Happy Birthday Becky! Happy Birthing Day Mom!

So, my mom gave birth on this day 27 years ago. After going through the process myself, I'd just like to say, "Way to go Momo!" I'm feeling really good today, and trying to take it easy. This morning I woke up and thought to myself... hey, I think I'd like to go back to the office after all. At the moment, Liam sleeps most of the morning, so working the 8-12 shift wouldn't be so bad, especially if they don't mind me bringing the baby with me, which the boss did offer. So, we'll see. The doctor said I need to wait a while for my body to catch up with my mind though. So, I'm doing lots of yoga and taking a nap around 2pm. Also, I already took a bubble bath today... mmm... Life is good. I love being Mommy and it's really fun to be home to take care of Paul. It's been a blast to have time to make him a big breakfast in the morning and lay out his clothes for him... I'm such a nerd, but I like to love on my man that way and I know he really enjoys it too. I'm so glad that I took vitamins, improved my nutrition, and exercised every day for the last few months of pregnancy. I think it's really helping me mend quickly. In honor of Momo's finest hour in giving birth to my sister, her is a photo of Liam with several of his gifts from Grandma:

And here is a photo of our playtime that I mentioned we had on Saturday. Saturday was such a blast because it was just me and Paul doing the stuff we always do on Saturdays, just + Liam. We also had a great time at church on Sunday...

And here is a photo of me actually dressed like an African this afternoon. I can't believe it's been two years since we were in Tanzania and I have just now had time to experiment with kangas and figure out how to put up my hair and wear a skirt... check it out!

Well, that's all for tonight. Paul is home and it's time to go for our nightly walk. I'll post a pic of Liam in our carriers sometime soon. Love to all. And happy birthday Becky... and Mom-- you've always been my hero.

Doctor Visit - Looking Good!!

So, I had my visit to the doctor this morning. Hurrah! I am allowed to take baths and drive again! Though, I will probably wait to drive until Paul's mom heads back to California. The little bugger is now sleeping through the night (well for 3-5hour stretches), so I've gotten much better sleep. Paul and I took the weekend "off" and sent his mom over to his aunts house so the three of us could get in some family bonding time. It's been hard to spend much time together with the baby eating so often and me sleeping the rest of the time. Here's his favorite swaddle sleep pose... "Power to the babies..."

(Weird I just noticed, the "close date" for the poll that I had selected at random actually was the day after Liam's birth... and the only one who guessed right, that Liam would be a big baby, over 9lbs, was his Daddy, Paul... and I think he put that as a joke. Funny or what?)

Now that he's sleeping more and awake more in the day, I can be too! So, it's easier to blog and work on the birth story. Birth is so crazy traumatic that you kind of have to write the story over and over, and sometimes when you think you've got it, you think of other lesson's you've learned. Anyway, call me anytime... now that I'm at home, I can actually catch up with friends. Also, I've started a support group on facebook for other c-section Asbury moms. So, if you know anyone who might be interested, let me know. Just talking out my emotions about it with others has really helped. Anyway, today I'm high on life, (instead of codeine). LOL. Oh, and only 5 pounds left to loose... though I think all the weight may be in my cup size E boobs, b/c all of my pre-prego clothes fit. My dad took me to the doctor this morning and laughed at my clothes. He said I had no clue how to color coordinate. I told him that pregnancy and that summer in Africa had caused me to choose comfort over style all the time. For more pics of my labor and of the baby check out Paul's facebook... Love to you all!

Liam Edgar Emra

I've decided to take the full birth story down for more editing. Here are the stats you might want to know.
Birthday: October 15th
Weight: 9lbs 1.1 oz
Length: 22 inches
He's nursing like a pro and the cutest thing you've ever seen. Daddy carried him in the carrier when we walked to church this morning. He behaved very well and didn't even fuss. He likes it when Daddy carries him.

Psychological Hang Ups

I found an incredible sale on 400 thread count sheets a Dillard's yesterday. So what if they don't match the pillow cases. Guess who mall walked ALL afternoon? Aren't I lucky that my husband's office is in the new outdoor mall? Let's just say, it didn't start my labor. Nope definitely still with child. For those of you who haven't seen me in a while: here's a pic Paul took of me last night luxuriating in the new sheets... I have some photos of the belly that are a little more dramatic in showing it's girth, but I'm not sure the world wide web is ready to see those. ;)

So, the midwife says I'm ready to have this baby. My cervix is fully effaced. Soft like butter. I just need to have some contractions and get dilated and this baby will be born. She then asked me if maybe I have some repressed psychological reason I would be holding the baby in-- caught her there-- I said well, if I have a repressed reason, how would I know what it is-- thus the repression. We laughed a little at her slip of the tongue, but I tried to come up with any reason why I wouldn't want to have the baby yet... nothing is really coming to mind though... so I don't know what to think. Maybe he waiting to be born on Saturday so he can share his birthday with my Grandma. Maybe he's waiting for the LA Emras to get here on Tuesday. Gosh if I know. I am glad to know that he's healthy and in position, so literally, any day now. If the baby doesn't come by Saturday, I have a sono scheduled. I think he'll come though. I can't imagine what's holding him back. I can't even think of anything else to scrub...

Deep Thoughts...

Well, I'm still PG. I'm headed out to see the midwife in about 45 minutes. She said to bring my bag "just in case." I'm thinking "not likely" though b/c I'm still not showing ANY symptoms of labor. No contractions, no bloody show, no broken water-- I'm just NOT in labor yet. Oh well. Since Mom asked, and might actually want to know... let's see what I'm really thinking about. Well, last week I read a really good novel by Joyce Carol Oats. Hadn't read anything by her since college and just picked it up vaguely remembering the name. By the time I was through reading it I thought to myself, now that was art, I mean literature. The authentic thing like Dickens, Defoe, Mark Twain or Jane Austen. Real literature written in 1996? Wow. Then I started vaguely reminiscing about a lecture Dr. Brown gave in Intro to Literature about the difference between true literature and "entertainment." Now, those might not have been the exact terms he used but that was the general gist. I honestly can't remember exactly what he said-- isn't that sad? So, I have been pondering the question anew. I found my answer in an odd place-- reading again, weird 70s hippie philosophy book called Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I haven't finished reading it yet, but in the book he talks a lot about the concept of Quality. He says you can't define Quality but you certainly know what it is. So, I guess the distinction between literature that is art and writings that are "just" entertaining, is a matter of quality. The question is why do some people distinguish quality differently than others and some folks not at all. Does the recognition of quality in art need to be taught? Anyway, he goes on to say a lot of crazy rambling stuff about Buddha and motorcycles, but there's an odd sort of truth to much of what he writes. So, that's what I've really been thinking about. The difference between Great books and Good reads. And really wondering exactly how Robert Pirsig came to the conclusion that Quality is in fact Buddha... what a weirdo.

Still Waiting...

So, the little bugger is still happily ensconced in my uterus. Those of you who guessed heavier weights are probably going to win if he keeps "staying in." Thanks to everyone who voted! It's fun to see that folks are actually keeping up with the blog!! This morning I woke up with the notion that maybe he's waiting to be born until everything completely ready for him. So, I took all the fabric off the carseat and washed it and put it back on. I'm trying now to think of anything else that I need to get done. Maybe he wants me to buy the baby carrier I've been thinking about getting? Hmm... I'm tempted to head over to Walmart and spend some time in the baby section. It's weird... our Walmart never had baby stuff before, then, I got pregnant and suddenly they added this whole other department. Full of baby stuff!! Hmm... I really do have a lot of baby stuff though. Maybe I should just go for a walk around the complex. Walking is supposed to be good for getting babies out... of course Paul and I have been going for walks every day now when he gets home from work... hmm... should I clean the bathroom? Probably. It amazes me how quickly little hairs and dust and things can accumulate on sinks, counters, and tubs. I feel like I am always cleaning the bathroom. Yuck. And those, "no scrub" bathtub/shower cleaners that you are supposed to just spray when your done showering and "go" do not work. They just make the bathtub slipper and don't seem to effect the growth of various scums and mold type things. Ew. Hmm... maybe I'll forget the bathroom and surf the web a little. On a different note, little brother is officially engaged (that's right, again). So apparently we'll be in KY for a couple of days in early January. Maybe we can see some of you guys who still live near Asbury!! That should be lots of fun. Though it's weird thinking about my little brother getting married... I guess he'll always be kid in my mind... I must be weird for him that I'm having a baby and sis has now had 2. Isn't it strange how the big changes in life seem to happen all at once? Well... those are my deep thoughts for the day. LOL. One of these days I'll get brave and blog about what's really going on in my mind... that day is not today though I think...

Twofer

Wow. Two posts in one day!?! Okay, this is just a short one to announce our latest poll. It's a let's guess the size of the baby poll. Just for fun. Since we are all waiting with bated breath for his arrival, I thought it might be fun to have some guesses on what he'll weigh. Don't let me down folks, vote early and vote often. LOL, keeping up with the poll will give us all something to do while we wait. :)

Humpty Dumpty

So, I now have something more in common with Humpty Dumpty than just my egg shaped profile-- I've had a fall. I always wondered growing up how people seem to just "fall" all the time. I would hear stories about old ladies at church who "fell" and broke a hip. I would always think wow, she just "fell over"? So, yesterday, as I scurried around my little nest, frantically doing laundry, watching a movie, and making the bed--I tripped and "just" fell. Flat on my tummy. AH. It didn't really hurt, so I got back up and finished what I was doing, then I laid down for a few minutes. Fortunately Mom was on her way over to take me grocery shopping-- I'm paranoid to drive myself anywhere these days-- so she arrived shortly after my fall. She, of course, insisted I call the midwife, who thought it would be a good idea to go get a sonogram -- "just in case." Good news: baby is FINE. It actually was kinda fun because I got to see the little guy's face!! I had hoped to see his actual face in living color at this point, but it was fun to see him on the sono picture... which if I had my scanner hooked up I would post for you b/c he's so cute!! Oh, I guess at this point I should mention, no, he hasn't been born yet. Hopefully he'll be here soon. Who knows? Everyday now I wake up and think, hmm... "maybe today is the day." The sono estimated that the baby weighs about 7lbs and 10oz at this point-- which is interesting b/c that is exactly what Kathleen (my midwife) guessed he weighed when I saw her on Wednesday! Cool huh? Of course, he'll probably be fatter by the time he's born, since he appears to be taking his sweet time in coming out! :) Today I've just been reading. It's really nice to have a day I can spend just reading and pondering. Like one of the best days at Asbury when it's springtime and everyone cuts class to go loll about on the green with a blanket and a novel... looking up every once in a while to examine a bird pick up an acorn, or watch the constant flood of bright-eyed freshman wandering into the CPO... mmmm... I miss springtime on the green. I can't believe it's October and I'm about to be a mother... and Asbury was over two years ago... now where did I pack away those fall leaf decorations?

Fat and Happy

Still PG. I think Liam is fat and happy in the womb and just not ready to come out. His heart rate was good at the midwife today. She said if we could just get him to scoot over a little and drop some more he should come right out. LOL. If I go a week & a half or so past my due date will do an ultra sound and a full work up to make sure the placenta is still thriving and the fluid levels are good. I hope he'll be a good boy and come on out to see us... oh well... I'm so tired lately...

DUE DATE!?!?

So, it's October 2nd. Liam has exactly 6 and 1/2 hours to left to be born on his due date. LOL. No signs of labor at this point. At least I don't have to stress out about preterm labor, nope, definitely not going to have the baby early. Today has been a decidedly weird day. I slept late, then Mom came by to see me. We ran over to Hobby Lobby to get some earring backs -- Mom likes to make jewelry-- and we witnessed an accident. This poor old man fell of the curb. His arm was bleeding profusely and I chased after his hat. We felt so bad for him. He wouldn't let us call him an ambulance or anything though. He just got in his car and said his doctors office was really close by and he would stop there. All could think was ouch!! His skin was as thin as paper and just ripped right away from his bone and he was bleeding everywhere! Say a prayer for him if you would, I'm sure he could use it. Well, after that we met Paul over by his office and had some lunch. At the restaurant we ran into a couple of ladies from our old church. They were like "whoah, when are you due?" And I was like, "today actually, I'll have a chilli dog and tator tots please." They said I'd regret the chilli dog if I went in to labor-- I ate it anyway. After that Mom took me home b/c I was feeling really tired. I slept for the rest of the afternoon. Longest I've slept uninterupted in a while... I guess I needed it. Anyway... that's the weirdness that is my due date. If I don't go into labor before hand, I'll go see the midwife tomorrow... she's told me the whole time that I would probably go late... but I guess I didn't believe her. UGG. Oh well. I'll update again after my appointment tomorrow. :)

Still Pregnant

Nope, sorry to disappoint ya, Sarah, but I'm still pregnant. I was just too lazy to blog this weekend. I just felt yucky pretty much all weekend. We had some fun though. We had my cousin and his wife over on Friday and played games and hung out. It was a blast since we rarely have anyone over to our place. Saturday we went to UTD for an outdoor symphony concert with one of my friends who goes there. That was really fun too. The highlight of the evening was the very end when they played Star Wars music and shot off fireworks. It was very cool. I brought my birth ball to sit on and Paul sat in a bean bag chair. (Most people brought lawn chairs, but we're unconventional, what can I say?) Yesterday, I had to walk through the gauntlet at church, "You're still here?" was the most popular question for me. I just laughed. I even told one lady, "Yes, and I think I'm even more pregnant than I was last week." LOL. It was pretty fun all in all-- you know how I love attention. Well this morning has been so busy! I got up early with Paul and cooked a big breakfast, then I wrote out the bills, went to the post office (to drop of said bills), returned the dvds to the library, and walked over and paid the rent! Wow. I'm feeling tired just reading through all of that. :) I think I may take it easy for a while before I do the laundry and the dishes -- this staying at home thing is not as easy as it sounds. Who was doing all this stuff while I was working?-- Hmm... Paul I guess. What a great guy. So, my due date is tomorrow, do you think he'll come?? I don't. LOL. He seems pretty happy where he is! Oh well, I like being pregnant so it's not that big of a deal. I think I'll miss the little guy moving around in there! Okay, I'm off to find a book or something...