Luci's first virus

She found her fist!! She worked really really hard for days...it took some crossed eyes and bonks to the head, but mission accomplished!! Look at this giant baby! 7 weeks old and filling out this 6M dress!
A little arm chub never hurt anybody...
The ladybug doesn't interest her much...I think it is because I don't know what the ladybug says? Anybody know what the ladybug says?


Miss Luci is a bit under the weather this week...it started on Tuesday and got worse on Wednesday, then stayed kind of the same on Thursday. I think she is on the mend, but based on my description of "she's just not herself" Dr. Brooke thought we should see the doctor and I was relieved for some justification to go. We went to the doctor this morning and he thinks she probably has contracted her first virus. She is basically behaving how I thought she would before I met her...all sleepy & still & quiet. If you've met Miss Luci you know that is not her typical MO. She usually kicks so furiously I ask her if she's riding her bike to town (if you were a 'country kid' from Iowa you'd know what I was talking about ;), and she just has lots of spunk. I told Clay she's been acting like someone took the fight out of her. I miss my spunky Luci! Dr. Bhakta said to keep her comfortable...to let her sleep when she wants to sleep, and to feed her often. So that is what we will do!

That being said, she is a healthy 13lbs and really fills out her 6M gear (see photos). The miracle blanket continues to work miracles...the first two nights she only got up once, and since then she's slept anywhere from 7 to 9 hours straight!! Let's hope it is blanket induced sleep and not virus induced sleep...I'm loving sleeping through the night (with the exception of waking up & checking on her several times, in addition to the 4:30am pump). We've been getting out the door for a 7AM walk most mornings before the heat sets in...it has been lovely!

The Amazing Miracle Blanket

Per my sweet husband and my longtime roommate Jen, I am THE person infomercials are made for. I want to buy pretty much anything they are selling on those stinkin shows...good thing we have DVR now so I'm never at a loss for something to watch. So you might be thinking...The Amazing Miracle Blanket? Sounds like a scam. As Clay keeps telling me...the secret to happy children and good parenting will not be found in a 'thing'. BUT...I am always looking for some 'thing' to make my life easier and to make Luci happier.

So last Wednesday we were telling my wonderful friend Amanda about how Luci doesn't sleep more than 3 hours ever, and we were thinking that perhaps it is because she startles herself & kicks out of the swaddle. At that point she told us about 'The Amazing Miracle Blanket'...the what we said? We were skeptical...so she pulled out her PC and showed us the website. Sure enough...infomercial baby was happy as a clam at the end of the product demo video...happy enough I ran home & ordered one (okay, two...what if she spits up on one at night?) . It arrived on Saturday, but I didn't get the mail until Sunday. So I tried it last night...and sure enough...she slept from 9:30p to 3:00a!! And she wasn't even totally up at 3a, but I woke up & realized it was 3a and I was super worried because we normally get up between 12:45a and 1:30a. I ran right in & saw that she was squirming a bit so I just woke her up to eat. Woohoo!! Then she slept from 4:00a to 7:10a!!! That is the most consecutive sleep I've gotten since she was born! So...I'm praying this wasn't a one night fluke...I'm praying this truly is The Amazing Miracle Blanket...

I'll try to add a photo of her in the blanket tonight...in the meantime if you are curious....
http://www.miracleblanket.com/instructions.htm

A routine...but not a schedule

Look at this crazy hair!! This is during the battle of the burp...poor little strained face...
Playtime in the chair...
Playtime on the play mat!

So (knock on wood) I think we are getting to be on a bit of a routine finally! It can be a 2.5 or 3.5 hour routine depending on the length of her nap. It starts with each feeding...which can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour depending on the burp beast. Then we do a little playtime...she might hang out on the play mat, or in her chair, or on my knees, or in her boppy (but never in the swing...she's not into it so far), and then she starts to get fussy. Once the fussiness hits she gets swaddled up and the paci goes in the mouth. Usually she fusses for a bit longer, and before you know it the eyes are half mast and the sleeping with one eye open begins. The girl thinks her parents are pretty interesting because she fights sleep the whole way...she must think she'll miss out on something! After 10 - 30 minutes of this half masting she finally gives in and sleeps anywhere from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours. Once she's up we change the diaper and the the cycle begins again with a feeding as long as it has been at least 2.5 hours since she last started eating...which is almost always the case.

Now a schedule would be great because then I'd know she wakes up every morning at 7am, and is in bed by 9pm, or something like that. Then Amanda & I would be on our way to Old Town Spring at the moment because I'd know when she eats & we'd have planned accordingly. Instead we had planned to go at 1:30...assuming Luci would eat at 1pm...but she's still sleeping! Which is a blessing...I certainly can't complain about her sleeping...so for now I'm just going to be thankful for a somewhat more predictable routine!

Things to remember at 5 1/2 weeks

Look at this nose...look familiar Aunt Brooke & Uncle Ben??
What a sweet face...
Soooo sweet....

Luci's nicknames include Luci Bird, Luci Belle (per Grandma Rosonke), Sweet Baby (per Grandma Pierse), Luci Pea, Squirmy Wormy, Squirmis Von Wormis (can you guess who came up with that one?) and LRPy...(per Great Grandpa Halvorson...her initials + y). **And I forgot two of the favorites! Monkey toes & froggy feet!!

The sound of a hungry/mad cry is something like...elllaaaaaa....elllaaaaaaa....elllaaaaaa...

When she is in pain she clenches her fists, kicks like it is her job, and her poor little face turns bright red. Tears are often shed.

Lengthwise her 3 month sleepers are to small...she fills out the legs in the 6 month sleepers already...I think I'm going to have to look for some long/tall sleepers! The 3 month pants are more like capri pants/bermuda shorts.

She loves the mobile (thank you Lawrence family) over her crib...I ask her if she wants to look at her friends and then I put her in the crib. She'll often hang out & kick for 30 minutes or more!

She likes the pacifier, but still has trouble keeping it in her mouth. When she finds her fingers or arms she sucks on them.

The hair on the top of her head is falling out...she has the old man bald on top, but hair in a ring around her head look going on. It is still pretty dark, but some days looks a bit red. I have no idea how the color of hair can change, but it does seem to.

Her eyelashes are getting darker & more noticeable.

She still has a little patch of hair on the side of each ear. Like the same hair that is on top of her head!

She knows her mama. On Saturday Clay, Nigel (he was in town for the day!) & I hung out at our friends' house while my mom watched Luci. She cried and cried until I came home & held her, and then she was content. Then I'd give her back to my mom & she'd cry again. So she either knows her mama or she can smell milk & she likes it!

She startles very easily. If the sticky part of the diaper is ripped to quickly (& loudly) she cries.

She loves white noise...the noise maker from Grandpa Pierse & the Sleep Sheep from Erica & Michael are our two most helpful baby gear items.

She also really enjoys the bouncy chair that vibrates, and her Baby Einstein play mat from Jen & Paul. She loves to look at the star with lights on the play mat. BTW - all of this gear requires a TON of batteries...we've spent more on batteries in the last month than I have in the last 10 years.

She is NOT a big fan of the Maya Sling...maybe I just don't know how to put her in there so she's comfortable?

She often sucks down milk so fast that she chokes...at which point I ask her if there are bones in her milk, and then proceed to tell her that Milkbones are for dogs! She's not nearly as amused as I am...you have to do things to keep yourself amused at 4am...

One Month!

Miss Luci hit the one month milestone on Saturday! Somehow this has been the quickest but longest month of my life...maybe it is the lack of sleep? On a good night she sleeps about 3 to 3.5 hours...maybe 4 hours at a time, and on a bad night she is up every few hours. We have started taking a bath every other night, and after the initial scare of being naked in some strange substance she actually calms down & likes it! Then we put on baby lotion & a little sleeper, eat & then go to sleep. On a bath night we start the process sometime around 8:30p and on a non-bath night somewhere between 9p and 9:30p. Then I run to bed & try to get to sleep as quickly as possible before she wakes up! Some mornings she's up after the 5a or 6a feeding, and some mornings I can get her to sleep until 8a or so. I think she's going to be a morning person...usually we only see the smiles first thing in the morning. These particular smiles were for Grandma Rosonke...I had the camera out & kept asking her to smile at the camera for Grandma Rosonke (Grandma Pierse was here at the time) & she obliged!

Clay is on vacation this week and Luci & I are delighted to have him around for 7 days straight! He's started getting up at night with us at least once just to hang out & keep me company. It helps the time go a little more quickly as I battle the burp beast! Our little one has some serious trouble burping...she is in pain until she gets it out, and then is in pain for a bit afterwards...not so fun at anytime, but especially not fun in the middle of the night. If we don't win the battle of the burp she might sleep for an hour, but when she wakes up it will be twice the battle it was before she fell asleep. I've tried all of the burping positions (high on the shoulder, across the knees, sitting & holding her chin in my hand, and one I invented that is sort of sitting, leaning over the arm position), I've tried a gentle pat & a firm pat, with a cupped hand and with a flat hand...and nothing seems to work consistently. If anyone has a secret weapon out there I'd much appreciate the advice! My forearms are seriously exhausted from all of this attempted burping!!

Grandma Pierse left on Saturday and Aunt Brooke came back Sunday night. She stays until Thursday and then Grandma Rosonke arrives on Friday. Clay & I feel incredibly blessed to have such strong support from our families...thank you families...you are the best!

Happy Birthday Grandma Pierse

Grandma Pierse is this week's hero...and Luci is so glad she was able to spend her Grandma's birthday with her yesterday. Happy Birthday Grandma Pierse!!

Luci's reflux seems to be improving. Each day is a little different (some better than others), but I think overall things are looking up. She is back to eating on a 3 hour schedule during the day - which is much easier for me than the 2 hour schedule. Last night she slept 4 hours at a time so I'm feeling pretty refreshed - for awhile there she was up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours...that was rough...thank goodness I had Harry Potter during those wee hours to keep me awake & going. I now only read it at night when I'm up with Luci...I'm determined to make it last as long as I can! I'm so sad the saga is coming to an end!

The first family photos...

Reflux it is...but still growing like a champ!

Miss Luci was diagnosed with GER (Gastroesophageal Reflux) this morning by Dr. Bhakta. He gave us a few suggestions that Dr. Brooke had already given us (smaller but more frequent feedings, good burps and keeping her elevated 30 minutes after eating), in addition to prescribing Zantac & another antacid. Hopefully they'll work and provide her (and her parents) with a bit of much needed relief.

The good news is that despite this reflux the kid is "growing like a champ" per Dr. Bhakta! She weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs, 2 oz this morning! That is up over 2 lbs in 10 days! Poor thing...she must have my metabolism...

I think she looks more & more like her daddy everyday...even the nurse this morning thought so! This is Dad's favorite little sleeper from the Oswicks - he calls it her "Dr. Seuss Sleeper." Something to do with the stripes?!?!

Luci gives a shout out today to Aunt Jen & Uncle Paul. She can't wait to meet them...she told me herself. She loves her lemon outfit & sweetpea boppy from them! Happy Anniversary Aunt Jen & Uncle Paul!

Thanks to Miss Amanda...

who was last nights savior; she came over and soothed Luci so I could get a few hours of much needed sleep. Amanda definitely has the mommy touch - Luci calmed right down the minute Amanda started talking to her. With her mommy skills it is no wonder Clara is the happiest little girl ever!

Luci had a great weekend and was sleeping well...then all of the sudden on Monday afternoon something changed and she became the baby who wouldn't sleep! She's spitting up a lot & maybe having a bit of reflux (we head to the dr. tomorrow for a reflux screening) that is interfering with her sleep. The worst part is listening to hear wrenching screams and body wriggles without being able to comfort her. Usually she gets very fussy, her face gets red, she's inconsolable...and then all is relieved with either a little toot, big spit up or a burp. It is heartbreaking to watch & I'm hoping I can get some solid advice from Dr. Bahkta tomorrow.

The little one is up...I'll try to post some more photos later today!

Aunt Brooke

is this weeks lifesaver...she watched Luci last night after the 9pm and 12am feedings so this new mom could get some sleep. And Miss Luci cooperated by sleeping from 3am to 6am! Then she slept from 6:30 to 7:30 before fussing. Brooke leaves tomorrow and now I'm dreading that, but Dad will be home shortly after she leaves so we should be all right. I feel very blessed to have had all of this help, and we are looking forward to Grandma Pierse returning when it is time for Dad to leave. Luci sends her thanks & love to Grandma Rosonke, Aunt Brooke & Grandma Pierse!

Luci Bird

Well everyday gets better, but each night seems to be two steps forward and one step back. Aunt Brookie Nae & Sunidh watched Luci this morning so I could go back to sleep...it is amazing what a little sleep does for my attitude and general physical well being. Not getting more than 2.5 hours of sleep at any one time for weeks is much harder than I anticipated. The lack of sleep combined with the spinal headache made the last few weeks really tough, but the good news is that the headache is finally getting better. As for Luci, she may be a bit tongue tied (yes, it is an actual condition) and while it shouldn't prevent her from speaking correctly, it is making nursing a bit more difficult. She sucks & sucks but doesn't get as much bang for her buck as someone without this condition would. Lucky for us Amanda hooked us up with a speech pathologist who specializes in infant feeding, so tomorrow we go see her & a lactation consultant at the same time. I'm really hoping they can give us some suggestions to make the nursing go a little better. As I was warned, it is hard...really hard. I just didn't quite comprehend how hard - which maybe was a good thing. She'd much rather just hang out & sleep than eat...until I take her off...at which point she starts behaving like a little starving bird...mouth open, tongue searching, eyes wide, head bobbing around wildly...thus earning her the nickname of Luci Bird.

The first doctor visit was yesterday and all looks well. She's not quite back at her birth weight - she's at 8lbs .6oz vs. 8lbs 2oz, but Dr. Bahkta said she looks great. We need to keep a close eye on her until we get this feeding trouble resolved, but hopefully the appointment tomorrow will help with that. As for her long self, the girl is already up 1/2 inch to 23 inches!! Our newborn is almost 2 feet tall! The worst part of the whole appointment was that her newbie parents forgot the diaper bag...so when she peed, pooped and threw up all over the scale at the doctors office we looked like the new parents we are as we had to ask for wipes & diapers. All the while I kept promising her we'd get better at this parenting thing...let's hope I honor my promise!

Luci sends a shout out to her Uncle Ben who turns 22 today. Happy Birthday Uncle Ben!! Aunt Brooke says we should have some rice in your honor...

We're alive!

My apologies to all of you well meaning callers...I've been avoiding the phone for almost a month now! There are just so many changes I'm coming to terms with that I can't seem to muster the energy for a simple conversation.

Obviously we made it through the birth, despite it going in a completely different direction than we had intended. I had the epidural, and boy was I ready for it by the time we relented. Unfortunately it ended up being a 'bad epidural' (Woodlands Mom lingo) and I started the Friday after Luci's birth with the worst headache I'd ever had in my life. A chat with an anesthesiologist confirmed it was indeed a spinal headache - a headache caused by a poke in the spine that causes spinal fluid to leak out...resulting in the worst headache ever. Fortunately you can get relief from the headache by lying flat on your back. This would be a perfect solution after giving birth, as I was exhausted, but it certainly made it difficult, if not impossible to care for our newborn. Luckily there is a fix (a blood patch), but it involves another needle in your back & a great deal of blood drawn...but I managed through it despite the nurse passing out (Clay had to help her sit down while holding Luci...it was quite an event). I felt great Friday & Saturday, but the headache came back Saturday night.

More to come later...the posts might be a bit choppy for awhile as I blog in between caring for Luci. Clay is on a trip & my mom went out for a walk so I'm on my own. Mom leaves tomorrow & I'll admit I'm a bit terrified to be responsible for this tiny blessing without her. She's been an unbelievable help & I hope someday I can do for Luci what mom has done for me.

Gotta go.

Home again

We got back from the hospital on Friday, and are slowly adjusting to our crazy new life. Having friends and family here to help out has been a life saver. My parents just left on Saturday afternoon, but Britt's mom is still here and will hopefully be able to stay through the end of this week.

A Navy pilot friend of mine once described caring for a newborn as "Not very intuitive. Even the intake and exhaust operations aren't as simple as you'd think." That pretty much sums it up -despite all the books we've read and classes we took, there is still a lot of trial and error. Once again, thank goodness for having family and friends to help keep us on track.

My apologies for not getting pics out any sooner, so without further ado, here is our Miss Luci!




On the way to the hospital.




About 30 minutes old!



Super cute!

Look at her long legs.

All dressed up.

Here she is!

Lucia Rosonke Pierse made her debut July 25, 2007 at 9:11 pm. She weighs 8 lbs 2 oz, and is 22 1/2 inches tall. She has big blue eyes and quite a bit of curly sandy blond hair. She is very alert and seems to respond with familiarity to the sounds of our voices.

It's been quite a day! Britt was fully dilated by about 5:30 pm and Dr Beena came in and said it was time to start pushing. Britt pushed for a few minutes, but Luci wouldn't budge, so Dr Beena decided to let Britt rest for about 90 minutes, to see if her natural contractions would get things going.

Britt started feeling the urge to push around 7:00 and that's when it started to get really tough for her. She had near-continuous contractions for about two hours as Luci slowly made her way down the tunnel. By 9:00, Britt was getting really tired and frustrated, but Beena was able to get the suction on Luci's head and help pull her out the rest of the way.

I could go into further detail of what happened over the next few minutes, but this is a G-rated website. So - for my dad and for Liz Jobe and for anyone else who appreciates brevity over detail in this instance, suffice to say that Britt and Luci made it just fine and both are resting quietly. Actually, there are little snores coming from each of them, but both are resting peacefully! :)

- Clay

At the hospital

Britt and I arrived at the hospital last night and all is well; no baby just yet, but we're making good progress!

We got in around 8:00pm and met with Dr Beena shortly afterwards. A quick check showed that Britt's dilation hadn't progressed beyond 1.5 cm - where it's been for a week - so the doctor gave her Cytotec, a cervical "ripening" agent.

We were both able to get some sleep last night, even though Britt was still having regular, if somewhat unproductive contractions. Our nurse started the induction process - with Pitocin - around 5:00 this morning.

By 9:00 this morning, Britt was dilated around 3-4 cm and started having regular, increasingly painful contractions. The Pitocin-induced contractions were really brutal, however, and after about 45 minutes of continuous pain, we decided to get the epidural.

Now - at 3:00 pm, she's dilated to 5 cm and feeling better than she has in months, if a little nauseous. Britt just told me that she finally feels that Luci is ready to come out, and Dr Beena told me earlier she is confident Luci will be born today!

So - my apologies for keeping most of you in suspense today, but it took me a little while to figure out how to connect my Jurassic era computer to the hospital's LAN.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers; I'll write again when we have more news!

-Clay

Type A

Well, no news today. I am still 1.5 cm dilated and my contractions were not very strong or regular this morning. As of now we are scheduled to start the induction process at 8pm tomorrow (Tuesday) night. We'll check into the hospital and be monitored for about an hour to make sure all is well. Once we've established Luci is still happy, we'll soon disrupt her world as she knows it and start the eviction.

As you may or may not realize, we really have had very lofty goals of a completely un-medicated child birth. Given we are starting the entire process with meds, clearly things are not going to go as we had hoped. Being SO type A, and having spent soo much time learning as much as we can about natural child birth, clearly this is not how we envisioned bringing our daughter into the world. That being said, we have the utmost faith in our child care provider, and at this point she feels this course of action will provide the best possible outcome. All of the reading in the world cannot compare with her experience, medical knowledge and judgement. We can only put our faith in her and in God that this is how it is all supposed to go. We all share the goal of a healthy mom & healthy baby, and we are trying to stay focused on the sweet baby girl we'll soon be holding... please keep us all in your thoughts & prayers tomorrow night and Wednesday.

Patience

No news...I'll post again after our 10am doctor appointment tomorrow. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Still no news

We went to visit Dr. Johnson again this morning - no news to report. I'm still 1.5 cm dilated, and still having contractions. Luci's heartbeat looked great & the ultrasound estimated her weight at 8 lbs, 7 ounces with an error rate of + or - 10%....so yes, we could be looking at a big baby girl. We go to see Dr. Johnson again on Monday morning. If Luci is still camped out as of Tuesday night we'll be admitted to the hospital to get the induction moving. We are praying she decides to come on her own before then...

Thank You!!

Thank you all so much for your kind comments & voicemail messages....gives me warm fuzzies to know we have so many caring friends & family. We are trying REALLY hard to stay patient, but it is hard!! We went to the doctor yesterday at 2pm and didn't arrive home until after 7pm. When we got to Dr. Johnson's I finally got to go into the fancy room with the leather recliner. I had seen pregnant moms go in there before, but never quite knew how you managed to get the recliner room...well, you just have to be full term! Once in the recliner you get hooked up to the fetal monitor that charts the baby's heart beat & the mom's contractions. I was having fairly regular contractions (which we knew), but Luci's heart beat wasn't behaving quite as expected. So...after a brief exam that revealed that I'm only 1.5 cm dilated (.5 cm progress in a week - boo) despite all of these contractions we were sent over to the hospital to have a bio-physical profile of Luci done via ultrasound. Basically both Luci & I are working really hard but just not getting anywhere, so Dr. Johnson wanted to make sure Luci was tolerating these non productive contractions all right. Clearly we still both have a lot of work to do, and Dr. Johnson wanted to make sure we are both still doing well and will have the strength for active labor once it finally hits.

The ultrasound took FOREVER. The first lady was pushing on my stomach super hard & it really hurt. Then she called in the big guns & another lady did the whole thing over. Apparently when a baby is full term & so big it creates lots of shadows that make it difficult to get the job done. The second lady was much more gentle, and finally at 7pm the event was over. We got a call just now letting us know that Luci appears to be totally fine hanging out in there, scoring an 8 out of 8 for well being. So no eviction notice being served yet - she has until Wednesday the 25th to come on her own accord. Tomorrow we go back to see Dr. Johnson for more monitoring, and then we have another ultrasound to estimate how big our baby girl is. I'll post another update tomorrow afternoon. Until then, keep praying for labor pain...I hear pain is a good thing at this point.

No news

Still here, still waiting. The wagons are drawn - Clay's parents arrived last night and my mom and youngest sister Baylee are due in later tonight. Staying super hydrated seems to be the key to keeping cramps at bay. Tomorrow afternoon we see Dr. Beena, and are going to talk to her about trying some Castor Oil...supposedly a method of natural induction. Beyond that, we are all just going to keep hanging out! Brooke's bet is on Friday night...any other takers? I'm curious to see what happens to my little baby widget over on the left of the screen tomorrow!

Cranky

Well we are still here, just hanging out...waiting. Thanks to all of you who have called to check up on me and I apologize for not being very good at returning calls lately...I'm too cranky. Physically I've been having cramps & belly tightening fairly regularly since Wednesday at 4pm. They are tiring, but not painful per se...just uncomfortable & taxing. Yesterday the cramps were quite bad & I burst into tears at one point telling Clay she was never going to come out & play. He was very sweet and suggested we get out of the house and go for a drive...so we did & it was a welcome distraction. This morning I woke up with more cramping & belly tightenings about 10 minutes apart. It was raining & we fell back asleep, only to awake to belly tightenings every 3 - 5 minutes. I didn't think it could be the real thing because I wasn't in much pain, but we both got very excited & hopeful. After about 90 minutes of these 3 - 5 minute tightenings we called Dr. Johnson...who told us that if I could talk through the tightening that this was not the real thing. Needless to say we were both BUMMED...and now I'm even more cranky from the letdown of it all. I'm trying really hard to stay positive & focused on how lucky and blessed we are, because I do know we truly are. She'll come on her own time when she's ready, and as Clay keeps reminding me I'm not even due until Wednesday. So my new approach is to just assume she won't be here until a week from Wednesday...at that point given the induction I know we won't have too much farther to go. So that's my current plan...we'll keep you all posted. :)

Pain for a reason!

Well we had our 39 weeks, 1 day appointment this afternoon...and I'm 1 cm dilated!! Only 9 cm more & some pushing to go until we get to meet our Luci. I've been having very irregular contractions since about 4pm yesterday. They are uncomfortable and maybe mildly painful, but I'm sure I'll soon say there were nothing compared to what was to come. Usually they go something like this...

Me (in my head): hmmm...is that Luci moving or is this a contraction? Oh, I'm getting kind of hot...hmmm...kind of hurts, kind of hurts...
Me to Clay: CLAY! Feel my belly!! Is that Luci or a contraction?
Clay: Hmmm....I think it is a contraction. Your belly is pretty hard. Yep, I think it is a contraction.
Me to Clay: What time is it?

Then we wait 10 minutes, or maybe 12, or maybe 16, or maybe 20 & we play the whole game over again. I was pretty uncomfortable before bed last night, but I slept like a rock & woke up this morning feeling just fine. I had a few contractions this morning, but again, nothing regular. Please note these irregular contractions & the fact that I'm 1 cm dilated are not very good predictors of how soon Luci will arrive...but it is certainly a step in the right direction and I'll take what I can get at this point! I was going to be a little depressed if this pain was for nothing...the thought of what 'real' results bringing pain must feel like was a bit daunting. Dr. Beena said she's got 4 moms (I'm one of them :) who are ready to go anytime, and 2 of them are 4 or 5 cm dilated and have been for awhile!!

So now we keep hanging out & waiting. We'll see Dr. Beena again on Wednesday (our due date) if Luci hasn't yet arrived. After that we'll see her every 2 days and then induce no later than Wednesday the 25th if she hasn't decided to come on her own by then. Our new, cheaper cable that we had installed yesterday managed to break overnight, so Clay's watching a creepy movie on DVD and I'm going to go read a book now. We'll keep everyone posted!

Things I'll miss...and things I won't!

Things I'll miss:
My hair. It looks better than it ever...like ever in my entire life.
The dessert card...no one judges a pregnant lady eating dessert.
Filet-O-Fish sandwiches...another guilty pleasure I've been partaking in far more than my husband likes.
Having a good reason to hang out on the sofa on my left side watching TV.
Having a good reason not to travel...and to stay home with my kitkats.
Having a good reason not to be on litterbox duty.
Random women telling me (always in a public restroom) how great I look when I tell them I'm due in a week and a half...this is a new one!
The anticipation and looming excitement of meeting the most significant contribution Clay & I have made to the world yet...both as individuals and as a couple.

Things I won't:
Having to force myself to stay hydrated, knowing I'll be in the bathroom every 10 minutes or less as a result.
Snoring.
Heartburn and Tums.
Preparation H.
Random people asking when I'm due and then being surprised at how far I have to go.
The inability to have a strong cup of coffee, glass of wine, sushi, soft cheese and cold meat sandwiches (that's deli meat for all of you non-Rosonkes).
Looking at my body as though it is science experiment every morning because the changes are really too much to rationally & emotionally comprehend.
My crooked negro medelo (known as the linea negra to every one but Clay & me).
Not being able to see my feet as I walk down stairs.
Being hot...ALL of the time.
The inability to wear my clothes, shoes & rings.
Feeling like my body is going to break when I try to roll over or get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.
The swelling in my feet & this giant belly.

38 weeks, 1 day

We had our 38 week appointment this morning...we're becoming quite the fixture at Dr. Johnson's office these days (as are many other women with huge bellies)! I lost 2 lbs over last week so Dr. Johnson said I need to eat up - to which I replied, "can do!" No changes to report...I am not dilated at this point, and Luci is still 'fairly high'. That being said, my heartburn has improved significantly over a week ago, so she must have dropped at least a little bit. She is in a great position for labor and birth, so hopefully she stays that way & just moves down a bit! The placenta looks good, but does have little calcification spots that are visible on the ultrasound. Dr. Johnson said this means that Luci is physically mature enough to be ready any day! Until that day, Clay & I will just keep hanging out watching TV, doing some shopping, eating stuff, taking little walks and sleeping in!

Sadly Clay's laptop is sick, so it is at the Geek Squad for the next week or so. I promise to post some photos as soon as it returns!

37 weeks - full term!

I'm now past the 37 weeks mark - which makes Luci full term! That being said, she still seems pretty content to hang out in her current digs...as of yesterday I wasn't dilated at all. Clay left just a few minutes ago and gets home on Saturday afternoon, so we'll keep our fingers crossed she's content until at least then. I'm getting more & more uncomfortable, lethargic and immobile. Yesterday I had a lot of cramping (a good thing when you are full term, per Dr. Johnson) and my feet were so swollen we put ice on them! My blood pressure is still really low, so the swelling isn't anything to be concerned about as long as I stay hydrated. I'm watching lots of TV (so much that I'm actually bored of it...and I love TV!) and reading books about baby sleep habits. We've finished with the Bradley classes, her clothes are washed and the nursery is ready to go. Now we wait until SHE'S ready!

Happy Birthday to soon to be Grandma Rosonke

My mom turns 50 today!! Happy Birthday Mom!! I woke up this morning thinking about my Grandma Halvorson, and I have an appreciation for how she must have felt 50 years ago today. Although I bet she was probably a little better prepared than I am given she'd already had 2 kids. It is bonkers to think of her being as excited to meet my mom as I am to meet Luci. And it is even more bonkers to think of Luci, someday being as excited to welcome her first born into the world as I am.

Today I woke up the puffiest yet...my wedding band has become a pinky ring, and even my beloved Croc flipflops are leaving indentations on the top of my feet. The dreaded stretch marks have arrived and the bottom of my belly looks as though I've been attacked by something with giant claws covered in purple paint. I guess that is par for the course when the heat index is 97 degrees at 10:45am, and when you grow a big healthy baby in what used to be a somewhat smallish (small-er, anyway) belly...

36 Weeks!

This week has been another busy one...I'm already wondering how I had time to work before! We started the week with a tour of the hospital where we'll be having Luci. The tour was given by our favorite Lactation Consultant...aka the woman who taught our breastfeeding class, and to our delight she remembered us! The "Family Birthing Center" at Memorial Hermann consists of 34 suites where moms (who don't have C-sections) can labor, birth & recover all in the same room. There is no nursery; Luci will stay with us the entire time in our family birthing suite. There are 3 hydrotherapy tubs I can labor in (provided my water hasn't broken), and birthing balls & squatting bars in every suite. Each suite also comes with a TV, DVD/VCR player (although I'm thinking we won't get much use of these), mini fridge, peripheral lighting, individual thermostats (so I can keep it sub zero ;) and wireless Internet! Clay will be nice & comfy on the sofa that pulls out into two twin beds when we finally have time to rest. It is also equipped with state of the art security so that is comforting as well.

We are down to one final Bradley Method class left, and I think both Clay & I are becoming more confident in our ability to do this with minimal intervention. Dr. Johnson continues to be supportive (albeit somewhat skeptical), and as we learn more & more I feel better prepared (intellectually at least) to handle the pain. Good news on Clay's schedule for July; after he gets home this Sunday evening he'll only be away 4 nights before Luci's due date. We are really hoping that it works out so that he's home, but if not we are confident Amanda will be just what I need to get through labor.

Our 36 weeks appointment was yesterday; Dr. Johnson confirmed all looks well based on the 35 week ultrasound. Based on the measurements at that time, Luci is in the 74% percentile for size, so as Dr. Beena put it, "she's above average", to which our reply was, "Of course she is! She's our child!!" My Strep B (a common infection) test came back negative, so I won't need any antibiotics during labor. This weekend I'm going to be working on our Birth Plan so that everyone on our Birth Team will know our wishes of minimal intervention. As of yesterday I wasn't at all dilated, but my cervix is soft so that is a good sign that Luci is at least considering joining us out here in the upcoming weeks. I've also started to full on waddle, which Dr. Beena tells us is a good sign. Luci is head down, but not quite 'engaged' yet. I am measuring 35 weeks so that does indicate that she's dropped a bit, but she still has a way to go.

We also got some great news this week regarding Clay's Naval career...he has been selected for promotion to Commander! He's worked very hard to achieve this goal - particularly in the last year, and I couldn't be more proud of him. The selection rate for part-time Naval Reservists was only 40% last year (we haven't heard the % for this year), so it is a big accomplishment and one he hasn't taken for granted. It is great to see him being rewarded for his hard work & dedication.

In complete contrast, this is my fourth day without having to work and I must say I'm loving it!! Clay's response to this is, "I never thought it'd be a tough sell!" I value sleeping in a bit and just going about my day without any sense of urgency. It is kind of strange, but very enjoyable at the same time. I definitely appreciate the days more when Clay is home. I have very ambitious tasks lists to tackle when he is gone, but somehow it seems that I'm more likely to plop on the sofa when he is gone, and be up & active when he is here. I'm going to have to get over that...OOOR maybe I'll get sick of the remote & sofa if I just keep at it...

It's 5pm...

And I'm done with work!! Maternity leave has started and I'm celebrating with an O'Doul's Amber. My boss & I are talking 5 to 6 weeks after Luci is born to discuss what I might be up for in terms of returning part-time. I'm very lucky to have such a great boss!

6 lbs, 3 ounces...plus or minus 8 ounces

This afternoon we had another ultrasound at the hospital - the same kind we had at week 18. We confirmed our little Luci is in fact going to be fine with her lavender room (she's a still a girl!), and that she is possibly a bit big for her age. The data collected on her little bones, head & belly suggests she weighs 6 lbs, 3 ounces right now...with a possible error of +/- 8 ounces. So minimally she's 5 lbs 11 ounces, or she could be as big as 6 lbs 11 ounces already! Clay & I have read that during the 9th month she could gain anywhere from .25 to .5 lbs per week. That would put her right in line with the size of both of us at birth - Clay was 7 lbs 14 oz, and I was 8 lbs, 10 oz. I am exactly 35 weeks today, but measuring 36 weeks 1 day. So maybe she'll come a bit early!

Fun facts learned...the tech told us she likely has some hair (the tech saw sparkles?!?!), and she likes her toes! She was playing with her feet, grabbing her big toe & have a grand old time in there. Her head was really low & she kicked when the tech pushed too hard. It was really neat to feel her movements & see them simultaneously on the screen. We can't wait to meet her!!!

Appropriately enough, we are finally nearing the point where we are actually ready for her...I went to Babies R Us this weekend & went a little bit nuts with sales & my 10% off coupon. We now have crib sheets, towels, washcloths, and enough 0-3 month gear to clothe about 4 babies. Little girl clothes are so cute, and they were all so cheap I just couldn't help myself...so I allowed one last retail indulgence before the paychecks end (Friday is my last day!!) So if you are so very kindly thinking of showering Luci with some gear....she really only needs some 6-9 month outfits at this point! I also finished the Classic Pooh curtain toppers and crib skirt. And now that we have confirmation she'll be lookin good in pink, I'm going to get all of her little clothes washed!! I stocked up on some nursing pj's for the hospital & first few weeks at home, the car seat base has been installed by her dad (we'll get it inspected next week) and the stroller is put together. She's all we need!!

34 Weeks

Yesterday was my 34 weeks appointment with Dr. Beena. I was up 2lbs from the prior week, but I think it is because Clay & I went to Johnny Rockets for burgers & fries before the appointment. That is what I'm going to tell myself anyway! Other than that she again confirmed Luci is still sky high & showing no signs of joining us anytime soon. That being said, Clay seems to think she's dropped just a bit in the last few days, and I have been feeling a new pain in my extreme lower belly. Dr. Beena's nurse agreed that Luci may have dropped a bit, but Dr. Beena says, nope - I'm measuring at 34 weeks and if I'd dropped my fundal height would be shrinking, not growing still. We spoke with her a bit more regarding the delivery & she is supportive of our 'minimal intervention' request. We also told her we'd like to donate the cord blood to a public bank so she is making arrangements for that. She suggested Clay & I work up a birth plan so that we don't have to tell the hospital staff over & over what we want. Her C-Section rate is only 7%...which is VERY impressive, especially given the US average is something like 30%. She is also fine with me not having an IV as long as I don't have Strep B (tested for this yesterday) and am willing to have a heplock in case we need to start an IV quickly. Also I only need to wear the electronic fetal monitor for 10 minutes an hour instead of for the entire labor, which is is also great. Many care providers aren't this flexible. Have I mentioned how happy I am that she is my doctor?

We also had our 3rd Bradley class last night, which means we are already 1/2 way done with them! Amanda has graciously agreed to be the back up coach should Clay be piloting a 737 somewhere when Luci decides to enter the world, so she joined us last night & will hopefully be joining us going forward. We cannot thank her enough for her friendship & support...it is very comforting to both Clay & me that if he can't be there she'll be my rock & advocate. So thanks AGAIN to Amanda, and thanks Jamie for being on Clara duty. What would we do without you guys?

Neighborhood Cookout

This last weekend we were blessed with another event in honor of Luci. Our great friends and neighbors, The Lawrence's (Jamie, Amanda & Clara), hosted a family friendly cook-out in honor of Luci's upcoming arrival. Several other families in the neighborhood came & we had a great time hanging out & eating Jamie's delicious burgers and Amanda's amazing desserts. We were blessed with several gifts including every mom's 'must have' recommended mobile, a basket of all sorts of goodies, crib pad, some swaddle blankets, some toys, an adorable little outfit, and a sweetpea frame & baby book! It was a wonderful day & we again want to say thanks to The Lawrence's for being SUCH great friends.

Tomorrow is my 34 weeks appointment. Dr. Beena is heading off to India for 10 days so I'm checking in with her right before she leaves & I'll see her right after she gets back. I'm pretty confident that Luci is in no hurry to join us out here...in fact I'm pretty convinced she is crawling the wrong way. Every morning I wake up thinking she couldn't possibly get any higher, and sure enough she does! I'm anxiously waiting for her to drop so that I'll be able to breathe a little more easily!

Very blessed at 33 weeks

Yesterday was my 33 weeks appointment with Dr. Beena. As I pulled out my long list of complaints...um, I mean symptoms...(sooo tired all the time, restless legs, headaches, heartburn, rib pain, loss of appetite, snoring, more heartburn, still tired but can't sleep, etc) she told me everything I was experiencing was very normal and just part of the last few months of pregnancy...but that is was okay to vent ;). She did tell me to start taking iron supplements in case anemia is to blame for my increasingly lethargic behavior. Which is great if they work, but they are currently making my heartburn & indigestion that much worse...I've already had 3 Tums this morning. I gained 1 lb. over the last two weeks so I'm good with that, and I'm back to measuring on schedule...33 cm for 33 weeks!

Also to blame for my lack of sleep are these bonkers dreams I keep having. Two nights ago I dreamt I laid an egg ...and spent hours in my dream trying to figure out to keep it from getting all mashed up. I had hard boiled some eggs for a salad before I went to sleep and I think I was having flashbacks to my salad making experience - during which my attempt to slice the hard boiled egg ended up with mashed egg all over my salad. Last night I dreamt that Brooke showed up due any minute with twins! So Clay & I made the decision that we had to move ASAP to be by Brooke because I would need to care for her two babies as well as ours after she went back to being a doctor. I was very anxious in my dream about having to care for what would essentially be triplets! I know Aunt Deb did it & handled it like a pro...but I woke up feeling more tired than I was when I went to sleep last night!

Now for the 'very blessed' part...I know Clay & I often complain about being in Texas. But, I must say that we could not have landed in a better neighborhood. I love Cottage Green and the people that live here. For the last few months the girls in my 'hood have been getting together once a month to play a fun & goofy board game called Pokeeno. We bring a wrapped gift (no more than $8) and when you win a round of Pokeeno you get to pick out a wrapped gift. Well last night I won Pokeeno first (we do as many rounds as there are people so that all the gifts are picked - then we do a second set of rounds so that you can steal the opened gifts from others when you win) and opened a gift of a sippy cup & Johnson's Baby Wash. I thought, "Oh! Good thing I picked this gift...it wouldn't be appropriate for most of the ladies here!" And the next person wins...and picks out a gift...and opens 2 little girl newborn nightgowns! The woman had just told us she was pregnant, and I thought, "Oh I hope it is a girl so she can use these! Good thing she picked out that gift instead of it going to one of the other ladies with older kids!" And then the next person wins...and opens little girl socks! And the next person wins...and opens stacker cups! And the next person wins...and opens a handcrafted blanket and a little robe & wash cloth! And I bet you are starting to get the picture....well I wasn't! When all of the gifts had been opened and I sat there thinking about how inappropriate most of them had been! Usually people bring very universally appealing adult gifts...like wine or candles or gift certificates. As I'm thinking this I say out loud, "Well I guess I missed the baby themed memo!" To which my dear friend Amanda replied, "How do you suppose that happened????" And I honestly answered "I don't know!"...as I'm still sitting there thinking what inappropriate gifts people brought this time! And then my other good friend Lesley said, "She still doesn't get it!" At that point I felt myself turning bright red....as Lesley pointed out all of the obvious signs...pink baby gifts, pink cupcakes...! I felt like such an idiot!! It honestly didn't occur to me that these women, most of whom have met me only a handful of times would do such a nice thing for someone they barely know! After I got home I called Clay...and of course he figured it out after I told of the second baby girl gift being opened...and he said, "that's your good friends Amanda & Lesley at work!" Bottom line...I could spend hours counting my blessings these days...and for that I couldn't be more thankful.

Staying put in Texas now...

We are back from our trip to Iowa and are here to stay for probably more than a few months, as Dr. Beena made me promise this was the last travel that I'd request. Well...the one of us that doesn't travel for a living is here to stay anyway...the other one of us is already off again for the week!

Getting there wasn't bad at all - I was surprised how comfortable I managed to stay during the 3 hour flight & 3 hour car ride. Getting home was another story...my back hurt the entire road trip up to Minneapolis, and my belly hurt the entire flight home. I took it as an opportunity to try some of my Bradley Method relaxation techniques and I'm pleased to say that I was able to put myself to sleep using the deep abdominal breathing. By the time we arrived home all I could do was plop on the sofa & watch the end of The Bachelor while my sweet husband made us dinner; I was craving salad...he was excited that Luci was finally hungry for some of his favorite foods.

It was great to see family and be there for Baylee's graduation. Mom & Baylee tried really hard to feel Luci kick, but no such luck. She pretty much stops moving the minute I point it out to someone. They did get to see my belly move a bit though. Clay on the other hand got to feel one of the re-positioning moves and her little arm or leg moved against my belly & his hand so hard that he jumped back like she was going to pop right out of my belly and get him. Baylee & I laughed super hard...he really looked alarmed!

Happy Birthday Aunt Baylee

Luci's Aunt Baylee turns 18 today...and it is her last day of high school! What a great day! We went to see Dr. Beena this morning & got the all clear for our Iowa weekend. Baylee decided not to have a graduation party, but Clay & I are headed there regardless to help her celebrate this significant accomplishment and watch her accept her diploma. I couldn't be prouder to have another Hawkeye in the fam....and hopefully this fall with any luck we'll call her a Kappa as well :)

Dr. Beena says Luci is still 'sky high' and isn't showing any immediate signs that she's ready to enter the world just yet. She did a quicky little ultrasound and got to see that her head is in the lower left part of my belly, and her little feet & bum are up in the upper right part of my belly. I'd have guessed this based on her movements. I also saw her little heart fluttering & her rib cage & lungs expanding as she practices breathing. Dr. Beena says her spine looks beautiful. I actually lost a pound from last week, and my belly is measuring the same as last week - which was 2 weeks ahead of schedule at that time. So maybe she went through a little growth spurt & now she'll get back on schedule. Regardless, we are having a big ultrasound at 35 weeks (today is 31 weeks) to determine her position & take a guesstimate at her weight.

We started our Bradley Method classes on Saturday. We learned lots of relaxation techniques and a few exercises that Clay & I are supposed to do together. At the end we watched a video of a natural birth from beginning to end. I was squirming & almost crying, while Clay was very composed & stoic (he'd just been warned by his buddy not to let any unedited comments accidentally slip out). It was almost as if he was watching a science experiment unfold...meanwhile I'm glad I won't be seeing what is going on down there. I think it scared me more than it did him; I've started to have crazy dreams and restless nights pondering delivery. I had a dream two nights ago that I passed out during labor & woke up 4 days later to a happy healthy 4 day old Luci...

30 Weeks...a little bit big...maybe??

Last night we attended "Newborn Care" at the hospital. It was a 3 hour class that went over the basics of diaper changing, cord care, feeding, burping, the 5 s's (swaddling, swinging, sucking, shh-ing & side position), bathing, taking baby's temperature, along with crib & car seat safety. Each couple had a baby doll to practice with and by the end of the night we were quite fond of our little one...I kind of wanted to bring her home! We saw several photos depicting newborn characteristics including cone head, jaundice, grey blue hands & feet, along with photos of babies delivered with forceps & vacuums vs. those that came out naturally or with a c-section. We played a Babies Price is Right game and tried to guess the cost of various items like formula, diapers, baby wipes, diaper creme, & a jar of food. Clay & I came in way over...so hopefully that means we'll be pleasantly surprised by how little Luci costs (yeah right ;). We took several pages of notes and overall it was a great class, especially for $30. I'm looking forward to Breastfeeding Basics at the end of the month!

This morning started bright & early with an interview of a pediatrician, who we liked so much we've already decided to go with him. The office was bright & clean, with separate waiting rooms for sick kids & well kids. Dr. Bhakta has little kids of his own & seemed to practice very flexible common sense. Another task checked off of the list...

Then after breakfast at my new favorite venue, The Black Walnut Cafe, (they have a VERY strong decaf latte I crave) we went to our 30 weeks appointment with Dr. Johnson. She is such a funny lady, she cracks us up. I asked her for her opinion on Doulas and without hesitation she gave us the eye roll & asked how much money we'd have to waste on that. Clay & I both started laughing, and I went on to explain that we were just nervous that Clay might be gone when I go into labor & had thought maybe a Doula would be helpful in that case. She assured me she'd be there, and that we'd be fine. She also told us she is comfortable with inducing labor at 39 weeks if we are, and that we should think about it given Clay's schedule. We'd both prefer she comes on her own accord (when her dad is here, of course), but I think we're entertaining the idea now. After Dr. Johnson measured my belly, she also said she'd want us to do an ultrasound at 35 weeks to see how big Luci is, and what position she is in. I asked if she suspected Luci might be a little big (I could see there was something in her face she wasn't saying), and she said ummm...just a little bit...maybe....

As for my size...the Houston humidity has arrived and I'm starting to get a bit puffy. My wedding band leaves a serious indentation on my finger, and I might be sporting the beginning of some super attractive cankles. I've gained enough weight that I'm going to stop reporting it now...I'll just say that I'm still within the normal range. However last week at yoga the Y staff was taking photos for the newspaper...and they wanted the biggest belly...and they were trying to decide between mine & another woman's...who happened to be 34 weeks compared to my 29 weeks...needless to say I insisted they photograph her and not me....

A busy May with my favorite person...

I am very thankful to report that Clay's May schedule is allowing for lots of time at home with me, especially during the first half of May. Of course my type-A nature immediately saw this as an excellent opportunity to fit in all of those informational baby classes I wanted to take, so I've gone a bit bonkers with our schedule. On Tuesday night we'll be heading to Newborn Care at Memorial Hermann Hospital, the hospital where Luci will be born. The next morning we start out bright & early with an interview of a potential pediatrician at 8am, followed by our 30 week appointment at 9:30am. Then on Saturday the 12th we finally start the Bradley Method class (6 classes in all). The next weekend we head to Iowa (provided Dr. Johnson gives me the all clear) to watch my baby sister Baylee graduate from high school...and I'm sure that she is looking forward to no longer being referred to as the baby of the Rosonke Family ;)! We come back the morning of Monday the 21st and attend our second Bradley Method class that night. The next Saturday my loving husband will (no doubt a bit grudgingly) attend Breastfeeding Basics with me, again at Memorial Hermann Hospital. And the next day we finish up the information gathering month with Bradley Class #3. Now when you add in his flight schedule on top of all of this and a potential visit from the Atkins clan...our calendar for the month of May looks a bit bonkers. All the better to keep time flying ;)

Usually my sweet husband hates nothing more than a 'honey-do' list...but this week he's really gotten into it...plowing through the list head on, eagerly checking items off. I feel like we've made great progress with the nursery - we just might have agreed on a paint color and we both like the curtain concept; I can now visualize the final product in my head and I like it. We have had such a wonderful few weeks that I felt the urge to tell the world how very in love I am with my husband. A photo of his handsome face is long over due on this blog...so I've put up a photo we took back in February after Keith & Lee's visit. The lovely boot in the middle was a gift from them, and in a bit of Texas spirit we decided to hang it on our back gate to greet all of our Texan neighbors! The other photo was taken by Clay's dad, Don, a few weeks ago during thier visit. Love my man in uniform...