Hospital Experience Part 1: Lydia is born

In case anyone is unaware, a lot has happened this past week. We have a beautiful new baby girl in our home! Lydia joined our family on Thursday, February 4th at about 3:22 pm. She was 8 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches long.
So, here's the fun labor story for both my records and anyone who would like to read it.


My water broke at about 2:30 in the morning on February 4th. I had just gone to the bathroom and just as I pulled up my pants I sprung a small leak. Slightly annoyed I went back to bed. About 10 minutes later I decided I should go to the bathroom again... just in case. As I stood up, I got the wonderful gush that everyone talks about. I woke David up and we started gathering our remaining hospital stuff. When we got to the hospital, they did a small test on a strip to make sure that my water had truly broken. I passed that with flying colors and they settled me into my delivery room. I was having small contractions at that time, but nothing I couldn't talk through. When one of the doctors checked my cervix, I was only dilated to a 1 and they began to question me if my water truly had broken. That made me doubt myself, but David kept comforting me and telling me that it was okay and that we knew that it really had broken. It was helpful. At about 6 am the doctor decided to start me on some low dose pitocin. I opted to get my epidural started so that I wouldn't have to feel the heavy contractions when they came because the pain was already starting to set in. The epidural was wonderful! Well, all except for the insane itchiness that I experienced. They gave me benadril to help with that, but it caused for a very sleepy labor! Anyways, I slept through a lot of the contractions.
At about 11 am the doctors started to become nervous that Lydia's heart rate was dropping for a little bit after my contractions. They put an internal monitor on her scalp in order to better see what was going on. After watching her for a couple of hours and getting increasingly nervous with my cervix only dilated to a 3, my doctor came into my room with 2 options. Either I go in for a c-section then, or we could wait and see if circumstances changed and probably end up with a c-section anyways. After discussing it further, David and I strongly felt that we needed to wait a little bit longer with the hope that something would change. We set a time of 3 pm and then we would re-evaluate the situation. The doctor then placed a catheter into my uterus in order to add more fluid and relieve some of the pressure on Lydia.
About a half hour later, the pain began to return and the epidural button would no longer release more medicine. The anesthesiologist returned and began to figure out what was going on. Upon solving the problem and relieving my pain, I commented to the nurse that I felt immense pressure in my perineum. Like the baby was going to come right on out. The doctor then checked me and I was fully dilated! It was about 2:30 in the afternoon. They then gave me a small shot of something to briefly stop the contractions so that Lydia could get the rest that she needed before going through the strain of delivery. Then the pushing started! Normally they have you push at least 3 times during each contraction, however, since Lydia's heart rate was dropping so drastically during each push, they only let me push twice before giving her a break. My doctor was very obviously getting more nervous with each push. He ordered a vacuum and told me that he would need to perform an episiotomy in order to get Lydia out of there before anything bad happened. He told me then that a c-section was still not out of his mind. I pushed harder than ever! And, after much cutting and vacuuming, Lydia was born. She had the cord wrapped around her neck, which is why her heart rate had been dropping so much. Luckily, she was healthy right away with an apgar score of 9 and 9! Hooray! We got to hold our little angel for a while before Daddy went with her to the nursery for her first bath and testing.
This whole experience was by far the most beautiful I have ever had! All of the strain and exhaustion from pregnancy and labor came out with those tears just after Lydia was born. She was worth every second of it! She is such a blessing in our home! So innocent and sweet! We love her so much and are excited for our future with her!

The World's newest Little Angel!

She's here! The world's newest little angel! Born at 3:22 pm on February 4th, Lydia Dawn weighed 8 lbs 2 ounces and measured 20 inches long. More details to come soon, but here's a few pictures to share her sweetness!

Just Keep Swimming!

This post's existence should answer anyone's questions as to whether or not I have had the baby yet. But, in case you haven't figured it out, I am still pregnant. However, I feel more miserable than ever. I feel so bad for David who has had to deal with all my emotional crying spells and short-temperedness. I just am so sick of everything! The comments when I see anyone of "you're still here?" or "when's that baby going to come?" Well, don't I wish I knew that one! Then everyone's "advice" they have to go home and vacuum or go walking. Well, maybe something's just wrong with me, but none of it seems to be working! My body seems to get more uncomfortable by the day, yet no signs of contractions. People act like something's wrong with me when they find out I have not dilated and I don't know how big my baby is. I'm even tired of random strangers asking me how far along I am and giving crazy looks of surprise when they find out I'm ready to pop! Then, on top of it all, I'm scared I'm just going to be the point of such bitterness and crankiness from all the pregnancy that when I finally do have the baby I'm going to look at her and want to send her back! I wonder if I really am cut out for this whole mom thing! I hope some people who are reading this understand the feelings I am having and will tell me that it's perfectly normal. I'm pretty sure they will.
So, let's focus on a few positive notes!

#1- The doctor has scheduled me to be induced next Monday, February 8th if I do not go into labor myself before then.

#2- I was able to make a new cover for the swing someone so kindly gave us! The other one was very boyish. So, after reading someone's instructions for recovering a highchair, I decided to attempt this project myself. It wasn't too difficult and took me a total of about 3 hours.


#3- I was able to go to our Stake Women's Conference Saturday night where Randal Wright spoke. He was the institute director in Austin when I was probably about 18-20 years old and has now written several books and speaks at various conferences worldwide. It was good to see a familiar face and he gave some really great advice on parenting that I took note of.

#4- If I don't have the baby tomorrow, then tomorrow night is the Premier for "Lost"! Yay! We're gonna get together with some friends and have a party!

There have been good things happening that I need to give credit to. And I really appreciate all the support that people have been giving me! Especially my mom, Lindsay, David and my friends here. And I know you all understand when I say that I wish it was all over with! But, Lydia! Your eviction notice is almost up and Grandma Anderson is almost done with your blanket! It's time, my dear!

Another January Birthday?

After another visit to the doctor today, I feel that the end is finally in sight. The doctor checked me and, though I am not dilated, I am pretty well effaced. He could feel the baby's head and predicted that as soon as she moves her head directly over the cervix I will go into labor. He is pretty sure that it will happen sometime this week.
We had been hoping that she would hang on till Friday night so that David can focus on his test and do well Friday morning. We'll see if that happens. She may think that Thursday night sounds like the one she wants! However, we are pretty sure that she will add to our shmorgishbord of January birthdays!
This knowledge had left me a little more nervous and anxious! I think I am starting my nesting phase! I cleaned up the swing someone gave us today, did a load of laundry and got David to do the dishes. And I have a few more things I want to get done tomorrow. I am hoping that I can just do these couple things and then I will let myself rest. (Don't worry, I actually am still sleeping in and trying to take things easy as I get these things done.) I also want to go to the beach tomorrow. Maybe get the baby moving!
So, overall, we are very excited that Lydia will be joining us soon! It'll be nice to finally meet my little alien!

Any day now?

I find myself asking so often lately, "Is there really an end to all of this? Is there really a baby in there? Or do I just have a lifelong condition of a squirming alien inside of me?" I know that millions of women have gone before me and had these same types of feelings. But, seriously, shouldn't the baby come with a specific date and time that you will go into labor? Then I think I would feel like I have so much more purpose! Instead I find myself having a small contraction, looking at the clock and wondering if this could actually be it! And when another contraction doesn't come, I roll over disappointed.

Yesterday I went to see the doctor and ended up asking him if he could strip my membranes or do something to help get this baby going! He's a little nervous (and rightfully so) that if he tries to get it all moving before the baby's ready that I'll end up in a c-section. So, he compromised with me that if I came back on Friday and the NST machine showed that I was having contractions, then he would do it.
So, now I am anxiously hoping that the small contractions I have are enough.

Meanwhile, I feel like I am twiddling my thumbs. I've worked on several projects throughout the pregnancy and I just feel burned out of them lately. I could continue to work on mine and David's wedding album or do a couple of pages for Lydia's baby book. But, instead, I end up putting on a movie and working on my everlasting puzzle or just wanting to go to sleep. I went through a spirt when we first got back from Washington where I crazily organized everything in the baby's room and cleaned the house. And now, I just feel lazy. I have no signs of what they call "nesting". I almost wonder if I have a pre-postpartum depression or baby blues. I have no idea. But I do know that I really want to have this baby! I feel like when I do, not only will my body have a chance to recuperate from all this, but my many wakeups throughout the night will have a purpose other than a run to the toilet! Maybe that's it. I just don't feel like I have much of a purpose right now. Lydia, please...please come soon!

20 Day Eviction notice

So, I've just been catching up on Ciera's blog and came across this. Yeah, it's definitely how I feel! So, Lydia, this is your first letter from your mother! :)

Little Miss Lydia Dawn Dickinson:
I hereby issue 20 day notice for EVICTION. You will have 20 days in which you can either gather your belongings and promptly vacate the premises, or wait until the final day, after which, you will be physically removed from the property.
You are being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the FRONT of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed.
Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made! Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor was changing the initial layout and base structure.
And due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper AND lower levels of the home. On top of which, the landlord has received numerous complaints about nightly disturbances.

After 20 days from this day that you don't comply with the notice will result in immediate and forceful removal at my discretion.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Love, Momma


So, despite wanting all the pains that come from being this pregnant to be over with, I really am very excited for Lydia to come still! I'm ready to see her little face and to cuddle with her! (I sure hope she's a snuggler!) We already love our little girl and wouldn't trade her for the world!

(For lots of pregnant pictures, see the December 09 pictures! I don't have all the pictures saved on David's computer, which is where I'm working from right now. So, I can't just put them in the post.)

My Giveaway Today

Lindsay was so kind as to let me know about My Giveaway Today.

They are giving away a $150 giftcard for a tshirt quilt. So, if you follow the link, you too can enter to win this. It's a project I've been wanting to do and was a way that I could convince David that he no longer needed to keep soooo many tshirts in his dresser. So, I plan to make one eventually, but I would love it if someone did it for me! I've never quilted anything before.