The Boy Wonder Turns TWO!!

This digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

What I'm NOT Doing...

Original post date was to have been two years ago today. Hmm... What I'm NOT doing today, two years later...

1. Being pregnant
2. Having pity party about baby showers
3. Whining about my upcoming birthday
4. Getting a pedicure

:::

Today and tomorrow are supposed to be a day of doing household projects in preparation for this little karate kid in my belly. I told The Music Man yesterday that I'm loosing that nesting feeling and delayed 2nd trimester energy fast. I am becoming more and more uncomfortable and my feet are beginning to swell just a bit. There is still so much to do, and I'm afraid that my motivation has peaked and is now waning. I've moved from nesting to desperately wanting to finally hold this baby in my arms, not my belly.

So, this is what's on the agenda for the weekend:

1. Rearrange the kids' bedroom to make room for baby.
2. Clean out the bathroom closet and cupboards to make room for all the stuff currently residing on the changing table.
3. Dig out remaining baby gear from the shed and figure out what is still usable and what needs to be replaced.
4. Make a master list of everything else that needs to be bought before we are ready for baby.
5. Name this baby.

It might not sound like much to you, but it is so overwhelming to me, especially given the fact that The Music Man is in the basement on the phone with the IRS and has been for the past hour with no sign of hanging up anytime soon. In addition I've been watching A Baby Story and it's making me sad. I'm so ready to be the one delivering and bring my baby home.

:::

(WARNING: What follows can only be described as a full blown pity party. I'm sorry to do this to you, but this is my blog and my journal of sorts. Besides I'm very pregnant and emotional so I need your pity and support. Ok, here goes...)

On another semi-related note, I'm a little bummed out. Call me crazy, but why are there no baby showers given for second babies? It just seems like no one feels the need to celebrate this second baby's upcoming arrival or the fact that I am miraculously pregnant after two miscarriages. This may sound selfish, but I just don't get it. This time around I am far from any family, which is making this harder yet.

Don't get me wrong, my friends here are excited about this baby, but it's just not the same as having my family close. There are so many times when I have wanted to work on something for the baby with my mom or sisters, but can't because they're hundreds of miles away. I miss them and the excitement they have over this little addition to our big family.

And, oh my goodness, so many of my girlfriends here read this blog and I don't want anyone to think I'm fishing for a baby shower. That's not why I'm writing this. Maybe it's just because it's rainy outside today which is making me a little down and out.

And, I need a pedicure.

AND I'm turning 30 on Thursday and it will most likely be a day like every other, but it's a huge deal for me!

Why, oh why, is my family scattered all over so far away from me. I need them here!!!

Blast from the past...

I originally started this post on January 11, 2008.  I was about 4-5 months pregnant with my boy...

:::

Thought you might like to know that my son is kicking me like crazy right now.

:::

I have no idea where I was headed with this post.  It looks more like a text message or tweet than a blog post.  But who can possibly know the mind of me.

Adoration

Pure and Simple.

At the Park and Twins

Isn't she gorgeous!?

Who's that dork on the sidelines?

That's right--Just jump on in and PLAY!

Who's the nerd that dressed these two alike?

Are you serious, Mom?

Aw, come on, Dad!  We look like total geeks.  

That's because we are, Son.

Sheesh!  Parents!

First Bath

He didn't fuss one bit. 

So unlike this one...

First Sunday

She reminds me of this...

HE'S HERE!!!

JACKSON WARNER

May 14, 2008

12:38pm

6 pounds, 10 ounces

20 inches

Jackson's Birth Story

This morning I woke up around 345 to go to the bathroom.  As I was crawling back into bed, I had a contraction.  A few minutes later I had another, and then another, and another.  I decided to get up and eat something since this very well may be "it" and I was starving.  I knew that if it was "it" I would soon not be able to eat anything.  I had a bowl of cheerios and kept track of the contractions that were now coming every 6 minutes or so.  My midwife had told me to call the office or the pager when the contractions got to be around 7 minutes apart.  

I called the pager around 4am and waited until 5 before I decided no one was going to be calling me back, which was just fine with me because by that time the contractions had slowed down.   I went back to bed convinced that I was being punked by my body.  Scott woke up in a start when I came back to bed.  He was all excited that I was having the baby.  I told him that it might happen later in the day, but for now we have to go back to sleep.  So I dozed as best as I could in between contractions and had Scott keep track of their frequency.

619

632

644

702

724

759

I sent Scott off to work-hey! he might as well get as much done as he could before the babe came along.  I got up and got in the shower.  I continued to have contractions.  They were increasing in intensity but not in frequency.  

My mom and I kept a mental record of when they were coming as we packed up the last minute things in my bag.  My dad made me the saltiest scrambled eggs I've ever had and about made me throw up.  He did his best to keep Natalie downstairs while I labored upstairs.  The contractions were hard enough that I couldn't talk through them.  We started to keep track on paper again.

1013

1021

1028

1034 - I called the midwife and she said to head to the hospital.

I called Scott and said get your butt home NOW!!!  We're having this baby!!!

1041

1046

1050

1054

1058

I walked down the stairs, out the door, and to the car door before having another contraction.  They were unbelievably fierce by this point.  I was asking my husband for an epidural.  We had a 40 minute drive ahead of us.  I thought for sure I was going to be one of those women that delivered her baby in the car on the side of the road.  Scott did not drive fast enough for me.  Every bump, every turn, every lane change was excruciating!  My body was ripping itself apart from the inside out.

We pulled up to the birthing center.  Scott grabbed a wheel chair and in we went.  The receptionist asked how she could help me.  I told her to get me an epidural, NOW!  She had the audacity to ask me if I was in labor.  Ha!  At the time, all I could think was how stupid is this woman?  Bless Scott--he answered all of the registration questions except for when was my last period.  I covered that for him.  

The nurse then came and took me to triage to check me.  It took my 10 minutes to change and get on the bed.  The whole time I was demanding my epidural NOW!!!  Scott ran out to move the car from the entrance to the parking garage.  It was 1157am.

My midwife came and checked me while I was still in triage.  (I found out later that my sudden appearance had totally messed up the whole birthing center.  I pulled my midwife out of a c-section that she was just about to start and I pulled most of the nurses away from other patients, because I was going so fast they needed so many people to get things ready fast enough.)  I was already 8 centimeters dilated.  I begged her for an epidural and she kept telling me that they would try, but that I might not have time.  She promised me a "treat" in my IV once I got to my room.  

They wheeled me down to my room.  It took me another 5 minutes to get into the bed.  While I was still in the wheel chair I got that pushy-pushy feeling.  Everyone was telling me just to wait.  Yeah right?  You try waiting when a child is sliding out of you!  

I got into the bed and within a contraction or two I was really ready to push.  I was still about 9.5 but I couldn't wait.  The midwife said I would push through the rest.  She also told me that there would be no epidural and no IV with good stuff in it.  They didn't even have time to take blood.  I was already pushing.  The midwife broke my water and three or four pushes later he started crowing. It was then that the blasted "ring of fire" started.  I never had that with Natalie and oh. my. gosh!  I thought it was going to kill me dead right then and there.  Never have I had that kind of pain.  

Scott said it took me four pushes to get his head out.  It literally popped out.  No cord around the neck and out he slid.  It was 1238pm.   Forty-one minutes after Scott parked the car.  

I was so dazed from the intensity of the morning that I just kind stared into space as they laid him on my belly.  I didn't even reach out for him.  I was so totally and completely drained.  I remember just looking at him and wondering who he was.  (We still hadn't agreed on a name.)  

A few minutes later they shot me with pitocin to help me deliver the placenta (still not sure why they did that).  I pushed and the midwife pulled.  I was done.  I just had a baby!

My parents and Natalie got there just a few minutes after I had him.  It was wonderful.  It still took us an hour to decide on his name.  He had blonde hair which meant he was Jackson.  The middle name was easy - Michael.  I love the name and had determined from the beginning that his middle name would be Michael.  We called a whole bunch of people spreading the good news.  One person made some comment about him being Jackson, Michael like Michael Jackson.  Scott said absolutely not to that, so we were back to no middle name.  It didn't take long though to put Warner with Jackson.  We had long considered Warner for a first name.  It was a name we both loved.  So that's who he is... Jackson Warner.  

Two hours after popping him out I was up and feeling like a totally normal person.  The whole time I was laboring at the hospital I kept apologizing to the nurses and my midwife for being so mean and rude.  They all just laughed and said that anything goes when I'm in labor, but once the baby was born I needed to be nice.  And I was.  As they came in I was laughing and joking around.  I told them that this is who I really was--not that hag of a woman screaming for an epidural.  

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect delivery.  As much as I wanted an epidural, I'm proud of myself that I didn't have one and was able to deliver both of my children naturally.  I wanted a fast labor and delivery.  I love that I literally popped him out and was up and moving around an hour later.  God is good.

Later:  As we left the hospital two days later, the receptionist who I thought couldn't have been stupider came out to see who was giving me such fits when I came in.  She actually turned out to be a really sweet woman.  I had to apologize to her too for being so mean.  She just laughed and said it was a hazard of the job.  I wouldn't want to be her.  

:::

I apologize for any grammatical errors and misspelled words.  This is too long to proof read and I have better things to do.  

Stripping

My midwife stripped my membranes this morning.  Woo-hoo.  Hopefully the baby will come tonight or tomorrow... 

It Is Finished!

My hospital bag is officially as packed as it can be until we are actually ready to go.  I have a complete list of those last minute things that will need to be added last minute.  Woo-hoo!

Heartbeat

My mom asked me to call her during my next appointment so that she could hear the heartbeat of her grandson.  It was then that I realized I never posted any video of the heartbeat.  We have two--the first time we heard it at 11 weeks and me SOBBING and this one my sister took around  18 weeks.  So this is just for my mom...

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Forgive Me...

You know that name we FINALLY decided on last week?  

The Music Man told me last night that he doesn't like the middle name anymore.  

He said we have to start over.  

I said no.  

:::

For once it wasn't me changing my mind.  Are you impressed?

Of course both names were chosen by me.

Still we're not changing names again.

I'm putting my very large, very swollen foot down.  

:::

He's going out of town tomorrow so if I happen to go into labor and have this babe before he gets there then I can name him whatever I want, right?

Sebastian?

Axle?

Harrison?

Rosco?

Declan?

Bubby?

Yurt?

Obidiah?

Jedidiah?

Ignatius?

EXTRA! EXTRA!

WE HAVE FINALLY NAMED THIS BABY BOY!!!

Promise To Be Surprised?

This is the birth announcement we've chosen.  I just had to show someone.

Oops!

I kinda, sorta bought another one.

But I got an absolutely amazing deal on it.  I couldn't resist.

Diaper Bag Dilemma Solved... For Now

Who knows if this will be "the one" for me and my son, but it's the one I bought today.

Columbia Vertical Glide

I know, I know. It looks nothing like the bags in the post below. It's a mere fraction of what those other cost as well. Not that that was a deciding factor for me. I just really liked it. I unpacked the other bag and repacked in this bag. So far so good. I'm going to play around with it a bit tomorrow.

We'll see what happens, folks... I'm very fickle when it comes to handbags of any sort--diaper bags included--so don't be surprised if I tell you next week that I hate this cute little red bag!

Diaper Bag Dilemma

I realized last week that the diaper bag I had previously gotten was not going to work for me after all, at least not yet.  It's a great bag for a short little trip to the store or for dad.  I am quite sure that by the time this babe is a year or so it will be perfect.  (You know, when I'm not hauling around 5 extra outfits, 3 blankets, 12 diapers, and 4 extra burp cloths, not to mention the bottles and formula that may be needed.)  So anyway, I am on a mission for another bag. 

Here's what I've found...

Fleurville Botanical Coral Lexie Tote

Rowdy Convertible Rocker in Creme 

(Sorry for the small picture.)

Skip Hop City Chic in Columbus Circle

(This bag may end up being too big.)

Petunia Pickle Bottom Touring Tote in India Ink

OiOi Floral Messenger Bag w/ Red Details

Cargo Cutie Modern Mom Creme

(I would much rather have this one, but the lining is covered in dollar signs. Are you kidding me? For a diaper bag? How much more inappropriate can you get!?)

So that's the list of bags I love.  Who knows what I'll end up with.  I am going to run up to TJ Maxx later to see if there are any non-diaper bags that would work as a diaper bag for me.  I may hit Ross and Marshalls too if my swollen feet cooperate.  

Wrapping Things Up

Checked off the To-Do List:

1. Washed remaining baby clothes and stuff.
2. Rearranged bedroom to accommodate bassinet.
3. Packed diaper bag.
4. Realized that I don't like the diaper bag after all.
5. Re-organized the bathroom linen closets and cabinets.  Twice.
6. Got travel system and swing and put them together.
7. Took a tour of the birthing center.
8. Got diapers.
9. Got Lansinoh and slather it on twice daily.
10. Bought breast pads.

Yet to do:

1. Pack hospital bag.
2. Make liners for 6 baskets.
3. Fill above baskets with diapers, wipes, onsies, socks, and other tiny blue things.
4. Re-organize my kitchen cabinets.
5. Design and order baby announcements.
6. Clean the house... I mean really clean the house.
7. Make banana bread.
8. Order Breastfeeding video. (Any suggestions???)
9. Buy new diaper bag. (Please feel free to donate to the "New Diaper Bag Fund.")
10. NAME this man-child!!!

That's about it, folks.  I'll keep you posted and twittered.

And I Was Freaking Out Yesterday!

"There's not much holding this baby in," said the midwife.

Oh dear! I thought.  I've got so much to do.

"You're a good centimeter dilated and your cervix is very ripe.  The baby's head is quite low.  Any day now."

Oh! Dear!

:::

If you haven't twittered yet, you really must!  I started a couple weeks ago to amuse my husband and I see now how addictive it is.  You really must start now and be sure to add me to your list of friends... I'm melissajanel.  As I go into labor I'll be posting as much as I can on twitter, so if for no other reason that that, you must sign up today.  You might also want to add scottieb to your list as The Music Man may take over the posting from time to time.