We'll I'll Be!

I guess it's been a while since I've posted, huh? You probably think I owe you an update, don't ya?

Shortly after I posted that entry, I decided I was tired of the frequent trips to the hospital for the unexplained swelling in my feet, legs, hands, arms, face, eyelids, etc..., so I out a call into the OB office and left a message for Dr. Sylvester to ask her about induction and if we could discuss it at our next appointment that Wednesday. Come to find out, we wouldn't need to- her nurse called me and told me to meet Dr. S at the hospital in one hour. I still had 3 weeks to go, so OF COURSE I didn't have a thread of clothing packed. Nada. Didn't have the proper paperwork filed at work either for maternity leave. I guess I took care of it in a flurry of e-mails and time clocks, because I still had a job when I got back.
I make the proper phone calls- Brian, my mom, my dad- and get the show on the road. Luckily, when I got home I did have a bag of clothes packed, but they were from a trip to the lake a few weeks prior. No matter, there was clean underwear and toothpaste in there. I was happy. Then I start slinging flat irons, hair dryers, make up bags, you know- all the things you THINK you'll have time for. "No way in hell are you going to take pictures of me looking like crap when I'm in labor" echoes in my head. I was SUCH a fool!
Oh, yeah- I've forgotten all about Brian. I have no idea what he was doing at this point, but I'm sure I was yelling at him for it.
So we get to the hospital, I've got my bags at my sides like I'm checking into a five star resort, I'm all Twittered and Facebooked up, I'm checked in, I've paid my co-pay (cause LORD knows they want that front and center), so now I sit and wait. I play on my iPhone. I try and figure out why I'm not a sweaty mess like Brian. I wait some more. They I deduce I'm just too stupid to be nervous. That's it! I'm not afraid because I don't know what to be afraid of! Well, up until that point, I knew I wasn't a big fan of catherters, but the nurse assured me they don't do those til after the epidureal. So I think of things to be worried about. (just a little insight, I'm not happy unless I'm worried about something) Nothing comes up. I'm really just excited to meet this little boy.
Finally, my number is called and we move from the waiting room to my birthing suite and get settled in. I'm decked out in this silly green drape that doesn't even attempt to cover my tail, and about that moment I realize that I am mooning California Street. My sincere apologies if you were lucky enough to catch that full moon! I get in the bed, they hook me up to the monitors, I hear his heartbeat, my blood pressure is taken every so often, and life is good. Obviously I forgot to worry about an I.V., because they roll one in, and it's then I realize I'm in a literal world of hurt because if I am afraid of a needle, then maybe child bearing and child rearing is outta my league. Nurse Niceynice (where's the sarcasm font?) jabs me in my left arm and I swear the needle is sticking in my bone it hurts so badly! Then she tapes it there. Whatta wench! Fluids start dripping in and they feel cold, and soon I've forgotten about that mean nurse and that needle sticking out of my bone. I guess it was around 5:00 pm when they started my pitocin drip. The screen says my contractions are coming stronger, but I don't feel them. Again, I chalk it up to just being too dumb to know what hurts. I knew that needle in my dang bone hurt, but pitocin didn't phase me. Finally, I started feeling contractions- they merely felt like my stomach muscles tightening, but still no pain. I'm laughing and joking the entire time, trying to keep my mind off when the "real pain" was going to show up. So around 9:00, Dr. S shows up, and within minutes she breaks my water. "You should start to feel the pitocin working any minute" she said, but I didn't make it to the end of that sentence. Suddenly my insides decided they were going to turn themselves inside out, and I couldn't even think of how to handle it, so I covered my head with a pillow and cried silently because I so badly wanted to be "tough." Now, I should add too that I was under the impression that I could tough it out for a little bit before getting the eipdureal. WRONG. I didn't make it three contractions worth. About 20 minutes later, the anestesiologist (I hope spell check fixes that for me) shows up, and THANK GOD I was in the middle of a huge contraction when he pulled out that needle because apparently those suckers are 6in+ long! In all honestly, I was more afraid of the epi needle than the actual act of giving birth, and when I weighed the lesser of the two evils, unmedicated birth won. At least in my pre-contraction mind. Brooke's mind-post-contraction just short of demanded an epi.
Where's Brian this whole time? I'm sorry, but so much was happening that I don't remember. Oh yeah, he was in the corner eating Andes mints and Gardettos mix. I was so hungry and angry! (I wasn't allowed anything to eat). But to his defense, he was truly a wonderful supporter to have in my corner that day. Even if he was foolish enough to eat in front of a starving pregnant lady.
Well, time marched on, and the epi kicked in. It started to get late and we were all tired, so it was off to sleep.
It was around 11:00 pm or so when they came in and told me they wanted to hook me up to an oxygen mask because the baby's oxygen levels were dropping. Momentarily scary, but once I was on the mask for a minute, things evened out. I'd say it was around 2:00 am when I was ready to push, and by 4:00 am, I was getting nervous that I'd have to have a C-Section. So in effort to try and be cool, I carried on and jokes like nothing was wrong. I scoffed at them when they tried to bring the full sized mirror in, because really- no one needs to see that. I pointed out the blood (not mine, at least I think) on the ceiling and made a dumb joke about that to try and keep my cool up. Things were going slow for going on 2 hours of pushing, so I inquired if I was at any risk of having to have a C-Section. When I didn't get a clear "no," I knew it was time to get down to business. And that we did, and at 4:30 am, my life changed forever. All in that instant, I felt such a gush- like my heart was ripped from my body. I looked around, honestly not knowing what was going on- I was in shock. All that work- all those long sleepless nights, all those sweet little kicks in my tummy, all those pleasant trips every hour on the hour to the bathroom, just gone. Here on my chest was this perfect little stranger, yet I knew his face in an instant as if we'd met hundreds of times. I was all he'd ever known, but here I am trying to catch up. "Happy Birthday little man, I've waited such a long time to meet you" I muster in the tears. I swear he smiled.
Oh, yeah, you're probably wondering where Brian was. Brian was standing strong by my side, crying right along with me. Looking at his son in amazement as the idea of this little being took a real life form and the reality of a family was setting in deep. I could see in his eyes the excitement he felt- it was the excitement you feel when you know you've gotten someone an awesome gift that you can't wait for them to open mixed with the same look when you have butterflies in your stomach when you see the one you know you are destined to be with for the rest of your life- only multiplied by infinity plus two. But you know me, I can't stand to be mushy for too long, as I fear it will soften me. "Go take some pictures of our son and quit staring at me, you big dummy!" I laugh through the tears.
So is the story of Sid's entrance into this world. That was six months ago, and all at the same time if feels like a lifetime ago and only yesterday. It's so cliche, but he is really the most important thing in this entire world to me and I only hope I can give him the very best.

The best is yet to come:)

Eviction Notice

Date: September 9th

To the tenant in possesion of below described premises:
I am issuing an 14 day notice for eviction. You will have 14 days in which you can either gather your belongings and promtly vacate the premises, or wait until the final day. After which, you will be physically removed from the property.

You are being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the front of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed. Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made.

Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor changing the initial layout and structure. And due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper and lower levels of the home. Ontop of which, the landlord has received numerous complaints about nightly disturbances.
After 14 days from this day that you don't comply with the notice will result in immediate and forceful removal at my discretion.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Mom

38 Weeks...

Sleep: Is overrated.

Best moment this week: Knowing the end is near.

Movement: Slowed down, but he really is out of room in there!

Food cravings: None really.

Belly Button in or out? Losing it..

What I miss: Getting out of bed/off the couch/in and out of the car/out of my chair... with ease.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Sidney finally!

Weekly Wisdom: Only 2 more weeks...

Milestones: Today I solemly swear that I will never pull apart another wishbone, because I now know what it feels like. And it's not fun.

38 Long Weeks

Not much going on in there, except this baby is getting fat!

Follow Sidney's Progress!!

The big day is getting closer and closer! For those of you on my Facebook, I will be posting updates as soon as possible, but for those of you who do not have a Facebook, you can follow us on Twitter. You don't have to be signed up, all you have to do it click on this link (or copy and paste)- http://www.twitter.com/sewdef for all the latest and greatest:)

Nursery Pics (still in progress)

Guess I should hurry, huh? Here's what we have done so far.

The Closet

The Stroller- assembled by Brian:)

The Crib and car cutouts. Brian did an excellent job getting those on the wall!

Someone's Confused

Scooter thinks this is all for him. Poor fella is going to be in for quite a rude awakening!

The Survey

Sleep: I'm fully prepared to never experience it again.

Best moment this week: Brian's birthday and spending some quality time together:)

Movement: Mommy's ribs are fun to play with apparently.

Food cravings: Cream cheese.

Belly Button in or out? Evaporating before my very eyes!

What I miss: Oh, there's a long list.

What I am looking forward to: See above.

Weekly Wisdom: Only 3 more weeks... Only 3 more weeks...

Milestones: Today Sidney is full term, so if he wants to come early his little lungs should be fully capable of screaming as loud as he wants!

37 Weeks

It's September and Sidney's full term!!

How your baby's growing:
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

36 Weeks

Oops! We were at the lake:)

35 Week Survey

Sleep: I miss it:(

Best moment this week: The one night that I did sleep 8 hours straight, with the help of a glass of wine- don't worry, Dr said it was ok. It's even recommended occasionally.

Movement: Getting few and far between, but he's running out of room in there, so it's expected.

Food cravings: Chocolate ice cream and cottage cheese, but not together.

Belly Button in or out? Still got it!

What I miss: Pants without huge elastic waists that make my stomach itch.

What I am looking forward to: Pants that don't have huge elastic waists that make my stomach itch.

Weekly Wisdom: "It is not physically possible to be pregnant forever."

Milestones: Just getting closer every day!

35 Weeks

Theoretically only 5 weeks to go!

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Home Makeover Post, Take Two

Ok, internet. Please do not eat this entry. I have learned how to outsmart you and will be saving my work periodically this time.

Here is an update to all the work we have been doing on our house lately. If you are on my Facebook, you've seen these already- they're just organized into albums now. But if you (read: my mother) don't have a FB account, then these pictures are brand new to you and I hope you enjoy them.

And furthermore, I'd like to thank my Mom and Dad for all of the hard work they have done to make this a reality. Without their guidance and several weekends of hard work and sacrifice, Brian and I would probably still be at square one. Thank you guys for helping us preparing a home that CPS won't be tempted to take Sidney out of. (just a joke about the CPS thing, funny ha-ha)

AND ON WITH THE PICTURES! Keep in mind, this is still a work in progress- more pictures to follow in the coming days/weeks.

Sidney's Room
Upstairs Bathroom
Downstairs Bathroom
Gameroom/Family Room
Miscelaneous B&A's

Total Home Makeover!!

I hate you internet for erasing all my html code that I JUST ENTERED!!! I'll be back to fix you when I've cooled down.

34 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.




How far along? 34 weeks


Sleep: Between peeing 9 times a night and killer leg cramps, not a whole lot. Guess I'll be used to it here soon!

Best moment this week: Last night laying on the couch watching Sid dance in my belly while Brian played his mandolin.

Movement: Not as frequent as it used to be, but the jabs and kicks are much stronger.

Food cravings: A milkshake from Hardees. Yum!

Belly Button in or out? Still got it!

What I miss: Vodka.

What I am looking forward to: Vodka.

Weekly Wisdom: "It is not physically possible to be pregnant forever."

Milestones: 34 weeks means that the Dr. will not try to stop labor at this point. Exciting and scary all at the same time!

Newsflash!

The handy dandy ticker down at the bottom of this page has informed me that I only have 50 days to go. Guess I should get some bags packed, huh?

33 Week Survey

I almost forgot the best part- the part where I get to be sarcastic!

How far along? 33 weeks into my 40 sentence. (I kid, I kid)

Total weight gain/loss: A lot.

Stretch marks? Still got them, even though they seem to be fading a little.

Sleep: Averaging 4 hours a week now. You read that correctly.

Best moment this week: Our baby shower. It was awesome!

Movement: Lots of punches and kicks when I finally get settled in the bed.

Food cravings: Nothing in particular, just lots of it.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, amazingly.

What I miss: Getting out of bed/off the couch/in and out of the car with ease.

What I am looking forward to: Finally getting the nursery set up.

Weekly Wisdom: Patience, Prudence.

Milestones: Getting closer to full term, where I will not disagree with Sidney if he feels he's just had enough of my uterus and wants out!

33 Weeks

EEK! That means only 7 to go! And I double checked the calendar and I'm on the right week this time, even if I'm jumping the gun a day early;)

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Baby Shower!!

This past Saturday was my baby shower, and I had so much fun! My sister in law Erin and mother in law Lynn were in charge of the festivities, and they did such a good job:) The food was great, the games were fun, and all in all, everyone had a wonderful time- I know I did! And a special thanks to Stephanie for writing up our very own personalized Baby Mad Lib- it was hilarious! (Will be posting it here soon for all to read) And of course, Sidney was literally showered with presents- he is so lucky to have so many people that love him!

Here's is a picture of what I could fit on his changing table we received- there's tons more, and I can't wait to get it all set up in his room!

What's been going on at the Dawson's

We've been hard at work, with the help of my mom and dad, on finishing the downstairs gameroom/family room, and now our first project is done! Here's some pictures- we're still in the decoration process, so it's not totally done just yet:)

Before


And after







And since that project is getting wrapped up, we've been hard at work on Sidney's room. We're about 50% done in there, and hope to have it done by next weekend- here's some progress pics.









The floors in Sid's room need to be sanded and refinished, so we're gonna bring in the belt sander next weekend and get that taken care of. Then all that will be left is the fun stuff- decorating!