she's getting cuter every day

more pictures... and we haven't even left the hospital yet

gotta love wi-fi!

Samantha

Samantha has been such a sweetheart so far. She sleeps well, eats well and even smiles a little for us. She just may be our *calm* baby. She hasn't met her siblings yet though! We are really enjoying our time in the hospital with her. Amanda can't wait to meet her!

The arrival of Samantha Margaret

Though she gave us quite a scare, Samantha was finally born safe and sound early this morning at 12:43am. She weighs 8 lbs. and is 21 1/2 inches tall.

We had 45 minutes of scary distress - she had her cord wrapped tightly around her neck not once, but twice! Needless to say we had to get her out fast because her heart rate was dropping dangerously low. She made it out and pinked up quickly. She's nursing well, pooping often and we are ever so proud! Pictures to come soon!

Vanessa and Becky - check your emails. Michael sent you both a sneak peek!

Contractions:

So. All you mommies out there... how would you define contractions? Does a hand or foot stuck in your hip socket count? What about pulsing belly buttons? If you could *safely* levitate on your hard-as-a-rock belly with no hand or foot support, would such an ability - accompanied by intense pain - count as being "in labor"?

Why is it that I can't recall the exact feeling of a true contraction? I understood it perfectly well with my first two. No false alarms. No anti-climatic trips to the hospital. What is it about this pregnancy that has me second-guessing my instincts...

It's all your fault, Nurse Stumpy-Fingers. Really - how do you confuse the top of a head with an elbow? And do you *enjoy* causing pain and extreme discomfort or is that just one of your *talents*?

Oh, Dr. Brother Steven Nelson of Scottsdale, AZ .... oh how I miss your ultra-cool bedside manner and true understanding of an uncomfortable pregnant woman. If I could, I would fly myself back to AZ and beg, beg, BEG you to deliver my little Samantha. Hayden's birth was quite possibly the most glorious and super-ideal birth.
{but not the part where I puke up a bite of a Snickers bar - but that wasn't your fault. I stole it from my hubby minutes after the pitocin... totally my own doing...}

But I digress... pray for a baby this week. I can't take it anymore.

So embarrassed...

So Friday night was one of those uber-exciting nights that ended in disappointment, frustration and embarrassment. It started with my all-day craving for a Wendy's Strawberry Frosty Shake. I kept myself in check until about 6:30 when it was quite apparent that dinner at our house was not going to happen. I voiced my craving to my dear husband who jumped on the idea and went out and made a very non-frugal, rare visit to the Wendy's across the street. I ate a grilled chicken sandwich - or half of one - and then the contractions began. I continued to slurp down my frosty shake 'cause it was oh so delicious and I certainly didn't want it to go to waste. It was ever so yummy! Then the pressure came and I was in a panic - my hospital bag was not packed! I sent the household into high-gear in preparation for a trip to the hospital. Rooms were cleaned, babysitter called, bags packed, van packed.

We sat in the hospital triage for a while while I had 3 more contractions. I got a triage room and then Nurse Stumpy came in to "check" me and said that I was only a 3 (not the 4 I was at 12:30pm that afternoon at my doctors office - w.h.a.t.e.v.e.r.) and that the baby's head was not down. What? She said she thought she felt an elbow...but just for a moment. She kept stuttering about the baby being transverse, breach or non-vertex -- or was it hanging ten? --and then she started muttering slurred phrases involving c-sections and such.

We quickly got a ultrasound by another nurse who was supposedly certified to operate the machine they rolled into my room. More chatter about transverse, and "what do you think THAT is?"

A few minutes later, I'm off to the REAL ultrasound tech to get a REAL ultrasound that I was actually allowed to view and saw our beautiful little girls face for the first time since the alien pictures of 16 weeks.

Ohhh.... there you are little one! Oh! And your head is down and centered perfectly? Oh really? And there are your sweet little kissy lips and your cute little nose? Ohhhh! And YES you ARE a girl! And you're just kicking and punching and making all kinds of noise in there!

{sticking my tongue out at Nurse Stubby-fingers} I walk back to my room confident that we are having this baby within the next 12 hours. Instead, I am instructed to go home and wait for REAL labor. Grrr....

So here I am. No more contractions. Plenty o' pressure. Waiting for our little girl to come - and we just can't wait!

{thanks again Pursell's for coming over for our false alarm/ dress rehearsal}

The Hospital Tour

So not too long after finding out that I've started dilating, we packed up the kids and met our friends the Pursell's at the hospital for our hospital tour appointment. I considered requesting a wheelchair so as not to induce any pre-term labor by walking all over the hospital. But then it just seemed silly.

FYI - touring the hospital and having all your questions answered DOES NOT MAKE YOU FEEL ANY LESS NERVOUS ABOUT HAVING A BABY. If anything I am more nervous and a little agitated. First, I have to tell you that having a baby at the Scottsdale Medical Center in Arizona will likely spoil you to the point of disappointment with every other hospital around. We were truly spoiled to have unlimited meal service 24 hours a day for me AND Michael. Amanda and Michael were both allowed to sleep over night with me and the baby -same room. Lactation consultants were scheduled to come to nearly every feeding or whenever I called. Baby Hayden had his first bath in the recovery room with me taking pictures. Yeah - it was s.w.e.e.t.


It bugs me that my baby Samantha will have her first bath in the nursery and that I can't be there. Michael can, but not me - the one who did all the pushin'? And it bugs me that I will likely have to wait 24 hours before seeing a lactation consultant. HELLO? I thought the first 12 hours were the most important! I have a proven track record of sucking at breastfeeding (no pun intended) and needing assistance and guidance for the first 24 hours. We've been directed to bring cash to pay for Michael's meals and anything else beyond the 3 meals a day for me. Visiting hours are 9am-9pm for everyone but Michael. This isn't so bad - we all need our rest.

But anyway...

I am excited to meet our little Samantha - and so is Amanda. She's really excited about all the little pink clothes and fun little girl accessories. She's been saying 'awwww mommy, isn't this just adorable?' and 'Samantha would look so cute in this!!'

Hayden and Michael are cool with waiting a while. Hayden has gotten especially clingy to me lately and I think he senses that his world is about to be turned upside-down. Poor Hayden won't be the baby anymore. As much as it saddens me, it really is fun to watch him growing into a little boy with a big personality of his own.

Whether we meet Samantha this week or next, it's sure to be an exciting day!

Ummm, we interrupt this pregnancy for a special announcement

I had my 36 week appointment today. Apparently climbing over baby gates and carrying 35 lb. little boys to timeout 10 times a day can move a pregnancy "right along". I am 3 centimeters dilated and 50% effaced. Oh, and sweet, sweet Samantha FINALLY decided to 'move into the starting gate' head first. Good girl, Samantha! You ARE a good listener. Now listen to this, little one. WE ARE NOT READY - SO NO EARLY ARRIVALS! WAIT RIGHT THERE! I still don't have a cutie pie outfit to take you home in and the van needs a good vacuuming and your daddy REALLY isn't ready for this at all. So stay put...for at least 2 more weeks...please!

old school gadgets

So now that I've found our old school webcam (ie. it's more than 2 years old) I'm having a blast recording stuff... like Hayden. It's so fun to watch him play. Here's a little 2 min. glimpse of him playing with our dominoes and the Mexican train thingy. I love how he has to do a little wiggle dance every time he hears the train noise. If you start to get a little bored by the length, all I can say is, "Wait for it, wait for it...".

These are for you, Deon!

These are for you, Deon! I found our webcam and got it to work *finally*. So here are some pictures of *the damage*.

Exhibit A:
This picture really says it all, but of course I took MORE pictures...

Exhibit B:
from behind

Exhibit C:
Side view

Exhibit D:

And then there is Hayden...
Super cute - but - well, I know it can happen, but this kid was sitting very still and she still managed to cut the top of his ear with the clippers. OUCH! He took it like a trooper. But he takes most injuries like a trooper. He's such a big boy!

I did it.... sort of

Well, Hayden got his haircut and looks super cute. Then I got my haircut and well, I don't HATE it - but only because I know that it can be fixed. I think the hairstylist either got hungry or bored with me and didn't really blend the front and back well. I honestly don't recall her touching the front of my head with scissors at all. It's a bit choppy to say the least. I'm gonna stop by later today and see if someone can fix it. At least she didn't cut too much off.

Someone talk me out of it...

I really really really want to cut my hair but I've been told that it's not such a good idea to get your hair cut when your preggers 'cause
A. preggers tend to make poor haircut decisions, ie. too short, high-maintenance
and
B. tend to hate the results regardless of how cute it turns out and have to live with it.

On the other hand, my hair is making me look tired and sickly. Plus, I haven't had my hair cut since November 2007. Yikes! That can't be right... okay, I think I had a trim in March. But still - that was 6 months ago. PLUS, we're getting a maternity/family picture taken and if my head makes it into the shot, I'd like to look like I cared enough to look my best.

Seriously - I don't want icky hospital photos when the baby is born. And let's face it, it all comes down to how gross your hair looks - pale faces can be photoshopped.

Yeah - so never mind trying to talk me out of it. I just talked myself into it - which if you really know me is what I was doing all along. I do think I'll just have it trimmed up into a nice, medium length bob though. Nothing too drastic.

Wish me luck. Sometime tomorrow night I will either be blogging in blissful contentment of my decision or crying my eyes out. Stay tuned!

A little freaked out...

I have to admit. I am a little freaked out that I only have approx. 4 weeks till Samantha arrives. And it's not necessarily the 4 weeks thing (though that really isn't long at all), it's the approx. thing. Not knowing when, and also knowing that realistically, it could be ANY time now. We are not ready! The bassinet is missing a screw, I still don't have my hospital bag packed, I don't have a new outfit to take her home in yet, and poor Hayden - he won't be the baby anymore and it kinda makes me sad for him.

Plus, I don't care how many babies you've had before, the birthing process can be scary and unpredictable and I'm all about being organized and planned lately. ie. wanting to be organized and planned - not that I really am. I'm one of those people who could be very organized if I could afford just 10 more cute baskets to put in my cubbies. My hubby things I am addicted to baskets. But I digress...

Another freaking point for me is that fact that Samantha is STILL doing somersaults and karate kicks and hasn't 'found her proper place' for egress. Amanda and Hayden were the same way, and didn't move into 'the starting gate' until 1-2 weeks before they were born. I'm itching have a ultrasound that actually looks like something - the ones we got early on were not even refrigerator worthy. I'm not even confident that it's a girl! (though it better be! I gave away all Hayden's clothes and have taken in boxes and boxes of girlie stuff!)

Well, enough of my rambling. I'm sure it will all work out fine - as long as I don't go into labor during a hurricane!