the day after Christmas

Huge thanks to Becca Howell Photography! Al was about 1 month old.

Sitting on the couch, as usual, but this time it's the day after Christmas and a beautiful 7 week old sleeps on my shoulder. Well, my mom just took her for me, but you get the idea. I'm wearing a stunning new locket from Phil that holds a picture of Audrey from the hospital and one of him holding her. He totally spoiled me again - and I'm okay with it. Our hope is that the locket becomes somewhat of an heirloom piece that stays with the family(granted that Audrey doesn't yank it off my neck).

Mom and Dad stayed with us for her first month and were SO helpful. They gave me nap breaks, made fantastic meals and endless pots of coffee, walked Harvey, brought home fresh pastries and the newspaper each morning... all very much appreciated! Of course, they're in love with her and enjoy all the time spent with her in her early days.

Every week is something new... she's holding her head up more, making more noise, kicking her legs, nursing well and does great on walks and outings. I have yet to break out the boob in public - maybe in time.

We had a lovely Christmas: opened stockings at home before heading to Andy and Jen's. Elinor, quite literally, squealed with the opening of each of her gifts. And, I'm pretty sure that everything Sophie received was penguin-related. Add some Boston Terrier slippers and pajama pants for me and you have a spectacular holiday.

Today also marks six years since we lost Melinda. All my love and prayers go out to the Mills.

Welcome, Audrey!

Holy moly - she's here!! Audrey Lou joined us on the "outside" on November 5, 2011(one week ago) at 12:42am - weighing in at 8lbs. 6oz. and 19 3/4 inches! Can you imagine how large she would've been if she had come on the 16th, as planned? My doctor was so sure that I'd at least make it to my due date that he went out of town for the weekend. Yes, quite reminiscent of a sitcom. 

In fact, the "sitcom" day included me going to work(timing contractions along the way), coming back home early and sitting in a tub while trying to determine if what I was feeling were real contractions or false labor. I was so adamant about not wanting to go to the hospital and getting told to go back home... that by the time we did go in around 6:00pm, I was 6cm! 

The drive to the hospital from West Seattle to Ballard was also like something off of "Friends." Although, by then, there was nothing friendly about me. After reassurance from Phil that we would make it, even though it was Friday rush hour, we called my parents to tell them we were going to the hospital and set out. I probably had about 7 contractions on the 25-30 min. drive, desperately clutching Phil's shoulder each time. I may have even cried out a bit - just like the movies. But, believe it or not, I was still concerned that this may not be the real thing. I remember telling Phil, "If this isn't the real thing, they have to give me drugs anyway." The other infamous quote came when I cursed at a red light and Phil said, "Honey, I need you to be positive right now."

Phil pulled into the round-about of the hospital, but was worried about blocking the sidewalk a bit. This was not a concern for me. I kindly/firmly/demanding-ly asked him to go get a wheelchair. He left to do so, but was taking too long for my liking. I busted out of the car and made a run for it. There wasn't anyone at the front desk(which I found appalling at the time) and Phil was nowhere to be seen. I impatiently waited and then walked to the elevators, thinking that I should probably wait for Phil before going up to that blessed fifth floor where they would relieve me with blessed drugs. Luckily, the elevator door opened and there was Phil with a nurse and wheelchair. "It's me," I sighed to the nurse and eagerly climbed in the chair. 

The sight of the hospital room was pure elation. I stripped down without reservation and had a few more contractions with the nurse telling me to breathe through them and that I was doing great(I told Phil she was a lot better than him at this). True elation arrived with the news that I was 6cm. The anesthesiologist gave me an epidural that gave me incredible relief. 

I stayed at 6cm for awhile and Phil even got a little shut-eye. Mom and Dad arrived during that time, too. The main event isn't something that I care to remember, but it was over in half an hour! Here's hoping any future births move as quickly. 

Audrey Lou was placed on my chest for a bit, but then taken into the nursery to get some extra oxygen. They assured me that she would be okay and the doctor continued stitching me up(she was taking so long with the stitching, I asked if she was making a quilt). The doctor was a friendly blonde woman named Dr. Cabodi. I also had great nurses named Laura, Arlana and Debbie. 

We were visited by Andy and Jen, Ann and Colleen, Lindsey B., the Kyles and Chris. Cory and Ann sent sweet pink flowers with a balloon. Mom and Dad brought us Red Mill Burgers and Starbucks which tasted SO good as my appetite finally came back after 9 months. 

This past week with Audrey has been magical. We've been out almost every day for a doctor's appointment, lactation appointment or just a walk. She has truly been spoiling us by sleeping really well and fussing very little. She is so beautiful - such an amazing gift. Was she really in my belly?

She's got a fair amount of dark hair and her eyes looked blue at first, but apparently, all babies start out with blue eyes. This was news to Phil and me; they now look more brown. Greek genes: 1, Redhead genes: 0. My mom says she looks just like me when I was born, so we'll see. 

I think that's about all the words I've got for now. The main idea? I am one happy momma.

Flash-forward...

...and I'm suddenly at 36 weeks! Can't say that the "morning sickness" ever really passed, unfortunately. I've left little bits of myself in the bathrooms of Starbucks, Taco Time, in the designated "puke cup" in my car, in public parking garages, along the West Seattle Bridge- I've been very generous. A part of me fears that this baby will come and my body still won't realize that it's okay to stop puking. I guess we'll cross that bridge when the time comes.

It's a girl! My instincts were way off (and I may have asked the woman doing the ultrasound to double-check) but we've got a little lady on our hands! I've had a great time putting together the teal and deep pink nursery with the help of my seamstress mother making the gorgeous curtains and bed skirt. With a new chandelier, teal walls and white furniture, it's a pretty happy place to be.

Phil and I took a couple birth classes which I found to be pretty helpful. It's good to have some idea of what to expect when she decides to make her appearance. A lot of the class time focused on how our partners can support us through the process so you'd better believe I was loving the back massages from Phil. We also practiced holding ice in our hands for minutes at a time to simulate contractions and how to get through them. Clever.

I've also had two amazingly well-planned and executed showers - one back in Wenatchee in September and one more recently in Seattle this month. It was really neat to have so many women come to the Wenatchee shower who have known me since I was a wee little redheaded sprout. Jenny and Lindsey Burke did an amazing job decorating the shower in my teal and pink nursery colors and adding personal touches like pictures of me from when I was a baby and diapers where guests could write a message to me to read in the middle of a 2am blowout.

My "Black and White and Read All Over" Seattle shower, hosted by Jen Largent, was also incredibly sweet. Harvey's adorable face made it's appearance not only on the invites, but frosted sugar cookies as well. There was a black and white candy bar that also blew guests away and provided treats for a few weeks after. How lucky and blessed am I to have so many amazing women in my life?!

Our house really does look amazing after all of the renovations - a warm, brown living room, and updated kitchen, Phil's pride-and-joy downstairs office and a (still)small, but much more updated and appealing bathroom. They actually started just this week on a new fence, deck and back stairs which should all turn out pretty cool when finished. Not to mention we won't have to worry about breaking an ankle on the last two rotting steps of the back stairs.

It's been a wonderfully lazy and rainy day on the beloved brown couch reading the second book of the Hunger Games, but it's time to go. Hope to update again before the little dudette arrives!

ps. yes, I'm quite large by this point.

Ahhh...

Lounging on the couch, Harvey curled up at my side, soaking up what will be our "old" living room in a matter of weeks. This couch has been really good to me - never judging me for laying on it for hours at a time. We're not saying goodbye to the couch, just the popcorn ceilings and wood-paneled walls. Our home is about to go through some renovation and I'm hoping for last-five-minutes-of-Biggest-Loser transformation when it's all said and done. Five new windows were magically installed today. It's hard to even tell that our things were moved around - I'm sure they didn't notice the dust rabbits under the bed.

I'm in the midst of the 16th week of pregnancy and... dare I say it... feeling pretty good! I've kept my meals down for almost 5 days now and the feeling of hunger is slowly coming back to me. I also threw in the towel on my regular jeans and tried on some maternity jeans. My belly grew about 5 inches as soon as the Spandex-y goodness hit my pelvis. I now own 3 pairs of maternity pants and have to figure out how to rotate them so my co-workers don't notice that I only own 3 pairs of maternity pants.

I've always got one eye on the calendar for my next doctor's appointment on the 15th. Nothing exceptional will happen at that visit, but my doctor will tell me when to schedule my ultrasound to find out the baby's gender! Honestly couldn't tell you why, but Phil and I are convinced it's a boy. Only a boy could make me vomit and pee my pants simultaneously, right? I've been looking at nursery ideas and always go to the boy themes. Both of us will be a bit shocked if it turns out to be a little lady in there.

Once Upon A Baby...

*Caution: Not for the squeamish... I'm not one to hold back.*

There is a human growing inside of me. Seriously. If I was a more "informed" mother, I could tell you that "it" has developed eyelids and fingernails and will soon start to suck its thumb. But, all I really know is that "it" makes me puke. Copious amounts of puke.
Obviously, Phil and I are beyond excited that this whole child-creating-and-carrying process has gone so well, thus far. We figure if we love this child a third as much as we love our Boston Terrier, the kid's going to be drenched in affection and care. Also, if it turns out half as well as the aforementioned pup, we've done something right in the world.
My mom pitched the idea of a pregnancy journal after hearing my latest (and best to date) pregnancy story which, unfortunately, played out while at work. And so begins my first attempt at a blog...

I got the 'deep from the bowels' heaves while walking to work and talked myself out of puking in the small patch of grass along the sidewalk. In hindsight, I probably could have used the quaintly provided doggy doo bags for clean-up, but I kept trekking on.
I made it to the 3rd floor bathroom which had just one other occupant at the time. I prepared my speech, to be given from within the stall in the event that the innocent occupant questioned my retching noises, "I'm okay, I'm okay... just pregnant."
The lucky soul left the bathroom before the purging began. Out with the bad - again and again and again. I guess those 4 saltines and 2 dried apricots were taking up just a little too much room for the little tyke.
Then, it was done. Breath in, breath out. Wipe your mouth, blow your nose, dry your eyes.
Yet, the relief was short-lived when the dampness of my jeans was too much to continue to ignore. Yes, folks, I had peed my pants in the process of tossing my cookies. I patted my panties and jeans in horror with ridiculous amounts of toilet tissue, occasionally stopping to see how strong the odor was coming across to determine if this was a go-home-worthy event. I determined that it was not, yet spent the remainder of the day debating whether or not to bring my extra deodorant into the bathroom and do a number on the crotch of my jeans.
This baby is an incredible blessing - and I mean that with everything in me. I guess I feel like I might as well laugh at the less glorious parts of this pregnancy process and, for some odd reason, take the opportunity to share it with you.

(Pic below taken on St. Patrick's Day - we went out to a fancy dinner to celebrate that day's doctor's appointment where he gave us the official "you're pregnant." I may or may not have blurted it out to the waiter.)