The Birth Story

What brings me here today, almost 15 months after the birth of our first child, Lidia Louise? The truth is that I've been working on this specific post here and there for over a year. I have had to make sure every detail was correct and no emotion was left over-looked. After all that has culminated in the posts before, I felt I would be doing my readers an injustice if I left out even one small bit of information. And let's be honest here - raising our child has sucked up just about every minute of free time on my hands. But, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Here it is. Unedited. Uncensored. Beautiful. This is the story of Lidia's birth.As you can tell from my previous post, I was rather unhappy with the delay in Lidia's arrival. I had done everything I could think of to urge her on to this world, but she was not budging. I had planned on going into work the week following her due date, but I woke up that Tuesday morning and wasn't feeling good. I felt that this could be the day, so I officially started my maternity leave. It turns out I was just feeling ill from the entire pineapple I had eaten the day before. So all day Tuesday, Wednesday, and half the day on Thursday I worked from home. I sat on my birth ball, went on walks, and prayed to God that Lidia would arrive before my scheduled induction. I honestly didn't have much hope that my prayers would be answered. Not that I didn't have faith, but sometimes God has plans for us that are better than what we would prefer. On Wednesday, Jason and I went to our last doctor's appointment and everything checked out just the same as it had been the appointment before. Of course I cried to the nurse and the doctor and they both assured me that I wouldn't be pregnant forever. For all the rants I have been on about not wanting to be induced, I begged my doctor to just start the process now. I had given up on my body naturally going into labor. As fate would have it, the Doctor stated that she would not be able to induce me, strip membranes, etc. until the scheduled induction. I hung my head low and walked out of the doctor's office with little hope that Lidia would be coming soon.

After working from home on Thursday morning, I decided to get out of the house and do some shopping. Shopping always cheers me up! Plus, I had received an e-mail from a spa I go to stating that they were doing hour massages for the half-hour price. I signed myself up for a pregnancy massage later that afternoon and off I went. I went to Dillards first to buy some make-up and lucky me, it was bonus time at Clinique! I then went up to Aveda and purchased some hair care items. The women there asked me when I was due and after I told them I was overdue, they looked scared and said, "I hope your hospital is close!" I wasn't concerned, though, and I kept shopping. I then went to the Children's Place and got this incredibly cute winter outfit for Lidia. In a much better mood, I headed to my massage appointment. While in the waiting room, Jason called and I failed to mention to him where I was. He gets a little upset when I spend money on massages - my plan was to tell him about the massage when I was in labor so he wouldn't be able to be mad at me! As I walked into the massage room, I explained to the therapist that I wanted to go into labor and told her to NOT avoid the labor-inducing pressure points. The massage was amazing - I felt so refreshed afterwards.

On my way home from my massage, I had to talk some coworkers through an issue at work and then I stopped at Servati's for a pretzel. I made it home around 4 pm and collapsed on the couch with my puppies to take a nap. An hour and a half later, I woke up with terrible menstrual-like cramps. I was pretty sure that these cramps were not labor, so I just took it easy and watched TV and played on the Internet. At about 6:30, the cramps were still present and I felt a little unsure of whether labor was imminent or not. I called Jason at work 2 times and did not get an answer. I could tell he was hitting the "ignore" button on his phone. Of all the times I have called him before thinking that I was in labor, I really can't blame him for not thinking it was urgent. After I called him the third time, he answered and I explained what was going on. He said he would head home from work to be with me. A half hour later Jason called me back and asked me how I was doing, I replied "fine" and asked him if he was on his way home. He said he was just about to leave. Just about to leave?! Apparently I had cried wolf one too many times. Jason got home and stayed by my side throughout the night. I was going back and forth between thinking I was in labor and thinking it was false labor again. I wasn't really having true contractions at this point - they were just constant menstrual-like cramps that were slowly intensifying. We went upstairs to make sure all of our bags were packed. I spoke to my parents and put them on alert. Then it was the waiting game.

I sat and rocked in the rocking chair while watching the first football game of the 2009 season - the Steelers! They actually weren't playing that well and I wasn't able to pay much attention anyway. The rest of the night at home was pretty much a blur. By this time, it was close to 9:30 or 10 pm. I had begun to loose all concept of time. The dogs could definitely tell there was something about to happen as they were nervous and watching my every move. I decided to call the doctor on call at that point. As mentioned earlier, we went to a practice that consisted of 7 female doctors. We liked them all, but there were definitely some we preferred over others. The doctor on call happened to be one of the ones we could have done without. She said that based on the fact that I was having contractions and I was overdue, then I should probably come to the hospital. Since she wasn't 100% convinced I was in labor, we decided to wait around a little while longer. Then about an hour later, the sign I had been waiting for came. I went to the bathroom (remember, this is uncensored) and a gush of blood appeared. This was a HUGE sign that it was here - I had no doubt that I was in labor. I was so excited/nervous that I began shaking. I screamed to Jason to get the bags ready to go - a process that felt like it took an hour.
It's Go Time
On our way to the hospital, Jason and I both called our parents to let them know we were on our way. The phone tree must have been started immediately because about 2 minutes after the phone call to Jason's parents, I had already gotten an e-mail from his sister-in-law! Now, here's a fact that is important to know about me. No matter how joyous the occasion, when I am stressed, I am not a happy person. When we got off of the highway I was quoted as yelling, "Com'on Jason this isn't a joyride!"
As we were approaching the hospital, I saw in the distance police car lights flashing. As we came closer, the road that we needed to continue on to get to the hospital was blocked off. "Are you kidding me?!" I screamed. I rolled down my window and beckoned one of the officers to me. "Can you please let us go through. I am in labor!" He scrunched his face at me and said, "Uh oh. That's not good. Go right ahead," and then walkie-talked to his buddies to signal us through.
We finally got to the hospital and weaved through the halls and up elevators to arrive at triage. They sat me down, took my insurance card, and ushered me back to a room that Jason was not allowed to go in. Here they asked me if I was being abused (a standard procedure, I later find out) and I replied by saying, "At this point I think you better be asking my husband that question!" The nurse put the contraction monitor around my belly as well as checked my dilation - 3 cm. Sure enough, I was in active labor. She got the OK from the doctor to admit me and a huge sense of relief came over me. Finally...our baby is on her way!
Let the Fun Begin
By this time, it was around 11:30 pm and Jason had entered the room and told me the good news - the Steelers had won their home opener! One of the first things the triage nurse wanted to do is hook me up to IV fluids. I politely declined and she said abruptly, "Oh, you're going to be one of those women." I was not offended by this, but just smiled and shook my head yes. After trying 3 times to find a good vein to put my port in, she had to call in another nurse to do the job. My doctor OK'ed the no IV fluids, but insisted that I have a port put in my arm in case of an emergency. A port is just a needle head into your arm with no tubing attached. They had it taped up so it wouldn't be moving anywhere.

To the Birthing Suite We Go
At this point, the hospital gown was already on and full, active labor had begun. The triage nurse walked us to our room - which was amazing - and introduced us to our first labor and delivery nurse. She was as sweet as could be as I explained to her our plan of natural, unmedicated birth. She didn't ridicule me or give me a look of "yeah right we'll see if that actually happens," a look that we got from many others. Very soon after we got to the room, the doctor came into see us. Her name was Dr. LeMasters. I told her our plans of having an unmedicated birth and she said, "If I would have known that I would have had you stay at home longer." A look of horror came over my face and I think she noticed. She quickly said, "I can break your water to make labor come more quickly." I agreed with no hesitation. She checked my dilation and I had already dilated another cm. I was 4 cm now when an hour earlier I was only 3. This was good news! She predicted the baby being born around 9 am.
The Water Breaking
Yes, they are right when they tell you the tool they use to manually break a woman's water is like a crochet hook. It didn't hurt when she reached the hook inside to break the water - the only thing I felt was pressure. And then a gush of liquid. The Doctor and nurse studied the liquid and told me something I was not happy to hear - the amniotic fluid had meconnium in it. In layman's terms - Lidia had pooped in the womb. The NICU was immediately notified because a newborn can get very sick from this. It wasn't anything to be particularly worried about, but it just meant she now had a strict deadline of when she needed to be born.
When I pictured someones water breaking, I pictured it happening all at once. This, however, is not the case. The body continues to produce amniotic fluid even after the water has been broken. It was the most uncomfortable feeling to be leaking fluid constantly. The hospital supplied me with these disposable underwear. I'm not afraid to say that I went through at least 10 pairs in the amount of time I was in the labor and delivery room (I also stole about 2 weeks worth to take home with me!).
By this time, both sets of parents were on their way to the hospital. My parents had a 4 hour drive and Jason's parents were already almost there since they lived only an hour away. Little did both sets of parents know that they didn't need to rush (that's a little bit of foreshadowing).
The Contractions
For every contraction that I had, I grabbed onto Jason and clenched my teeth together. They were unlike anything that I had ever felt in my lifetime. Contractions are like menstrual cramps - times 100. Men can maybe compare contractions to getting hit you-know-where about 20 times repeatedly. The pain gradually comes on, peaks, and then slowly fades away. I spent most of the first part of my labor on a birth ball - which is just like an exercise ball. In hindsight, I really should have been up moving around. But, I needed to do anything I could to make the pain go away. Being on the birth ball was the most comfortable position for me. At one point, I was on the bed with my butt up in the air, but that position didn't last long. Jason was with me constantly, taking all my whining and snappiness in stride. He tried massaging me, talking to me about Lidia and trying to do just about anything to get my mind off of the pain. I was ungrateful for most of the time - wanting not to be touched or talked to. One of the worst parts of the whole experience was having mine and Lidia's vitals checked every hour. Because I opted to forgo the epidural, I was not hooked up to anything. I was free to move around and to get into any position that felt good. When it was time for vital check, I had to sit in one place while many apparatuses were strapped to me. This process took about 10 minutes each time. And each time it was completely miserable.
Dilation - or Lack Thereof
There is a reason why many woman who do natural births opt not to have their dilation checked during labor. I decided that I had reached a point that I could no longer take it. I needed to know how far I had dilated because I felt like I had been working so hard. I thought that I had to be so close to 9 cm, and hearing that I was close would motivate me to labor on. So, despite trying to talk me out of it, the nurse checked my dilation at around 5 a.m. By this time, I had been in labor for 12 hours, give or take a few. I had to be close. When I heard the number - that stinky, nasty number - I gasped. 5 cm. 5 CENTIMETERS! My dwindling motivation at this point was just about at none. I could not believe that I had only dilated 1 centimeter in 5 hours. I was beyond hopeless at this point. However, I still had it in me to keep going. I don't know who suggested it, but to the shower I went.
Wash It All Away
There is something I can't explain about the power of the shower. I was in the shower for at least 4 hours. I had the heat up pretty darn high and the water pressure beating down on my lower back and then my belly. For every contraction, I grasped the shower bar so tight that my arms were sore for days after. Jason sat quietly in the bathroom the whole time. I don't remember clear details from the shower, but I do remember looking at him sitting down, head in his hands. I remember thinking how difficult it must be to see his love go through all this pain and not be able to do a damn thing for me. He helped me dry off each time the nurse had to get me to check my vitals. Time went by while I was in the shower. Life went on outside of the little haven I found. For me, time seemed to stand still as I was praying furiously to God for him to end this pain. Then, like clock work, the nurse got me out to do the oh-so-favorite vital check. That's when everything changed.
There is No Gold Medal
There had been a shift change in nurses and doctors by this time. I would say it was around 8 or 9 a.m. According to the first doctor (who I had not seen since she broke my water), I should have had this baby by now. My dilation hadn't been checked since 5 a.m. The joking, optimistic Amy was nowhere to be seen. I had been beaten down to literally nothing. I didn't even have enough energy to raise my head. I sunk down to the floor and at this point the nurse and the new doctor, Dr. Rinala, got down to my level. One on my left side and one on my right side. Dr. Rinala was one of our favorite Doctors. I didn't even have enough energy to realize how lucky we were to have her as the Doctor who would be delivering our child. She was the first doctor we saw at the practice. She was very young for a doctor - early 30s - and had this energy that just radiated from her. She was very smart and I trusted her. She sat there and told me that no one is given a gold medal for going through labor and delivery unmedicated. She told me that if I kept on going like I had been, then I would have no energy to push the baby out. The nurse was sitting right next to me, letting me know that she, too, tried to go unmedicated. She reached a certain point where she said "Enough is enough," and opted for the epidural. I looked and Jason and I knew. I knew that I couldn't last any longer without the dreaded epidural. I had run a 5K when I was 5 months pregnant and made it to the finish line without walking. I would definitely finish this race, but I was going to have to walk.
Optimistic and Witty
The tears started to fall and I could not hide my disappointment with myself. I decided to opt for the epidural after 17 hours of labor. Once that decision was made, I wanted it right then. Something they forgot to tell me in my birthing class is that you have to have an entire liter of IV fluids in you before you can get an epidural. This is not a short process. I can without doubt say that this was the most painful and grueling part of the whole labor and delivery. I had to sit there, hooked up to the IV fluid, unable to move much at all. My contractions at this point felt like someone was taking a 2x4 and hitting me repeatedly in my belly as hard as possible. Finally, after about an hour, the IV fluids were in. The anesthesiologist came by and asked if he could attend to someone before me. The nurse looked at me as I was having a contraction and looked frantically at him. She told him abruptly that I needed my epidural yesterday. He got the picture, grabbed his cart, and got me all ready for my drugs. The epidural was a fairly easy process. I can't quite explain it at this point because honestly, I forget it. But it wasn't painful at all. After the epidural was in, it was instant relief. There was honestly no more pain. My joking and optimism came back. I felt like I had just gotten a burst of energy. Here's the kicker - right after the epidural, the nurse decided to check my dilation. I was at 8 cm at this point. Really?! I had only 1 more cm to go and I could start pushing. In hindsight, I sometimes wish that I would have stuck it out without the epidural for a little longer. I know that everything happens for a reason and I think the epidural was just what I needed to speed things along. I was fighting my contractions instead of working through them. I was tensing up and wishing they would go away instead of finding a way to work in harmony with them. The only intervention that could have helped me move things along was the epidural, and for that I am thankful. The next couple hours Jason and I rested. Then, it was go time.
Pushing for Life
When the nurse told me it was time to push, I had no idea what to do. I could not feel one ounce of a contraction, so I had no idea when to push or how to push. We had to rely on the monitor to let us know when I was having a contraction. She coached Jason and I through the pushing process. It seemed fairly simple - she grabbed a leg, Jason grabbed a leg, and then all I had to do was push. That was my one job. Surely, Lidia was within a hour of being born, I could just feel it. And the nurse could, too - she literally felt Lidia's head. Well, I pushed, pushed harder, pushed some more, and still no Lidia. After an hour of pushing had passed, the nurse recommended that we turn down the epidural. Perhaps Lidia wasn't budging because I couldn't quite feel where to direct my pushing. Just about as quick as the epidural was turned down, I had it turned back up. The pain that had been washed away came crashing back. I wasn't ready to go down that road again so the epidural was back on. Then I pushed and pushed and pushed. It was around 3:30 by this time and Dr. Rinala could see the utter exhaustion written all over my face. She knew how long we had been fighting this battle - almost 24 hours at this point. She again made a recommendation - that she would assist the birth of Lidia with forceps. She would have to do an episiotomy as well. The top three bolded items on my birth plan: NO EPIDURAL, NO EPISIOTMY, and NO FORCEPS. At this point, I was up for anything. After over 3 hours of pushing, I had NO energy left in me. Actually, I had enough energy for one more push - and then with the help of the forceps, she was finally here.

Why Isn't She Crying?
Lidia came out very quickly. Jason cut the cord and she was placed on my stomach for about 3-5 seconds and immediately wisked away from me. A wave of panic came over me because I didn't hear her cry. I asked the doctor with tears in my eyes, "Why isn't she crying?!" The doctor assured me that she was fine and she would eventually cry. There were close to 10 nurses/doctors in the room as Lidia was getting ready to be born waiting to take her away. Because of the meconnium in the amniotic fluid, she had to be sucked and cleaned and pricted and prodded. Then, the crying begun. It was such a relief to hear that sweet little newborn cry of hers. After about 15 minutes, I finally got her back in my arms and Jason and I just stared at her beauty. She was perfect. We immediately noticed her big, beautiful eyes and her lucscious, plump lips. She had big hands, too - Jason said they were perfect for basketball and I said they were perfect for playing the piano. Grandpa Danzo was the first to notice the tinge of red in her hair that she still has to this day. She was everything we had envisioned her to be - and more.
Maternal Guilt
The doctors were right when they told me early on in my pregnancy that my maternal guilt would start before Lidia was even born. I never wanted to be responsible for any issues that Lidia may have had. I wanted to say that I did everything to produce a healthy, happy baby. After we got situated in the post-natal room, a nurse came in to check Lidia. She checked her heartbeat and heard something that she didn't like. She casually told me that she was going to take Lidia and have a doctor check her out real quick. The nurse came back to our room without Lidia and stated that Lidia had a heart murmur. I immediately started crying and asked about a million questions. I immediately blamed myself and said it must have been something I had done. The nurse didn't have many answers and we waited for literally hours before we got to see our baby girl again. We got updates, and we tried to sleep, but nothing could relieve the worry that I had. Finally, Lidia's fabulous pediatrician, Dr. Papas, came to save the day. If any of you watch Private Practice, Dr. Papas reminds me exactly of Cooper on this show. Anyways, the doctor said that the murmur is there, but it would correct itself over time. He said that this type of thing is very common in newborns - he talked some mumbo jumbo doctor talk about the lungs and the heart and blah blah blah. The only thing I fixated on was that she was fine. Lidia was brought back into our room and he said we had a perfectly healthy baby girl. The rest of the time in the hospital was spent thanking God for blessing us with such a perfect human being. She was, and is still, perfect.
And the story of the first year of our little gem's life? Well, it can be summed up by this quote by Jennifer Armitage:
"And she is beautiful, our daughter, only six months, but a person. She turns to look at everything, out walking. All so precious. I musn't disturb it with words."
So here I leave you with no words, but a 15 minute video montage of Lidia's first year of life. Stay tuned for baby #2's blog...whenever the good Lord decides to bless us again.

40 Weeks - Happy Non-Labor Day!

All About Us

I spoke to my mom this morning and she was disappointed to have logged onto her Internet in anticipation of reading the weekly blog only to have found no updates. I asked her, "How does it feel to expect something on a certain day and not get it?" Not that I didn't do the blog yesterday to spite anyone, but I honestly just didn't feel up to it. This Labor Day is turning out to be not so much of a picnic. And yes, I'm whiny and grumpy and all the other adjectives you can come up with to describe a woman who has gone past her due date. I know, I know I can hear what's going through all of your heads right now, "It's only been a day past," and "She'll come when she's ready." Believe me, I have heard it all. Just take a step back and think of something that you have been looking forward to for 40 weeks - 4o WEEKS - and then it does not happen. It's extremely disappointing, isn't it? And let us add into the mix the constant pain and pressure, the utter exhaustion, and the emotional roller-coaster. Jason and I were convinced that this little girl was going to be in our arms early and instead she will be late. Jason asked me if I had a feeling that she would come this week and I said I honestly do not know anymore. All of my instincts and feelings have been wrong this entire pregnancy - I didn't think I was pregnant at first, I thought for sure Lidia was a boy, and I thought she would arrive early. I hope my mothering instincts are a lot better than these instincts have been.

I think the most frustrating part of this whole thing is that there is no straight answer to anything regarding the time-frame of labor. I have researched the Internet high and low on typical pregnancies and labor. While there is a set standard, there are many variations. Yes, 50% of women go past their due date, but why? Why do 50% of women deliver before their due date? There is no answer to that. And of the 50% that go after their due date, how long after do they go? Does labor happen naturally or do most of these women end up getting induced? Which is better, to induce at 41 weeks or to go to past that point? There are so many unanswered questions out there, which is why I can only put my faith in the good Lord above. I can only pray furiously that this baby will arrive before our scheduled induction on September 13th. This scheduled induction is another factor that has got us in a frenzy. Many women are induced - my mom was with me, Jason's mom was. It's not that I don't want to be induced but it seems like a week is too soon. Jason and I may talk our doctor into giving Lidia a couple more days. My body has been able to house and nurture this healthy, amazing baby so far, I just feel like we're giving up on it by inducing so early. Don't get me wrong, I am ready to meet my baby girl! But if we are going to play God here and pick her birthday, I'd rather give her and my body more time to make it happen naturally. Then, if it doesn't happen, juice me up with as much Pitocin as needed.

And yes, the Pitocin would completely ruin our plan of an unmedicated birth so I will be disappointed. I told Jason that I want to be able to say that I did everything humanly possible in this pregnancy, labor, and delivery to produce a healthy baby. I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to our babies - just look at how I am with our dogs! So of course nothing less should be expected of me when it comes to our own baby. This plan of ours has a little bit to do with us and everything to do with Lidia. If a doctor could tell us that in no way, shape, or form would the medication affect our baby, we would be all for it. Bring on the Pitocin and Epidural, please! But that cannot be guaranteed, so here we stand in ambivalence land.

So, Jason and I will both return to work tomorrow and go on as we have been for the past 40 weeks. Just know that we will not be completely 100% happy until this little one is safely in our arms.

You're Done Cooking!

Hey pretty lady, the timer went off yesterday, didn't you hear it? It's time for you to come out! Yes, mommy is a bit grumpy lately but it is certainly not your fault and I do not hold it against you. Mommy has been doing all kinds of things to urge you out, but for some reason mommy's body is not catching on. Right now it is so cute - you are moving all around and Ava has her head on my tummy just sleeping away, despite being jostled by you. You are going to be the most amazing baby, your daddy and I just know it. It is obvious that mommy cannot wait to meet you, since I am the one who writes the blog every week. But your daddy is just as excited. Everyday he talks to you and tells you how much he loves you and how he cannot wait to hold and kiss you. I want you to know that you are the topic of most of our discussions and we daydream about you all day long. I think that is what makes this waiting game so hard - because we are just so gosh darn anxious to see your beautiful face! We have got the cutest outfit planned for your first trip home. One thing I know for sure is that you will be the most stylish little baby around!

Well, now is the time for your daddy and I to take our 3 mile journey filled with hills to hopefully get you in the right position. If it's one thing I'm sure of, we will definitely be seeing you next week, if not sooner! We love you baby girl!

39 Weeks and No Baby Yet!

All About Us


This week has been one of the most normal weeks we have had to date. Jason and I kept busy at our respective jobs and spent most every night going on our 2 mile walk. We had a very successful doctors appointment in which we found out I have gained 29 pounds so far in this pregnancy. The normal range is 25-30 pounds, so I am pretty content. Let's hope that there is no more weight gain in these last days! Also, we found out that my blood pressure is slightly elevated, which is completely normal for this stage in pregnancy. I am a little more closer to being 2 cm dilated and I am now 50% effaced. The doctor stated that I had a "perfect" pelvis, so hopefully that means Lidia will just slide out of me like a torpedo! She also commented on my great skin and said I must have good genes to not have gotten any stretch marks. I am extremely surprised by this because I feel like my skin has been stretched to the ultimate max and I certainly haven't been doing anything to prevent stretch marks. Score one for me for avoidance of annoying pregnancy symptoms! It is getting extremely hard for me to walk these days, especially since I over-did it yesterday with a 3 mile walk and a day full of cleaning. I almost cried each time I had to get up and walk. I have been holding onto Jason's arm so tightly lately that I think he is going to have bruises before this is all said and done! I had deemed today a bed rest day, but after talking to my sister, I felt that the best thing I could do for me and Lidia was to keep moving. So Jason and I decided to check out the new outlet mall in Cincinnati which was so totally awesome. If anyone would like to come down and visit, I would LOVE to take you to these new outlets - they have everything! I especially enjoyed the Polo store where they had the cutest little Polo outfits for babies. Lidia will definitely be getting some once she is here!




And how could we forget to mention our baby boy's 4th birthday? He sure enjoyed his jr. hamburger cake!





As you can tell, we are just patiently waiting for our little lady to arrive. We are trying to live as normal a life as possible so we do not get overly anxious. Throughout pregnancy, many statistics were thrown my way. As I near the end of this pregnancy, I am hoping not to be in the 50% that deliver after their due date and in the 20% that need to be induced. So to avoid these two statistics, Jason and I have been doing everything under the sun. From walking, to massaging pressure points, to eating pineapple and spicy foods, and to some unmentionable things, we are all for urging the labor process on. I really hope to not be writing a 40 weeks blog next week, but as the date gets closer I am having my doubts. I have had every single labor sign that a woman could have, minus the painful contractions. And until those lovely baby-movers arrive, we are stuck here in pregnancy land indefinitely. A frustrating time, but through this frustration I have thought of another list. The top 10 things I will miss about pregnancy and the top 10 things I will not miss.


The Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Pregnancy


10. Having the excuse, "I'm pregnant" work for about anything I don't want to or can't do.
9. Having an excuse to eat ice cream everyday (and I do, just ask Jason).
8. Having an excuse to eat anything I want.
7. Wasting away parts of my work day with coworkers that want to talk babies and pregnancy.
6. Wearing my cute maternity clothes - I think they are much cuter than my non-pregnancy clothes!
5. Going to the doctor - I really enjoy those check-ups!
4. Sleeping as much as I want to.
3. Feeling Lidia move.
2. Getting daily massages from my hubby
1. Having everyday be "Bring your child to work day"


The Top 10 Things I Will NOT Miss About Being Pregnant

10. Constipation.
9. The aches and pains.
8. The constant weight gain.
7. People constantly asking me baby questions.
6. People constantly giving me their opinions without being asked.
5. Not being able to indulge in an adult beverage every now and then.
4. Not being able to lay on my back or stomach.
3. Having to seriously think about everything I am putting into my body.
2. Constantly worrying about Lidia since I cannot see or hear her.
1. Not being able to run!



Baby Come Out!


Hi sweet Lidia. There is not much going on with you as far as development is concerned. Of course, your brain is growing as rapidly as ever. Your weight gain has begun to slow and you shouldn't have any languo (fuzzy hair all over your body) or vernix (a cheesy coating that kept your skin safe from the amniotic fluid) left on your body when you arrive. Speaking of your arrival, your daddy and I just cannot wait for you to get here! I just read where there is a chemical in your brain that will actually set off the hormones in my body that trigger labor. You must just really love it in that cozy place- I don't think you have plans of leaving the Uterine Hotel anytime soon. We want a happy baby, so come as you please my dear. Just know we will be waiting with open, loving arms when you finally decide to arrive!

38 Weeks - Surprise!

All About Us - Turn up your volume for this video:)

I am very surprised to be writing this blog tonight. Last night around this time, I was for sure that Lidia was trying to make her debut into this world. Jason and I decided to use one of our last Saturdays as just the two of us as a date night. We had the whole night planned - movie, dinner, and a Girl Scout cookie blizzard from Dairy Queen. The movie we chose was The Hangover - very crude, but very funny. During the movie, I was getting the traditional Braxton-Hicks contractions that I have had since about week 20 of this pregnancy. I thought nothing of them until they started coming more furiously. At around 6:30, I decided to start timing them. They were lasting about a minute long and coming at various frequencies, but never more than 5 minutes apart. I alerted Jason of the contractions and his eyes showed a little bit of panic. I reassured him that I was OK for the time being. I decided to wait until after the movie and then assess the situation. The contractions were still coming steady after the movie, so we decided to go home. After sitting at home for another hour with the contractions not easing up, it started to get extremely real to us that we could be having a baby in the next couple of hours. So we went upstairs to make sure our bag was packed with everything we needed. I called my parents to put them on alert and Jason called his sister Terri to put her on alert. So we sat and waited for the contractions to start hurting, but they never did. We were so excited and really couldn't believe that this could actually be it - our baby girl was about to be in our arms!

About 3 hours into it, I decided to call the doctor. I thought if it was false labor, the contractions would have subsided by then and they wouldn't have been so timeable. The doctor called me back and is quoted as saying, "Your message is cracking me up!" She said I was way too calm for a woman who was in labor. I had let her know in the message that I was not in pain, but the contractions were coming at regular intervals for quite some time. She said that until they get painful and until I'm no longer able to talk through them, then I didn't need to think about coming to the hospital. She said it could be 12 hours to many days until I went into active labor. She instructed me to get some sleep and that's exactly what I tried to do. After 5 straight hours of consistent contractions, I went to bed. I didn't necessarily wake up to them in the night, but I did wake up a lot due to a lower back ache. This morning I could tell that the contractions had subsided. Throughout the day today they have still been coming, but with frequency with which I am familiar. At mass today, Jason asked me if I was feeling OK and I frowned and said "Yes, but I wish I was feeling miserable." Needless to say, Lidia is not ready for this world quite yet. We will keep praying for her speedy arrival, as well as continuing our 2 mile daily walks to guide her into position. We will continue to live our lives as normal. After all, it's up to God when Lidia will arrive...which will hopefully be soon!

Playing Games

You seem to be unfazed with all the squishing mommy's uterus has been putting you through in the past 24 hours. You are still moving like crazy and playing your games with mommy's ribs and bladder. You will be happy to know that mommy and daddy finished our 7 weeks of childbirth classes this past week, so we are totally prepared for you to come now. At our last doctor's appointment, the dr. informed us that there was no change in your progression into this world - mommy is still 1 1/2 cm dilated and 25% effaced. If we make it to Thursday's appointment, I have a feeling we might see a little more progress due to all the activity this weekend.

According to all the books, you are about 7 pounds now, which contradicts what one doctor has predicted - that you will only be around 7 pounds if you are to make it to 40 weeks. You do seem like a pretty small baby, which I don't quite understand because I have always done well to feed you. It could be because mommy has been quite active during this pregnancy, which supposedly leads to smaller babies. The smaller, the better to push you out my dear!

Well, Lidia, we may see you soon or we may not see you for another 2 weeks. No matter when it will be, it will still be the absolute best day of our lives. We love you!

37 Weeks = Full Term Baby!

All About Us


As we near the end of this journey, I have a need to look back on everything that we have been through. There have been close to 40 blogs written, each documented the many lessons learned. At the start of this pregnancy, I was a blank slate. Having taken many child development classes in the past, no book or lecture could have prepared me for what I was about to go through for the next 9 months. Of the lessons learned, I compiled a list of the 10 most important lessons learned:


10) Not all pregnancy symptoms are by the book. My first clues to being pregnant were menstrual cramps and massive headaches - none of which were on the list of early pregnancy symptoms. Always trust your instincts over what a book may tell you.


9) Always eat. No matter how sick I was in the first trimester, I always ate. Whether it was watermelon, White Cheddar Cheez-Its, or toast, my body needed food. I learned to eat whatever sounded "OK." Even though it didn't make me feel better, I think it at least made it so I didn't feel worse.


8) Don't be afraid to exercise. I was, at first. If you read the books, they will all tell you to exercise, but with certain restrictions. I was healthy, so there was no need for me to exercise with restrictions. I listened to my body and my body said keep going, so go I did. I strongly believe that is why I have been able to stay within a healthy pregnancy weight gain (we all know I haven't been shy with the ice cream and cake (and pizza, and french fries, and..!).


7) Look forward to dates. Having different activities going on throughout my pregnancy helped break up the time so I didn't go absolutely crazy. I would highly recommend planning at least one new activity every week.


6) Don't compare yourself to other pregnant women. Even though my sister is at about the same stage in pregnancy I am, our pregnancies have been very different. You would think sisters would have equal pregnancy symptoms due to the genetic link, but that is not true. My pregnancy is my own - very unique and individual.


5) Don't be afraid to call the doctor. I never wanted to be one of those women whose doctors' office secretaries cringed whenever they heard who was calling. But it was amazing what fears were non-existent when the need to protect my baby came into the picture. I learned to adopt the attitude of "who cares what others think," which in turn gave me piece of mind. While I have only called the doctor's office with questions 5 times during my pregnancy, I may have never if I let my pride get in the way.


4) You don't have to take other people's advice. Becoming pregnant, I realized that many people wanted to become my OB as they dispensed medical advice like they had a M.D. behind their name. From the dental hygienist who told me that I was killing my baby's brain cells by drinking diet pop, to the many people who try to convince me to give birth with medication, I have realized that the only thing they are dispensing is their opinions. People will voice their opinions whether you ask or not. I have learned to smile and nod, except in the case of the dental hygienist. There's only so far I let people go with their opinions. Then it is my responsibility to stick up for myself and my baby.


3) Pamper yourself. Pedicures, massages, shopping sprees. All these were needed to reward myself for being completely selfless for 9 straight months.


2) Eat nutritiously. Yes, I have blizzards and McFlurrys. But, I always make sure I have my daily servings of fruit, vegetables, protein and carbs. It's not just my health I'm worried about - it's my baby's health. Everything I put in my mouth goes to her. So while she may get a sugar rush, she's also getting the good stuff, too. And crazy as it is, I have never been this healthy in my entire life. I have had 1 sickness this entire pregnancy when usually I am sick close to 5 times a year. My parents can affirm that!


1) I wouldn't have had such a smooth pregnancy without my support person. Jason, my husband, has been an absolute angel throughout this entire pregnancy. He has been present for nearly every dr's appointment and every birthing class. He has given me massages just about every single night. He doesn't do everything I ask him to - he senses what I need and does it without me even asking. I truly believe that he has such a pure and holy soul. I have never met anyone as caring and selfless as he. We all know how much I adore this man!

All in all, I believe I have had a very smooth pregnancy. Jason and I have savored every moment - from the very first positive pregnancy test, to the first ultrasound, to our baby bash. This pregnancy has been a life-altering experience for us in more ways than one. My blank slate is now filled with information to bring with me to my next pregnancy...and the one after that...and the one after that:)

Our Little Italian Bun!

You're almost done cookin' baby girl! I cannot believe that we are already at this point where you can be born and considered full-term. We had an amazing doctor's appointment this past week. The Dr. let your daddy and I know that you are very close to making your arrival. Mommy is 1 1/2 cm dilated and 25% effaced. You are still head down, thank God! The doctor estimated that if you were to go to 40 weeks, you wouldn't be more than 7 pounds. This is good news to us, as it means that labor and delivery won't be as difficult. The term no pain, no gain has taken on a whole new meaning for us. I actually want to be completely miserable with labor and delivery - that is how nature intended it! It will make seeing and holding you for the first time that much better.


I am still amazed at how much you are moving and growing. Your lungs are now completely mature. So apparently it is up to you now when you want to arrive. Mommy would prefer you come very soon, but you come when you're ready dear. Mommy is not really happy with the 2 people who voted that you will be a week late. Don't make me wait that long! Your daddy and I are so excited to meet you, we almost can't take it anymore. Until then, we will be here cleaning and biding time. Will there be a 38 Weeks blog next week? It's not so certain anymore!

36 Weeks - The Beginning of the End

All About Us


We have some very exciting news to share - Lidia has a new cousin! Brandon Michael Schneider was born on August 4, weighing in at 5 lbs, 7 oz and measuring 19 inches. Despite his early arrival, Brandon is doing marvelous! Congratulations to the proud parents, Erin & Brian, and big brother Kyle. We hope to see pictures very soon!


The bigger I get, the harder I fall. Yes, I fell again this week. Thankfully, the healing process took 3 days and not 3 weeks, so it obviously wasn't as big of a fall as the first one. It was a bit more embarrassing, being that it happened in front of 50 college students taking an ACT. They all just stared at me and I picked myself up and announced that I was OK. And of course, Lidia was OK. This is beginning to be a common occurrence for her - something that she is used to by now, sadly!


Has it hit us that in 4 weeks or less we will be parents? I don't think it has. We are more than prepared for Lidia's arrival and I have confidence that Jason and I are definitely ready to be parents. But, I just don't think it has hit us yet that we are actually going to be parents in less than 30 days. One thing my confidence is shaky on is the actual labor and delivery itself. I have no doubt that I can handle the level of pain, it's just the duration of the pain that worries me. Jason and I plan on staying at home as long as possible during labor. When I am no longer able to talk or walk through the contractions, that will be a good indication that it's hospital time. We are doing everything in our power to prepare for the labor and delivery, but since it is something we have ever experienced before, it's just so hard to have complete confidence that I will be able to manage without medication. The reality is that 95% of women have medicated births. Its hard to believe that I can be in the 5% that is able to go unmedicated. Please pray for me! The first reading at mass definitely spoke to Jason and I today. Basically, when I think that I have had enough, that I can't take anymore, the Lord just wants me to take a break, drink some water, relax, and then get back to work. That reading will be my inspiration!




Last, but not least, Saturday was dedicated to our babies, Ava and Angelo. It was their favorite day of the year - the Wiener Nationals! This is their 2nd year of running in the race, with many more to come, I'm sure. No, they didn't win their race, but they sure had fun trying. Their Aunt Terri and Uncle Dave came to help with the pictures and the "holding" of Ava, since Jason could only hold Angelo. They sprinted out pretty fast, but slowed down as they got towards the end. It was definitely the hottest, most humid day of the summer, so they were understandably exhausted before we even got to the starting line. Mommy was struggling as well! Being 36 weeks pregnant outside on a heat advisory day for 3 hours is no walk in the park. But we are so happy that we got to give the pups this experience.











Peek-A-Boo, I See You!


Hello my dear! Let me first say that Daddy has obviously been there with us throughout this whole pregnancy. He has been to every single one of our doctor's appointments, even the unscheduled ones, which is probably close to 12 or so. We had another appointment this past Friday and Daddy decided to play golf instead of attend this appointment. There is no need to be upset about this, though, because we got him back in the end! It was very busy at the doctor's office and they had to put me in the ultrasound room. When the doctor walked in, she said, "Well since we are in here, lets take a peak at the baby." I got to see you again! You are doing so fabulously in there - you are in a perfect birth position (head down, of course), your heart is beating strong, and you've got a great amount of amniotic fluid for swimming. I also got to see your beautiful face. It wasn't as clear as our 3D photos of you, but it was just as sweet. I just love you so much! The doctor said that if I happened to go into labor soon, she would not try to stop it. She said if you were born soon, you would be just as healthy and would probably even be able to go home with us. So you can guess how upset your daddy was when he learned what he had missed! He made me tell him every detail about the visit. Something tells me he won't pick golf over us anymore:)


You are almost 100% ready to enter into the real world. You've got about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs left to gain and your lungs have a little more maturing to do. You are moving around as usual in my tummy, which I always enjoy. I am guessing that you haven't dropped yet, but that is to be expected. The pressure that your growing body is putting on my pelvic area is sometimes unbearable - I have to stop and just take deep breaths. The positive thing about this is that I know it is one of the tell-tale signs of the end. And it's not really an end, per say, but the beginning of something extremely remarkable and exciting- the start of our life with you.

35 Weeks of Pure Joy!

All About Us

Well, folks, the end is definitely in sight. Something that signified the closing of this journey was the extremely successful baby bash we had last night. While it was sad that it was missing my siblings, the friends and family that did attend made up for their absence. Everyone who attended deserves a HUGE thank you - many people traveled from afar to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Lidia Louise. And many people spent much of their time, energy, thoughts, and money on making this party one for us to remember forever. Lidia was showered with many presents and many well wishes. We really feel extremely blessed to have such great friends and family who have provided us with so much to make our start with Lidia as smooth and stress-free as possible. Plus, with all the great clothes she has received, she will definitely be one stylin' little lady!

Aside from the fabulous time we had at the baby bash, our week has been filled with surprises and not necessarily good ones. Lidia's other cousin (who is due to arrive around the same time she is) decided to try and get out a little early. Luckily, the doctors were able to stop this from happening and both mommy and baby are resting safely at home. Our prayers were answered yet again! These babies seem to want to race to see who is going to arrive first, but what they don't realize is that this is not a fun game for their mommies and daddies! Listen up babies, you all 3 need to stay in your respective ovns until it is time for you to arrive!

Speaking of misbehaving babies, Lidia decided to scare us this week as well. Tonight as I sit here, Lidia has been moving non-stop for the last 3 hours. Last Thursday and into Friday, Lidia decided to hide out for awhile and not move much at all. This caused me and Jason to be very worried, so off we went to the Doctor's office. They hooked me up to a non-stress test and little Lidia moved about 15 times within 10 minutes. The doctor reassured us that as long as we felt 10 movements within an hour once a day, then our baby is perfectly fine. A little misinformation is what brought us there, but the doctor stated she was glad we came so we could have piece of mind. And what a piece of mind it is to know that our baby is perfectly healthy.

I Dream of Lidia

Wow. 5 more weeks and you will grace us with your presence for the first time. I have been dreaming about you a lot lately - more than I ever have this entire pregnancy. I try to concentrate on other life activities, but it is getting extremely difficult to think of anything but you. I feel so extremely blessed to be carrying the most beautiful baby ever and even more blessed knowing that you were made by two people who are over-the-top in love with one another. Your daddy and I worked all day putting all of your items together. I was so proud to watch him walk along, pushing the stroller and pretending you were in it. As nature puts its finishing touches on you, we are anxiously awaiting your arrival. Goodnight sweetheart, mommy and daddy love you dearly!