The Birth Tale .

If you're a birth story junkie like me, here ya go. I've finally got it written and documented. 

8 pm Sunday night May 19th my contractions became consistent. Six minutes apart. I had been having sporadic real contractions through out the day but they weren't organized so I didn't know for sure that I was going into labor. Still I started cleaning and getting out the last of the baby things. By 10pm I was sure this was happening and had it in my head that this would be a shorter process than the 16 hour labor of Chloe. I had heard that second labors were about half as long as the first, so I figured I would have miss Piper by about 4-6 am. So I prepared myself for a long night. Switching between the birthing ball, the bed, pacing, warm baths, and Adam putting lots of pressure on my lower back

 By 4:30am I was ready to go to the hospital. Contractions were 3 minutes apart. Having labored all through the night we were tired and ready for our little baby to come. They checked me and I was at a three. Exactly where I had been for the past week. I was so discouraged. I was in so much pain and had nothing to show for it. So we decided to go home and give it a few more hours and see what happens.

 By eight thirty I was in so much pain I just wanted to be admitted. I decided that if they checked me and I was still at a low number I would get an epidural. If I had progressed significantly I would pioneer on.. I had not. I was at 4 cm. It had been over 12+ hours of labor already!

 By 945 I had my epidural. It took perfectly this time, but it completely stopped my contractions. Three hours later at about 1pm in comes Dr Wells with the news that either I can wait and see if my body starts back up again and have a baby in five more hours, or I can have a little pitocin and have her within an hour. I chose the latter and with only a few pushes she was born at 2:17 pm. My doctor asked me to pull her out myself, which I did and loved. Instantly she was here. She came out screaming. One of the first things I hear was "you have a little red head". She lay there on my chest and I was so in love. She is beautiful and perfect. Piper was born Monday May 20th 2013 (on her due date) weighing 6 lbs. 11oz. (one ounce smaller than her sister) 19 inches long At 2:17 pm 

I always wondered what it was like for moms and dads of second, fourth, sixth etc. kids.. Did it ever become routine? Was is ever like "well here is another one.."?

I can tell you with for sure, no it does not. Piper Jane in my arms feels as new, and special to me as when I first met my Chloe. She is not "just another one". She is beautiful and breathtaking, and life-changing.

 Through out the evening Piper kept gagging and choking a little from the amniotic fluid that was still in her stomach. At around three in the morning that night she stopped breathing and turned dark purple I immediately pushed the button for the nurse. She ran in right away to help and rushed her to the nursery to work on her. I stood in the hallway watching as the alarm was sounding and all of the nurses were running into the nursery to help her.

 My heart dropped. What if they don't get her to breath? What if she went too long without oxygen? I started bawling helpless in the empty hallway of the postpartum ward. Finally after what seemed like hours a nurse ran out to get me and tell me that she was okay and that I can come see her. They had oxygen on her and they were patting her back to try to break up the fluid. They kept her in the nursery for a couple of hours and brought her back in to me with a syringe full of fluid and told me that they had pulled it out and that she shouldn't have any more issues. Luckily they were right. 

We were in the hospital for about 24 hours after Piper was born, then we went home with our little tiny newborn in hand. It's hard to wrap my head around being a family of four.. 
It's such an amazing feeling bringing a new life into the world. Adding a new personality to the family. We love this new little baby. We are soaking her innocence in. Loving our family of four.

Birth plan?

It's almost time! I am in total disbelief. It doesn't seem like this is the end. With Chloe I was ready and couldn't wait any longer. This time I am not ready. I could be pregnant for another month and be happy, yet I  I have less than two weeks. Reality hasn't set in. I have a few more things I want to get finished before she arrives, but other than that I have everything I need for her.

 I found out from my nurse practitioner today that they have hired a midwife in their practice. She will be the very first midwife to deliver @ my hospital. She starts in two weeks.. two weeks really? Have I really missed the mark by a few days? I certainly hope not. My np asked if I would like the chance to have her attend my birth. I would LOVE the chance to get the best of both worlds. A midwife for me and a hospital for my nervous anti homebirth husband. We will see if it works out.. Am I really hoping to go overdue? What is wrong with me!

 Whatever way it works out I have decided to labor in the comfort of my home for a while before I go in. I am banking on having a shorter birth than the last. 16 hours is so long, but I think I could do eight. The thought of jumping in my tub when I don't feel well sounds so much better than laying flat on my back in a hospital bed. To all of my mom friends who have done it unmedicated- I would love to hear your stories/ advice.

She is two

Each night, as my nerves are at their most frayed, when I’m the most tired and things hurt and my brain just needs some quiet, we all settle in for bedtime stories. For reasons unknown to me, getting ready for bed is the hardest part of the day for a 2 year old. Who taught her to stall?  Brush your teeth please.Commence fit. Go potty. No we can't watch "just one more minute of the movie". You already had dinner.. Get your jammies on kiddo, which ones should we wear? Oh sorry, looks like we don’t have any that go with that drama. Just these pink ones, is that ok?
But then the three of us plus a sister inside my belly are in her room and the worst is over and we read some stories. And while Adam reads and she listens intently, I stare at her. As I brush her hair away from her face things are calm and I can reconcile the day. Although I am exhausted, tired of hearing my own voice, and but minutes before felt like I couldn't do this for one more moment – I begin to miss her. She’s sitting right in front of me but soon I’ll be out there and she’ll be in here sleeping and we won’t be together. And I glance down at my belly and I think of how she’s in there but soon she’ll be out here and we won’t be together. And today, just like yesterday and all the ones before it, is the only today I had with her like that and little baby like this.

I try not to beat myself up about that. Because every day can’t be amazing, it never will be. I tickle her back and I think of the good stuff and I bring those things up so we can talk about them before I leave her. Please don’t hold the lows against me, I think. And as I fall to sleep, or sometimes lie awake mentally kicking myself, depending on the day, I vow to make tomorrow full of more highs than lows. Even on the high days I have to vow that. Because let’s be honest, each and every day with small people are crap shoots. Sometimes your mental state doesn’t matter. Sometimes they have other ideas and you just have to get through that day as best as you can because as I remind myself numerous times a day, it actually IS hard to be two. And three and four and six and twelve and twenty eight.
She is so lovely, and I can’t believe I made her with my body. And she sits there reading books and laughing with daddy showing us her scrapes and bruises on her knees. I try to memorize these things. They are important. They are her. Soon she will stop falling or bumping her knees randomly, take showers, not need us for things. It will be a while but at the same time it won’t. So I stare, and file those things away because really, it’s almost over.

She is 2 years, 10 months and 26 days old today, for the first and last time.

4.24.13

This past weekend My Mom, Sister, Adam, Chloe, and I decided to take a weekend trip to Santa Cruz. We had just gotten our Rav 4 back from the shop with a new engine put in and had no idea that we wouldn't make it to our destination that day. Chloe was so excited to play at the beach, and I had a long massage scheduled that afternoon. We got a little over an hour away and someone flagged us down and told us our car was smoking from the back. We pulled over and sure enough something was wrong.. again. The car was dripping transmission fluid at a fast rate. Adam called the shop and they came all of the way to tow it, and sent a car to pick us up. We waited a couple of hours and then were on our way back home. Chloe and my sister were so upset they didn't get to go to Santa Cruz, so we settled on Marin's rodeo beach an hour away from home.

 It's been a crazy past three weeks with all of our car troubles. One thing after another keeps popping up. But through it all there have been great memories.

I can't believe that in 3.5 weeks or less our little family of three becomes a family of four. Everything will change. Chloe's life will be completely different. We are excited, and nervous. 

It could be a seamless transition, and it could rock our world. Not too long now and we will find out!

Blessed.

Chloe is going through the sweetest stage yet. She is unbelievably sweet. The other day I was cutting up chicken and sliced the tip of my thumb and she was so concerned and kept asking to see it and kept saying Oh no mommy! She would thoroughly examine it and get a worried look on her face. She has been sooo easy for us lately and only wants to please us. She is so curious and asks where her friends are through out the day. Un-coached She always blesses her best friend Scarlett in her prayers at night along with numerous other people  and asks for "big hugs" all of the time. She always wants to give cuddles to mommy and daddy. Which is so different than she used to be. She loves being chased and tickled by daddy. She asks to pull up my shirt and give baby "diaper" kisses. Every time I go to the Dr she asks if she can go to see "Bebe Ister" She gets concerned about her little sibling being okay in Mommy's tummy.

I can't help but feel like I have it too good right now. When is it all going to change? I am so content with life that I can't help feel like this is the calm before the storm. Chloe was difficult for me as a newborn, so my view on the first three months is pretty bleak. I just want to soak this wonderful moment in life up, before it ends. Maybe Piper Jane will be easier for me? Who knows. Right now I am just grateful for this moment.

Not to say that everything is perfect, it's not. This weekend as I was driving back from Danville (alone) My car died, and I was stuck in the middle of the lane with a car that refused to start. I called Adam, my Mom, my sister and no one would pick up. I sat there looking in my rear view mirror thinking for sure someone was going to hit me as I could not move my car myself. Cars honking at me smoke pouring from my engine and feeling all alone I got out and walked to the side of the road where I felt I was safer. I started feeling sorry for myself as I looked down at my 8 month pregnant self and felt like I was stranded and alone and no one has stopped to help and I have been here for an hour. Finally Adam called me back and came to my rescue with our two and a half year old strapped into to a makeshift car seat (We only have one and it's sitting in my car in the middle of the road)  made out of a booster seat she uses to eat at the table and a seat belt strapping her in. Adam called the tow truck and while we were waiting out in the wind on the side of the road, a lady pulled up and got out of her mini van and approached us. She said that she had driven by a while ago and saw Chloe and I on the side of the street and went back home to grab some snacks and came back to offer help and some treats to tide us over until the tow guy arrived. Thankful and overcome by her thoughtfulness we accepted her treats, and she left. I immediately stopped feeling sorry for myself, and my hope in humanity was restored. I said a prayer and thanked my father for this kind act that changed my perspective.Turns out we need a new engine and it will cost us between 6 and 9 thousand to get one. I suppose that's life right? I had actually been very lucky. I was okay, Piper was okay. My husband was taking care of everything and really I was blessed. 

Tilden Little Farm

Adam had Good Friday off so we decided to make it a great Friday and go to Tilden Park. 

The girl can't walk past a flower without picking it. Sometimes it gets us in trouble..

Long ago her Uncle Seth taught her to skip throw rocks into the ocean, and now anytime she sees water she thinks she has to find rocks to throw. It's cute until you take her to the public pool.

Her throws have great follow through.

Her favorite part of Tilden is the "Little farm" they have. She adores animals. The cows were a huge hit.

She did fine with them when her daddy was feeding them, but as soon as they got too close she was a little apprehensive about that huge tongue. 

Isn't she sweet? I asked Chloe what her name was and she said "cow" but I called her Merna.

Things were going well until "Merna's" tongue touched her..

Clearly she was getting nervous.

Then Daddy took it a step further and told her that "Merna" just wanted to give her kisses.. Chloe was not okay with that.

We went over to the Brazil house where there were amazing views. Chloe played tag on the grass with her daddy. 

All of the trees have had "popcorn" on them for weeks now. Every time Chloe sees the blooms she sings the popcorn song. Her daddy put her up in the tree so she could grab some popcorn to take home with us.

Preparing for my girl

I know I have mentioned this before in a post, but nesting for me comes in a form of crafting. I love to get things all ready for little Piper Jane to come into our family. We are so excited to meet her!! I am nowhere near ready, and I only have about seven weeks left!! Things I still need to get/finish for her- 

•  Moses basket stand and the material to make something like this..

• Papasan swing
• bouncy chair
• dresser (I'm thinking something like this from sweet pickins)..

• An Ergo carrier and infant insert.
• Diapers!
• Photo shoot props
• Her quilt needs pieced
• More clips made
• A diaper bag
• I need to make more bibs & burp cloths 

The list goes on and on. I did get sidetracked from baby stuff and made these envelope pillow covers.

Then I received a shipment of cheesecloth in the mail and busted out my RIT dyes, cut them up and dyed each one for newborn pictures. I went with a soft pink, a peach, and a dusty rose color. They turned out pretty close to how I had envisioned.

I can't wait to snuggle my little baby girl!!!!!!

Lime Ridge

We decided to take our weeny dog Ginger up to Lime ridge for a walk. Poor thing is over weight, and could use the exercise. We invited my mom and sister to bring their weenies also. I took my camera just in case there was a good moment. Chloe wasn't having it though. She kept saying "No picture no!".

We tried playing with her to get her in a better mood, but as you can see on her face she just wasn't into it.

She just wanted to cuddle her daddy. He always makes her feel better.

After a few "Mommy go homes" She warmed up and we were able to take a few decent shots..




                          

She loves her "baby diaper" and is always willing to give my tummy plenty of kisses.

I don't have many pictures of myself this pregnancy, because I am usually behind the camera, and also  I don't usually like pictures of myself when I am pregnant because it doesn't translate well in a picture. I usually just look big and not pregnant. but Adam took over while I coaxed the girl to participate.

Our silly little girly girl who loves dirt, mud, puddles, rocks, sand, and bugs.

She found a friend her size to hug. She is a great hugger after all.

Dinosaur hill

Last weekend we took Chloe to "dinosaur hill" to take a few pictures. She was such a good girl for us. She is addicted to bubblegum and will do anything for it. So we bribed her with bubblegum and that helped.

Our little girl has so much personality. It's so fun to be able to capture her different expressions. I just want to soak her in while she is an only child. Chloe demands requires a lot of attention, and I worry how I will be able to divide my time between a toddler and a new born. She can be a little aggressive and jealous when other people occupy my time, so lets just hope that she doesn't kill her little sister. Her little sister will have to be very tough.

Chloe has been doing so well for a long time. Then about two weeks ago she started to go through another phase of pushing and pulling hair. I take her to the gym daycare just about everyday, and lately I only get a ten minute workout before they come get me to take her home because she has drawn blood in one way or another.

Chloe has a lot of attitude in her personality, and we are trying to teach her to be kind, and polite, but bossy things just come out of her mouth like "Go away mommy" and "Don't want to" All of the time. And still she can be very very sweet. Dealing out kisses and hugs all of the time. 

Chloe insisted on wearing all four of her My little Pony bracelets. She is really into Care Bears right now and asks to watch it all day long.

 This was my third time in manual mode. They turned out better than they had before, but I'm still working on perfecting my metering. I need to figure this all out soon so I can take pictures of my sweet little newborn also. Chloe is getting so big. She is now potty trained! Yay! I can't believe she will be three in three months!

We love love love our little girl and though it can be very tough raising children. I still feel so so grateful and filled with love and joy for them. I am so lucky that I can bring these spirits into the world and serve and love them every day. She teaches me patience and  makes me want to be a better person.