Baby is here!!

Millie Elizabeth Peeples

Born Sunday 11/29/09 @ 3:56pm

8lb 7oz and 21in long

Here are some pictures. I left off the one where they put her on me right after her birth. I have a pained and confused look on my face in that one. It doesn't reflect the pure joy and delight I actually felt.

The labor and delivery was scary, short, painful, and weird. Scary in that I wasn't sure what to expect as the process went on and surprised that it was eventually all over with. I had no idea what I was doing and just did what they told me. I LOVED the drugs (don't judge) and made it reasonably far before getting them and am SOOO glad I did!! But also appreciated the experience before I got them.

The entire labor was only 9 hours long, including an hour of pushing. Wonderfully fast!! It didn't feel fast at the time but I'm glad it was what it was. We weren't allowed to have more than 2 visitors in the hospital at one time (originally had been told 2 people total), so in addition to my mom and Mark, my dad and Barb were able to pop in during our short hospital stay. We were admitted at midnight on Sunday morning, had the baby by 4pm, were moved to recovery by 8pm, and left the hospital at 4:30pm on Monday. Since being home we've had an appointment each morning and just today are able to enjoy a day at home.

We're SOOO in love with our little one!! Nights are rough, but somehow I don't really care when I look into that perfect little face!! I'm exceptionally grateful for Jean (Mark's mom) who has come to stay with us for the week. She takes care of everything so all I have to do is feed my child and take care of myself. Although just those 2 things are surprisingly challenging!! Hence the reason it has taken me so long to get this posted.

Without further delay, pictures!!

She sleeps like her dad ;) Don't worry, she didn't actually sleep here, I just set her down for a sec and couldn't help capturing the moment.

Millie's daddy LOVES his daughter!! Especially just holding her while she sleeps. Mark has been GREAT at taking his night time shifts and does almost all her changes and getting her dressed this week. We're bummed he goes back to work tomorrow.

I realized in these pictures that I'm not smiling as big as my heart feels. Not sure why... still recovering?

This has been my day-time location for the past 2 days. Everything I need is on the little table next to the couch, I have pillows, and limit my trips up and down the stairs. It's been quite cozy!

Life in the waiting lane

Instead of the fast lane... get it? Hah! Okay, that was fairly pathetic.

A day in the life of a woman awaiting an induction (not working and it's our first kid):

6:30 get up and go to the gym with mom and Barb

8:00 swing by the store for bread

8:15 come home and help husband get lunch and breakfast and eat breakfast myself

8:45 catch up on emails and blogs online while enjoying a little morning tv

11:00 get dressed and take a nap

12:30 get up and eat lunch, yummy leftover homemade mac & cheese, kill time on the couch and watch part of a movie

2:30 head to Starbucks for time with God and reading a book on how to care for our child when she comes out

4:40 stop by the store for ice cream to go with dessert

5:00 come home and make cheeseball, crochet and visit with mom until dinner

7:30 eat dinner with the family

8:00 a little veg time and crocheting in front of the tv with the fam

This morning we had a Dr appointment (nothing new, still on track for Sunday's induction), I took another nap, ate lunch, more time on the computer, etc. Mostly a repeat of yesterday. Although I am somewhat proud of myself for not just sitting on the couch watching soaps and eating bon bons. After my current time online I plan to breakout the scrapbooking. I'm practically caught up!

Tomorrow I'm enjoying a pedicure with mom and Barb, then dinner with family at Cheesecake Factory before the Thanksgiving Eve RESCUE concert at Sunset. I originally thought I'd have a new baby and wouldn't be up for going to the concert so am excited I can go! (Although a little bummed at the circumstances.) Thursday we're having a low key Thanksgiving day at Barb's with just the 5 of us. Friday is the family excursion downtown for the parade, then hanging out at Barb's. Saturday dad flys out and we head to the hospital right before midnight. Weird to think that in a week from today I'll be home with a new baby!!

Right now I feel pretty good about things. Excited to have a baby and feel like I've had so much drama wrapped up in waiting for her to show that bringing her home almost seems anti-climactic. Not in the "she's not a big deal" way but more in the "having it finally happen may not be as dramatic as it has been so far, more of a relief" kind of way. Mom agreed that feeling like some of the drama is past might help ease the transition. Either way, I'm taking it one day at a time. Having fun with the parents, enjoying lots of downtown at home, taking naps, and relishing the last few days with my husband before the 2 of us become 3. He's really such a wonderful and amazing man. I can't wait to journey with him down this new path. I can't imagine doing such a scary thing with anyone else! I love him like mad crazy and love being around him as much as possible. He makes me smile and laugh ;)

Weekly pregnant pic... yes, I'm still pregnant

40 weeks and 1 days pregnant

I'm a day early on the Monday pregnant pic thing that I've done for the past 2 weeks, but whatever. The point being... I'm STILL pregnant!! I'm pretty sure I didn't think I would make it this far.

The parents are now both in town, which is fun. Poor dad leaves before our scheduled induction on Sunday (1 week from today) so he may have to come back later to meet his grandchild. But we should have fun this week with Thanksgiving and I'm officially on maternity leave, which I love so far!!

I'm starting to attend things I thought I wouldn't be going to. The first one being church this morning. Then the Thanksgiving Eve concert on Wednesday night, the downtown parade with family the day after Thanksgiving... and I think that's about it. I was originally thinking of avoiding all those activities but then adjusted to the idea and although I'll probably face all kinds of comments about, "when is this baby coming?", I'll grin and bear it. I try to refrain from sarcastic responses, a little. Today when someone asked, my response was something like, "wouldn't I like to know". That's not too sarcastic, right? I do find it somewhat amusing when strangers ask when I'm due and I now say "yesterday".

Currently we (my parents, Mark, Barb, and myself) are doing $5 bets on what day we think the baby will arrive. I'm playing it safe with Sunday, the day the Dr scheduled our induction. I would be more than happy to loose the bet, although $25 would be nice, but not worth the extra time if this child decided to arrive before then. Although I'm now expecting to have a 8 to 9 lb baby.

Speaking of our scheduled induction, the Dr didn't give us much of a choice at our appointment last Wednesday. I hadn't "progressed" any more than previously and he went ahead and scheduled it for 8 days after our due date, on a day he was working and late enough that they wouldn't end up sending me home if things didn't "work". So either way next Sunday/Monday we'll have our baby.

Thanks for those of you who haven't shared suggestions on how to bring labor on. I'm trying a few things but assume that God will bring this child when He's ready no matter what we're trying.

Monday pregnant pic day

Apparently Monday is pregnant picture day. Lordwilling one day it will be new baby picture day, every day!!

The coat I'm wearing makes me think of that Chris Farley skit where he would wear a too-small jacket and sing, "fat man in a little coat". This is, obviously, a non-maternity coat.

Mom is here, which is super fun!! Came home from work today to dinner in the crockpot, cake in the oven, and the house warm freshly picked up and smelling good. I could really get used to having dinner ready for me every night!!

There is still no indication that this child is going to come any time soon. She's due on Saturday. We're talking with the Dr at Wednesday's appointment about plan B. Although we're still on the fence about what plan B should be.

In the mean time, I'm plowing through my last week of work. Which I'm glad about since my back doesn't want to spend more than 5 minutes sitting comfortably in my work chair. It's too weird that it's my last week of work that reality hasn't set in!!

Pregnant pic

The nursery is completely ready. I have decided to give up on cleaning. My mom is coming out this week and is staying until after Thanksgiving (SUPER excited about this!!). And I can only think of a few ways in which I could be more uncomfortable. I told Mark tonight on the drive home that the reality of what is about to happen to us completely escapes me. So right now I'm focusing on the excitement of not having a child using up all my resources. And planning a few fun activities (New Moon ;) for next weekend in case this child has decided to stay in past her due date. I think I get a little too anxious about having her out when I think about how I get my very own baby in a few short days/weeks ;)

Here I am, 38 weeks and 2 days.

Can you see the stretch marks on the bottom half of my belly? They are quite nice. Looks like someone clawed me down there. And of course, they are made worse by the excessive itchiness.

Life and baby prep and guesses on due date

On the subject of life, Mark and I got up just after 7 this morning, threw some clothes on, grabbed some food and headed out to get in line for swine flu shots. Since our baby isn't here yet, Mark wasn't allowed to get one (they were doing priority people only) and I managed to score the last shot the people giving them had. Relieved to have that done although the baby may not come before it actually starts working in my system so going to ask the Dr how this will all work. The pic below is Mark and I in line.

Regarding baby prep, my mom has been here for a few days and has helped me make AMAZING progress on getting the final details in place and all our wonderfully pink gifts put away. Although we had the furniture in place, we still had to figure out where all the little things were going to go and mom has been great! She's good at organizing and just sort of took over. Especially after yesterday's shopping trip when I was too tired to do anything other than sit on the couch. As we were out yesterday from around 10 until nearly 4, Mom and Barb kept laughing at me as I said things like, "my back hurts and I don't know why." Because apparently the reason "why" was very obvious to them.

We still have a few small things left to do, but for the most part we're ready!! At least as ready as you can be to completely change your life from what you've known for the past 2 years. It's exciting and scary!!

I want to find out what people are guessing for when the baby will come. We're due on the 21st (3 weeks from today) and the Doc says he's estimating she'll probably be early and not late. So far mom is guessing the 18th. No one else has made a guess yet. Anyone else want to weigh in??

I'm HUGE!!

Okay, this is a TERRIBLE picture of me, but as a profile shot... I can't believe how HUGE I am!!! The baby is all in front. Currently she likes to push out a lot, I keep trying to tell her that won't give her any more room, but she doesn't see to be figuring that out. And she pushes a leg (assuming it's a leg) out on my right side all the time. We sometimes like to pick on her and push back until she moves a little ;) I'm also enjoying her periodic hiccups. She just recently started to get them and frequently gets them a little while after I eat lunch or dinner.