The Birth

False Alarm

On December 12th while in the shower (attempting to shave my legs) I felt a gush. My first thought was that my water broke but I couldn't be sure. After a lot of back and forth the hubs and I decided to take a trip to triage. While there I was checked and was 2-3cm dilated but turns out my water had not broken. Wishful thinking perhaps? My nurse was wonderful and stripped my membranes as well as making me the full 3cm dilated (ouch!). So after a couple of hours hanging out in triage we went home. Although I was disappointed to not be in labor yet, I was happy to at least be progressing since at our last appointment I had zero progress.

Could this be it?

I woke up the next morning at 2am with strong contractions. They weren't consistantly close together but they were stronger than any I had felt up to that point and bad enough that I could not lie in bed any longer. I bounced on my yoga ball (lifesaver) while watching Christmas movies, took a bath, and walked around the house until the hubs woke up. Since I was most comfortable walking we went Christmas shopping. I was doing great the first couple of hours, walking through my contractions which were still varying from 3 to 10 minutes apart lasting about 2 minutes each. Then the contractions worsened and I had to stop for each one. Finally the hubs made us go home and start timing them.

At that point the contractions were every 5-6 minutes (or so we thought). The hubs wanted to go to triage right away but after our false alarm the day before I wanted to make sure it was the real thing before going in again. After watching the hubs nervously pace the house several times I finally gave in and to triage we went. It was around 3:30pm on December 13th when we arrived.

Of course this time I saw several people I know (I work at the hospital where I delivered) and was starting to feel silly, like this was another false alarm. Only it wasn't...

The Real Deal

This time in triage they monitored my contractions to find that they were only 3 minutes or so apart and very strong. When they checked me I was 4cm dilated and that paired with my contractions meant I was being admitted to labor and delivery. They allowed me to walk around the hospital for an hour to try to get things to progress more on their own and then I was to go straight to L&D.


We made it to L&D around 6:30pm and that's where the fun really begins.

As I mentioned before I wanted to go all natural with no pain meds whatsoever. I made it to 3:30am on December 14th at which point I was 6cm dilated and my contractions were right on top of each other. By this time I had already been awake and having contractions for over 24 hours and was not getting a break in between them. I was doing great breathing through them but was so exhausted I could not hold my head up on my own. When the nurse told me I still had a ways to go I decided I would get the epidural. I saw such relief on the hubs face as soon as that decision was made.

I was very apprehensive about the epi. The thought of a needle in my spine and not being in full control of my body freaked me out. But as it turns out it was the best decision for me. I felt great after getting the epi and was able to enjoy so many more aspects of my labor. I was able to rest a little and prepare for the most important part. Pushing.

Let's Push!

At around 7am on December 14th I felt the strongest command my body has ever given me. To push! Trying not to push while the nurse got everything ready was so difficult! When it was time though, I was ready. Allowing my body to do something so foreign to me took a little getting used to but after a couple of pushes I was able to figure out what worked best for me. I pushed for a little over an hour, making a little progress each time but it didn't feel nearly that long.

When I was close enough to need the doctor the told me not to push again. I seriously thought they were crazy if they thought I was able to keep that baby in for one second longer. But somehow I managed to wait for the doctor and once she arrived it was smooth sailing. A few pushes later and there was a head! After that pushing was nothing. I was about to hold my baby girl and nothing else mattered. Within minutes there she was in my arms. Beautiful from what I could see through my tears. I looked at the hubs and his face was full of tears as held us both tight. I could not done any of it without him. The entire pregnancy and even more so during the birth he was supportive and comforting and strong, and anything else I needed him to be.


Our baby girl was perfect. Bigger than anyone imagined at 8lbs 4oz and tall just like her Momma at 20.75 inches.

My mom and both the hubs parents were there for the whole thing. I can't find another word to describe sharing that with them other than magical. Even though things didn't go according to my "plan" I had the most amazing birth experience I could imagine. And as crazy as it may sound, I can't wait to do it all again... in a couple of years :)

Welcome to the World

Sadie June arrived at 8:19 am on December 14, 2011
weighing a whopping 8lb. 4oz.
20.75 inches long

The story of her birth will be coming soon. But there wont be much blogging during this adjustment period so be patient with me :)

For now here are a couple of pictures:



Steppin' Out // 39 weeks


top: Forever21
cardigan: Express
capris: Motherhood
jewelry: Lucky Brand

This morning we "stepped out" to a lovely breakfast with the in-laws. After stuffing our faces with french toast and eggs of all kinds we took the pups for a really long walk and watched football the rest of the day. It was such a nice surprise to have them come for a little visit, I really wish they were closer and every Sunday could be like it was today.

I know I have been absent from the blogosphere this past week but as you can see from the picture above, my absence is not because our sweet baby girl decided to grace us with her presence. Nope. Still very much pregnant. Despite my very best efforts that is. We are only a couple of days away from our due date and this tiny lady is snuggled up in my rib cage with no desire to leave. I have had my fair share of contractions but they have yet to be time-able. My water is still intact and baby girl is still moving around like a hyper ninja.

Patience was never something I had mastered and lately it has only gotten worse. It's not that I haven't enjoyed being pregnant. Because I will truly miss it when it's done. It's just that I want to meet this little one! We have been waiting to meet our baby for three years now. This may not be the same baby we longed for three years ago but she encompasses the life we have been waiting to start and makes the losses we have suffered have a happy ending after all.


The end of November marked three years since my dad passed so I have been trying to deal with a lot of emotions lately. It doesn't help that I am nine months pregnant, exhausted, and hormonal. It's also a difficult reminder as Sadie's arrival gets closer and closer that she will never know the amazing man that my dad was. Although I will tell her about him every chance I get. But let me not get started on that or the flood of emotions will pour out again.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I also hope that my next update will include a picture of Sadie outside of my womb :)


Steppin' Out Sunday 11.20.11

dress: Forever 21
tank & leggings: Motherhood
flip flops: AE


Yes. This is the same outfit from my last bump picture. But once you get to a certain size you aren't left with many options. Plus this outfit is soooo comfy! Something else you may have noticed... I am officially sporting ankle rolls. I started swelling this very morning and had no idea it was visible enough to be seen in a picture but holy cow there they are! I also stopped wearing my rings today. Although they still fit they get pretty uncomfortable when I get hot (which is often).

The hubs and I had a great Sunday. It started with a visit to my momma's house for brunch with the family. Both my grandma and my brother got to feel Sadie move for the first time. My brother was hesitant to touch my belly but his face lit up with a smile when he felt her tiny little hiccups. This of course melted my heart. He is 16 and I was worried he just wouldn't be all that interested in his niece but that look on his face put me at ease :)

After some much needed family time we headed home to our pups. We relaxed for a bit and then headed over to our friends house for some delicious food and lots of baby bump rubbing.


Still not quite sure how we got lucky enough to have friends like these but I won't argue with it. I cannot wait for our little girls to meet outside the womb :)

Being 8 months pregnant changes things...

As I have already confessed, I am a twilight nerd. Last year I blogged about my excitement over Eclipse and while I was just excited this year for Breaking Dawn, my current state (you know being just a few short weeks away from birthing a child) has definitely proven that things have changed.

So I present you with "Skinny Megan" vs. "8 months Pregnant Megan"

Skinny Megan arrived at the movie theater around 9pm for the midnight showing of the newest twilight movie with her bestie by her side.

8 months Pregnant Megan was fast asleep on the couch by 8:30pm and opted for the 10am showing the next day and went solo.

Skinny Megan snuck in Starbucks and other sugary snacks to munch on during the movie.

8 months Pregnant Megan finished off her entire bag of popcorn before the previews even started and gave her cherry coke the side eye during the first half hour trying so hard not to drink too much of it causing her to run to the restroom mid movie.

8 months Pregnant Megan also started crying at the very beginning of the movie... and never really stopped until it was over. Darn hormones.

While Skinny Megan managed to watch the movie like a normal person.
I did, however, enjoy the movie just the same! I found myself feeling very grateful that Sadie is not part vampire. I would much rather crave chocolate milkshakes over O+ blood. And although sometimes her kicks do feel like they are breaking my ribs I am happy to say that my insides are still in tact (for the most part).

Stay tuned for next years rendition of this lovely segment when Breaking Dawn part 2 comes out and we add the part of "Mommy Megan" to the mix :)

36 weeks!


In the past week my belly has grown drastically. I mean look at that thing, it's huge! And size isn't the only thing that has changed lately either. I have been getting several contractions over the past few days but nothing regular. Just my body preparing itself for when the time comes. Which, by the way, is getting so close.

Sadie's movement in my belly has intensified this week. You are able to see just about every move she makes and are able to feel her tiny little bones in so much detail now. It's incredible to think I will be able to kiss those little cheeks in just a few weeks time.

The hubs and I have been working hard to get everything ready for Sadie's arrival. We have been cleaning, fixing things around the house that were long over do, changing out light bulbs, putting together and installing baby gear, all of her clothes are washed and put away, hospital bags are packed. We even started putting up our Christmas decorations so it would all be ready in case she decided to make an early appearance. All that is missing is baby!

Although I have really loved being pregnant and as much as I will miss having this little gal all to myself and feeling her inside my belly, I really hope these last few weeks fly by. I just cannot wait to meet my baby girl.

Steppin' Out Saturday 11.12.11

top and jeans: Motherhood
boots: Candies @ Kohls



Last night we went out to dinner with one of our favorite couples (who are also expecting). Who knows how many nights we have left to hang out without kiddos so we are trying to take advantage of the time we have left.

How huge is my belly by the way? She has really popped out there lately!

Maternity Photo Preview

Earlier this week the hubs and I had some maternity photos taken by a very talented and affordable local photographer, Shannon Smith with SNS Photography. If you're local you really should check her out! She is so awesome that the very next morning after our shoot she sent me a three photo preview. And I really love them! So much so that I had to share them with you all. I will post more when we get the rest :)



Good Morning America

Yesterday on 11/11/11 Good Morning America did a special feature called "Baby Oh Baby" at the hospital where I work! They chose the nursery on my floor to film which was very exciting. It was really really cool seeing how the whole operation went down. With the camera crew, producers, assistants, and other people that I wasn't really sure what they did, taking over our floor for two full days.

The very yummy Cameron Mathison (from All My Children and Dancing with the Stars) was the chosen host and he was quite the hit with the ladies at the hospital. He was also super nice and didn't turn down pictures with all of the ladies who wanted them. I only had my phone so my picture didn't come out so well but it was still clear enough to make the hubs jealous ;)


If you watch the video (click here) you will see me and my bestie for our two seconds of fame in the nursery. I was wearing a black shirt the first day of filming and am behind the desk while she's moving baby bassinets.


The whole experience was pretty neat and the segment turned out really nice. I will be there as a patient instead of employee before I know it!

Sadie's Nursery Tour!

We have been slowly working on Sadie's nursery for quite some time now so it feels pretty good to have it all done! Have a look:









Steppin' Out // 35 weeks

dress: Express
leggings: Motherhood Maternity
flip flops: American Eagle

This is probably the most comfy outfit I currently own (other than jammies of course). Thanks to my giant belly this "dress" is more of a top right now and I definitely wore it on my 21st birthday but it looked a bit different on me then :)

The hubs and I took the pups to the Fall Festival downtown today and they had a great time. Wentworth is feeling much better and hasn't had anymore episodes. So we figured we all needed a day out to celebrate everyone's health. Plus it wont be as easy to pack up both dogs once Sadie gets here so we were enjoying the little time we have left before our family grows even bigger!

The festival had all kinds of crafts and goodies, not to mention delicious food. We got the most amazing soba noodles with teriyaki chicken for lunch and I am still thinking about it. I may have to hunt them down for more later.


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And now for a little belly update....

I decided to give a little sneak peak of the nursery with these pictures as well! It's all done other than a little organizing of a bookshelf that refuses to make me happy with it. Pictures of the whole thing will hopefully be up this week!

As I am sure you can tell, little Sadie is running out of room! The doctor says that he does not anticipate her being late since she doesn't have a whole lot of room left in there. And with as much as I love being pregnant (which I really do!) I definitely wouldn't mind her coming on time. I am really feeling that uncomfortableness now! Most positions I sit/lay/stand either make me feel like I can't breathe or pinch that pesky nerve that causes me a lot of pain in my back. Walking a lot really helps though. I always feel so good when I'm walking.

But other than that things are going really well. I am very happy to be at the 35 week mark. I hope she stays a few more weeks at least but getting to this point does put my mind at ease a bit.

Be on the lookout for nursery pictures this week!


Our Sweet Wentworth

What a night/day it has been. Whew. I woke up for the 100th time to pee around 3am and my poor little Wentworth followed me in and ran into the wall. It was dark so I reached down to pet him and make sure he was ok and the little guy was shaking. After turning on the light (and putting on my glasses) I realized that something was not right.

I yelled for the hubs to make sure I wasn't hallucinating in my hazy state but he saw exactly what I did. Went's back legs were really shaky, he was panting pretty hard, and seemed delirious at times (running into the wall). Being the hormonal sap I am I immediately start sobbing but with encouragement from the hubs I collected myself and called our emergency vet. Four hours and $500 later we found out he was having onset seizures. It looks like these seizures were caused by ingesting something toxic but they can't be 100% sure. We are thinking the mushrooms that just popped up in our backyard?

He was given charcoal (never heard of this) to soak up what was left of the toxins, valium to stops the tremors, and fluids. We took a very drugged pup home and waited a few hours until our normal vet opened. By this point the drugs were wearing off and the old Wentworth was shinning through.

We still have to keep a strict eye on him to make sure the seizures aren't something that are going to be a reoccurring problem but so far we haven't seen any sign of them since the early morning.

My heart was breaking watching my poor baby act that way, it is such a relief to see him acting like himself again (just a very sleepy version of himself). Hopefully he doesn't give us any more scares and that is the last seizure we ever see.

this was the only way we could get the little guy to lay down.
is the hubs going to be a good daddy or what?
yes. he is laying on our tile floor.

Happy Halloween!! (& 34 weeks)

Sadly I did not decorate our house for Halloween this year. We just had too much going on and decided it wasn't worth it this year. We also didn't really "dress up" for the first time in a very long time. But that doesn't mean I was completely without Halloween spirit this year! I was ready to hand out candy and we still had our pumpkins!

Sadie and I are ready for the Trick-or-Treaters!!

My happy little pumpkin :)

The hubs scary pumpkin

and a sweet little one for Sadie.


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Also, today marks 34 weeks! Eeek! We are so close! Nothing new is really going on this week but maybe I will have more news after our doctors appointment :)

Baby Shower!

My amazing friend Antonia threw me the most beautiful baby shower for me and Sadie. Everything was homemade and so personal. I always knew the girl was good at this kind of thing but she really blew me away with everything.

There was a sweets table for favors. And yes she made all of it, I think she is missing her calling here. Delicious food consisting of tomato bisque and baked potato soups, salads, grilled cheese sammies (my fave!), pasta salad, spinach dip, fruits and veggies, pumpkin dip and more! Seriously all of my favorite foods and the perfect kind of foods for an early afternoon shower.

I requested no games in which we act like babies (such as eating baby foods, smelling things out of diapers, or drinking out of bottles) so Antonia picked games that were age appropriate (thank you!). She made a celebrity baby matching game where you matched the celebrity with the name of their baby, guess how many jelly beans are in the big baby bottle, and try to guess how big my belly is with a piece of yarn. I learned that many people think I look a lot bigger than I am :)

My friends and family are such amazing people. They made me and Sadie feel so loved. We are both so lucky to have all of these people in our lives. I can't wait until she can meet everyone.

Now I will get to the good stuff... Picture overload!

The beautiful hostess and I
(did I mention she's also pregnant with a little girl, aka Sadie's bff?)

food

drinks

my momma


high school friends

cake!

bff

favor boxes


Sadie's Grandma's :)


great friends!

sweets table

cupcakes

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red velvet cake balls

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dipped marshmallow sticks

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the sign above the sweets table

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our growing family <3

Seriously. Perfection. And thanks to all of these lovely ladies, Sadie is going to be the most stylish little girl around. I cannot wait for her to get here!!

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