Miracle Day 2011

We celebrated Miracle Day yesterday. We didn't make a big deal of it, but I did post about it on Facebook. Here's a screenshot.I got a little choked up thinking about how the embryos are still in Iowa City. If we don't give them a shot at life, then I think I'll be upset about them every April 5th. Our plan continues from the last post so we're in a holding pattern. I'd be equally happy with having one more child and being done. I'm sure I'd be absolutely in love and excited about a third, but having only two would be easier. I guess we'll see what happens. I'm just so thankful for the children we have. We're happy.

Tentative Decision

After feeling like we're done having kids for a while, I've changed my mind. I think I'd like another. I mean, my kids are so cute and hilarious, why not have another?Plus, I think I'd always feel bad if we didn't give those final embryos a shot at life. So, here's my current plan: FET in November/December of 2012. That would give a due date of late summer 2013. Mina will start kindergarten that fall. Charlotte will start preschool for a couple of days a week. I think the timing sounds ideal.

I don't have my heart set on another kid so we'll just do the one FET and if it works - great. If it doesn't work, then that's fine too. We won't try the old fashioned way. God will decide whether or not we should have a third and I'll just leave it up to the man upstairs. I'm happy either way. There are definitely advantages to being done. However, I'd love to have a little Simon or Anita running around some day. After all, I'm a third child.

Pressing Our Luck?

We love our girls, but right now we're complete with two. I don't know if that's going to change. Maybe we will leave some embryos behind after all? I'd rather enjoy my girls and not have to go through the baby stage again.

Going Private

This blog is going private again in the next couple of days. Some day down the road I'll be chronicling our FET (frozen embryo transfer) and hopefully baby #3.

I'm enjoying Charlotte and adjusting pretty well to the chaos of having a toddler and baby. We're getting out of the house almost every day because I get grumpy when we stay home. I never thought I'd be brave enough to haul an itty bitty baby to tot lots and stores. It helps that she's an easy baby. I thought Mina was easy, but Charlotte is even easier. We can put her down to eat meals and she rarely cries except when she has gas or is hungry.

The next things on our agenda are finding a house, selling our house, and moving. It's going to be a stressful time, but it's going to be great living near family and being able to have sitters.

My recovery is going very well. I'm itching to exercise, but will probably wait at least another week before getting too strenuous. I did some ab exercises the other day and it felt good. Now if only it would warm up so we could go on walks. My weight this morning was 13 pounds above my prepregnancy weight so I have about 25 pounds I'd like to lose by summer. Yikes! That sounds like a lot.

Due Date

We decided to do a "due date" picture just for fun last night. I'm getting smaller everywhere except for one noticeable area. ;)

This blog is going off the map again in a week or two so you'll have to go to Mina and Charlotte's blogs to see what's going on with us.

Tomorrow will be my first day alone with the girls. I'm not too worried about it, but I'm trying to get a lot done today so we can take it easy then. It sounds like I'm needed so I'd better cut this short.

Birth Story and Frustration

Time is suddenly standing still so I can finally get to writing up the birth story. We're in the hospital (more on that later) so I can't add any pictures, but I can at least share how labor and delivery went.

I had my 39 week appointment with Dr. M on Thursday morning. She did an internal exam because I had been having quite a number of contractions and I was curious to find out if they were doing anything. It turns out that I was 4cm dilated, but baby was still high. She was in the perfect position so we went ahead with a membrane sweep and I went home.

Nana and Papa were visiting and they decided to stick around in case I went into labor. They went shopping during Mina's nap and Mina decided that she wanted to take a nap with me after talking in her crib for about an hour. We snuggled and loved on each other for about two hours. It was glorious.

I wasn't showing any signs of labor so we all went out to eat at Bennigan's. Yum. Potato soup. Nana and Papa went to a movie afterwards so we spent some time together as a little family before we put Mina to bed. We watched TV and I started feeling some painful contractions here and there. By bed time they seemed to be getting closer together, but I could still handle them well. Right before I was about to get into bed Mina cried and coughed so I went in and wiped her nose and gave her one last kiss and hug before she went back to sleep.

I laid down in bed at about 10:30 and the contractions started right away. There was no way I was going to be able to fall asleep with contractions about 3 minutes apart. Before too long I went and filled the tub with warm water because I remembered that helped with the pain last time. I sat in the tub for a couple of hours breathing through the contractions. I visualized my cervix opening, tried to think of happy thoughts (like Mina singing songs), and concentrated on the fact that my body needed to feel some pain to make progress. It got to the point where the tub wasn't helping and I managed to get to Jon to tell him to get up. He timed a few contractions. They were about 2 minutes apart and lasting a minute or longer each. He got out his phone to call L & D when I had a contraction that lasted about 3 minutes long.

We packed up and left for the hospital. The driveway was really icy and I had a contraction while trying to get into the car. I had to lean on the hood and sway. We made it to the hospital and I surprised Jon by wanting to walk to L & D. I figured that if I wasn't puking, then I should walk because there's no telling how long my labor could last. It took us a while, but we made it to the right place and got to a room at around 2am.

The nurse could tell that I was truly in labor without talking to the doctors. My contractions were regular, painful, and strong. She thankfully got the IV of fluids started right away so I could get an epidural when I wanted one. A doctor came in and found that I was completely effaced and 6cm dilated. Right before they put me in the delivery room I had a terrible, terrible contraction that caused me to rethink my supper choice. I got it out of my system and felt much better. That was my only puking episode thankfully. Looking back, that was probably transition.

The anesthesiologist came in shortly after and I got my epidural somewhere around 3am. It worked well and I was able to relax after just a few contractions. Half an hour later I felt pushy so we told the nurse. She pulled up the sheet to have a look and started to giggle. My bag was partially hanging out of me. She got the doctors because I was likely ready to deliver quickly with that circumstance. The doctors came in, had their laugh, broke the sac, and I was ready to push. I had a contraction so I pushed a couple of times. It felt good so I asked if I could keep pushing. They let me. I stopped after the contraction ended and started up again with the next contraction. I pushed a couple of more times and then out came Charlotte. No pain, just happiness and awe. It couldn't get much easier or calm.

Charlotte was put on my chest for a quick snuggle before they took her to wipe off and assess. The placenta was delivered and then my small tear was repaired. Once the doctors were done stitching me (which took a while just because of the placement and amount of bleeding going on), I was able to nurse Charlotte. She did a good job of latching on. They placed a catheter in me since I was swollen and then it was time to move to the mom and baby unit.

I didn't enjoy the ride to the unit. I felt kind of queasy and off. Right as we got there, the nurse said that I should have someone there when I got up for the first time because I might feel dizzy. I said, "I feel kind of dizzy right now." She told me to stop looking at the floor. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by concerned faces. I had fainted due to the blood loss and been out for about 15 seconds. They got me into bed and I felt much, much better once I was laying down.

Nothing too exciting happened after that. Charlotte ate, we slept here and there and had some visitors. We were discharged the next morning to our great relief. It was wonderful getting to see Mina and not having to be away from her for long. Mina has been good for the most part. She was hitting and throwing stuff, but started acting pretty much normal and lovey by Tuesday. It helps that my mom is staying with us so I can devote individual time to my big girl.

Now for the frustration - On Monday, I brought Charlotte in for a check and her bili level was high. They had me come in with her again on Tuesday and it was higher. It was even higher on Wednesday so we were told to bring her in for some phototherapy to treat her jaundice. I've been able to room in with her and nurse her every couple of hours, but it's not that fun staying in the hospital. Her levels were checked again this morning and they're on their way down. However, the levels aren't going down fast/far enough so there is a potential second night's stay ahead of us. Her level will get checked again this afternoon and that will determine what happens from here.

I'm not worried about Charlotte. Jaundice isn't that big of a deal and it's being treated. She has plenty of dirty and wet dipes and is regaining her birth weight quickly. I'm worried about Mina and her adjustment. She was doing so well, but now she doesn't have her mommy again and it has to be confusing. She loves Grandma, but it just isn't the same. I miss her very badly. No matter how many kids I have, she's my special girl. Jon is working today and Mina has a cold so I can't see her until either we are released or tonight when Jon can spell me. I'm frustrated. Maybe baby #3 will be a take home and stay home baby.

Oh, and my sister Claudia won the guessing game this time around. She was extremely close with all of her predictions. Congratulations!

Squeezing in the Fun

Our time as a family of three is rapidly coming to a close so that's why I haven't been great about updating the blog. Jon has been home and we've been enjoying Mina while she's awake and spending time together as a couple when she's asleep. Soon enough we'll have our helpers here and then Charlotte will make her grand arrival (hopefully in that order!).

I feel like she's gotten a little lower. Saturday night was full of contractions. They died off before bed and I slept really well, but we considered calling in reinforcements. I'm glad we didn't bother. This morning I thought I was about to break my water when I was getting groceries. I squatted to get soda off the bottom shelf and when I stood up, I heard a glug, glug, glug like when you poor liquids out of a bottle. Weird, but no pop or accompanying leakage. Plus, I lost.....TMI warning.....a whole bunch of mucous plug this morning. There's nothing more disgustingly fascinating than that.We're attempting to keep the house clean and the fridge stocked. Mina has been a big helper. She loves "vacuum time." I can't even describe how much fun she's been lately. I still love her more every day. She is hilarious and cute almost all of the time. We need to get her rendition of Itsy Bitsy Spider on video for you to enjoy.

I met Jamie's Alaina on Saturday afternoon. She's gorgeous and has gotten me very excited. I loved holding her, smelling her sweet head, and listening to her cute little newborn noises. Jamie is doing well also and is probably either home or on her way home as I type this.

When I go into labor, the plan is to call both my mother and mother-in-law and to put something on facebook. That should hopefully cover the bases. It's weird to be in the part of pregnancy where I have to start every conversation with, "No, I'm not in labor."