Thursday, August 6, 2015

Nolan is Here!!

As you know I have been hosting a virtual baby shower on my blog for the last couple of months in anticipation of my baby's arrival.  I was really hoping to have one last game for July.  Baby Nolan was due August 17 but it was becoming apparent that he would most likely be early.  Nevertheless at the end of July I had the last game pretty much mapped out and the giveaway ready.  The game was going to be "guess the mommy's belly size" and the giveaway was going to be a Blankie BeBe from my new BeBes for Boys line of dolls.   One is a superhero and the other is done in a monster fabric.  These two are for Nolan.



July 25 was my last day at work and I planned to get the game up on the blog that weekend.  I was really looking forward to at least a week off with no work and no baby, but Nolan had other plans for us.  That night at 2:00 in the morning I rose to go to the bathroom.  When I finished peeing I felt a bit of a trickle of something that did not seem like pee.  I had a feeling it was my water.  I went to wake up Adrian and he proceeded to tell me that it couldn't be my water because it should be more dramatic.  I told him it wasn't always so.

As we sat on the bed discussing (arguing) about what constituted a "water break" a large gush flowed out of me and all over the bed.  Obviously there was no more arguing!

I tried to get ahold of my Mom but she didn't answer.  Adrian called our doctor and she also did not answer.  We were a little frustrated.  So Adrian called his Mom, and his family went over to the hospital to meet us.  His sister called our original doctor.  At first we were not happy about it because we really wanted to get ahold of our doctor.  I had planned a natural water birth and already things were not going as planned.

I was having no pain or labor of any kind.  We waited only about 10 minutes at the hospital before our original doctor arrived.  We went into a labor room and he examined me.  More water and blood were coming out and I was still not in any kind of labor.  Nolan was doing fine but the doctor recommended a c-section as I would not be able to have my water birth because of the risk of infection.  I knew there were options to avoid a c-section, which I really didn't want, but the options included risks as well as intensive monitoring, which I also didn't want.

Also I was not quite 37 weeks pregnant which meant that Nolan was technically pre-term.  We decided to go ahead with the c-section.

Nolan was born around 5:00 Sunday July 26.  He weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce and measured 21.5 inches.  For being nearly 4 weeks early he was a big one!


I wish I could say everything has been peachy keen but I'll tell you what having a baby is hard work no joke!  I hated being in the hospital, confined to a bed.  I have hated the recovery from the surgery but it's getting easier.  Breastfeeding has been very difficult as we learn what works and then the next day it all changes for no apparent reason.  I can see why many moms give up on it!  But I will not because I know how important it is for my little guy.


But my word the emotions involved!  I love him so much sometimes it hurts.  As frustrating and challenging as it is sometimes all I need is one look at his face and one smell of his baby smell and I don't care about anything.  



I miss sewing and I don't know when I will ever be back to normal as far as BeBe production goes but I'm trying to take it one day at a time.  For now I wanted to let you know there will not be a final game/giveaway for the virtual baby shower, obviously because the baby is already here!  However I will think of something fun we can do very soon to make up for it.

I did have a bunch of Blankie BeBes finished and ready to go in the shop before Nolan came.  Luckily between feedings I had a chance to get them uploaded yesterday.  Check them out in the shop here.  There is just about every color I offer as well as one in the ethnic skin tone.



Thank you all for following along during my pregnancy journey and I hope you will stick around as the real journey begins!