bought us our travel system.  The only things that we still need are an exer-saucer, highchair and travel car seat.  And we've only used a portion of the gift cards.  I still have some small things to get like something to put dirty diapers in, organizer baskets, some changing pad sheets, etc.  Had my weekly appointment this week: dilated to 1.5cm, about 60% effaced and she said that Parker's head is a lot more down.  I would have liked to have had a little more change, and she must have sensed that because she assured me that my uterus has changed a lot since the last check.  She asked if I want to be induced at 40 weeks, which I do not, so she said we will schedule an induction date for about 1 week my due date but only as a "plan B."

Most Difficult Moment This Past Week: I swear I am so tired of hearing people tell me how big I am.  And it really all depends on how they say it, you know?  Like I had a patient yesterday (I swear I love this little old man) whom I always enjoy picking on and vice versa.  Well he wanted to see me before he left so he could see how big the belly has gotten.  Of course he gave me a hard time about it, but he's such a genuinely sweet man that it didn't come off as rude and we laughed about it for about 10 minutes comparing guts, etc.  But then you have some people (and trust me, I've been dealing with these types of people my whole life) who just have a way about them where comments like that come out so freaking rude.  A patient's daughter told me earlier this week that my nose is getting really big.  Thanks lady...I had no idea.


Belly Button In or Out: Yeah, it's an outty.


Cravings/Aversions: I realized last night that I've really been craving salads the last couple of weeks.  Could be worse...could be better without my ranch!  =o)

Symptoms: Still having the heartburn and reflux, the swelling in my feet and ankles is getting pretty bad - I have to keep my feet up all evening when I get home or they won't even go down over night, but luckily my blood pressures have still been running good.  More cramping underneath my belly and deep in my pelvis.  Nothing horrible, just uncomfortable.  The fatigue that I mentioned earlier...but I know that won't get any better in the next 5 years or so!  =o)  Bring it on!

Baby SB is Here Part II

I started to be induced around 3 pm on Tuesday.  It started off with the magnesium sulfate hook up. I had to be on this because of the pre eclampsia - it prevents seizures.  Honestly, I would have rather had the seizure.  When this drug is first turned on, it feels like the room goes to 100 degrees for about 15 minutes.  If that is not bad enough, you cannot get up to walk around (hello bed pan), makes you have flu like symptoms, exhausts the hell out of you and causes you to be a little out of it.  I was on this devil drug for three whole days (you have to be on it 24 hours after delivery too) - it was awful.

After the magnesium, they put a little pill on my cervix to try to dilate it or soften it up (as I was a little out of it, I forget).  Then you wait 4 hours, and they check you.  If nothing happens, they will do it again.  This was my first 8 hours of labor.  I came in 1 centimeter dilated all this little pill did was soften my cervix - no more dilation.

During this time I should mention that Baby SB's heartbeat would drop every time I went to the bathroom - I have no idea why.  People would just come rushing in my room and throw an oxygen mask on my face and turn me on my side, then he was fine.  From that point on, I was no longer allowed to be on my back and my legs were cramping up horribly.  It was some scary stuff.  Apparently I was having a lot of contractions too - none of which I could even feel.  Since the contractions were coming so often, they thought it was putting the baby in distress so they gave me another drug to slow them down which made me feel like I had taken no less than 10 Hydroxycuts (the kind that are illegal now - remember those?) and made my heart feel like it was jumping out of my chest.  This led me into a mild panic attack.

After the 8 hours with no progress, they decided to literally blow up my cervix.  I think it was called a foley balloon.  They use this to dilate you even further.  As this sounded like medieval torture to me, I immediately asked for an epidural. 

And let me tell you - the epidural freaked me the eff out.  Like, I threw up because I was so scared (P.S. no reason to be scared of the epidural - it is your friend.  I will never understand that I can get piercings and tattoos and not even flinch, but if you dare stick me with a needle for medical purposes, I will spaz out).  It took forever to put in, because I was sitting lopsided.  The poor lady putting it in could not figure out why the hec it wasn't going in straight.  After we figured out why, Baby SB's heart rate dropped again while the epidural was nearly finished.  I had 12 medical professionals in my room.  His heart rate went back up and the epidural was in place.

The foley made me dilate to 4 + centimeters (whatever that means) and it stayed there for over 24 hours - no progression was made and I felt like I was being tortured.  They broke my water too, and now I think it is hilarious all of the times that I thought I was leaking amniotic fluid during pregnancy - Ha.....hahahahahaha (good god you will KNOW)! They also couldn't monitor my contractions from the outside anymore, and they had to insert something inside of me.  It wasn't so bad until Baby SB started tugging on it (oh I kid you not), and they had to keep reinserting it.  After the third time I told them no more and they would have to come up with another plan.

Lets fast forward to Thursday morning (hi - I was in latent labor for about 40 hours).  My doctor I have been going through my entire pregnancy with comes in and asks me how I am doing.  I tell him miserable and he agrees with me.  He told me that obviously things were not progressing, and asked if I wanted a c section.  I said yes and tried my hardest not to kiss him on the lips (have I mentioned to you how good looking my doctor is?  Mr. SB and I call him Dr. Sexy and think that he is the reason my blood pressure was high.  However, I would have kissed a gross old man with tongue if they offered me a c section at this point).  Before I knew what was happening, I was prepped for surgery and was being wheeled into the OR.

William Kenneth was born at 8:48 am and at that moment, I could have cared less if I was in labor for a month.  He was so worth it.  He was checked over, determined that no extra care was needed and was then placed in Mr. SB's arms.  I kissed him on his head and just stared at him for the rest of the surgery.  I can't get over how much he looks like my husband.  I'll spare you the pictures of him with guts all over him on the scale (only parents think those are cute - to others they are gross).

My world has now changed forever and I couldn't be happier.  This little boy has stolen my heart and I will never be the same again.  Check out this handsome guy....

So I guess this is Sarcastic Bud signing off.  Thank you all for sharing my journey with me and to all of you struggling with infertility, please do not give up until you are holding your LOs in your arms.

Baby SB is Here! Part I

Yes, you read that correctly.  Mr. William decided to come 4.5 weeks early on May 10, 2012.  He weighed 6 lbs 4 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.  Amazingly, no NICU was required.  He came out perfect and I cannot even begin to tell you how lucky I feel.

I must warn you though - reading my birth story is not for the faint of heart.   Even though I had a wonderful outcome, my labor and delivery was kind of a train wreck and probably would scare the curap out of me if I was reading it having never gone through the experience.  So please read at your own risk.

I woke up the Monday before my delivery and immediately took my blood pressure as I had every morning for the past three months.  It was then that I knew something was wrong.  Usually in the morning it is between 115-120/70 or 80s.  That day it was 142/84.  Even though it was a reading that was not in the danger zone for my blood pressure, I knew it was not normal for me.  I called my doctor's office to inform them, and they told me to sit tight and if any other symptoms came about, to come down to triage.  Sounded like a plan.

I continued about my day, but around 5 pm I became extremely dizzy and light headed.  A call was placed once again to my doctor's office and Mr. SB and I made our way down to triage at our hospital.

**Side Note** Even though my water didn't break and I was no where near delivering, Mr. SB still treated our trip to the hospital as though I was in active labor.  He drove like a maniac, almost plowed over some poor old lady in the elevator with a walker (he claimed she blended into the wall) and I was told to "hurry up and walk faster."  I thought this was hilarious.

Once in triage, my blood pressure numbers were high.  Again, not extremely high, but worse than what they were.  For the first time ever my labs were slipping as well.  Kidney function was getting worse and my platelet numbers were dropping.  After surviving over 8 weeks since my diagnosis, pre e was starting to rear its ugly head.

I was admitted to the hospital for overnight observation and was sent first thing on Tuesday morning for a growth ultrasound.  Little SB was measured to be 6 lbs and 14 ounces at 35 weeks and 3 days.  I knew at that moment they were going to push for delivery.

After my ultrasound as I had predicted, a few doctors came in to talk to me about my options.  They recommended delivery.  My labs were getting worse and although I was not in danger yet, it was around the corner (pre e can go from mild to scary pretty quickly).  They said that if I wanted, I could stick it out in the hospital and see how much my body could take, but that was not worth the risk to me and my baby.  I agreed to go in for an induction and a few hours later I was whisked away to labor and delivery.

Stay tuned for my next installment :)

19 weeks

Before I get into how everything is going, I just want to tell everyone that we found out on Monday that we're having a BOY!! =oD Mr. CB and I couldn't be happier. You ladies know...with our histories gender doesn't matter in the least; just a healthy baby. Anyway, everything looked good according to both the US tech and my OB. Lil Man weighs 11oz and apparently was feeling happy that morning because he was waving, stretching and being fairly cooperative with the tech. He even had the hiccups a little! I can't wait until we starting picking out names and working on the nursery.

Other than that wonderful news, everything has been going well. Not having any nausea and my sleep has been pretty much nil. I bought a body pillow last weekend because surrounding myself with normal pillows was cutting it. The pillow is super comfortable but I'm a little too tall for it because the middle doesn't line up with by belly right (I'm 5'8") but I'm surviving. I do notice that my ankles are swelling a little bit but I have been on my feet a lot this week with work with our new medical records system. My hair is growing very quickly, and coming out more when I comb it (only in the shower when it's wet because it's so curly) and my acne has gotten better except on the 4 week increments when I would normally be on my period.

I'm feeling Lil Man move around a little more in there, but I'll admit to wanting to be far enough along so that I can feel every movement and have family/friends be able to feel him move as well. I've never been very patient, but I have no choice in this matter.

I know I haven't posted any pictures of myself (ever, I think) and I need to post a pic from the ultrasound, but unfortunately that may have to wait a little bit. We're going to New Jersey tomorrow for my brother's graduation from Coast Guard boot camp. So I'll try to get on here to do that this weekend or early next week.

Talk to you guys next time and thinking about all of you!