The Boring Details

I just can't believe how fast time has gone by. I still get emotional just thinking about that day, and I want to remember every single second. So here's my attempt at documenting the happenings and emotions of that amazing, difficult, frustrating, beautiful, life-changing day. Beware, it's long, and personal...but then again, I'm documenting this for my own personal benefit. Read at your own discretion:)

First of all, that week had been perfect. I still felt great and wasn't miserable like I'd expected to be. I was cherishing all those kicks and stretches because I knew I'd miss being pregnant. But, like all pregnant ladies, I was really somehow convinced that I would go into labor early. My doctor also thought so. And she went on and on about how easy labor and delivery was going to be for me. The Monday before my due date, I went in to be checked and had a final Ultrasound. It was so fun seeing our girl that day, and there was part of me that hoped my fluids would be low or something so my OB would have to say that "It's time to go deliever your baby!" But God had His plan, and thank goodness those decisions weren't up to me. We left the hospital and my delivery date came and went. My sister came in town on my due date because she already had the flight. It worked out sooo perfectly- just enough time for us to spend some quality time before the big day. We had a day out to go walk at the Arboretum, grab lunch, do a little shopping and even make dinner. Brandon got home from work and we ate the worst pot roast that I've ever made. Don't know what happened there. All day I'd been having sporadic, small contractions that I'd convinced myself were not really there. And I certainly wasn't going to tell Jessi about them and get her hopes up too. After dinner, I was noticing them more frequently- like every 15-20 minutes, so I told Brandon and Jessi (with the firm belief that these were false). By 9pm, they were stronger and more regular, but still 10-15 minutes apart. Brandon and Jessi were starting to be sure this was it, but I was certain this wasn't the real thing. I took a bath and tried to relax, washed my hair and went through my mental check list, hoping that the contractions continued. By midnight, the contractions were taking my breath away. Brandon and I went on a walk down the street, and they kept on coming. The contractions didn't slow down at all and I was realizing this was for real. By 2am, we were all still awake and the very strong contractions were 6-8 minutes apart (for a minute each). At 2am, we all attempted to lay down for a few minutes to rest before calling all the family. We called everyone at 3am and told them we'd be heading to the hospital soon. Contractions were about 6 minutes apart, so I really wanted to wait until they were 5 or less. Brandon and Jessi dozed off and at 4:30 I woke them up, needing help to get ready to leave. The contractions seemed to get a lot closer and we were timing them anywhere between 3-4 minutes apart, which freaked me out...I kept having visions of delivering a baby in the car. Oh how wrong I was...

Brandon and I left the house at 5:15 and got  to the hospital by 5:30. We were checked in by 6am (who knew it would take 30 minutes to check in to the hospital- I had already pre-registered!). So they checked me at 4cm and 100% effaced. Despite the nurse saying she wasn't sure if they'd keep me (which I was not thrilled about), she called the doctor who immediately admitted me. Hallelujah. After we got into our delivery room, contractions got crazy and I was hooked up to IV and monitors. I was not comfortable staying in the bed, so we pretty quickly starting walking around the whole hospital. I bounced and walked and leaned and breathed heavily for what seemed like forever, determined not to get an epidural yet because I was afraid it would slow things down. Well by 9:30am, I was ready for that epidural regardless of how far along I was (which wasn't much more than I had been earlier). At 10am I got my epidural and I met my doctor who would be delivering our baby, Dr. Shimer. She broke my water in an effort to speed things along. The epidural was great and we all took naps until family started to arrive. By about 2pm, I was 5-6 cm dilated, but progress was slow. When I hadn't progressed more by 3pm, Dr. Shimer wanted me to try a small dose of Pitocin to see if it would help. I had been so opposed to Pitocin, but she assured me it would be a very small amount and I wouldn't have to be on it very long since I was already in the middle of laboring. It helped a little but my contractions were already strong and close together, so the baby disengaged and was higher up, which allowed Dr. Shimer to find out that my sacrum was curved in too much to allow the baby through. That's when she told me I'd be the lucky recipient of a C-section. Booo. I was a basket-case. It didn't help anything that I  had already been super emotional, shakey, and had horrible chills. But I was sure it was the right thing and I'm so glad there was a definite need, not just me wanting labor to be over with. I went to the OR at 7:40, and Brandon came a few minutes later. Evelyn was born at 8:00 exactly, and it was wonderful to hear her cry. Brandon kept looking over the curtain and peeking at our girl, then he checked on her over with the nurse and came back to tell me how perfect she was. He was so concerned about me, but so excited about Evelyn. He brought her to meet me and it was amazing. I was so so in love and just couldn't believe I was finally seeing our sweet baby. We went back to the delivery room and I fed her immediately. She did so well breastfeeding, I felt so blessed that it wasn't an issue at all for her. Then our family got to come in and meet her after a long day of waiting very patiently. And of course they, too, were immediately in love. She was measured and examined right there beside me. 9 pounds, 15 ounces and 21 3/4 inches long of pure perfection. Later on, we realized that I had gotten a fever during surgery and therefore, Evelyn had also. We both had to get IV antibiotics, which was pretty pitiful seeing her with an IV in her arm. But she was healthy and happy and oh so snuggly. She immediately knew my voice and was calm when she was with me. She would look for me and it's so amazing how she already knew me. The whole day leaves me overwhelmed with emotions. Labor and delivery were not at all what I'd hoped for, but my baby girl was perfect and healthy and I couldn't ask for anything more. I didn't feel hungry or even tired for those first days in the hospital. Nothing mattered except her, and it was like I was literally just living on the joy and peace I had in being with her. I spent so much of those days just thanking God for such an awesome gift to us. Life would never be the same again, and I was so joyful. God was so present in those moments, revealing Himself to us as new parents.

As David Crowder puts it so well, 

"When all of a sudden I am unaware of the afflictions 

Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are 

And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how he loves us, oh 

Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all"

Mommy or Daddy?

While I was pregnant, it was so hard to imagine what our little girl would look like. It is impossible not to be overwhelmed by the fact that God is the perfect Creator and giver of life. It's so wonderful to fall in love and marry a man who you know will always be your best friend, but it's simply a miracle to go through childbirth and see a little version of the two of you. Now, after seeing her, I can't imagine her looking any different, of COURSE that's what Evelyn looks like! God is so good, and we thank Him every second for our Evelyn. She is a perfect little angel, a constant reminder of His amazing love.

One question we've talked about since she was born is Who Does She Look Like???

So here's some pictures of us (Brandon then Evelyn then Sara)

We have our own ideas, but we want to hear what you think...

Miss Evelyn

It's hard to believe that it's been almost 3 months since Evelyn was born. Time has flown by, but we've been cherishing every moment with my girl. Maternity leave has been wonderful, and I've been taking full advantage of being able to cuddle all day long with my girl. So it's basically been 3 months since I've blogged, baked, bathed, or been out of the house (just kidding, sort of). So now I'm finally blogging all my random thoughts and feelings from the last months. It's been such a blessing to be on this journey, and I can't begin to document it well enough. But I'm finally getting around to updating the blog with a some pictures to keep it interesting:)

Here I am at 40 weeks- last belly photo!                And here we are leaving for the hospital at 5am:)

After 25 hours of labor and a C-section, we had our little girl at 8:00 pm on Friday night, November 9th. She is perfect in every way. The labor and delivery were not at all what I had pictured or even wanted, but none of that mattered because I got to hold my sweet Evelyn and she was so healthy and so beautiful. Her stats were 9 lbs, 15 oz and 21 3/4 inches long. We couldn't believe how big she was, but we are so proud of our big girl. And the most amazing thing was how she knew us right from the start.

In the delivery room, before knowing the day would end with a cesarean. Brandon was so good to me, even though I was acting like a crazy woman for those last few hours. All my sweet family got to see very emotional side of me, but no need to go into all that:)

Looking for Mommy

Meeting our sweet baby

I couldn't believe I was finally holding her after 9 long wonderful months of 

wondering what she would be like.

First family photo.

My family and Brandon's sister were all able to make it in town in time to see me before surgery, and it somehow worked out perfectly for them all to be here. After surgery, we took a few minutes to ourselves, then Evelyn got to meet my family. She got checked out by the nurse in our room, and I was pretty loopy from the drugs. Brandon's parents got here early the next morning, so they got to see me once I was done with the crazy surgery drugs. It was so wonderful to finally have our little girl with us. And Brandon was IMMEDIATELY smitten. He was worried about me, but soo obsessed with our little girl. It was amazing to watch him be such a perfect husband and daddy in those first few stressful hours. And having everyone there was such a blessing. So many things came together so perfectly for everyone to be there. And those first few days were absolutely priceless. God is so good.

Her greatest admirers.

Sweet friends and family who came to meet her in the hospital. Apparently my cell phone didn't send out many of the texts that I tried to send people because the reception in the hospital was so horrible, but several people still made it by to come see our girl. 

Heading home! After 3 nights, we were so ready to get out of that hospital room and just start normal life. It was so wonderful to introduce Evelyn to our world.

Evelyn is an absolute joy. We have loved every second with her. It's hard to keep from kissing those cheeks and pinching her chunky little legs all the time! It has been a huge adjustment, but really somehow easier than I'd expected. The sleepless nights, crying fits, and poopy diapers are really such a natural part of taking care of the baby we love so much. It makes it easy when you look at that precious face. Brandon has already been so wonderful with her. He is so sweet to her and it just melts my heart. He can't get enough of her. And we're learning about the things she wants and how to anticipate what she needs. It really is instinctual and the bond I already share with her is so special. What a blessing to fulfill her needs and be her comforter. There's no way not to relate the feeling to our relationship with God, how He is the only one who can wholly comfort us and guide us. How He yearns to hear from us and wants us to desire a relationship with him. I'm left completely speechless and in awe of how God created this person for me to care for. I yearn to hear from her and understand her in the same way I know He wants to hear from me. What an incredible blessing. I can't even type this without a flood of emotions- awe struck at His majesty, gratitude for His gift to us, peace with His perfect plan, and pure joy and love for my daughter that can only come from Him. We feel so blessed to be the ones through which God is showing her His perfect love.

**Many of these photos were done by Brandon's sister. I am so grateful that she was able to help us document our big day. If you haven't already, you need to check out Coati Photography. Thanks again Kim!! 

The Sweet Life of A Booger Bear

Our Snoober has a pretty good life. She is the best dog ever, and I must take a moment to post on our sweet girl. She's been our only child for so long, and I know she's going to be a wonderful big sister. So this is a tribute to our Gooberton, and all her favorite places...

Nuzzling down in the pillows is wonnnnderful.

Under Mom and Dad's blankets- ohhh it's soo cozy.

Lovin her crate because it means taking a nap close to Mom and Dad.

   
       Snuggling up with her daddy is definitely her #1 spot.

In her bed with that nose tucked in real tight, that's the prime spot. Let the grunting and moaning begin.

 Halloween 2012

 

Our very own Bailey won the best pet costume award at the Neighborhood Fall Festival. 

Yes, I made her wear the outfit, and yes, she was very proud of herself. She knows she looks good!!!

The dad and his girl- even when she is dressed up like a turtle.
 Oh and how she does love those ear scratches.

Me with our very own celebrity:)

  Chicken Butt- her favorite way to relax:)

 We've recently been taking lots more walks together, which might be the most anticipated time of day.

Not so sure about this scary Halloween cat we encountered on our walk the other day...

 Pooped out last Saturday after spending some time at the Dog Park. 

We haven't been to the dog park in a while, but this girl's still got it! Don't mind the few 

extra pounds she may be carrying, this little dog can keep up with the best of em!

 She has always loved the AC vents in our cars, but nothing could be better than 

laying on that cold air after chasing those other doggies around at the park!

Booger, you are really the best dog we ever could have asked for. 

We love you so much and can't wait for you to meet the newest member of our family!!!

39 Weeks

So Halloween has been kinda on the back-burner this year. We've been, well...distracted. Today I'm 39 weeks along and "things are progressing very well". Doctor says it could be ANY MINUTE! It's such a strange feeling, knowing and waiting to go into labor any time, but also having no idea what to expect or if it will even happen this week or the next or the next. All I know is that we're excited and anxious to meet our little girl. I've been off work this week, which has been wonderful for catching up on some much needed rest before Evelyn gets here. I've been able to get more sleep and do some walking and a little nesting around the house.

Here's the collage of all my pregnancy photos, from 8 weeks till now. Only 7 days till our due date!!!!!

Happy Birthday Brandon!!!

Well, I have the best husband in the world, and today is his 29th birthday. I feel so very blessed that God put us together to through this life. He's the most calm, funny, hard-working, faithful and compassionate man I know, and the years together have proved just how perfect he is for me.

So today, on his birthday, I wanted to just tell him how much he means to me. And even though it's not looking like he's going to get to share his birthday with our baby girl, I hope it's one of his best yet. I made his favorite dinner and favorite chocolate cake and invited over a few of his favorite friends. But there's no gesture that can really express how grateful I am that he's my hubby and that he's so good to me. I love you Brandon!!!

Here we are, his 29th birthday, 

maybe the last picture we get together 

before we become a family of 3!

38 Weeks!??!?

Happy October everyone, what a wonderful month!!! I've been feeling pretty good, overall. I won't get into the minor complaints because I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to be feeling so good and being so close to meeting my baby girl. We have 2 weeks left, but the Dr says it could be any day! I'm not getting my hopes up and I'm not totally miserable yet, so for now, I'm just enjoying the time to rest and get ready for the big day! And of course, I've been doing lots of daydreaming, so here's some of the things that have been on my mind.

Things I can't wait to find out about my baby girl--
-When will she get here??? Will she make an early appearance like her mommy did, or late like her daddy?
-Will she be big and have lots of rolls, or will she be small and her skin really wrinkly?
-What will she look like? Will she have dimples like her daddy? What color hair and eyes will she have?
-Will she be awake for the same times that I now notice her being so wiggly in my tummy?
-Will she love to snuggle me and always want to be held, or be more independent like her momma?
-Will she love to read and be read to? What will be her favorite book for me to read to her?
-What will her little voice sound like? What will her first word be?
-Will she always want to be with us or will she enjoy her alone time?
-Will she be a good eater? What will her favorite vegetable be? Will she have a sweet tooth like me                when she's older??
-Will she love going fishing with her daddy or getting pedicures with her momma?
-Will she like to pick out her own clothes, and what will her favorite color be?
-Will she like Disney movies like I did growing up, and will she love to pretend and play outside?
-Will she be athletic or obsessed with her schoolwork or will she love to sing and be dramatic like her mom?
-Will she be very private and quiet, or will everybody always know what she's thinking?

Oh I can't wait still she gets here so I can start learning all about her!!!


Things that have surprised me about pregnancy--
 -I didn't ever have bad morning sickness, just back pain that I didn't expect to start so early.
 -I didn't expect it to seem like so long before we told all our family and friends, painfully long!
 -I would have thought that cutting out all caffeine would just about kill me, but I really never even missed it. I haven't had any my entire pregnancy, except chocolate but that does NOT count:)
 -I thought I would hate people touching on my belly, but it's been quite the opposite. I get my belly rubbed on daily at work and frequently by my friends. And I actually welcome it. I want them to be able to see/feel the miracle I'm experiencing, and I'm not weird-ed out at all.
 -Feeling my little girl kick is one of the sweetest feelings in the world. I'm going to miss that.
 -The first few months seemed to drag on and on, and the last few have flown by.
 -Two words: pregnant allergies! Mine got worse, a lot worse. And especially cutting back on the allergy meds = snotty Sara.
 - I never had to miss work from sickness- I have really felt better than I deserve for the most part.
 -My appetite didn't change a whole lot. Most of my cravings were in the first trimester, and I never felt like I was a lot more hungry than normal.
 -I never expected her to be so active and kicking me all the time. Again, I really love that.
 -I didn't know WHAT I would look like with a big belly, and now I certainly know what that looks like on me! It's something that was just impossible for me to envision.
 -I really expected to be insecure about my weight the entire pregnancy, but I honestly feel as good about my body as I ever have. Like this is what I'm meant to look like right now, all for the health of my baby. Now that's not to say that I now like to talk about my weight and how much I've gained, but I do have a confidence in my body that my body is a being used for a beautiful purpose.
 -I didn't expect Brandon to connect with the baby and already be so in love with her. I can't wait to see him look at her for the first time.
 -I didn't realize I would sleep so horribly even BEFORE the baby gets here. I used to be a belly sleeper, and it's been difficult getting comfortable since early on. Not to mention the recent need to get up a lot at night. It's obvious that God certainly does know how to prepare us! (Not to mention that my Snoogle has been a life saver.)
 -I thought I would be much more anxious about labor and delivery. Now, if I think about it too much, I do get nervous. But since the beginning, I've prayed for God's peace in this situation in which I have very little control. I have chosen to trust my OB and let her help me make big decisions, not making extremely high expectations for a "birth plan." I truly believe this has given me a sense of calmness because I've had to completely forfeit all control, which is exactly what I needed.
 -I'm actually not hugely swollen and my wedding ring still fits on my finger- never thought that'd be possible. I typically gain weight all over, especially my face, when I put on a few, but haven't so far during pregnancy!
 -I'm so excited about having a baby, but I know I will really miss being pregnant- it's been such a special time. I never thought I'd say that- I thought I'd be screaming for her to come on and be here by now.
 -I thought I'd get an "outie" belly button like all the other preggo chicks, but nope- it's just now kind of even with my belly.
 -I never expected to be one of those pregnant women who was always pulling at my shirt to make sure it covered my pregnant belly. I guess I always wondered how they didn't know if their belly was hanging out and why they didn't just buy longer shirts...but lo and behold- I am one of those women! It is so difficult to keep this big ole bump covered up!!!


Well, those are some of the little things I've been thinking about and wanting to document. I want to remember every little detail!

College Girlfriends

So my wonderful college girlfriends threw me a shower to celebrate baby Evelyn, and it was soooo fun. It was at Brooke's apartment, and she really made it so cute. So creative and sweet in what they came up with to make me feel special. Each of them gave me a onesie that represented themselves and their personalities- so perfect! (That being said, I got some really cute clothes for my sweet girl.) It was so wonderful catching up with such these girls, most of which I rarely see. I feel so blessed to be able to just pick back up with them where we left off. What a blessing they are- I just miss them so much!!!

Thinking about college friends, last weekend was our 5 year reunion at ACU, which we did not try to attend due to being so very pregnant. But I was thinking back on my life at ACU all weekend. It was such a great time. I was so in love with the man who is about to be the daddy to my little girl. And I can't help but think how blessed we are, even though we never really would have pictured being at this point in our life just 5 years down the road. Neither of us would ever have even known this is what we really wanted. In a way, I thought I would always be a young mom and get pregnant really soon after getting married. But I have so cherished the last 4 1/2 years of marriage, taking time for us to live with a little less responsibility and put all our hearts, time and energy into our wonderful friends, our home in the suburbs, and our jobs in this crazy city. I can't help but feel like it's all been preparing us for this new phase of welcoming a baby into our little family. And I know God has been a part of every step along the way. He arranged it all so perfectly, teaching me to be patient and just enjoy the years that we have just the two of us. And leading us to a group of friends that are the perfect system of support and love we ever could have asked for. How GREAT is our God. His plan is perfect, and we can't wait to experience what He has planned next for us.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Today is my wonderful mom's birthday. I've been wishing all day I was home with her in Nashville to help make her birthday special. She's a really incredible woman, and I really believe she's saving the world one diabetic child at a time. But she's also the greatest cheerleader and example of faith that one could ever ask for. Pregnancy has had a way of showing me a different perspective on things, especially the love of a mother. I am so blessed to have her, and I only hope and pray that God can shape me to be as good a mama to my sweet baby. I don't know what I'd do without her advice and support over the years, especially all the help she's about to be in the next few weeks! 

Can't wait to see you soon, Mom!!! Love you so much.

October!?!?!?

I don't know if I've ever been so excited for a new month to be here. I have certainly loved being preggo, but I am just so anxious to meet our baby girl. It's getting so close and the fact that it's already October seems CRAZY. I'm feeling very pregnant and certainly looking very pregnant, but it hasn't bothered me too much yet that strangers are gawking at my big belly. I have daily entertainment everywhere I go. There was a little boy in the grocery store the other day who was looking at me and I smiled, so he proceeded to ask me "Hey lady...Do you think you're gonna have a baby or something?" I said "Yeah. How did you know that?" which he was embarrassed to answer. I said "Is it because of my big belly" and he said "Yeah......probably." So adorable. 

And at work, the nurses certainly have no issues rubbing all over my baby bump and telling me how big or tired or good or happy (or whatever) I look like. It keeps me laughing. And several of my patients love to talk about baby stuff and remember what childbirth or raising children was like for them. Even the ones who can't remember where they are, remember the pregnant lady and ask where I am. So interesting. And I have countless stories of my patients saying funny things about me being pregnant. My favorite is the sweet old man who was kinda staring at my belly while we were talking one day. I asked, "What's wrong?" and he just pointed at my belly. I said, "Yeah, what do you think is going on?" and he said "You're pregnant." I said "Yes sir, I'm going to have a baby girl." Then his eyes got big and he pointed at himself and said very loudly to me "Well I didn't do it." No, no sir, you most certainly did not. 

Those are all my stories for now. I'll leave you with a few of the pictures of different details from Evelyn's room that Kim took last weekend. The print over the bed and the "E" print were designed by none other than my amazing hubby. Enjoy!

Photos courtesy of CoatiPhotography