SHE'S HERE!!!!!

Yes, you read/heard correctly. IT'S A GIRL! Now for some cute pictures!

Yeah the date on the camera was broken, and I didn't know.... and there's no way to remove the date! lol... but there she is shortly after birth.

And I'll get some closer ones up soon. But I'm really eager to write about the entire labor and birth.

Okay so I posted while in those early stages. Basically Sunday morning, after not sleeping at all I started to have some cramping. It didn't hurt that bad, but I noticed it was kind of patterned. I woke up Aaron around 7 and let him know. For about 5 hours they stayed about 4 minutes apart. They were very intense at all. At the time, I kind of thought they were, but now I know they were practically nothing! But we went to the hospital around 3, because I wasn't sure what to do. The contractions were staying really regular, I had some bleeding, and I wanted to stay home as long as possible, but I was also really curious, was this is? Was I already dialated to like an 8?! What was going on down there!! So I thought we could go to the hospital and in like an hour they could say, Yup, you're in labor, but you're only like 3cm, so it's okay if you wanna go home and come back, or whatever you want. Boy was I dreaming! We ended up being in triage for 4 and a half hours! It was really frustrating. They told me I could stay, even though I was only 3cm dialted, but I told them I would rather go home and labor at home as long as possible. The nurse reeeeeeeally didn't want me to do this. So she took her time letting us go. Of course by the time we were leaving the contractions started to get a lot worse. But around 7:30 we went to Aaron's mom and dad's so we could eat some dinner. Then we went home and I took a bath and a shower. Things were starting to get a lot more intense. I needed Aaron for every contraction. He was amazing, holding me, telling me how great I was doing, etc. Meanwhile my mom was flying in from New Jersey. She was going to land at 11:30. By the time 11:30 rolled around the contractions were really painful and I was ready to go to the hospital. But we waited unti my mom got there around midnight. As soon as she got there, we headed to the hospital. This time triage was so fast! They told me I was about 6-7cm! What a relief to hear that! They got me straight to a room, and my nurse was soooooooooo wonderful. I wanted to labor in the tub they had at the hospital. They have special monitors for when you're in the water, for baby and mom, but they weren't working right. Instead of telling me, "Oh sorry you can't use the tub since these monitors aren't working" she just took them off and let me be in the tub as long as I wanted. IT WAS HEAVENLY! I was able to relax through the contractions so well with the warm water and Aaron. After four hours they started to get more intense, and I was pretty sure I was in transition. The contractions were so incredibly intense. I was feeling like I was going to throw up, and I was shaking like crazy. Aaron was sooo amazing helping me through this. Well the nurse came to check me. I was sure I was like 8 or 9 cm. But no. I was "maybe" 8, then checked again and more like a 6. I tried to keep positive. I've read stories like this, where the nurse was wrong, or all of a sudden you go from 6 to 7. So I decided to get out of the tub and walk around. At this point I had been in labor for about 26 hours or so. I also hadn't slept in 48. My water also hadn't broken. So they were going to break my water. But I was petrified I couldn't handle it. The contractions were already so intense, I was so tired. So I asked if an epidural could help speed things up, if I was more relaxed. My amazing nurse was like, "You are doing so amazing. You are so in control of these contractions. You're doing great. Are you sure?" That was so wonderful to hear!! Anyway, I'm getting really long winded and I want to go hold my baby so I'll wrap things up here. After praying, talking to nurse and anesthesologist, we decided it would be best to get the epidural, break my water and see what happens. BEST DECISION! I was actually able to sleep for like 20 minutes! The other two hours I was just resting. Aaron also got to sleep. Around 10am they told me I could get ready to start pushing. All I can say is it was the most amazing experience. I had no clue how incredibly hard you had to push! I was praying my heart out between each contraction for super human strength. At 10:30 she was sooo close. They told me by 11 I'd have my baby. I couldn't believe it. The doctor came in and told me we'd do all we could to avoid a tear and it looked good. I only tore a little bit (2 stitches). And he held her up and said, "Well what do we have daddy?" And I looked, and it was all so overwhelming. I heard Aaron say girl, and I was just bawling. They put her right on me, and I wouldn't give her up. The nurses were waiting to clean her and weigh her, but I made them wait. I needed those moments to hold her and fall in love. It was so incredible. And now I need to get to my baby.

Birthday anyone?

Sooooo... since about 6 am I have been regular, hurting really bad contractions! I can't believe I'm on here posting about it, lol. Right now they are about 3-4 minutes apart, getting stronger. But I can still walk and talk through them... sort of. So the hospital said I can stay home. I want to stay home as long as possible to avoid any unnecessary interventions. So when my water breaks, or they get more untolerable we will be off to the hospital. Right now I'm living in my shower until the hot water runs out, then I'm pacing our condo until I think there's enough hot water.

Just something I want to remember... I was up allllll night, literally didn't sleep a wink because of this nasty cold. I couldn't breathe at all, then at about 5 am when I start to fall asleep, CONTRACTIONS woke me up! Anyway, I was really nervous about not being able to breathe while in labor, so I asked Aaron for a blessing. We drove to his grandpa's and he assisted. It was really a neat experience. As soon as the blessing was over I could breathe through both nostrils! And I haven't really had to cough since. I am so grateful for the priesthood. I was also blessed with the energy I'll need. Well I bet my hot water is back. Hopefully my next post isn't titled "False Alarm" or something. Hopefully it's, "IT'S A [FILL IN GENDER HERE]!!!!"

Pregnant. Sick. Hopefully neither for much longer.

Well I figure if I don't do this every day people will be wondering if I'm in the hospital or not!

So here's a quick update... I'm still pregnant. And sick.

But good news... I have been having lots more pains, one I might consider a contraction because it actually hurt enough that I had to stop talking until it passed. That was about 15 minutes ago, after walking around Tempe Marketplace and Sam's club all afternoon.

Although I'm not really sure I want the baby to come right now. I'd sure like to be able to breathe through contractions... although Aaron pointed out that the coughing might help during the pushing stage... I feel like I'm going to cough this sucker out of me already!

But one more reason I think it might come tonight... Super Smash Bros. comes out for the Wii, and Aaron wants to go get it at midnight... really bad. He's been planning on it for a while now... and it's just Aaron's luck that we'll be in the hospital at midnight tonight, our minds not even close to some game (well at least mine, and his better not be!).

must be a girl... she's already running late!

So I've been pretty happy and comfortable for pretty much my entire pregnancy... but now it's my turn to be miserable!! I am now 2 days past my due date, which isn't very much, but I never thought I'd make it to this weekend. And yesterday at the Doctor's he was like, "well your last ultrasound put you due Feb 29" Well I'm really glad I didn't know that this whole time. But I have been having some contractions... nothing serious, in fact I don't even like calling them contractions because then I think this baby should be here by now. But besides the wonderfullness of being two days past my due date... I also think I caught an upper respitory infection. Tuesday a girl at Aaron's office had to go home because of asthma like symptoms, and so I offerred to come in and work for her since I'm going insane at home. Well turns out she had a respitory infection... and since yesterday I have been coughing like crazy. Now my chest hurts, I think mostly from coughing so much. So I'm kind of hoping that the baby does wait until I'm better so I can actually breathe while I'm in labor!

Oh and update about how things went at the doctor... well I'm progressing. 2 cm dilated, 85% effaced, and the baby's head is exactly where it should be. We are on the induction list for the 15th if there's no baby by then. I can't even bring myself to think that's possible. It's only 8 days away, but that seems like an eternity. Maybe now that I'm so miserable the baby will somehow sense that and want to get out! Maybe we've both been too comfortable... so maybe all this is a good thing.

Alpine Bread?

So right by our place there's this Alpine Bread Bakery and Cafe. I had never been inside, even though we live right across the street, in the entire 2.5 years we've lived here. Well today I was out for my walk with Beth and when we walked past the bakery it smelt heavenly. So I decided after the walk to go back and check it out. I am so glad I did! They have day old loaves of bread for a $1! And some varieties are 3 or 2 loaves for $1! Then of course they have the fresh ones for $3.50, and some dessert breads, and cookies. Their credit card machine was down, and I only had $2 cash, so I got a loaf of sourdough bread and a huuuuge chocolate chip cookie :) Anyway, couldn't believe I never stopped in before... sooo yummy.

Now a question... has anyone ever gone to My Girlfriend's Kitchen, or a similiar type place where you pay a certain amount per meal, and you make it there with their ingriedients and stuff, and you go home with a bunch of meals? I have been thinking about doing this so I won't have to stress about cooking after baby's here for a couple of weeks. Just curious if anyone's tried it...

nope, no baby yet.....

Alright... since I'm getting kind of tired of talking about baby stuff, I'm sure anyone reading this is getting tired of hearing it! People keep asking me if I'm feeling "any pressure" or having contractions or any of that. Honestly I just have no idea, and find these questions frustrating! Yes there's always pressure somewhere, I'm almost 40 weeks pregnant. I have no idea what a contraction feels like... sometimes my entire stomach gets rock hard, but doesn't hurt (braxton hix?) and sometimes I have menstrual crampy type feelings. Nothing has been really that uncomfortable. So I think I have two more weeks without a baby. But we'll see. I am reeeally anxious to meet this little passenger I've been carrying around for 9 months. And that's all the news for the baby front.

Life is really great. I love my husband so much. I don't think I posted about it, but on Thursday I came home to entirely clean, sparkly wonderful house. Laundry folded, dishes cleaned, floors mopped, bed made... I mean everything!! What a guy, huh? I wanted to cry I was so happy. And we have just been getting to spend so much time together lately, it's been beautiful. Today we went for a walk (to Sonic, because Aaron doesn't like to walk just to walk...) and watched a ridiculous movie (The Man With One Red Shoe... for some reason we get a kick out of all random old Tom Hanks movies) and laughed our heads off, and just had such a great time being together. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful marriage! Aaaand enough cheesey stuff...

So now just trying to find ways to pass the time until it's TIME! :) So far I have some great library books to read... and maybe I'll pick up a sub job or two, but we'll see about that.

Endure to the end?

So I had my 39 week doctor's appointment the other day. Lots of good news! I am about 80% effaced, and 1.5 centimeters dialted. Which really doesn't mean much, but it's still fun to hear that SOMETHING is happening. But best news of all... through my pregnancy I only gained about 27 lbs. I was aiming for 25... but I'll take it. So of course I decdied I have been good this long... who needs to endure to the end! So after my appointment I went straight to the Fiesta Mall because they have the closest Cinnabon that I knew of.

BEFORE..... <2 MINUTES LATER