5 Day Appointment

Today was Elena's five day appointment and may I just say . . . my child is a champ.

Her billirubin was 11.6 (anything under 16 is fine they said)

Her weight was 7 pounds 5 ounces.

You read that right folks. She was born 7pounds 2 ounces and five days later she's 3 ounces heavier! May not seem like too much, but to a nursing mother, it freaking rocked my world to know that we're on top of this whole thing.

I just remember nursing and everything, really, being so so hard with Cara and she was only 6 pounds 13 ounces to begin with. And the pumping and the feeding of bottles and the 'supply' issues because she couldn't latch on and etc etc etc . . . . . but seriously. These past five days have been--while not completely without struggle--smooth sailing.  The only real problem is she practically refuses to open her mouth. She'll root her hands, my arm, practically anything but the second my boob gets theres she's over it. She'll make a teeny little 'o' with her mouth to which I respond, "Really Elena? That's what you call opening wide? Come on. Open up!" She's getting a little better though I think.

I have, however, managed to become completely inept at baby wrapping/wearing.  I'm not quite sure how I lost that skill, but I think I'll take nursing ease over baby wearing because my arms still work just fine : )

How it Happened the Second Time

Let's just say this one could not have been any more opposite Clara's birth in any way. It also could not have been more awesome (Not that having Clara wasn't awesome. I of course love and adore her, but the actual 'getting her out of my body' was awful in many many ways).

Let me also say, the following is a story of natural childbirth. There is no profanity, however, there is talk of body parts involved in bearing children and of 'down south' in general. So just be forewarned. Also, it's wordy. BUt It's my story and I don't want to forget.

Saturday morning around 2am I wake up to Tyler coughing and getting out of bed to not disturb me, but I was already sort of awake with mild contractions. I laid in bed for an hour then decided to take a bath in case it was fake labor and then i could stop it and get back to sleep.

Bathtime from 3-4am and I had about 5-7 contractions. I tell tyler. Say I"m going ot try to get some more sleep before clara wakes up (most likely  at 6am). Sleep from 4-6pm doesn't work at all, they're still pretty regular. NOt painfull but enough where I can't really sleep through them.

Skype with Greg and Patrice from 7-8am and I'm about 5-6 minutes apart the whole time but only maybe 20-30 seconds long.

Skype with my mom later that day, maybe 10ish or so? And contract about 5 minutes apart for about 30 seconds.

Tyler drops Clara off at the Farrer's at about noon becuase they're about 5 minutes apart but 40-50 seconds long. I'm still not sure I"m timing them right, so maybe they're acutally longer, but, give or take) Tyler called them to let them he know was on his way and he started out with, "Hey, so anna's started contracting a bit, so is it ok if I bring Clara over?" A Bit!? It's freaking noon! It's been 10 hours! I said "Let me talk to Cami!" and explained to her what was really happening.

I laid on the couch to try to get a little more rest in while TYler dropped off Clara. I made a "labor" playlist which was very relaxing.  A lot of Eva Cassidy, some Freshman year awesomeness (Calling all angels), a big chunk of 2033 (leaving on a jet plane and a variety of Bree music) with a dash of Boyz II Men and a pinch of Michael Jackson. It was awesome.

Tyler gets home and says, "So, uh, do you want to maybe go to the BX and hang out?"

I laughed. "No. No I don't want to hang out at the BX. What am I suppossed to do during a contraction? Hang over the TV display table? I like just being comfortable at home for a bit longer."

I put him in charge of timing contractions and keeping track. I'd say "TIME!" and he'd note the time until I said "Phew. Ok!" By about 4pm (14 hours) they're going between 3 and 5 minutes apart but anywhere from 15 to 50 seconds. I've been losing my plug all day, and the shorter ones seemed stronger than the longer ones sometimes, and I'd lose even more plus after them, so I at least knew I was dialating. I'm getting a little antsy though and say allright, lets just go to the hospital. Somethings gotta happen soon here. It's been a lont time and Clara's already been at the Farrer's for four hours, so let's just head over there.

"Ok. . . can we stop at the food court?"

I laughed again. (I love him. I do. He just maybe didn't quite understand.). I said sure, fine, whatever. I'll need you to have food in you since you haven't been eating like I've been telling you too (I've, meanwhile, eaten a sandwich and crackers and drank a bunch of grape and apple juice and anything else that sounded good over the course of the day).

We head to base and I tell him to park in Expectant Mother parking. "Can I?" Yes! I'm expecting right now! Of course you can park there! (I think he thought that since HE wasn't expecting, and since I wasn't going in maybe he wasn't allowed. I think that's what he thought, I'm not sure.)

I contracted maybe 3 times on the 15 mintue drive to base. maybe 2 or 3 more times while he was getting food. He ate in the parking lot of the hospital (I had a bite of his quesadilla and burito supreme and immidiately regretted both decisions. I said "If I EVEN throw up taco bell . . . ")

We check into Urgent Care (Since it's 4:45 on a saturday). I contract. They want to wheel me down there and I say "no, please let me walk". She has to walk with me which is fine. I contract before we get there. Say hi to the nurses and Dr (which was good she was there already becuase we forgot to call to tell them we were coming in). Contract before I hit the labor room. Get to the labor room and go to the bathroom to change into the gown and stuff.

I'm in the bathroom for 9 minutes and contract 3 times. The second one my water broke (fortunately there was a toilet in there otherwise i would have felt really really bad for the nurses-haha!). It literally felt liek Elena punched down through my pelvis and burst the water. It was a big jolt. The next contraction was markedly bigger and I shouted "I think I have to push?!?!" I wasn't expecting the feeling to happen so quick.

Tyler: "You're not going to have the baby in there are you?"

I come out finally in the gown and everything and sit on the bed and I just start contracting like CRAZY! They're trying to draw blood and get an IV in and telling me to keep my arm still and make a fist and teh whole time I'm thinking, "that's as still as it's going to get. " I walked in there with the staunch position that they would only be allowed 2 pokes for the IV. (Clara they poked me about 5 times and I was bruised and it was awful.) I remeber looking down at one point on poke 1500 (it seemed) and thinking "what the hell do you think you're doing? You don't go fishing for veins like that! You're lucky I have much more intense things to keep me occupied right now otherwise you'd be getting a punch in the face."

They had to call the nurse anesthetician in to try the other arm for an IV becuase no one could get one (there's only one anesthesiologist in the hospital, the rest are NEs) I had to tell him about 3 times "you have to wait you have to wait!" as I contracted. I think he took a few extra pokes, but I wasn't noticing at that point. BUt I had a good bruise there aferwards. You can still see it acutally.

At some point during all this poking with needles the nurse checked me and said I was at 8 centemeters. I tried to sit up but she was still fishing around up/down there. "What are you doing?!" I'm checking to see baby's position and how it feels" "It'd feel a lot better if you'd STOP THAT!"  

Shortly afterwards my legs got real shaky and I got powerfully naseaus. I told tyler "My legs are shaky. I feel naseuas. Is this transition? Am I in transition?" He sat next to me and pushed the little pressure point on my hand for  nasuea. I was a little in denial that it was happening. I didn't really get it. I said transition, but I don't think I really udnerstood at that moment that the baby was imminent.

After the NE got the IV in I really felt like I had to push.
Dr: Ok, let me check you again to see if you're fully dialted.
Anna: I dont' want to be checked!
Dr. I need to check you
Tyler: anna she needs to check you again
Anna: But my water broke! I don't want to be checked again! (COntract!)
Dr:I need to check to see if you can push yet. IF you're owrried about infection . . . . (I heard everything she said, but I just really didn't want to have to lay on my back again. She kept lowering the bed and I kept saying "Thats far enough! that's far enough!"and grabbing the side rails becuase it HURT SO BAD to be reclined!!

One more big contraction and I literally feel my uterus twitch this giant, powerful twitch (like if you had food posioning and your stomach contracts to eject posionous food out of your body). I felt my body jump and I yelled--loud.

Dr: "Ok i can't have you yelling and screaming like that, the next time you feel that need I want you to take it and push down with your bottom muscles"
Anna: "Ok. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" (Didn't so much work that first time)

They put teh squat bar up for me and the end of hte bed was lowered maybe 5 or 6 inches. As soon as the bar was in I contracted hugely again and threw my arms over it. I remeber feeling my face in a grimmace and yelling. I also remeber the Dr telling me I had to sit back, she needed to help the baby and she couldn't get to it with me like that. I thought "its a squat bar! I'm squatting! Figure out how to get there! You're the Doctor!"

Tyler sat on the edge of the bed and propped me up and I started to bury my face in his neck. They tried to tell me to "hee hee hee" through the contractions

"That doesn't work!!"

I remeber feeling so exhausted and just wanting it all to stop. I felt a little out of control and unable to catch my breath and I couldn't tell when to push becuase it was all just one long contraction it felt like. It was really hard to get a breath and then push let along just get a breath.

I remeber saying to tyler "I can sleep after this, right? I can sleep? I'm so tried. I can sleep after this?"
Tyler: Yes, yes you can. (He was supporting my weight 100% at this point, adnd I haven't let go of his collar or moved my face from his neck for awhile)

Someone put a cool cloth on my head, which was nice, but I couldn't keep it on and Tylers arms were busy holding me up so I let it fall off. But it was a nice few seconds while it lasted : )

She started crowning (I think, I felt the 'ring of fire'. I could also feel sometimes when my pushes would bring her down more. Not all the time, but I remeber some of them. Then the burning, so I knew she was right there. Before the burning I yellled "I HAVE TO POOP!! Fortunately they all said "that's all baby mom, its all baby's weight, keep pushing" Which I was glad to hear, but still. . . . it was weird.)

She seemed to stay there for a while and I just couldn't do it I felt. I told tyler "I can't do this. I can't do it anymore! I can't do this!"

Fortunately he SAID, "Yes you can. You'll find some reserve babe, you can do this. You can do it."

But he was thinking (he told me later), "Well. . .crap. Can she? She has to now!"

There was another contraction and everyone started yelling at me to push push push! And I opened my eyes to see four or five faces I don't know all yelling at me to push.

I was so tired, I was so out of breath and I was so annoyed I yelled back "STOP Yelling at me to PUSH!!"
Doctor/Tyler/Others: We're just trying to help. We're all here to help you (very calmly0
Anna's Head: WELL YO"URE NOT HELPING!!

I hear the nurse to my left relay heart rates for Elena. 100, 94, 92.

Dr: What is it?
Nurse: Ehhh, 92
Dr: Ok mom, baby needs to be born right now or I have to use suction
Anna: NO!
Dr: Mom, baby's heart reate is 92. That's not normal. She needs to be born or I have to use the vaccuum.
Anna: No vaccum! Just give me a second! Just give me as econd!
Dr: Ok. Mom, so you are refusing vaccumm?
Anna: NO VACCUM!! JUST GIVE ME A SECOND! Just give me a second! (I swear I said it about fifty times in 10 seconds)

Tyler said she turned her head to tell the nurse to "make a note patient has refused vaccumm" just as I was able to get a breath and concentrate on one good push.

I felt her head out then the rest of her body slide out and then I felt this HUGE rush of relief/happiness/awesomeness that is nearly impossible to describe.

Anna: My baby! Give me my baby! Give me my baby! (as Tyler helps me lean back a little and I have my arms outstretched)

Here's the funny part--the doctor didn't even catch Elena!! She was too busy having a note made on my chart I guess, and she came flying out onto the slightly lowered bed (wouldn't have hurt anything at all, don't worry). I remeber out of the corner of my eye seeing the dr's head snap back to me, and I also remember seeing Elena on the bed a split second after she was born, so yeah, I'm pretty sure the Dr. didn't catch her either (after tyler told me she didn't). He said he thought, "Wait, that's your JOB. To CATCH THE BABY. What are you here for?!" BUt I was fine. I dind't care. She was born and I wasn't contracting and I was so elated!

I held Elena on my chest and the nurse kept rubbing her trying to make her cry and I kept saying "stop that!" So she sort of backed off after Elean cried a bit. The doctor told me to push a little and I did and it felt like I dropped a huge poop on the table. I said 'That felt like a huge poop!" No, she said, that's just the placenta. Weird weird weird.

I got to hold Elena for a long time right afterwards which was so awesome. The Dr. sewed me up (I tore, I don't know how many stitches but it didn't sound good judging from the nurse/dr exchange and I dind't want to freak out. Tyler took some video and pictures while they gave Elena a bath and did all the stuff to her. I told Tyler to make some phone calls and they took the IV out (hep lock stayed in) and I went to the bathroom.

He spent the next 15 minutes looking for the phone card. Then teh next 20 running to the BX and back to buy  a new one so he could call family. Meanwhile they gave elena back to me and she nursed for a solid 15 minutes! How awesome!!

Then they put her in the bassinett and I pushed it to the postpartum room (It was good support). I was walking slowly, but I was still so exstatic from the experience and that I was even able to be up and walking 2 hours later I was nonstop talk to tyler on the way there.

So, to recap. We got to the hospital about 5pm. I pushed for about 20-30 minutes and Elena was born at 6:02pm. She nursed an hour later and two hours after she was born I walked to the postpartum room. IT WAS SO AWESOME!!

(mind you on the phone with my mom that night I remeber telling her I don't think I would/could do that again. She said, "Yes you could You'll forget about the pain in a day or two and just remeber the good things." I dind't see how that was possible, but talking to her again a few days later I had already started to forget the pain and just remebmer what I said and thought, not so much the actual physical feelings of pain. So, only the good things : )

Tyler said the only time he had a moment of 'intensity' was when the Dr. said she needed the vaccuum and I was shouting 'no!" He said he was going to give me about 5-10 more seconds and then. . . but by the time he had the thought she was born. I guess he thought he'd override me? Is that even possible for the father to do? But I knew she was close I just needed a breath and a second.

So. There it is! Wordy, and long. But at least now I can stop telling people about it and just say "Read the blog".

PS. When Clara was born I was in recovery for 2 hours, heavily drugged and catherterized for a few more, and asking for my baby practically every 20 minutes until they finally brought her to me from the nursery 5 hours later. I was also in lots of pain (LOTS) from the c-section and swelling from everything they pumped through me that my feel were the size of small baby seals. I couldn't even hardly stand up next to the bassinett let along pick her up out of it. So, yeah. Just an FYI I guess : )

Elena's Birthday

Maybe an hour later? I held her right after for awhile, maybe 30 minutes, then they gave her a bath and stuff and gave her right back to me. Maybe she's 45 minutes old.

Tyler, Clara and Elena in the Postpartum room the next morning. Tyler spent the night at home with Clara and brought her to the hospital the next morning to see us.

Elena

15 Hours old. Clara was pointing out Elena's facial features. Here she's noting her cheeks. And yes, my hospital socks with rubber tread were both a blessing and a curse (for both function and fashion)

Clara pointing out Elena's nose.

Still in day one. I've showered (woo hoo!!) and still feel great! She was born Saturday night and we came home on Monday afternoon.

Clara playing some music for Elena in the bouncy seat. Fortunately the batteries are almost dead in the seat, becuase Clara mostly just likes to push the volume button.

39 Weeks + 5 Days + 16 hours =

Baby!!

I am delivered. And now I am home. And it is awesome.

Elena Patrice Young arrived at 6:02pm on Saturday, March 6th, 2010
She weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 inches long.

She was born about an hour and twenty minutes after we got to the hospital--'through the chute' if you'll pardon the expression.  More story and pictures to come!

Right now Clara and Elena are napping and Tyler and I are having some computer time and Frankie has stopped licking/sniffing Elena's head and is back at her perch on top of the couch.

Oh, and P.S.

WE"VE GOT TWO KIDS?!?!!? HOLY CRAP!!!!

Some Clara Items

Two weeks down and her finger is practically completely healed. There's the teeniest of scabs, but really that's it. She does, however, seem to be much more concerened about other people being hurt. Especially if she sees a band aid on my finger or 'the King' in her Cars book (when Chick makes him crash). She'll bring her book in to me every time saying "Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! mama! HURT!" With her face all scrunched up and I have to tell her, "yes, he got hurt but look, Lightening McQueen is helping him so he'll be all better. It'll be ok! He'll get better." Then she says "help. Help." and continues through the book.

She pointed to my finger the other day with a band air on it and said "Mama. Hurt." Yes, it hurts, please don't touch it. "Mama. Door. Hurt!" No, no mama didn't hurt her finger in the door. "Me. Door." Yes, yeah you hurt your finger in the door didn't you? So we need to be careful with the doors and ask for help. "Mmhmm."

I thought it was terribly observant that she made the connection that my finger was hurt, so since she hurt hers in the door, I must have hurt mine in the door. But maybe that's just maternal bias (don't burst my bubble : )

Last night she also talked in her sleep. I went up to check on her and started to move her back onto the fouton (she was half off with her blanket in a ball under her chest) and as she rolled back onto her bed (completely asleep) she said "Mama. Plane! Mama! Plane!"

I laughed because she says that ALL DAY. We hear planes flying all the time and whenever we drive in the car we're under the approach pattern so she constantly points out the planes. I thought it was funny that she was even dreaming about it.

I think she understands a  little bit about the baby.  We've talked about the baby's bed and small baby blankets and how the baby will have to wear diapers and next month, when Clara turns two, we'll bring the baby home. She knows there's no baby in hers or daddy's bellies, only mine. And I've talked about how she can help mama read to the baby and show the baby her animals and play with the baby. . . so I'm hoping it'll all go smoothly.

She's getting much better at using "me" and "Clara" in reference to herself. Like she'll ask for "Clara Movies" or "Me Movies" (it acutally sounds like "Car jeeya!" or "Me jeeya!" but at least she points to herself as well). But at the same time Daddy and Frankie/Doggy have merged yet again. Frankie used to be gagee and Daddy used to be Gaga. But now she uses gagee for them both and it's confusing for me. She's anti "d" though, not sure why.

She says hi to lots of her toys. "Hi Pony!" "Hi Turtle!" "Hi Doggy!" and she'll say it very high pitched and get increasingly higher the more times she says hi (which is usually at least 2-4 times). She'll also put her toys to bed. She often decides her doll, llama, turtle or pony needs a nap so she'll take them upstairs and put them on her bed (pillow) and then come back downstairs and report to me. "Doll. Sleep!" "Llama. Bed!" So all her stuffed toys are migrating upstairs.

She's very into bears--but mostly at night. Her fouton has a bear cover and a bear comfortor. I've got a bunch of polar bears that are practically 3/4 her size that she's insisted on sleeping with the past few nights. She'll put her arm around the one from Sea World Australia and then ask for the prayer then just fall asleep cuddling with it (while the other bears and doggies are around her head and other side). She knows only one bear is allowed for story time though becuase otherwise there's no room for her on my lap.

She still gets shy in public or when people say hi directly to her and sometimes she still spits at them. Fortunately she's still young enough that people think it's funny. But we're working on that. We're also working on wiping boogies on a tissue instead of pants or in the mouth. AT least she points them out to me when she wipes them on her pants, so then I get a tissue and say "boogies go in tissues." Then I have her blow her nose again in case she missed any : )

She says no for EVERYTHING.
"Do you want some breakfast?" No. . . . .. . . baba. (Breakfast).
"How about some oatmeal this morning? "No. . . . . . .  momo (oatmeal).
"Do you want to pick out some undies?" No. . . . . . nunies! (as she gets some from the drawer and brings them to me).
Tyler will say "Hi Clara!" No.  (no what? No is not an appropriate response to a greeting, Clara.)

I can't even imagine how insane I would be right now if she didn't still use some sign to communicate with me and if I was trying to start potty training right now. IN-SANE I would be! As it is I'm just holding on, so I always have to remind myself how much worse it could be for both of us.

She's not very articulate. I don't think, anyway, for being two (in two weeks). But I think she's ahead of the game on some other things, so I'm not too concerened that she uses the same two syllables for, like, 6 different things. She's putting words together and constantly 'talking', so I'll just serve as translator until she sorts it out. . . . and laugh at her pretend games and silly faces.

More Small Things Make Me Happy

Like when I get a massage while Clara is at home playing and loving life with Yoko-san after I got all my earrands done.

Except pick UP the packages that finally arrived becuase hte post office window doesn't opne until 10, but at least I got the slips to pick them up finally!

And even though Homac didn't have a lamp for me, they came through with this (see picture): THE MOST AWESOME PILLOW ON THE PLANET!!

They have it at the massage place and in my coop catalogue and all over the place. Homac is basically like a Home Depot, and when I passed that aisle (looking for an addition to clara's fouton, actually, since I was in the area) I saw it! And even though they sell for less than 1980 yen at other places, I dind't care. I've been sleeping so crappy with regular "american" straight block body pillows I couldn't take it anymore. Plus I think the pattern rocks too. So it just all makes me happy!

Not only THAT! But when I got home, before I could even say goodbye to Yokosan Clara was saying "bye! Bye! Mama, sleep! Sleep!" and walking upstairs. By the time I got up to her room (15 seconds behind her) she was lying down on her fouton with her blanket ready to go! I just covered her up, she asked for prayer (she's getting really good at repeating prayers when we say them) and then left. Haven't heard a peep since!

THIS DAY IS SO AWESOME!!!!

Enjoy the following pictures of Clara's rediculously crazy bedhead/mullet I took yesterday morning  : )

Small things make me happy

Like when clara wakes up at 6:20am today (nistead of 5:50am yesterday) and has taken off her pants, thrown her wet diaper in the garbage, and has pooped in her potty and is just waiting up in her room for me to come up and help wipe.

"Mama. Wipe. Mama. Wipe." As I hear her playing around in her room.

>sigh of relief< THIS I can handle.

That and also, this happened this morning:

Clara eating her cereal

"Bubbles! COOL!"

I Laughed so hard and said "DId you just say "COOL"?! That I think I made her nervous or something, but then i agreed, that bubbles in cereal ARE cool and she smiled and said it again for tyler.

Bubbles aren't new, she always comments whenever she sees them (in milk, usually) but the 'cool' was definitely a new addition.

P.S. I added pictures finally to the Space Jammie post as well as to our trip to the UCC for her finger (which does not need a splint or even a wrapping anymore, but it still looks awful.)

PS Again, these pictures are from earlier in the month, before the 'incident", just playing around with TYler.