I can't wait to live there!!

Pictures of our new house!!!

Good Bye South Ridge - Hellooo Northside!

THE HOUSE IS SOLD!!!!!!!!!!

It was on the market for less than 2 days.

We had one showing Friday night...and then SIX on Saturday. Mom and Dad came over and helped us tackle some projects that have needed to be done for 3 years but hadn't...and then all of a sudden had to be done ASAP....so we got to work on those things. But we kept getting interrupted and had to pack up the baby and get out for showings. The phone was off the hook "Someone would like to see your house at this time." It was ANNOYING because we kept getting interrupted but it was also a good problem to have...and I only had to live like that for one day - some houses stay on the market for weeks and months.

We wrote the contract for the NEW house this morning and will deliver it later today.

I'm in shock. But in a good way. This new house is just the cutest EVER and the location is a DREAM and I am counting my blessings like a Madwoman.

Happy Birthday to Me

I am 30 today. And it just so happens that today was probably one of the worst days I have had in a very very long time.

Here is my day in numerical form:

1. House/Real Estate Drama regarding the new house situation I blogged about yesterday (if we want this new house, we are under a MAJOR time crunch to sell our house.)
2. As a result, our house is going on the market TOMORROW
3. In the middle of dealing with all that on the phone for hours, Stella had a BAD day (non-stop screaming for hours) and I had to take her to the Pediatrician who diagnosed her with acid reflux.
4. Debit card declined at Ped's office (no idea why - have plenty money)
5. Had to cancel big family birthday dinner due to Stella not feeling well.
6. Call Cigna to double check Stella is on there before I go to Walgreens to get her prescription for Pepcid. Oh how funny - she's showing "inactive."
7. Call Altria Benefits Center. Looooooooooong story short - they screwed up and it will now take 5 days to get her on insurance.
8. In meantime, pay for Pepcid out of pocket.
9. Mom and Dad came over to eat pizza and cake and help us pack up knick-knacks and clean and get ready for realtor to take pictures tomorrow.
10. I go to Walgreens to fill prescription. It takes FOREVER. And the prescription is $83!
11. Debit card declined again.
12. Come home and "celebrate" with everyone.
13. Toby didn't even get me a card or anything. He's been a major grump all day because he has a sniffle and is actling like he has malaria.

If this coming year is in any way reflective of my 30th Birthday, I am in BIG trouble.

Change is Good.

Me, My Mom, and her Mom (my Mimi) are taking Stella to Tappahannock today to meet more family. I'm looking forward to it!! I need to get away from this computer and get in the shower while the girl is sleeping but I really am overdue for an update here!!

My days feel like I do nothing yet I have NO time! It's the strangest thing! I actually do a lot here during the days - whenever I get a free moment, I am trying to do some chore so the housework does not pile up and require HOURS at a time.... it's better to do a bit at a time these days... I feel like the four hours inbetween feedings just FLY by! I'm doing A LOT of laundry and A LOT of dishes in my new lifestyle. Thank God for the new dishwasher we got a couple months ago. It's getting a workout with all of these bottles!

Stella is just amazing. She's already my best friend. She is just such a great baby! We are so lucky. She sleeps like a champ. Eats like a champ. And rarely cries or fusses. Only when she takes a poop. There's that POOP talk again!

She's still to small for any of her clothes but she IS growing. She's a bit heavier - I can tell - and she's getting thicker. I am so scared by the time these adorable summer clothes fit her, it'll be winter and she'll never be able to wear them. Oh well. I'll have a lot of amazing little girl clothes for somebody. JJ and Erica: Have a girl. :)

This past weekend was pretty busy with visiting family. It was my father-in-law's birthday on Sunday as well as Kristen's going-away cook-out. She is moving to Mexico for a year or so... When we went by Mom and Dad's before Kristen's event, I told Toby that the house next door to them is going on the market soon. The young couple that lives there have been so great to my parents and they are sad to see them go. They have been working really hard on the house and fixing it up...it's SO cute. So I told Toby about it being for sale and he said (drumroll please)

"This is a nice neighborhood. How much are they asking for it?"

And then I peed my pants.

He has sworn that he would NEVER live on that side of the river. He is a Southside boy and will be as long as he lives. He wants land and trees and nature. He would NEVER live in a neighborhood- much less have a Richmond address. So when he asked that question, I took it and RAN with it! How wonderful would it be to live there?!?!?! For MANY reasons.

We mentioned our interest to Mom and then SHE peed her pants. She went directly over there and asked them some questions and they told us all to come over and check out the house - so we did - and we fell in love with it. It's an old house with a lot of character. They have remodeled the whole house and it's beautiful. It's 4 bedrooms and has a cute little office with LOTS of built in bookshelves all over the house. I've always wanted a house with built in bookshelves. The yard is huge and fenced in. There is a GIANT garage/workshop for Toby and a really big storage shed (it's like a little house with windows and shutters) for me for STORAGE and ORGANIZATION! (my 2 favorite things...) Toby is already talking about making the upstairs of the garage into his "doghouse" for the guys to come over and drink beer and do whatever else they do. I don't want to know. :)

And the best part: it's in our price range.

SO, my Mother-in-law (who is in the mortgage business) did some research for us and pre-approved us for a loan. We are going to go back again this week and take another look and most likely put a contract on it before it even hits the market!

I am SOOOOOO excited. But the thought of packing and moving right now makes me want to go into convulsions. But Mom assured me that we would get it done and they would help us.

Now we just have to do a CRAPLOAD of work on this house to sell it.

Living next to Mom and Dad is going to be amazing. For one, all I'll have to do is hand Stella to Mom over the fence before work every morning (kidding!) But it sure will be easier than leaving home an HOUR earlier. And then I'll get in the car and drive FOUR MILES to work (instead of the 30 highway minutes I drive now.) We'll save so much money on gas and tolls. Toby drives a company van so even though his commute will be longer, it will be FREE! :)

Stella will get to live next to the most amazing grandparents ever which will make incredible memories for her. And me.

Say a prayer for us this works out.

And say a prayer that I get ready quickly this morning because now I'm REALLY late to go pick up Mom. :)

Another reason I know I'm a Mom...

BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TIME TO UPDATE THE BLOG.

I'm sorry. Big update coming soon. Maybe tonight when Toby has "baby duty."

I am officially a Mom.

How do I know this?

Because in the past 3 days, 85% of my conversations have revolved around the topic of POOP.

I swore it would never happen and here it is. I'm an expert analyzer of POOP. And I talk about it to everyone. Asking opinions and telling POOP stories...

Stop the insanity!!

In other news besides POOP, we are doing well! I swear, I must have done something right to have SUCH a good baby. I guess it was going through 9 months of heck...God decided to reward me with a mellow kid. And now that I am past all that and she is here, I can EASILY say - this is exactly the way I would have wanted it and not the opposite (perfect pregnancy; high maintenance baby)

She sleeps a lot. Sometimes she just hangs out in her swing or bouncy seat and looks around and takes in the environment. Sometimes she smiles at me. (That might just be POOP but I don't think so....) She only fusses for a very short time every 4 hours or so when she is hungry. She'll get a little restless when she has to POOP because I think she has the "Taylor Stomach" and we had to do a formula switch...but all that seems to be working itself out. At night, I stay with her in the guestroom - she sleeps in her bouncy seat and she pretty much sleeps from 11pm - 3am...eats...back to sleep at 4am until 9am. YES! Isn't that amazing? She loves to go out and visit people and go shopping. She loves her car seat and loves it even more when we're riding in the car and the vibration is lulling her to sleep. We've been to Barnes and Noble and Wal-Mart and out to eat for our outings - and will probably go somewhere tomorrow...I'm feeling a little bit of cabin fever.

Anyway, Jodi Watley (!!!) is on Regis and Kelly and she's singing "Borderline" by Madonna at a gross, slow pace. Oh, the BEAUTY of maternity leave: Daytime TV and a perfect baby.

A Baby Story

I'll just begin by saying that having a baby is NOTHING like anything you have seen on TV or in the movies so just go ahead and wipe all of those images out of your head. It's harder and longer and MUCH more wonderful and magical. :)

On Saturday, July 22 I felt like crap all day long. I just laid in bed and watched TV and napped. Around 9pm, I was restless and Toby was asleep on the couch so I got up and went to Wal-Mart! I walked around (slowly!) and bought some random last minute things I wanted to get before baby... I got home around 11pm and laid back down.

Around midnight I started feeling cramps. I didn't really think anything of it until I started to notice that they would hit me regularly. I pulled the alarm clock in bed with me and every time I would feel a cramp, I would hit the light up button and check the time. Sure enough, it was every 8-10 minutes. I timed them for about 2 hours before I called the Doctor on call. (My doc left for vacation the day before, of course!) She said to come into the emergency room at the hospital and they would check me.... so I went to wake up Toby and he was not pleased in his half-asleep phase. He said "Can't we just wait and see?" I said very calmly "I HAVE been waiting. Two hours infact. Get up." He said "It's my only day off to sleep." I said (very calmly) "Well I am incredibly sorry. Get up." LOL! (He feels about about saying all that now but he was dead asleep...) We got our stuff together and got in the Mazda Tribute to make the 30 minute drive when I noticed we had NO gas. So, we had to take his Jeep Wrangler. Let me just say that ride was not fun with contractions hitting you while bouncing around in a little Jeep!

We got to the hospital around 3:30 am. I was put in a Labor and Delivery room by 2 young nurses (who were talking about going to the beach and getting drunk) and was hooked up to machines to monitor my contractions as well as the baby's heartbeat. I told them my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. I was told just to chill and they would monitor everything from the nurses station and would come back and check in about 30 minutes. They came back about 10 minutes later and the one nurse said my contractions were actually only about 2 minutes apart. She checked my dialation and I was still only a fingertip dialated (disappointing) but when she removed her hand, I felt a HUGE gush of warm water. She had already put the blanket back down and I said "I think my water just broke" and the 2 nurses looked at each other and said "No, that can't be." They tried to tell me that I was mistaken and it was just gel from the internal check. I insisted it wasn't so they looked and sure enough - my water had broken! She said "Well, looks like you're staying and having a baby today!"

For the next few hours, Toby and I watched old movies on TBS. The pain did not get "unbearable" until around 6am. It was constant cramps - no breaks in between. I started crying at this point. (I think I was way tired too...) At this point, I got the epidural. That took longer than I thought but did not hurt at all. Just a teeny bit of pressure and the guy told me everything he was doing and what it should feel like. I was VERY happy after that point.

It was the weirdest thing to be able to touch your legs and FEEL it but not be able to MOVE your legs. I had to keep asking Toby to move my legs around for me to switch positions. I could feel my feet and move them - just not my legs and mid-section. I continued to hang out and watch movies and take naps and have visitors in and out (we had a waiting room full!) for the next 9 hours.

During this time I had several internal checks, had my bladder emptied, flipped and turned in the bed, etc... And I didn't care who saw me or what happened. It was so much worse daydreaming about this day (and worrying about being embarassed) than actually going through it. You just DO IT. Modesty does go out the window.

Around 3pm, I started feeling pressure - like I had to go to the bathroom. It wasn't bad at first but the next couple hours it steadily got more powerful and the pressure started moving around to the front too. My nurse was INCREDIBLE. I think I was her only patient - and she stayed with me almost 100% of the time. She messed with my epidural meds to get me more comfortable. At this point I was only 6 cm dialated and had stalled a bit so they gave me some pitocin in my IV. That kickstarted things again and 3 hours later, I was ready to push.

This part was interesting to me...and it's definitely a PROCESS. It's not like the movies where the woman does a few pushes and there is the baby. For an hour I pushed 3 times with each contraction and inbetween contractions, I just laid there. I would tell the nurse when the pressure would start up again and then I'd push 3 times and rest. The nurse had one leg and Toby had the other (I was SO proud of him. He was extremely nervous and had said for months he didn't think he could be in there; but he was SUCH a good coach.)

So it was just me, the nurse, and Toby for about an hour - Stella's head became visible and that's when they called the Doctor. But she was delivering a baby in the next room so I was told to just "hang on." That was rough. That's when I told Toby on the verge of tears "I'm ready to not be doing this anymore." LOL! Like I had a choice!

The Doctor got there and after a few more pushes, Stella was born at 7:33 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and was 20 inches long and instantly started using those lungs!! She had a bit of mucus and fluid so the Nurse said that the more screaming and crying she did, the better. And boy did she! But so did I. I cried like a giant baby myself - I was so happy it was over (and by "it" I mean labor, delivery, and pregnancy!) and that she was here safe and sound. And she was breathtakingly beautiful. We are madly in love with her.

My hospital stay was wonderful - I kind of wish I could go back. :) We had lots of visitors and it was very fun showing her off. And every nurse I had was amazing. Stella spent each day in my room and then I sent her to the nursery around 11pm to get some rest. I was READY to have her back by 6am but that was when they did tests and the Pediatrician came by... so I'd have to wait a bit to get her back and it wasn't easy!

I didn't mention above that during delivery I had a fever so little Stella had one too. They put her on antibiotics for 3 days. They discharged me the 2nd day and she had to stay over one more day - I thought I would die. I cried to the Pediatrician who told me they would have to keep her. I called Mom and cried. I called Toby and cried. I cried all the way home. I was a mess!! It was rather ridiculous and hormone induced, I'm sure. It was less than 24 hours! LOL.

I guess it's all part of being a Mom.

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.