Welcome to the world precious girl! One year later...

Ok. So where I left off last it was a Wednesday evening, February 24, 2010. I had checked into the hospital to be induced. I got the call that Wednesday a little after 12pm that there was a slight level of protein in my urine so I officially had mild pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure had been perfect up until my 40 week appointment and now it was elevated. I had been a juror for 3 weeks during my 34-37 weeks of pregnangy and it was a very stressful trial. I had felt great during the pregnancy but I think while I served on the trial and had to sit in a jury box for hours it started to take a toll. My feet and ankles started to swell during this time and I felt a lot of stress. Anyway, after I got the call from my midwife that Wednesday she said she wanted me to check into the hospital on Wednesday evening and they would insert Cervadil and then would start Pitocin the next morning.

So once I got to the hospital ( I waited until the very last minute to leave our house) my midwife started the Cervadil around 7:30pm.  It did the trick and my labor started around 11:30pm. The nurses were in constant contact with my midwife through the night and then she got to the hospital around 7am the next morning. I think I was dialated between a 4-5cm when my midwife arrived. The plan for the morning was to start Pitocin but since the Cervadil had really started to progess things and Greta was showing some signs of distress during each contraction my midwife decided to hold off on the Pitocin and see how things progressed. There were a couple times during the day that they almost did a c-section because they were worried about Greta and how she was handling the contractions but then right before we would go ahead with the surgery Greta would improve and we would hold off and wait and see. By about 3:30pm I was ready to start pushing and Greta was born at 5:00pm on February 25. From what I remember she didn't cry much and was really alert. She was a tiny bundle at 5lbs 15oz and 20.5 inches. I was so happy I used a midwife for my pregnancy. She was with me in my hospital room constantly through the whole day I was going through labor. I almost certainly would have ended up with a c-section had I not used a midwife.

Proud daddy with his little girl right after she was born.

 

Mommy holding her baby for the first time. So alert!

One of our wonderful nurses.

Tiny feet!

Greta's middle name is Barbara after my mom. She passed away when I was 6 years old and it was important to Chad and I that our daughter have my mom's name. 

Teaching daddy how to swaddle




The next day- February 26, 2010.

Over the next 24 hours we had some feeding issues. Here is the lactation consultant feeding Greta.

This picture cracks me up!

Got milk?

Getting some sun to help with her jaundice.

Some of the visitors to see Greta...

Happy birthday baby girl!

last year

At this time last year, I was sitting in a hospital room watching Wendy Williams. I had checked into the hospital around 7pm and my midwife had started Cervadil. Around this time last year, I was starting to feel some cramping and a little nausea. I hadn't vomited my whole pregnancy and I was hoping to make it throughout the whole pregnancy without but about this time I was praying that it wasn't nausea coming on and I could just go to sleep (and miraculously just wake up with a baby).

Chad snapped this picture right before we left for the hospital.

At this time last year, it was the start of what turned into a very long night...

teaching our kids to lose

This blog post by John Alexander titled Learn to Lose really spoke to me. Are we modeling behaviors that are indirectly teaching our children to bully or win at all costs even at the expense of others?

40 weeks 2 days

One year ago today, Chad and I were heading to my 40 week appointment. I felt fine and hadn't had any signs of labor starting so I expected my midwife to tell me everything was still status quo and come back next week. When they took my blood pressure this time though it was a little high. Throughout the whole pregancy my blood pressure had been fine so this was a little alarming. Joni, the nurse, was so sweet with trying to get me to relax and make sure the reading we were getting was accurate. It was high after taking it multiple times so we went in to our midwife appointment and waited to hear what she had to say. They decided to do a fetal non-stress test to see how the baby was doing. This consisted of me relaxing (or trying to) in a recliner while the baby's heartrate was monitored during resting periods and periods of when she was moving. It's so weird to think of Greta as I know her now to be that little monkey moving inside of me. Greta passed the non-stress test with flying colors and they sent me home with a receptacle to collect my urine for 24 hours and monitor if I was passing any protein. While Greta passed the non-stress test, I think I was a basket case. I remember breaking down when our midwife asked us how I was doing and telling her I was so worried about our dogs and how they would do when I was in the hospital away from them. I also asked her if I should get an ultrasound because I was worried about having a big baby. I remember her looking at my tummy and saying "you don't have a big baby in there". She guessed Greta was about 7.5-8lbs. Chad and I went home and I started to prepare myself for a possible induction in the next few days. I had it set in my mind that I really didn't want to get induced because I was so worried I'd end up with a c-section but if I had pre-eclampsia I'd have to do what was best for the baby.

music and standing

I'm starting to get behind with keeping up on the blog. Greta is so busy now during the day and is usually only taking two naps a day so my computer time is getting shorter and shorter. One highlight from the week that stands out is Tuesday night. We had one of our worst nights ever with Greta this week. On Tuesday night, she woke up at 1:40am and was crying hysterically. She usually gets up 2 times per night but not typically at this time. I went in and she was standing up in her crib. This was the first time she stood in her crib so I think it scared her. The next 2+ hours were rough of trying to console her and get her back to sleep and then her hysterically crying and standing up in the crib anytime we put her back in there. She finally passed out in my arms at 4am. She usually doesn't like to be rocked to sleep so it was sweet to just hold her and have her asleep in my arms. She was so worked up that she would let out big sighs every few minutes as she slept. I was so exhausted the next morning that we skipped baby storytime. I went to bed on Wednesday night at 8:50pm and got the more sleep than I have in months. Greta did still wake up twice but it was so much more manageable with going to be so early.  I felt so refreshed the next day.

On Thursday, we went to our baby class in the morning and then came home for a nap and lunch. After lunch, we got packed in the car to go to another class and drove out of the garage. At the end of the driveway, I noticed that one side of the car seemed lower than the other. I got out of the car and sure enough we had a completely flat tire. Bummer. We were house bound for the rest of the afternoon until Chad came home to fix it. It turned out that I had a huge bolt in the tire and they were able to easily patch it up.

Friday, we went to a playdate at another mom's house and then went out to lunch with the other moms and their kids. All the kids did really well at the restaurant and it was fun start to the day. Most of the moms at the playdate I hadn't met before so it was fun to meet some new moms and their kids. One of the moms even had a hometown connection with us. It's such a small world! On Friday evening, one of my mom friends had a little get together at her house. We all used to be in the same class together but some of the mom's have since gone back to work and we don't see eachother weekly in class anymore. It's been fun to reconnect during our evening get togethers. We laughed, drank wine, had yummy appetizers, and played games. I can tell that pregnancy and motherhood has really done a number on my memory. We played Scattergories and I usually do really well at this game. During one round, I had over half still blank when the buzzer rang! Ugh!

I always enjoy Saturday mornings because I get to sleep in a little since Chad gets up with Greta although my sleeping in has been cut short now that we are going to a class in the morning. I love our Saturday morning class though so that makes it a little easier having to get up early. This class has a fun resource room where you can check out toys, books, puzzles, etc. So far Greta's favorite toy that we "loaned" was the xylophone. Last week, we had some musical shaking toys and this week we choose a drum with lots of fun musical instruments. She really likes the drum too.

The xylophone we borrowed from the toy resource room.

Playing with the snow at class.

There were no baby bottles at class so Greta improvised.

She loves to pull up on her carseat.

Pretty smile.

So big!



Toothy grin! I woinder when she is going to get more teeth? She still only has the bottom two.



Daddy dressed her today. Sweaters and jeans for the both of them.

We got a ton of snow today. It didn't stop Greta and I from getting out of the house though and meeting our friends for lunch. I am so excited for summer when we can just hop in the stroller and take a walk outside. 

due date

One year ago today I was due with our baby girl. February 20th was a Saturday last year and I remember Chad and I deciding to go out to breakfast at Carol's since we weren't sure when we would get a chance to go out to eat again. I felt really good during my entire pregnancy and was still feeling great at 40 weeks. I was a little apprehensive about the delivery and was hoping that she was late so that I could put off the impending pain for a few more weeks. At my appointment the week prior, my midwife told me I was 1cm dialated and 80% effaced. So, she could come today or not for another couple weeks. The longest they said they would let me go overdue was 1.5 weeks past my due date. And so the waiting began...

busy girl

Greta has been so silly lately. I took this photo the other morning in our kitchen. Every morning she has been waking up with a nice smelly surprise in her diaper. We use disposables at night and they never seem to contain the blowouts as well. The past few mornings we've been having to strip down to our skivvies after our morning blowout.

She thought she was so funny holding her foot like this and lifting it up.

This morning we had another morning blowout so we had a little naked playtime. She surprised me by pulling up to stand a few times.

Notice how wide of stance she has. She's still perfecting her form :)

Funny face.

This is serious  business.

We had storytime this morning at our local library. After the class, they bring out some toys for playtime. Greta likes to play with Corduroy.

She had a death grip on him when we had to pick up the toys and got mad when we had to give him to the librarian.

We had a lunch date at Olive Garden today with my friend, Kristi, and her daughter, Adella.  Adella is 8 months old.

They played really well together. At one point, they both wanted the same metal lid top. Greta was able to hold on a little tighter than Adella. Adella would try to grab it from Greta's hand but then would give up. Greta must have liked the challenge because she would then put the lid in front of Adella like "Here try again" but then wouldn't let her have it.

After baby storytime at the library on Monday, we met our friends Ari and Cora at the Mall of America for lunch and shopping. They had fun chatting in Baby Gap and at one point Cora almost got out of her stroller and was going to climb into Greta's.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful the last few days. I'm itching to go on a nice spring walk. Maybe later this week? It's so slushy and wet outside with all the snow melting.

Have a great week!

this and that

A few pictures of little missy from the past few days.

I love how she crosses her legs like this when she's sitting on the floor.

On Monday, Greta and I met a few other mom friends and their babies at the zoo.

At Discovery Bay

Asleep in the stroller

Lunchtime!

Lunch at Red Lobster on Saturday with daddy. Greta LOVES these organic baby food pouches. They even have a spoon you can attach to the pouch to use when you are out. So easy! Why didn't I invent this?

She's still obsessed with sticking her tongue out.

On Sunday, Greta went to her first Superbowl party. My friend, Julie, had a few families over to watch the game and snack on some delicious food. I was a little worried how Greta would act since it was close to her bedtime but she did awesome. She loved playing with Anna's toys and was a happy little girl right up until we put her to bed a little after 8pm.

Lots of standing this week

Silly girl.

I had my friends ,Christin and Rachel, over for lunch and a playdate today with their girls, Ava and Elle. We had a lot of fun and I'm bummed that I forgot to pull out my camera. Greta did a great job with sharing her toys and I think she loved having friends over. We'll have to do this more often.

I am absolutely loving my new Beco Gemini. I wish I had this when Greta was younger. It's so comfortable to carry her in. I've used it the last 2 times we went to the zoo and it was perfect. I've been using it around the house more too, especially during the last couple of hours before bedtime when she is a little more clingy. I wish I would have done more babywearing when she was a baby. I had a Baby K'tan and used it when we were out for her naps but I wish I would have worn her more when we were just hanging out at home. I'm glad that she enjoys being worn at 11 months old. She gets excited when she sees the Beco now and kicks her legs when she's in it because she's so happy. Today, we put on her music cd and danced around the house while I was wearing her. She will just pat my arm softly and kick her feet to the beat. I just love these moments with her.