Welcome Back (to me!)

Happy New Year!!  I knew it had been forever since I have updated my blog, but logging on today and seeing a 34 week huge version of myself reminded just HOW long it's been!  I'd say it's time to get back to this whole blogging thing.  So what's new in our lives?  THIS KID!!

Look how big he is already!!!??  Crazy.  People always told me time would fly when you have a baby.  Not so sure about that for the first two weeks, but then after that, they were right.  I can't believe he is over 2 months old now.  I know that it's way late for a birth story, so I won't bore you all with the details, but in a nutshell, here is what's been happening in our lives for the past few months.  If you've already heard the birth story, just skip down!! 

Abbreviated Birth Story

I had to be induced with Nathan because he was 2 weeks late (1 week and 6 days to be exact).  

I was started on pitocin and then cervadil around 8 am.  Contractions started right away and were about 2 min apart.  They stayed at 2 min apart for my whole labor.  That was rough, but thankfully they didn't get too intense until around 4 or 5 pm.  My water broke around 7 which made the contractions incredibly painful.  I had made it to 5 cm 70% effaced but wasn't progressing past that.  They decided he was malpositioned so I proceeded to do lunges and squats during each contraction to try and get him to descend.  I was pretty sure I was dying at that point!  Either that, or my body was going to explode.  I don't think I will ever complain about doing a normal not-in-labor squat ever again!   After several more hours of no progress, I had to get an epidural to try and relax my pelvis because my contractions were so close together.  I definitely didn't expect to be so emotional about something that would make the pain go away!  It felt discouraging to have to deviate in another way from our birth plan.  They kicked up the pitocin at that point also.  However, Nathan's heart rate began to drop and finally, after about 20 hours of labor, his heart rate dropped crazy low, and they decided I needed to have an immediate c-section.  I was so exhausted at that point, but I didn't see the c-section coming at all, so that was incredibly emotional!  I had planned and worked so hard for a natural birth that to end in a c-section was devastating to me.  However, David was amazing and kept reminding me that our baby was way more important than a birth plan so off to the O.R. we went!  My midwife and doula was amazing too.  I don't know what I would have done without them!!  They talked me through the procedure and my midwife stayed with me the whole time.  Eventually, they got me prepped, David came in, and 5 minutes later, we had a baby!!

It was the most incredible moment of my life.  I was looking into my husband's eyes as he encouraged and distracted me through the procedure, talking to keep our mind's off what was happening behind the blue curtain, and then we heard it, our baby's first cries.  It was the most incredible, and emotional moment of my entire life.  It was one that neither David and I will ever forget.  Nathan was 8 lb 10 oz!  Not exactly the 6 lbs they estimated the day before on the c-section!  We are so thrilled he is here and are loving being parents!  Here are a few pictures of newborn Nathan and some of our hospital visitors!

and coming home!

First Few Weeks

The first first weeks of postpartum were incredibly hard.  I was so glad to be done with pregnancy and have my sweet baby in my arms but c-section recovery was really painful, breastfeeding was hard, and my emotions were insane (as my poor husband will agree)!  However, after about 3 or 4 weeks I started to regain some of my sanity.  My mom came and stayed for a little bit,

 David's parents came,

and David thankfully got about a week and a half off of work which was so helpful.  I don't know what I would have done without him, our families, and all the amazing friends that brought us meals and helped us out!  Y'all are amazing.  

I know I am super behind, so more posts to come including all the holidays!!  Until then...