Early

She arrived, early!

She was due on 12/23.

C-section was scheduled for 12/18.

She came on 12/9!

Last minute things that happened:
- all Christmas shopping was completed by 12/3
- we finally did the hospital tour of the birth center on 12/8
- we finally installed the carseat on 12/8
- we set up all the baby gear in the house on 12/8

The only thing not done by 12/8 was hubby packing his bag and getting out the stash of diapers.

We even attended a birthday party on 12/8, and as we were leaving at around 10:15 pm I started feeling painful contractions. **Wait a minute, I'm not supposed to feel Braxton hicks in my back!** I started walking out verrry slowly and one of the party guests said "looks like you are having this baby tonight!" Hubby was in denial.

We planned to get a tree the next day!

Here are my sort of coherent thoughts, written while in the hospital:

Day 1
12/9/12

Csection at 1:11 am
Shivering but not due to cold. Anesthesia? Pregnancy hormones? Wait, I remember, it's from the spinal block.

Nausea in recovery room. Major. Last meal was at 9:30: cheese and crackers. (And sweet potato chips. And persimmon with goat cheese. And pita chips with goat cheese. And pomegranate juice with sparkling water.)

We did skin to skin contact which felt so good! First chance to bond with her, but short lived because I had to vomit!

Given drugs to counteract the shivering (which was incredibly frustrating) (not the drugs, the shivering). Also given drugs to counter the nausea, which sort of works until I'm moved. When I'm transported to the mother and baby unit I swear we had air trails behind us. Arrive and commence vomiting. Bye bye goat cheese. Did I mention it was artisanal?

I couldn't nurse Little N until about four hours after delivery due to my nausea. :-(

Little N is beautiful. (Message me if you want her full name. It's awesome. :-) )

Little R came to visit and meet his sister. He stayed until dinner. He talked to LN and sang her a song.

***

Other details for my records:
We got home after the party at 10:30, called my OBs office, put some stuff together, situated my cousin who was babysitting LR for our apparently last night out, asked her to spend the night, and got to the hospital at 11:30.

By this time I was having intense contractions every five minutes. Weeeee!!

My OB arrives, checks my cervix and I am 8 cm. He asks if I want to do a VBAC, which totally threw me because I had mentally prepared for a c. Time was wasting! I said I want a csection like we planned! Wtf!?

My nurse was amazing. I will always remember how well she took care of me.

Thankfully, I had no other complications aside from the nausea. I was worried about dying on the table or soon thereafter; you just never know.

***

At four weeks out my belly is still tender, the left side of my stitch is also tender, and I'm generally in pain, walking a bit hunched over. I have a follow up with my OB next week. This csection#3 is by far the worst in the recovery department.

Breastfeeding is going well. As much as I loved nursing LR, breastfeeding is hard and sore and a burden since it keeps me from sleeping longer than 3 hours before being awakened by two full, throbbing orbs. Ugggh. I'm making too much milk though, because I already have over 8 liters of milk in the freezer! I just hate being so full in the boob.

Hello world! I'm glad to be here!

Scheduled

This is unheard of for me: all Christmas shopping is for the most part done. Early. I began crocheting gifts this summer, which turned out to be a great money saver since I had so much time. Yay me! Hubby already got his crocheted gifts and I wrapped the winter necessities he requested. Anything else not having to do with the new baby and LR, especially after the 18th, will cease to matter.

Yes, the c-section is scheduled for the 18th! May the panic commence at any time.

37

Middle of the night ramblings at 37 weeks along...

The ability to sleep is gone.

I was eyeing the bottle of melatonin at the drugstore today.

The tree lighting at the park was well attended despite the on and off rain.

My aunt V died today. Her husband died in June, so my cousins lost both parents. Very sad especially so near the holidays.

I hope our baby isn't next.

Hubby and I had a brief baby moon in Half Moon Bay. We stayed at a 110 year old inn in a newly remodeled room, listening to the rain, feeling the wind shake the building, and getting reacquainted with each other. Wink wink.

Cerclage removal went well last Monday. If you've never had the pleasure of getting a cerclage placed, much less removed, let me just say that removal hurts like a motherfucker. No anesthesia. The most gigantic speculum is used first, then a whole lot of digging ensues while the doc talks herself through it: "the key is exposure [of the stitch]...". If you're lucky like me, your doc can remove both stitches at once. Otherwise, brace yourself for more digging. The pain is intense for literally a few seconds, then it's over.

Doc checked my cervix immediately afterward and I was 2 cm dialated.

After the appointment I treated myself to an entire huge blueberry croissant, dammit.

My belly looks like a watermelon on its side.

I can't get a comfortable sleeping position despite numerous strategically placed pillows. I'm trying a reclining position now.

Going out clothes involves at least one pair of sweats. Dressed up with knee boots. Hot!

I wish I could crochet in the dark. LR sleeps with me and he probably wouldn't wake up. Tonight he woke himself up to go potty. Not without tears, being so tired, but he was a trooper. Gave him lots of hugs and praise. I love my boy so much!

Have to mention that my perinatologist was awesome. Is awesome. I don't need to see her anymore, her part is done. Her staff was great, she herself was so positive and upbeat.

My OB is great too, although I've only seen him three times. The other appointments have been with the physician assistant. Did I mention that he offered to tie my tubes after the c-section? God forbid something should happen to our kids and I tie my tubes. Given our family history I'll keep my tubes untied thankyouverymuch.

Six

Happy Birthday to our girls Cerina and Nadia, who would have turned six today.

We can't believe we are still surviving without you.

Love,
Mama, Papa and LR

Completed

Like a school semester, I am done with bedrest. Only I remember a semester being 15 weeks, and bedrest was 34 weeks minus 13 equals 21 weeks. I had grand plans for bedrest: learn a new language; learn to play the guitar; pick up yoga again (not); learn a new a hobby. I did the last one, thanks to YouTube. I learned to crochet!

This is a big deal. Crochet seemed to be the only thing that would relax me, that I could do for hours on end, that didn't make me tired, and I could catch up on tv shows (distracting) or listen to music (easier). I spent the whole summer making fingerless gloves for my girlfriends, scarves, hats, coasters, washcloths, neck warmers, and a bunch of granny square coasters for my baby shower that my two awesome friends hosted.

I'm still very much a beginner, and I can't decipher crochet patterns worth a damn. This is so much fun, and my son has learned the difference between knitting (2 sticks) and crocheting (1 stick), and he knows that Mama crochets. Funny: my husband bought me a knitting magazine (mistake) for my birthday, and every chance he gets, he gives it to our son to "give to Mama." I grin and roll my eyes every time but tell him thank you and give him a big hug and kiss.

Unfortunately, being on bedrest has again made me a hermit. I have a bunch of cousins in the area, but the only one who is close to my age we don't have much in common except for having kids and moms who are sisters. Maybe a part of us won't open up for whatever reason. My other friends live an hour or more away, and they have kids of their own. I've tried mom's groups but didn't connect with anyone. Granted I didn't give it enough time, but I didn't have much in common with 20-somethings who did not have the unfortunate experience of losing a child.

Excuses, excuses. As I get older it is harder to make friends, so extra effort is needed. I get it.

Other things of note: I am 35 weeks tomorrow! Only two more progesterone shots! Cerclage removal on the 26th, at 36 weeks 1 day! We are looking at 12/18 for the planned c-section! I am excited for her arrival but not looking forward to being sleepless for the next year!

All this blogging is keeping me from finishing my crochet project. I don't have much time before baby girl arrives so I need my fingers to fly! Woo-hoooo!!

Vulnerable

As this progressively growing belly marks my body, I can't help but feel like a target.

I am decidedly paranoid about being out by myself in public, or out with my son. I feel like someone would take one or both of us, as defenseless as I am.

Is this crazy thinking??? Isn't it good to be a little paranoid?

I don't even want to take him to the park. I know we aren't royalty, we don't have jackshit wealth, but still. I've probably read too many stories about babies being cut out of wombs by {crazy} women who told their partners they were pregnant to keep them around, so hell they'd better have something to show for it...geez. Plus, I feel safer being at home where there is no chance of getting in a car accident.

So this morning, I am enjoying a seasonal peppermint mocha at the coffee shop. I am in public. After this I'll go check out Tuesday Morning for an immersion blender since we received too many onions and carrots in the CSA box, and the food processor is too much work to get out and clean once I'm done.

And I'll watch my back the whole time.

(Excuse any typos. Blogging on a tiny device.)

Unfairness

Her twin pregnancy was pretty uneventful. Everything went according to plan; perfectly operating cervix, perfectly placed placenta, no gestational diabetes, no preterm labor, no preeclampsia. No problems whatsoever. The beautiful boy and gorgeous girl were delivered at 37 weeks and some odd days. Full term.

One week later, the girl baby, the smaller of the two by 10 oz., died. SIDS. This was yesterday.

My brother and sister-in-law are devastated. We are in complete shock, and feeling helpless. At 32 weeks, I can't fly nor drive to be with them. My brother is in survival mode and he understandably hasn't gotten back to me via phone. My mother is there with them (shit, she has to go through another grandchild's death), which is hopefully giving them some comfort.

Damn unfairness.