Breathe in. Breathe out. I've had my first night of eight hours of sleep, and a hot cup of coffee! And I can now tell you all about moving with a toddler and newborn.
Y'all, it's stressful.
Long story short, we drove back and forth between Boone and Gastonia a total of 5 or 6 times. It's between an hour and half and two and a half hours, depending on the traffic when going through Gastonia, Lenoir, Hickory, Blowing Rock, and Boone and if we have to make any potty breaks. For the most part, we were able to make it in the lesser amount of time.
Rin was restless from being in the car so much, so she kept getting into everything. She's also at that age when she really really really wanted to help....but her ability to do so was severely diminished quickly as there were a lot of things she had no business picking up (who knew households had so many large or breakable or poisonous to eat things?!).
Amelia did better, as all she really needs is naps, clean diapers, and boobs.
We have now gotten everything we use on a day-to-day basis unpacked and put away. We're still trying to figure out exactly where to put some things.
We're in the process of reteaching Rin her boundaries and rules, as it didn't translate over from the old apartment to here in her brain.
And we're in the process of figuring out where the heck everything is in this city. None of us has ever lived in a city this large. I constantly feel like a country bumpkin, as I was even a little overwhelmed at the sheer size of even the closest Walmart super center.
The other day, I was baby-wearing Amelia in a wrap while we all walked around a park. I've gotten some odd looks wearing her down here so far, but someone actually asked me at the park if I was from Romania...based solely on my wearing my baby! She apparently has a son who serves in Romania and they wear their babies wrapped on their fronts.
Also, my nerdy self went on an adventure the other day to find my closest public library. Lucky for me, it's the main branch and it's super close! I went ahead and got my library card and then just walked around, letting the feel of a library relax me. (As I said, NERD!)
So, while it's been a little stressful, we're finally starting to get the hang of things! We've got one more trip up to Boone this Wednesday for my 6-week postpartum checkup and to turn in the keys to the old apartment, and then any trips to the mountains will be purely for fun!
Whew. You guys. It's been a busy past....how long since I've written? Big things have happened since then. Like, ya know, having another baby.
Yep, most of you already knew this, but Miss Amelia made her appearance into this world 3 weeks ago today (well, once it hits 11:07 pm, it'll be exactly 3 weeks ago).
That day started out as many of my days had been starting out...with contractions. Again. For the bajillionth time. I went to my 39 week doctor's appointment, and one of my midwives asked if I'd like to induce labor since I had been in labor on and off for so long (and I was already dilated to basically 6 cm and almost fully effaced). So, we went for it. She told me I should be ready to be in the hospital by 4 that afternoon, and sure enough, we packed up our stuff and headed in.
We got there around 5 in the evening. My contractions had gone to about 3 minutes apart a few times, and were looking like they were going to peter off yet again when I had to sit still in the hospital bed for monitoring. It wasn't long after I got up and moving again that they picked back up.
I stayed on a birthing ball for about 3 hours, bouncing and breathing through contractions. The midwife on call checked to see how labor was progressing and I was already at over 9 cm! She asked what I wanted to do for pain management, since things were getting a little more intense.
And y'all, my decidedly non-brilliant self decided I wanted to try using hot water. The midwife warned me that that could speed up labor, but if I was up for it, that was fine. Suuuure I thought. I've made it this far. Surely it can't get too much worse. After all, I'm almost fully dilated.
Enter the puking stage. (Okay, okay, I only puked once. But it was terrible.) I got in the tub, and it helped the pain for the first maybe 3 contractions. Then I started cussing (again, sorry Mom). I vaguely remember wishing Andrew was over by the tub with me, but he was keeping my dad company for a little while, and I didn't know what he could do to help anyways. Mom was awesome and stood up for him when the midwife and nurse made a comment about having "man conversations" or some sort. I don't actually remember what was said, but I remember at least thinking "he doesn't know what to do to help me, and I don't know what to tell him I need."
Anyways, at some point, the pressure moved from feeling like I was going to pee myself to feeling more like I might have to start pushing soon. So out of the tub we got.
I couldn't walk.
I hugged the nurse, buck naked and all, and shuffled to the bed. And in my head, I started singing "Hey, I just met you. And this is crazy. But I'm all naked. Hug my anyways." If you don't know what song this refers to, this video's for you:
Now, the next bit was a blur. What I remember:
My dad left the room, as he was getting rather uncomfortable (can't blame him as I was making all sorts of ungodly sounds).
My mom asked if I wanted her to leave. I didn't.
My husband came over and started helping me by holding my hand (I think I twisted his arm into some awful positions....sorry!) and getting my water and keeping a cool cloth on me.
I was checked multiple times. And it was pissing me off, cause I was in enough pain without someone's hand up in me.
They brought in a birthing bar (which is a bar they attach to the hospital bed to help you while you try a squatting position) and made me squat and try to rock my hips back and forth. Because apparently, I was fully dilated except for the very very end of my cervix, which had just enough left to it that the baby's head was stuck.
I cried that I couldn't do it multiple times.
Andrew and my mom kept replying that I really really could do it.
I desperately wanted an epidural. I had been wanting one, but thought I was too far along to ask, so I hadn't asked. I should've just freakin asked.
Andrew needed to either go get the cloth cool again or go to my other side, and I was suddenly terrified he was going to leave. And I was so relieved when he was by my side again.
They lost the baby's heartbeat. So they had to bring in that probe thing to try to find it.
The baby's heart rate had dropped to 60 beats per minute. I knew that was really really bad.
Then I heard the midwife say we needed to get the doctor in there. And knew things were really bad.
I got to the point that I physically couldn't catch my breath, so they gave me the oxygen mask.
Someone, at some point, told me that just like I was getting tired and starting to not be able to labor well, the baby was also getting tired and not handling things well.
The doctor came in, and I swear, all I remember is they told me I needed to push and my baby needed me to push NOW. The doctor (I think) told me I NEEDED to push for my baby.
Some part of my brain kicked in to tell me to start pushing because I knew that if I didn't, I'd have to have an emergency cesarean in the best case scenario and worst case....well, I didn't even want to think about that.
I had at least 4 people yelling at me to push (and not, like, in a condescending way, but in an encouraging "you have to do this" kind of way). People were holding my legs up, and someone kept saying to push with my abs, not with my legs.
I yelled a lot. And screamed. The nurse to my right kept trying to tell me to use the energy coming from my mouth to push instead. I succeeded in that only part of the time.
I remember not realizing the head had come out until I felt a strange sensation that I somehow knew was the rest of the body coming out.
I remember being scared because I didn't hear crying yet, and a very distinct wave of relief when she started wailing.
And then I remember being mad because no one would hand me my baby yet. The rational part of my brain knew they had to made sure she was okay (I forgot that they to, ya know, make sure I was stable too). But the emotional part of me just kept thinking that someone needed to hand me my baby and let me hold her. They did, but it felt like it took forever.
Afterwards, my husband informed me that I kick like a mule and they had a hard time keeping my legs braced. And that it seemed like they were literally folding me into a pretzel.
The midwife let me know that they had to use a vacuum to assist the delivery. And that I was basically a unicorn. Because not only did I have a vacuum assisted delivery with no pain medication (which virtually never happens), on top of pushing nonstop (it was only for maybe 5 minutes, but I mean nonstop....like they didn't even give me time to catch my breath because it was so urgent)....I also had absolutely no tearing. Which is unheard of in a delivery like that.
Booyah.
Now, I have to admit that part of the reason I'm just now writing this blog is the fact that I'm just now able to recall all of this without feeling like I'm going to have a major panic attack.
Yes, the experience was that terrifying.
Yes, my body is having a hard time recuperating in some ways (ever heard of uterine prolapse? I hadn't until my 2-week postpartum checkup, where I learned that that's what I was experiencing. Look it up or ask me if you really wanna know).
No, I never want to experience un-medicated childbirth ever again.
But y'all. I have a beautiful baby girl to show for it.
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