The Finale is worth the Pain!

Yesterday (Wednesday) was by far the greatest day of my life. I am going to try to recap the details of what happened post Panera that brought me to last night, which was fabulous.
Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.
Ben and I were certain it was the day and that they were going to send us to the hospital. We were laughing when they sat us in two huge lay-z-boy recliners to monitor my contractions. Little Abney was not kicking as much as the nurse wanted to see nor was her heart rate moving up and down. But my contractions were coming at a steady pace and increasing in discomfort.
The doctor confirmed that I was in fact having contractions but was still only one centimeter dilated. Since I had not progressed from that stand point in a week she sent me home and informed me that it could still be days before it was show time. I had a very hard time not sobbing right there in the room but did challenge her verdict. (Surprised?) She told me I was probably having more pain because I was sleep deprived and prescribed two sleeping pills for me to get some rest that afternoon. Are you kidding me? I'm having steady, painful contractions and you are telling me I could go through this for days or past my due date and you are giving me TWO PILLS?
Approx 2:00 p.m.
We made the looooong drive home and my tears began. I was able to get a few hours of sleep, which was nice since I really had not slept more than an hour or two since Sunday night. But two sleeping pills was still not enough to keep me asleep. I drew another warm bath and lit my candles to try to calm my nerves and ease the pain. Ben gave me something to eat, which if I remember correctly was just two eggo waffles...and this would be the last time I would eat until 10:00 a.m. the next day.
The bath was okay but not enough. I went up and down the stairs, tried laying in bed, tried standing. Ben felt helpless as I cried and told him I couldn't do this and that I didn't know how she would ever get here if I couldn't be strong enough. He tried all of the techniques from the What to Expect book (otherwise known as Pregnancy Bible to me) and although I had trouble appreciating him at the time, his humor and rubbing my back through the pain was so helpful. In fact, just his presence and knowing he supported me was a huge help. I could NOT have done this without him.
Approx 6:00 p.m.
For the sake of TMI let's just say a new development occurred that made it very clear something was going on. I called my doctor and she reminded me that if I went to the hospital before it was time that they may turn me away. That my contractions should be closer together and in timely fashion and bringing me to my knees. But yes, she would call and tell the nurses I was coming if I really thought I needed to go. I should have known to listen to my instincts and not question myself, but it's me so we didn't leave. Instead Ben timed my contractions like the methodical coach we thought he needed to be and I continued to be in pain. At around 8:30 when my mom showed up we had true mother's instinct kick in.
She found me laying on my closet floor (closest soft spot to toilet), swollen with dehydration, and a myriad of other clear indicators I was in labor. In typical Melinda fashion she said, screw what your doctor says we are taking you to the hospital. Thanks Mom. :)
9:14 p.m. Checked In
They put me in a room and confirmed that I had dilated to 3 1/4 cm. I was ready to cry again, didn't I need to be over 4 cm before they would keep me? Thank goodness our wonderful nurse Kim assured me that since I had dilated from 1 that morning that I was getting to stay. YAY!!!!
By 10:00 I had my epidural, fluids, and was able to enjoy the process. My delusional state of pain was gone, and yes, I told the anesthesiologist that I loved him, not as much as Ben but that he was holding a close second. It was like a light switch turned on, so fabulous. I have no idea how anyone has ever done this au naturale when God gave us such fabulous medication. Highly recommended.
3:15 a.m. FIRST PUSH!
Ben, Kim the nurse, and I revved up and got ready. It took me a couple times before I started to push properly but our bigger issue was that my contractions were still not at regular intervals. Can you imagine if I had waited until they got regular like my Doctor said? I would have had Abney on my closet floor with Charlie as the Attending! Anyway, after around fifteen to twenty minutes the doctor now recommended putting me on petosin to get my contractions to be regular so my pushing would be more effective. The doc left and we waited for the meds to kick in. We did what I will call the restart around 3:35. Ben was so excited by the whole process and got into full coach mode. With seventeen to 4:00 a.m. he told me I needed to get her out by then. I looked at him and asked if I could at least be given one hour from start time as a goal? "No, you can do this!"
It was not ten minutes later that she was laying on my chest! She arrived at 3:53 a.m. to give her Daddy time to spare on his stop watch.
3:53 a.m. First Thoughts...
She is beautiful. Her ears are perfect. Where did she get all this hair? Her eyes are blue. Her skin is flawless. Is this really MY baby? Is my husband ever going to stop smiling? I hope not. :)

Abney Rae

Abney Rae has arrived!!

She was born on October 28th @ 3:53 am

7lbs 2.8 oz,  21.25" long

Both mom and baby are doing great!

First Quarter

Ben and I are sitting in the Panera next door to our hospital. Contractions are now 7 minutes apart and I in no way shape or form like them. However, I am fairly confident we are in labor but will have official word within about an hour. I called my Doc and out of fear that I will go to hospital only to be told to go home, she agreed to have me come in early today for our appointment to be hooked up for monitoring. Once they confirm labor we will go from there. If for some unholy reason they find this is not labor I am not sure what I will do with myself, but everyone should feel sorry for Ben having to deal with me if that happens. LOL
It's hard to imagine how the rest of today is going to be and how much it will change our lives. For now we are patiently waiting every few minutes for me to stand in pain and breathe through it. As long as I can remember to breathe and have my wonderful Coach Ben beside me everything will be okay.
We had a good laugh this morning because last night we were both so tired and injured (me being 9 months pregnant and Ben with sprained ankle) that we left the house a total disaster. Of course the house is a wreck and I have a full load of laundry I needed to do the day we plan to have visitors. Thank goodness our fabulous Bruna just called to confirm she can get to our house today to help us out. She is such a blessing in our lives. I'm rambling. Anyway, the other funny/ironic piece is that whenever I have spoken about our birth plan I recount how the only time that would be bad is morning rush hour. So what time did my contractions become consistent, painful, and closer together? Yep, you guessed it. Luckily we got out in okay time and it only took us 40 minutes to make the nine mile trek.
Posting is helping to distract me so depending on our Internet access I will try to post throughout. Otherwise the next time you hear from me I plan to be holding my baby girl! :)

Let the Games Begin

The show seems to be on the road. I've been having contractions since late Sunday night and as of last night they are about 12-15 minutes apart and consistent. I finally gave up around 3:00a.m. this morning, got out of bed and moved to the couch. I know I should rest but I cannot get consistent sleep and trying to get in and out of our high bed was taking more out of me than it was helping. So I am trying to find ways to relax and occupy myself when the pain comes.
I have no idea if this means today will be the day she makes her debut or if I still have a few days before the contractions will get closer. We have our weekly appointment scheduled at 9:45 today so the plan is for Ben to come with me and pack our bags just in case they tell us it is time to go to the hospital. I'm frustrated with all the unknowns and wish the ticker on my blog could tell me exactly when we need to be ready. Our parents are not here, and although they can probably leave after we are admitted to the hospital and still be here before she arrives...it is difficult to not know when to ask them to prepare. Even though contractions were happening all day yesterday, they were not consistent in spacing so I really thought they were not a true indicator. Now however I will be really surprised if my doctor does not tell us we are VERY close as they are coming almost like clockwork and fairly intense. This is nuts!
I'm definitely afraid but know that the gift at the end of this is well worth any more pain I may endure. Oh and I'm already thanking God I plan for an epidural because if these are just the preview to labor and delivery pains I'm not at all interested in feeling the full blown power.
We will keep everyone posted as we find out more details and probably use the wonderful world of facebook to make announcements and then follow up here. My sweet husband is sound asleep upstairs so I will expect him to be ready to make the bunches of phone calls to announce our progress. Keep us all in your thoughts and prayers!

T.G.I.F.!

The long week of work was definitely that but it is finally Friday! Even though my alarm went off this morning and I am sitting in my cubicle, it is so nice to know that it is the last day of the week and I can do some relaxing. Plus, I am now another day closer to meeting my daughter. :) Only 11 more days to go and I am truly convinced she will be here in October, so we will see what happens.
Although the week was long, the training class I was in was very good and had most of the Goody sales team in attendance. It was great to hear their thoughts and of course to spend time together for dinner and lunch. We have an amazing team of ten of us but only a handful that work in the office with me. So I always enjoy when we get together because it reminds me how lucky I am to work with such wonderful people.
Tonight Ben is in Maryville, TN, for the Emory game and has instructed me NOT to go into labor tonight since it will be fairly inconvenient for him to get home. LOL. He has the rest of the weekend off and we are going to Crooked Creek Farm tomorrow night for a bonfire and then Sunday we have a doggie costume party (oh yes, lots of pics will be taken) and then a people costume party after that. If I have not gotten enough movement the past week I am hoping this weekend will send her over the edge! Fingers crossed. :)

38 Week Appointment

I just got home from the latest appointment and we are still making progress. The Doc says I am about a centimeter dilated and the baby girl seems to be close to 7 pounds, but of course that is a guesstimate. She also advised against Ben going to Rochester, New York, the weekend before our due date. While she says she hopes we will have our little joy before then and cannot make any guarantees, that him traveling any time after 36 weeks but especially when I am 39 1/2 is probably not the best idea. It was nice to see Dr. Sternberg today who is my usual OB, we had not seen each other since she officially told me I was pregnant in February. I'm hoping this may be some sort of good luck so we can close this chapter as well.
Last night did not go as planned when it came to sleep. Ben had to view a soccer game and was not home until late. For some reason I cannot sleep when I know he is out and I'm waiting for him to get home. Once he returned safely I was able to drift in and out throughout the night but don't feel like I ever really slept. I'm going to try to take the boys for a walk, then snooze a little this evening to catch up before doing some more work. Ben has practice and will not be home until 8:00 and I have such a pile of work to try to get done this week...may as well get on a nap schedule now.

Are we there yet?

We are only two weeks away from the due date. Is that possible? It seems like it is still so far away but no, we are almost into single digit countdown. At the absolute most she is four weeks from being in our arms. :) That thought makes me smile, a lot. I find myself sitting in her room or looking in her bassinet trying to imagine what she will look like. If she will actually have hair since my heartburn has been so bad and her Daddy had a full head; or is she will be a bald cue ball like her Mama the first two years. Will she still get the hiccups all the time or is that just a phase while she is tucked tightly in the womb? Ironic, she just got the hiccups again! I swear this little girl gets them at least six times a day. Doctors swear it is normal, and where they used to drive me nuts they now serve as quiet comfort for me. She does not have her thrashing soccer kick practice now that she is running out of room so the thumping of her little hiccups makes me know she is okay...even if for the moment she may be slightly uncomfortable.
I also wonder if her Daddy will ever let me hold her again once he can get his hands on her. Will he fight me for the chance to change her or take a whiff and throw her my direction. LOL One thing is for sure, she will live a life full of love and support. She is blessed with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and G-Diddy, all who will give her more love than any little girl could ask for. I have made a promise to myself to try to share her as much as possible so she will always know that no matter who is holding her that she will be loved and protected.
Tomorrow we have our 38 week appointment. After some thought today I am trying to get it slightly earlier so Ben can join me. He has not been to any of the appointments since our last ultrasound, and I think now that we are so close it will be good for him to attend so he can hear what the doctor has to say. We have four days that he is traveling within the next fourteen and I am praying those do not house the day she is planning to arrive. I will be a wreck if I do not have my Ben by my side when this process gets started. I know, I can do this and I will have support, but no offense to the rest of you my Ben is my partner in crime and no one can calm me the way he can. He is my rock, my baby Daddy, and my best friend.
It is close to 8:15 which means the boys and I are going to get ourselves ready for bed. I am trying to get as many Zs as possible while I can, especially with the busy work week ahead of me. Today I left the house at 6:50 a.m. and didn't get home until 6:20 p.m. The rest of the week is so full of meetings and I do not anticipate any day getting to be much different. Come Friday night I will be wiped out! However, I am giving myself a pat on the back today because I did take the boys on a walk all the way around our neighborhood when we got home. Both to be a good Mommy to them and to hopefully help my baby girl get that much closer to delivery. Yes, trying every old wives' tale I can find to try to get this show on the road!

Appointment Recap & Progress

Although it all sounds very scientific, it's actually not at all. Having a cervix dilated to three centimeters or being 50 percent effaced is no indication that labor is imminent. You can be very dilated and not have your baby for weeks. Or your cervix can be high and closed during an exam one morning, only to be open and ready for business — and labor — by noon. -What to Expect
Now that we have established this I am excited to say that yesterday's appointment shows that I am making progress towards delivery. I went to the appointment scared it would be another week with no signs of labor progressing and they would tell me they accidentally gave me the wrong estimate and I still have another two months to go...I know, but when you are nine months pregnant and ready to roll your hormones and hypochondria go into over-drive. :) As of yesterday morning, I still have not dilated but I am 70% effaced. My doctor says this is normal, especially in first time moms, to have the cervix thin out before it begins to open. I may still have the full 20 days or more before she makes her debut but I am excited that my body is progressing nicely towards delivery and that I only gained one pound this week. My fears of labor are starting to creep back up but I know that it will be well worth it and the amnesia will kick in as soon as I see her beautiful face.
Ben has been sick ever since he got home from Chicago and it seems like I am coming down with the sludge now as well. I woke up this morning with stuffy nose and swollen throat. I'm hoping that if I chug water and OJ today that it will go away but have a feeling I will be at my PCP within the next day. :( Will keep you posted!

37 Weeks

Only 21 days to go!!!!!!!!!!! Has it really been this long already? Some days it feels like we just began this journey and other days it feels like it has been going on FOREVER. Today I have my second weekly doc appointment and am hoping they may tell me we are moving ahead of schedule, although the odds of that are unlikely. Because of my appointment and needing to walk stores for some opportunity accounts, I am working from home this morning. It is so nice to still be in my pajamas and able to sit Indian style of with my legs outstretched, recline, incline, whatever I like. The working all day is only minor discomfort, but the chair and position I have to sit in is what kills me. I am one of the moms that has pain in my tailbone/pelvis area, which is not uncommon but for some reason sitting even on a pillow at work is awful. And at this point I am pretty much refusing to eat dinner anywhere that does not have a booth option.
I check a weekly update and thought this week was very exciting so here it is below:
Your Pregnancy: Week 37Your baby is officially baked this week! That means you could literally give birth at any given moment. A terrifying, exciting and overwhelming concept, all rolled into one. Your partner is undoubtedly having the same emotional roller-coaster ride, so be sure to share your feelings and enjoy these last weeks (days?! hours?!) together.Wondering what's up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on ...
What You're Thinking:
"I can't eat, I can't sleep, but I can do a great imitation of a beached whale. Seriously, are we almost done with this?"
Your Baby
Huge news this week: You're carrying a full-term baby! If you were to go into labor today, all systems would be a go. Woo-hoo! Even though you can't wait for the little bambino to quite literally rear her head, keep in mind that your bun benefits from every day in the oven. Other ticker-tape-worthy developments: Baby's growth slows down dramatically this week, which is great news for your birth canal. Her bones are still soft and pliable and will solidify after she's born. More great news for your birth canal.So if she's all cooked and ready to go, what the heck is she still doing in there?! She's busy practicing for "life on the outside," working on her breathing, sucking, sleeping, gazing and peeing abilities. The only thing she can't practice yet is her ability to scream at the top of her lungs when she's hungry—but she'll do plenty of that in a few weeks.At this point babies vary in size, but the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds. About the size of an average large mouth bass caught in Minnesota by your cousin Earl.
Your Life
If you can't stop Windexing everything in sight or you have a sudden desire to rearrange your linen closet again, then you're officially nesting. Nesting is the phenomena where exhausted and very pregnant women suddenly find the energy and the drive to clean like their life depends on it.Though many women think "nesting" is a wives' tale, it's actually not the stuff of urban legend, and many women get the powerful urge to ready their home for the impending arrival in the final weeks of pregnancy. (Kind of makes you wish nature had the forethought to send that urge to your partner every now and then, doesn't it?) Now's a good time to make sure your nursery is clean and ready for baby to spit and poop all over it. Spend some of that extra nesting energy stocking up on baby needs like diapers and wipes. You really don't need to be polishing the silver right now.Even if you're feeling super-energetic, make sure to get enough rest. You'll need your strength for labor and beyond.

More Progress on the Nest

Changing Seasons

"It's like we're standing in the past, present, and future all at once. I like that."
This weekend has been one of those reflective weekends that reminds me of how blessed I am for my past, how happy I am today, and knowing that I have this incredible future in front of me with no idea what to expect. I spent yesterday mostly laying around because I was tired, and instead of getting mad at myself I just enjoyed it. I have been told these lazy days where I can sit around and watch silly television are soon to be filled with play dates, more soccer games, and Girl Scouts etc...who knows. What I do know is to appreciate the bittersweet transition and to try to savor the moments.
The changing leaves, crisp air, and the sounds of football fans makes this even more evident. It has only been a little over a year since we lost Dad and while each day makes it easier I still find myself thinking of him as if he is still here. It hurts each time but I know after spending 26 years with him in my life that is to be expected after only one year without.

Never have I ever...

Seen such a cute pup! He is the best baby product tester. :) This gift came yesterday from one of my wonderful co-workers Julie. So thoughtful and so darn cute. I know everyone that sees this keeps thinking, "Man, Charlie is in for a rude awakening." But I have to believe that he and Stan have put themselves so high in our hearts that Ben and I will still give them adequate love and affection. Besides, Charlie knows well enough to get his butt in the way if he is not getting the attention he needs. LOL
We have finally given up hope on Ally returning to us any time soon. We are hopeful that some family has taken her in because they needed her in their lives. She was such a sweet kitty and we are grateful for the five years we had with her. Please say a little prayer for our itty bitty kitty.

36 Weeks Appointment

Well, that was certainly a fun experience! I just got home from my 36 weeks appointment with the doctor and it went very well. Heart beats are good for both of us, and all other signs are positive. I have not gained any weight since my appointment two weeks ago, which made me very happy, but she seems to have packed on a bit. :) Please don't worry, I have gained more than enough...As of today, I have not dilated but I'm still hoping to have her here in time for Halloween. We scheduled the rest of our weekly appointments through November 3rd so I guess we will know more in another week!
Now I am resting up on the couch with my boys waiting for Ben to get home so I can cook him a yummy dinner.

I Love You This Much!

Last night may have been one of the coolest moments I have ever experienced. After a delicious dinner date with our neighbors (oh, PS our fridge is broken, has been for a week and a half and it is still another ten days before the $400 replacement part can be installed...yeah...real happy about that). Any way, after dinner Ben and I came home to do our new nightly routine where he reads a book to the baby. My sweet coworkers each got us their favorite childhood book and wrote a note in it. Such a cute idea and has been so much fun already! Well, last night I laid belly up across Ben so that the baby girl could hear him better. At 36 weeks she has all of her senses and should respond to both light and sound. Boy did she!!!
As Ben read the book "I Love You This Much" she moved to my right side to get as close as possible to the sound of his voice. It literally looked like I had a cone sticking out of my side because I was so lopsided! She would get excited when he started talking again if he had paused and make movements towards him. It was so amazing...she really is in there with her own personality and everything. Clearly, already a Daddy's girl. :)
Today we have officially reached the 36 week mark and have our first weekly appointment at 3:00. I can definitely tell that she has moved a little lower and hope that this means we may get to meet her sooner than later.

Slacker on Posts

I'm sure you can surmise by the lack of posts that we have been crazy busy around here. Between super busy season at work, soccer season, and NESTING...my body shut down on me this week. I was sitting in the fourth day of meetings when I got so overheated I had to go home. Essentially I passed out the rest of the day and now feel back to my "regular" pregnant self. I do not seem able to learn that some of the activity I was able to push through normally I just cannot do while my body is working so hard internally. I guess it is God's way of making me stop when enough is enough.
For now I am off to breastfeeding class at the hospital and hoping it will be worth the time. If not...I may cut out early and do some more shopping for the nursery. So many more updates to fill in but it will have to wait until later today. Love to all our loyal followers and thank you for your continued support!