Home on the Range

We've all made it home. It's a little surreal to be back in our house with a tiny baby in addition to Busby and Janet.

As you probably saw from Big Kahuna's post, labor and delivery went very smoothly. I could not have imagined things would go so very well. I know I shouldn't say this, but it was an easy labor. The most painful part was getting the epidural, because the anesthesiologist initially put the catheter in a little to the right, which caused incredible pain in my hip. But since I let him know that was the situation, he took care of everything, and all was well.

Delivery was incredibly fast. 3 pushes. I was shocked! I actually said to the doctor, "That was it?" But there she was. My beautiful, amazing McCloud.

It took a while, but I've figured out who she looks like. She looks like Busby did when he was born. The only difference is the plumbing.

The hospital stay was great until I took some oxycodone last night. While it did take care of the pain, it caused incredible nausea and dizziness. I have learned my lesson, and my doc didn't prescribe it for me. I did order and eat a lot of the free 24-hour room service. I wasn't kidding about the grilled cheese and chocolate shakes. The hospital staff was really, really great, and I loved all the nurses. Maggie from Labor & Delivery came by today before we left to see us again. She really is awesome.

Busby and Janet have done really well with the baby. Busby keeps his distance, and Janet keeps giving her kisses. I had to keep telling her to leave the bassinet alone, but I think she's getting it now.

Like I said, we're home. All of us. Busby and Janet are in bed (I hope). McCloud is sleeping (which she does quite a bit of). Big Kahuna is doing the dishes. I'm sitting here typing. Life is good.

For a bit of fun, click here.

McCloud has arrived !!!

 

We checked in to the hospital at about 7:30 this morning to get things started, Momma was greeted by Maggie ( our, ok her nurse ) with a big hug and peck on the cheek.  When I arrived with last minute luggage Momma was absolutely glowing!  Maggie has been a labor and delivery nurse for quite some time, when asked how long had she been a L&D nurse she simply smiled and said I started this morning about an hour ago.  So that may have been when she clocked in this morning but she also talked about being in “her art” (Nursing, and she did have it down to a  art form) and helping with the delivery of some people in our community that are that are about my age!  She kept us very comfortable and very happy! THANK YOU MAGGIE.

 

McCloud made her appearance at 12:06pm (noon).  She weighed 8 lbs. even and is 20 inches long.  She has blondish baby hair that actually looks like she has highlights, and the instant I saw her she yanked my heart out and wrapped it around her little finger.  Pretty tricky prospect seeing as this has happened about the same time after Janet was borne as well.  I called Grandma and Grandpa to tell them and also talked to Busby, when I told him that I was holding his new baby sister he gave the most excited giggle and said “I love you daddy” and then asked Grandma to turn on the movie.  All is well baby and momma doing super and I am headed to bed besides I need to leave the high points of the day for momma to blog about.

 

Big Kahuna

Today is Janet's second birthday!!!! I cannot believe that she's two.

What to say about her? How should I describe her? She's bright, she absorbs everything. She loves shoes and purses. She hates for me to brush her hair until I say it's time to do her hair, then she will sit still. She loves to splash in the bath tub. She's generous and selfish at the same time. She's moody, and she's a screamer. She loves me and her dad and her brother, and wants her own way all the time. She eats almost anything you give her. She calls the lava lamp the "apple light." She has a big plush cat that she calls "Puppy." She has a small plush cat that she calls "Monkey." She sucks her thumb, and holds a binky against her forehead as she falls asleep. She doesn't like to say please with her requests. But she does anyway. She's fast to say thank you and fast to apologize. She loves to play with the toy kitchen. She loves her new baby doll stroller. She doesn't love to share her toys, but does anyway, because we make her brother share. She has blond, curly hair that I haven't had cut yet. Because I just can't bear to. She has hazel eyes that will drill into your soul. Her favorite movie is "The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's."

That's just a glimpse of Janet. She's amazing. Happy Birthday, baby girl.

Getting to know (someone else's) baby

Our babysitter had her baby last Friday. It's also a girl. She's back home and taking care of the kids again, with the assistance of her husband and mother.

My kids are absolutely enamoured with the sitter's baby. I think it has helped Busby understand just what we mean when we say "when the baby comes." Janet thinks the baby is the coolest thing in the world, and it has usurped the sitter's husband's spot as #1 in Janet's mind.

As for me, still pregnant. Still hungry. But now I have extra sneezing. Maybe it will help things move along.

The play by play of inaction

Wednesday Late Night/Thursday Very Early Morning: Lots of Contractions. No Sleep.

Thursday Morning: Sensation and positivity that my water broke.

Not so much.

Thursday Afternoon: Slept it off.

Thursday evening: 1 contraction. While watching a documentary on debt.

Friday Morning: Sitting at my desk. Last day of work.

McCloud is coming, with or without assistance.

Contractions. Every 25 minutes. Since yesterday. No further progress. Ad nauseum.

If she doesn't come on her own, we'll have her on Monday with the assistance of Pitocin. And an epidural.

That would put the girls' birthdays one day apart. Which will probably not be the first thing that we do to anger them. ;)

Popcorn and Contractions

An update on goings-on:

For the last several evenings, I have had much lower abdominal pain and discomfort, often resulting in me doubling over. (Contractions for first two kids were very low, contractions experienced so far: very low.) Then (TMI alert!!!) I pass gas, and all is well again. Which isn't what I really wanted. I wanted to be in labor so we can get on with the business of bringing up baby.

Big Kahuna dragged out the screens yesterday afternoon, repainted them, and between us we got the storm windows out and the screens in. Yeah for cool, fresh air throughout the house.

This morning: many irregular, non-gas related lower abdominal pains. Nothing earth shattering, but annoying and uncomfortable nonetheless.

25 minutes ago: Crabby kids put themselves to bed to "take a rest." I need to go check that they aren't jumping on the beds, but it's nice that at least Busby is recognizing that all this arguing with Mommy isn't getting him anywhere, and maybe taking a nap would make things better.

All morning without relenting: my overwhelming hunger. I am so, so, so hungry. What do I want to eat? Chocolate. And only chocolate. What am I eating? Popcorn, that the microwave's autotimer burned. Oh, and Orange Kool-Aid. Because that's just a winning combination to crush my desire to eat all the chocolate in my house, the neighbor's house, and all the chocolate at Target.

Speaking of Target, I received an invitation to a friend's bridal shower. She and her husband have registered at Target, Kohl's, Pampered Chef, and (this is so fitting!) Lowe's. Who knew that Lowe's had a bridal registry? It fits her perfectly, though. I only hope she will share those tools with her new husband.

Yesterday, I accepted a full-time position with my law firm. I will begin doing this after some maternity leave. (There apparently is a question whether the boss will allow 8 weeks off, but we'll work it out one way or another.) I'll be honest, I'm not really happy about taking a full-time job at this point in my kids' life, but there doesn't seem to be an alternative at this point. But, this will get us out of debt faster (HIP HIP HOORAY!!!) and get us a mini van faster (HIP HIP HOORAY!!!). Plus, since Big Kahuna works in a construction-related industry, we don't anticipate that he will be able to earn as much this year as last, since building is down in his market.

I checked out out Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, from the library. While I'm on board with the idea, the bulk of those recipes are just not for my family. So it's going back well before the due date. I also checked out a couple of books on once-a-month cooking, which I am supremely interested in. I've marked many pages that I would like to copy down information from, and try implementing.

As you can see from my side bar thingy, I'm reading "Siblings without Rivalry." It's interesting, and I'm going to try to stick with it. I'm hoping to learn a few things to help deal with the inevitable squabbles that I have to look forward to. Then I'll be reading a book about the effects of divorce 25 years later. (My parents divorced 22 years ago, so this is very much about my generation and my siblings.)

So long for now. I'll try to post again after this afternoon's OB appointment.