Mia is 5 days old!

Our little sweetpea is growing up fast! Today was the first time she looked at me with her eyes. She even put her head up a bit when I had her on my chest. Nursing is getting better each day. Last night I let her sleep on me and that seemed to work - she let me sleep for 4 hours! I was adamant about NOT having her sleep in bed but other moms have said, and I have also read, that the first few weeks is OK, just to let both of you sleep. Habits can't be formed earlier than 2 months. So I will let her sleep with me until she is comfortable in the bassinet then eventually her crib.

We are having fun at home. I nurse and daddy holds her in between. She is smiling and making silly faces that are so adorable!

Yesterday was her first Doctor's visit. Everything looked fine and she even gained 2 ounces back from her exit weight from the hospital - grow Mia grow!

Mia Victoria is here

Mia Victoria was born on February 21, 2008 at 4:37 pm. She came into our world weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces, her length was 20 inches.
We are so in love with her - she is perfect in every way.

Birth Story:
Mia was not due until February 24th. My last OB appointment was 2/19, in which my Doctor told me she was bald and that they would induce me that following Tuesday since things didn't seem to be moving. I then found out she was going out of town and that Dr. Bush (her partner) would be on call in the event something happened. Of course it did and although I was upset, I think it was meant to be that Dr. Bush ended up delivering me. He was amazing and I will never forget him.

It all started at 2:30 am Wednesday morning. I woke up to a gush and wetness and looked up and saw the nearly full moon staring back at me. I was in denial about it really being the water so I went back to bed and woke up at 5am telling Corey, this could be it but I don't know. So I page the Dr. and he was so calm and said to just stay home, don't come into the hospital until you are into your contractions. Corey and I are both anxious, we end up staying home waiting for my contractions to begin. Nothing..for hours. Then finally at about 4:30 p.m. I start to feel cramping, in regular intervals. So we begin to time them. I didn't want to end up in the hospital too early in the event that they would just send us back home for false labor..but in the back of my mind I am thinking about the water that could have broken and am a bit worried. 7pm we decide to head to labor and delivery because I am concerned about the water and my contractions are starting to feel more intense. We arrive at the hospital and they are doubtful that I am in labor, until they do a culture and determine that in fact my membranes have ruptured. I get admitted.

Contractions start to get worse as the night progresses and finally I give in and take some pain killers at about 3am. During this time Mia's heart rate began to elevate. They increase my IV fluids and it works, her heart rate goes down - first worry over with. Pain killers start to wear off. I get my epidural around 6:00 am. Contractions are being monitored more intensely now but I don't feel a thing. My mom and Greg and Corey's dad soon arrive and we are all waiting for contractions to increase and labor to start to move along faster. Finally, at 1pm Dr. Bush wants me to start pushing. Seeing that I wasn't fully effaced nor dilated, he has me rest a bit. He comes back and we start to push. The pushing doesn't stop until Mia is born at 4:37 pm, with a few breaks in between. My epidural started to wear off during the final hour of pushing so I was able to tell when contractions were starting. It was scary for awhile because it was slow going and things could have turned worse. My doctor could have elected to c-section me and Mia's condition could have worsened. but in the end, the doctor was patient and we delivered a beautiful, full head of hair, not bald, baby girl.

When I first saw her I couldn't believe how perfect she was, how something so beautiful had come out of me! Corey and I were elated and so in love with our daughter. We had to stay an extra night in the hospital so they could run some tests on Mia since I had a low grade fever during labor, had broken my water so early and had labored for so long. In the end we are finally home and love our little girl.

39 weeks Day 1

Now when people ask "when are you due" I can just say "oh any day now". This truly is our last weekend to get things ready, and there isn't much to do because I am proud to say we have been very organized. I mean we had the nursery done months ago! Today Corey took the truck into the local fire dept. to have them inspect our car seat but the guy wasn't there. He will be there tomorrow so I will take it back since I am off of work for President's day. He's also at the local laundramat washing the comforters for the guest room since we'll have grandma/grandpa and grandpa cap coming to stay with us for a few days.

Yesterday I had Katie do my hair for one last time before baby c comes...then last night we had our last Valentine's day dinner of being childless at Francesca's in Frankfort, I love that place and of course everything was delicious! Then we went to Target to pick up a few things (vaseline, cd player for the nursery, etc.). Friday and yesterday I have been cramping a bit so I have been drinking water and laying down and it goes away. I am curious to see what my OB says on Tuesday at my next check-up. I think Baby C will come on Sunday....Corey thinks Thursday and my mom thinks sometime this week.

Now I need to get the rest of my hospital bag packed...I HATE packing even when we travel just to the summer house! We are going back to target to pick up some snacks, travel stuff and some sugarless lollipops! By the way, it's Bosco's 4th birthday today!!! Little does he know he will be getting a little sister here soon!

Getting closer...

Yesterday was my 38 week day 2 check-up! I really don't like the 'internal' exams but they are needed. My ob said "she is either really bald or I'm not feeling her HEAD". So she did a scan with the ultrasound machine and sure enough - she's a baldy, head down, about -2 in my pelvic area, which is great! Heartrate was 144, my bp was 106/68, and I am 1 cm. dilated, 50% effaced! So she is on her way! My doctor said "see you next Tuesday, if not sooner". I know you can be dilated for weeks before labor so I am not holding my breath.

Good news is that we FINALLY found a sub - an experienced, retired teacher that I have heard great things about. I am anxious to meet her and have her visit my room.

We set up the infant car seat last night - oh my what an experience. You'd think it would be a simple task but maybe just the pressure of knowing how important a car seat is makes it a little difficult to read and follow the directions?!

showered with gifts and baby update

37 weeks already! Today's DA went pretty good. My BP is 104/70, baby's heart rate was jumping between 140 and 148, she is definately head down in the cervix, but so far still no dilation and she is measuring at 35 cm. My ob says everything looks good and that she thinks I will go right around my due date. As I was laying down on the table, I noticed how swollen my legs and ankles were! She said they looked pretty swollen too but my BP and urine looked fine so just to rest. I have to stop wearing my 'cool' shoes and opt for more comfy shoes these next few weeks.

Shower #3 was this past Saturday, given by my mom and my best friend Mary at the Melting Pot downtown. It was so much fun! A few good friends couldn't make it but it was great to see some of my other friends I don't get to see often. I received even more wonderful gifts and it was just so fun. Corey and the guys went to a cigar shop while we girls had fun. My mom's friend took tons of pictures so I will post more when I get them. She took a few of my bare belly too :)

Shower #4, the final one, was Monday at school (postponed from Friday since we had a SNOW DAY). We received lots of nice outfits and some things off our registry. The only thing left to buy is our breast pump and then eventually our convertible seat and maybe that Maclaren stroller I want.

Now it's just a count down until this little one is born. I'm nervous, excited, anxious, scared....all wrapped up into one. She is moving so much lately and at times it's painful. But I am glad she is growing and Corey and I can't wait to see what she looks like. We have the name narrowed down to TWO finals...depending on what she looks like, we'll pick the best suited for her.

Shower #2 and Doctor's update

Yesterday was a crazy day! First, I took a half day off of work, has this approved weeks ago, only to have NO sub show up. Anyhow, my doctor's appointment went great - BP is 110/60, her heart rate was 149 and she is measuring at 34 cm! No dilation at all, but the baby is head down.

Then I headed downtown for a shower at Corey's firm. It was very nice and we received a ton of clothes, my boppy, baby bjorn, a beautiful china set for our girl, some Detriot Tiger stuff, a bunch of board books, our rainforest sounds machine and a few other things. It was so nice of them to give us so much and throw us the shower!

35 weeks and 1st Shower

Saturday I hit the 35 week mark. Time is flying by so fast! We drove out very early on Saturday to Michigan to attend our first (of 4) baby shower! It was hosted by my SILs and Corey's Aunt Gayle. It was a small gathering and very very nice. We received many goodies, lots of clothes and bibs, swing, Grandma Puroll's homemade hat and blanket, our jogging stroller (from Dad and Kaye) and lots of other stuff. It was nice to have my mom there to enjoy it all with me. Corey was there too but played cards with his dad, uncle and grandpa. The weather was so bad driving out but it cleared up on the way home. We spent the night at the summer house, all went to dinner at the Woodfire and when I came home I noticed I was swelling just a little bit on my ankles and feet. I know it's normal but this is the FIRST time I noticed any swelling and I don't like it. I am anxious to go to the Doctor tomorrow to see what my BP is. Also, they did a game that measured my belly - 36 inches!

Shower number two is this Tuesday at Corey's firm. Should be fun!