Okay....2nd night home....

Okay.....so second night home was completely opposite than the first! We were up until 0420! We were all exhausted. I think Mary Claire just has her days and nights mixed up. We are trying to work on that today by keeping her awake more during the day today, so we will see how that goes.


Mary Claire also went on her first trip to Nannie and Papa John's house! Nannie called and was cooking lunch; she was going to bring us some, but we decided to go there instead and eat some hot and yummy food! Mary Claire slept during both car rides, took her bottle when she got to Nannie and Papa John's, and just hung out! She did great!

Taylor and Brian got our Christmas tree decorated last night....it looks great! It's just missing some presents underneath, but we will work on that this week.
























Here's the pics of the day:

1. Look at my chunky cheeks!

2. Taking my first 3 oz bottle!! (I'm a big girl!)

Birth story and first night home

So here's how everything happened....

Brian and I checked into the hospital Monday (Nov. 24) evening.....eagerly anticipating a quick birth on Tuesday (Nov 25). Little did we know our baby girl had other plans! About an hour after we checked in the doctor came in and inserted Cervidil to help the process begin. This was removed Tuesday morning, I was allowed to shower, and then pitocin was started at 6am. My doctor came in about 0830 and checked me and I was 1cm dilated. The pitocin was upped and I continued laboring. My doctor had a hysterectomy to perform at 1pm, so she came in and checked me again at 1230....still just a 1!!! My doctor decided to break my water to hopefully help things move along more. Since I was hardly dilated at all, it was extremely painful. Plus, the doctor didn't even know if she had broken my water or not! So she decided to then put an internal monitor on the baby; she knew my water would break when she did this because it has a little "spike" thing on there. When this was done, they could tell that there was meconium in my amniotic fluid. Both the doctor and nurse were surprised to see that because the baby had shown absolutely no sign of stress the entire labor process! That made me feel better....the baby was doing great! The nurse was ordered to increase the pitocin and my doctor told me I could have my epidural whenever I wanted. We were hoping that it might make my body relax and hopefully dilate more. So off my doctor went to her hysterectomy and I continued laboring. I labored with my water broken and the upped pitocin for about 25 minutes and turned to Brian and told him I was ready for my epidural! I finally agreed with him....if I didn't have to feel the pain I shouldn't! The anesthesiologist showed up in less than 5 minutes and I was in heaven! About 1430 the nurse came in to check me again....still just a 1! So my doctor finished up her hysterectomy and came back to me. She was about to check me and saw how much meconium was in my leaking waters and we decided it would be best for a c-section. A new anesthesiologist came in to bolus my epidural with some lidocaine and things were set into motion. NICU was notified due to the meconium issue and they would be present. I was prepped, Brian was gowned, and we got rolling. At 1809 my beautiful baby girl was born covered in meconium and with the cord around her neck. She was not allowed to cry because she had meconium in her stomach and was immediately handed off to the NICU group to be suctioned. I was finally able to hear her cry and Brian got to go check her out. He brought the camera back to show me and then finally brought her to me. She was then taken back to our room while I remained in the c-section room to be stitched up. Everyone in the c-section room was making bets on how big she was, and finally the anesthesiologist called into our room and we then heard....9lbs 9oz!! Whoa! No wonder my body couldn't dilate; she was just too big for me to deliver. I'm glad I have a good pro-active doctor who didn't force me to go to at least 40 weeks. Everything turned out completely opposite than I was thinking, but the end product is just more perfect than I ever imagined! Mary Claire is just beautiful and perfect to me, and I am so proud to be her mommy!

First night home......was actually great! Once we first got home she was a little fussy which I attributed to her getting used to her new environment. After that, it was (knock on wood) smooth sailing. We were lucky to have only woken up once during the night!! Because Mary Claire is such a big girl, she is taking 2oz every 3.5-4 hours. We fed her at 10 before we went to bed, Brian was up with her around 2, and then I was up at 6. Then, after that, we slept til 9!! It was nice! I know, I know....it was the first night home, but can't a girl hope!?!? :)

We have been very blessed, and we are so much looking forward to our future being Mary Claire's parents.

ETA:

Picture of the day

Photos!!

Hope you enjoy the pics! We sure are having fun taking them!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Just wanted to stop in and say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. We are happily enjoying our little Thanksgiving butterball! She was weighed again last night at 24 hours old and weighed in at 9lbs 6oz, so she has only lost three ounces! The pediatrician was very happy to see that and she got another overall great report. We just changed Mary Claire into her "First Thanksgiving" outfit and took some pictures, so check back shortly to see them.

As for me (Mommy), I am finally epidural, IV and catheter free! And I feel so much better after getting up and moving around and taking a shower. It's amazing how much just a little bit of getting up and moving around helps recovery.

Don't forget to check back later for pictures.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Edited to add: I will post the birth story for those interested after we get home.
Edited to add: Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

We have a baby!!!!

And a BIG one at that! Mary Claire came into the world via c-section November 25, 2008 at 1809 weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 9oz and 20 inches long! So, needless to say, Mommy, Daddy and Nannie had a LONG day!

Enjoy the pictures and I will post more when I'm able to get up and move around.

In the hospital

Well, we are in the hospital.....waiting on a baby! The pitocin was started at 6 this morning, and it's helping! They keep telling me I am having contractions, but nothing has been unbearable as of yet. My platelets are up, so the option for an epidural is bright and enticing for when I need it! Daddy and Nannie are here with Mommy and we're all just chilling out. Doctor should be back in to check on progress, so keep your fingers crossed! Check back in later today for pictures....hopefully!!

Hope everyone is ready for Thanksgiving....can't wait to meet our little butterball!

The nursery

***We are still waiting on her dresser. But I absolutely LOVE both the furniture and bedding!

My first blog

Hey everyone! I have decided to create this blog to keep my family and friends updated on the life of my daughter Mary Claire. Her daddy, brother and I will meet her this Tuesday, November 25, 2008. I will be 39 weeks 5 days pregnant. It has been a long, but definitely exciting year waiting to meet her!

Just a few fun facts for those who don't know. We found out we were pregnant on March 17, 2008 and we were so excited! We found out we were expecting a daughter around the end of June at 18 weeks. At that ultrasound she weighed 12 ounces. At our last two ultrasounds this past week, we have gotten estimated weights of anywhere from 7 lbs 11 oz to right at 8 lbs. Guess we will find out how big she is in just three days! Her room is decorated in this bedding: http://www.kidslineinc.com/products/infant/mod_ladybug.php, and it is even cuter in person. I will post pictures, so be sure to check them out! Her name was a joint effort; her daddy chose her first name, Mary, and I chose her middle name, Claire, in memory of my late grandmother, Clarice. I call her "Mary Claire;" her brother, Taylor, just calls her "Mary," and her daddy rotates between the two!

I hope to be a good blogger and keep up with this to keep everyone updated. I have a feeling that I will be posting more pictures than blogging, but we shall see!