Kicks and Giggles

This morning, I did Jacob’s hair before church.  He has a faux hawk.  I love it!

It has been a week and so far everything is going well.  Jacob is eating about every four hours.  He sleeps a lot!  I do not remember Chloe sleeping this much.  He has a little trouble with bubbles, especially if he is exposed to wind, but aloe vera or gripe water usually help.  Chloe is adjusting well.  She absolutely loves him.  She has transferred nicely to her new room and new crib.  I am feeling pretty good.  My milk is in, so Jacob can eat all he wants, which he does.  I am wearing my jeans!  They do up, but it is still a little tight so I am undoing the button and wearing my Bella Band so as not to squish my insides. 

We had a lot of family here this weekend, but everybody, including my mom who was here to help for the week, has gone home now.  I enjoyed seeing everybody, but I am glad my house is empty again.  Tomorrow will be first day alone, so we will see how it goes.

He loves laying on his chest with his arms under his head.  It’s so cute.

Our family!

Well, he is here!  Jacob Brian Isaac arrived at 7:42 pm on Sunday June 14.  I went in at 7:30 am to be induced, but they were very busy.  They checked me and I was almost 4 cm, so they told me to go walk around for a while or go home and they would call us when they had a bed.  We walked around the mall for quite a while and then we finally just went back to the hospital where we sat and read until they had a bed/room for me.  By that time it was about 3:30 in the afternoon and I had been having irregular, slightly painful contractions throughout the day, especially when walking.  They did some monitoring, got my IV started (after 3 tries) and I ate a little bit.  Finally, at 6:05 the doctor came in and they broke my water and started the oxytocin.  Almost immediately, contractions got close together and pretty intense.  After about an hour, I opted for an epidural.  Apparently, the pregnancy caused a slight curvature in my spine and the anesthesiologist hit my bone a couple times before he got it in.  Around 7:30 the nurse checked me and I was fully dilated.  She got the delivery table all set up and then I started pushing.  10 minutes later, Jacob was born about 30 seconds after the doctor got there. 

Jacob weighed 7 lb 5 1/4 oz and measured 20.5 inches.  I have no idea where this tiny baby came from.  Coming from a family that even twins are over 8 lbs and having gestational diabetes and a previous baby that weighed 8 lbs 9 oz, I never expected to have a baby smaller than 8 lbs.  I am feeling really good.  I don’t even really feel like I had a baby.  My back was hurting a bit where he hit my bone with the needle but now it seems good, and the only time I really feel any pain is the afterpains when I am nursing. 

Jacob is doing really well and Chloe seems to like him although she gets a little whiny and clingy when I am trying to nurse.

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure

I think, that maybe I am finally feeling ready.  Today Brian stayed home from work and spent the day putting the floor back in what will be Chloe’s room.  This evening, after Chloe was in bed, we moved the furniture in and I think it is set up as what it will be for the first week of the baby’s life.  Because we do not want to dismantle the crib, move it, and then dismantle and move it again when we get the new one next weekend (10 days) we are just leaving Chloe in the nursery and putting the baby in Chloe’s room until the crib gets here next Friday.  So here are some pictures of the temporary set up.

Once the paint has sat for a few more weeks we will put on the border and when my sister comes out, she is going to help me put up some pictures.  The bassinet and rocking chair will be moved out and the new crib put in next Friday.  We also will need to hang curtains before Chloe is sleeping in there, but other than that, it is good to go.  It is usable for the baby anyway, so we are set.

Also, because I have been feeling unprepared, I have drafted Chloe’s help in cleaning the house

and cooking supper.

Nothing like good old fashioned child labour!

That’s right.  It is snowing.  It is June 6, and it is snowing.  I wasn’t supposed to have to buy a snowsuit for this baby or bring a fleece blanket to the hospital to cover his car seat, but if this keeps up, I may have to.  It is even double annoying as I planted my flowers May long weekend.  That Sunday/Monday, it snowed and a couple of my flowers didn’t survive.  As I bought them from Home Depot, I was able to return them for a refund and bought some new ones, which I planted on Wednesday.  Now it is snowing again, and I may have to replant my flowers.  Also, Chloe’s room is painted and now we just have to put the floor back down.  This is a big job, so a weekend day would have been really good for it, but because of the snow, Brian is unable to bring out the saw and work on it.  Now he will either have to do it in the evenings, take some time off, or do it at the last minute, which would be next Saturday.  Anyway, I thought it was June, but apparently I was wrong, either that or Alberta is very confused, since we have 20 degrees and flip flops in February but gross snow in June.

For some time now, I have been looking at the “Bella Band”.  For those of you who don’t know what this is, it is similar in look to a tube top, but it goes around you stomach.  It is made for pregnancy.  Basically, it allows you to wear pre-pregnancy jeans with the button undone a little longer, hold up maternity pants that are too big, or that your belly is pushing down, or to wear your pre-pregnancy jeans with the button undone earlier postpartum.  They cost about $40 though so I have not bought one.  On Monday, I found one for $15 at our consignment store.  It looked brand new, so I bought it, knowing that I will not likely fit my shorts after the baby comes and not wanting to buy new ones.  I wore it today, holding my jeans up (which my belly is pushing down).  I love it.  For the first time in numerous weeks, I did not spend the majority of my day pulling my pants up.  My lovely pregnant stomach was also hidden by the Bella band, as my shirts are at the point that my stomach kind of sticks out, but it would be stupid to go buy more shirts with less than two weeks left.  Anyway, I am mighty pleased with my purchase, and am looking forward to wearing my jeans and shorts shortly after I have the baby.

And, Christy, this is for you. 

This morning, as Chloe and I were just about ready to leave the house to go grocery shopping, we had an incident.  Chloe was walking, fell and hit her face on the edge of our rebounder (or mini trampoline).  After I got her calmed down and the little bit of bleeding stopped, I looked in her mouth and sure enough, her tooth was chipped.  So, instead of grocery shopping, we went to the dentist.  Chloe was really good at the dentist.  She didn’t cry at all and let the dentist look in her mouth at the tooth.  I was very impressed.  (It probably helped that they had a big screen TV and were playing Winnie the Pooh) He said that her tooth is fine.  It might be a bit sensitive for the first few days and it may turn colour in a few days, but she will be fine.  Also, she got free Play-Doh at the dentist, so that is fun.  After the dentist we did manage to make it grocery shopping although a little later than I like to go.

If you look closely, you can see the little chip.  (the right tooth)

Here’s a close-up

And sleeping after her rough morning

She slept for almost 3 hours!  That is incredible for her. 

I spent part of the afternoon padding the edges of the rebounder with those knitted dishcloths that everybody has 40,000 of.

I went garage saling this morning and while it was cut short due to a baby that decided she would much rather be at home, I did find something that I am rather excited about, which resulted in an afternoon of this.

It even has a lid so if we use it in the morning, I can cover it and we can come back out in the afternoon without having to empty it. 

And wearing Daddy’s work gloves after being done in the pool

Today is our five year anniversary.  I can’t believe it has already been 5 years!  Happy Anniversary honey.  I love you!

(We look so young!)

I am officially 37 weeks, which means the baby can come anytime now.  My induction, due to gestational diabetes is booked for June 14 at 7:20 am.  Only 17 days left!  I am getting excited and starting to wonder about what our little guy will look like and act like.  I am also excited to put away the maternity clothes and wear my normal clothing again and to be able to give my husband a hug in which neither of us has to stick our butt out.  Less than 3 weeks!