Playing catchup

Ok, so I am still playing catchup with my blog and my intention is to actually be writing as events happen and not remembering back to 6 weeks ago when we brought Riley home :)

Mike was wonderful and I am not sure how people do this without the support of either a family member of partner. More power to women whose partners leave them high and dry pregnant and they have to learn to navigate this new world alone. I mean you do it and I am sure I would cope but I am blessed and glad I don't have to.

I came to the realization that there are just things that moms don't tell expectant moms or people planning on getting pregnant. The former probably because why burst the bubble and the latter because we still need people to procreate to keep the world moving :)

So no one told me about labor and I already covered that part, but no one tells you that when you get home, sans awesome belly, yes I loved mine, and plus a life you are now responsible for, that your body goes through a more radical emotional change that it did the entire pregnancy. Once the baby leaves your body a ridiculous hormonal shift takes place that messes with you emotionally for anywhere between 1 to 8 weeks. Mine lasted about 3 and all I could think was ``what have I done.'' The scary part is I thought I would think this forever.

Thankfully your body does eventually balance itself out and once you get a routine down it's a pleasurable experience. Sure I feel like my brain cells diminish daily (she's not much of a conversationalist) and sure the highlight of my day now is making a bottle and waiting for an intentional (not gas inspired) smile, but it's MY daughter. A life the love that Mike and I have for each other created and we get to teach her and guide her and share with her all the joys this world has to offer.

On from the mushy stuff, so the last month has brought ups and downs. I enjoy nothing more than reviewing baby stuff online and finding the best diaper deals out there. I get to keep my house in order and cook for Mike and Riley is starting to figure out who we are. She loves to be held and rocked and is overall a very good baby.

We went to a pumpkin carving party with Mike's college buddies when she was 10 days old and she was a perfect angel. She also loves to be in the water. I have always loved being in the water and Mike isn't so keen, so I am very happy about that. Looks like I have my water baby.

She had her 1 month appointment today. She is 11lbs, 7 oz. and is in the 95th percentile for weight. She is 23 inches and is over 100th percentile for height. The doctor said the percentiles are not indicative of adult height and weight, but they do give us a gauge of how well she is growing. Dr. Gwyn is very happy with her overall and said she is doing 2 month old baby things so she is a few weeks ahead. She also got a shot while we were there... one quick scream and she was over it.

Thanksgiving is coming up this week so the holiday season is officially kicking off. It is so exciting to share this time of year with my child now. I don't even care about presents this year, and for anyone that knows me, that is a big deal haha.

Lots to update --- starts with Labor and ends in Baby

Alright. Believe it or not this is the first chance I have had to update the old blog. So there is much to discuss.

First September. My last day at work was the 15Th. Very bittersweet leaving. By the time I was done there were only a couple of us in the office and it was very quiet. I was so ready to be home and nesting and waiting on my little lady. I was convinced she would be early so I figured I had 3 weeks to go, plenty of time. My munchkin had other ideas and decided to test Mummy's patience early on.

So I spent 5 weeks at home waiting and waiting. I got so big at the end there that all I wanted to do was lay around and nothing I did would allow me to be comfortable. I swear your body makes you wake up every hour at the end there so when the baby arrives and wakes you in the middle of the night you are more than ready.

It became apparent that Riley wasn't going to grace us on her own so my induction was scheduled for October 13Th, 6 days after her due date... I wasn't very happy with that. I didn't want a 13Th baby, although Mike was excited and already planning her Friday the 13Th themed birthday parties... oh well, neither of us needed to worry as she didn't want to be born that day.

We got to the hospital at 5 a.m. (I know, damn masochists, I guess they too want to prepare you for the early morning wake up calls of the next few months), apprehensive, excited and ready to get the show on the road. They hooked me up to the pitocin to get the contractions rolling and then we waited... and waited and waited.

Disclaimer... graphic stuff being described so stop reading if you don't want to know all about my ins and outs, literally...By 5 pm still no progress so they stripped away some old scar tissue and things really got moving. I progressed pretty quickly and then nothing...

Unfortunately they told me they would break my water asap and so I got the epidural as the contractions were getting stronger. They didn't break my water until the next morning so I almost felt like getting the epidural that early wasn't necessary, although upon reflection it probably allowed me to sleep that night, and conserve energy for the next day.

By 8 am they broke my water, by 10 am I was at 10 cm and pushing. I was so excited to finally be having Riley... but 3 HOURS LATER my excitement turned to pure exhaustion and when I really didn't think I could push for another second, she emerged. Now, here's where my honesty must take over my want to present this as a glamorous, beautiful experience haha.

So, I have heard wonderful things about the epidural... NOT TRUE for me. I felt everything at the end, and it was not fun. I do get why people say you forget all about it quickly though. I can't say I have forgotten that it hurt REALLY BADLY, however, I cannot remember the exact intensity of it, although I know it was intense. At one point the anaeSNOOZEiologist (yes I have a patent pending on that word haha) upped the drugs, thank you very much, umm, but didn't actually screw the wire back in so it didn't get to me... that was right near the end. Good times.

All in all I was in the hospital Tuesday 5 am to Friday 3pm. In labor for 32 hours. Went through 4 hurse shift changes and ended up with the nurse who checked us in and said ``wow, you're still here... at least I get to meet your little one."

Anne Arundel was amazing. All the staff were incredible. All were patient, kind, understanding and extremely informative. Mike was with us the whole time and was a real trooper. Poor guy did not expect to see his wife like that and both him and my mom insisted they were not going to look ``down there'' at all during delivery. They sure did look down there and I couldn't have cared less. At that time I could have had a tour group come by and I wouldn't have cared.

So 32 hours, one baby later and we got to come home...