Feast of the Guardian Angels: Princess's birth story

A special feast day for us now since Princess arrived safe and sound as the dawn was breaking Sunday morning, the Feast of the Guardian Angels.  A (generally) fast labor of about 10 hours compared to Pearl's 25. 

We went to the hospital Saturday afternoon for a non-stress test that our Dr. had asked us to do since I was 41 weeks and was only dilated a 1 on Thursday.  So we got there and Princess was doing just great with the fetal monitoring: heartrate and movements.  Dr. on call checked me and said I was still a 1 and I was reprieved to go home till our Primary Dr. decided what he wanted to do (ie: give me more time).

So we got home by 6:30 and made dinner.  An excellent fuel up for labor now that I think about it: flank steak, mashed potatoes, and asparagus.  Yum!  By 8, I was noticing contractions were getting stronger.  Not just the pressure and lighter contractions I had been feeling for some time.  At 9, I asked DH to call my doula to come over.  We started timing contractions, got Pearl down for bed, said special prayers with her and made sure my mom had a plan since she was in charge of Pearl whenever it was time.

By midnight I decided we needed to go back to the hospital.  Contractions were now closer to 5 minutes apart and the intensity was picking up.  I was still resting in between them but needing to stay and rock with them when they started.  DH and doula weren't sure we needed to go just yet because I was talking fine in between contractions, pretty peaceful and focused.  But I said YES, we needed to go.

So into the truck and on our way.  It is an hour drive to our hospital...and that was a tough ride dealing with the contractions.  Being strapped in and not able to move with them...wow.  But we got there and parked by the ER, only entrance late at night (about 1AM at this time).  We walked in and the guy at the desk asked if I was there for an "abduction..."  Seriously, he asked me this.  I started to giggle it was so odd to hear.  I said "No, I need to get to the third floor to Labor and Delivery."  He asked again if I was scheduled for an induction.  At that point I was in another contraction and leaned against the wall and just totally ignored him.  So my doula turns to him and says, "she is having her baby and we are going upstairs."

He grabs a wheelchair and gets me upstairs while DH and doula get thru security.  Up in triage they get my info and get me settled while they call for the Dr. on call.  DH comes in to wait with me and help during contractions.  I told him that if I wasn't in active labor I was going to ask them to break my water since I couldn't sleep with these intense ones and I wasn't going home...I was there to have a baby.  Being a week overdue, I was not going home.

Same Dr as earlier in the day was still on call, so he comes in and says its good to see me again so soon.  So he checks and says, "Well you are now 6-7. Congrats, you get to stay."  Hurray!

Got into our room by 2:30 and our Dr. made it by 3:30. We decided to go ahead and break my water.  However, after he did nothing really came out.  So we were on alert at that point.  (When I delievered, some water came after Princess, but basically it was all gone being a week overdue) By 4:30 I knew I was entering into transition.  I needed DH to help support me during contractions.  The nurse came in and heard me sounding and decided to check me.  Still at an 8.  She said I wasn't quite there yet and left.  Two contractions later I had the urge to push and asked to go to the bathroom.

DH helps me in and sees that I'm pushing and sees the baby crowning.  Wow!  So he tells the Doula who runs out to the nurses station to get our nurse.  She runs in and sees what's happening and tells me to get up and get over to the bed.  DH helps me there and I got in an all 4's position.  Nurse was a little stunned and asked me to turn over.  I'm pretty sure I just said, No M'am.  She calls for the Dr. and I'm told that I'm complete and Dr. is just fine with my position and helps with my pushing.  He gave great support, DH was awesome supporting my left side (IV side) and Doula was in my face reminding me to breathe.

Princess arrived shortly thereafter with the dawn on the Lord's Day.  Both our girls are born on Sundays:)  We had a quick hospital stay and are now home resting and settling in.

Praise God!  Guardian Angels, Pray for Us!

She's Here!

Princess arrived with the dawn on Sunday, the Feast of the Guardian Angels.  She is 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 20 3/4 inches long.  She is doing great!  We are home resting and getting settled together.  Pearl is so happy that Princess is here.  My favorite phrase she said was yesterday, "I missed you when you were inside mommy."  Thank you for all your prayer support!

Well-Meaning

I have encountered some truly compassionate and wonderful people over the past few weeks.  People that have given me encouragement and support while being overdue.  Thank you, Jesus, for these people.

I have also met those "well-meaning" people who start off a conversation with affirmation which then spirals into negative remarks and birth horror stories.  Those I could do without.

I am know not taking any phone calls from certain persons nor do I want to go out in public where I will encounter these folks.  I just want to stay home and do my thing and stay in my "happy place." 

However, please pray for my mother who arrived recently to help take care of Pearl.  She was not prepared for Pearl's terrible three's and she is a mom which "entitles" her to worry about me.  I am trying to curb her concern about me being overdue with the Dr's good report from yesterday.

Report: Babe is head down and engaged, cervix is ready though I'm only dilated to 1 (as of yesterday).  So hoping for some contractions to come together and get this show on the road.  Babe's heartbeat sounded good and lots of good movement.  So Dr was pleased and hopefull for a weekend baby.  If by Monday she hasn't gotten here, he might want to have a talk about intervening...

So your prayer request is to pray this little babe down and out:)  That she arrives over the weekend and we don't need interventions.  Thank you!!

Waiting

Babe still hasn't made her arrival.  Lots of pressure with off and on contractions that start in the late morning and continue till about 10:30pm each night.  Then it's as if everything settles down for the night.  So we'll keep waiting.  I'm just really hoping that we'll have a natural birth without interventions.  Drs only give so much time before they want to do something.  Not a fan of that.  She'll pick her day.  I told DH that I'm so apprehensive about interventions that he better be ready to catch because I'm going to dig my heels in and just deliver at home...probably not, but I'm at that hormonal-volatile time right now:)

A Teaser

We are two days till due date and this little one is quite the teaser.  A day of contractions and pressure, though not quite close together, but still gives hope that maybe...

Then a day or two of zilch.

DH is READY.  Pearl is READY.  I'm (about) READY.  This little one, well I think she's perusing the calendar looking at the upcoming feast days :)

Just saying...

I think I'd be just fine without any sugar for a LONG time. 

That glucose tolerance test is just icky.  I'm not a sugar person anyways and to down that in 5 minutes is rough.  Hopefully results come back okay.

I've been drinking even more water than I normally do all day and just ate some black beans.  Trying to balance out and feel normal again:)

A Day of Remembrance

Today was Teresa's due date.

May 26th.

Today's feast day is St. Philip Neri...the Patron Saint of Joy.

I do not think that is a coincidence.  Teresa is enjoying perfect Joy in Heaven now and I ask her prayers for us, that we too may seek His Perfect Joy.

It's a ....

So we had our ultrasound this past Friday.  We definitely wanted to know gender if we could since Pearl has been so adamant this whole time about a baby boy.  We thought it wise to find out 1) if she's right, we'll need to get boy things or 2) if she's wrong we have time to get her okay with a little sister.

Anyways, so babe is super mellow and laid back on the screen.  Just relaxed and enjoying it in there.  It was awesome to see babe moving around.  Dr. said measurements looked right on track for both babe and myself.  Pleased with how things looked and how I'm feeling right now.

Tech. had to jiggle my belly around quite a  bit to see if babe would change positions and be more "accommodating."  Finally, she said, "looks like a GIRL." 

Pearl started to cry and said, "No, Boy!!"

Tech. said she'd look again and took another picture and said again, girl.  lol.

That was Friday and on Sunday Pearl was saying girl and calling the babe her name.  She seems to be doing better and we pray that they will be sweet sisters and best friends. 

We are very excited about another princess for our King:)

Flutters

The baby flutters started up this past week!!  I wasn't sure for about a week, but this week those flutters are a bit stronger.  Off and on throughout the day.  Total Joy!

A bit of a scare

I have been experiencing some discomfort the last few days and got very concerned for the pregnancy.  I did have the labs drawn yesterday but am still waiting on results.  I called to see if the Dr. could see me due to my concerns and thankfully he had an opening.

So we dropped Pearl off at a dear friend who offered to watch while we made the drive down. (Dr's office is 50 minutes away) 

Dr. said I am measuring right on target at 13 weeks.  He also checked for baby's heartbeat and found it right away.

Praise God!!

So we'll wait for the lab results to determine future course for addressing the hormone imbalance, but as of now this little one is okay.

Thank you so much for your prayers!!

It was such joy and peace of mind to hear that heartbeat.  Tears of joy from both DH and I when we heard his/her heart beating with mine.  We heard the babe by himself a couple of times and then Dr. got ours together.  It was the coolest to hear them together. 

So advised to rest and drink more fluids the next couple of days.  Just keeping an eye on things to see if that discomfort goes away.

All the Saints in Heaven, keep praying for us!

Horizontal

That's what I've been doing any spare moment I can get.  I normally would blog in the evenings after Pearl went to bed, but the morning sickness is hitting me hard right after dinner.  So no worries, God is Good.  I'm just resting a lot right now:)

9 1/2 weeks

Labs drawn this week showed a surge in progesterone and HCG levels. Wahoo!  I'm feeling good because I'm feeling bad:)

Lots of ickies and sickies.  God is Good.  Praying for holy energy each day.

Pearl and I have been enjoying old episodes of Sesame Street (circa 1970's) in the afternoons when its a little rough.

Keep up the prayers, prayer warriors!

Thank you:)

A funny story

So here is a funny story for your Friday.

At the beginning of January, Pearl started praying nightly for "her baby in mommy" again.  We started talking some more about our Teresa being in Heaven with Jesus.  However, this continued every night and she became even more affectionate with me, kissing my stomach, etc.  A friend brought back the Maternity clothes I had lent her during her pregnancy and Pearl asked what kind of clothes they were.  I explained that Ms. Sara borrowed the clothes because you wore those when you were going to have a baby.  Pearl then handed me a shirt from the bag and said "Here, Mama."

At that point, I was getting a little concerned.  Number one, my body was still healing from our miscarriage in November.  Charts clearly showed my body was still healing.  Number two,  even if we had conceived it was a week and a half before it was even possible to take a test.  So crazy.

As I got closer to the next cycle due to start, I started to get really tired, slightly nauseous, dizzy.  Classic signs.  Now I'm just getting weirded out.

Earliest day I could take a test....faint line.  Maybe it wasn't a good test.  Maybe that was there before.  That is really faint.  So I take a few more every other day until the cycle is due.  Ummm, that line is getting brighter.

Call the Dr. who requests labs drawn. 

Next day, "Well, Congratulations!  You are indeed expecting."

We are in a little bit of shock, nervous, anxious, joyful, surprised.  You name it, we felt it.

Pearl, however, is going about her business as usual since she knew it all along:)

Recent labs do show low progesterone levels but HCG level was within normal range. 

May I ask your prayers for us during this time?  For peace and trust in His will.  For this little one, that he/she will grow healthy and strong and we carry to term.  For Joy in all things.

Thank you.

Ushered Home

Thank you for all your prayers regarding recent health concerns.

We found out today via ultrasound that our littlest one, Teresa Bernadette, has joined Our Lord in Heaven. While we never got to see her face, we rest assured that she is surrounded by His Glory.

I would just ask for continued prayers for our family during this time of grief. Thank you.

For me and my house...

...teething STINKS!

Seriously.

Pearl has been teething since December. Do we have any teeth yet? No. Instead, we continue to have a baby who swims in her own drool, rubs her gums constantly, and goes through periods of utter inconsolability. We have nap strikes and sleepless nights; re-ocurring diaper rashes due to the drool, and a pile of chew toys that would make you think we have several small puppies.

Don't let all the smiley pictures of the little one mislead you, we have a hurting baby...

...and a set of really exhausted parents.

Dear Jesus, a little sleep never hurt anyone.

I'm just saying.

Please.