Introducing: Liam Michael

Isn't he absolutely adorable?

Liam Michael was born January 31st, 2010 at 2:09 PM. He weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and was 20 in long.

I started feeling contractions about every 7 minutes starting at around 11:30 Saturday night. We finished watching Knocked Up (Ironically) and I went and took a bath to see if they would go away. I'd been having contractions off and on for a while, but they'd go away with a good warm bath.

They continued and started getting a little closer together, so we went ahead and went on to the hospital. By the time we made it there (about 30 minutes away) at around 3am , they were coming every 2-3 minutes. The doctor came in around 7 am and checked me and I was still only dilated to a two. He broke my water and I got the epidural and continued the wait. When he checked me again, I was still only a 4 and Liam was still kind of high.

At around 1pm, they checked me again and I was STILL only a 4 even though I was having some SERIOUSLY strong contractions. So, the doctor thought that the cord might be wrapped around Liam's leg or hip or something that was causing him to "bungee jump." (See, already adventurous!)

So, we ended up having to have a c-section :( I was super duper scared ... but Aaron was absolutely amazing through the entire thing.


I'll leave you with that for now ... it's time to watch the Super Bowl!

Liam says "WHO DAT!"

Still no baby

But, we still have a week to go. I'm off to the doctor again tomorrow ... maybe he'll say something like "WOW, Rachel ... you're dilated to a ten with absolutely no painful contractions what so ever ... just push a little bit and we'll have this baby right here! No hospital stay!" ... Hah, I crack myself up with my wishful thinking.

So, here's things that I've been thinking about lately:

I totally haven't taken a picture in forever ... so there goes THAT resolution. But, in my defense, I know that when I'm in a big hurry on my way to the hospital when this baby FINALLY wants to come out that I'll forget the camera. So, it's already packed up. And if it's packed up then I can't very well use it now can I?

I really really really want to change my layout on this thing. I want a cool blog ... a cool blog with my very own cool banner and such. Think someone can make that happen for me? That'd be great.

I think I'm going to have to stop lending out my books. Or ... at least the books that have been signed by the Great Jen Lancaster. Our friend's cat took a bite out of the cover of Such a Pretty Fat. I took the news with grace ... smiled the entire time ... and then explained to them that she'd be back in May and they should go and buy me another one and get her to sign that one too. We'll see if that request happens. They were going to try and email her a picture of the book and a 100 dollars to send me another one. Either way would be cool with me. I mean, I can't be too mad ... Link has chewed up some of my books too. But, you know ... not the good ones that are signed by awesome authors and all.

Early Labor?

I went to the DR again today.
I'm officially 1 cm dilated.
And 40% effaced.

So, as I'm leaving, the nurse whispers in my ear about "labor sex."
We tried it out tonight.
Besides the whole "OMG I can't breathe on my back" kind of thing ... I think it might have worked.

I've been having random contractions throughout the night. They aren't getting closer together ... or any stronger ... but they are continuing. Even if I lay on my side and/or drink some water.

I haven't slept much. I think that Tuesday inadvertently was my last day. There's no way I'll be trekking my pregnant stomach up to school today and risk going into ACTIVE labor around those kiddos. Nope. No way.

I think it's time for a good old fashioned walk? Any other suggestions?

When I think about ...

Do you ever sit back and wonder how life can get so good? And then immediately get really worried and think that something bad is almost ... in the line up? Real soon?

That's how I've been feeling lately.

Honestly, I don't know how my life could get any better right now.

• I graduated from College in May
• Bought a new car in May
  
• I found out that I was pregnant in May
• We are closing on our brand new built just for us house in October
• We are having our baby at the beginning of the year next year ...

Besides the fact that petty items like Harry Potter and the Time Traveler's Wife coming out in theatre's was pretty dang cool too.

So, where's the strings? I mean, I really hate thinking of things like that. I am so very thankful for the blessing that God has bestowed upon me. But ... all of the bad stuff that has happened to me in my life ... is it just waiting around the corner to surprise me again? Or, is it finished for a while?

So far, I can say that 2009 is one of the best years of my life. It's definitely been the one with the greatest milestones!

So, I guess ... check back in December ... just to make sure ... but yeah, 2009 is number one so far!

When I think about how perfect my life is ... and then I feel Liam kick ... a huge grin plasters itself across my face.

Thank you, Lord.

Score One for Constipation

Blah blah blah.

So, I didn't have morning sickness. Or, not really anyway. I threw up once ... but my toothbrush was in my mouth and I've been prone to gag during a good teeth brushing anyway.
I still have pretty good skin.
My gums haven't bled at all.
I haven't started having leg cramps.
But, let me tell you ... I've had it bad with the constipation the past couple of days.

Jeez! I don't know if the baby (fondly named Liam by the way) is somehow laying on my colon, or if he's already made himself at home fondling with my intestines, or what. But, I feel very ... full ... at the moment.

So far, this is the end of day three with barely a "pooplet" (not my word) in sight. I've been eating "roughage," I've been drinking lots of water, and I even went and picked up some benefiber and fiber bars today. Now, I'm just plagued with gas. Lovely.

So yeah, I might have gotten out of my first trimester unharmed ... but this second one is starting to get kind of clogged up here.

Any remedies?

Blast you maternity shirts!

First of all, don't think that I am not utterly thankful for the fact that Maternity clothes are way super cute and actually quite fashionable. Also, do not think that I'm not utterly thankful for the fact that my sister-in-law gave me 100s of dollars worth of maternity clothes ... meaning that I only will need to probably by pants for myself! (Lucky lucky me!)

However, seriously maternity shirts? Do you think that pregnant women enjoy the fact that their boobs are over-sized and over-stuffed? Do you think that we enjoy the fact that our regular shirts don't fit anymore ... not because of their ever-growing belly ... but because of their ever growing boobs? And what do you go and do? You go and make nearly all cute pregnancy shirts those V or Cross tops that show the goodies like nobodies business.

Seriously. Really? I'm sure that my husband doesn't want to see the mother of his children walking around town with her breastacles and bra showing.

I mean, who knows ... maybe some women are thinking in their heads ... "YES!!! I have boobs! I want to show them off!!

But Me and MY boobs ... like to be well hidden, thank you VERY much.

So, please maternity shirts ... can you make shirts for women that don't want to show their baby food bags? Please? PLEASE!?? Because, there's a lot of hormones going through this body and I would really hate to have to start crying for no reason again.

Thank you,
A 14 week pregnant woman that is finding it harder and harder to cover up this belly bump!

The BIG update

I finally have a little bit of time to sit down and type out my whole update about pregnancy and life and everything in between! YAY ME!

Ever since that little digital sign pointed to "pregnant," Aaron and I feel like we've been running around like a chicken with our head cut off.

First of all, I'll tell everyone the "finding out" story.

You know how some people say that they just "know" that they conceived like the minute that it happened? Well that didn't happen here! Besides some off handed comments such as "Wouldn't it be funny if I were pregnant right after graduation when I told my grandpa that I would make sure to wait until I graduated before I got pregnant?" Or, "Hm, it'd be hilarious if I were pregnant right now ... what with the television being broken and everything" but there wasn't any "woman's intuition" here.

So, I'm going about my business, thinking that I'll be starting at some point in time during the week. I mean, I had the warning cramps and everything! In fact, I remember telling Aaron things like "Man, my period is going to be really bad ... I've been cramping all this week and still nothing!" etc. Finally, one Sunday night (May 31st), I started looking at a calendar and realized "oops! I was supposed to start LAST WEEK!" Hehehehe.

Well, I was about to jump in the shower anyway, so I trotted off to the bathroom and pulled out one of our trusty digital sticks and took a tinkle. Then I set it aside, assuming that it was going to turn negative like all of the others in the past, and undressed. By the time I undressed and went to set my glasses on the counter to step into the shower, the digital screen showed "Pregnant!"

I can't even really describe the feeling! Shock and awe, I guess. I got in the shower and started hosing off ... wondering if I should start crying tears of joy or screaming with excitement! Mainly, it was a lot of confusing "hahs" coming out of my mouth through the entire shower.

Aaron wasn't going to be home for another 30 minutes or so ... so I hopped on the computer looking for clever ways to tell the daddy! OK, more power to all of you women out there that sit around and plan all of these amazing meals for their husbands and candle-lit dinners with "baby back ribs, and baby carrots, and baby peas" etc. But, there was no freaking way that I was going to be able to wait another day or night to tell Aaron!

So, I grabbed a tube of lipstick, Mars from Lancome in case you were wondering, and wrote on my belly "Hi Daddy." Then, I began folding some clothes and waiting for the daddy to come home. He came home, complaining about something that happened at work, tired, and probably a little frustrated. I called him into the bedroom and asked him how his day went ... and then mumbled something about needing to talk to him about something ... finally I just lifted my shirt and let him read the news himself.

He squinted a bit and I think that his jaw hit the floor. "Are you pregnant ... You're pregnant?!!?" I nodded my head and he came over and lifted me up into a huge hug! I asked if he was happy and he said that of COURSE he was ... and that was when the tears finally started to flow.

From then on out ... we've been CRAZY busy!!

We decided to start the process of purchasing a house ... a little bit stressful but we are super excited! We are actually going to be building a house (well, not us ... someone else) and we go on Tuesday to pick out all of our custom designs and such at the design center. YAY!

We are hoping that our house will be ready by the end of October. Otherwise, we are going to need a place to crash because our lease here is up on the 26th! What a lovely birthday present!!!

Also, my due date is set for February 1-3. (I've been getting different dates by different doctors or date wheels) My main doctor says the 1st. But, then again ... those things are usually never accurate right?!

At my nine week appt. I measured at right under an inch ... which he said was right at 9 weeks. The picture above is actually of the 7 week ultrasound, because I don't think that nine week one came out very clear. The 7 week one was done vaginally and the nine week one was done on the stomach ... so the baby still looks very "blobby" :)

We also got a new camera (who knows what happened to our old one) so I am hoping to update with lovely things such as stomach pictures and house pictures and nursery pictures (when we start that whole process) etc.

So look forward to updates later!!!

Nine weeks of news!

Hello Hello!

Guess who's pregnant :)

I'm nine weeks pregnant and feeling pretty much amazing!

We saw the baby move yesterday in the ultrasound and heard the heartbeat (180 bpm)!! It's so awe-inspiring!

I can't wait to see my baby grow and grow and grow! I look forward to everything!

Even with being a little sick the past couple of days ... it feels great knowing that there is a little baby inside me!

I swear, at some point in time I'll have time for more of an update with pictures and what have you but I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with her head cut off lately!

Dreams

So, I've been having these really explicit pregnancy dreams.

Like, I'm pregnant and about to give birth.

I'm really really excited about it all and I feel as if we (the baby and me) have a really good connection. In fact, the labor doesn't even hurt. (Aaron says, "Well then you know it's a dream")

Last night's dream, everything was going wonderful and according to plan. I was just sitting around with the rest of the family and waiting for the doctor to get there. I kept rubbing my belly and was SUPER excited to meet the little one!

It was interesting. Very interesting.

What do you guys think it means?