Make me melt...

We had our newborn photo shoot this morning with Stephanie Fisher and she's already posted a little sneak peek of our session.

Oh, the cuteness. I'm dying...

I can't wait to see the rest of the amazing pics she took!

Checking In

Just wanted to do a quick post, since I haven't had a chance to check in since late Tuesday night. Our stay at the hospital was great-- we had the most amazing nurses who took such great care of us and were always there when we needed them. I was actually a little sad to go home!

We came home from the hospital on Thursday night and are working on getting settled into a routine. Our days & nights are totally turned around at this point and we're trying to establish a better schedule so that the little man doesn't sleep all day, then party all night long! (The past two nights, we haven't gotten him settled and asleep until between 4-5am) I must say, he is a great sleeper though-- when we finally get him down for the night, he's sleeping about 5 hours.

Breastfeeding, although difficult, is getting better. My milk came in on Friday and by yesterday I was so engorged that Liam couldn't latch on and I was in tears from the pain. Thank God for hot showers, breastpumps, bottles & his Marmi (my mom) to feed him. (I really didn't want to introduce a bottle this early, but desperate times call for desperate measures and pumping breastmilk certainly doesn't make me a traitor to breastfeeding! I've learned to soften my breasts by pumping before he eats, so he has not needed any bottles today.)

Overall, he's really content-- especially during the day. He hates having his diaper changed and hates getting dressed, but he loves being held and his swing.

We have our first pediatrician's appointment tomorrow-- fingers crossed that everything goes well and that he is healthy!

41 Weeks (He's Here!)

Today was the most incredible day of my life-- it was exhilarating, terrifying, uncertain and magical. The delivery was nothing like I expected (to be told in a birth story post later) but all that matters is that our little man is here and we're all healthy, happy and safe.

Here's the 41 week belly pic, taken at 6am when we arrived at the hospital:

But that's not really what you want to see, is it?

Announcing the arrival of:

William Orell Blakely (Liam)

September 21, 2010 @ 7:31pm

7 lbs, 5 oz

21 1/2 inches long

Here we are approximately 14 hours later:

I don't look quite as chipper or well rested in this pic, huh?

Here is our favorite picture that we took tonight, a few hours after he was born:

He has Rob's chin and my nose. He has both of our eyes. He has Rob's toes and he's already sucking his thumb like I did forever growing up.
Thanks to everyone who supported us during this long tough day. We couldn't be more in love, and we can't wait to update more in the next days!

Updates at the Hospital...

Stef's in labor and her water has been broken. The contractions have begun in earnest every two minutes, but she's doing well. See comments section for additional updates.

Waiting and Wondering

After tonight, only two full days to go until Liam is officially evicted.

The past two days have been a little difficult-- I've been very uncomfortable, not sleeping at all, extremely emotional and my allergies have decided that now would be a great time to give me a sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, cough, etc-- not a good place to be in when I go into labor. Speaking of which, I'm slightly nervous about this whole giving birth business... but, I'm ready to meet my little boy!

I'm still so hopeful that he'll come on his own, but time is running out. My fingers are crossed that he arrives on Monday which is not only my 30th Birthday, but also my mom's birthday. (She went into labor with me the night of the 19th and had me on the 20th-- I was 10 days early.) How cool would it be to have the same birthday as my mom and my son?!

So, I wonder, will he come on Monday?

Magic 8 Ball Says:

Ahh, just what I thought!

No answers, more waiting...

The Big Reveal!

N0, not of the baby, silly!
(He's decided to live at home until he's 40.)

The big reveal of the nursery, FINALLY!!

(Hope he likes his room.)

His room is so tiny, there's not really a way to show you the whole thing at once, so I took some individual pics of the different walls of his room.

The door to the nursery:

The crib:

Crib bumper pads:

Close-up of the crib skirt:

Bottom border of the crib skirt:

New fan:

Wall decal above the changer:

Changing table:

Reading/Nursing/Snuggling corner:

Close-up of the side table (pic of the three of us will go in the frame):

Close-up of the shelves:

Hooks on the back of his door:

Overall, I'm really happy with how it turned out. I love the crib (which was a gift from my parents), I adore how the beadboard turned out, I'm crazy about the custom rocket decals that match the rockets on his bedding, I'm happy with the crib bedding I made (that fabric is my favorite!), I like the fun but simple accessories and I'm really glad we found a rug that will work!

We'll still need to get something to cover the windows (they have blackout shades on them for now) but we're working on it. The paint on the walls, which we color-matched to the green in the bumper pads, has been a pain to match to anything else, so we ended up with several greens in the room-- but I think it looks ok. I've been waiting almost three weeks for our alphabet print with his name to come from etsy-- I hope it arrives before Liam does! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get one of the rocket lamps that I originally posted about, but I'm always on the lookout for something fun for his side table. I also need a book bin to put next to the glider, but I think I've found the perfect one on etsy-- Brody and Ma will make one using any fabric you want, so I can have one made that matches his crib bedding perfectly.

The room is stocked with everything a baby could possibly need-- now we just need the baby! Come on, Liam!!

40 Weeks!!!

HAPPY DUE DATE, LIAM!!

It's pretty apparent that you are super comfy in there and do not intend to come out for a little longer, and that's ok. Mommy and Daddy are trying so hard to be patient-- we're just so excited to meet you! Come out when you're ready, but remember, if you haven't decided to introduce yourself by next Tuesday, we're coming to meet you!

This week, baby is the size of a... BABY!!!

And looks like this (HEAD DOWN!!!):

Baking Baby Blakely

"Congrats! That bun in your oven is fully baked! That's the good news. The possibly not so stellar news: Actually giving birth on your due date is hard to do—even for overachievers. In fact, many first-time moms go up to 2 weeks past their due date (sorry!). Hopefully now that baby is cooked to perfection, he'll come bouncing out any day now.

Other last-minute progress:

Because some of your hormones are passed into your baby's system, your baby's genitals (scrotum in boys and labia in girls), and even his or her breasts, may appear enlarged at birth. It can be alarming, but rest assured it's perfectly normal.

At birth your baby has a total of 300 bones. Some of the bones will fuse together later, which is why an adult has only 206 bones. Fascinating, no?

Babies vary in size at this point, but the average full-term baby weighs around 7 to 8 pounds and hovers around 19 or 20 inches. That's about the size of a ... BABY! Of course, tell that to the mother who just delivered a 9-pound baby vaginally!"

40 Week Due Date Belly Pic

We're squeezing in as much fun stuff as we can this week-- football and chinese food with friends, trivia night, dinners with my parents, the Signature Chef's Fundraiser for the March of Dimes, etc. Every time we plan something, we know that we may not actually be able to make it there, but it's no fun sitting at home, waiting on a baby that is taking his time to show up. So, we'll keep making plans, until a certain someone interrupts us.

Rob is on paternity leave from work, and it's been great to have some time to let him decompress and relax (both alone and with me) before life gets really crazy. He's been staying up late and sleeping late and this new non-work schedule may actually be a good for us for the first few weeks-- Sure, I'll still have to wake up to feed Liam, but if he can take care of him in between feedings to let me get a few hours of sleep in a row at night, then I can handle the mornings by myself while he sleeps. We'll see how things go.

I feel really good, especially now that I know I'm in the home stretch. I've been pregnant for 40 weeks, but every day leading up to 41 weeks feels like an eternity! I can feel my body getting ready-- my back aches, the pelvic pressure is really uncomfortable and I'm waddling pretty slow-- but still, I'm really enjoying these last few days, taking advantage of how much everyone loves a pregnant lady-- People smile at me when I walk by and go out of their way to talk to me and help me out. Might as well enjoy it while I can!

So, we're in the final countdown, knowing that it won't be more than seven days, but always thinking, "Will today be THE day?" We'll let you know when there's any news!

Doctor's Appointment: 40 Weeks (!)

We had our 40 week appointment today. My due date is tomorrow!! Here are the stats from Baby Watch 2010: Week 40:

Weight: Same as last week. (2 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight)

BP: Normal

Cervix: Still 1 cm dialated & now 75% effaced. Cervix is soft (ripened)

Baby's Position: Finally confirmed that baby is head down. WAHOO!

Overall Progress: Still looking fine. The doctor said (again) that she can tell that my cervix has been contracting by the way it feels. Slowly but surely making progress. Baby steps...

So, the big news is that we've scheduled our induction for next Tuesday, September 21st, when I'm exactly 41 weeks-- this gives us the most time to allow him to come on his own, which is certainly possible in the next week. Until then, we continue to wait...

Etsy Strikes Again (Halloween Edition)

One of the best things about having a Fall baby is being able to experience all of the fun Fall holidays so soon after he arrives. Halloween will be the first holiday that we'll celebrate with Liam and I've been so excited about finding his first Halloween costume.

We've looked at Target, Gymboree, Old Navy, etc and have found some really cute ones, like the peapod:

And the hotdog:

But none of them seemed quite right. I wanted something a little different, that every baby on the block wasn't wearing.

Ahhh, Etsy... such a blessing and a curse! I saw this knitted football pod and knew I had to have it. Rob, the sports nut, loved it as well. It's perfect for a cool Halloween night (I imagine we'll venture out to our local Boo at the Zoo for a stroll) and great for fall football games (Sometimes we have to go to the college football games at the school where Rob works).

I can't wait to dress him up!!

I'm an Aunt (again)!

My sister-in-law Barbara brought this beautiful little boy into the world last night:

Jackson Elias Lawrence

September 7th, 11:48pm
7 lbs 15 oz

21 inches

We're so excited to meet this little guy when they visit us for Thanksgiving! I wish that we lived closer-- I'd love for Liam and Jack to hang out and for Barb and I to be able to bond over the new babies. There will be lots of phone calls and lots of pictures over the next few months.

Congrats Barbara, Jeremy & big sister Sarah!

39 weeks & Dr. Appt!

So, obviously, there was no labor during our Labor Day Weekend-- but that's ok, because we had a relaxing few days complete with a "last supper" out together, two movies, and more baking to add to the freezer stash.

We went to my parents' house last night for a delicious dinner and had a great time-- my dad made the comment that he didn't think I'd make it to my due date, saying that if I walked into a sporting goods store, I'd probably be accused of stealing a basketball! While I never did get really HUGE, I really do look like I'm about to pop. Both of my parents got to feel Liam move last night (for the first time!!) as he got his daily round of hiccups after dinner. Awesome.

On to the updates!

First, here are the stats from Baby Watch 2010:
Week 39:

Weight: +2 lbs from last week. (This is 2 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight!)

BP: Normal

Cervix: Still 1 cm dialated & 50% effaced. Cervix is soft (ripened).

Baby's Position: Still unsure since I didn't dialate more, but she said again today that she thought she could feel his head.

Overall Progress: Still looking fine. The doctor said that she can tell that my cervix has been contracting by the way it feels (much softer than the past few weeks), it's just not changing by the numbers. I won't lie-- it's disappointing that I've been stuck at 1cm for three weeks. I'm totally fine that I haven't gone into labor yet-- I just want to see some freakin' progress. I'm nervous that we still haven't confirmed his position and I'm terrified that when I do go into active labor, I'll be in pain for a long time, dialating extremely slowly. (My good friend "Epi" will help with this, but I am really hoping not to call on him for his assistance until I'm 4-5cm.) Really, there's no way to know, and worrying is a waste of time... but hey, it's what I do.

On the topic of induction, the doc asked me to still be thinking about it, although she did mention again that she prefers not to induce until the cervix hits 2 cm... This makes me wonder why we've even been discussing it? Umm, hello? Still hanging out at 1 cm... I guess we're just getting the ball rolling in case there's no action by next Tuesday-- Then, no matter how many cm I am, we'll have to make a plan to deliver by the following Tuesday. (She doesn't want me to go a more than a week past my due date.)

If I make it that long, Rob and I have talked inducing on Monday, Sept 20th. (It's me & my mom's birthday-- Oh, and TIO's, too!) However, as we discussed it today, she let me know that Tues & Thurs are her typical induction days because she's at the hospital all day. Of course, we're welcome to pick any day we want, but another doctor would most likely deliver if that's the case. (She's there half days on Mon & Fri-- not there at all on Wed.) My hope is that he'll come on his own, whatever day that is, but if not, I guess we need to decide if the 20th is that important to us, or if we want him to be born on the 16th or the 21st. How does one decide these things?

****************************

This week, baby is the size of a large rabbit-- I'm so glad we only have another week or so of these silly comparisons:

And looks like this:

Baking Baby Blakely

"One uncomfortable complaint of late pregnancy is frequent hiccups. No, not you, your baby. Because there is no air around your baby, when she practices breathing, it can cause amniotic fluid to get into her windpipe, resulting in those regularly spaced thumps that make you think you're carrying a jumping bean in your belly.

Other news this week:

The lanugo (an exotic word for soft, downy hair) that used to cover your baby's body has mostly disappeared, but you may find a bit leftover on the shoulders, forehead and neck. Don't freak and think you've given birth to a monkey: It'll fall out soon.

The color of baby's skin is changing from a red-pink hue to a white or blue-pink color (even in babes with dark skin). These changes are due to the amount of fat your little pudger is putting on. The circumference of your baby's head and abdomen are about the same size now (though you may not be able to tell if your baby's born with the common cone-shaped head!).

The placenta is lending your Mini antibodies that'll keep him strong and healthy after birth. That said, it's still a good idea to invest in that mega-size bottle of hand sanitizer.

At this point your little critter is about 19 to 20 inches long and weights about 7 pounds. That's just around the size of a large rabbit. What's up Doc?"

Week 39 Belly Pic

Liam, honey, why don't you pick your own birthday? Mommy and Daddy don't want to have to pick it for you. Any day can be your special day-- you choose!

I've looked forward to this...

...because I'm a dork.

Yes, people.

My milk expires the same day as my pregnancy--

a week from Tuesday.

OMG!

ABCD...LIAM

Fabulous print I just ordered for the nursery from The Paper Tray.

I ♥ etsy!