Coming up for air....

Little Hudson is 2 weeks old already!  Our helpers are now gone, and we have been on our own with our crazy toddlers and a newborn since Sunday. 

It's almost a daily occurrence that I have to choose between taking a shower or a much needed nap.  9 times out of 10 I opt for the shower. LOL. I remember having this issue with the girls, and I almost always chose the nap.  This indicates to me that I was WAY more tired with the girls than I am with Hudson.  Either that, or I perceive myself to be smellier this time around =).

Here is an AWFUL picture of me choosing the other option...sleeping on the couch with baby Hudson...no make up...hair a mess...a total real life picture!

We are doing well overall.  We are all in a state of transition, but we haven't had any major issues.  The girls ask for "baby" every morning when they get up which is super cute. Livvy loves to "hold" him, burp him, swing him...essentially be his second mommy =). Unfortunately what isn't super cute is the jealousy the girls both seem to be feeling towards him.  They want their mommy time too.  Hudson is nursed so he gets TONS of mommy time each day.  The girls are totally getting shafted in the mommy time department at this point, and there's nothing I can do about it.  I don't have the energy to give them the attention that they crave so desperately, and physically I just can't do what I could before I had the c-section.

Speaking of the c-section, this c-section recovery has been WAY better than my recovery with the girls.  I've been so relieved! Part of it is very likely that I only had one child this time and none of the nasty stuff (like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc.) that I ended up with last time, but part of it too I think is that I knew what to expect (especially the pain and the limitations I would have post surgery).  

I have to tell you though, it has been SO hard not being able to pick up my girls.  Originally when I thought about not being able to pick up the girls, I thought just that. Oh, so if they fall down on the sidewalk, I won't be able to pick them up. I didn't think, oh, but you can't pick them up to put them on the changing table to change their diapers, or pick them up to lay them in their cribs, or pick them up to put them in their car seats, or pick them up to put them in the bathtub, or pick them up to put them in their highchairs, etc, etc, etc.

They don't understand AT ALL.  I have shown them my "ouchie", and they just don't get it.  They still want to jump on top of me and play and roughhouse.  They still want me to pick them up.  They still want me to lay them down in bed for the night or pick them up to soothe them when they are hurt.  And I can't.  Which essentially means that I can't take care of my toddlers on my own.  I have to have someone else here with me. Probably for another several weeks. UGH. What a crappy feeling!

We are definitely still making the best of it though.  The girls LOVE having mommy home every day and being able to read books, play puzzles, and dance in the sprinkler.  I'm looking forward to when my scar fully heals so I can take the girls to the pool.  I'm essentially off work all summer after all - we HAVE to get some pool time in, right?!

Here's a totally fun picture of the girls coloring in the bathtub - thanks Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Josh for bringing us bath crayons!! We love them!

Anyway, I am being beckoned once again by the not-so-tiny newborn known as Hudson, so I must wrap this up.  Sorry for my lack of blogging! I hope to become a better blogger again soon!!

Until next time -

Megan

Newborn pics!!!

I love that they do professional pictures in the hospital now!
I love even more that if you choose to purchase the photo CD that it is immediately available.

Want to see a couple pics of little Hudson?????  He's super cute! But I am biased...I know I am =).

In other news, the girls met their little brother yesterday.
Livvy LOVES him.  Wants to touch him, kiss him, lick him....and I have at least 15 pictures of her doing just that....

Bri could care less that he is here, as long as she can still jump on the bed, read books, and eat Mommy's food. Out of all of the pictures I took, we had to strongly encourage her to get close enough to actually take a picture of Bri together with Baby Hudson.

Funny how different our girls are! HA!

Enjoy!
And, until next time =)
Megan

Little Man is Here!!!

Guest Blog by Si H (the daddy).

Little man has finally decided to bless us with his presence.  The last blog that was posted by Megan was that she was still an excellent candidate for a VBAC, after some small signs of progression they decided that induction was going to be necessary to keep the process moving.  Our OB started her on aggressive course of Pitocin to try and kick start active labor after he broke her water yesterday afternoon.

The OB checked Megan and found that at 5pm yesterday afternoon she was dilated to 5 cm and was approximately 80% effaced.

Then we waited, and we waited, the contractions became stronger and stronger, 3 minutes apart, down to 2 minutes apart, Megan decided to opt for the epidural at this point, which immediately eliminated any contraction or labor pains.  This was at 8pm....

The OB came in and checked her at 11pm and found that she was dilated to 5 cm and was still only 80% effaced. He finally made the decision that he was only going to give her another 2 hours or so for some type of progression before we would have to examine the very real possibility of the dreaded C word.

We tried to keep a positive outlook that little man was going to coming naturally and that the directionally challenged little man was going to figure out where he needed to go.  But it wasn't meant to be...

She was rushed into the OR around 1:15am on Tuesday morning after 40 long hours of labor, Hudson Taylor Hollibaugh was born at 1:47am on June 12, 2012.  He was 8 lbs 0 oz, and measured 20 & 1/4 inches long, and was perfectly healthy little man.  After the C-Section, they were able to determine that the reason for the lack of progression was that the little man was trying to come ear first, yes, ear first.  That obviously was not going to work, and was the very reason that there was no progression after Megan dilated to 5 cm, he just could not push down any further.

He now shares a birthday with his Great-Grandpa Jake, whom is 88 years is senior.  This is my maternal grandfather and has played a large role in my upbringing.  This is very cool and Grandpa Jake will always have a special place in our heart as we are able to celebrate both birthdays concurrently.

Since then things have slowed down on the medical front, and the social aspects of the birth have accelerated exponentially.  Everyone is healthy and thankful that we were blessed with a wonderful medical staff to help us through the intense contractions, difficulty decisions, and lack of sleep.

Thanks for all of the well wishes, thoughts, and prayers, I think we needed everyone one of them.  The miracle of birth never ceases to amaze.  It is just incredible what my Megan is capable of doing. Until next time, possibly never... (I don't plan on being in this situation ever again.)  Si

Labor Update!

There's still no baby....
BUT...
There should be a baby yet today!

I am currently sitting in my lovely L&D room, having some happy contractions (ask me in an hour or two how "happy" they are...I have a feeling that's not how I will describe them!).

My water was broken about an hour ago (about 1 PM Central Time)

I want an epidural, but I'm going to try and wait until the pain gets intense before I give them the go ahead.

I am dilated to 4-5 cm...80% effaced....

Little guy is still up pretty high though...he needs to come down...my OB will NOT let me labor for a long period of time for a baby that won't drop.

Thought I'd let you guys know what my status was since I had some time!

I'm not out of the C-section woods yet, but I have at least a 70% chance of being successful with a VBAC at this point.  Woot!!!

Until later today...
Megan

STILL Pregnant!

Okay, I know what you are thinking....
I told you that one way or another there would be a baby this week....
But I also told you that as soon as he was here I would post....
I haven't posted.
HE ISN'T HERE.
Slacker baby! =)

So here's what has happened since last week when I last updated.  I had an OB appointment this past Monday (6/4).  My OB checked me and I had made ZERO progress from last week, or the week before, or the week before (still 1.5-2 cm, 60% effaced).  But, the baby also wasn't measuring any bigger (still right at about 8 lbs)...which was my OB's initial concern, and his reason for wanting to either schedule an induction or a C-section (since I still had two weeks to go until term at that time). However, when I was in on Monday, baby Hudson was measuring about an ounce smaller than he had the week before!  Oye.  Incredibly unreliable ultrasound measurements! HA!

SO...my OB told me that he would check me again on Friday (6/8 - today) and if I hadn't progressed (in dilation, effacement, and engagement) that he would recommend a C-section (tentatively scheduled for Saturday 6-9 @ 7:30 AM).  He personally didn't think that I would end up getting my VBAC as he felt that Hudson had actually retreated some from his previous position, and I wouldn't be a very good VBAC candidate (he didn't want me to labor for hours and hours and end up with a c-section anyway).  I was seriously crushed.  I left his office essentially in tears.  This wasn't at all what I wanted.  I knew my body could do better.

I enlisted the help of a fabulous neighbor, friend, and amazing midwife.  I told her what was going on and she made it her mission to help me progress.  For the last 5 days (under her direction) Si and I have done everything we possibly could to induce labor (except anything actually invasive like breaking my water).  I have used my breast pump to stimulate contractions, we have had lots of "sexy time", I have spent hours each day on a birthing ball (bouncing, doing exercises, stretching out my hips), I have been to a chiropractor for realignment (twice), I have used evening primrose oil, I have walked miles each day, I have done a stairs workout each day, I have carried the girls around on my tummy (to push Hudson down some), I have had my membranes stripped, I have taken hot baths....we have literally done everything in our power....

And he's still in there.

BUT....all of our hard work has paid off! As of this morning:
I am dilated to 3+ cm (easily stretchable to 4 cm)
I am 80% effaced
I am at -2 station

AND....today it was exclaimed that I am "an excellent VBAC candidate"!  Woot!

The problem is, originally they were going to induce me (due to Hudson's size), but now no such luck (giving us no time frame for when this peanut will grace us with is presence)! On ultrasound today he measured in at 7 lbs 10 oz (my wonderful midwife friend told me Wednesday that she didn't think he was 8 lbs...her guess was around 7 lbs 3 oz...7 lbs 8 oz or so now...so I think she is pretty darn close).  Regardless, a 7 lb 10 oz baby is no reason to induce.

SO....they are letting me go up to 41 weeks before they intervene, as long as everything continues to look good.

My PA told me today that she thinks I will go into labor in the next 48 hours.  My midwife friend has been seeing me for the last week and disagrees.  She thinks that it will probably be some time next week.  We've been doing everything possible to induce labor for the last 5 days and haven't managed to induce labor yet...she doesn't think it will magically happen now!  Now if my water breaks, that may be a bit of a different story =).

So, to sum it all up, I am still pregnant.  And I could continue to be pregnant for another 11 days (when I hit 41 weeks).  Oye.

I go back to see my OB on Tuesday (at 40 weeks).  Here's to hoping that my wonderful midwife is wrong, and this baby comes this weekend while my OB is already on call.

I can hope, right?

So that's my story.  I promise, when he comes, I will let you guys know!!!

Happy Friday!

Megan