It's a BOY!!!

Well for all of you who insisted I was having a boy, congratulations! You win...I think Rich and I were in shock- could have sworn it was a girl :) We couldn't be more thrilled with our new addition! Here is the much anticipated birth story as I can recall...

After much hoping and praying to go into labor on my own over the weekend, we finally checked into Paoli Hospital for the induction at 8 pm on Sunday, July 20th. The nurse was all ready for us, and we got checked in and settled into the room right away- it was super quiet on the floor, which was nice. I got hooked up to the monitors right away and was told I couldn't pee for the next few hours- what a nice thing to tell a pregnant woman! Dr. Marlino inserted the cervadil around 9:30 pm and we were able to relax. Rich had to run home to get his glasses, and since I couldn't eat anything but clear liquids, he brought me back some sorbet. Tried to get some sleep around midnight and was able to doze off and on, however uncomfortable I was...At 2:30 am I felt a gush of fluid, and immediately was mortified thinking I peed myself. Fantastic! Turns out my water broke on its own (which the nurse assured me VERY rarely happens and she seemed really excited about). So I was excited too, until I found it I had to keep in the Cervadil and lay there all night, with my water gushing about once an hour, to which I had to get up, get changed, and then get back in bed. So basically no sleep all night (though Rich sure looked cozy on the chair next to me- thank god one of us got some sleep!!)

At 6 am, the cervadil came out, and then I got to shower. What a disappointment. I was SO looking forward to a nice HOT shower. Well I couldn't get the water to heat up! I was SO frustrated I almost started crying over the stupid lukewarm shower, but I just hurried up and got out of there. (Fast forward to hours later, after delivery when I realized I had the nozzle turned the wrong way- what a moron :)! Right after the shower I realized labor had begun, I was pacing the floor with contractions, starting to become more painful, but not too bad. The doctor came in to check me, and surprise, surprise, I was about 80% effaced and still only 1 cm. Yay cervix. The pitocin drip started at 7:50 and by 8:30 the contractions started to come on stronger- Rich jumped into coach mode and got me through the REALLY annoying ones that were on top of another, like 3 every 60 seconds. At 9:15 Dr. Anthopolous (my OB actually turned out to be the one on duty!) came in to check and I was 2 centimeters. I had been denying pain relief for the last hour, and he said, well you can go ahead and get the epidural if you'd like. I looked at Rich and just said- "Let's do it"!

So by 9:45 I think the Epi was in (after MANY painful contractions hunched over the bed waiting for the needle where I thought I couldn't take anymore). Then we just chilled out and I tried to rest- I was EXHAUSTED. Here's the fun part- 11:30 Dr. A arrives for a check, and lo and behold- 8 CM!!! We were absolutely shocked. I thought for sure he was going to say 3! He said "Looks like we are going to have this baby before lunch", and Rich started to get really excited. Huge smile on his face and we were ready to go. Five minutes later, he had to call the nurses back in bc I was feeling a ton of pressure, in they came with the doc and the next thing I knew were pushing! Three contractions and about 7 minutes later, Rich got to announce "It's a boy!!" Little Richard Joseph Dunn, Jr. weighed in at 8 lbs, 8 oz, and 21 3/4 inches- EXACTLY the same measurements as his sister! He definitely looks like her, but she had bigger cheeks, he is more long and skinny, with super long feet and toes. Perfect in every way :)

We could not believe how quickly it happened, and how little time I was in pain. I only had 3 stitches, and I was able to shower on my own right away (with HOT water this time). I felt really good, our little boy latched on like a champ right away and we had a great day enjoying him. I can't even count the number of times Rich drove back and forth from the hospital to the house those few days. My sister Erin stayed with Reilly from Sunday to Tuesday and Reilly was loving the time with her big cousin Kennedy. Rich was doing double duty, making sure they were okay with Reilly and we had what we needed. It was an exhausting few days for him, and he really took care of everything. My mother in law arrived Tuesday morning and will be here for 2 weeks- it is a godsend! We could never do this just the 2 of us.

Reilly is adjusting, she seems to really like her little brother, though she is having a hard time sharing Mommy. I'm sure that will get easier. Rich and I are exhausted, but loving our little boy and managing through it. Rich goes back to work Monday, and I worry about how he will do with the lack of sleep. He is such an amazing Dad and husband, and has done everything this week to care of us and make me happy. If he never has to go to the grocery store again it will be too soon :)

So that is our story, and there will be much more to tell. For now, here are some pictures of our little man and his proud bis sister the princess...Oh, and the pciture of the giant Chick that was my focal point through labor- what a weird thing to have a giant picture of in a delivery room, huh?

The day FINALLY arrives...

After much hoping and praying I would go into labor on my own, and it never happening, the day finally arrives that the process will begin. I guess there are still about 14 hours to go and my water could break or something crazy like that, but I'm done wishing. I guess I can be thankful that we were able to plan and not be scrambling around at 4 in the morning getting a sitter and worrying about Reilly. Erin is coming today and will stay until Tuesday so she will be happy to have KK and Owie here and probably won't even miss Mommy :) Grammy comes on Tuesday and she will be the center of attention (thus a happy camper, because we all know that's what she loves!).

So today will be last minute errands and preparation (OK I say that is if I will actually be doing these things, but really it's all Rich). Pretty much Rich has been doing everything, cooking, cleaning, taking Reilly to birthday parties at the zoo in 100 degree heat, washing the cars, putting together rooms, etc. My role the last 72 hours or so consists mainly of sleeping, sitting on the couch, eating, and trying to play with Reilly (when I can move). I somehow went from bundle of energy to bump on a log the last few days and I think I gained another 10 pounds. Seriously it hurts to just breathe sometimes. But it's almost over!!! And Rich deserves the biggest coldest martini ever. :)

Hard to believe that by tomorrow night we will have a new son or daughter. We are just so ready for he/she or get here, and I am actually looking forward to the whole process again. Maybe I am crazy, but I really treasured the process of labor last time, and I have such a great coach that I am excited to do it again. Of course I hope it's a little shorter than last time, but I guess you get what you get! Wish us luck and can't wait to post a birth story hopefully tomorrow night!!!

Well, as expected...

WE went yesterday for our 40 Week, 3 day appointment and NO CHANGE. Luckily I was mentally prepared and Rich was there for support. Although we had to wait an hour to see the doctor (why does that always happen when Rich is with me?), we were both in good spirits and didn't try to rip her head off. She is sending me in today hopefully for a non stress test and U/S to check fluid levels. If there are any concerns, then I'll go in tonight and get the process going. Yea, that's about a 1/1000000 chance. So it is looking like a Sunday night stay for Cervadil to make sure I am soft and ready to go, and then the wonderful Pitocin on Monday morning. She did say if Sunday night I do have progress and my cervix is somehow miraculously ready (surely she jests) she will send us home to get a good night's sleep and we come back in the morning.

Now of course there is a chance my body decides to cooperate in the meantime, and the full moon tomorrow night works some majic. Apparently there is as wive's tale that the moon's gravitational pull effects the water in the amniotic sac the same way it does Rivers, Oceans, etc. So I'll be dancing in my backyard under the full moon praying for my water to break tomorrow night...drop on by if you want to see the show. LOL!! I do have some hope...Erin was pretty much in the same state at her 40 week appt with Owen, and she went into labor on her own 6 days later. So a girl can dream. I will say I am fed up with all the different "ways" to induce labor that just DO NOT work for me. I have eaten pineapple, Eggplant Parm, walked and walked and walked, taken the Evening Primrose Oil pills, drank the Red Rasberry Leaf tea...none of it works. So I am done. I will sit and wait until Sunday where unfortunately modern medicine with have to yank my child from the womb. I am flattered he/she likes me so much and doesn't want to leave.

Now the downside is I am in pain now. Back pain, leg pain, you name it. Last night wasn't as bad as Tuesday, but still it's rough. Luckily Rich has an awesome support system at work and he is going to work from home today and tomorrow, so that will be a huge help. Hopefully last night he finally got a good night's sleep and he gets to sleep past 5 am today :) Yay. He is working soooo hard all day, leaving the house by 6 so he can get home early to cook dinner and take care of Reilly. I am a lucky woman.

So the long and the short of it is, we will have a baby no later than Monday :) Only four more days, so I can't complain too much.

Today's the day!!!

or is it? Most likely not. I really had a feeling Mom might be pulling some strings up there to get this kid out on her birthday and that I would wake up overnight in labor. No such luck, BUT it's only 6 am, so we still have about 18 hours left in the day. Of course there are no signs of labor whatsoever (I won't share the ghory details of labor signs). So I'll go about my business, take Reilly to Georgie's birthday at Romp n Roll and try to pretend like I'm happy go lucky :) Honestly, I am thrilled that I still feel good enough to do fun things with her now and enjoy our last moments together as a team, just the two of us. It is hard, and I get tired quickly (pool yesterday example), and I lose my patience (more on that later), but at least I can still move around and have fun with her for the most part without too much pain...

This week has been trying though...temper tantrums stemming from I don't know what. Maybe it's intuition that something big is happening here so she is wanting the attention? Last night was a doozy and I lost it for a second. I took her up to the bath and she freaked out, I mean FREAKED. Would not go in, flailing her arms and actually threw herself out of the tub. She wanted to "watch a show"...her new favorite line in a very demanding little voice. It literally took Rich and I 15 minutes to calm her down (after she peed all over him- side note that was the THIRD time she peed while her diaper was off yesterday...hmmm). I had a little meltdown because I got SO frustrated with her and I couldn't take the screaming and flailing. Then I felt awful because we didn't know what was wrong with her and maybe she was in pain? So poor Rich wound up having to pull her together, all the while covered in pee mind you, then console me as I cried worrying about being a bad Mom. Poor guy...but he does it all with grace- he is amazing. Turns out, once she was able to "watch a show", Dora of course, she was immediately happy and then went right to bed. But still needs a bath!! So I may have to fight this fight all over again this morning because we have the birthday party and she is diiiirrrtttty. And she is also awake in her crib right now telling stories to her "guys"! (her guys are Lamby Piggy, Elphenant (pronounced just that way), blankie, and binka- her pacifiers- 2 of them). Side note- her newest thing while she plays is to stuff her guys down between the wall and the crib and then talk to them through the bars like they are in jail- hysterical.

Have I mentioned that instead of her usual waking time of 7-7:30 am, this week she has been waking up between 5:45-6:15 every day? I don't get it!! All I want is my hour of quiet time and coffee and my facebook and ivillage babyboards. Is that too much to ask (LOL). Seriously I am up anyway so it doesn't bother me, but she gets bored and by 7 is already asking to go outside. Ummmm- the rest of the neighborhood is still sleeping, we are not going outside to play at 7 am. Which of course sparks additional temper tantrums. Could it be the terrible two's already? I guess so...As Rich stated so correctly last night, it's not supposed to be easy. Everyone would have kids if it was easy...there isn't a manual or a job description. We figure it out. And I am so happy that my partner is so amazing, but I sure as h^ll would lose it if I had to figure it out on my own everyday. I give single Mom's 1 million % credit and I don't know how they do it. It is HARD. And worth every second. And I can't believe in less than 7 days I get to meet the new member of this amazing little family we have created. And now I have to go because I am crying again. I really thought I would get through the end of this pregnancy without so many tears...but today is my Mom's birthday. She would have been 56 years old. And I miss her. And OMG Reilly is trying to climb out of her crib!!! Wish me labor vibes today :)))

And the update is...

There isn't one. No progression from last week, other than contractions and pain and the baby won't stop kicking and punching me. So the next appointment is next Wednesday, and if I am still the same, then I go in Sunday the 20th for induction. OK I am ready NOW. :) Sorry too tired to write anything else...here is a pic of my doc who I almost punched today :) She is younger than me, I think I can take her.

39 Weeks today!!

So we had a little progress this week...70% effaced and 1 cm as of Wednesday. Nothing to write home about, and Dr. Chasteney said "see you next week", but I'm hopeful. I have started to feel the baby dropping and hopefully moving down so that's a good sign. I still feel pretty good, so not too much to complain about. The latest they will let me go is the 20th before induction, but I hope to get things started on my own! I have been drinking red rasberry leaf tea, which is supposed to strengthen the uterus, both before and after labor, and taking Evening Primrose Oil pills, which apparently is supposed to help soften the cervix. Not sure I believe either of these methods help, but hey, can't hurt. On my baby board, some of the women have resorted to taking Castor Oil to jumpstart labor, which I WILL NOT do. They had some contest going the on July 3rd to see who could go into labor and have a July 4th baby. It actually worked for one of them, but I wouldn't do that myself!

As far as progress at home, the nursery is ready to go! Rich worked so hard on it all week, and it looks great. Shelves and darkening blind up, crib and changing table in there. Diapers are all stacked the the cabinet, and clothes in the drawer. We just have to move the rocker in and we are good to go! We are "decorating" after the baby gets here so we can do pink or blue, so we don't have the bedding set or curtains or anything yet...Reilly's room looks so cute too- like a big girl room :) We ordered her toy box and that will come next week. And for her "big sister" gift, she got a cute step-stool with her name on it that matches her piggy bank and wall hanger...I pick it up this week. AND she got a potty :) What a big girl! I of course can't stop shopping, so the new baby got a new blanket for the hospital and some lightweight swaddle and sleep blankets (all the ones we had from Reilly are winter so too hot). I pulled out all the 0-3 month onesies last night and will wash them today. We have a bunch, so we are set on 0-3 onesies. Everything in 3-6 is pink though ;) So we'll see if we can use them or not!!!

My birthday was a great day...Reilly woke up at 4:30 and was super cranky, but Rich took over after a while and let me sleep in a little. Of course with all the birthday well wishers calling me thinking of course I'd be up early, I really didn't get much sleep. So I got up and we went to the Elmwood Park Zoo; Reilly loved the animals! She took her first pony ride and was such a brave girl. Then we went to Chili's for lunch, and got home for a nice long 3 hour nap (for me). Then we headed out to play at the neighbors who were having BBQ and Reilly had a blast with all the kids until the guys started setting off fireworks! I had gone into the garage to get ice pops for all the kids, and Reilly was sitting with Brianna, who babysits her sometimes, and all of a sudden Rich heard her screaming. She was FREAKING out beacsue of the booms of the little fireworks. He ran out to get her and the poor thing was shaking like a leaf! It took him a bout 10 minutes to calm her down and get her settled, and then we were able to feed her dinner. Poor girlie!!!

Then I kept her busy with an ice cream cone (messy!) while Rich cooked an awesome dinner for us...steaks, corn, fries, and salad. Then HE cleaned up so I could relax, he gave Reilly a bath and put her to bed so I could go socialize with the neighbors for a bit. So relaxing!!! Not to mention the AMAZING cards and birthday gift I woke up to. Dolce & Gabbana subglasses :) I NEVER would have bought them for myself (at least again, long story) but he spoils me. I love them! I also forgot to mention that he cleaned the entire house on Thursday so the house has been clean all weekend...AND he made me get a cleaning lady again so she starts Thursday, just to help for a month or two while we get adjusted. Have I mentioned I have the best husband in the whole world ;)

Today we are going swingset shopping and to a birthday party for Adrianna, Reilly's special friend :) Should be another fun day...wish me labor vibes- you never know!! Since I didn't have my camera yesterday, here are some pics of Reilly the last time she went to the Zoo. She was so little!!!! I also added 2 pics from last Fourth of July weekend- one year ago!! Enjoy...