The Birth Story, in Gory Detail (though not too gory I hope)

Notice what I say in the title of this post about gory detail. I would hide the rest of the article for those who do not wish to read it, but I don't know how to do that.

Saturday morning Michael and I moved quantities of frozen food from a deep freeze out in Coaling to one at another friend's house less than a mile away. Saturday evening Michael picked up the crib that John and Linda are loaning us to use with Isaac.

Anna Grace went shopping with me earlier on Saturday afternoon. It was the first chance we'd had to do anything together in a while besides cookie making at Cori's house the Tuesday before. At one point I told her I thought I might be having a contraction, but it's always been hard for me to tell throughout this pregnancy because not only have the been painless, but they've been few and far between.

That evening I noticed a hemorrhoid had developed, and I thought, "Damn that Starbucks. Every time I go there with Anna this happens."

Someone from Michael's office had given us a gift certificate to Longhorn Steakhouse on Friday. It was a long shot, but I asked Anna Grace before church Sunday morning whether she and Ben would be willing to sit with Parker for us so that Michael and I could go out. Typically when family lunch at the Bishop's has been canceled, Ben and Anna will try to have lunch with members of the youth group or their shepherding group, but this day they set aside their normal plans to let us go out. It was so nice for the two of us to be out alone together, even if only for a little while. Rarely do we have the opportunity for a date.

Damon came over to watch Hancock Sunday afternoon and he and Michael put the crib together that evening. I had gotten the mattress from Cori just that Tuesday.

Sunday evening Michael asked me if I could read to Parker and put him to bed. He could tell by looking at me, however, that I was tired and didn't feel up to it, so offered to go ahead and do it instead. Parker then requested that mommy read to him, something he never does, so I got to read to my darling in the evening before going into labor that night.

Normally I cannot sleep until Michael comes to bed, which he often doesn't do until 10:30 or 11:00. This evening he came to bed at 11:00 after checking in on Parker, and that's when it started. Literally. Michael got into bed, and I hopped out, thinking that I had just experienced the final indignity of pregnancy, a total loss of bladder control.

Beware gory details: I seriously thought that I had lost bladder control. It didn't matter that there seemed to be much more fluid involved than this could explain. I didn't bother to turn on the light in the bathroom, because at night I rarely do. I grabbed a sanitary napkin and tried to go back to bed. When I returned to the bathroom only moments later I noticed the napkin had turned pink, but I thought that was what it did when it got wet, having never used this particular brand before.

Then I became aware of the contractions. They were close, and they hurt, but I wanted to time them to be sure. I didn't want to be one of those women who goes into the hospital on a false alarm. We waited probably 45 minutes before even calling the hospital.

When Dr. Emig asked me if I'd had any unusual discharge I said I didn't think so. I didn't realize that what I was experiencing had anything to do with amniotic fluid.

Dr. Edwards had checked me the Wednesday before, and there had been no activity. He had told me Isaac probably wasn't going to be a Christmas baby, and to try to wait to have him until he was back in the office the following week. So far Dr. Edwards hasn't gotten to deliver either of my babies, but I think he's a great doctor anyway.

Dr. Emig told me she didn't usually have mother's come in unless they were in pain, and I assured her that I was. She told me to come on.

We arrived at the hospital at 1:3o Monday morning. I wanted an epidural. I didn't get one. Isaac was born at 2:58 a.m. Labor took a total of four hours.

When the nurse checked me I was three or four centimeters dilated. When the doctor admitted me I was five. They had trouble getting my blood sample, because veins that are usually easy to tap wouldn't bleed. The IV was difficult to establish. There was some other problem with one of the machines. The anesthesiologist didn't have time to get there.

I didn't call Jill because at first I didn't want to wake her up if this were nothing, and later because I didn't want to insult the nurses in attendance. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, because labor was so fast she probably wouldn't have been able to get there in time. I got to spend some time with her in the hospital anyway.

Delivery was hard, and it was painful, but it was fast, and the recovery was wonderful. I was able to walk around within hours, and the pain has been entirely manageable, apart from the headaches that recur from lack of sleep. I have stitches, but they have caused me fairly little discomfort.

Isaac is perfect, although his feet and hands remind me of a little bird's, long and often flexed at odd angles. He has very little body fat, and his knees stay bent much of the time. They tell me this is because he had very little room to move around prior to birth, although he was always a kicker from early on. The most uncomfortable aspect of pregnancy was how often he would catch me in the ribs.

We're still getting used to each other, but he seems to get a little cuter everyday. Even though he doesn't look a lot like Parker to me, there are things about him that remind me of Parker when he was that small. At some point I'd like to post pictures of both of them.

Timing-Provision/God has been Very Good

Isaac, gentleman that he is, waited to arrive until after Michael's immediate obligations as special events deacon at Grace had been fulfilled. He chose to come before my Dad had to commit to whether or not he would travel to New Orleans to lecture for the Marine Corp. He waited until after Michael and I had the opportunity to go to lunch alone together just that afternoon.

I have often been disappointed in thinking about the neat ways God hasn't provided for us and for our needs. He's never given me an automobile out of the blue (something I have always dreamed would happen). He's never given us a specific amount of money immediately before or after we have needed.

But here's what He has done.

We needed a baby bed and mattress for Isaac to sleep on. John and Linda are loaning us a bed. Cori has provided a mattress. We needed a place for Isaac to sleep until he's old enough to make it through the night without nursing, when he'll join Parker. Shelly bought us a bassinet for a dollar at a yard sale. We needed a cover for the bassinet. Elizabeth had that would fit.

The automatic breast pump I need to establish nursing has been provided without cost beyond it's use of electricity. Heather and Anna Grace were available without question to spend parts of the night with Parker the night Isaac arrived.

Isaac has diapers because Michael's office gave us a diaper shower the Friday before Isaac was born. Linda watched Parker while I got my driver's license renewed only the weekend before.

Anna gave me clothes to wear the last couple of months of my pregnancy. Isaac has clothes to wear because Laura and Tina and Elizabeth and others gave us their old ones. Isaac has his own new blankets thanks to Pam and others. My parents live close by so there was never any question of where Parker would stay while Michael and I were at the hospital with Isaac.

Our kitchen range was dying, and so Michael's parents helped us to purchase a new one over Thanksgiving. My parents have bought us groceries since Isaac has been here, as well as various household needs. My mom often buys me clothes when I need them and she's available to help me with the boys until I adjust to nursing with a two year-0ld in the house. Daniel and Shannon were able to be here the day Isaac arrived.

Our mortgage is low, which as been a tremendous help in coping with the rising costs of living. We get the dependant tax exemption for 2008 even though we had no expectation. God didn't exactly GIVE us a car, but in reality He did, because we were able to buy a mini-van this year from someone we know and trust, who provided a complete maintenance history and even had the oil changed and the tires rotated after the sales agreement had been made. Best of all, two car seats fit in it easily, which they never could have in our other car.

We have our own washer and dryer this time around to cope with the tremendous amounts of laundry a new baby generates.

Michael has been able to take time off work to be with me and Parker and Isaac with very little difficulty, and he's off again tomorrow for New Years.

How has God not provided for us?

He is good anyway, by the way, apart from anything He may or may not do for us. I have to tempt disaster and thank Him because this is His due.

Making Room

I think it is funny that while my mom is always telling me I should do something with my interior design degree, both she and Michael are better space planners than I am.

Michael is responsible for the only living room arrangement that has ever worked for us in our living room space. Yesterday my mom came over to help me get ready for Isaac. I had already done some rearranging of Parker's room, but she suggested a couple of additional changes. When Michael came home at the end of the day and saw what had been done in Parker's room he said, "Wow, this is a more efficient use of space."

It isn't perfect. My rocking chair is no longer next to the bookshelf, so choosing books at bedtime will be a little more tricky. And we still have to put some of Parker's toys into an organized rotation, but with the work my mom did yesterday, decisions about rotating toys are going to be a whole lot easier. Also, she found a way that we can keep the chest of drawers in Parker's room so I'll have some of the storage space I'll need with an even smaller child in the house.

I'm feeling better about fitting Isaac into our home.

Update

Yay! I passed my test no problem. I do not have gestational diabetes and I am quite hungry. Parker had fun playing with Granna at the park while I had my finger pricked four times in just over three hours.

What a Week

This has been quite the busy weekend.

Wednesday we were graced by the presence of various guests. My Uncle Billy and Aunt Barbara drove in from Georgia for an all too brief visit. They came bearing gifts for Parker from a yard sale given by my cousins. We visited on the front porch of my house, as the weather was so nice. Parker enjoyed seeing them.

Thursday, of course, I failed my one-hour blood glucose test.

Friday morning Parker and I left the house early to pick Granna up so we could all attend the Little Lambs Consignment Sale at First United Methodist downtown. We were there a full two hours.

I am claustrophobic, which means it is nearly impossible for me to enter an aisle that is already jammed with people. This becomes a distinct disadvantage when it comes to huge consignment sales. Thankfully my mom was with me. We found winter clothes for Parker, the random toy or two, as well as a crib mobile for the coming baby, and some maternity clothes for me. By the time were were finished I was numb. The ability to make decisions soon evaporated.

Friday evening I had one of those lovely emotional breakdowns that come about as the natural product of pregnancy. The fact that I haven't yet started taking my iron supplements doesn't help. The catalyst for this was a disastrous last-minute trip to Winn-Dixie which resulted in the purchase of eight containers of Yoplait Yogurt for 75c each. I'll rail against Winn-Dixie and other grocery stores that require the use of a plastic card to obtain sales prices, and cashiers who ignore their customers very existence, on some other occasion.

Saturday we celebrated Parker's birthday with my family, along with a brief visit from Heather and Ceilidh. This only after having portraits made for our church's new photo directory, photos we chose not even to see since we knew it wasn't a good time for us to buy. I don't think the photographer was well pleased by our lack of interest. I spent the entire day getting ready for both events and washing all of the clothing purchased on consignment the day before. Parker failed to nap at all on Saturday.

Today I learned how to use a baby sling, and I attended the memorial service for an acquaintance whose passing has made me very sad. Tomorrow I go in for the three hour blood-glucose test. I can have nothing but water after midnight tonight. Tomorrow morning they'll give me twice as much of the sugar soda to drink, and I will have my finger pricked every hour for three hours thereafter. I have to pass two out of three finger-pricks. If I fail I will go on a diabetic diet for the remainder of my pregnancy, but the doctor doesn't expect me to fail and neither do I. I wish I didn't have to go in for another test however. It would have been so much more convenient to get it over with the first time.

I had hoped to post some pictures, but the device doesn't seem to be working this evening.

How I'm Feeling and What Parker Did at Graduation

I was amazed at how well Parker behaved at my brother's graduation this afternoon. He sat in Michael's lap the greater part of the time and ate snacks from the zip lock bag I packed. He borrowed my water, which was in an orange thermal cup he's attracted to, and spilled it down the front of his shirt. I accidentally sprayed a girl in front of us with water from his cup when I opened it, only after beaming her in the head with the wheels from our umbrella stroller upon arrival. But Parker--he did great!

I haven't exactly been nauseous beyond that week when I was really sick, but psychosomatically ever since I found out I was pregnant I have felt strange. I took an hour long nap before leaving the house this afternoon and I never do that. I had no stomach for lunch, although I ate raw fruit and carrot sticks after the graduation ceremony with no problem. I feel like there is evidence of life in there, including the fact that I had to excuse myself to the bathroom twice during the ceremony.

Maybe I'll feel good through my first trimester this time. We'll just have to wait and see.

Funny Little Worries of Expectation

It's funny how much more worried I am about my pregnancy this time around. Last time I remember only being thrilled--concerned about finishing my education, of course, but still thrilled. I'm thrilled this time too, its just that the first time I didn't know much of what was going on, besides which I think we detected the pregnancy when Parker was already several weeks further along. I'm worried that we'll go in at the end of the month for the first ultrasound and not be able to detect a heartbeat. I'm worried that there might not really be a baby in there.

I was thinking about this in the shower this morning. The fact that we'll be bringing another child into this world in nine (make that eight) months is God's choice, not ours. That means that if anything happens to this baby it will be God's choice as well. We as followers of Christ have chosen to accept whatever comes to us from His hand, whether pleasant or unpleasant. There are all kinds of rational reasons why this sort of argument is offensive. Ayn Rand, who I'm reading right now, would certainly not be pleased. But that's where we are. Michael is the one who has reminded me of this ever since we found the promise of what is to be.

Of course after writing this down I have one more thing to worry about: if I say I have faith it almost follows that that faith will be tested. Sometimes it's a curse to know too much about how the world tends to work. Dare I even publish this?

I dare.

You'll Know You're Pregnant If...

I'm so tired. I was composing in my head as we drove home this evening, but now I don't remember what I was going to say. Blame it on "mommy-brain." How about this:

You know you're pregnant if ...
the thought of visiting the bank to close that account that's needlessly costing you $9.00 a month fills you with dread. Okay, that one may be only me.

You know you're pregnant if ...
you drop socks on the floor every time you take a step toward getting the laundry done. That one might be only me as well.

You know you're pregnant if ...
reading about "elimination patterns" in the new mommy literature causes you to burst into tears.

You know you're pregnant if ...
the sight of your brother graduating from college also causes you to burst into tears. Those were some serious tears, just ask my husband.

By the way, Little House on the Prairie is NOT pregnancy friendly programming. When a pregnant Laura collapsed from exhaustion and possible heat stroke in the episode we saw last night it was quite alarming. That doesn't mean that we'll stop watching it, though.