Mack Samuel

The day after my due date I finally go into labor! I guess technically only minutes into the 16th my contractions began. I started having consistent contractions just after midnight. Since I have been having Braxton Hicks for so long I waited until my contractions were consistent for an hour and a half before calling the doctor. We only live a few minutes from the hospital, so I wasn't too worried about not making it in time. By the time I call the doctor and grab my last few things and reach the hospital my contractions were already 5 mins apart! I was a little worried about how fast that changed. So then I get to my room and get hooked up and they keep coming faster and then they check and I am at a 6. I hadn't decided before about an epidural, but at that point I was pretty sure I wanted one. The nurse went ahead and ordered one since it takes awhile to get going. When the doctor got there about 45to an hour later I was at an 8. The nurse then informed me that there was no way I would get an epidural in time. Then panic set in! I thought I could do it before I was actually in labor, but once I was there I wanted relief. She gave me some other medicine that made me loopy and relaxed. It wasn't long after that that I felt the urge to push, which did not happen with Cale and Carter. It was kind of scary. For 30 minutes I pushed and finally had the baby! It was the longest 30 minutes ever and there were times when I really thought I couldn't do it. Then after arriving at 3:ooam he was born at 5:24am. After he came out though I knew it would be instant relief and it was. I also was like that's it, I'm done no more kids! There was no way I want to do that again.

When they laid him on me I couldn't get over how big he was. He weighed 7lbs 15 oz, but looked much larger to me. I surprisingly felt so much more alert and better than I did after I had Cale and Carter. I guess because my labor was so quick or maybe it was not having drugs. I don't know, but I sure didn't feel like I had only had about an hour and a half of sleep that night before labor started.

We were very relieved when it was over and we got to watch him get cleaned up and hold him right away. Since the twins were born in the operating room and 5 weeks early we missed everything with them. I wasn't away from Mack until that night when they had to take him to the nursery to do vitals and whatever else they do.

So far this has been a much better experience. One baby is definitely easier than two! It does help that Mack has been a really good baby, so far. He actually sleeps the whole time in between most feedings! The other boys never did that. They would sleep like 20 minutes at a time. Mack is also a great eater and I am so glad that nursing is working out.

Carter--the 2 seconds he held Mack before he realized what he had agreed to

The boys first reaction to the baby

40 Weeks...

Well here I am at 40 weeks and no baby yet. Yesterday I had a doctor appointment and I had made lots of progress since Thursday. I was 3 centimeters dilated, 90% effaced and the baby is at -1 station. Basically active labor starts at 4 cent and 0 station, that is how close I am. While I was there the doctor I had my appointment with had to leave about 5 mins after she walked in because she was paged to deliver a baby! Of course, but I then saw the doctor that delivered the boys. Then I thought what a great birthday present, yesterday was my birthday, when she said starting Wednesday I could be scheduled to be induced! However, I didn't realize that the hospital only allowed 5 women in Raleigh to be scheduled to be induced per day. So when I went to talk to the schedule lady at my doctors office she called and NOTHING was open for the next whole week! I was so upset. She said she would call everyday several times a day in case someone on the schedule delivers early. Good news is this morning she called and they got an opening for Monday the 21st. That is longer than I would like to wait, but end is in sight!

Well last night I had tons of contractions and some were slightly stronger and more painful. I thought, yes things are moving! I even called the doctor, but then they stopped. Of course that happens to me. With the boys my water broke, so I have no clue as to when I am in labor. I am really hoping my water breaks again. Good news with that is that the doctor said the baby's head is so low that it won't be a gush, so no embarrassing flood. I haven't had very many contractions today and that is very depressing to me. I went shopping with mom at Kohl's this morning hoping that walking around would help, but nothing.

Right now I am praying that either the super painful contractions will start and I will know I am in labor (the thought of pain doesn't bother me because I want to be in labor), that my water will break, or that someone scheduled will have their baby tonight. Maybe I will drag Andy out for a walk tonight.

Staying Busy

Another weekend pasted and still no baby. I really do feel like it is getting close though. We tried to stay busy this weekend and do lots of walking to help move things along. On Friday afternoon we went to Lake Johnson and walked and then fed the fish and a "sea" turtle and a duck. It was fun and I am glad that the weather has been a little cooler. Then Saturday morning we went to this big Bug Fest that the science museum was putting on. It was really big! The boys however were in a crabby mood because they had missed a nap on Friday (with school starting back they are napping better) and then they camped out with Andy in the backyard on Friday night. So they were going on a little less sleep. We ran into some friends right after we got there and walked around with them. The boys did getting a little better mood after the cinnamon teddy graham snack I brought. After all that walking we did when we came home all I was was beat and my hips hurt so bad! I don't know what I was thinking. That night Andy got lucky and was able to go to the NCSU game and sit in box seats. I guess I got lucky too, because when Andy isn't here I can put the boys to bed really early and never hear anything out of them. They were in bed and out by 7:20. Yet another peaceful night for me.

Today we had church and it was our Sunday to serve in the nursery. It will probably be our last one for a while. I have been having more intense contractions today, but still pretty irregular. since tomorrow is my birthday and I have hopefully my last doctor appointment, my mom decided to go ahead and come since I will surely have this baby soon. It was a pretty relaxing day after church. I napped and the boys played nicely. Then when mom got here we went and picked up the door we had ordered for the baby's room (we are in the slow process of replacing the interior doors).

Hopefully tomorrow I will have an exciting up date of at least a date of when they will induce me. I am trying hard not to get my hopes up too much though, but I really think this thing has to happen soon.

Not Much Longer?

I had my doctors appointment today. The doctor I saw today said that I was about 2 centimeters dilated and that at my appointment next week, if I was still pregnant, they would probably be able to schedule me to be induced. When I went to check out the lady asked me what day I wanted to come next week, so I told her my due date is Tuesday and the sooner the better. Then she gave me the first appointment they had for Monday. The doctor told me if they schedule me to be induced it would be before I was one week overdue, so I guess at most I have a week and a half left. Before the other doctor told me last week that I would go into labor within a week I had a feeling that I would go overdue. Although I am ready to not be pregnant I really do not want to be induced. Hopefully I will go into labor on my own and before Monday. I have walked a half a mile the last two nights. I should walk more, but Andy insists on letting the boys ride their scooters and that is about all they can do. Maybe this weekend we can get some more walking in.

Finally Success!

Finally this morning we had success at drop off!! Andy took the boys to school this morning. He was here late this morning from having to take Carter to the walk in hours at the doctor for yet another ear infection! This is the first one since Feb, but still will they ever grow out of this thing!! Anyways, Andy bribed them with being able to eat their "cow candy" (the Chik-fil-a cow pez they got last night at kids night at CFA). Their teacher also came up with a smiley face/sad face post it note for if they came in good and did what they are suppose to do. It seemed to work today! Tomorrow is another day, but I am hoping that they keep it up. I decided to pick up my own "treasure box" stuff like they have at school for when they collect 5 smiley faces. These kids are easy to please as far as stuff goes. They are happy with little cheap things which is nice, but sometimes rewards don't last long with them for some odd reason. I hope they do good in the morning. Please pray that they are making a turn for the good!

Eat This Not That!

I am not a fan of dieting. My thought has always been that you only live once and why not eat things you love (in moderation). This book, Eat This Not That! has been intriguing me for a while, so after seeing the author on the Today's Show several times I decided to buy this one and the one for kids. They are very informative books. This is a diet method, but all you are doing is buying the healthiest choice of certain types of foods. It is really hard to do with my couponing though, because the healthier options either don't have as good of coupons or are not on sale. Andy and I believe that is why Americans are so heavy especially with the economy the way it is. Anyways, I do my best, but do splurge right now. After the baby is born and I have a ton of weight to lose I will be more diligent.

We eat out quite a bit too, so these books have a grocery section and a restaurant section. They also have just a general information section for things that may not fit into the other sections. This "diet" plan is meant to help the fat at your midsection, which is my problem. There have really been some things I was surprised over. One, wasn't much of a surprise, was that Chik-fil-a is the healthiest place to eat. Even the regular chicken sandwich has less than 500 calories. Actually the wraps and salads were the worst! The chargrill was of course the healthiest option there.

This guy is very against dressing and especially ranch. He said that it is better for your kids not to eat veggies if they have to dip them in ranch. I was relieved since I always feel bad for not making my kids eat raw veggies. Andy and I think the boys eat healthy and are very against forcing them to eat foods. They are strongly encouraged to try a bite and if they don't like it then fine they don't have to eat it. Sometimes they do actually like the food though. I was happy to see that most of the eat this kids cereals were ones that the boys love, Frosted Mini Wheat, Special K, Life and grossest Bran Flakes. I am the bad cereal eater in the house. I like my Lucky Charms and Frosted Flakes.

These books have been helpful and next I need to get the one with just the grocery store stuff. Nutrition does interest me and I have made some changes to things we normally buy. I think that I am the only one that is having a hard time adjusting since Andy and the boys like bland foods.

Uneventful Weekend and 39 Weeks...

This past weekend was a nice long weekend without the boys and would have been a perfect time for me to have this baby, but I didn't. My parents wanted to take the boys to a car show at a train museum, so they went to Greensboro from Friday to Monday. It was nice and quiet around here and we got some stuff done and caught up on sleep. We went out for a couple dinners and went to a baseball game. I also finally got a new cell phone after 4 years of having my other one. I took the big jump and got a Blackberry. I was nervous since it would make my cell phone bill go up, but I really think that I will use it for my business or I hope it will come in handy with that. This weekend would have been so nice to have the baby though!! I have several people who have volunteered to watch the boys when I go into labor, but I was just hoping to avoid the stress of tracking someone down and then worrying about how the boys would do and what they would think.

Carter is already having a rough time getting adjusted to school for some odd reason. He didn't want to get out of the car again this morning. I just don't know what to do. I have tried every reward I can think of and still today it didn't matter. I guess once he is there and in class he is fine, but I just hate how he is in the mornings. I could tell this morning in the car that it was going to be one of those days and it was. The boys are asleep which means they must be really tired. Maybe that is what is wrong with Carter. Maybe he isn't getting enough sleep. Andy and I have a hard time believing that it is because I am pregnant and there is about to be a baby soon. He is just the one that seems to be more oblivious and we don't know that they really know what is going to happen to their lives. I don't know maybe we don't give them enough credit and maybe they can sense that life is going to change drastically.

I wish that the baby would hurry up and come already! Maybe that would solve some problems or might create new ones who knows. At least we can then move on and start adjusting to the changes in our lives. I have been having contractions for the past week!! Most of the time they come about one an hour, but sometimes more. This is getting to be very old. Mainly because it gets my hopes up that this might be it and then no I don't have another one for an hour or sometimes longer. I figured it would probably happen today just because Andy had to go out of town for work. That would be my luck. I go back to the doctor on Thursday, but I feel like what's the point? They are not going to tell me to go to the hospital and have the baby. I really hate that Andy was right about what the doctor said about me having it in the next week and it was a full moon on Friday and he said that wouldn't be true either. I hate it when Andy is right! I am really starting to feel depressed about this. I am not miserable, but just ready to be done! I hate the anticipation of when is it going to happen. The wait is killing me! I have been trying to work and stay busy, but it is hard since my mind seems to be elsewhere. Hopefully it will happen soon!

Another Day

It's just another day at our house. Andy was kind enough to take the boys to school today. They said they were going to get out at carpool like big boys, but do you think that happened? Nope. The teachers at carpool have to pull them out of the car 95% of the time and today was one of those days.

I finally after almost a week got Carter to nap, but not Cale. Although he did have a couple long naps at the beginning of the week. I just know that has to be Carter's problem, but I'm sure tomorrow will be the same as the last two mornings. Tomorrow I told Andy I would take them and we are going through carpool. They are suppose to go to my parents this weekend, but have not been very good this week (mainly Carter). We told them they have one more chance to get out good at carpool tomorrow and then they can go to Mawmaw and Papaw's house. I have very very low expectations of this happening. I really don't understand them. This is their 4th year at this preschool and I worked there the last 2 years, so they spent lots of time there and around all the teachers. I wish I knew why they won't get out the car own their own.

Well as far as I go, I am still pregnant. I was hoping to go into labor after my stressful day yesterday and the amount of contractions I had last night, but no such luck. Friday is a full moon, so we'll see what happens then. I really don't mind being pregnant. I just hate not having energy and being able to enjoy this nice weather! I haven't left the house all day except for to put some stuff in the mailbox. Exciting, huh? I just can't walk much or my hands and feet of course swell and then I feel like the marshmallow man. I love going on walks on days like this, so it is really hard watching everyone in our neighborhood walk by our house. I can't wait to start walking again! That was my favorite thing about working at preschool in the one year old class was that we took them on buggy rides, in triple jogging strollers. It was fun to talk and hear them talk and just enjoy the outside. The boys always love going on buggy rides still today, but I haven't been able to push them in a couple months.

I just pray that tomorrow is a better day with the boys and that I don't feel totally stupid showing my face at preschool again! I am the worst at worrying about things I have no control over. I try and remember this verse and just take one day at a time.

Matthew 6:34"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Last First Day and Worst First Day

Today was the boys first day of preschool and their last year. It was also the worst day ever!! Cale as you can tell was ready and wanted his picture made. Carter on the other hand wouldn't cooperate at all. He eventually agreed to a picture at home and then seemed fine as we gathered our things and left for school.

As we arrived at school it was pretty much a circus. Lots of parents and kids and even some extended family. Well Cale saw one of his friends getting his picture made under a tree outside and asked me to take his there, so I did. Carter seemed fine, but did not want his picture made and that was ok. So I am carrying in all this stuff that I needed to bring and I wanted to bring it today in hopes that I go into labor very very soon. When we begin to walk up the side walk at school Carter stops starts crying and totally freaks out! He has never done this before not even their first day ever when they were only 16 months old, well they cried once we got to the class and I left. So there are mobs of people around, I am carrying lots of stuff and Cale is standing there. I felt like I had this kid who had never been left by me before when that couldn't be farther from the truth! So I convince him to let me carry him to the door and he says ok. So we get in the door and to the steps and he has to get down and walk down the steps, but instead of doing that he stops in the middle of the steps sits and crosses his arms and cries. Remember I said it was crazy there! So people are having to walk around us, which is hard to do considering I am huge (see previous post) and a teacher is standing there trying to get him to move. Well I give up and just continue on with Cale, who thankfully sees when Carter is giving mommy a hard time and totally cooperates with whatever it is we are doing. Cale goes down and hangs up his book bag and goes right in and sees his best little friends and does what the teacher asks.

I then turn around to go get Carter. He has nicely moved to the side of step instead of in the middle. As I walk up there to try and get him to come down my hormones totally got the best of me out of pure frustration and stress. Tears started coming and then once he saw that I was upset he then got up and came down without much being said. I thought good this is it. No. He just stands there and won't hang his book bag up. Luckily there are other mothers there who know what it feels like to be 9 months pregnant and they help me get him to hang his book bag up, but by this time my hormones are making me cry and I can not stop! I hate doing this! I felt like I looked like a mom so sad to see her kids going to school, but no way was that it!! I was so relieved when I left that place I seriously thought, what would happen if I didn't pick them up at 12? Cale did great and he is my child that cuts me slack and tries to be helpful. Carter is 100% like his father! Anyways I finally somewhat managed to get myself together until someone would talk to me, but then the director let me sit in her office until I was calm. I use to work there, so it was comforting to at least know that I knew all these people and they weren't like strangers to me.

When I picked them up they said they did great today. They were happy in the car. Then we got home. Carter started immediately with his stubbornness. Cale wanted a sandwich and of course Carter wanted spaghetti o's. Well I am not a short order cook and we don't each get our own meals in our house. So since Cale was a big boy we were having sandwiches. Carter got mad and pouted in his room. I then informed him that once Cale was done then lunch was over and he would miss lunch if he didn't come eat. So he came and ate two sandwiches, but nothing else. I really thought that this was all because he was tired because he has refused to nap this week. But he is still not asleep! Believe me, he will not get up without sleeping today!

When I called and told Andy what happened he surprisingly said he would take the boys to school the rest of the week. Andy didn't want to come today even though I asked him to, so maybe he felt guilty. I know now I should have just went back to the car and waited until he was ready, but I was not able to think clearly with everything going on. I just thought once he saw his friends he would be ok. He wasn't though.

I am really dreading the first day of kindergarten!! This is the only reason I fear they will not be ready, maturity. They can both be extremely stubborn and balk and the simplest tasks. Maybe other kids are like this, but some days we swear that it is only ours. Then I think why did I decide to do this again to myself?

Cale


Cale is batman and Carter is superman--can you see the attitude?

The picture Cale wanted at school. It is not the best as I need a new small camera.

38 Weeks...

I am now 38 weeks! Yesterday I had a doctors appointment and got great news. She said that I had made progress and was dilated to 1 cent. and the baby's head was down and ready. Then she said that I could go in the next week and may not make it to my next appointment!! Normally I would be very skeptical about these kind of predictions, as Andy of course was. However, when I was pregnant with the boys at my last appointment the doctor I saw told me my water would probably break in the next week. Well I was like how does she know? Apparently when you check out so many pregnant women you must just know, because in less than a week my water broke! I have just recently learned that having your water break only happens to 10-15% of women. So I am really hoping that this doctor is right too and I only have a week to go. My next appointment isn't until next Thursday, which is more than a week away. She also estimated that the baby is about 6 1/2 -7 lbs. I was very happy about that. I did not want a big baby because no I did not have a C-Section with the boys. So many people are shocked by this! I think I am ready to start on my path to feeling normal again, physically and emotionally.