cirque du bebe » Happy Thoughts

A Princess is Born

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 03:10:29 +0000

Not sure if I’m going to stick with this moniker (read about its origin here) … we’ll see.

Yesterday, at 5:23 pm, our little girl came into the world. I started the Pitocin at 8:45 am (ish) and the doctor broke my water around 9:30, I think. Then the contractions started and I wimped out — getting the epidural around 10:45. The original nurse made a prediction of 1:00 pm and I think that got my hopes up. So when 3:00 rolled around and the next nurse came in and stated I was only dialated 3-4 cm, I was very discouraged. She along with my surrogate nurse, my MIL (who did wonderfully, BTW, in keeping my spirits high), kept informing me of the major contractions I was having, trying to cheer me up (I was REALLY numb and couldn’t even feel my left leg).

But then the epidural started to wear off and I could feel a little more pain and pressure (I kept telling the nurse it felt like I had to poop really bad and had severe constipation cramps) and the contractions were definitely strong. DH helped by reminding me of the breathing techniques. By 4:00, I had dialated to 5 cm and by 5:00 I was at 10 — with a “top off” on the epidural for the finale!

The doctor came in and within 5 contractions and 10 pushes, our little girl was out! It was SOOOO easy. Thank God for modern medicine!

Funny Quote of the Week

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:57:47 +0000

Haven’t done one of these in a while … this is a recap of a convo Monkey and I had on the way to meet DH at a restaurant:

Monkey (out of the blue): Daddy’s not a princess.

Me (snickering): No, Daddy’s not a princess.

Monkey: He’s an old guy.

Me (laughing hysterically): Oh? And what am I?

Monkey: You’re a princess! (then he started laughing)

Keep Peddling

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:54:26 +0000

This is something I’ve found myself saying a lot this week as we are trying to teach Monkey how to ride his new bike. He doesn’t quite get that in order to keep the bike moving he has to keep peddling. He definitely prefers when there’s a downhill slope and he can just coast. He also prefers to take in everything around him and not watch where he is going. We’re working steadily on both and I’m sure in no time at all I’ll probably be rueful that we ever taught him how to ride.

But this teaching experience has taught me a metaphorical lesson as well. In order to move forward, you must keep peddling. I think I’ve been coasting a lot lately and sometimes, that’s okay. A well deserved break from pushing so hard or in order to get back to health is sometimes needed. Now that I’m back to a healthy state though, I’m thinking it’s time to start peddling again.

The key is to get rolling but not lose sight of the scenery as well I suppose. Something I’m desperately trying to teach Monkey and it seems myself.

New Game

Thu, 06 May 2010 01:28:38 +0000

About a month or so ago, I wrote a post about a game DH started with Monkey about whether or not he wanted a little sister. This game was fun for a little while but now, the game has been updated.

DH: You ready for your little sister?

Monkey: Not yet.

DH: When are you going to be ready?

Monkey: Five minutes.

Hilarious and the answer is the same each time.

Number two on the way

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:05:08 +0000

The cat’s out of the bag. I’m pregnant.

I’ve been wanting to tell the world for a while but DH and I decided that it would be best to go through with an amniocentesis and make sure everything was okay this time. Why? Because I’m an old buzzard with a greater likelihood of having issues. A few friends had asked and I denied at first because of this agreement that DH and I had about letting the world know. So I was “taking the fifth” as one of my old high school friends put it.

After getting the glowing results, I can now say that not only are we having another healthy child but that child is a GIRL! But I knew the sex prior to even having the amniocentesis. “How?” you may ask. Wives’ tales and a little bit of science.

For one, I was REALLY sick this time around in the first trimester, going into a good bit of the second as well (I lost 6 pounds in one week which the doctor didn’t like too much). Starting about my third week I was getting queasy and by the fifth week I was throwing up not just in the morning but pretty much feeling sick or getting sick until early evening. (Then there was the week I had not only morning sickness but a stomach virus — but that’s another post maybe.) So why did this make me feel it was a girl? Wives’ tales have long said this but in fact, there’s a bit of science behind it. Apparently, the hormone levels within a woman’s body when she is carrying a girl will indeed make her more sick than if she were carrying a boy.

Second, my cravings. I didn’t have much cravings in the first trimester but when the morning sickness eased up, when I did want something it was clear I did have a preference. I’ve been told by several people that women crave sweets when carrying a girl and proteins when carrying a boy. With Monkey, I craved sausage and eggs constantly. With this one, I’ve been craving chocolate and watermelons or cantaloupe.

Third, the day of conception. I’ve heard that male sperm swim faster and die off quicker. Female sperm swim slower but last longer. DH was leaving for Vegas a few days prior to my ovulation the month we conceived. So we made sure to “do the deed” prior him leaving and voila! Preggers with a girl.

So this is why I knew. I wish I could have been so certain about the healthy part but honestly, the amniocentesis wasn’t that bad. I had built it up in my mind as this horrific event and it truly wasn’t. Some cramping afterward but I was able to attend a meeting two hours after the event and didn’t have a problem.

Number two on the way. Still scary to think about. Don’t think I would have ever been ready. Will be an interesting road at least.