Birth Story Part 1

Lucy's birth was the greatest day of my whole life. Labor and delivery was so easy I seriously feel like I cheated the system. I was so blessed to have such an easy and actually really fun labor and delivery. There are to many pictures for one post, but here is how it all began...

( Leaving for the hospital at 11:00 p.m. As you can see Todd started out the night looking exhausted. It was test week which always means he is running on no sleep.) 

      Thursday morning I woke up with some signs that labor was probably coming soon, I went to my doctors appointment and everything looked great. They didn't check my dilation or anything because there was some concern my water had broken on Tuesday and they wanted to be on the safe side and not risk the possibility of infection. So, I left the doctors office not knowing where I was at, but getting the vibe that labor was coming soon. So, I went for a mile long walk in the park called my mom and my sisters and crossed my fingers that I was going to get my baby soon. Regular contractions started at 6:00 and they kept getting stronger and stronger. We went to the hospital when they were about 7 minutes apart, they hurt but weren't anything super brutal.

 We went to the OB services to see if I was in true labor or not. Life was grand except for every six minutes when I would have a contraction. We were joking and laughing and were just stoked to be getting started. After changing into this sexy gown, and just hanging out for an hour they told us that my water had broken and asked if I wanted to stay or go home until I was in active labor. We laughed because I thought for sure I was in full blown active labor... nope.

 Within 15 minutes of being on the labor and delivery unit I had an epidural and life was divine. My body was the perfect amount of numb and I had this lovely little button that I could push if I felt any pain. You better believe I used that button every time I even felt a twinge... in my mind there was no reason to feel anything at all... and I really didn't.
 The nurses and midwife were all amazing, our delivery room was massive and I was numb. An hour after I had my epidural I finally got my first "check" of my pregnancy to see my dilation. I was at a 4 and 80% effaced. We decided to start the Pitocin so we could get the party started. And then we did what every actively laboring mom should do...  had a photo shoot!

After playing around being hyper for a while the nurse told us that it would probably be a good idea to try and rest up for what was about to come, it was 4:00 a.m after all.  So, they turned out the lights and we tried to sleep. Todd studied a little bit for his test, my mom curled herself up on the couch and I laid there with my parapalegic legs, a happy heart and a racing mind.We stayed like that for a few hours until it was time to get down to business...

Lucy Lynn Holman

5 lbs 13 oz

April 27 10: 32 a.m

l.o.v.e

38.5 week

 Beautiful = this tree in my front yard. 

Beautiful= Lucy passing her last ultrasound with flying colors. Look at those cheeks! Definitely my baby in there!

        Not beautiful= pretty much almost everything about the last 2 weeks of this pregnancy. Waiting, cankles, Braxton Hicks, weird body stuff, my inny belly button deciding late in the game to become an outie (luckily I have a pretty shallow umbilicus, but still...), extra tests, the eight seconds I get of sleep at a time, the serious waddlage I have going on, last week pregnancy terminology like; ripening cervix, bloody show, mucous plug... like for real? Don't worry though I'm handling this last part of pregnancy with patience, grace and emotional stability. Hahaha, ya right. 12 more days to go.... someone please kill me if it goes any longer than that. Luckily, she looks like she is worth waiting for.

Nursery sneak peak

         He cooks, he cleans, he gets straight A's, he's amazing at sports, his shirts never wrinkle, he has never lost a sock, his blood smells like cologne, he lives his life vicariously through himself, he once taught his dog how to bark in Spanish... and he painted me this amazing artwork for above the crib. He is thhheeee beeessstttt.    

Saturday for two

         I have been super slacking at journaling our pretty awesome day-to-day life lately. Maybe it's because I've been too busy nesting, working,eating and sleeping to do anything else. We , I am getting crazy impatient for miss Lucy to make her appearance. We will see if there is any credence to jumping on your bed/eating spicy food/ having a good cry and taking raspberry leaf tea to induce labor, because those are all things I've done this beautiful Saturday. Also today Todd played in a golf tournament that left him with that super awesome sunburn line and left me with a whiny and aloe vera'd up heat bomb to sleep by tonight. He had fun though and got a cool jacket out of the deal (they placed 11th). After the big tourney we got pedicures together at the nail place in Wal Mart (oh, we are so classy... I already know), I splurged on Todd and got him the deluxe package that got him special scrubs and lotion and other pedicury stuff. He loved every second of being pampered, and I loved getting secret texts from him about the people around us, and about our lovely Vietnamese pedicurists. We then went on to do our Saturday grocery shop, where we bought yet another bag of Marhsmellow Mateys and other necessities like Nutella and packaged fruit pies.  Immediately following the big shop we went to Sawadee for dinner with Greg and then finished the night cuddled on the couch watching Water For Elephants. Pretty good second to last Saturday of being a family of two I would say. I wonder what Saturdays with a baby will look like? We shall see...          

Daddy Shower

         I was feeling bad that I had all the showers, so I threw one for Todd... oh and his FIVE other close friends that are expecting... and one random dude I thought I should include on the invitation because he was expecting too.  To say it was fun and hysterical would be an understatement. We had competitions that at one point put the dads in diapers, we had a water balloon breakage right in someones face, we had some bottle chugging going on, some one handed diaper changing, some multitasking games, a stroller derby. It was so awesome. Everybody was such good sports. Maybe my favorite part was at the end watching the losing dads get water ballooned by everyone else. Love these peeps.      

My pinterest perfect party

          Something I have learned through this pregnancy, and have really come to appreciate is the support system I have been blessed with.  Sometimes you don't realize how many people there are that love you until you go through something major. When they told us about Lucy's hygroma, there was a crazy outpouring of love and concern for us. I have said it before, but Todd and I have never felt so loved. Lots of those people came to a shower my sister Hilary threw for me up home. It was so fun to see those people who helped raise me, I love everyone that came so much.  

        Of all the great supporters, my family has been the best. My sister Hilary is one of my closest friends now days.  I hope Lucy gets to feel as loved by a sister as I do by Hilary. Not only does she always answer when I call, but she never judges me and always always makes me laugh. She is so good about checking up on me and giving me advice. And on top of that she throws amazing parties! My shower was straight out of a magazine, it was amazing. She didn't do it all alone however, her daughter Halle helped and even my sister Clarissa in Boston had a hand in the festivities. One of my favorite parts of the day was when we skyped Rissa and just talked as if she were there....and.. I'm totally bawling I miss my sisters so much right now. Freak, these hormones need to get under control stat! 

BMT shower

         I wonder who is more excited for me to have my baby,  me, or my co-workers? I'm sure they can't wait for this little girl to come so they can stop hearing about my swollen ankles, my unrecognizable body parts and a whole lot of other graphic things that nurses talk about in the middle of the night.  I absolutely love the people I work with. I have worked as a nurse on the Bone Marrow Transplant unit for almost four years now! They are like being part of a big dysfunctional family. These people have seen me at my best and worst. They have seen me stressed, hyper, happy, sad, chill, annoyed, frantic, hormonal and they have still liked me through it all (most of them I think). They have been 100% supportive of this crazy pregnancy of mine. They all picked up my slack when I was sick the first 20 weeks. They wrote sweet notes when they found out about the baby's cystic hygroma. They take the chemo patients for me and they let me go off on tangents. They let me kick my feet up and are super concerned I don't over do it. There are those that I work with who never miss telling me how cute I look pregnant, and there are others who don't even lie and will make fun of my waddle and my scrubs that I try to squeeze into. It seems like through this pregnancy someone was always shoving food and treats in my hand to eat and was asking if I was okay. I am well taken care of in this place. I know that this unit is one of the greatest blessings in my life.

 My co-workers threw me this amazing shower and were so over the top generous. Dr's, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers... so many donated to get us gifts. My dear friend Brenda did most of the work by making darling decorations and cooking all my favorite treats. Tons of people brought food and we just ate and partied. (Not everyone was in the pictures because of shift report.. shoot) Thank you BMT family!

Baby Daddy Party

Before more posts about more parties for me I'll mention the one I'm throwing for Todd and his friends tomorrow.... a little nervous... a lot excited. Even if the party is lame, at least the invites were cute, right?  

The Gang

 Just a few more randoms I stole from Jordan of the crew. Most of these are from getting together at City Creek Mall--- also known as heaven on earth. We just all met up in the food court and chilled while the kids played for a few hours.  

My People

           April showers bring May... BABIES! I seriously can't even believe that 60% of our closest dental school friends are expecting with us. It is the craziest and funnest thing ever. I'm winning the due date race, with Kerin a month behind me. So far we know that three of us are having girls, one of us a boy and two unknowns. These amazing girls threw Kerin and I a very cute girly shower at Jordans house. There was great food, side busting laughter, and darling presents. Having these girls in my life is one of my greatest blessings right now. Being with them always buoys me up and makes me so happy. It's crazy how well we all get along, like we have known each other all of our lives.I sincerely think we were put together for a reason. I have learned so much from each of them, and look up to and love them all. Now if only they weren't all drop dead gorgeous, and I didn't come away from every hang out feeling like frumpy Mc frumperson I might love them even more. I can't wait till they are as pregnant and awkward looking as me... that will help.      

More beach

Woke up and saw these while brushing our teeth at our beach KOA

A little beachside lunch

We even love the beach when we have to wear 2 sweaters and use 2 blankets. Ya... San Diego weather was slightly disappointing at times. Almost done with San Diego pics... it was just too amazing.

Capri

Capri Leisa Pruitt. I just know that she and our little Lucy were best friends in heaven, just like me and Dallas were best friends here. I'm so lucky to have this family in my life. Love you guys.