Now begins the real parenting: the honeymoon is over; my mom went home, and now it's just me and the kids. He is a sweet little baby, but it is still an adjustment with Elliot and Dottie. She is always trying to touch him, and she doesn't really know her own strength. I want her to be affectionate with him, but she's just a little rough sometimes. Emily has really helped me out, though. She took Dottie today for the afternoon, so I was able to get a nap and get myself organized. And I'm just enjoying this sweet little baby.
Well, we got pictures with the kids while my mom was here at Sears. Yes, we were crazy and took out a week old baby to get his pictures taken. You can view the pictures at searsportrait.com and click View My Pictures. My login email is charky.anne@gmail.com and the password is charbar. You'll especially enjoy the pictures of Dottie. She is obsessed with dress-up clothes, as I've mentioned before. So she's wearing her favorite dress-up outfit and looks as girly as can be.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Welcome, Baby Boy (Elliot Isaac Hansen)
I FINALLY had our Baby Boy, Mr. Elliot Isaac Hansen! And the good news is I didn't have to be induced (well, not really). He came three days early, on Sunday January 13. I started having contractions last Sunday at 3:30 in the morning, although they were 20 minutes apart. So I took naps between contractions. As I got ready in the morning, they got progressively worse and closer together. We decided to walk around the mall to help things along (don't worry -- we weren't Sabbath breakers -- I just needed a warm place to walk). The contractions got to be 4-5 minutes apart. So I called the doctor, dropped Dottie off at Em's church, and got admitted. However, since I was sitting still for like an hour, my contractions slowed down considerably. I never was one to have consistent labor. The doctor had me walk around for an hour, and then he told me he'd give me petocin to help move things along. Bless the man.
So, I took the petocin, and then labor really started to kick in after about an hour or so. I got the epidural. At this point, I was at a 4. We started to watch "24" season 2, and I started to have real pain. After a few painful contractions, I called the nurse and told her the epidural wasn't working. She checked me, and I was at a 10! I went from a 4 to a 10 in a half hour. She rushed out of the room, and told me not to push. And boy, I was having the pushing sensation. I was having labor with all of the pain. So they located the doctor, and I pushed the baby out in 6 minutes and 5 contractions. It was such bad pain that I was strongly motivated to have it over with.
And there he was, our beautiful baby boy, born at 5:01 p.m. He is so beautiful! I think he's so well-formed because he came out so fast. His head is perfectly round. He was 7 pounds 8 oz. when he was born and 20 inches long. So I was enjoying life and our new baby boy, and then I started to have real pain, pain that turned into something worse than labor. I called the nurse, she gave me more drugs; it didn't even touch the pain. They moved me upstairs into my recovery room, and I then I tried to go to the bathroom. I was so swollen I couldn't go to the bathroom. The nurse who was helping me saw how swollen I was and said I had a hematoma. It's a deep internal bruise, basically. A blood vessel snapped and shut down several other blood vessels. I was so swollen, I had to lay on my side and clutch onto the bed for comfort. So, this nurse called the doctor to see if I could get some stronger drugs. They gave me a narcotic in an IV, and that helped a bit more. The doctor came in to see me and decided I needed surgery. So at 3:30 in the morning, I got a spinal block, the doctor located the vessel causing the problem, and drained the blood to stop the swelling.
I think this happened because I pushed the little guy out so fast, it just damaged my body. I wouldn't worry about this ever happening to you -- my doctor said he's only seen 4 hematomas in 14 years of delivering babies. I ended up staying in the hospital longer than normal, since I was still swollen, couldn't walk, and couldn't go to the bathroom. Finally, I went home on Wednesday evening. I still am sore, and the recovery will be a couple weeks longer than a normal labor recovery, but I'm feeling a lot better. I'm on four different drugs to help me out.
I was blessed with a very very good baby, however. He sleeps ALL THE TIME, morning, evening, and night. And he nurses well. Nursing and sleeping are his favorite things. He hardly ever cries. The only time he cries is when I change his diaper, because there were complications with his circumcision that required him to get stitches. So you can't blame him for crying. But I just love him. Little Elliot has the sweetest disposition. Dottie even likes him. At first she didn't know what to think -- I think she thought we had traded her in because she lived at Emily's house until Thursday morning. But now that she is home, she is very cute with him. My mom is here to help out, so there is always someone paying attention to her. We are so blessed. So blessed.
This is Elliot an hour after he was born. He and I are still in shock from the birthing process.
I think he has the Joe Hansen furrowed brow.
We had to make Dottie hold the baby -- she was watching "Hairspray" and cared more about that.
This is Elliot with his eyes slightly open.
My mom and the precious.
Emmy and baby.
So, I took the petocin, and then labor really started to kick in after about an hour or so. I got the epidural. At this point, I was at a 4. We started to watch "24" season 2, and I started to have real pain. After a few painful contractions, I called the nurse and told her the epidural wasn't working. She checked me, and I was at a 10! I went from a 4 to a 10 in a half hour. She rushed out of the room, and told me not to push. And boy, I was having the pushing sensation. I was having labor with all of the pain. So they located the doctor, and I pushed the baby out in 6 minutes and 5 contractions. It was such bad pain that I was strongly motivated to have it over with.
And there he was, our beautiful baby boy, born at 5:01 p.m. He is so beautiful! I think he's so well-formed because he came out so fast. His head is perfectly round. He was 7 pounds 8 oz. when he was born and 20 inches long. So I was enjoying life and our new baby boy, and then I started to have real pain, pain that turned into something worse than labor. I called the nurse, she gave me more drugs; it didn't even touch the pain. They moved me upstairs into my recovery room, and I then I tried to go to the bathroom. I was so swollen I couldn't go to the bathroom. The nurse who was helping me saw how swollen I was and said I had a hematoma. It's a deep internal bruise, basically. A blood vessel snapped and shut down several other blood vessels. I was so swollen, I had to lay on my side and clutch onto the bed for comfort. So, this nurse called the doctor to see if I could get some stronger drugs. They gave me a narcotic in an IV, and that helped a bit more. The doctor came in to see me and decided I needed surgery. So at 3:30 in the morning, I got a spinal block, the doctor located the vessel causing the problem, and drained the blood to stop the swelling.
I think this happened because I pushed the little guy out so fast, it just damaged my body. I wouldn't worry about this ever happening to you -- my doctor said he's only seen 4 hematomas in 14 years of delivering babies. I ended up staying in the hospital longer than normal, since I was still swollen, couldn't walk, and couldn't go to the bathroom. Finally, I went home on Wednesday evening. I still am sore, and the recovery will be a couple weeks longer than a normal labor recovery, but I'm feeling a lot better. I'm on four different drugs to help me out.
I was blessed with a very very good baby, however. He sleeps ALL THE TIME, morning, evening, and night. And he nurses well. Nursing and sleeping are his favorite things. He hardly ever cries. The only time he cries is when I change his diaper, because there were complications with his circumcision that required him to get stitches. So you can't blame him for crying. But I just love him. Little Elliot has the sweetest disposition. Dottie even likes him. At first she didn't know what to think -- I think she thought we had traded her in because she lived at Emily's house until Thursday morning. But now that she is home, she is very cute with him. My mom is here to help out, so there is always someone paying attention to her. We are so blessed. So blessed.
This is Elliot an hour after he was born. He and I are still in shock from the birthing process.
Me and my bebe.
Daddy and his boy.
These are pictures from today. Elliot looks like this most of the time -- sweetly asleep.
I think he has the Joe Hansen furrowed brow.
We had to make Dottie hold the baby -- she was watching "Hairspray" and cared more about that.
This is Elliot with his eyes slightly open.
My mom and the precious.
Me and my bebe. I lost my contacts somewhere in the hospital.
Emmy and baby.
Another one with eyes slightly open. The right eye opens better than the left.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Pre-Labor Haze
I'm still alive, and I'm still pregnant for all of you who were concerned for my well-being. I've been suffering from a "pre-labor haze," as I like to call it. That's why it's been so long since I've posted. I'm just not cut out for the end of pregnancy . . . all of the waiting and anxious expectation. When will the baby come? Tonight? Tomorrow? When, when, when? If I were one of those people who had a scheduled C-section, maybe that would help me out. But I don't really wish to have a C-section unless it's absolutely necessary.
Dottie was a week late, so you'd think I'd be able to deal better this time. I've still got a week until my due date. But I've had so many pre-labor things happen, it's driving me crazy. I think I should be going into labor because of all of the contractions I've had. I almost went to the hospital 5 weeks ago because I had such bad contractions. So you'd think I'd be making some progress. Well, as of my doctor's appointment on Monday, I am 2 cm dilated, baby is descended, the cervix is soft. Not enough progress. Still, it wasn't even that good when I went into labor with Dottie. So there's still hope. The good news (really, great news): my doctor said he'd induce me on my due date or any time after. Whatever I want. Isn't he a saint of a man? Well, I've decided to get induced on January 17th, the day my mom flies in from PA, so she can be there for all of the birthing excitement. So I'm definitely having this little guy in the next 8 days, either naturally or through the magic of Petocin! The end is near!
So since I've had such a bad attitude for the past month, you can imagine how grouchy I was for Christmas. Lack of sleep, too much sugar, walking myself around the mall to death to get this baby out. My goal was to have the baby in December, for tax purposes. When that didn't happen, I was shooting for Jan. 1st, to get good stuff from the hospital for having a New Year baby. My attitude has really gotten better since these goals weren't accomplished. I'm just letting the baby do his thing now. If I have to get induced, so be it. At least I know when that'll be.
Here's pictures from Christmas with my family. Did I mention that they all flew to CO Springs to be with me since I couldn't go anywhere? Wasn't that nice? I really was happy to have company during this trying time.
This is me, today. You can't tell, but Dottie's hugging me on a little stool. I'm so big I'm covering up most of her head.
Carolyn guzzling water. We all gave each other colds. I still have mine (I've had it for three weeks). Poor Carrie got a fever on top of it all.
Our family tradition is to act out the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. This year, because my parents didn't get in until 10:30 Christmas Eve, we did it on Christmas Day. Dottie was an angel/shepherd. Talk about a schizophrenic part.
One of Baby Boy's Christmas presents from Grandma and Grandpa was a new coat. Dottie thought it was for her. As you can see, she doesn't quite fit into 3-6 months anymore.
Joe, the day after New Year's, still in his jammies. We played games all day long. Joe was the reader for Cranium.
My dad taking a rest from overeating on the air mattress Bryan slept on in our living room.
Dottie cuddling with Mimi.
My mom and Bryan eating junk food. I don't think I've ever eaten as much junk as I did this Christmas. My baby will come out a sugar addict.
Dottie sporting a pair of new jammies.
Dottie was a week late, so you'd think I'd be able to deal better this time. I've still got a week until my due date. But I've had so many pre-labor things happen, it's driving me crazy. I think I should be going into labor because of all of the contractions I've had. I almost went to the hospital 5 weeks ago because I had such bad contractions. So you'd think I'd be making some progress. Well, as of my doctor's appointment on Monday, I am 2 cm dilated, baby is descended, the cervix is soft. Not enough progress. Still, it wasn't even that good when I went into labor with Dottie. So there's still hope. The good news (really, great news): my doctor said he'd induce me on my due date or any time after. Whatever I want. Isn't he a saint of a man? Well, I've decided to get induced on January 17th, the day my mom flies in from PA, so she can be there for all of the birthing excitement. So I'm definitely having this little guy in the next 8 days, either naturally or through the magic of Petocin! The end is near!
So since I've had such a bad attitude for the past month, you can imagine how grouchy I was for Christmas. Lack of sleep, too much sugar, walking myself around the mall to death to get this baby out. My goal was to have the baby in December, for tax purposes. When that didn't happen, I was shooting for Jan. 1st, to get good stuff from the hospital for having a New Year baby. My attitude has really gotten better since these goals weren't accomplished. I'm just letting the baby do his thing now. If I have to get induced, so be it. At least I know when that'll be.
Here's pictures from Christmas with my family. Did I mention that they all flew to CO Springs to be with me since I couldn't go anywhere? Wasn't that nice? I really was happy to have company during this trying time.
This is me, today. You can't tell, but Dottie's hugging me on a little stool. I'm so big I'm covering up most of her head.
Our family tradition is to act out the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. This year, because my parents didn't get in until 10:30 Christmas Eve, we did it on Christmas Day. Dottie was an angel/shepherd. Talk about a schizophrenic part.
One of Baby Boy's Christmas presents from Grandma and Grandpa was a new coat. Dottie thought it was for her. As you can see, she doesn't quite fit into 3-6 months anymore.
Joe, the day after New Year's, still in his jammies. We played games all day long. Joe was the reader for Cranium.
My dad taking a rest from overeating on the air mattress Bryan slept on in our living room.
Dottie cuddling with Mimi.
My mom and Bryan eating junk food. I don't think I've ever eaten as much junk as I did this Christmas. My baby will come out a sugar addict.
Dottie sporting a pair of new jammies.
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