Happy BIRTHday, Wren!

So, my doctor is THE BEST… she helped me get Wren out early!  I was so over being pregnant, and I felt like labor wasn't far away, so Monday morning she stripped my membranes. If you don’t know what that means …  she swept around the amniotic sac to disconnect it from the uterus.  It was pretty painful, but it only took a minute.  She said I could possibly have Wren the next day.  It was hard for me to believe, but I was hopeful!  She did that at 9am and by noon I could feel contractions.  They weren't super painful, but they became more and more intense throughout the day, and by 7pm I knew I would want to head to the hospital that night.  I wanted to get Jude to bed, so that my mom could just come stay at our house while we went in, in case I wasn't really in labor, and would be returning home later.  We got to the hospital by 10pm and I was having painful contractions 4 minutes apart.  They called Dr. Thornton to see if she wanted to keep me there, and of course she said yes.  The nurses didn't know that she had actually started all this early labor for me.  ;)

I was at 3cm then, and by midnight I was at 4cm.  At that point, I was able to get an epidural.  I then tried to sleep to prepare for delivery, but it was a challenge.  My legs were the only things that went COMPLETELY numb! (They were DEAD and it drove me insane that I couldn't lift them off the bed!) At first I didn't feel the contractions anymore, but throughout the night I kept waking up feeling horrible contraction pains .  I finally told the nurse when the sun came up, and she then had the anesthesiologist come back in around 6:00am to give me more.  It worked, but it made me puke during every contraction!  At that point I had reached 7cm!

At around 7:30am Dr. Thornton came in to break my water.  She said she was headed to the office but she was sure she would be back soon for delivery!  I immediately got more intense contractions.  I could again feel them, and was getting SO PISSED OFF!  I was so angry that the epidural was not doing the kind of job it did when I was laboring with Jude, and that my legs felt like a ton of bricks!  I was not only pissed about that, but also because I had the world’s oldest labor nurse EVER!  AHH!  She has been working there for 47 years!  She was like the most annoying grandmother that just WOULDN’T GO AWAY!  She was not the gentle, sweet, kind of nurse that I was used to having with Jude.  If I ever have another baby, (at this point I don’t plan on it) I will be requesting younger nurses!  

At around 8:20am, after bitching about the pain long enough (and about ripping my nurse's head off), she decided to check me.  She said “OH, you are at 10cm!  It’s time to push!”  I couldn’t feel my bottom at all, so I didn’t feel the urge to push, but I did my best, and sure enough, Wren’s head was peeking!  She told me to push again, and Bryan was like “Don’t you need to call the doctor!”  We were both so pissed at this woman by this point that EVERYTHING she did, or said, we couldn’t stand!  After another push she called Dr. Thornton and the team of nurses came in to set up for the delivery.  Dr. Thornton must have run to my room, because she was there within minutes it seemed. 

I was in such pain that the nurse said I should just push through the contractions because it would make me feel better.  I hate to admit she was right, but it did feel better to push.  Dr. Thornton was at my bedside for only 2 contractions worth of pushing…. at 8:58am Wren made her grand escape with zero damage to Mama!!!!!!  :D

Both Bryan and I cried at the sight of our beautiful baby girl.  We were instantly in love!!! <3

STATS
Date: July 17, 2012!  I had been hoping her b-day would be 7-17!  I love when things go my way! :D 
Time: 8:58am
Weight: 6lbs 9oz
Length: 19.5in
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Light Blue (All babies are born with blue eyes... but I think her's may stay blue like mama's eyes!)

I can't wait to hold my baby girl!

Went to the doctor this morning.  I am now 3cms dilated and still at 80% effaced.  She stripped my membranes, which felt HIGHLY uncomfortable (luckily Bryan was able to lend a hand to squeeze)!  Dr. Thornton said that I MAY  have Wren tomorrow, if not tonight!  I am hopeful that Wren will be here tomorrow... I like the birth date 7-17!  :)
She said I will probably bleed, but I haven't.  I am, however, having mild contractions every 5 minutes...!  I have been tracking them for the last hour!  I hope they continue, and become more painful, so that I can be admitted to the hospital!  I can't wait to hold my baby girl!!!
If she isn't here by Friday, I will see Dr. Thornton again.

Current weight: 121.6 lbs. (Lost a pound, which is common before delivery!)

Is this the right blog for this post?!

I must admit, for the past couple of days I have been feeling a little depressed/anxious/annoyed/any-other-not-so-great-feeling.  I just haven't been myself lately.... I can't speak a clear, complete, sentence to save my life, I have these strange fixations on wanting to smell gas or rubber, (Don't worry, I am able to control myself.... I only need to step into the garage for a minute to get my fix! Ha), and I have been a tad-bit emotional (Bryan may say it's more than a tad.)  :/

Although, I am feeling better today!  I finally heard from Jude's speech therapist, Chelsea. (After 2 MONTHS of waiting on stupid insurance crap!)  She said she got the paperwork, and we were able to meet today for our first session!  She didn't do too much with him, since there was paperwork for me to fill out, and she needed to get some basic info. on Jude, and just see how he acts.  He did great!  He warmed up to her SO QUICKLY! I think we will have a really good relationship with Chelsea... I liked her too! :)  We will see her again next Thursday morning (if Wren allows)! :D

Is this the right blog for this post?!  This is Wren's blog, so I guess I should talk more about her!  I went to the doctor on Tuesday.  I weighed 122.9 lbs. (I have officially gained more this pregnancy than I did with Jude.)  Dr. Thornton checked to see that I am now at 2cm dilated and 80% effaced.  She said that if Wren isn't here before Monday's appointment, she will strip my membranes (I know it sounds yucky and gross, but that's just what it's called!), and that should get things going.  I did some reading on it and it seems like a lot of women have the baby within days of that!  I am hoping that Wren will be here sometime before the end of next week!  YOU GET ONE MORE WEEK OR LESS, WREN!! ;)

I am having more and more Braxton Hicks contractions, some of which are a little painful; and I have been waking up in the middle of the night occasionally, in discomfort.   I am hoping that means labor is on it's way!

Wren, you are starting to overstay your welcome.  You have religiously poked and prodded me for MONTHS.... it is now my turn to kiss and hug you for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!  MWAH HA HA HA!!  I can't wait!!! :D XOXO

PS- I am DYING to take this prego suit off!  I want to see my feet!!

No Beta Strep!

Just found out I won't have to worry about Beta Strep with this delivery!  During labor with Jude, I had to be pumped with meds to ward off the dangerous bacteria that could have gotten to my baby boy when he made his exit.... But not this time!!  Hooray!

Ready or Not...

I had another doctor appointment this morning!  Before the appointment I weighed myself to see if I've gained anything.  Up until 2 days ago I was still weighing 117 like I had weighed at my last appointment.  Well, my scale read 120.  I was a little shocked that in 2 days my weight jumped 3 pounds.  (I know I am lucky to not notice any extra weight gain other than in my belly.)  BUT, you can imagine I was even MORE shocked when the doctor's scale read 121.9 lbs!  I gained 4 pounds in 2 weeks, and I'm kind of afraid that Wren actually gained those 4 lbs! (Haha, let's hope not!)

When Dr. Thornton walks in she immediately mentions that she is on call this weekend and was thinking she might see me!  I was a little taken back by that... I think Wren will be here soon, but THAT SOON!  AHH!  She did the Beta Strep Test and then checked to see if I've started to dilate yet.  She said Wren's head is really low and that I am at a loose 1 cm (so almost 2 cm) and I am around 60% effaced!!!  (I know this doesn't mean Wren is on her way out or anything, but I struggled to get to 2 cm with Jude, so the fact that I haven't done anything to almost be there now is pretty exciting!)  Wren's heart rate was in the 150s.  She was moving like crazy this morning, too!

Dr. Thornton said she would see me next Tuesday if I haven't already had her... and her prediction is that Wren will be here before the 16th!!!

Side Note:  I still have to pack Jude a bag, hang a couple of things in Wren's room, go grocery shopping and buy extra, do my belly cast, install car seat base in the van, and clean clean clean....