Smith King Pickett

Guess its about time that i post my birth story! So the day before Smith was born, I got up at 8, and got Adalee to school. then I ran a bunch of errands that i have been needing to run for forever, including grocery shopping.. i was exhausted by the time i got everything done, and after getting Addie in bed, i cut up another pineapple and ate half of it! My mouth was so raw!! I did some pressure point stimulation, took my EPO and went to bed.. like usual.. oh, and I packed my hospital bag. something I had been putting off for a while..

I was having dreams that I was in labor.. but apparently, my dreams were the kind that come true. I woke up at 2 AM to pee, and when i got back in bed, i felt a little "POP" and a trickle of water! I sat up and told my husband my water had broken, and we went to the hospital.. we kind of took our time, and went and dropped off some movies we had rented. By the time we got to the hospital, my contractions were really strong.. They checked me and I was at 6 cm, 80% effaced at 3:30 am.

Hubby went home to get my dad, since it was the real deal, and he had to wait at the house for the sitter to get there, untill about 5. By the time he got back to the hospital, i was in EXTREME pain. after 2 failed attempts at epidurals, and a failed spinal block, I was getting absolutely no relief whatsoever. I felt like I needed to pee, but they wouldnt let me get up, so I asked for a bed pan. while on the bed pan, i felt like i needed to push a little, to be able to urinate.. at that point the baby dropped into position, and was ready to come out! Unfortunately, my doctor was not there yet.

Everyone was screaming at me not to push, while I'm screaming at them like a mad woman, because . . well . . i was practically sitting on the baby's head! So, they were telling me not to push, but i was pushing slowly anyway, because it felt so good to get that relief... and because I didnt want to tear. Anyway, my doctor FINALLY gets there at 6:55, and they put my legs in the stirrups so i can bear down. Baby was born 10 minutes later!

I had some pretty bad hemorraging after the birth, and she had to do an internal massage type thing for a little while after collecting the cord blood. I must say that the recovery this time is soooo much easier becasue I didn't need stitches... but the 8 holes in my back are a totally different story. My spine feels like is absolutely demolished.. I made the nurses bring me ice around the clock to keep the swelling down. if it werent for my back hurting so badly, I would have been perfect! I wish I hadn't tried to get the epi. I had all of this horrible, horrible pain, and the damn thing didn't even work for a second!!! And as for the nurses telling me not to push... SERIOUSLY?!?!!? it is physically impossible to not push. and to tell a woman not to push is CRUEL. Overall i am displeased with my hospital experience..

On a much MUCH more exciting note, Baby Smith was born at 7:05 AM. He weighed 7lbs 8oz, 19 inches long. head measures 14 inches.. he is the spitting image of my husband, and he is absolutely beautiful! I am just in love with his beautiful blonde hair and perfect little lips! He latched on immediately the first time I tried nursing him.. he's such a little champ! He is the first boy, after 3 girls for my husband, and 2 for my dad, so they are both super excited! Considering labor was only 5 hours, i think i got off pretty easy.

The Joys of Late Pregnancy

Pregnancy is such an amazing thing. The creation of life, is the most beautiful thing a woman can do with her body. Unless of course, you are that pregnant woman. Then you just feel gross, and leaky, and hormonal. Bending at the waist seems like a feat, only a contortionist could accomplish, and standing up for more than five minutes . . . well . . . say good-bye to those ankle bones! What is it most people say? "Oh my aching back." Well, for a late term pregnant woman, its more like, "Oh my aching back, neck, hips, ribs, pelvis, feet, shoulders, and tail bone!" (yes, tail bone.) I'd like to be able to say that I'm not usually one to complain, but I would be lying. I am, and always have been, a wimp. I don't like to be uncomfortable. Or tired. Or fat. Or swollen. Or constantly hungry, and nauseous simultaneously. I am not a graceful pregnant woman, who floats through her nine months with poise and ease, contrary to what my maternity photos suggest. There are those glowing pregnant women at the supermarket, in cute clothes, and heels (bitches) who you see reading the labels on the backs of some organic whole grain nutritious whatever, and then there is me.. Looking around to make sure no one is watching while I open a box of something over-processed and full of high fructose corn syrup, and artificial dye, in the middle of the aisle, because I just can't make it to the car before I attack! I am 37 weeks right now, and I am not happy about the fact that I am still pregnant. I get a hiccup, and convince myself its a contraction. I am ready to have my body back, and lose the 45 pounds that I have gained in these last 4 months. I'll leave now, and stop my whining, but I'll leave you with this: I do have one good thing to say about being pregnant. I'm enjoying my beautifully thick and long hair! Because I know after the baby comes, all of it is going to fall out. Oh post-pardom joys!

Adalee's First Week of School

We decided several months ago it would be a good idea to get Adalee into a mother's day out program, since the new baby is coming soon, and lets face it, I'm a big boring pregnant blob right now.. Turns out, every one in town was full, and had waiting lists. I put her on all of the waiting lists, and kept my fingers crossed. So in June, I get a call from My Growing Place, a pre-school program at the First Methodist Church in Lufkin, that they are opening up a new class for her age group. YAAY!! I went over that day, and they gave me a tour of the facility. They explained to me what they do in their classes, and what the kids learn, and the skills they develop, and I was SO excited! I just wanted a little break, and now instead, I get a little break, AND Adalee is learning stuff! win/win! Adalee liked the tour so much, she threw a fit when we went to leave.. little monster. So we registered, paid, filled out the papers, got the shot records faxed over, etc, etc, etc.

I was really excited, until I dropped her off for her first day on Monday. It kind of all just hit me. My little baby is growing up. She's not my little baby anymore. She's her own, individual, independent little unit. She is totally confident and comfortable exploring new things, without me having to hold her hand. And I was sad. When did this happen?? I came home and cried, but not too much. I mean, after all, check out that look on her face. How could I deny her that kind of happiness?! She loves school. She wants to jump out of bed in the morning, when she hears the word "school." She has used the potty 4 times at school so far, and got stickers every day for doing such a great job feeding herself! She is the oldest in her class, which i was unhappy about at first, because I would rather her be challenged, but I think she is developing some great leadership skills by being older. When the class walks outside for recess, they all have to hold on the this little knot on a rope, so that they stay in a line, and Adalee is at the front of the line, being little miss "look at me!" Words really cannot express how proud I am of my little girl. Its hard for me, and I brought her to school late today, because I wanted to spend the morning with her, but she is such a trooper. I'm sure she's going to be a great big sister.

Being a mommy.

There is nothing in the world like being a mommy. It's fun, terrifying, heartbreaking, heart wrenching, and absolutely wonderful. This is my baby girl, Adalee, 19 months old, on her first trip to the beach. I was completely on edge the entire time she was playing. I didn't want her to get knocked down by a wave. or get sand in her eye. or water in her nose. or hurt herself doing any of the other million and a half things that kids get to experience and learn from every day. My fears are mostly internal. I don't really limit her to ease my own mind. I just sit back with tense shoulders, ready to pounce at the first sign of danger. I assume thats what a good mother does. We try not to "sweat the small stuff," but when you love something so much, with every absolute fiber of your being, its hard not to be a little intense about protecting it. Adalee is going to be a big sister any day now. Its hard to imagine that i will have enough room in my heart to love another child as much as her. Seems a little unfair. but we'll see how it goes. Welcome to my journey from chaos, to extreme insanity!