Thursday, December 6, 2007
2 weeks
We've made it through 2 weeks with a newborn. Yay! We're very, very tired, but Gavin is such a sweet little guy that he's made it all worthwhile. I'll get some holiday pics up soon, since I know you're all anxiously awaiting them.
Santa Visit!
I never thought this would happen! Gwydion actually wanted to talk to Santa this year. He was still a little nervous, but after I told him he could tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas, that seemed to make everything alright. If I had known he would actually go for it, I would have dressed him up a bit. Of course, then he wouldn't have done it, right? Anyway, here they are!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Getting ready for Christmas
Gwydion is very excited about Christmas this year. He was very helpful in getting all the decorations out and getting everything set up.
Michael and Gwydion check the lights.
Looks like they are fine, lets get them up!
Gwydion the architect contemplates candy placement. This is very serious business.
A gumdrop roof is just what this house needs.
Michael and Gwydion check the lights.
Looks like they are fine, lets get them up!
Gwydion the architect contemplates candy placement. This is very serious business.
A gumdrop roof is just what this house needs.Friday, November 30, 2007
Happy 1 Week Birthday!
I meant to post this yesterday, but late is better than never, right? Here's our little guy at one week.
He's really a very good baby. He doesn't cry unless he's hungry, and he makes the most hilarious poopy faces. He doesn't sleep much, but I'm hoping that will improve in the next week or two. He does take 3-4 hour long naps during the day- we just need to figure out how to switch those to night time. Right now he wakes every hour, sometimes every 2, to eat. He sleeps best while someone is holding him, so I spend the majority of the night between being awake and dozing while propped up in a sitting position. Hopefully we'll have things switched around before Michael goes back to work.
He's really a very good baby. He doesn't cry unless he's hungry, and he makes the most hilarious poopy faces. He doesn't sleep much, but I'm hoping that will improve in the next week or two. He does take 3-4 hour long naps during the day- we just need to figure out how to switch those to night time. Right now he wakes every hour, sometimes every 2, to eat. He sleeps best while someone is holding him, so I spend the majority of the night between being awake and dozing while propped up in a sitting position. Hopefully we'll have things switched around before Michael goes back to work.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
He's here!! Welcome, Gavin Emrys!
I'll write two version, so those of you who would like to skip the details and get down to the facts can do so, and avoid possible TMI in the process.
Short story: Gavin Emrys was born on Thursday, November 22nd at 6:22 am. He weighs 6 lbs, 15 oz and is 19.5 inches long. We're not sure who he looks like yet, but he's got dark brown fuzz on his head and dark eyes.
Long story: Talk about a long labor! Whew! Contractions started around 2:30 am on Wednesday morning. They were 3-4 minutes apart, but not painful. I timed them for a couple of hours and decided maybe it was time to call the doctor. First things first though- a shower and food! Two things they won't let you have while in labor. So off I went to shower. I got the bags by the door and placed a call for the on-call doctor. By this time, the contractions had slowed to 5 minutes apart but they were still regular.
I woke Michael and we waited for a couple of hours, but the on-call doctor never called back. Contractions had slowed to about every 10 minutes, so we went for a walk. No good- they stayed at the same rate. Michael went to work, and Gwydion and I decided to run some errands. By dinner time, of course, they were picking up again. I called the doctor again and was told to come in to be checked for progress. We got there at 7 pm. I was having regular contractions 8 minutes apart. They were increasingly painful, but after 4 hours of sitting in a hospital bed and NO progress, we decided to go home for food, showers, and maybe a nap.
Of course, by the time I got to the bottom of the stairs at the hospital, contractions were 3 minutes apart and harder to breathe through. I was still starving and wanted a hot bath, so we decided to try the 20 minute drive home. As the contractions intensified, I wasn't sure we would make it! We did though, so we had a snack and Michael tried to nap. I decided to try a hot bath. I now understand why people talk about laboring in the water. It really does make the contractions more manageable. Unfortunately, the water got too cold after about 30 minutes, so I got out and started to dress. That's when I noticed a huge glob of bloody mucus. Progress!!
I was certain that the contractions would hit much harder very soon, so back to the hospital we went. We arrived 2 hours after we left, though this time I was 6 cm dilated instead of 4. That's all the progress they needed to fully admit me and get in my request for an epidural. While waiting for the anesthesiologist, the contractions slowed but intensified. They were 5 minutes apart, but very hard to breathe through. I made it to 7 cm before relief came. Let me tell you, I was getting worried that I wouldn't get an epidural!
Once it kicked in, all the pain was gone. The epidural slowed the contractions to 8 minutes apart, so around 6 am, the doctor broke my water. Things progressed rapidly after that. About 10 minutes of pushing and tiny episiotomy later, Gavin was born.
He's not much of a sleeper, but we're hoping that changes when my milk finally comes in. Gwydion loves him already and has been very helpful (he even found the diapers when I couldn't!). Here are a few pictures.
Short story: Gavin Emrys was born on Thursday, November 22nd at 6:22 am. He weighs 6 lbs, 15 oz and is 19.5 inches long. We're not sure who he looks like yet, but he's got dark brown fuzz on his head and dark eyes.
Long story: Talk about a long labor! Whew! Contractions started around 2:30 am on Wednesday morning. They were 3-4 minutes apart, but not painful. I timed them for a couple of hours and decided maybe it was time to call the doctor. First things first though- a shower and food! Two things they won't let you have while in labor. So off I went to shower. I got the bags by the door and placed a call for the on-call doctor. By this time, the contractions had slowed to 5 minutes apart but they were still regular.
I woke Michael and we waited for a couple of hours, but the on-call doctor never called back. Contractions had slowed to about every 10 minutes, so we went for a walk. No good- they stayed at the same rate. Michael went to work, and Gwydion and I decided to run some errands. By dinner time, of course, they were picking up again. I called the doctor again and was told to come in to be checked for progress. We got there at 7 pm. I was having regular contractions 8 minutes apart. They were increasingly painful, but after 4 hours of sitting in a hospital bed and NO progress, we decided to go home for food, showers, and maybe a nap.
Of course, by the time I got to the bottom of the stairs at the hospital, contractions were 3 minutes apart and harder to breathe through. I was still starving and wanted a hot bath, so we decided to try the 20 minute drive home. As the contractions intensified, I wasn't sure we would make it! We did though, so we had a snack and Michael tried to nap. I decided to try a hot bath. I now understand why people talk about laboring in the water. It really does make the contractions more manageable. Unfortunately, the water got too cold after about 30 minutes, so I got out and started to dress. That's when I noticed a huge glob of bloody mucus. Progress!!
I was certain that the contractions would hit much harder very soon, so back to the hospital we went. We arrived 2 hours after we left, though this time I was 6 cm dilated instead of 4. That's all the progress they needed to fully admit me and get in my request for an epidural. While waiting for the anesthesiologist, the contractions slowed but intensified. They were 5 minutes apart, but very hard to breathe through. I made it to 7 cm before relief came. Let me tell you, I was getting worried that I wouldn't get an epidural!
Once it kicked in, all the pain was gone. The epidural slowed the contractions to 8 minutes apart, so around 6 am, the doctor broke my water. Things progressed rapidly after that. About 10 minutes of pushing and tiny episiotomy later, Gavin was born.
He's not much of a sleeper, but we're hoping that changes when my milk finally comes in. Gwydion loves him already and has been very helpful (he even found the diapers when I couldn't!). Here are a few pictures.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
38 week appointment update
Baby is doing great! His heart rate is 145 bpm, so that's well within the normal range. I don't know how large my tummy is measuring, but at this point it doesn't matter much. Doc did say that I am about 4 cm dilated so it could happen any time. Of course, it could also be another week or two. He did strip my membranes in hopes of getting some contractions started, but nothing so far. That's one of those things that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. I asked how far over they would let me go and he said no more than a week- so we will have a baby by the first full week in December, no matter what. Don't worry, you'll all be notified when he finally does make an appearance!
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