Your Story . . .

My Dear Eli...

You knew when you wanted to come into this world. Maybe it was the Angels who watch over us that made it happen. Your Grandma and Grandpa, who wanted to make it the 23rd. Whatever it may be, I do believe in God and Angels that watch over us and keep us safe.

It was Saturday the 22nd of October and your Aunt Mimi and cousin Lilly were coming over for a vistit. We were going to get Lilly's haircut in downtown Annapolis and go for lunch. A great day. Before we made it over that way, Aunt Mimi decided she was going to drive down a hilly and VERY bumpy road. Hoping it would bring you out soon! We were laughing hysterically as we were going over the bumps, Lilly and Will both got a kick out of it.

The day progressed with nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, no contractions were in sight. On our way home, I was reaching back to get your big brother back in his seat. Yes. He likes to escape sometimes. Right then, I had a massive contraction. Painful. More real then before.

Mimi and Lilly left and were headed back to Virginia to go to a Caps game that night with Uncle Kevin. Mimi said, call me if anything happens and I told her, highly unlikely! Will and I headed to the grocery store to pick up some ice cream and something for dinner. By now, it is around 5:00 and I start to feel kind of weird. Just out of sorts. By 6:00 I started to have contractions. They were not really regular but they were coming. I called Daddy and he was on his way home from work, then I called Aunt Mimi who was on her way to the game. She was freaked out and told me to call her back if I thought it wa the real thing.

Well, 30 minutes later, I knew it was the real thing. My doctor told me to head into the hospital. We dropped big brother Will off at a friend's house and were on our way. When we got there I was 4-5 cm dialated, so they wanted me to walk for an hour to get the contractions more regular and hopefully dialate more. After an hour of walking around in a gown and my nike's, the contractions were regular! Aunt Mimi had made it. Although, Uncle Kevin was a bit bitter about leaving the hockey game!

By 10:30 we were in a room and starting fluids. They checked me and I was 8cm, I was begging for my epidural but the anestheseologist was in with a c-section. UGH! So they called in another one who was at home. By 11:30 I had my epidural, and at midnight Dr. S broke my water.

The epidural was a success unlike with your brother where it did not take. I started to push at 12:1oam on October 23rd and you were born at 12:54am. I took it as another sign because your brother Will was born at 11:54. You both wanted to come on the 23rd and were born at :54 after.

Your birth experience was so easy compared to Will. I didn't feel much unless it was time to push and even that pain was not bad. It would make me have more children, if I would be promised that experience again! Even the healing process has been so much easier.

So far you are proving to be an amazing baby! You do have your fussy times and we now hopefully have that under control, if not we know it is reflux like your brother. You are gaining weight like a champ! Daddy thinks that you will be taller than Will since you were born at 23 inches long. I think both of my boys will be taller than me by the time they reach 6th grade!

I just want you to know I love you so much and can't imagine my life without my sweet Eli. Even your big brother is starting to warm up to the idea that you aren't going anywhere. Will has been amazing. When mommy is stressed out he try and makes me laugh and has done so well playing on his own when I am doing something with you. I hate for him to have to do that but he has taken on that role and seems to be thriving. Within the last 3 weeks he has grown up so much, I amazed by my almost 4 year old.

I am the luckiest mommy in the world to have my boys. Daddy who is the professional bottle maker, Willsy who is my snuggle bug no matter what, and now my baby Eli or Squirmy as we like to call you.

and . . .

Did I get you? Unfortunately, no baby news to report yet. But, I am 3cm dialated so we are getting closer with each appointment. Maybe this will be the week. Or maybe I will be 3 cm until October 30th when this little dude is due.

Either way, I would like him to come sooner rather than later but he can wait tell Sunday. My good doctor is out of town from Thursday to Sunday afternoon. So...if he can wait in there tell then, that would be marvelous. My doctor told me to relax as much as possible. HA! Life with a 3 year old and a husband who works a ton, add my training into the mix, not a lot of time for chilling out. But, I definitely have cut back my training a little bit just so that I don't totally over do it.

So...I thought it would be fun to have you all guess when this little guy will come. When do you think he is going to make his appearance? We are hoping for the 23rd here because Daddy, Will and little dude would all have the same day in common. Guess we will just wait and see!

Happy Tuesday friends!

Labor . . .

Today I have reached 34 weeks. Very hard for me to believe but at the same time, I am beginning to feel ready to meet baby boy #2.

The one thing that I am not looking forward to "meeting" again is the pain. Labor. Ugh!

I was induced with Will by my choosing which, I definitely will not do again. Will was definitely not ready to come out. He came at 39 weeks and 3 days. I think he could have stayed in there for another week or two and been content. I must admit, the labor in the beginning was not that bad. I could handle it. I think I was only in real intense labor for about 10 hours but that was with an epidural, that semi worked.

The pushing, now that's a different story. I started pushing around 7:30am and Will was born at 11:54am. You get the picture. It was not fun. The epidural slowly started to disappear, and they had to give me a refill of that little bugger because it got so painful! Half way through, nurse Molly realized that Will's shoulder was stuck and causing some issues of why I was struggling. Not fun. I was in so many different positions trying to get this kid out, it was ridiculous! Good thing I was not filming an episode of the Baby Story because it would not have been a pretty picture!

After all that, I did get my handsome baby boy and let's just say a REALLY bad tear. TMI...I know.

So...I can handle the labor pains, the pushing and I do not get along. My question to all you moms out there who have experienced birthing for a second time, did the kid just pop out, did you have to push forever, was it the same, or was it a totally different and maybe better experience?