Awakening

It has been far too long that I have neglected this little blog (aside from photo updates). I feel my heart awakening. Nine months' gestation can send it into hibernation - like Mary, treasuring things up during the winter to share with others in the spring. Soon.

First Day of First Grade + Other Fun Things

Audrey's first day of school

Audrey's oldest friend that's a boy (note: not boy friend) = Parker

Reid + his very best friend Cole

Parker again - such a cutie.

Parker's + Cole's little brother Ryder - don't you want to just eat him up??

Cole + Reid keeping track of downs.

Norah + Ryder

Racing towards a touchdown.

Spectators.

I'm worn out. So this is what you get.

Norah at two weeks. Nine + a half weeks ago. Funny look on her face.

Reid and his buddy Truman at Family Camp.

At the Goat Cave. Quite a hike.

Audrey in a huge chair.

The Bleeckers in a huge chair.

Because Time is a Hot Commodity with Three Kids...

This post will be short but filled with great pictures from Jamie. She specializes in newborn photography and is amazingly talented! Check out her website: www.jamierogersphotography.com.

Norah's Birth

Because of the false alarm the previous week, I had requested to be induced early in the morning on Friday the 29th. This would insure that Matt would be present at Norah's birth. They admitted me at 6 a.m. and started Pitocin around 7:30.  I knew it would be after noon before I would see my doctor so I settled in for a long morning. Thankfully, I was a 3 and 50% effaced and thus the nurse (sweet Melissa) said I could go ahead and have the epidural. It was honestly the most comfortable I had been in 3 months! 

Melissa continued to check me every hour or so. I was progressing but slowly because my bag of waters was still intact. My nurse said if my water had been broken I probably would have already had her. Before the doctor arrived I maxed out at 6 cm and 60%. At 2:30/3:00 p.m. the doctor broke my water.  At 3:30 they checked me...9.5 cm and completely effaced. I was to have the baby soon. 

I could "feel" the pressure and knew it was close. The nurse checked me (this had to be around 3:50) and immediately said, "oh, we're having a baby!" She called in every available person and my doctor. They got one stirrup up but Norah wasn't having it. She literally delivered her head and shoulders by herself. The doctor was there, thankfully! I remember feeling her in my abdomen, feeling a contraction and then feeling her "disappear!" It was truly wild.  Much to my delight there were no "repairs" to be done. This makes all the difference in recovery!

She weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. (exactly what her Momma predicted) and measured 20 inches. She is beautiful, of course :) I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Early that morning

Waiting...epidural was working, if you can't tell :)

Getting ready

She's here!

Daughter & Daddy

Sweet story: Audrey was incredibly tender at this moment. She was literally overwhelmed with joy and awe to the point that she started laughing and crying. So precious...my heart swells every time I think about it! She later told Matt, "Daddy, I feel kinda funny. It's like I could laugh and cry at the same time!" *sniff* *sniff*

She's Here!!!

Norah arrived Friday, May 29th at 3:51 p.m. weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz. and measuring 20 inches. Details and photos soon! 

Norah Update

Thursday night we had a false alarm. I'd been contracting most of the day. Once we went to bed, the contractions felt "crampier." I remember with Audrey that I had wanted to "experience" some of the more intense contractions before the epidural. Man, they got intense quickly! I was afraid I would get past the point of no return with this one so I nudged Matt around 10:30. My parents traded off Audrey & Reid duty and we headed to the hospital. 

They hooked me up to all the wires and L&D paraphernalia:

• the clothespin on my left middle finger that was supposed to monitor my heartrate and oxygen levels (but I swear they just wanted to squeeze my finger until the circulation was cut off)
  
• the blood pressure cuff of doom that hugged the life out of my right arm every 30 - 45 minutes
• the fetal heart monitor that had to stay in the exact right place or else 
• the monitor that measured the contractions that had the same parameters as the fetal heart monitor
• not to mention the towel made of sandpaper laying beneath me that gave my bottom a facial

Normally, if true labor and birth were inevitably on the not-so-distant horizon, these wouldn't bother me. However, when I was checked upon arrival I had progressed very little from my doctor's appointment.  I was barely over a 1 and still only 50% effaced. Ugh. As I lay there for the next two hours, I just knew they were going to send me home. This made all of the above monitors, etc. especially annoying. 

The most comfortable position for me was my right side. Unfortunately, the wire attached to the clothespin on my left hand was too short. I had to wriggle my way (without disturbing the fetal heart monitor & contraction monitor) onto my right side while keeping my left hand towards the left side of the bed. It was a terrible game of L&D Twister. I eventually discovered I could put my left hand on my face and this provided a little bit of comfort. 

I had finally settled into a somewhat comfortable position at around 1 am. I couldn't wait to fall asleep.  And then, the cuff. The plastic bore a perfect impression around my right biceps. No rest for the weary. Meanwhile, Matt snoozed annoyingly well in the recliner. 

The nurse came in an hour later to confirm my suspicions. I had made very little progress. After forcing a small dose of Ambien on me, she let me go, saying, "I'll probably see you this afternoon!"

Well, that was Thursday and it's Tuesday. 

Honestly, it's been nice to have the break. Matt took the weekend off just in case. This has provided a sweet retreat for our family before the madness begins. Definitely a blessing in disguise. 

I've included a picture below taken right before we left for the hospital. I pretty much look the same. (This one's especially for my sister-in-law Tiffany :) )

If nothing happens between now and then, I will be induced on Friday morning - a week before Matt is scheduled to be speaking in North Carolina at Advance '09.