Please Welcome…

Aurora Grace! Born on November 17th at 5:26 p.m. Weighing in at a surprising 8 pounds 2 ounces, and is 21 1/4 inches tall.

Here is our little Rory, fresh outta the hatch.

Grandpa and Grandma, Rory and one very relieved, happy Mommy.

My best friend, Melissa, who works up in labor and delivery was able to be there for the birth.

Luscious lips and lots of hair.

Just hanging out in our room, waiting to go home.

Our CNA called her a “Sugar Bear” which I thought was super cute.

I will have more pictures and the whole birth story later on.

I also wanted to thank you all for your prayers and kind words about my bonus mother-in-law Cheryl. She is no longer with us, and we believe she is in a much better place now. Cheryl was an admirer of eagles, and as her husband, my father-in-law, Brad said, “the eagle is now soaring.” We do and will miss her tremendously though, and could certainly still use your prayers as we all grieve together.

My, How Much Things Can Change in a Week

Things are different here. The weather is changing from that nice warm fall weather I adore, to the chilly, windy beginning of winter weather. The storm clouds are looming, and the leaves are all on the ground being scattered this way and that. (That being said… the lighting is really yucky to take another belly shot, and I don’t feel like getting out of my p.j.’s- so I’ll just leave the last belly shot. It’s a good one anyway.)

We are all feeling quite a bit better. There is still a cough here and there and the colder air makes us have to blow our noses, but we are for all intents and purposes well. I went to my midwife appointment Wednesday and had some good news. My platelettes had gone up to 130- which is on the low side, but within the normal range! Good, good, good. We also cancelled any plans to induce, and this was perfectly okay with my midwife. I’m telling you… the thought of having an induction was really causing me a large amount of anxiety. I ended up getting a migraine on Tuesday… Now, all is peaceful in pregnant-mama land, and I feel like I can relax, and let my body “get down to business” all on its own. If I don’t deliver before then, I’ll go see my midwife again next Wednesday… and we’ll make sure baby girl is doing well, and then we’ll go from there.

In other news, my family is going through a hard time right now. I’m not sure how much I’m at liberty to speak about on my blog right here, but do ask for your fervent prayers for my mother-in-law, Cheryl. We could really use a miracle.

39 Weeks and 2 Days

This could very well be my last belly shot. There’s no telling when she might arrive or if I will have time to take another shot between now and then. I’m very much looking forward to her arrival for many reasons, and suspect I might cry with relief when she finally gets here. There has been talk of inducing labor at some point late next week or the week after, which honestly makes me quite nervous. So I’m praying for labor to happen safely and naturally, though my top concern is absolutely my daughter’s health. So if an induction must happen to ensure that, then so be it. Either way… we get a baby out of the deal, right!

In other news… we are all still mending from our sickness last week. We are on our feet, but each one of us seems to have a lingering cough, and wee bit of congestion. Hopefully those will clear up here before the end of the weekend! In the meantime, I plan to go through the house with a “clorox-soaked fine tooth comb” and try to sanitize everything.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Hope all of you are doing well and staying healthy!

Mums the Word

So sorry (yet again) that I’ve been rather silent. I’ve been rather sick for the last 8 days, and haven’t wanted to bore/depress you with ranting about that. But I guess the truth is, sometimes you just need to let it out. I’ve been sick. Waaaaahhhhh! Couldn’t tell you what I’ve been sick with, meaning, no I don’t know if it was the H1N1 virus. But fortunately for me and the rest of my family, none of us have been so bad that we’ve had to be hospitalized (the only way they will test you to see if that is what you have.) All symptoms in all members of my family (every single one of us) point to “yeah, probably.” Even so… I’m still re-evaluating my decision to not get the vaccination, because if this wasn’t that dreaded virus… than that means we can still get it, and that kind of freaks me out. Normally, I’m not one of those people who gets all up in arms about the flu season, but this year is different. Yes, having a baby in November (or any other flue season months) is pretty scary. So yeah… don’t get pregnant during the beginning months of the year. Spring and summer are the best times to have your babies!
Meanwhile, since I AM the pregnant lady, I seem to be taking the longest to get better. I am also the one taking all the immune boosters too. Vitamin C, L-Lysine, Chlorella, Prenatal Multi-Vitamin… which is also probably why I didn’t get completely knocked on my rear with it, but still… If I go into labor anytime soon (I’m due exactly a week from today) all I’ll need to do is cough, and she’ll come right out. 🙂 Ha ha.
So there you have it… the being sick rant. I know it will be over soon, but sometimes…like I said, you just need to let it out. All that being said, I really am getting better, I can tell… it’s just slow going. But slow and steady wins the race, right? I am sooo very much a turtle. No wonder they’re my favorite animal. 😉
Oh, and just so you know, baby girl is doing just fine. She has wiggled and stretched, and kicked, and hiccuped her way throughout the whole thing. I think she is more than ready to come out.