after thoughts

What I don't want to forget:

Quotes from Gene on delivery day:

"Waiting for you to go into labor is like watching paint dry."

"You know what the best part of having a newborn is? Looking forward to changing those black, tar-like diapers. Fun."

"Fintan was pretty ugly when he came out. I was worried. His head was all squished weird. I wanted to squish it back just to make sure we didn't end up with an ugly duckling for Baby #3."

Quotes from our delivery nurses and Dr.:

"I put your pitocin up to 30 now.  We usually don't ever put it past 20 for our patients.  Usually all our pregnant women go intensely into labor after beginning pitocin.  I've read about patients like you in my nursing textbooks.  The pitocin must block your pain receptors.  That is very rare." --Nurse Natalie

"I've never had a patient ask so nicely for an epidural before.  You're still smiling.  Usually my patients are in such pain that they can barely talk when asking for an epidural." --Nurse Treacy

"You're still smiling.  Sorry to say this but we don't want to see you smiling.  We want you to be in pain.  When Dr. Apgar comes in don't smile."  --Nurse Traecy

"We're all rubbing our heads as to why you're taking so long, Renee.  We don't know why you've been stuck at 4cm all day.  I'm starting to run through things in my mind so I'm prepared for what could happen, like extensive bleeding after giving birth.  We should be prepared for hemorraging."  --Dr. Apgar

"Completion.  Thank goodness. Let's get ready to start pushing."  --Dr. Apgar  (He didn't really say that I was at 10cm....just "completion."  Ahhh...music to my ears!)

Funny moments:

When the baby came out, Gene and I immediately saw the male parts and knew our baby was a boy...except for the fact that Dr. Apgar exclaimed, "It's a girl!"  We exchanged confused looks while Dr. Apgar said again, "I mean it's a boy!  Oh, man!  I'm so sorry!  That's a horrible mistake for me to make!  I didn't look carefully enough.  I really did get an "A" in Health class."

Dr. Apgar had talked to us earlier in the day about what a HUGE baseball fan he is.  During delivery, Gene had on ESPN and there were baseball updates.  Gene and Dr. Apgar were catching glimpses of the games in between pushes.  We (nurse, Dr., Gene, me) were just all standing around waiting for the next contraction so I could try pushing again and I said...

Renee: See Dr. Apgar.  We are just trying to accomodate you by having this on TV for you to watch.  (Right then an e-harmony commercial came on)

Dr. Apgar:  You mean the e-harmony or ESPN?

Renee: No, the ESPN baseball highlights.

Dr. Apgar: Yeah!  It's a great distraction for me so that we're not just standing around here staring at you and making you feel uncomfortable inbetween contractions.

After-birth conversation:

Gene: Renee made a shirt that has August 9th on it for the baby's birthday.  It figures that the baby came on August 10th.  We didn't expect that one!

Dr. Apgar: You know, that will be even funnier to see the baby wearing a shirt with a big "X" mark over the 9th and the 10th circled with a marker.

Renee:  Yeah, it's called The Big Prank.  We're used to it.

Baby Numero Tres: jokes

Why was the baby comforter so sad?

--It was a little down.

hahahaha

Yep.  That's the only update we have right now.  That's the joke that was printed on Renee's popcicle stick that she just finished eating. 

I know....sad, huh?

Maybe a few more bad jokes will help send her into intense labor...

Baby Numero Tres: 3 cm

They just upped the pitocin...A LOT! She's still not feeling any pain and at 3cm. We think things will get moving in the next hour. Please pray for her neck which has been bothering her today. More details to come...

Baby Numero Tres: water broken, 2cm

Last night was quite the sleepless night.  Gene and I got about 4 hours each.  It's hard to sleep with an IV in your arm, two baby monitors on your belly and a hospital bed.

At 8am this morning my new nurse, Erika, upped my pitocin to get things started (had mild contractions every 2-3 minutes during the night but didn't feel much of anything).  Dr. Apgar just broke my water at 9:15am.  I'm 2 cm.

Here we go!!

Baby Numero Tres: starting pitocin

There's been a change in schedule already!  I was supposed to start my pitocin tomorrow morning, but after getting to the hospital tonight, my doctor said that he wanted to start me on a low dosage throughout the night.  He said we'll just skip the cervidil and see what happens with me on pitocin all night.  Since this is my 3rd baby, the nurse is talking like I might have this baby by morning!  I'm already having mild contractions. 

We're so excited to see whether or not our family of 4 will expand to a family of 5 with a daughter or a son.  The best part of the whole pregnancy is hearing the doctor say, "IT'S A ______!"  I can't wait.

The kids are so excited, too.  Callan has said that he wants the baby to be called "Yoshi" if it's a boy.  Kinsley said she likes the name Baby Yoshi.  :)  When I left the kids tonight, Callan said, "Is the doctor going to help take the baby out, Mommy?  I can't wait to hold it!"  It's so cute that he's actually semi-aware of what's happening this time around. 

We'd love to be covered in your prayers!  Here are a few prayer requests:

1. That Gene and I would both sleep well in the hospital tonight.

2. That this would be the best labor/delivery/recovery yet!

3. For a healthy baby and healthy mama!

4. That I would not have any of the recovery issues that I had after the other two pregnancies. 

5. That things wouldn't go too fast that I won't be able to get my epidural.  :)  Yeppers.  I'm the wimpy Mama who comes into the hospital asking how soon is too soon to start that glorious epidural. 

So...a few notes to document for Numero Tres' baby book:

--pitocin started on 8-8-11 at 10:15pm 

--first nurse = Kisha...the nice nurse with the tatoos all over her arms.  :)

today's snapshot: the moose is ready

Callan and Kinsley's gift to their new little brother or sister.  They can't wait to meet him/her!

today's snapshot: august 9th

 

 

Read the story behind this onesie here.

36 weeks......37 weeks

 

This picture was taken last week, at 36 weeks.  This week I'm holding strong at 37 weeks.  Well, actually I wouldn't say "holding strong."  It's more like holding on by my finger tips.  I've been having more pains, and sometimes I find myself just lying on the floor waiting for the baby to stop pounding on my stomach.  

Yesterday Callan came into the room and said, "Mommy, why are you sleeping on the floor?"  I told him the baby was hitting Mommy.  He said, "Oh, ok."  and ran out of the room.

I don't remember having this much pressure before in my other pregnancies.  When I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, it's extremely painful to walk to the bathroom.  The dr. said this is normal.

All in all this pregnancy has been awesome.  No back pains.  No carpal tunnel like last time.  Not much nausea.  The only thing that's been different this time is that I have to drive when we go anywhere or else I get car sick.  I can't even ride in the front passenger seat.  It has to be the driver's seat.  I've even tried riding down the street just 3 miles to the store and found myself wishing I was behind the wheel.  

Oh, and good news!  We finally came up with a girl's name we think we agree on.  haha  It's taken 37 weeks.  We quickly agreed on a boy's name early on.  We're excited to see which name we'll be using!  I have a strong feeling that this baby's coming early...

36 weeks

This week I'm 36 weeks.  At my sonogram they said the baby is in the perfect position for delivery, which is great to hear considering the flip-flopping Kinsley did the last 4 weeks in my tummy.  We don't want a repeat of that!  I'm dilated 1cm already and 60% effaced.  I've never been dilated anything this early before, so that was encouraging. 

Right now we're looking at probably being induced on August 9th (a week early) for various reasons.  Instead of sending out 100 emails, we'll probably just do updates on this blog that day to let you all know what's going on....and, of course, to reveal whether or not Kinsley and Callan are getting a little sister or brother.  We're all very excited to find out!

today's snapshot: preggo friends

(due just 3 weeks apart!)

Baby #3: week 21 bump

Poor Baby #3.  He/She hasn't gotten much blog-time.  BUT, the baby did make herself/himself known on March 10th.  I felt the first kick at 17 weeks.  

Here's the 20 week sonogram with a 21 week belly picture.  We don't know if it's a boy or girl, but Callan's most recent vote is girl.  Kinsley just loves to point at my belly and say, "Baby.  Baby.  Baby." over and over again.  I don't know.  I'm kinda feelin' boy lately for no particular reason.  Maybe it was all those newborn boy clothes I sifted through a few weeks ago that I fell in love with all over again and am hoping to be able to use at some future date.

We're all anxious to meet you, Little Huston #3!!  Hopefully your dad and I can come up with a name for you before your arrival.

today's snapshot: 16 week bump

14 weeks

Dear 2nd Trimester,

I am so glad to see you finally arrive.  I was very happy to kick the first trimester out on the curb.  Ever since YOU arrived, I've been a bundle of energy from sun-up to sun-down.  I got more done in the past 3 days than I did in the past 3 months... 

I washed the car, ran 3 hours worth of errands with both kids, rearranged/redecorated the living room, dusted and vacuumed almost the whole house, cleaned the bathroom, reorganized my office space a little bit (finally hooked up my new printer that's been sitting in its box since December 5th), did all the laundry, changed the sheets on our bed, started a new painting project, gathered a load of stuff and took it to The Salvation Army, cleaned up the Christmas lights that I taped to poster board for my Valentine's Day sign and took them back up to the attic, and caught up on some emails. 

I feel like a new woman.  

Last night when I was vacuuming at 7:30pm, I said to Gene, "I finally feel like my old self again!  I actually have motivation to DO stuff again!"  

Sitting around (like I've been doing since December) is not me.  I like to be productive and see my to-do list shortening.  

So, thank you, 2nd trimester.  I'm looking forward to a very productive 3 months with you.

Love,

Preggo Mama