She's Here!!!

Stella O'Dell Creekmore
Born Sunday, July 23, 2006
Weighing 7 lbs 13 oz
20 inches long

She came home yesterday wearing the same little dress that I wore home from the hospital - nearly 30 years ago. Isn't she pretty??

I will most definitely post more soon - and share my birth story.

Thanks to everyone for their love and support throughout my pregnancy and since Stella was born. The outpouring of love and generosity is incredibly humbling to us!!

Update! Try not to toss your cookies!

I just googled "signs of labor." I'm not having all of them but some of them.

I don't think it's too far away, kids!

Here's what the American Pregnancy Association says followed by my comments:

Bloody show: Loss of mucus plug: During pregnancy, a thick plug of mucus protects your cervical opening from bacteria entering the uterus. When your cervix begins to thin and relax, this plug is expelled. Some women think the plug will look solid like a cork, but it is actually stringy mucus or thick discharge. It can be clear, pink or blood tinged and can appear minutes, hours or even days before labor begins. Not all women notice this sign.

I'm not going to say anymore about that topic as I think it's rather self explanatory and I don't want to make you lose your lunch. But, ummm, yeah.

Nesting: Spurt of energy: For most of the pregnancy you have probably been fighting the urge to take a nap, so you'll know when you experience this. One day you will wake up feeling full of energy! You'll start making hundreds of list of things to do, things to clean, things to buy and everything you've put off doing will become a high priority. In all your preparations, don't forget that “Labor Day” may be just around the corner so save some energy.

Does reorganizing the nursery and washing clothes and folding a million hooded towels and running to Babies R Us to find changing table organization apparatuses and making Toby call friends to help him move furniture around from room to room....does this count as Nesting?

Effacement: Thinning of the cervix: Usually in the last month the cervix begins to stretch and thin. This process means the lower segment of the uterus is getting ready for delivery. A thin cervix will also allow the cervix to dilate more easily.
Your health care provider may check for effacement in the final 2 months of pregnancy. Effacement is measured in percentages. You may hear your care provider say,“You are 25% effaced, 50% effaced, 75%...” The Braxton Hicks contractions or “practice contractions” you have been experiencing may play a part in the effacement process. You will not be able to determine your effacement process, but by doing an internal exam.

I don't have a percentage - Doc has never said - but at each visit for the last month he has told me that I have effaced more and more each time. I've also been told that it's sometimes better to be more effaced than more dialated in the days before labor if you have to pick one over the other... Let's hope there is some truth to that!

Dilation: Opening of the cervix: Dilation is the process of the cervix opening in preparation for childbirth. Dilation is measured in centimeters or, less accurately, in “fingers” during an internal (manual pelvic) exam. “Fully dilated” means you're at 10 centimeters and are ready to give birth. In the same way that your care provider may be checking for effacement in the last 2 months, your care provider may also tell you how many centimeters your cervix has dilated.

Fingertip dialated here! Whatever that means....

Sooooo, things are happening and it's strange not knowing when, where, how, etc... It's just a waiting and a guessing game. Which I (control freak) am NOT good at!! But I have no choice. I guess I had better get used to Stella throwing me some curve balls in life.

The hospital just called and asked me a million questions to get me in the system and all registered for my hospital stay. When she was done asking questions she busted into: "Ok. You need to report to the hospital at 6:30 am on August 4. Bring your insurance card and your ID and you have a $250 co-pay. Have a nice day and good luck!" I just sat and stared at the phone. Dr. had MENTIONED that we would think about Aug 4 or 7 for induction if I went past my due date but it was never SAID that he would SCHEDULE it. I think it's great - go ahead and get me on the books - but it was a shock. And made it VERY official. Yikes.

But I bet I won't need that appointment.

Short Update

So I felt weird yesterday. Not bad. Not great. Just different and I told several people about it. At times I felt queazy and other times I would have giant hot flashes that made my ARMS sweat. Just wierd/different stuff. I got home around 6pm and a neighbor stopped by to drop off a little gift for Stella (so sweet) and she stayed for about 30 minutes. I then forced a nasty dinner down my throat (Fellow co-workers: I'm not getting "Phils to Go" anymore - it's just gross. Last night was rubber crab cakes and I immediately tossed the cole slaw down the garbage disposal because it was like soup. Ugh!) Anyway - I ate a bit of food and then started to feel REALLY weird - and I think I was having contractions! It was like cramps - only farther down and more inside - and I had about 3 of them in 15 minutes. I just sat on the couch with a look on my face that made Toby keep asking me "what's wrong?" Me: "Nothing!" haha. But the whole time, I could have busted out bawling from nervousness/excitedness/anxiety, etc... I then got up and took a shower (just incase!!) and laid down for the night. So, nothing major happened but for awhile I thought maybe this was it! I bet I'll walk around like this for another 3 weeks!

I did stay home from work today. I just need a rest. Yesterday was pretty busy AND I managed to surprise my boss with a birthday party with cake and coffee and big posters I made of him as Superman and Captain Jack (from Pirates of the Caribbean.) It was fun but exhausting and I just wanted to stay home today and lay around after all the "false excitement" yesterday.

Mom called this morning to check on me and I told her I was fine and was probably going to run some errands later. She called back 10 minutes later and said "How about I come out there and go with you. Wouldn't that be fun??" I said "Are you coming because you want to or because you are worried?" She said "Oh, just a little of both." But then she hooked me with the idea of going out to lunch so she's coming over soon to accompany me to Target and the Post Office.

That's my short update. More in the next few days, I swear.

37 Weeks and Counting

It's been awhile again. Sorry about that. But nothing really to report! We're just in the Waiting Game Stage now - as my OB likes to call it - and we're pretty ready for her to get here. I know I am!

I'm not feeling so swift lately. I knew this last month would be hard. It's hard physically - getting bigger - it's much harder to move around and it's impossible to get comfortable. The belly doesn't bend in half anymore so I kind of just PLUNK myself down into chairs and look really silly trying to get out of them... And I'm still grunting like an old man if I have to bend over and pick something up - if I am alone - if someone is with me, THEY have to bend over and get it. It's a rule.

I'm not sleeping well AT ALL. Lots of people say "It's God's way of preparing you for when the baby gets here and you won't get any sleep." yadda yadda yadda. I look forward to waking up to tend to my baby as opposed to NEVER going to sleep because of a wicked combo of Acid Reflux, Flaming Crotch (haha), and Restless Leg Syndrome that makes my legs feel like they are going to explode if I don't keep moving them constantly. I'll take the crying baby. :)

I know that when Stella gets here, it's going to be a HUGE adjustment for us. But I'm looking forward to that adjustment. I can do that kind of adjustment. I'll be so glad to not be pregnant anymore. Even though I am so incredibly grateful to be pregnant and to be expecting a child - when so many people are unable to conceive and/or have experienced tragedy - however, I really am looking forward to NOT being pregnant and being able to function physically again. No sickness, no reflux, no RLS, no aches and pains, no food aversions, no flaming crotch, etc...

I have felt like crap for so long, sometimes I wonder if I will feel normal again - even not pregnant?!?!? That thought scares me. I'm sure I'll recoup just fine. But I won't be doing this again for a long time...and you can quote me on that one!!

Come on, Stella!! Any time now would be peachy. I'm really ready to meet you.

Here is a current pic of me.