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So this is a place I rant and rave, wear my heart on my sleeve, gush on my family, and most importantly share my art...the photo stories of wonderful couples and people I cross paths with. Don't be afraid to bookmark it, or leave a comment. I love hearing from everyone and anyone. Check back frequently...I will try to keep you updated.
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So my beautiful baby finally made an appearance. Thanks to a little help from the good people at Tuomey Hospital Labor and Delivery. I opted for an induction on the 18th of August after my appointment on the 17th showed that I was 3-4cm dilated, +2, and 50% effaced. I was over it...sad as that sounds. But the baby was sooooo low and moving around was painful..everything had become painful. When the doctor checks you and laughs about how low she is...it is time.
I wish I could say I waited for God...I do, but with modern medicine it was really nice to know when it would happen, have my kiddos taken care of and my bags packed etc.
I hate surprises, dont' know if I have ever mentioned that on here...but I do. Be it Christmas, or birthdays or whatever, I just don't get into being surprised. I want to know the sex of my baby as soon as they can tell...I am not old fashioned when it comes to that stuff. I think the big surprise is the health of the child...this whole baby was a surprise so enough about that.
Here are the birth details...I always want to know how long, how painful so if you are like me here is the ins and outs of it...
I went in a 5am. They did all the paperwork, I got to put on the lovely hospital gown- which I might ask...why have they made no improvements to hospital gowns in the last 50 years?!?!? Bill and I were wondering that. They are ugly, one size fits no one, unflattering and it seems no one has tried to improve them EVER!!!
So they start my pitocin around 5:30 or 5:45 I don't remember. I know that they turned down the lights and left me alone for like an hour and 1/2. Bill fell asleep and thank goodness...Beth woke up to talk to me. There is all that adrenaline and they are like try to get some rest...ugh right.
So around 7:30 Dr. Hepfer breaks my water. I know that the pain of all pains began soon after...I knew it would, but I had forgotten what exactly that pain felt like. On a pain scale I always think of like a gun shot wound being a 10....or having a foot ran over by a car or something. But this was pretty high up there...not like I remembered with Betsy. Pitocin is no joke!!! So I was sort of set on no meds, cause I tend to get spinal headaches...but I had the best nurse anesthetists named Mike who put the epidural in my L2/L3 area of my spine and kept it away from my "problem areas". Which I might say WORKED!!! No spinal headaches- so far so good!!!
I had a few visitors (love ya Mrs. Gaymon and Mrs. Smith!!!) then the next thing you know the nurse checked me and said Abby was crowning. The dr came in and Hannah my nurse asked if she should break the bed down and Dr. Hepfer said there wasn't time...so 3 pushes and Abby was on my chest staring up at her mamma!! I cannot explain the love I have felt for my children the moment that I see them.
I didn't want to give Abby up to the nurses. I just wanted to stay in that moment forever...well actually there is a lot going on at that moment that I was happy to see end- if you have had a baby you feel me!!!
It was a fantastic experience, perfect if I can say that. I am so happy with my decision for pain medicine...happy that I had my child at Tuomey, happy that I got to deliver with Dr. Hepfer....the list goes on and on. My nurses were simply wonderful and I can't say enough about this awesome experience! It was a pleasure, to say the least.
Abby has been a wonderful baby. We have had our ups and downs with gas and those sorts of newborn issues...but other than that I could stare at her and smell her for ions. I am completely enamored and in love with this baby. I wasn't looking forward to the baby thing again- to be completely honest with you. I was scared to enter into this again. We were at -what I thought was- a perfect place in our lives. Toddlers- fairly independent- ready to travel the US with us...
But God's plan is perfect and he was ready for me to do the whole projectile bowel movements, and spit up and nursing....the list goes on.
What a fantastic surprise this has been!!!
I wish I could say I waited for God...I do, but with modern medicine it was really nice to know when it would happen, have my kiddos taken care of and my bags packed etc.
I hate surprises, dont' know if I have ever mentioned that on here...but I do. Be it Christmas, or birthdays or whatever, I just don't get into being surprised. I want to know the sex of my baby as soon as they can tell...I am not old fashioned when it comes to that stuff. I think the big surprise is the health of the child...this whole baby was a surprise so enough about that.
Here are the birth details...I always want to know how long, how painful so if you are like me here is the ins and outs of it...
I went in a 5am. They did all the paperwork, I got to put on the lovely hospital gown- which I might ask...why have they made no improvements to hospital gowns in the last 50 years?!?!? Bill and I were wondering that. They are ugly, one size fits no one, unflattering and it seems no one has tried to improve them EVER!!!
So they start my pitocin around 5:30 or 5:45 I don't remember. I know that they turned down the lights and left me alone for like an hour and 1/2. Bill fell asleep and thank goodness...Beth woke up to talk to me. There is all that adrenaline and they are like try to get some rest...ugh right.
So around 7:30 Dr. Hepfer breaks my water. I know that the pain of all pains began soon after...I knew it would, but I had forgotten what exactly that pain felt like. On a pain scale I always think of like a gun shot wound being a 10....or having a foot ran over by a car or something. But this was pretty high up there...not like I remembered with Betsy. Pitocin is no joke!!! So I was sort of set on no meds, cause I tend to get spinal headaches...but I had the best nurse anesthetists named Mike who put the epidural in my L2/L3 area of my spine and kept it away from my "problem areas". Which I might say WORKED!!! No spinal headaches- so far so good!!!
I had a few visitors (love ya Mrs. Gaymon and Mrs. Smith!!!) then the next thing you know the nurse checked me and said Abby was crowning. The dr came in and Hannah my nurse asked if she should break the bed down and Dr. Hepfer said there wasn't time...so 3 pushes and Abby was on my chest staring up at her mamma!! I cannot explain the love I have felt for my children the moment that I see them.
I didn't want to give Abby up to the nurses. I just wanted to stay in that moment forever...well actually there is a lot going on at that moment that I was happy to see end- if you have had a baby you feel me!!!
It was a fantastic experience, perfect if I can say that. I am so happy with my decision for pain medicine...happy that I had my child at Tuomey, happy that I got to deliver with Dr. Hepfer....the list goes on and on. My nurses were simply wonderful and I can't say enough about this awesome experience! It was a pleasure, to say the least.
Abby has been a wonderful baby. We have had our ups and downs with gas and those sorts of newborn issues...but other than that I could stare at her and smell her for ions. I am completely enamored and in love with this baby. I wasn't looking forward to the baby thing again- to be completely honest with you. I was scared to enter into this again. We were at -what I thought was- a perfect place in our lives. Toddlers- fairly independent- ready to travel the US with us...
But God's plan is perfect and he was ready for me to do the whole projectile bowel movements, and spit up and nursing....the list goes on.
What a fantastic surprise this has been!!!
2 comments so far
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Abby Mae
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So tomorrow is the day!!! Tuesday the 18th.
I have been stressing about the delivery of this baby forever it seems. Contractions...pains...more contractions...back aches...herniated discs...sciatica...
9 months, 10 months rather, is such a long time...especially when July and August are thrown in there. It has been a hot summer, but a super summer.
I feel so blessed that this baby came when she did. I had maternity leave just built in there. These are the hottest months of our year here in SC and the weddings just seem to naturally slow down. This year especially, and thankfully.
I am lucky enough to have my beautiful and patient sister Emily here to help me do everything from watch the kids so I can edit to pick up stuff on the floor that I drop, because I am lazy and have a basketball for an abdomen right now. She is a perfect fit right now and I thank God it worked out that she could be here right now. She starts school in a few weeks and will be able to accomplish what she needs to, and help us in more ways than she realizes. She is a super wedding assistant too...
So I went to the doctor today because the baby wasn't doing a whole lot of moving and I got worried. I was told to come in to be monitored. So I get there and lovely Dr. Latham checked me and to my surprise I was 50% effaced and 3-4 cm dilated. This baby has been LOW...I mean low for weeks...and we just felt more comfortable with the chance to be induced in the a.m. Betsy came an hour and 1/2 from the time my water broke, and I just don't want that kind of craziness again.
So I don't know if I will go "natural" this time. At this point I don't really care. I wanted to avoid the spinal headaches I got after Betsy...but the back labor I have experienced already this pregnancy is excruciating and what's 5 weeks of headaches anyway ;)
So my other babies were 5lbs 11oz and 5lbs 3 ozs...whatcha think this baby will weigh??
Any guesses?? Leave a comment with your guess. I will give a $25 Amazon gift certificate to the person who guesses correctly. (please leave an email address so I can contact the winner!)
I appreciate all the prayers and thoughts that everyone has sent our way since this started. Our friends and family make this life so much brighter and that much more worth living and living vibrantly. God Bless you all!
Here's to another Brokop!! Billy....you are officially outnumbered! Have I told you how much I love my husband today...well I do and I live to watch his face when he sees his children born. He is the man/father/provider I could have only dreamt I would marry. Okay this cheesy- almost not- pregnant -sap is heading to bed so I can be at the hospital at O-dark-30.
I have been stressing about the delivery of this baby forever it seems. Contractions...pains...more contractions...back aches...herniated discs...sciatica...
9 months, 10 months rather, is such a long time...especially when July and August are thrown in there. It has been a hot summer, but a super summer.
I feel so blessed that this baby came when she did. I had maternity leave just built in there. These are the hottest months of our year here in SC and the weddings just seem to naturally slow down. This year especially, and thankfully.
I am lucky enough to have my beautiful and patient sister Emily here to help me do everything from watch the kids so I can edit to pick up stuff on the floor that I drop, because I am lazy and have a basketball for an abdomen right now. She is a perfect fit right now and I thank God it worked out that she could be here right now. She starts school in a few weeks and will be able to accomplish what she needs to, and help us in more ways than she realizes. She is a super wedding assistant too...
So I went to the doctor today because the baby wasn't doing a whole lot of moving and I got worried. I was told to come in to be monitored. So I get there and lovely Dr. Latham checked me and to my surprise I was 50% effaced and 3-4 cm dilated. This baby has been LOW...I mean low for weeks...and we just felt more comfortable with the chance to be induced in the a.m. Betsy came an hour and 1/2 from the time my water broke, and I just don't want that kind of craziness again.
So I don't know if I will go "natural" this time. At this point I don't really care. I wanted to avoid the spinal headaches I got after Betsy...but the back labor I have experienced already this pregnancy is excruciating and what's 5 weeks of headaches anyway ;)
So my other babies were 5lbs 11oz and 5lbs 3 ozs...whatcha think this baby will weigh??
Any guesses?? Leave a comment with your guess. I will give a $25 Amazon gift certificate to the person who guesses correctly. (please leave an email address so I can contact the winner!)
I appreciate all the prayers and thoughts that everyone has sent our way since this started. Our friends and family make this life so much brighter and that much more worth living and living vibrantly. God Bless you all!
Here's to another Brokop!! Billy....you are officially outnumbered! Have I told you how much I love my husband today...well I do and I live to watch his face when he sees his children born. He is the man/father/provider I could have only dreamt I would marry. Okay this cheesy- almost not- pregnant -sap is heading to bed so I can be at the hospital at O-dark-30.
2 comments so far
kristin williams says:
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My guess is 6 lbs 1 oz :) ...ok..I cheated..haha
(08.18.09 @ 10:36 AM)
Lindsay Collins says:
Congrats....Just 1 year ago to the DAY you were shooting our wedding...now you are BLESSED with another blessing!!! :)
(08.31.09 @ 10:46 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
the 18th it is...
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By "WC" I don't mean "water closet" silly....(if you get that you rock)
Laurin and Tripper were featured on the wedding chicks blog!!
Leave a comment if you please ;) I am adding some of Laurin's bsesh images...posts without pics are just boring ;)
Laurin and Tripper were featured on the wedding chicks blog!!
Leave a comment if you please ;) I am adding some of Laurin's bsesh images...posts without pics are just boring ;)
0 comments so far
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
Laurin + Tripper= WC
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Congratulations on your new little precious baby. I love the hat too. She is adorable.
(09.03.09 @ 10:10 PM)She is beautiful! CONGRATULATIONS! I love the pics....as usual!!!
(09.04.09 @ 04:27 PM)