2 months!!

Where oh where have the last 9 weeks gone?  Well let me tell you!  Our world has been rocked by a little girl!  She has overtaken our hearts, and I really could not be more blessed!  I laughed when I realized I had not blogged since March 31st - that was the day I went in to be induced!  Baby girl has taken up lots of time, and my preggo/now mommy brain had not even thought about blogging!  Don't fret though...I've been keeping my journal to Harper so that I (and she eventually) can keep up with all that has gone on.  Just thought I should chronicle some things on here now.

Well, we went in Wed, March 31st to be induced....after I had my hubby help me clean the ENTIRE house. (Nesting, much?) :)  Little did I know that I was already "in labor!"  At the dr's office that afternoon (apt was at 3:00), he said I had dilated to 2cm, but he was so surprised that I hadn't felt any contractions or BH!  He said, "You haven't felt any tightening in your tummy?"  And I thought - well sure, I have...is that a CONTRACTION?  And I think he read my mind at this point, because we both then realized I had been feeling these "tightenings" for about a month but didn't realize they were contractions.  Duh, stupid Whitney!  More like Duh, first-time-mom-Whitney!  I just equated contractions with pain, and I knew I hadn't been in pain!  Needless to say, he sent me on to Baptist "in labor."  Sure enough, once I was hooked up to the machines, I was having contractions every 7-8 minutes!  TIME OUT - this made me a tad nervous just because I had NO idea that I was in labor...I'll have to watch so closely next time...if there is a next time... :)

Getting checked into the hospital...  First of all, I was so nervous I was shaking.  I was holding back tears all the way from the Dr's office to the hospital.  I was scared to death of the unknown & (for some reason) didn't want Bubba to know I was so nervous!  Maybe because I knew he was a little nervous too. :)  I totally forgot to take the whole "last picture of the belly in front of the hospital" picture, but we had taken one at home before we left for the dr - so I was thankful for that.  We got up to the 2nd floor, and I checked in.  We had to wait a few minutes, then they just took me back.  They take only the mom back first for "security" reasons....I just wanted Bubba to be there to hold my hand!  I was still shaking & nervous.  I realized just how nervous I was when a nurse started to walk me down to my L&D room and asked if this was my first child.  I said "How can you tell?"  and smiled. :)  She handed me a robe & told me to get settled.  I walked into the bathroom with that robe in my hand & burst into tears.  God & I had a little talk time; I prayed for the rest of the afternoon/night knowing I had a full night ahead!  Then he gave me a peace & reminded me I could do it!  Then I got my little (well HUGE) self ready & layed on the bed.  I had a sweet student nurse evaluating my swelling (LORDY BE) and starting my iv; while another nurse was asking all the questions & putting on my monitors.  (Finally) after about 30 minutes, Bubba was able to come back.  I wanted to cry again. HA - emotional.  My pitocin was started & there we went!  On to getting ready for Ms. Harper's arrival!  Dr. Byrd came by throughout the evening to see me.  He was going out of town Thurs (Apr 1st) afternoon, so he really wanted to make sure I had the baby before then.  My Mom & Dad got there & just waited with us!  My sister was on her way too.  We called Bubba's Mom & let her know.  She jumped in the car & headed our way!

Around 3 cm - around 7pm (had been there since about 430)- my nurse offered me the epidural.  I hadn't really felt anything yet, but figured I could go ahead.  She was getting everything set up when Dr. Byrd came in to see me, and well, he decided that I needed to wait...He wanted to make sure I felt a "real" contraction so that when I got the epidural, I would know that it was working.  He broke my water and -WHAM BAM- contractions were almost immediate.  I was handling them like a champ at first!  Felt three or four to be sure, and then let my nurse know I was ready.  Dr. B came in again & confirmed I was good to go.  Then, of course, there were emergency c-sections on the hall, and the planned ones too, and of course other preggo mamas that needed their epidural....  So one of the ladies from anesthesiology let me know that it would be about 20 minutes, and I figured I could tough it out.  I was having contractions every 1.5-2 minutes & was dilated to 5cm.  After about an hour and a half, I finally got my epidural.  PS That's alot of contractions! :)  I was getting hot during this time & of course agitated.  My sweet dad just sat on the couch & smiled at me every once in a while and would talk & encourage me.  Bubba stood by my side the entire time.  My sister was rubbing my (huge) feet for me, because they were just getting bigger by the second with all the fluid pumping in me.  And my sweet mom was fanning me & running around making sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed.  At one point I decided I wanted my iPod - figured the music would calm me down & help keep my BP down.  Also thought it would help the time go by faster.  Bubba was a champ & somehow got my (not-charged) iPod going for me.  I requested Shane & Shane and was finally set to go.  I sat in the bed with tears rolling down my closed eyes breathing through "Your Mercy Reigns" over and over waiting on that epidural!  I was evaluated for my epi during this time and FINALLY a sweet old man & a student came in.  I was a tad nervous about this student being there, but she did great!  The man told me everything that was happening & wowee were those drugs awesome!  I was a totally different woman after that!  Chilled out & relaxed!  I could still feel the pressure...but NO more pain! wahoo!  I told my mother she was crazy for having us naturally. :)

Time kept ticking.  Nerves slowed down some.  Bubba's mom & her friend arrived, and Ginny Tibbels came around midnight too.  Finally a little after midnight, on April 1st, Dr. B said I was good to go!  So my sweet nurse got us ready for game time!  After pushing for about 30 minutes, my nurse had to tell me to STOP pushing because Dr. B wasn't there!  (Funny) he had warned me earlier that if he wasn't there, and the baby was ready, to whistle! HA!  He said there's no way I could push if I was whistling.  So my nurse sent for Dr. B - he hurried to get his gloves, gown, etc on - and I was whistling! HAHA 

Then at 1:06 am, our precious Harper was born!

That is a moment that will always get me!  I remember seeing her little feet first thing & hearing her cry.  I wanted nothing more than to hold her, which of course, is what came next! I looked in those sweet eyes and said, "Hey, Harper!  It's your momma!" And as I looked at her & Bubba, I realized life would absolutely never be the same again, and I was more than thankful! They whisked her over to her little bed to be cleaned up, etc.  Once our parents & family came in, Harper experienced her first photo shoot! :)  They were all so excited to see her - it seemed so surreal that she was finally here!

I was told I had to stay on L&D floor for an hour just to be observed.  By this point I was STARVING and more thirsty than you could imagine!  I waited until about 2:30 and finally got a sprite!  Best sprite on the planet at that moment.  Around 4:00 we were taken to our room, and the family got to sit in with us again.  I ate a turkey sandwich, and you would have thought I had filet mignon.  :)  We got settled, and everybody left around 5 am to go get some rest, and then it was just Daddy, Momma, and Harper. :)  They took her shortly after that for her bath.  I snoozed a little bit, and she was back around 5:30.  I couldn't have been more happy at that moment! (and tired and exhausted too!)  She had been wide-eyed from the moment she was born until then.  We finally all rested together in our little room!

We were so blessed to have lots of visitors all day Thursday!  Time really went by so fast.  We were discharged Friday (Good Friday), and sent home to take care of that teeny tiny bundle all by ourselves!  I probably could have stayed another night...I didn't know what to expect! :)  Nana (Bubba's mom) and her friend were at our house to meet us when we got home.  She even made sure we had a pretty, pink bow on our mail box!  They left to head back to Alabama, and then my mom came to stay with us for a little while.  What a blessing!  Both of our moms stocked our pantry & fridge.  We had friends lined up to come see us & bring dinner.  I was so thankful!

We took our first walk Saturday.  Had to take Harper to the doc Monday for jaundice...then again the next Friday (spitting up/throwing up).  Mom left that Wednesday to get back to work.  We balanced the week by all taking shifts with Harper.  I think we were just in survival mode the first couple weeks! :)  Could not be more thankful for our family & friends during that time!

Hard to believe that was 2 months ago already.  We've already gotten our first smile - 5 weeks and coo shortly after at 6 weeks.  Had lots of blow outs & spit ups. :)  Been to watch Daddy play softball & her cousins Brett & Jacob play baseball.  Been to church, the mall, Target, Grandmama and Grandaddy's house, Fayette Academy, etc.  Celebrated my first Mother's Day!  And last week she started recognizing our voices & turning her head to find us.  We've had an 11 hour night of sleep - and mostly doing GREAT with our nights.  Fighting through colic and gas issues - prob been through about 10 bottles of Mylicon. :)  Walked many laps in our house to soothe that sweet tummy & taken hundreds of pictures!  And you know what?  I would have it no other way.  There have been some tough days/nights, but I'm quickly reminded of how quickly time passes.  I'm determined to enjoy even those rough patches - makes the sweet times all the more sweeter! :)  I cannot imagine our lives without this sweet, precious girl.  I get overwhelmed at the thought of being her Mom & knowing that responsibility.  I am thankful for a merciful Saviour that has promised to provide everything we need and cover my first-time-Mom blurbs. :)  There really is nothing on this planet like being a Mom!  My Dad signed my Mother's Day card from him "Now you understand...  ILYM Dad."  And yep, Dad, I do...and I'm all the more grateful for yours & Mom's love and sacrifices along the way! ...and I don't know how you ever let me move away or date boys or get married! :) 

I'm sure I left out details here...again, thankful I have that journal to Harper! :)  I will attempt to blog a little more than every two months now that I've remembered I have a blog! :)  Know this is long & not any pictures - there are some posted on facebook though...which needs to be updated now too! :)  Just a little picture into our lives since our sweet baby girl's arrival!