My baby has arrived safe and sound! ♥

The maternity ward at our hospital has been C-R-A-Z-Y! July saw a record month of 175 babies, August 110 and they're expecting September to beat July hands down!

As of September 21st, I would have been 10 days overdue, so I was supposed to go in to Labour & Delivery to get Cervadil (sp?) to try and get things going. Well they were so busy inducing other women due even before me that they told me to hold off until Monday morning. Same scenario Monday morning, but I started having contractions that afternoon. This is when I should have napped!! We had little sleep the night before.

By Monday early evening they were about 11 minutes apart but manageable. I took a shower and woke Calvin at 11 as they were running about 3-6 minutes apart and lasted about a minute. On the way in to Moncton they were consistently about 3 minutes apart and getting more intense but only lasted 30 seconds. Very irregular so I knew it wasn't active labour... yet. Living out of town had me somewhat worried though so I thought worse case scenario we'd crash at my parents place.

Got to L & D and they assessed me. I was 2cm dilated and 80% effaced-- exciting (excitement quickly diminished as time drug on)!

They kept me overnight in the assessment room, which is not made for overnight stays-- ugh. Contractions stayed the same all night, which was kind of brutal. Cal was amazing. Sat in an uncomfortable chair beside me in the stretcher holding my hand and getting me anything I needed. We walked everywhere around the hospital through contractions until I couldn't take it anymore and got a shot of Demerol. That took the edge off so I could get a couple of hours of much needed sleep. At this point I was running on 4 hours sleep in 48 hrs? :S

Tuesday morning I was still only at 2cm but thinned out a little more. By Tuesday evening I was starting to lose it. Contractions were pretty much one on top of the other, I was 3 cm but still not totally effaced. They suggested I go spend the night at my parents; take a bath and get some sleep?! um ok. At this point I figured 'fine' as I couldn't handle that stretcher any longer and I was next to get induced the next day regardless. That evening was very brutal. I did take a bath which helped a little then headed right to bed. I was waking up every 5-10 minutes with contractions, grasping Calvin's hand and breathing through them for a minute... then I'd crash for another 10 minutes LOL. Cal said I'd start snoring then jerk awake.

Got up and ready to leave at 7am with Cal and my mom while my dad scooted over here to feed Jetta.

I could barely walk they were so intense. Took me forever it seems just to get upstairs to L & D! My doc came in the assessment room and checked me. I was 4cm and completely effaced-- YAY! Let's get this #%@! show on the road! They broke my water and admitted me.

That was the shitty part. The rest of it was super amazing and I honestly couldn't have asked for a better delivery. The two nurses attending me were phenomenal, so nice, caring and super funny!

At almost 5cm I decided the epidural didn't sound so bad, and requested it! I'm very glad I did. It really let me enjoy my labour with everybody and everything and I know I will remember it forever. After the anesthesiologist administered it I said something along the lines of, "you're so amazing-- I love you!" LOL he replied "everyone says that but forgets my name by the next morning!" Later into it he came to check on me and asked how I was doing. I just said "awesome, you rock man!" which cracked him up!

Things progressed quite quickly after that. I think I got the epi at around 11am. By around 1pm I was feeling quite a bit of pressure so they checked and I was almost at 10cm. My dad joined us at this time. I never in a million years would have though he would want to be int he room, but I think him missing Kevin and I's delivery prompted him! It was cute he sent my mom in first to ask if it was ok for him to be in there with us.

The nurses decided to let me start pushing around 2:15. My ob-gyn, who was performing a C-section at the time came in quick to check me out and thought I would be pushing for 1-2 hours-- wrong! Only a little over half and hour. Again, Cal was a super duper coach! He held my hand, kissed my forehead, kept my neck up and counted for me. My mom was on my other side; my dad beside. She told me later at one point he asked kind of worried, "this seems to be taking long?" haha! Apparently he thought it was a 5 minute thing. The nurse delivered her and I'm really glad because again, both were amazing and we all clicked with them really well! Except one thing they kept making me laugh on my third push! I'm like "you're breaking my stride here!!"

They placed her on my chest on September 24th at 2:55 pm. She was a beautiful, slippery mess, and the first thing I noticed and said was that she looked like my brother, Kevin! Even moreso now that she's a little bigger. I cried huge tears, as did Cal and my parents. She was a beautiful colour, eyes wide open and pushing herself off my chest to look right at me and all around! She had deep blue eyes for now and fair coloured hair. There is a tint of red in it but we'll have to wait and see! She was 7lbs 12oz and 21" long.

I stood up like an hour later and took a shower. I felt great so they let me go right to my room.

Now I am home and very content. I look at her and still can't believe we created her. Calvin is so taken by her, and is being a huge help. Jetta is very curious but adapting well.

She's being so good right now I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I hope she stays so agreeable! lol

( More cuteness ----------> )

Well here I am, 2 days shy of 40 weeks.
I was hoping to go early, but that hope is dwindling day by day!
Initially, I was told my due date was September 15th. After my first ultrasound at 13 weeks, the tech told me September 8th, but then my "regular" ultrasound tech told me that by her size, my due date was the 11th and that was the final date given.
So overall, it's pretty iffy!

I feel good. A little tired but I find an hour power nap during the afternoon helps with that. I've done some baking, mowed the lawn with the ride-on, power cleaned/nested and even had some good nookie with Cal in hopes of urging her out-- all to no avail!  Cal is getting so excited! I found him sitting in the glider in the nursery the other day... playing with the stuffed lion. When I walked in the room and smiled, he said "Baby... come out and play!!"  heehee!

Here are the last set of pics I will have before she gets here! I can tell I dropped some, cuz although my belly hasn't gotten much bigger, my pants are tighter and bending/getting up/sitting down is much more trying!

Haven't updated in a bit-- I'm getting lazy tired again!  I had a really bad case of insomnia for a couple of weeks which totally drained me. Now I'm back to needing 12 hours a night, but it's kind of impossible as I'm up every hour on the hour to pee! Ohhh what I'd give to have a bathroom upstairs!

Today was a pretty productive day though! Got the lawn mowed and Calvin and I picked some more berries! Our crop is absolutely amazing this year, especially the blackberries!  We already picked about 6L and have at least 5L more once they ripen. mmmMMM! Can't wait to make a lot of preserves!

I've had some serious back aches on occasion, and we're pretty sure she's dropped (a little?) if that's possible.  She's definitely lower but it seems like she could go lower yet!

I've had three baby showers! One for each side of my family and another at work!
I can't fit anymore stuff in the nursery! 
Everyone is totally spoiling her and she's not even here yet! lol

I have some new pics of me and the nursery, which is finally done! Actually, I still need a lamp but for me, it's finished! Finis! Finito!  Here are the pics. That is actually a beach ball under my shirt and not a baby...

The nursery is pretty much done! All we need now is baby!
I still might switch some decals around... do you think I overdid it? I'm thinking of maybe lowering the bear some. I'm going to be putting some shelves in too so I don't know yet!!

Well yesterday was my monthly doc's visit! I am into my 8th month now! Wow! Already only 10 weeks to go!! So crazy how quick it's going!

Everything is fine! I don't have gestational diabetes (thank goodness! I need to eat ice cream until the very end lol-- it's keeping me sane)! The heartbeat is really strong and the baby was head down.

Since becoming preggers I've gained 25lbs in total, which I can deal with! I'm thinking by due date I'll have gained 35. You lose about half at delivery so I can handle being backtracked 15lbs

Sleeping isn't pleasant though! I'm like a rotisserie chicken all night!! Left, back, right. Back left, back, right. Ugh! I miss my sleeeeep!

I finally found some jungle wall decals (well my mom did lol). I couldn't find them anywhere. Searched Walmart, Zellers, Home Depot, Micheal's ect. I was even willing to order online but couldn't find any I liked anywhere!
Then last Friday my mom called me at work to say she found some at the Great Canadian Dollar Store that were super cute, and boy, are they ever! They're from Home Decor which is actually a really good name brand. They look awesome on the nursery walls! Dollar Store must have scored an excess load from Home Sense or something heehee. I bought up like $15 dollars worth haha! I will be taking pics shortly of the nursery as it's almost done!

@ 31 weeks! 

   

27 weeks, aka 6 1/2 months bumpage shots... I just keep telling myself that I will be so glad that I took these... someday!

I think we're on a role! I don't give her any pills until she eats, and I'm willing to do anything to stimulate her appetite! lol

This morning I gave her a small piece of marble cheese (she loves cheese) and that must have got her tummy grumbling cuz she ate her breakfast right after. Got her pills down and she didn't throw up. I bought some wet dog food to mix with a bit of kibble and she stuffed that right down (did I mention how much she loves wet dog food?? lol).

I think if I can keep her eating and give her the pills right after she will keep them down! Hope it keeps up *crosses fingers*

Well the last time she threw up pills was Monday morning, so the vet told me to take her off the yeast meds for a couple of days on Friday. I didn't give her any until last night after she ate (she started eating again within like 14 hours), and I gave her only one... she kept that down.

I gave her one this morning this morning after breakfast but the vet told me not to do that as she may build up an immunity to it. I gave her two after supper and she seems ok so far. Maybe her tummy is "used to them" now.