Drake's Birth Story!

On Wednesday, February 3rd, I woke about 4am with back pain - something I had been having for almost a week at this point - and started to notice that it seemed to come and go. I started timing it and realized that it was coming every 5-6 minutes. Jason's alarm was going to go off at 5:30am so I continued to breathe through the pain until then. The contractions kept coming at about the same interval so he took a shower and then we decided I should call my doctor. at 6:30am, I talked to the on-call nurse. My doctor starts taking her own calls at 7:00am so we decided to wait until he could talk to her. At this point, we knew I would either be going to the hospital or the doctor's office, but I really didn't think I would be having my baby that day! While waiting for the return call, I took a shower, put some makeup on, and tried to eat a little breakfast. The nurse called back and said that the doctor thought it sounded like the beginning stages of labor. I was to continue monitoring it and go to the hospital if I couldn't walk/talk/breathe through the contractions or I could come in to the office at 11:30am when she would be in.

I spent the next hour doing a lot of walking (or pacing as Jason would call it) around the house. The pain seemed to keep coming every 5 minutes, but the intensity was picking up. I had a hard time deciding what to do - go to the hospital or wait it out and call back to my doctor's office when they start taking calls at 8:30am? By 8:00am, Jason thought we should go to the hospital. We arrived by 8:30am and they started monitoring the contractions and getting all the info necessary. I was contracting every 2-4 minutes! When the nurse at the hospital checked me (about 9:30am), I was dilated to 5cm and had a bulging bag! I couldn't believe it...I think this is really when it set in that I was going to have my baby!

They moved me to a labor and delivery room, my doctor came in to check me (5-6cm) and broke my water (10am). At 10:30am, I got an epidural - AAAHHH, relief! My back pain was completely gone! I think I had the perfect amount, my legs felt numb - kind of like the feeling you get when you have Novocaine at the dentist - but I could still move them. At 11:20am, I was dilated to 9.5cm! Almost time to push....

By noon, I was starting to feel some real pressure. The nurses checked again, and I was able to start pushing at 12:15pm! The pressure was the strangest feeling ever...something I don't think I'll ever forget. One thing I realized during labor is that I would really prefer that people didn't talk! There were two nurses (one was in training) so they were talking a lot and it was a little discouraging...saying things like, "He's moving down, but then going back up." DUH! I know this happens, but I really didn't want to hear it at the time. :-) They were also having a hard time because they couldn't see the contractions on the monitor and my stomach wasn't tightening, but I could really feel the pressure so I knew I was having them (good thing the epidural didn't take that pressure away).

My doctor arrived about 1:15pm and was wonderful! She encouraged me to push and all of a sudden his head was out! One more push and his shoulders and the rest of his body were out! Drake William Patterson was born at 1:37pm! They put him on my chest immediately, and I just remember asking if he was going to cry. lol! We hadn't heard it yet. They cleaned out his mouth and he let a good one out. :-) Jason cut the umbilical cord while he was on my chest. I couldn't believe I was holding MY baby!

The nurses took him away to weigh him - 7lbs 13oz, get his length - 19.5inches, do his Apgar tests - 8 and 9, and give him his Vitamin K shot, then we got to spend lots of time with our baby!

39 weeks!

I'm still here! It sure seems like almost all of my blogger friends who were due around the same time as me have had their babies! Congrats to all of you!!! I'm starting to wonder when this little guy will make his appearance. At my appointment yesterday, there was a little progress - dilated 1-2cm and "more thinned out than last week." But, she still couldn't feel his head so he hasn't dropped and isn't engaged. I'm definitely ready to hold him in my arms and see what this little guy looks like! I've been getting some fun back pain since last Thursday, but have felt great up until then. I'm still working full-time, but this Friday is my last day! Then, it's 12 weeks off for me!! I have my final OB appointment scheduled for next Monday. If he isn't here by then, we'll be inducing next week.

And, the latest from babycenter.com:
Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Push Present?!?!

Push Present -- what it is?

According to Wikipedia, a push present (also known as a "push gift" or "baby bauble") is a present a new father gives a new mother when she gives birth to their child. In practice, the present may be given before or after the birth, or even in the delivery room. The giving of push presents has grown in the United States in recent years.

The tradition of gift-giving to commemorate a birth has long roots in England and India. The term "push present" first appeared in a publication in 1992. In 2005, when the Southeast-United States jewelry chain Mayors marketed diamond earrings with the line "She delivered your first born, now give her twins." Fortunoff, a jewelry and gift chain store, established a push present registry in 2007.

There is, however, no evidence that the present was invented by the jewelry industry to sell more goods, and until recently it was passed on largely by word of mouth or peer pressure among both mothers and fathers. According to Linda Murray, the executive editor of BabyCenter.com, "It’s more and more an expectation of moms these days that they deserve something for bearing the burden for nine months, getting sick, ruining their body. The guilt really gets piled on." Other sources trace the development of the present to the increased assertiveness of women, allowing them to ask for a present more directly, or the increased involvement of the men in pregnancy, making them more informed of the pain and difficulties of pregnancy and labor.

A 2007 survey of over 30,000 respondents by BabyCenter.com found that 38% of new mothers received a push present, and 55% of pregnant mothers wanted one. About 40% of both groups claimed that the baby itself is already a present and did or do not wish an additional reward.

The trend has generated a backlash, as some couples dislike the implicit materialism of push presents, and would prefer increased help in chores or baby care, or save the money for the child's education.

So, my question is - Did you get or are you getting a push present? If so, what was it or will it be?

Obviously, baby Patterson is quite a blessing and miracle to us after five years of TTC. I would be completely happy not getting anything else at delivery except a healthy baby. But, there is always talk of the push present on babycenter.com so I'm wondering how many people actually get one. The other thing I am curious about is - Did you get or are you getting the father-to-be a special gift once the baby is born?

38 weeks!

I had my weekly appointment yesterday. Things appear to be moving forward - the doctor said I am "pretty thinned out" although I am still at 1cm dilated. My weight stayed the same as the week before (YEAH!) and my blood pressure is still looking good. She had a hard time telling for sure if he is still head down so we did a quick ultrasound to make sure. Looks like he is really getting squished in there! It was so cute though - I saw him puckering and licking his lips and even sticking his tongue out!

She asked if I wanted to be induced next week (She would induce at 39 weeks.), but I told her that we wanted to see if he would come on his own first. As I mentioned last week, she leaves on her honeymoon on February 13th so if he's not here by his due date on the 9th, we'll likely induce. My birthday is February 11th, and I would prefer that he has his own day so we'll see how this works out! Don't forget to log your guess on Baby P's arrival!!

38 weeks according to babycenter.com:
Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Final Baby Shower

My neighborhood girls hosted a wonderful shower last night for me and Baby P! When we were planning the date, I wasn't so sure I would even be there...but it all worked out. We had a wonderful dinner at Baxter's, awesome chocolate peanut butter cup cake from Coldstone Creamery, and great conversation. Oh, and Baby P was blessed with some cute clothes and a convertible carseat!!

Doesn't that look delicious??

Kelly, Julie, Sarie, Jenny, Tisha, me, Sue, Becky, Tiffany, and Mandee

After dinner, they each filled out a "Baby Profile" to guess the name, birth information, favorite foods, hobbies, and occupation. It was fun for them to try and guess his name, especially! If you're wondering, we're still not 100% set on the name...guess we'll wait to see when he arrives.

I'll update on the dresser in my next post. For now, I'm going to spend the rest of the day lounging with my feet propped up. :-)

37 weeks!

Only three weeks left (give or take)!!! Things are still going well - our bags are packed (as much as they can be) and the clothes/towels/etc are all washed. I am starting to have some minor puffiness in my ankles especially when I am on my feet for a while, but I can still wear my wedding rings! So, since I had yesterday off work, I enjoyed a wonderful pedicure...hey, who doesn't want pretty toes when they go to the hospital?! I'm also starting to feel quite a bit of pressure down low and lower back pain - hope this means that things are progressing. The only thing we are waiting on besides baby P is the dresser! argh!! I am calling the store tomorrow to find out what is going on - it's been almost 17 weeks since we ordered it! This is getting ridiculous!

Don't forget to put enter your guess for Baby P's arrival!! One more bit of information - I found out yesterday that my doctor is leaving on her honeymoon on February 13th, so we'll definitely be having this baby boy before then. Good luck!!

Here's the 37 weeks info according to babycenter.com:
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.

Guess Baby P's Arrival Info!

You may have noticed that there is now a link on the right-hand side for ExpectNet! online baby pool. Click on the link enter your guess of the baby's arrival date, time, weight, and length!!

Jason and I have already entered our guesses -

Amber (Momma)	boy	7 lbs 5 ozs	21 in	Feb 5, 10:30 am
Daddy to be	boy	6 lbs 12 ozs	19 in	Feb 4, 1:17 pm

FYI - At my appointment this morning, the doctor said my cervix was soft and I was dilated to 1cm.

I can't wait to see who is the closest. Just a reminder that our actual due date is February 9th.

36 weeks!

Four more weeks to go!! I had an appointment yesterday - everything went well, measuring right on track and baby's heartbeat was in the 130s. The movement has definitely been slowing down. I assume it's because he's running out of room in there, but today I started getting a little nervous. After checking in with my doctor's office, they had me come in for a non-stress test just to make sure everything was okay. It was right after lunch so I did feel a few movements and baby is doing just fine. The nurse did say that I had one contraction in the 15 minutes, but I didn't feel it. I'm starting to feel some pressure, lower back pain, and sleep is getting interesting. :-) I'm excited to hear if anything is going on at next week's appointment!

Here's the stats according to babycenter.com:
Your baby is still packing on the pounds - at a the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term.

35 weeks/35 days!

Things are still going great - only about 35 days to go! I am starting to feel him moving into my ribs at times, but it's all good. I think he's just reminding me that he's there and doing well! :-) I still need to get clothes washed and our bags packed, but that will have to wait until this weekend now. This is a busy week for me at work with over 4,000 high school students and teachers coming for a statewide theatre festival.

Here's the latest info according to babycenter.com:
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.

34 weeks!

Things are continuing to go really well! I still have no signs of labor, which is okay with me considering I still have quite a bit I want to get done along with a huge conference at work next week. Plus, this little guy needs to grow and mature just a little more!! I'm not completely uncomfortable yet, but things are starting to get a little more difficult - mostly in the fact that I am just getting out of breath more quickly than normal. He's still moving around quite a bit - I really enjoy doing the movement counts each night just to know that things are "normal". It's hard to believe that he will be here in about six weeks! I know I say that with each update, but it's true!

Here's the most recent information from babycenter.com:

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.

Update

I have been so bad at blogging lately - except when I have my belly pics to post, of course! So, here's a baby update (in bullets):

• Our childbirth education class was last weekend. I didn't really have any concerns, but I thought it was great to just go through the class, learn some breathing and get a tour of the hospital. It was very informative, and I'm sure it will be helpful when baby P decides to make his presence.
• The crib finally arrived today! I am feeling much more prepared now that we have a place for him to sleep. The dresser is on the truck...somewhere...hopefully it will be here in a couple weeks so I can get more organized. (Pictures of the nursery to come once it's finished.)
  
• There are still a lot of clothes, towels, sheets, etc. to wash, but I keep putting it off until I have somewhere to store them permanently.
  
• We have just about everything we need/want for his arrival (I think!)....just a few things to pick up as it gets closer. I'm so glad most of our showers were done early so that I don't feel stressed about not having things or if I'll make it to the shower. There are still a couple smaller events coming up in January -- my work shower and my group of girlfriends from the neighborhood. They should be very stress free and fun!
  
• The name has still been a struggle! A few weeks ago, Jason and I each came up with our top 10 names. NONE of them matched, but we were able to narrow it down to our top five out of the twenty names. I think we are finally down to two names, but neither of us are sold on the other's favorite. How did you pick your child's name?? Jason is really attentive to what the initials might spell, and I don't want anything too popular (but nothing crazy either).
• I'm still feeling really good, although I am slowing down a bit. No signs of labor (yeah!), baby is moving like crazy (usually get 10 movements within 30 minutes) and no swelling! We're definitely on the countdown! My next appointment is on the 4th and then I think I go to weekly appointments. We are looking at less than 7 weeks (give or take) until baby P is here. I can't wait to see what he looks like and hold him in my arms!!
  

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!!

32 weeks!

Things are still going well on the pregnancy front although I am starting to slow down a little. I get out of breath more easily and tying my shoes is getting a little more difficult. But, it's all good! Kick/movement counts are going well. I usually get the 10 counts in 45 minutes or less and love feeling him move all the time! The weeks really are flying by now...8 to go, and I just keep thinking about all the people that go 3-4 weeks early. I have a lot to get done before this baby arrive...furniture set up, clothes/bedding washed, purchasing any items we don't have, and organizing what we do have. The crib is supposed to be here this week, and our childbirth education class is this Friday and Saturday! I'm excited to hear what they have to say and especially get a tour of the hospital.

Baby boy is growing so much!!! Here's what babycenter.com has to say:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long. He's gaining about a half pound a week and, in fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

It's official...

at 31 weeks pregnant, I can no longer where my regular t-shirts! ha!! Yep, I have started wearing Jason's t-shirts to lounge around the house in. :-) Some maternity shirts are even too short!

Other than the changes in my clothes, everything else is going really well. At my appointment on Monday the heartbeat was in the 150s, and I've now started my daily kick/movement counts. They have been going pretty well...getting 10 movements each night in between 15 & 45 minutes. This definitely reassures me that things are going well. Just under 9 weeks left!

I talked to the store where we ordered our furniture, and the crib should finally be here next week! But, it does sound like the dresser and nightstand might not be here until the first week in January. At least we'll be able to get the crib set up and ready.

The First Reveal!

On October 10th, after two and a half weeks of keeping the gender a complete secret (the one thing that only Jason and I knew during this pregnancy), we decided to tell our immediate family. Since my family was all together in Wisconsin, we thought this was the perfect opportunity. I bought 5" x 7" frames for each family, put an ultrasound picture and "It's a Boy!!" on scrapbook paper and then wrapped them. Everyone opened their pictures at the same time. Here's how the big reveal went:

my parents

my brother & sister-in-law

my sister and brother-in-law

After we got back into town from visiting my family, we did the same thing with Jason's dad and sister.

Jason's dad

Jason's sister

I know my mom originally thought the baby was a girl, but I think she changed her mind somewhere along the way. Jason's sister definitely thought it was a girl until she opened the picture! :-)

Of course, everyone is just excited that the baby is growing and healthy!

Is it a BOY or a GIRL?

Does this picture look familiar??

It's from the day of our 20 week ultrasound (September 22nd) and part of our journey to finding out the sex of baby Patterson!

After our shopping adventure, we headed to Olive Garden for a nice dinner and to finally find out the gender!

(How do you like the ugly wrapping paper he picked? ha!)
Jason opened the gift before our dinner came, and here is what he pulled out!!!

I was completely shocked!!! After so many of the old wives tales, tests, dreams, etc, all saying girl, I thought for sure it was. But, I have to say that I am also completely happy with adding a healthy, baby boy to our family!!

Bloomington Shower

Today, we had our final big baby shower -- Jason's family and some of our friends. Penny, Pam, Leta, and Kate did a GREAT job!! I couldn't believe all the wonderful things baby Patterson has been blessed with, including such a great group of people to just love on him/her.

The start of the gift pile!

My BEAUTIFUL cake made by our friend, Kate!

You can't see it all that well, but each square on this blanket has an animal that was embroidered by Jason's sister, a cousin, or an aunt! And, it was SO soft on the opposite side.
Have you ever tried baby food? Oh my goodness...I can't believe we make babies eat this stuff! :-) In this game, I had to try each food and guess what they were. The only one I thought was okay was the applesauce. The meats were so dry! Disgusting!!

Our wonderful hostesses -Aunt Leta, Aunt Pam, me, & Kate
(Jason's Aunt Penny lives in Virginia so she wasn't able to join us, but she got pictures texted to her throughout the shower!)

Stay tuned for the big gender announcement tomorrow!!
Blue or pink, what do you think??

30 weeks!

We are three-quarters of the way through this pregnancy! I know I keep saying this, but it really is going quickly now! Appointments are now every two weeks so getting to hear that precious heartbeat more often is wonderful. Things are starting to come together at home, too. The nursery is painted, and we're starting to accumulate the necessary items. The crib should definitely be here in the next week or so (it is scheduled to go on the next truck) and hopefully the dresser and nightstand will be here at the same time.

According to babycenter.com, here's the latest on the growth of our little one:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and s/he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). His/her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after s/he's born, s/he'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When s/he does open them, s/he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means s/he can only make out objects a few inches from his/her face.

28 weeks!

We have made it to the 3rd and final trimester!! How exciting is this? Only 12 weeks left give or take some time depending on when this baby decides to make it's entrance. And, yes, this is the same brown shirt that I started taking pictures in at 8 weeks. I'm really hoping it will stretch enough to make it through the end of this pregnancy.

Things are going really well. I still feel great, my weight gain is still within the recommended amount (although it is on the high end of the scale), and I'm pretty much feeling movement all day long! That is the most exciting part without a doubt!

I go back to the doctor next week and then start my appointments every two weeks! I think time will start flying then, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas in there. Jason will be painting the nursery after Thanksgiving and then we'll be ready for our furniture to arrive!

26 weeks!

Time is starting to actually go pretty quickly now. We're under 100 days to go, and I can't believe next week I'll be in the 3rd trimester (according to What to Expect...)! I'm finally feeling this baby move and kick on a pretty consistent basis although the past day or so has been pretty random. Let's hope it's because of a big growth spurt and not because I've put him/her in a sugar coma from Halloween! Baby Center says this babe is about 1 2/3 pounds and 14 inches long!

Our bedding arrived on Saturday and looks great!! Our next step is to decide what color to paint the walls and what accessories we want to buy. I'm trying to patiently wait for our furniture to arrive as well...that should be next month.

Glucose Tolerance Test

I guess no news is good news! At least that's what I was told on Monday. There was no call from the doctor's office so I assume that means I have passed the Glucose Tolerance Test! YEAH!! I'm really excited about that because anyone who knows me in person knows how much I love sweets! Yes, this probably would have been a great test for me and help me get my sweet tooth under control, but how could I not have cake at my own showers? I LOVE white cake! :-)

I think I'll celebrate by getting some ice cream tonight?!