A Day of Firsts...

Today was my first day completely alone with all four of my children. Isn't that crazy that I have 4 kids??? I love it. I am so blessed. I must admit I was very overwhelmed but that the day went better than I thought it would. Poor Naomi has been a very fussy baby since coming home from the hospital and both of us have gotten very little sleep. Today we tried Milacon drops and they are a life saver! She had her first nap that lasted three hours today, she had her first trip to the park and her first enjoyable experience in her baby swing without the kids. I was able to keep the house clean and take the kids outside and to the park to play! I am tired tonight and ready for a bath and a good movie but everyone is bathed and alive, what more can I ask for???

Moby: Where have you been????

So we are almost a week into this world of 4 children and to be honest...it's CRAZY! We now have 3 extra mothers in this house who inform me everytime the baby makes the slightest noise. I spend most of my time holding Naomi because if I don't she is passed around, rolled around and played with like a baby doll. Honestly for the first couple of days I was really afraid for her life! Well all of that is now solved by 8 yards of fabric! I made myself a "Moby" carrier. No it is not name brand, it is just 8 yards of knit fabric that I learned how to wrap on the internet and it has saved me! "Moby" where have you been???

The Arrival of Naomi Grace

Naomi Grace was born on March 15, 2010 at 6:35pm. She weighed in at 7lbs and 5oz, a perfect size. They started the induction that morning and through the day I contracted but did not progress much. They broke my water and although the contractions got more and more painful I wanted to try to go as long as possible, if not through the whole process without an epidural. I made it 7 and a half hours and was finally in WAY too much pain to continue without DRUGS! They gave me an epidural at approximately 5pm and it was such a relief. They had a special pillow that they put between your knees to keep the pelvis open and help the process along. Well, let me tell you what...it works! They had me on my right side and the epidural didn't seem to be working on the left side so they flipped me with the idea that epidurals work with gravity. Even after switching sides the contractions were so strong on the left side that they were becoming unbearable. That is when the pressure came. The nurse decided to check me just to see where we were and at that point we found that I had progressed from a 6 to a 10 in less than an hour. The doctor was not at the hospital yet and that is when the nurse informed me that gravity was my worst enemy. They tilted my head way down, put my knees in the air and told me to keep them closed! I did this for about 10 minutes before I asked the nurse if she had ever delivered a baby because she was about to. The urge to push was so strong and I told them that if the doctor wasn't there soon I was going to push and push hard. They encouraged me to wait through 2 or 3 more contractions and at the end of the second contraction I encouraged them to get someone to catch the baby because I wasn't waiting anymore and neither was she. That is when the doctor ran in the room and I said "let's go!" and I pushed just as she sat down. Naomi was born 3 pushes later. I cried and cried. It was such a relief to have her in my arms and safe. She is beautiful and HEALTHY! She is our little miracle. It was by far my hardest pregnancy and labor but definitely worth it!

Lovely People

Yesterday was not a good day. If you read my previous post you know why and I was super stressed. Last night just as I was leaving to make an hour trip to the airport to pick up a rental car that really couldn't afford our home teacher called and said that we could borrow their extra car. So now we have a van to transport all of us to the hospital tomorrow and home when it's time. My mom has a car to use while she is here alone with the kids and I don't have to worry about it. So today I can spend the day getting ready to bring Naomi into this world tomorrow. I am so thankful for great and giving people. I am so thankful for the Home Teaching program and our home teacher and his family in particular, he always comes and is always concerned. They are just lovely people!

Last Days of My Last Pregnancy

Only one more day and we are off to the hospital to have our baby. This should be a happy time but I must say that I am completely overwhelmed. Today our only car decided it didn't want to work anymore. I have spent the day running from one rental car facility to the next to beat their closing times with no luck. So tonight my awesome friend Tina is driving me all the way to the airport to pick up a car so that we can get to and from the hospital and so that we don't leave my mom with three kids and no car! I am very overwhelmed right now. I don't know when I will be coming home from the hospital because the baby may or may not have to stay. It's a good thing we are double insured and that the hospital bills will be paid because the stupid rental car is $311.00. I just feel like this should be a happy time, one where I relax and enjoy the last 2 days of my last pregnancy ever but they have been chaos. I am upset that we don't have the money to get a reliable car, I am upset that my mother has to stay when she is stressed and tired and just wants to go home. I am upset that I have to be worrying about all of this right now. I just want to go to the hospital and bring this little one into the world on a good note. Everything this year has been very stressful and I don't want her little life starting out that way. I think I am just dead tired and need some xanax and sleep. Hopefully tomorrow will be uneventful and I can enjoy the last day of my last pregnancy.

Wrong Thing to Say to This Pregnant Woman

So I am scheduled for an induction on Monday morning but three days seems impossible and so I took some Castor oil today. I am dilated to a 5 and hoping that this does the trick but I am not getting my hopes up. I told my husband this and he said "well I wish you wouldn't have but I know you're done." I told him that next time he is carrying one of our children he can make that decision and that he doesn't even have to come to the hospital with me if he doesn't want to. I know the reason he doesn't want me to go into labor tonight is because he is looking at a motorcycle after work and it would be more convenient on Monday. Convenient my ass, I want this kid out! It was definitely the wrong thing to say to this pregnant woman.

I Think I Can

Well, yet another few days of contractions but no labor. This has by far been the hardest pregnancy I have ever had. I suppose I should try and enjoy this last week because this will be our last baby. Tomorrow they will strip my membranes again and we will see what happens (if anything). I am just really down today. Usually I am so excited to give birth because I can't wait to see and hold my little one but honestly I just want my body back at this point. What kind of a mother thinks that way? I am sure when she comes I will be so happy to have her in my arms and hold her and love her but at this point I just feel like a science experiment. I just keep telling myself "I think I can, I think I can..." but telling yourself something and believing it are two totally different things.