One Month

Drakey is one month old today! Hooray! It means we survived our first month of tongue ties, breastfeeding blues, and endless sleepless nights. Who knows what the next month will bring for us both! Hopefully more sleep and some outside adventures in the sun!

Drake's one month photo shoot

Mommy bought this cute little outfit just for the occasion. The shirt says "Im new here" at the bottom. Minutes after this photo was taken that adorable shirt had poop on it Boo

So we changed and had a few more smiles. Mommy hopes to take Drakey for a walk around the block later today


And lastly because who doesnt love more baby pictures



Watching Man Vs Food

Love this little guy!

Happy one month baby! Wishing you many many more!

Birth Story

June 3rd (39 weeks) I woke up at 9 AM anticipating getting ready for my Dr's appointment at 10 AM. I went to the bathroom and after going I noticed a slight tinge of pink/red on the toilet paper and decided to call my Dr to see if she wanted me to come in earlier just because I was going to go in later anyway. The receptionist called me back and said the Dr was in the hospital and to just go to labor and delivery to meet here there to get checked out. I was feeling fine and I figured maybe this was just the start of a bloody show that would come later or something. I drove myself over to the hospital which is literally around the corner (my Drs office is in the same building just a different wing) I checked myself into labor and delivery. While I was being admitted I chatted with the nurse, struggled to figure out how to put on the hospital gown, and planned out my day in my head as I figured I was going to be going home since I was feeling fine and at my last appointment a week ago was only 1/2 cm dilated The nurse hooked up the monitors to track baby and my contractions. The whole time I was happy and chatty with her and she figured I would probably go home too since I didnt seem like I was in labor. She checked the monitors and said "oh your having a contraction did you feel that?" to which I said "No not a thing" Baby was looking fine as well. I waited for about 45 minutes for my Dr to show up. I had called Paul and my doula Claudia earlier to say I was going to labor and delivery but not to change their plans as I was sure Id go home soon. It was a boring 45 minute wait in the room alone and I kind of regretted not asking someone to come with me. Finally my Dr showed up. First she looked at the monitors and said "Oh yeah Im sure its just early labor if anything and youll be going home. Lets just check you and then youll be on your way" However when she checked me she saw that I was already 3 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and at -2 station. She said "Your in labor your staying" I had tested positive for Group B Strep so it was important for me to start the antibiotics so they admitted me, hooked up a saline drip as well as the antibiotics and I made my calls to Paul, Claudia, and family. Claudia arrived around 11 AM and Paul a little after that. I had to send him home first to finish packing our hospital bag as I had brought nothing with me since I honestly thought Id be going home. Then the wait began. I was allowed to walk around the ward, have a birthing ball, and a rocking chair. I used all of those at various times. I was checked again a while later and had moved to 5 cms. I still had not really felt a contraction at this point. At times it was a bit crampy but nothing I couldnt bear. A little later I was checked and I was still at 5 cm. I was disappointed as I thought everything was moving along well. My water had not broken yet and I was asked if I wanted them to break it to help labor along. I declined. I was getting hungry though as I had not eaten since the previous night not even eating breakfast when I left. They Dr said I could have some clears (liquids, jello) That was the best jello I ever ate to this day. I walked, rocked, bounced around some more chatting away with Paul and Claudia. A little later I was at 7 cm. Hooray! I was asked again about my water and I declined again. The day was passing by. At my next check I was at 7 cm still. This time I opted to have my water broken to help speed things along more. Contractions still were manageable at this time. After my water was broken I stayed mostly in the room as I was leaking everywhere and it was a gross gross feeling. After a while the contractions finally started to become a bit more painful. I moved to 8 cm within the hour but then stalled there again. The pain was starting to get a bit worse as well. I hit 9 cm at around 11 PM. I had been there now for over 12 hours. At 9 cm the contractions were bad. I relied heavily on Claudia and Paul. I dont know how to describe it but I had moments where I just felt out of sorts and would dash around the room in a panic. I found sitting on the toilet helped somewhat. I had hoped to take a shower but the hospital wouldnt let me. A little before midnight they checked again and I was still at 9 cm. At that point I was having a hard time and was so upset that the labor had stalled yet again. I had wanted to go natural but at this point I was in pain and I started asking for an epidural. My Dr and doula both knew I wanted to go natural so they tried to make sure I was sure. In my own mind I had wanted to ask at the latest possible moment hoping that if I asked real late there would be a chance that i would hit 10 cm and not need it but if I kept stalling at 9 cms for hours then I could get some relief as I wasnt sure how much longer I could go on like that. I asked for an epi after they checked and I was still stalled at 9 cm. They started the prep work for the epi and then at 12:15 AM my Dr checked me one more time and I was at 10 cm! I made it sans medication! Now it was time to push. The problem was I didnt feel like I had to push. I had heard from many people that after a while your body has this "urge to push" but I wasnt feeling that. I had asked the nurses hours earlier what the urge felt like and they ahd described it as a bowel moment feeling but I was not feeling like that at all. To top it off I wasnt feeling every contraction still. I had no idea what I was doing when they asked me to push and pretty much the first hour was the nurses and Dr trying to show me where to push and me pushing everywhere but where I was suppose to. That exhausted me even more then I already was, mind you I had been there for 15+ hours with no food. I had the hardest time holding up my legs as well since I was so tired. Needless to say I pushed and pushed and pushed and nothing seemed to be happening. This went on for hours. We were approaching 4 AM and I had been pushing since a little after midnight. I was so out of it. I slept in between contractions and was barely conscious during the pushing even. I had started to toy with the idea of a C-section as I wanted it to be over, I was tired and in pain and just wanted a break. Then Claudia told me something that sparked something inside of me. She told me that if I had a C-section I would have to recover from not only the pain I was having in my perineum area but also the C-section. That woke something inside of me and I knew I just had to push this bay out so I concentrated harder on trying to make it happen. A little after 4 Am the Dr noticed that the baby was facing the wrong way. Babies are suppose to come out face down but my baby was face up, OP or sunny side up they call it, and this is why I was having such a hard time pushing him out. He had been facing the proper way the week before so the Dr speculated that he somehow got turned during labor thus explaining why the pushing was taking so long. She said she was going to use a vacuum to help me out. Those words were music to my ears and at 19 minutes past 4 AM Drake Jonathan was pushed/vacuumed out into the world.

The short story about my labor is this. I had a wonderful labor up to about 8 cm. I never really felt any contractions and the ones I did weren't that bad. I attribute this to the fact that I have a horrible period with tons of cramps making my pain tolerance rather high I guess. My contractions were never really regular probably because I just didnt feel them all making it longer and harder for me to push as I didnt have to full strength of strong contractions to help me out. I never had that "urge to push" which made it very hard for me figure out what to do and where to push. Drake was a large baby, 8 lbs 8 ozs, on top of the fact that he was facing the wrong way making labor even more difficult. According to Baby Center, between 5 and 12 percent of babies are face-up at delivery, and the percentage is higher among first-time mothers. Mothers whose babies are face-up at birth tend to push longer, more commonly need Pitocin to stimulate contractions, and have a significantly higher risk of having an assisted vaginal delivery or a c-section. Those who do give birth vaginally to a baby who is posterior are more likely to have an episiotomy and severe perineal tears than moms whose babies are in the more favorable face-down position, even after you account for the higher rate of forceps and vacuum-assisted delivery. I was so out of during the pushing stage that I didnt even realize I was given an episotomy until after wards when they told me they were sewing it up. In the end though I managed to find a way to deliver him naturally as I had wanted, it was a hard labor at the end but he was certainly worth it.

The fruits of my labor

This picture was taken less then 24 hours after birth

Jellybean is here

Drake Jonathan
formerly known as Jellybean
June 4, 2010
8 lbs 8 oz
22.5 inches

Its been a rough start with us and we are still working through our issues as well as adjusting to motherhood. Ill try to post a birth story soon

38 weeks

Mommy went to the Dr this Thursday and no changes, still 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Maybe Jellybean heard Mommy and Daddy's pleas of staying in there longer and t00k it to heart. Does this mean Jellybean will always listen to what Mommy and Daddy want. We can hope I guess! Thursday was also the full moon and despite what they say Mommy didnt go into labor. Today is Mommy's last day of work. Mommy hopes that Jellybean stays put past the next 2 weekends. This weekend because its Daddy's first free weekend for the month so it would be nice to have some time together, might be years before that happens again and next weekend Daddy is working his last track meet of the year. Mommy also likes the idea of having a free week with no work where Mommy can tie together all her loose ends and really mentally get ready for the idea of a new baby in the house! Nine months flew by!

Mommy is working on a few more projects and hopes to complete them before Jellybean comes but this is Jellybean's toy collection so far made by Mommy

Daddy is holding the balloon up for Mommy


Close up sans balloon

We are almost ready for you baby!

Full Term

Well we hit 37 weeks, Jellybean is officially considered full term and ready for the world even if Mommy and Daddy aren't quite ready for it just yet. Mommy went to the Dr today and got her 1st cervix check. She is 50% effaced and 1/2 cm dilated. Yesterday Mommy, Daddy, and her dolua went on the maternity ward tour. Mommy has been slowly packing the hospital bag and doing the last bit of laundry necessary before Jellybean's arrival. With all of that the nursery is still a bit messy. Daddy ahs been busy a lot this month with one of his side jobs so none of the art Mommy made for Jellybean has been hung up. Also Mommy still has some random Jellybean items laying around the nursery floor. Mommy hasnt had a huge urge to nest (ie clean up those random objects) so she is hoping that means Jellybean won't be coming out anytime soon despite the effacement and how low his/her head is and not that Mommy and Daddy's house is such a wreck that it overrides even basic instincts. Mommy has been getting Braxton Hicks contractions she thinks for a few weeks now. Come to think of it she thinks they have been coming for some time now but she only started to notice them recently as they have become kind of crampy like menstrual period cramps. Obviously they are doing something since Mommy is already 50% effaced. Mommy and Daddy really want Jellybean to hang in there for to at least June if not a little longer. Ideally Mommy would like Jellybean to be born at or after his/her due date but if thats not possible then anytime after the 7th of June would be best. Mommy's last day of work is May 27th and Daddy's last track meet is June 5th so they are both hoping to complete what they need to do before Jellybean's big day. Mommy isn't sure if she will make it till then but she is really really hoping. That could be the first favor Jellybeans does for Mommy and Daddy if he/she would comply. We would lend you the car once if you did this for us ;)

Giraffe Friend

Mommy started this guy a while ago and hit a dead end for a while. Mommy has learned while she loves crocheting she really hates the assembly part of making these toys. She often has to set aside weekends just to put together all the pieces she has laying all around her desk together. She often finds putting these guys together the hardest and they dont often look like the pictures. Overall though Mommy is happy with this guy and Daddy has reassured Mommy he is cute so for now everyone is happy. Mommy still needs to put in nostrils but its too late tonight for her to want to bother so now this guy (no name yet) is sitting in Jellybean's crib. Mommy is just relieved she finished before Jellybean's arrival. Now to think of a name...

Nursery Progress

So Mommy has been working on the nursery a bit more now. She was a bit overwhelmed before with all this baby stuff but now that everything has a place and is out of the way she feels a bit better.

So here is the view from the door now

Mommy installed the mobile all by herself when Daddy was at work one day and she is very proud of herself!


Closer view of the bookshelf. A few co-workers on a committee he belongs to gave Daddy a small surprise shower the other day adn gifted him quite a few books which thrilled Mommy as she loves to read and hopes to pass that on to Jellybean.

Mommy and Daddy also got Jellybean's travel system this week. The first real purchase Mommy and Daddy had to make so far

Gus is all ready to go to the hospital. Too bad Mommy hasnt packed the hospital bag yet...got to start that soon

Daddy also put together Aunt Kim and Uncle Ben's shower gift. Mommy really wanted this as it converts from an infant rocker all the way up to a toddler chair!

Mommy's friend (and her doula for birth) gifted Mommy with some baby clothes. Mommy's doula is the owner of the fabulous Magnolia Baby layette wear company. Mommy cant even describe to you how soft these pieces feel. Mommy also got a blanket and 2 sleepers but she couldnt fit them in the picture. She is in love with the panda piece especially. So cute and incredibly soft!

Lastly Mommy got in some shots from the shower. Here are 2 of Mommy's favorites. She is still waiting on the CD to see the rest


Jellybean will be 35 weeks next Tuesday! Eek time is going by fast....too fast!