Summer Danielle

How does one even start this post???  Last Wednesday I had an appointment with the doctor and came away feeling pretty discouraged.  I was officially overdue and hadn't made any real progress from a week earlier.  In fact, my doctor was a little worried that I would end up needing a c-section because things just weren't moving along like she thought they should be.  She doesn't like to let her patients go much past 41 weeks, so she gave us the choice to induce early Saturday morning or wait out the weekend and come in Monday night to get started.  There were pros and cons to both options, but in the end we decided to wait it out.  She was off duty all weekend long, and I wanted to give my body a few more days to cooperate and progress on its own in hopes of avoiding that c-section.  So we made plans to go camping with Danny's family and started praying that my body would do the things it needed to do.  All the while knowing that if it did end with surgery, it really wouldn't be the end of the world and we would survive just like everyone else who does it.

I had some cramping on Thursday night, but nothing really more than what I had experienced in the last few weeks so I didn't think a whole lot of it.  But probably in the back of my mind was hoping it was something!  Friday morning I woke up around 6:00 with a sharp pang in my lower back, but I was out of it, it ended, and I fell back asleep.  I noticed a few more sharp pangs in the next couple  hours but still was just thinking cramps-  I just didn't believe it might actually be labor.  But as I got up and ate breakfast it just kept getting worse.  While I was up and about I would have what I thought was a contraction every three minutes, but it only lasted about 10 seconds each.  Something just didn't seem right about it so finally I called the hospital to get an opinion.  They said to just lay down on my left side, drink water, and see what happens.  Just as soon as I did that I was pretty convinced that I was in labor.  I was having contractions every 6-8 minutes that lasted 25 seconds.  I had Danny come home from work, finish packing the last minute stuff, and by the time I called the hospital again they were 5-7 minutes apart for 40-45 seconds.

We got to the hospital a little before 1:00 and I was 3-4 cm.  I told the nurse in triage that I was a wimp and wanted an epidural as soon as I could get one.  Once she admitted me, she asked if I wanted any meds through the IV because the anesthesiologist was going to be about an hour.  I said I thought I could handle one more hour, but somewhere between signing paperwork and the end of that hour, the contractions kicked it up another notch and the offer for those meds won out.  I got my epidural around 3:30 and I was around 4 1/2 cm.  And thus began our long afternoon and night in labor and delivery.

I made slow progress on my own for awhile and then kind of stalled out at 7 cm.  After a few hours of being there, they started a little pitocin but I still didn't get much past a 7.  I started questioning the c-section again but they assured me I would have to go like that for hours before they took me to surgery.  The nurse sat me upright to try and get a little help from gravity and it worked!  Within a few more hours I was ready to push.  When the nurse came in, my contractions were just what she wanted them to be.  But once I started pushing, they slowed down a little.  I spent an hour and a half pushing with the nurse- I would have about 4 contractions to push through, and then stop and wait for awhile.  Finally we were ready for the doctor to come in, but she was in the room next door with a girl who was in a race against me and had started pushing just a few minutes before I did.  The doctor had to decide who to take and who to have wait and, well, she had me wait.  

I had about another half hour with the doctor, during which time I started feeling nauseous.  Danny was put on barf bucket duty (poor guy) and it was a good thing he was there!  All the water and three cups of jello I had throughout the night came up.  Yuck!  But every time I heaved the doctor said "this is working- she's coming!" so maybe it was worth it:)  One more giant push after throwing up and she was here!  She had meconium and had ingested quite a bit of fluid in the womb so they had the NICU in the room in case she came out not breathing.  Which was the case.  It only lasted about 30 seconds but then she required about 10 minutes of deep suctioning.  I was pretty out of it still and getting stitched up, but Danny said it was pretty tense for awhile while they were getting her to respond.  Thankfully they got her going and she didn't ever have to go the the NICU.  

The doctor had guessed she would be around 8 pounds, but she was only 7 lbs 1 oz!  I was okay with that- I like itty bitties:)  She had a terrible cone head at first!  We say this is her ogre picture because her facial expression and cone head are so bad.  Danny said he'll show this to her when she's a teenage girl who feels ugly and she'll feel better about herself:) 

My first few minutes with my sweet baby girl.

Daddy taking his turn- he was smitten!

Our family of three:)

All clean and fresh after bath time!  I could have sat and smelled her all night long:)

Burrito baby!  There's not very good lighting in this picture, but I wanted a good non-cone head shot!

And that marks the beginning of our sweet Summer Danielle.  We sure do love her!

And So We Wait...

* Tomorrow I'll be at 39 weeks!  We have everything as ready as we can and now it's just a matter of waiting until baby girl makes her debut.  I posted pictures of the nursery on facebook and said how we were ready.  Someone commented "That's so cute.  You think you're ready!"  Which really made me laugh out loud because I know that we probably have no idea what we're getting into!  So I guess by saying we're ready, I really mean we're anticipating.  And excited!  I'm making slow progress but the doctor thinks I'll still be around for my next scheduled appointment on Wednesday.  Things can change in a hurry though- only God knows when things will happen!  But in the meantime...

* We have had many house guests in the form of ants the last few weeks.  At one point there were literally hundreds crawling in a nice organized line aaaaallllllllllll the way across the kitchen floor.  And they just kept coming!  Someone suggested putting down a line of cinnamon where they were coming in, and since I had cinnamon on hand, I did.  I might have gone a little overboard, making more of a mountain than a line, but I was feeling a little desperate!  And sure enough, they quit coming in!  But I figured it was just a matter of time before we started seeing them again, and I was right.  A lot of people suggested using Terro, and so far it seems to be a great suggestion!  I don't think we're completely over the ant problem yet but after just a few days of using Terro, I'm only seeing a few stray ants around.  Which makes me very happy!  The thing is, I think ants are amazing creatures.  Just not when they swarm my kitchen!  And so I couldn't help but inwardly shake my head and narrow my eyes a little bit the other night in church when the minister started talking about them!

* We've been trying to enjoy this last bit of time together before we become a family of three.  We've gone out on a couple of dates in the last month, trying new places we've never eaten.  One night we just started googling restaurants in Ft. Wayne that neither one of us had ever tried, and we decided on Dash In, which is downtown.  It was really good!  And while we were there we saw Pint and Slice right next door (or maybe it's Slice and Pint- I can't remember) and thought it looked like a good place to try sometime.  A few days later one of Danny's co-workers just happened to mention that was his favorite pizza in Ft. Wayne, so then next time we went to Ft. Wayne, that's where we ate!  And he was right- it was goooooood stuff!  Today I picked up Danny from work and we went to Bummie's for lunch.  Now, don't get me wrong- it's good food.  And it's a fun place to go.  But having not grown up here, I don't share the same sentiments with most of you who grew up going there and just LOVE the place.  So no, I don't quite get the hype.  But I do have that feeling about places and things that I grew up with so I guess it's okay if you think it's just the best thing ever.  And maybe someday I'll have kids that feel the same way:)  But anyway, while we were sitting there eating, I realized my shirt had completely ridden up and my belly was hanging out.  Nothing makes you feel more attractive than stuffing your face with a greasy corn dog while your belly hangs out!

* My parents, and maybe my grandma, are coming out for a visit tonight and tomorrow.  They won't even be here 24 hours because they have to get back to host family for Mother's Day.  But my dad decided he wanted to see me pregnant one more time.  So even though they'll likely be coming back out again in the very near future, they're making the trip!  It will be short but sweet!

* And that's all for now.  Hopefully the next post will be to introduce our baby!

The Countdown Is On!

We are at 35 weeks, folks!  Actually, according to my own calculations and those of the ultrasound tech at the local hospital, I would say 36.  But my doctor and the ultrasound tech at her office say 35.  So we'll see!  It really could just be wishful thinking on my part because I am definitely to the point where I feel every bit as preggo as I look!  I really can't complain, though.  I haven't had any complications, the aches I feel are nothing out of the ordinary, and I can still pretty much do all my normal activities.  Granted, there's usually some grunting and heave-ho involved (getting out of bed or tying shoes, anyone??) but we manage!

Last Saturday we had our "preparation for childbirth" class.  Both of us enjoyed it and felt it was beneficial.  For me it helped ease a little anxiety.  Key word being little.  I'm pretty nervous about labor pains.  I feel kind of dumb to admit it, but I'm more nervous about that than I am the thought of having to have a c-section!  Not that I want a c-section.  Not if it can be helped.  But I am such a wimp when it comes to pain.  I am ALL ABOUT the epidural- sign me up!!  However, I found myself telling Danny after the class that it made me ALMOST feel confident enough to ALMOST consider trying to go natural.

And then we laughed and said "yeah right" and moved on with our day.  

I know that all you ladies out there who did it without are probably looking at me and thinking how pitiful I am:)  Okay not really, but maybe kinda a little bit you are!  And I know there's a chance that for some reason or another the epidural won't happen, so I can't bank on it.  If that's the case, so be it.  I will survive.  I hope.  I know it's been done for years and years without and I know that plenty of girls nowadays still chose to forgo it.  But for me?  If I have any control over it, it will happen.

Other than that, we are just plain excited!  Anxious to meet baby girl all while trying to enjoy just being a couple while we still can.  And for me- trying to just trust God and not dwell on the fact that sometimes things happen and there's always the chance we could come home with empty arms.  And trusting is all I can do, knowing that He loves this baby more than we ever can, and knowing that He really does have complete control.

Oh- and I'm getting ready to go garage saling with a purpose!  I've never been a garage sale person and if I do stop by one, I wander aimlessly and remember why I don't usually go.  But this year I'm planning to look at the sales advertised and choose accordingly.  Baby girl clothes and baby items?  Count me in!  I went to one yesterday and had good success, so for the first time in my life, I'm excited for garage sale weekend:)

And for the sake of those who think I should post a picture, (ahem... Boni!!) here you go! 

The Great Invasion Of 2015

We had visitors last week!  It really wasn't an invasion like the post title says- I loved having them here!! My cousins, Angie and Lydia, and Angie's three kids came for a few days and we had a great time!  They got here on Tuesday night in time for supper and we just spent that evening relaxing and playing games.

The next morning I had a doctor appointment in Ft. Wayne at 9:00.  I drove up early and they met me there after my appointment.  After a quick errand at Costco that Angie needed to do (my first time there- and I liked it!) we took the kids to the play area at Jefferson Point for awhile before eating lunch at Chick-fil-a.  Now, we all know that Chick-fil-a is awesome.  But they upped their awesomeness by getting tables all set up for us while we ordered, complete with place mats for the kids and condiments for our food!  We were impressed!

It was gorgeous weather that day so after naps we enjoyed the warmth and sunshine before supper.  Ryan came over and him and Danny grilled out and played frisbee with Abel while the rest of us got everything else ready.  We played a couple more games that night before the kids went to bed and then the adults sat down to watch Beauty and the Beast.  That's right.  Adults + Disney movie= our evening:)

Thursday we went to Jungle George's for awhile.  The kids were entertained by the bouncy houses...

and we were entertained by the skee-ball!  We decided it really was for the benefit of the kids, you know.  Because we could win more tickets for them so they could get really cool prizes.  How kind of us.

They planned to leave early Friday morning and I would have gotten up to see them off, but Danny informed me he had the day off on Good Friday, so I said my goodbyes on Thursday night in order to sleep in on Friday!  I know- I'm such an amazing hostess!  But really though- we had a great time and I was so happy they came.  They were going to come last July but then my grandpa got really sick so I decided to go to IL instead to see him, knowing it would likely be my last chance to have a conversation with him.  It took a long time to find a new date for them to come and I'm so happy it finally worked out.  Angie and Lydia- thanks for making the effort to come!!

Oh Florida, How We Love You!!

We just got back from having a grand ole time on Ft. Meyers Beach with most of Danny's side of the family.  Don't get me wrong- I had a good time last year when we went, but we had only been married three weeks and I was still in the beginning stages of getting settled into the family.  This year was way more relaxing for me!

Lots of beach and pool time

Yummy restaurants.  So, I don't usually take a picture of my food but do you see these things?!?!  Seriously!!  I ordered pigs in a blanket for breakfast and they were HUGE!!  I was expecting a little more even pancake to sausage ratio.  Those pancakes were each about twice as big as I was thinking they would be.  Tasty, but it was a struggle to even finish two of those babies!

Beach volleyball- where I was merely a spectator this year.  No playing time for me when I'm looking more like a ball than a volleyball player:)

Goooorrrrrrgeous sunsets!!

A shuffleboard tournament which never got past the second round because of the rain the came through.  Danny and I just assumed that we would have won the whole thing:)

Visiting Dustin and Mandy- so good to see them again and to learn more about The New Beginnings ministry they moved down to be a part of!

And spending lots of quality time with my favorite person!

Oh, and I had my first encounter with hugely swollen feet thanks to the heat and the long van rides.  They're looking a little better now but I'm afraid they won't be back to normal until after the baby is born:(  I had a picture on here but decided enough people are grossed out by feet that it would be better to just leave it off.  But in case you're curious and want a reference point, they kind of resembled that picture of the pigs in a blanket!

Oink oink

Anyway, it was great to be there and enjoy the warm weather and sunshine.  We weren't sad at all to miss out on the snow that happened while we were gone:)

Shower #1

We went out to Illinois this weekend for my first baby shower!  It was a pretty full weekend and we had a great time.  My sis-in-law and two cousins did a great job of hosting a Saturday morning brunch shower.

Angie had asked me if there were any themes or anything I wanted for decorations and I decided on either books or something springy.  So she combined them and did "Books and Blossoms" decorations.  They were so cute!

And there we are.  Aren't we cute?!?!

Any disappointments I had over not having a boy are gone.  It was so fun to get girly things!  And at this point, my mind is so geared up for a girl it would just be weird if the sonogram was wrong and it's a boy!  I couldn't say that completely for a month or two after we found out, but now I'm good and ready and all excited for baby girl:)

There was even a special present that came up all the way from Jamaica.  Thanks Erin D- I love it!!

Saturday night some of the family got together at my parents for pizza.  We threw a bedsheet down in the kitchen for the kids to have a picnic.  The sheet didn't last long though- it was more fun to use it as a toy than a picnic blanket!

And it was Erin's birthday.  We managed to find a candle and sing to her before she polished off her drumstick all the way!

Sunday night we had a relaxing supper with just my family before we headed out.  I was kind of emotional about leaving this time.  I think just because it's the last time I'll be there and see my family before the baby comes.  And even though it's exciting, it will still be different from now on.  But it was a good reminder to cherish the times we do have together because as we hear in the fine country tune of "Time Marches On"..."the only thing that stays the same is everything changes". 

And on that note, I'm off to the library to stock up on books for our Florida trip later this week!

The Never Ending Saga Of The Couch

Back in the day- back in ooohhhhhh, say, 2002, I bought a couch.  It was my grandpa's couch that I got on his estate sale.  I loved that old couch.  Between my grandpa's house and my first two apartments, there were many good memories associated with it.  It was Big and Bulky and HEAVY!! It had a pullout bed which was great for when extra people were spending the night, however, it was not an easy piece of furniture to maneuver.  Somewhere in some box I have a picture of some friends hauling it over a second story balcony to transport it to my second apartment, because that was way easier than trying to take it down the stairs and around the corner.

  

Then I had a 7 1/2 year separation from my beloved couch.  My brother and sister-in-law kept it at their house while I lived in Alabama and even after I moved back and was living at my parents, with the intent to give it back once I had a place of my own.  When Danny and I got engaged, there was no question- the couch would come with me.  Finally the day for reunification had come!  We hauled it out to Indiana with plans to put it in our basement.  We (meaning any man who had a part in moving it- not me!) were quickly reminded of how Big and Bulky and HEAVY it was, but somehow after much grunting, groaning, and finagling, managed to get it down the steps and around the tight corner. WOE to the person who had to try and get it back out!  I think there was talk that if we ever move out of this house, the couch just might stay.  

Then came the house fire.  The company that stored all of our things while we waited for the house to be rebuilt said they tried and tried to get it out of the basement, but it was too hard.  Since the couch was salvageable, they said they would just come to the house to clean it rather than clean and store it in Ft. Wayne.  In the meantime, the couch became a catch all during the construction process.  It was filled with tools and collected dust like it was going out of style.  But it was just dust and we had full confidence that it could be cleaned.  Until the new carpet was laid.  One day we showed up at the house to look at the carpet, and the beloved couch was in the dumpster!  After an (extremely brief) mourning session, we moved on and started thinking about buying a couch for the basement.  We weren't super thrilled, as furniture shopping in the past had caused some stress.  But it was the best option, so off we went!  

We finally settled on one that we really liked, and were excited when delivery day came.  Between living room, kitchen, and now basement furniture, we had visited the same place in Ft. Wayne about 5 or 6 times in about a month and a half (along with several other places) and we were ready to be DONE!!

  

Enter the steps and sharp corner to get to the basement.

The couch didn't fit!  Oh how those poor delivery men tried.  But it just wasn't meant to be.

By the time they left, we had a small hole in our ceiling,

a couple dents in our drywall,

and some chipped drywall along with the popcorn scraped off the ceiling.

Ugh.  So frustrating!  But we had told them to try and fit it so there really wasn't much we could do about it.  But then it was back to the furniture store.  Again.  This time with a tape measure in hand.  It was Valentine's Day, which neither of us were too thrilled about, as furniture shopping had become something FAR from romantic.  But we did it anyway:)  Gotta love reality, huh?

We found a couch that would fit, and though it wasn't something we really loved, we were satisfied.  So we bought the couch, and were told we would have to wait ten days to get it because it was out of stock, which we said was fine.  Ten days passed.  Then 20.  And finally, as of today, we have a couch!!

SO glad to be done with it!  And maybe one day I'll feel as sentimental about this one as I did the other.

RIP, old couch!

P.S.  Who knew a post about a couch could get so long?!?!