The Birth Story!!

I wanted to have a written account of how this all went down. I don't know if you all are especially interested in reading about it, but nevertheless...here it is. (Slight TMI warning!)

It all started on the 2nd, just a day after my due date (for the record my original due date was the 3rd. They moved it to the first after she measured big at the anatomy scan...anywho..) Actually, it all started on the 1st...my due date. I had my 40 wk appointment. I had considered asking my midwife to strip my membranes, but didnt know if she would go for it and debated whether I should mess with nature anyway. I had read that getting your membranes stripped didnt work unless things were ready to go anyway. At my appointment she checked for progress (there was none from my last appointment) and while she was down there she "roughed me up". Her words, not mine. That, I guess, is what you do when someone hasn't progressed enough to have their membranes stripped, but it's the next best thing. I left the appointment feeling no different. The next day I noticed that I was loosing my mucus plug. I didnt think anything about it really because my sister had lost hers, but didnt deliver Levi for another week. However, that night around 11pm I started having what felt like cramps. I knew they were probably contractions, but they were very irregular...some as far apart as 30 minutes. I tried to sleep, but as time went on they got more intense and closer together. At 3am I decided that I should try to get some sleep, so I snuggled in next to Derek and tried to sleep through any pain I was having. It wasn't 10 minutes later when I felt a huge pop. It could be compared to when your hip pops, but it doesnt happen at your hip! haha! I then had a small gush of water. I sweetly (but very excitedly) patted Derek on the shoulder. I was saying his name and patting him gently...nothing. A little harder and a little louder...nothing. Finally, I nearly shouted "DEREK!" He came to his senses and I told him my water had broken. He asked if I was sure...umm...yes. The extremely intense and regular contractions started instantly. They were strong enough I couldn't talk through them and were every three minutes from the get-go. I was directed to come in when they were every 5 minutes apart. I had hoped to labor quite a bit at home, but due to the fact that they were so close together and it seemed there was meconeum in my water, we thought it would be best if we headed on in. Derek was running around frantically stuffing things in a bag. I was oohing and ahhing. We hopped in the car and sped to the hospital. When we got there we quickly registered and they allowed me to skip triage because I think they could see I was already in the midst of active labor. I dont think they needed a monitor to tell them that. I got changed into my robe, got settled into my bed, got hooked up to the monitors so they could check Campbell's heart rate. It took forever for them to get a steady read on her heart rate, so I had to stay hooked up to the monitors for a while. That was super annoying. Once they had a good 30 second read I was able to take the monitors off. I had hoped to labor by walking and sitting on a birthing ball, squatting, all these different positions to help speed things up. Unfortunately, the pain was SO intense all I could do was lay there, focus on this spot on the ceiling and pray I made it through the contraction. I did this for several hours before the nurse suggested I get in the tub. Let me tell you...that tub was a God-send. I stayed in there for a while...I dont know how long...and then had to be monitored again. After each contraction I was so exhausted that I would drift off to sleep until the next one woke me up. Looking back now I dont remember the pain that much,  but when your in it...it's bad. After I was monitored and they got the steady 30 second read I knew I had to do something different. Yes, the pain was intense, but it was the sheer exhaustion that was really getting to me. I asked the nurse for a pain killer. She gave it to me and I got a nice nap. An hour later I was awoken by another doozy of a contraction and it was back to it. This went on for 10 hours. Suddenly I felt an intense urge to have a BM. I told the nurse I had to go, but she informed me that that's how you feel when it's really time to push the baby out. She checked me, but I was only 7cm. Not long after she checked me, I knew I had to get her out. It's a pressure like you've never felt before. I was terrified they werent going to let me push until I had reached 10 cm, but they told me to go ahead and try pushing. I heard them calling my mid-wife and I knew I was about to have my baby girl. I ended up pushing for about 45 minutes to an hour and through 3 cm (ouch). I remember looking at my mid-wife and telling her I didn't think she was going to come out. She did. They plopped my beautiful, covered-in-nastiness baby upon my chest and the rest is history. It was truly love at first sight. And now my little love is waking up, so I better be going. Here's the first picture of our little beauty.

He's the best. . .

I have a pretty great husband. Ok, he's really great. The other day it occurred to me that now that we have Campbell, it would be neat to have something with her birthstone on it. I mentioned it to Derek a couple of days ago and we both decided it would be a great way to celebrate the birth of our daughter. It wasn't going to be a Christmas present or anything, we were just going to get a little something I could wear. Anyway, Derek had been bugging me to open a Christmas present early this year...which was very strange. I hate surprises, so I wanted to open it, but it was even a little bit early for me. He had gone out "running errands" one day while my mom was here helping me with Campbell and gotten me the gift. So today, again, he suggested that I open it again. I said I would. He handed me a big, heavy box. It hadn't occurred to me that Derek is known for wrapping small things in big boxes until that second. So I opened the box and the first thing I saw was a can of asparagus. I like asparagus...but not that much. I pulled out more tissue paper and saw a can of raisins. Again, I like them, but not that much. I looked at him confused, I didn't think there was anything else in the box. I pulled the last piece of tissue paper out of the box and saw a little box stuffed down in there. I pulled it out and thought there was no way it could have been something with Campbell's birthstone. I had just mentioned it and he had gotten me the gift days ago. I opened up the box and sure enough...there it was. The most beautiful and thoughtful gift I have probably ever received.

So yes, my husband is great because he got me this Christmas/Push present (I had no idea he even knew what a push present was?!!). But to think of it before I had even mentioned it...brings tears to my eyes. I of course started crying as soon as I saw it. I am afterall a big ball of emotions right now. I love it so much though and I love my husband even more for being so thoughtful.

......and here's a pic just cause she's so stinkin' adorable.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

I thought I would share some of our Christmas decorations with you!! I really only decorate the living room because a) decorations are expensive and I only have enough to do that room at this point in my life and b) well I dont really have a point b! Derek pulled the tree down from the attic, turned on the Christmas music, put it together and I had the responsibility of putting on the lights and most of the ornaments. I have a new appreciation for my mom now....that's a daily occurrence. Anyway, I pushed through it and got it done. Derek helped a bit with the ornaments. He placed all the special ones, which I am about to share with you!! 

A bat ornament we got when we visited Mammoth Cave in Oct. 09

Campbell's first ornament thanks to Aunt Emily!

Our first ornament we got on our honeymoon in Hawaii!

We got this one while camping in Gatlinburg!

Stockings I hung by the chimney with care!

Campbell's stocking! I hope to get a picture of her as a newborn in it.

This picture is a little scary on many levels, but I wanted to get one last belly pic. 

I don't think 40 weekers like having their picture taken so much, oh well. Well I hope you enjoyed the update. I've decided the next time I blog I will have a child....see ya then!

Belly Pic!

Ok...I realize Im a total blog slacker. I hope to get some more pics from my shower to blog about it, but until then here's a 35 and half week belly picture. I'm getting the pregnancy face (swollen nose and even bigger lips!).

Boyd's Orchard

Ok, well the sign said Boyd Orchards...but I can't get over how obscure that sounds. So, Boyd's Orchard it is. Anyway, after we got 3D pics of Campbell, we headed to said orchard with my mom, sister, and nephew, Levi. I was excited to pick out pumpkins and do all those orchardly activities! The weather was perfect. I think it might have been 75 degrees when just the day before it was above 90. I was ever so thankful...as were my toes who don't take well to heat these days. I wheeled Levi around in a wagon for a bit.

Next we walked around the shop for a while. As I wandered about, I found the samples table. They were sampling pies and some apple doughnuts. Needless to say, the girl at the sample table and I became good friends and we took home half a dozen of those doughnuts. They may be worth a trip back...no lie. Next time I would get a dozen....sigh... After some browsing we went on a hay ride!! Levi was super excited, see?

Cracks me up! This is his 'smile' and that is my sister trying not to laugh hysterically. Here's one of Levi snuggling with my mom. Sweet.

 

I took a picture of an apple sign and frankly it's one of my favorite pictures ever. I like how the colors are so primary. 

 

A pumpkin patch believe it or not! 

We ate some good food, had apple cider slushies (which sound disgusting, but are surprisingly delicious) played and pet some farm animals. All-in-all a good trip to the orchard! Before we left Derek and I picked out our pumpkins. He had the bright idea of picking out a pumpkin to represent everyone in our little family so that's exactly what we did. 

 ...and here we all are on the front porch. Me, Campbell, Derek, Ernie and Buster. 

Campbell's Big Debut!

So Derek informed me today that I have been neglectful of my blog....but that's not exactly the case. I just knew good things were coming up, so I was waiting until they happened so I could share them on here!! That's all!

As most of you know, the most exciting thing that has happened lately is that we had a 3D ultrasound done. I was so excited to see our baby girl that I woke up at 5:30 that morning and was in and out of sleep until it was time for me to actually get up. We had the ultrasound done in Lexington at a place my sister had her 3D ultrasound done. The whole way there Campbell was awake and active, which is rare for her. She's really more of a night owl. Anyway, so the ultrasound started and one of the first things the tech commented about was how big Campbell was. I found that very surprising because a lot of people have commented about how small I am, etc. So she moved the wand around some more and the second thing she brought to our attention was that Campbell has some hair!! I never dreamed I would have a hairy child, but my dreams don't really matter when it comes down to it.

See the little white twiggies to the left of her head....yeah, that's hair. I'm still in shock about that. Campbell wasn't super cooperative, not that I really expected her to be or anything. She was already head down and was rather snugly with the placenta. For the most part she had her face smashed against it. We got nice little glimpses of her face every now and then, but it wasn't until the very last minute that we got the best series of her face. First she flashed us a little smile and then stuck her tongue out at us.

 Then, as if she were laughing at herself, smiled even bigger...

 ...and then preceded to cackle at herself. Or at least that's what I like to tell myself.

So precious! I already feel like she has her own little personality. I think she may be a bit contrary, much like her father. Hmmm.....

My Newest Creation

Since starting the whole hair bow endeavor, I have found something else I can do with the felt I was using for the bows. It started when I made my friend Leah a cupcake bow for her little one, Ella, who is due a week or so before Campbell. I cut out the pieces and then hand stitched them to another piece of felt. It was really cute and will make a cute bow. However, I got to thinking....what if she doesn't have something to wear with it. That's when I thought that I could just sew the little emblem to a shirt. I went to my collection of onesies to see what I had to work with.

I have Fall on the brain, so I made a little pumpkin emblem. I found a white onesie and got to stitchin'.... NOT as easy as I thought it would be, but very cute when done. I also had some unisex onesies that looked a little more boyish than girlish, so I made a pink C and stitched it to a green and white striped onesie. Here's what I came up with.

Here's a closer look...

Got a little crooked with the pumpkin, but to tell yah the truth I think it adds character.