Hard to get time at the computer!

This is what I have been able to work on when I get a moment.  Instead of the traditional birth announcements (because facebook makes them kind of useless...), I made this to hang in my house!

I don't get much time to myself anymore, and that has been a real adjustment, and some times are harder than others...but in the end, I really do love it.  

Thanks for the headband, Colsie!

I made that bow!

Dinner and bed time is so fun!

Got my desk painted (thanks to Ben) and moved into the house.  Craft time!

Found out today that a friend here in Clovis passed away.  It feels more tragic when someone dies when they are still young.  He was only a little older than me.  It still doesn't feel real.  It just feels like he's still there.  The memorial service was today.  I kept it together until the pastor said exactly what I needed to hear.  He wasn't alone when he passed.  When you are a Christian and accept Christ into your heart, His name is written on your heart. You are never alone from that point out.  I actually think that was the same thing I was told the day I was saved. 

See, what bothered me the most was thinking that he was by himself when he needed us most.  It really got to me.  So hearing that really meant a lot, and I think that it helped a lot of people as well.

Week one and done

Week one at home is over, and I think it went pretty well.

Had a rough night on Friday...Delilah screamed for about 2.5 hours straight...and I was functioning on about 2 hours of sleep (just from being so busy).  Finally, I gave her some gas medicine and she was able to calm down. I had no idea!  I think the deli meat I had eaten for lunch the past couple days was upsetting her stomach.  I've been giving her meds at almost every feeding, and last night was really calm!  I also think she was frustrated at the change from breast shield to bare breast.  We're doing much better though and we only used the shield once yesterday!  (and it was the early morning feeding and she was still gassy)

Had people over yesterday, Ben and the dude enjoyed some beers, some of which the guy actually brewed in his garage.  His wife is really nice too, and I enjoyed visiting with her.  She's a quiet person, but has a lot to say if you're listening.

Ben got me a kindle fire for Christmas, and so far, I've already finished 2 books and am halfway through another!  Water for Elephants is fantastic, so is The Help.  I got WFE from Netflix and it stayed pretty close to the book (which I appreciate).  I've got The Help here now, and hopefully we'll watch that tonight.  It's so easy to just feed Lilah and read at the same time.  No pages to turn, no heavy or awkward book to hold and balance with one hand.

Still waiting on getting the desk moved from the garage into the house.  I would love to start working on some new crafty crafts!

Day 3

Day 3 of being a "stay at home mom" and so far, so good!
Lilah and I are figuring things out together and getting somewhat of a schedule going and things are going pretty well!

I had a lactation consultant come by today.  I've been using breast shields while she eats, and the experts say that it's not the best thing for the baby...plus, bare breast will be more convenient.  She was really nice and encouraging...unlike the others that I've encountered.  I've been told that using the shields is awful, it's horrible for my baby, I need to get rid of them ASAP...basically no one is being sensitive that I'm a new mom and the shields were given to me by a nurse in the hospital.  Am I supposed to second guess everything?
It's really frustrating figuring things out  and trying to do the best I can and then have these elitists try and make me feel bad.  Have they forgotten what it's like to be a first time mom?
Part of me feels like once people are done being pregnant, done with the first baby, etc...they forget how they felt in those situations.  If they remembered, they wouldn't treat pregnant women and first time moms with such disdain.  Not all advice/comments are needed.

I'm working on getting the house back together after coming back from MO.  Laundry is almost totally done, and just working on the clutter now.  I've got a desk in the garage that I'd like to strip and paint either turquoise or robin's egg blue and set up in the dining room for crafts.  I got a cricut for Christmas, and I can't wait to start.  I'm making Lilah's baby book and also a book called 365 Days of Delilah, documenting her in pictures for every day for her first year.  I can't wait to get started!

day 1

day 25

After 44 hours of labor, Delilah Jean graced us with her presence!

8lbs 1.6 oz

21 inches long

12:13pm

She's the most wonderful thing in the entire world.

It started on Friday with another check up since she was late (9 days late at that point) and her fluids were way down.  That meant that the placenta wasn't giving her the amount of nutrients it had previously been giving her.  If the levels are less than 5, they send you over to the hospital for an induction.  

I had actually gone to work that morning and just left for my appointment.  I called work and let them know.  Called my mom and let her know.  We headed back to the house to grab all of our stuff, everyone was so excited!  

When we got there, I got hooked up to an IV and an external fetal heart monitor as well as a monitor to measure my contractions.  I was started on a pill that was given every 4 hours, up to 6 times to get me dilated.   I walked the halls, ate some supper, hung out with Mom and Ben.  After 24 hours, those pills had done nothing for me.  Next up was the 12 hour med.  For the first 6 hours or so, I did really well...then the contractions started.  I was breathing through them pretty well, but I was also feeling a bit queasy, so I skipped dinner.  As the night moved forward, I couldn't even walk the halls anymore...every step was painful. I laid on my side back in the room and they got worse and worse.  I had no sense of time.  Ben was timing them and comforting me during it all.  After awhile of these contractions, I became delirious with the pain and lost sense of time.  At 1am, I was checked again, and had only dilated to a 3.  My doctor told my mom and Ben that I was "uninducable".  They had to get me on pitocin and ordered me an epidural.  

Again, I was so out of it that I didn't really know what was going on.  It was like 2 or 3 hours until they could start the pitocin and get me the epidural because the dr was doing a c-section.  When they finally came in and got it for me, I didn't even feel the epidural go in.  Ben and my mom couldn't watch because the needle was so big.  After the epidural, I got almost instant relief.  After 36 hours of labor, I think I deserved a break.  

I got some sleep, but not too much because I knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.  I knew I would soon hold my baby in my arms.  The prospect was so exciting!  At around 7ish, I was checked again, and was dilated at a 9!  The nurse said that Delilah would be here before lunchtime.  

AHHH!!!

Around 10ish, they turned off my epidural so that I would know how to push.  I still couldn't feel anything, but I could feel the push.  I started around 11:15 or so, and Delilah was here at 12:13pm!  She came out, let out a wail, and they put her on my chest.  She was so alert and didn't cry, she just looked at me.  I started crying, Ben had tears in his eyes.  It was the most wonderful moment of my life.  I watched as she was cleaned up and weighed and Ben was by her side the entire time.  My mom came into the room and cried and met her first granddaughter.  Words don't explain the emotion in that room after she was born.  

My life will never be the same, and I can't wait to continue on with this adventure.  

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is my last day at work!  I'm pretty excited.  I already turned in my resignation paperwork, signed myself up to be a sub starting in Feb, and let the principal know I wouldn't be returning.  I'm excited to have this next step in my life so close.

Another doctor's appointment tomorrow.  Checking the fluids and her heartbeat again.  Gotta make sure everything is good in there.  I am really hoping they just say, "Oh, you're in labor, go to the hospital."  Course, I've been hoping that with the last few visits, and that hasn't happened.  Ah well.  Soon!

Tried a new dinner last night and it was DELISH.  I didn't get a picture of it because everyone was so hungry, the plates were soon empty!

Asian Inspired Lemon Chicken

YUM.

With it, I also made white rice and also made some broccoli stir fry (with a pinch of salt and splashes of soy sauce.)  Needless to say, everyone was quite satisfied afterwards.  It was also good on day 2 when I took it for lunch!

The good...and the ugly.

I'm totally loving this 5 day weekend that I got, by accident!  I called in on Friday because I was scared to drive in the weather, and then school was cancelled on Monday and Tuesday!

Yesterday, Mom and I made sugar cookies and decorated some of them.  Today, I got the urge to bake again and made:

Nutella Sandwich Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

Nutella

Bake at 375 for 5-7 minutes.

Beat butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla until smooth.

Pour in all dry ingredients and mix.  

Roll into teaspoon balls, flatten into circles.

Once they come out of the oven and are cool, spread Nutella on the bottoms and top with another cookie! 

ENJOY!

Sugar cookies with homemade drizzle

(1 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of milk.  For the chocolate, I added a spoonfull of unsweetened cocoa powder)

Quite a fun day, if you ask me!  I've got the baking bug, and it's been a lot of fun!

And now...the ugly...

Remember when I wrote about my psycho cousin and my ridiculous aunt?  Well, here's the new situation:

Cousin (who is still married to her baby's daddy...the one who left her for the female counterpart that they were swinging with...is on  her second relationship with some man in his 30s with 2 kids and is still married himself) is pregnant with new boyfriend's baby.  

Doesn't that sound like a Jerry Springer episode to you?  Maybe Maury?  Montel?  Well, any of those trashy tv shows that trash get onto.  

Maybe this will help rope him into staying with her.  Didn't work with her husband...second time's a charm?  

My aunt is really excited, of course, because this is one of the few things she has left in life (other than "dating" her ex who left her for someone else and is letting that someone else live in the house that my aunt shared with him for at least 10 years).  

Mom asked me if I felt upset at all, and I thought, "Why would I feel upset?"  I have:

1. A husband who takes care of me and has a fantastic career.

2. A mom who is wonderful and supportive and strong.

3. A beautiful little girl on the way.

4. A drive for success.

5. A college education.

6. A warm home.

7. A stable environment.  

8. Common sense and the knowledge of right vs wrong.

9. A wonderful relationship with God.

10. Family and friends that love me through thick and thin.

What more could I want?  No reason for me to get upset at this girl and her poor life.  I just pity her daughter and future child.  Her daughter has been through so much already...been exposed to goodness knows what...and I just hope that this new baby won't have to.  

Ending on a happy note:

I'm making Lemon Chicken tonight!  I'll post the recipe if it turns out delish!

Update

Got observed today.  Had an ultrasound to check all of her fluids.  Anything over 5 ml is good and means the placenta is still good and providing nutrients to Delilah.  My level was 12!  I also took a non stress test, which consisted of sitting in a very comfy recliner and having a couple bands measure to see if I'm having contractions and Delilah's heartbeat.  Each time she moved, I had to press a little button.  She moved a TON and her heartrate is great.

After thinking about it, Ben and I have decided not to induce.  We want her here, but not bad enough to do something that isn't medically necessary.  It's obvious that she's not ready to come out, and my body isn't ready for her to come out, so she'll stay until it's time.  If there was something wrong, we would definitely consider inducing, but she's safe and sound and just taking her time.  I remember thinking at the very beginning of the pregnancy that she would probably last to the second week of December (based on when I think conception took place), and I think I'm right!

I want a chair like that for my house.