Lazy days

Mike has been home these past two weeks and it almost feels indulgent.  We've gotten into enough of a pattern of sorts and it makes me feel so blessed.  John Michael eats every 3 hours: 2, 5, 8 and 11.  He changes every day and continues to be a really good baby.  Today he has slept ALL day.  Ironically, I also put a regular diaper on him for the first time instead of the cloth because his umbilical cord is just about to fall off and I think the CDs are irritating it.  I really think the disposables are so absorbent that he doesn't even notice when he has a dirty diaper... I have to say that I like the cloth diapering.  It is really easy I think for both Mike and I.  Not really a big deal overall.  You should try it, internet!
I am pretty sure that Mike and I have never spent this much round the clock time together.  We have been together in our house for about 2 weeks solid now, a testament to how much I like him, as he really hasn't gotten on my nerves much at all.  Figuring out the parenting thing is trying at times, but I really respect and admire him as a father so far. I am really going to miss Mike when he goes back to work on Monday. I am surprised I am not more terribly antsy to get out of the neighborhood, so I guess I am more of a homebody than I thought.  We took our fancy BOB stroller out for a walk around the neighborhood yesterday.  It corners like it's on wheels (and should). It's pretty slick and I think we'll use it for years of running. Monika and Kristen came over yesterday and were talking about their various training. I can't wait to get out there again, but this time training with my child strapped in. Should be interesting.
  This weekend, we are going to be brave and take JM out to the lake house for some additional solitude.  Tomorrow the little guy has his 2 week appointment.  I am pretty sure we are on the right track with his weight. The little guy is a milk monster all of a sudden. Breastfeeding has thankfully gotten A LOT better. Time is flying by!

AC: Blank angel- hello, dad!  

Getting better

Knock on wood. We've had two really good nights in a row. I feel like we're getting into a good pattern. JM has been kind of cranky this morning, but overall, I really think he is an angel baby. When something is wrong, he lets you know it, but doesn't really cry for no reason. I've learned that the following are keys to successful bfing for us:
1. Mary Beth must be seriously calm, distracted and peaceful. JM can tell when I am stressed. I also cannot watch the clock too much.... Zenlike state of mind.
2. If he has a dirty diaper, is pooping, or has to burp, he will not latch on.
3. If he gets sleepy, we check his diaper, which wakes him up no problem.

I am pretty much obsessed with the amount of poopy and pee diapers that are happening these days. I remember reading one of Z's email chains of the week where he and Ang were emailing about this for Cailyn and that is totally us now. He is a week old now. I want him to stay little forever so that makes me a little sad. I was surprised at how few people came to visit us last week, but now all of a sudden we have many visitors. I think people we know and our neighbors are conscientious of our "new parent" adjusting. We took our first walk around the block this morning. JM was awake and very calm, looking around and seemed content and Bella was extremely docile! Good doggie! We also are trying to take a pic for his birth announcement. I like this one. Thoughts? Good times for us! Happy Memorial Day!

John Michael Birth Story

We spent Saturday night at Lauren's graduation festivities at UT, which included drinks at Cain and Abels (water for me), walking 1/2 mile to the "6 pack" for the evening convocation and fireworks, sitting in a folding chair for 3 hours for the ceremony, 1/2 mile walk back to the car and then over to Lauren's house afterwards where we played Password, drank champagne (I did have some) and ate tiramisu until 1AM!  1AM?!!!  Yes, that's right, me of all people stayed up past 9pm for once.  Who knew that a few sips of champagne and lack of sleep was going to put me in LABOR!!!?Around 3am, I got up to go to the bathroom, did my business and while I was washing my hands, suddenly felt a gush of warm fluid down my leg.  Since I had just gone, I knew I wasn't peeing my pants and when I saw the puddle on the floor of the bathroom, I knew that my water had broken.  I went into the bedroom and woke up Mike, telling him we were going to have a baby that day!  Note: after our "false alarm" it was incredibly nice to know that they were not going to send us home and this was it!  So, we called the doctor on call and they told us to come in.  I wasn't really having contractions, so Mike and I calmly loaded up the car and off we went.  The only person I called was Lauren, because I figured she was the only one possibly up... celebrating her graduation.  Apparently, she was up but didn't have her phone.  :)  We got to the hospital at 4am.  TMI alert: fluid continued to come out all the way to the hospital and checking in to L&D, I was literally creating a puddle, so I had to run down to our room ahead of Mike and let him take care of all the insurance stuff.  We got checked in to our room and they put me on the monitor.  Around 5:30, we called the very excited grandparents, and both Mimi and Nana actually answered their phones at this hour! The contractions started, but they were only coming around 6 minutes and weren't terribly intense and I was only around 3 cm dilated, so around 7, the nurse broke my water completely (I was still leaking) and suggested starting pitocin (ugh).  They started it really light and my body reacted very quickly.  Around 8:30/9 I was having some really painful contractions, so I asked for the wonderful thing called the epidural.  We were the only patients in labor on Sunday morning, so we got some extra TLC.  The anesthesiologist came very quickly.  My mom showed up a little before this to hang out with us.  The delivery nurse was really confident and tenured and was actually training someone on her first shift, so was extra detailed in everything she did and explained.  The epidural set in around 10 minutes later, and I still had relative feeling in my legs which was good.  The nurse checked me and told me that I was at 7cm dilated and almost completely effaced.  They were really happy with how well I was progressing considering the low dose of pitocin they were giving me.  Mike asked the nurse how much longer she thought it would be and she said maybe 3 hours, but the baby was definitely coming before lunch.  A few minutes passed and Mike's parents showed up.  Ironically, they were in San Antonio for a party that weekend and so were able to drive up relatively quickly, instead of driving from Dallas.  They hung out for a few minutes and decided they were going to go get something to eat since it could be a while.  Seriously, I don't think they made it down the hall before I was telling the nurse that I had this sudden urge to push.  Sure enough, she checked me and said that if I felt like pushing, we should do it.  They called the on-call doctor (Edgerton), who was meeting with a patient and he asked if I could wait 15 minutes for him to come.  The nurse could tell, as could I, that I couldn't make it.  She asked him if they could start things going.  The two nurses and I pushed a few times and I was progressing very quickly.  I wasn't feeling a lot of pain, just pressure and the atmosphere was extremely calm.  Neither one of us could believe: a)we were going to meet our baby soon and b)that things had progressed so well, so fast.  So, Dr. Edgerton still wasn't there...  Sure enough, right before I felt like the baby was going to fall out and the nurse literally called him and asked permission to deliver the baby if need be.  He showed up with a big African American orderly guy (who Mike and I called the doctor's 'entourage'), who did all the legwork to get the table ready, and literally for maybe 3 pushes and Peanut was here!  Seriously, nurse Nancy did everything. All Edgerton did was show up! They put the baby directly on my chest and he looked up at me.  We were so excited.  His color was so pink and he was so chubby.  The nurses said that they thought we'd have a 9 pounder for sure.  They gave him Apgars of 9,9 and weighed and measured. Sure enough, 8lbs 4oz and 21.5 inches long. A big baby for coming a few days early! (Ironically, Dr. Seeker had just predicted at my 39 week visit days before that he would be a be around 7.5 lbs at that point. I told you Dr. S! Both Mike and I were 8 pounders and darnit, I know I ovulated 2 days before my EDD you gave me! Anyway, they took Peanut away to do all the poking and prodding.  Mike had the video camera rolling the whole time, so we have these amazing first images (after he came out that is, since they won't let you film that part).  The nurse asked Mike what we were going to call the baby... and I will never forget him looking over at me... We had had the name picked out for so long, but were so good about never using it even with each other prior to the birth.  I nodded that we were still going with it.... so Mike told the nurse John Michael.  John after my wonderful wonderful dad.  It really couldn't be any other name.  iMichael's family has a tradition that the first born son has the father's first name as a middle name.  I couldn't picture two more wonderful men to name the baby after.  We are going to call him John Michael for as long as we can.  This first week has been rough, but we are adjusting day by day.  John Michael is a really good baby so far.  We put him on EASY, the Baby Whisperer method and it seems to be working well for us.  I really recommend this book for anyone who is expecting.  I am so glad I read it beforehand.  I've gone back to it a few times now for the parts that I need and I just really agree with her methods.  I also really like the Happiest Baby on the Block video.  Mike is a kick ass swaddler.  JM NEEDS to be swaddled at night, but he is sleeping in his crib happily so far.  We don't even have him in the room with us.... So as for challenges, breastfeeding has been a HUGE challenge.  I can totally see where women give up quickly.  There is nothing worse than having a little sweet turtle headed baby trying to latch on over and over and over and over at 3 am and you wanting nothing more than to feed him and it just insn't working... I was frustrated.  Mike was frustrated.  Mike has been an ANGEL this week.  He has gone out of his way to make sure I am eating, sleeping, drinking... He is so helpful and involved and when he could see I was frustrated, took the initiative and took advantage of Dell's 24 hour lactation consultant on call.  She is another angel this week.  We took John Michael in for his first pediatrician visit after he wasn't eating and he had lost a pound since leaving the hospital.  I almost died I was so worried... After another frustrating night Thursday night, I called the pediatrician at 6:30am and we wound up giving JM a little formula.  I called a local lactation consultant who told me that I probably just needed to hand-pump a little to soften things up so the baby could latch on, and it's been smooth sailing with the BF since then.  No more formula.  No more bottles.  We went for a follow up visit with the ped. yesterday (Fri.) and Peanut had gained a little over an ounce.  The doctor thinks we are on the right track!  Parenting is challenging so far, but God it really is such an amazing gift... I think this is the longest post ever.  I have no idea how people blog or Nest the first days after a new baby is born.  It's amazing how much work a little one takes.  And our little one is pretty easy and predictable!  We are SO SO amazingly blessed.  I will leave you with my favorite picture of my daddy, from a trip to Barcelona that I took with them when I was in college.  And, also, I can't help but share the most adorable picture of JM... future Marquette Golden Eagle.  I love the babylegs, but Mike thinks he looks like Flashdance....AC: patience

Cute baby

We are parents!

I'll post more details later, but Michael and I are parents. Water broke yesterday at 3a.m.. Labor went quickly and John Michael came out at 10:30a.m. We are so in love. Lots of visitors yesterday and quiet so far today. He is extremely sweet and chubby and makes cute little noises....

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Progress: 39 Week Visit

I am still pregnant. Have gotten to that annoying phase when people at work ask you "Are you still here?"

Weekly visit with Dr. S. this morning and everything is "textbook." It's great being textbook. Especially since I am a WORRY-wart/possible hypochondriac. Anyhoo, I am 2.5 cm dilated and 60% effaced. Last week, I was 1.5 and 30% effaced, so we have progress. The baby is 7.5 pounds and heartrate is still in the 140s. Sadly, Dr. S. decided not to send any sunshine and rainbows my way and predicted the baby "probably wouldn't show up this week, more like next." But, a girl can dream, right? He is still moving around a lot in there. I on the other hand, am not enjoying the whole sleep experience lately. My hands fall asleep, my sides hurt and trying to get out of bed to go to the bathroom is a pain in the arse. I really can't wait to hold our baby. All I can think about is those little baby feet stretching in my arms. We watched the "Happiest Baby on the Block" video the other night and I can't wait to try out my swaddling technique on an actual human. Right now, our UT frog is swaddled in Peanut's crib. I am the biggest dork, yes, but you gotta practice these things so you are ready for go-time.

AC: Spontaneity

38 weeks

Wow.

10 days!

God sent me some much-needed patience over the past few days. I've been pretty upset that I'm still pregnant, but the truth of the matter is that I am not due for 10 whole days. 10 days is forever for a woman toting around a large squirmy baby who sometimes stretches in a way where Mom can't breathe, but 10 days is nothing for normal people. Our baby is still happily swimming around in my womb and I am going to enjoy that instead of wishing him out before his time. God's timing has always been perfect in my past and this situation will be the same. I just hope I am not overdue! E predicted I am delivering today. I hope so!

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I don't feel like a mom, yet. Mother's Day has never really bothered me because I've never really felt like a mom. Technically I am a mom, but the "act" of motherhood/verb seems like the most important part, so I'll wait til next year to get a blessing at church. Sweet Mike gave me two MD cards yesterday. One from him and one from Peanut. He is a gem. To celebrate my dear mother, the siblings and I went out to Dripping Springs and cooked brunch yesterday. It was a nice day out in the country and I think mom appreciated having her children all together... We floated in their pool and everyone besides me drank beer and enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine. We even fed the horses that live next door. I told Mike that I want a pony. I was kidding (sort of).

I am thankful to still be working... I am one of those people that I think would be going nuts with nothing to do at home except wait. I've finished all my thank you notes and this weekend got my closet organized and put away any maternity clothes that I've outgrown, are out of season or won't wear the next two weeks, so now it's time to be productive with work... Once those projects are done (or at least started), Peanut can come!

AC: Beauty

False Alarm

Mr. MBRox and I made our first trip to L&D last night. Sadly, I type this entry not from my hospital bed glowing with post-birth euphoria and Peanut in my arms, but sitting at my desk at work. That's right, twas a false alarm. In the past 12 hours, I have reflected a lot on the fact that I do not like false alarms.

The backstory is that I spent a very long day yesterday sitting in an extremely boring continuing education class. Sometime around 10a.m. as I was doodling options for the baby's going home outfit (for reals), I noticed some pain.... 10 minutes later, I noticed some more. By the time the afternoon came, these pains were coming every five minutes or so and seemingly getting stronger. I tried laying down. They didn't go away. I tried walking. They didn't go away. The man and I consulted a few times, then decided to call the doctor... and they wanted us to come in, just to be safe.

Other than the excitement that this "could be it," the situation didn't seem right. Packing up our suitcases and driving in rush hour traffic, we then walked calmly through the ER door and up to the L&D area and got checked in (with some other folks who were calmly checking in, as well). A nurse soon got me hooked up to the monitors and after a lot of questioning, pretty much told me with some unappreciated frankness that the contractions were just minor ones. Thanks, lady. They don't feel "minor" to me! My blood pressure, however was through the roof, so they kept me around for an hour and a half, just to make sure I didn't have pre-eclampsia. My temp was also elevated, so before dismissing me, they pretty much told me that they thought I had a mild virus of sorts and that the cramping was elevated by the fact that I needed to drink more water. BP came down to normal level after minutes of me listening to Peanut's delightful little heart rate on the monitor... and home I was sent.

I like to think I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. Although the nurse was pretty nice, it hurt my pride to feel like a drama queen for being cautious. And, I *hated* having to face the large gathering of my sweet family who were anxiously toasting Peanut's impending arrival at Santa Rita Cafe across the street sans baby afterwards. Not only was it my immediate family, but Art's kids and their babies, too. Everyone was there and witness to our hospital dismissal! I can't tell you how much it pains me to have gotten everyone's hopes up, only to disappoint. I feel like a real schmoe. Hopefully, next time we'll know for sure. I was pretty embarassed to be sent packing. The good news is that as of last night, I am 2cm dilated and 30% effaced. There is progress and hope, but yesterday just wasn't our day!

This week I have felt more exhausted, pooped and unmotivated than usual, so I talked with my boss this morning and he suggested I hang in as long as I can trying to wrap up my projects, work from home when I can and be generally flexible with my hours going forward. I am extremely blessed that they are so good to me. It's also extremely slow around here lately, so that is helping. I am going to try to pull myself together and get everything done and pull the plug on full-time working when I am ready.

AC: Patience.... never have the Angel Cards been more right on!

Ready as we're going to be

• 2 weekend date-nights in a row with Mike- check
• car seat installed- check
• cloth diapering 101 class- check
• new dresser delivered and baby clothing inserted- check
• semi annual teeth cleaning- check
• potted plants on porch so it looks pretty for visitors- check
• trip to grocery for bread, milk, eggs, etc.- check

much was accomplished this weekend. mike and i went to see forgetting sarah marshall friday night at the alamo drafthouse. it was cute. if you liked knocked up, you will like it. same combination of baudy humor and sweet story.... oh, and full frontal male nudity, to boot. woah! quite a bit of full frontal, actually!

saturday morning we went to cloth diapering 101 at Austin Baby. we are really doing the CD thing. yup, we officially signed up for their diaper service and even got 100 diapers, a pail, Snappi and 3 covers. our class was really helpful, explaining all the different types of diapers out there, how to do it, etc. mike is a total trouper. i really appreciate his enthusiasm for trying out this new/hippyish experience. he asked questions in class, even. how great is that? most of the people in our class seemed like normal folks. the lady in front of us had dreads, but that's normal for austin. another lady did something i don't consider normal, however, and was sitting with a baby in her lap and just whipped out her boob and started breastfeeding in the middle of class. i plan to breastfeed and am all for nursing in public, but i think it's generally accepted that when one does such, a blanket or nursing shawl should be used. no one wants to see full frontal boobage without warning. even for a good purpose like feeding your babe. to each his own, though. maybe she forgot?

we went out to III forks for our anniversary saturday night. for some reason, i was having contractions every 10 minutes or so for most of the evening. but, they went away. it's going to be hard to wait these last 17 days. i think i am driving mike crazy with the contractions. there is so much that's unknown. yes, i am having contractions, but it doesn't mean i am in labor...

anyway, III forks really exceeded my expectations. at most of the other fancy steak places downtown, you have to order separate sides. so even though III forks' prices are a little higher, i was pleased that my steak came with mashed potatoes (and gravy! and gravy! gravy poured from a tea kettle!), creamed corn and sugar snap peas and red peppers. the steak was divine... it was scalding hot outside and perfectly cooked. although we weren't initially thrilled to be seated near the bar, there was an awesome band playing. the lead singer had kind of a Joe Cockerish voice, but quiet jazzy music. it was a great night with my beloved. i am very blessed to be married to someone i both like and love. 2 years have gone by fast.

so we're as ready as we're going to be. i am antsy for peanut to come already. i am REALLY ready to be done with work and trying to savor this time instead of watching the clock and minutes tick down. smart me scheduled an offsite CE class tomorrow and Wed., so that knocks off two more days!
ac: purpose

Our baby is being born this month!

I am working from home this morning while two yahoos attempt to repair our A/C. I've heard it's impossible to work from home with a newborn, but I wish there was a way I could make it work. It is awesome to be able to work in my slippers and more importantly, stream listener-supported/free commercial-free music while I do it. All that stuff is blocked at work, so I listen to BOB-FM all day long which is good while they're playing "Don't Stop Believin" but bad when they break for commercials every half hour. Anyhoo http://www.radioparadise.com/ is such a great station. If you like KGSR-type music (Austin) or WXRT (Chicago) or Triple M (Madison)... that means Van Morrison/Iron and Wine/Nick Drake/Zero 7 and lotsa good music, go check it out.

Hope these guys are done soon! They've been here for 3 hours!

It's May! May Day! May is the month our baby will be born! How I have waited for May to be here. I cannot wait...