It all started on Tuesday the 12th, when I went to my doctors appt. My midwife, Jenda (who I LOVE LOVE LOVE!) checked me and said that she thought that I was in early labor because I was dilated 3 cm, which the week before I was still only 1. So she hooked me up to the monitors to watch contractions and decided to send me on up to the hospital to get me going. She was on call that night too and she knew how much I wanted only her to deliver Tess and no one else.
So I rushed home and in a whirlwind got everything packed and organized, had my mom calling daycare parents to pick up their kids and Tony and I headed up to the hospital. Around 3:30 Jenda came in and broke my water - we were hoping to avoid pitocin this time and hoped that breaking my water would just bring on contractions naturally (which it did over time). After getting me all checked in she had Tony and I walk the halls for awhile while contractions started.
After a few hours of labor I was not feeling very good and after having 3 natural births before, was not coping with the contractions very well and think she was positioned weird, so as soon as I was 5 cm, I opted for the epidural this time. Which was a great end result. I got the epidural and within about an hour to hour and half had gone from 5cm to 7cm and then an hour later had gone from 7cm to 10 and was ready to push. Pushing only took about 10 minutes and it was nice to have just relaxed those last few hours and get excited for her to come. Then all of a sudden she was here!!!
She weighed 8lbs. 11 oz and was 20 1/4 inches long and was born at 11:39pm on the 12th of Jan. She is my biggest baby which is funny since she's the only girl. I guess God figures she needs to be able to stand up for herself against her three big brothers!
At first I thought she looked EXACTLY like Raymond in the face, but with Owen's long fingers and feet, and Judd's body (long torso and short legs). Every day that passes however I think that she looks less like Raymond and has gotten much more feminine features. I think she's beautiful and 5 days later has still stolen the hearts of my boys and Tony and me.
The last couple of days she has had to go to the doctor to get her jaundice level checked because it was slightly elevated, but today's results showed that it leveled out some so hopefully she will be in the clear and not have to have the lights like Judd did - those were obnoxious and I hated them.
My mom was here the last two weeks and left yesterday to head home and we appreciate everything she did to help us, whether it be feed us, clean up after us, help go crazy with daycare kids, or my own kids, we are very thankful for her presence during the whole time period. Also I am thankful that she and Tony's mom have been in the delivery room for all of the births of their grandchildren (minus Owen's birth for Holly).
Today is the first day it has been me and my 4 hooligans and so far so good. Granted I haven't attempted to get anything done, I've just been sitting around with them and doing the bare minimum, but have to start somewhere. Tomorrow the boys don't have school, so I am going to try and get up and get motivated and moving and get some stuff done to see how we do. This week it is just me and my kids and then I have my daycare reopen next week the 25th, so that might be a stressful week. Otherwise all is well and I want to thank everyone for their good thoughts and well wishes for my beautiful family! I have put a ton of pictures on here in order from me arriving at the hospital to her yesterday. So enjoy!
3 comments:
I think Tess's life story is sounding so much like me! I was the last baby and my mom's biggest - pretty close to the same weight as Tess too! The irony looking at our family now is that her smallest baby is my brother who is 6'4" and a good sized boy and I'm the one my family calls "shorty" (though I think one of my brothers weighs less than I do) Anyway, my point is that she's starting off a lot like me and I LOVED having 3 older brothers - it made me tough, but they were also there to stand up for me and made me feel protected. She's a lucky girl and seriously a beautiful little girl!
Stacey,what a chronicle of events. The pictures are great of all of you. Tess is a beautiful baby, and will have such fun with her 3 loveable brothers. I am very happy I was able to be there for you with all 4. What an experience. I was glad Holly and I both could be there for the births we were. As an OB nursing instructor I'm sure it was very special for Holly. You have some beautiful babies, and I remember you as a beautiful baby and a beautiful young woman now. Yes...this is a mother talking:) Love you.
YAY!! I can't wait to meet her!!! I'll try to come out sometime soon! Congratulations! Good job! Love you.
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