labor + delivery

wowzers.  i just reread jack's labor + delivery post to make sure i included the same info in maddy's and i can't even believe it.  i'm a total hormonal wreck, but i also haven't quite realized what we just did!  it's absolutely amazing how different the stories of my kiddos' births are - and i wouldn't have it any other way.  a healthy boy and healthy girl.  we are so, so happy.

maddy's birth:


pete and i spent the day installing our new dryer - complete with re-running ducts inside the laundry room wall and hooking up water for our 'steam' feature.  awesome dryer work!  we made trips back and forth to home depot, squatted, bent, leaned, and at one point climbed, to get the work done.  i vaguely remember contractions throughout the day, but did my best to ignore them so i didn't feel like i was in labor for days.  i may have paused a time or two to catch my breath, but all-in-all, they were manageable and ignorable.

8:44pm - i noticed a particularly strong contraction that i had to 'breathe' through and decided to take note of the time.  jack was sleeping next to me on the couch and we had an animal show on, so i didn't say anything to pete.
8:51pm - next contraction
8:58pm - another
9:05m - another
we took jack to bed, and went to lie down ourselves.  i mentioned that tonight might be the night to pete, and we settled for some rest.  i didn't have any other 'signs' {dropping or a 'show'}
i called my mom and let her know to keep her phone by her side, just in case.   the plan was to have her come over if we went into labor in the middle of the night, then take jack to her house in the am.
10:51pm - while pete slept, i kept experiencing painful contractions.  i was breathing through them and managing the pain, but they got closer and more painful, so i called my mom to come over.
i gave her the ipad to time them, but she ended up coaching me and monitoring my pain instead of keeping consistent time.  our best guess was that they were 3-4 minutes apart.  i told her i kept feeling like i had to use the restroom, so she suggested i wake pete and take a trip to the hospital.  we were all concerned this labor would go by fast, being my second, so pete and i packed up and went to the hospital around midnight.
12:05am - dr exam, no dilation.  like i was maybe a 'one' {very frustrated jen}  they sent me on a 2hour walk thinking that would for sure send me past 2 so i could be admitted.  we walked and walked.  and it was hard - contractions hurt.  i was dehydrated and had to pee every restroom {that's a lot in a hospital!}, and we went back for another look.
2:30am - dr exam.  still.no.freaking.dilation.  same as previous exam.  they sent me packing home after i cried to the dr about my baby most likely being sunny-side-up (like jack) and expressing that i didn't think i would ever dilate.  i get super dramatic about things, and this even was no exception!  they said to rest and come back if a. my water broke, b. there was bleeding, or c. i started swearing and stuff at pete {i was all, i could do that now -- these contractions hurt!!!}
3:00am - home.  trying to sleep.
and rest and sleep and rest.  in between contractions, that HURT.  i had to manage my pain closely, every time i didn't, things would seem out of control.  it was exhausting on one hand, but i got the hang of it and was able to sleep between the contractions.  {it's actually super refreshing to sleep for a minute, surprisingly!}  my contractions were still about 3-4 minutes apart.
11:30am - {jack was still here hanging with pete} jack came in the room to cuddle me for a second and then left with my mom to watch the 49ers game.  she came in to talk to me and noticed the focus i needed and what happened when i didn't.  i expressed my 'plan' of 20 hours of labor, then back to the drs.  that got me at home, laboring, self-managing the pain, {read: out of the medical world's plans for interventions and away from the temptation of the epidural}.  pete and i agreed we'd head back to the drs at 4:00pm.
2:00pm - i drag myself out of the bedroom to walk and tell pete that i'm done.  maybe we'll go at 3:00pm.  i tell him that i feel like i'm not dilating and we discuss what to do at the hospital.  if i'm at a one still, what?  a four, what then?  i won't discuss anything past a 4 because i'm SURE i'm not there.  i know {mentally} that my contractions hurt a TON more, but emotionally, i'm sure i'm destined for drugs and possible a c-section, so i'm defeated.  ***
3:00pm - after wandering around the house, using a birthing ball, kneeling, standing, and rocking, i feel like i'm really at the end of my rope {and i'm still sure there isn't any dilation}.  like a good coach, pete holds off and distracts me from the hospital with more positions.  my back is killing me and i KNOW that baby is sunny-side-up.
pete suggested a shower or bath {i'd used water off and on to help, which it did}, so that sounded great.  i got in, on all fours, hugged the ball, and had pete run hot water over my back.
4:15pm - something happened.  i felt a kick, almost pop, but knew my water didn't break.  it made me gasp and my breathing suddenly became very instinctive - puffpuffpuffpuffpuff.   i said we had to go to the hospital.  pete kind of took his time, thinking that he needed to kill a little more before we went rushing back, which i totally appreciate now and was really nice outwardly about at the time, but inside i was screaming, GET ME THERE NOW!!  i had so many contractions, it took us forever to get to the car.  we got in the car and i was puffpuffpuffing and yelling that the baby was coming out!  {it wasn't}.  we called labor and delivery to let them know we were on our way.
4:45pm - water breaks in car.  omg!  all of a sudden i can't not push.  i'm telling pete we'll have to pull over and have the ambulance come.  we call l+d, they say to go straight to the er {they can hear me and it was very movie-like}.
4:55pm - pull into er.  i can barely walk.  wheelchair.  me screaming to get me in a bed.  take my pants off!  is the baby coming out? and maybe some bad words.  sorry er people.
5:00pm - mad dash through hospital, fully dilated and needing to push, er drs want to get me up to l+d for the safest delivery for me and baby.
5:09pm - after a few pushes, baby crowns.  pete sees baby turn around from it's sunny-side-up position, then.... out pops maddy!!!!!  i looked down and yelled, it's a girl?!?!, with the most surprised, overjoyed voice.

***looking back, i totally hit what is called 'transition, 8-10cms' at 2:00, which made me super irrational and emotional. 

most.amazing.experience!  and just what we planned {except i could've tried to get to the hospital a little earlier}

the wait is over!

on january 22nd, at 5:09 pm {about 11 hours before my actual birthday/time}, madelynn elizabeth green made her dramatic debut into the world and our family!  we are head-over-heels in love with our little girl and couldn't be more proud of our family of four!

madelynn elizabeth green
6lbs 12 ounces, 20 1/4 inches
1.22.12 at 5:09pm

40weeks+4days

hey, y'all!  there's still a baby inside me!!!  went to the dr today and there's nothing brewing....  we have a non-sress-test and another 'check' on monday {which happens to be MY birthday!!}.  guess baby greenbean 2.0 is totally into fashion, since he/she is planning on being really late :).

in the meantime, i've:

• yelled at my neighbors. {fence junk, it's all ok now}
• cried about a million times.
• grew out of some of my maternity clothes!
• walked around looking for something to organize.
• lounged with jack.
• cried some more.

i'm a bit of a basket-case, probably because i'm hurting and am beyond anxious/excited, and just really, really looking forward to meeting this little one!  i feel really 'with-it' today, which is really nice.  except i cried at lunch, so maybe i'm not all that together...

now i'm making jack a 'big bro' shirt!  he wanted to sign his christmas present to 'lion' as 'big bro' instead of big brother, or big brother jack.  SO, i'm making him a shirt - guess a late baby makes for more craft projects, right?  {bright.side}

all done, jack LOVES it!!!

40weeks+2days

baby is still cooking!  i just deleted a very long, complainy post.  there's no reason to complain, this precious little life just needs a bit longer!  i'm just so ready to meet him/her, i'm about to burst!

in the meantime....

i mailed jack's bday invites and got to work on the decor

i rearranged baby decor stuff and hung our welcome home sign

bits of the welcome home sign we made!

and if baby doesn't come by tomorrow, v-day decor is going to up!

also, on sunday, i purchased every.last.thing i thought we needed before baby came.

we're really ready 'round here!!!

rice bag.

with the hopes of helping during labor, and to help with current rib pain, i made a rice bag!  when we were taking our class, our instructor kept mentioning a rice sock (a sock filled with rice - gross) that could be microwaved for those that liked warmth as a relaxation or pain management technique.  i didn't want to carry around (or have lying around) a rice 'sock', so i searched around the www a little and found this tutorial.  not that i really needed a tutorial, but i wanted one!

i made one version, but didn't add any 'smelly' stuff to it and it smelled like rice that had been microwaved.  i used it though, and it helped a lot!  i decided to make another that smelled good!  so that i wasn't disgusted while in labor - i added a lavender dryer pouch from trader joes with the rice.  it's practical and cute :).   it even has an inner bag with the rice and stuff that can be thrown away when it starts to not smell or smell like old rice!

inside bag

cover

it's our due date!

no baby, which is a-ok here, just finishing up the last few errands and projects!  here is the nursery pre-boy/girl accents:

recognize everything from the shower?  the wall to the left holds random letters of the alphabet, to be completed by those not able to make the shower and a few my mom/sister/self/grammy may need to whip up.  i'll post that when it's complete!

the wall color is kind-of weird in the pictures, but i promise it's cute!

dr update:  we went on friday and had no more progress :(.  we have an appointment on friday, then will visit every three days for non-stress tests on the baby and to monitor fluid level and my blood pressure (which has been really low, so i'm not worried about that).  dr le will let the pregnancy go 42 weeks and just added a few more days as that's the absolute latest.  so 42 weeks + 3 days, then induction.... though i'd prefer a birth any day now, i don't need the baby in there gaining all sorts of weight!!  and i'd kind-of like to have the baby before my birthday (the 23rd), just to be a tad normal on that day {read sushi and maybe some wine}.

the waiting game really begins now!!  send positive labor/birthing thoughts our way!!!

showering baby greenbean

laura and sheila threw baby greenbean #2 or 2.0 and i a lovely shower!  i had so much fun and everything was so.dang.cute!  mom went a bit wilder with the colors, which are now in the baby's room as decor :), i love it!

snacking and sharing birth stories
tara said she's is going to adopt after all that talk!

beginning of the alphabet wall
contributions by guests and family/friends from afar
can't wait to share the finished product!

a look back at baby greenbean #1's shower!

baby (or no-baby-yet) update.

even though we are 10 days away from our due date, i have the time to provide an update - so i'll do just that!

-visited dr. le on wednesday and everything's looking good, heartbeat was beautiful!
-baby's head is down, down, like dr le wasn't able to move it {puuuuh-lease be sunny-side down!!!}
-slight cervix softening and dilation two weeks ago, we didn't check this time.  if baby isn't here on the 13th {why would it be?  that's a few days before our due date} dr le offered some natural ways to get things moving.  i'm not a fan of that {it's a friday on mlk jr weekend}, so i think i'll wait until the next appointment which will be after our due date.  he also mentioned that he's willing to let me go past 42 weeks {not kaiser policy, they like to schedule an induction at 41-41.5} as long as baby is doing well - he knows how bad i want to avoid medical interventions {i've been talking about it for 20 weeks now} and i am super appreciative of his support, not all drs at hmos are as supportive.
-my ribs are killing me.  front side because the babe is long and chilling on my right side, dr le was all 'wow, it's way up here!' {thanks for the unnecessary 'wow' and explanation, i can feel that, fyi!}.  my back ribs, also right side, hurt because i cracked them during an eventful cinco de mayo in 2003.  if i could go back in time, that's the one event i would take back!
-i'm having braxton-hicks contractions that are starting to HURT.  they are lasting over a minute, but currently i have them about every 45mins to an hour.  i feel like they are helping with progress, though, and any progress made now will {hopefully} help later!
-pete and i are packing our bags this week - i have a lot of 'natural' labor stuff to find and pack: oils, rice sock, big birthing ball, tennis balls, eye soother, towel, robe, good walking shoes, swimsuit, shower cap.... really, really hoping these + massage + breathing + walking + water make for an easier time this time!
-we've completed our 'birthing' classes, which weren't too great, but we got some things out of it, so i feel pretty confident.  it was so cute to hear all the moms talking about their birth experience plans as all of them will be going through their first birth.  it helped my confidence and helped me reminisce about all of those feelings with jack.  pete and i relived jack's birth a few times while watching videos and i cried a lot.  did i tell you about my appointment with the midwife?  i cried the whole time.  it's emotional to retell your birth story {pluses and minuses} again, knowing you have this amazing little man, and knowing that even though i want our birth story to be different this time, i wouldn't change anything in the world about that time because it brought us jack! {tears again.}
-i've lost my mind.  les has blown my mind with text messages about naming our baby 'emeril' and i didn't even get that she was saying 'emeril green' like emerald green.  for like, days.  pete had to explain it to me - in front of his parents, no less - because i seriously didn't get it!  AH.  i also called her crying on the corner of a street on wednesday, didn't understand a crack about a gardener, and i can't remember what day it is.  i'm attributing the last to the fact that it was christmas vacation around here with pete and jack home, but there's no excuse.  we've been back to the normal schedule since tuesday.  i really need to get it together!
-i reorganized jack's room and did a few other things on my to-do list. i'm leaving the rest, just can't do it.  i want to relax these last few weeks - maybe i'll go into some nesting surge as labor approaches, but if i don't i'm ok bringing our baby home to the mess we call home.
-nursery will wait until we know gender.  it's a pretty green, so it'll be bedding and wall hangings, all easy to do with a newborn!
-i bought a pink/gray outfit and blue/gray outfit yesterday so the baby will be dressed cutely for the short ride home!  {so freaking adorable, i haven't shopped for baby clothes since jack was born - maybe for a shower, but i don't think so!}
-i have nipple cream, nursing nightgowns, nursing tanks, and will get a pedi soon.

that sums it up!  YAY for baby coming soon!!  {who, by the way, says hi via slow rolls and head jabs!}

happy 2012!!!

we celebrated at home this year.  i was pretty tired, so i didn't break out the nice camera.  jack took some pics, and we did some sparklers after drinking sparkling apple cider!  we are looking forward to meeting our new little one in 2012 and wishing everyone a fantastic year!

we celebrated with the east coast at 9 :)

green family cheers!

not so sure.....

trying again

it's bubbly!

we decided we liked it!

jack reminiscing over our 2011 calendar

christmas evening!

 christmas evening at my parents' house with gran and grandpa, unc jd, unc david, aunt laura, unc eric, baby dino, and our family friend ellen:

 grandpa and his grandsons:

 cousins antics:

 present time:

 drum set from unc david (no, these are not coming home with us!):

and for your listening pleasure:

christmas morning!

when jack woke up, he came straight to our bedroom, like every other morning.  after about 15 minutes of cuddling, he asked if we thought santa came yet.  we said we should go see - he bolted up and i raced in front of  him down the hall.  when he saw the presents he got this super cute nervous-giggle-laugh thing - i'm hoping to upload it soon to share (it was hilarious and adorable!).  we enjoyed the morning with our toys and later when to my parents' house for christmas with the fam (post later!).

santa's handiwork

'trains and people and trees?!?!  a CITY?!?'

'a big boy bike!'

'ah, haha, CARS TWO!!!!'

the reindeer never forget the doggies

first star wars toys!!!!

trying out his new bike (in the house, of course!)

i surprised pete with a 50" plasma TV this christmas... here he is opening a super light picture of the gift:

so confused.
it was a great surprise.  i cried.

jack wrote out his cards, with gran's help

the little man shopped for us again this year:

a scarf, nail polish, and gloves for mommy

a frisbee, golf putting thing, and football for daddy

mommy and daddy got him a cars 2 set of shake-n-gos, some books, and a light saber.

this present's tag said, 'to: lion, love, big bro'

this was a present for the baby, 'lion' as jack calls it.  the cutest little lion head blanket toy ever!  next year will be twice as fun!!!