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!

It's a...

Girl - or so the ultrasound tech says. From the crappy (yes I said C*R*A*P*P*Y) ultrasound pictures we got I am not totally convinced that we aren't having a faceless alien, let alone 100% confident of the sex of the baby. But for now, we will say

It's a GIRL!

((Sarcasm Alert...)
Too bad all of Amanda's baby clothes were sold for .25 a piece at a yard sale 2 years ago and the rest went to Goodwill. Oh how sad I am to have to shop for new, cute little girlie things and plan the wedding of yet another girl.

On an even crappier note, I was prescribed to wear compression hose due to my horrible genetically passed down issue with varicose veins. To add insult to injury, our insurance won't pay one cent of the cost of these $95 pantyhose. Do we have that kind of money laying around? I don't think so. I searched the www and found them for $55 with shipping, but still. That's a big wad-o-cash to wear on your legs while your toddler is in his pinching and climbing mommy like a jungle gym phase.

Still I don't know. 60 bucks or eternally ugly legs? I may never be able to wear a swimsuit in public again. Is it worth it?