Friday, January 21, 2011

The wait is over!!!

As most of you know by now, our sweet son was born last week.

Cohen Alexander Miranda
January 13, 2011
8 pounds, 12.4 ounces
20 inches long

He is 100% precious. He is more than we ever imagined. We don't understand how something so perfect could have come from us. He amazes us everyday. He changes everyday. I'm already sad (and happy...I guess...) to see how much he's grown/changed since his birth.

This was me as we were leaving for the hospital for my induction on January 12, 2011.
LAST photo as a family of two!

I'll write a birth story later, but we got induced on January 12th. Cohen was born at 11:00 am on January 13th.
All 8 pounds, 12.4 ounces of him!!
Thank you Dr. Rosenbaum!!

A little of our first week:

Granna and Pop loving on their first grand baby.
Proud Uncle Josh :)
Daddy with his Cohen!
Mommy with Baby at last!
First sponge bath--not his favorite... :(
Tuckered out... sweet baby..
8 days old! He looks so different to me!

How am I able to even do this post, you wonder? My mom, Cohen's Granna, is here for a couple days helping out. Hector is making dinner and I'm doing a quick blog. And now I have to go...duty calls!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Well, here we go!!

Hector and I had our 39 week, 4 day check up today..or should I say yesterday? It was Tuesday.

After another nearly sleepless night last night, I was having the horrible pain again in my right upper quadrant (sorry, that is the easiest way to describe where the pain is located..). The medicine she gave me last week helps, but this morning it was NOT. So, the drive to the doctor's office was unbearable. They got me right in, like usual. I weighed a grand total of 166 pounds, making my total weight gain 26 pounds, I believe. Blood pressure holding steady at 110/80. So far, so good. Then my doctor walks in. She takes one look at my face and says, "You look awful." :( Am I that transparent? I said, "Well, I feel awful." {"Well, you look it..."  "Well, I feel it Momma...!" Hope Floats, anyone?} She asked about the pain and I admitted to her that it was the worst it's ever been today. She said, "I wanted to talk about an induction for you." Answered prayer! I replied, "I wanted to talk to you about an induction!" She explained that the gall stone pain would only get worse the longer we let Cohen hang out in there. And she's even further convinced that it really is gall stones since the medicine she prescribed was helping. So, she listened to Cohen's heartbeat--still normal and good. She tried to feel him from the outside just to estimate his weight.. Get this, she couldn't even feel him because I was having a huge contraction! It went on like this for about 30 seconds. Then she felt him after the uterus relaxed and guessed he'd be 7.5-8 pounds. Then she checked my cervix: 2cm dilated, 75% effaced and he's at -1 station. Early labor, she tells me. (!!!!) Why do I not pick up on these things?? She told me she would just have me come back that night to start the induction, but that L&D was solid full. So she left the room and made a call, and came back and said, "Wednesday night at 7pm." {picture me thrilled!} They re-drew my blood to check the same labs we've been concerned about. And we were done.

So, leaving the office, we felt so surreal! We're having a baby in the next day or two! The worst (ok, maybe not the worst..) part of pregnancy has been not knowing when he'll come. I'm sure some people thrive on this 'not-knowing,' but I do NOT. I like to have a plan.

We started calling and texting friends and family to let them know our update... Everyone is so excited! Jackie and Patrick of our foundation group decided to have a last-minute, see-the-belly-one-final-time dinner for us at their house. They are amazing! They picked up a variety of foods from Chili's and we all just hung out. This was great for me because I was able to see the girls, some of whom I haven't seen since December 4th! We got to chat, talk about fears, gush with excitement and anticipate Cohen's arrival. It was great. The boys played ping pong and darts.
Patrick made a "Happy Birthday Cohen" banner :)
Also, I don't like this picture much, I. look. like. a. whale.

Ok, this one, I love!

There's a running joke in our group that whoever visits us last in the hospital will probably wind up pregnant next, or already is. All because last April, Hector and I were the last to visit Tyler and Sallie in the hospital when Maggie was born, and we were technically already pregnant when she was born. So, they'll all be racing to the hospital on Thursday to escape the curse blessing. ;) But I know a couple of these ladies who wouldn't really mind if it was them!

After the dinner wound down, we came on home. And I laid on the couch for just a second, and somehow slept for an hour and a half! So I woke up at 11:30 pm and was renewed! I cleaned the stove and microwave and counters in the kitchen, helped Hector with our mounds of dishes, washed/dried/changed our sheets, repacked my hospital bag, started more laundry, went through Cohen's bag one last time... I understand what they mean about the burst of energy you get at the end! And Hallelujah, It's the END!! I hope I'm able to sleep tonight when I lay down..eventually.. It's already nearly 2 am! My friend Natalie suggested I get in one more blog before my sweetheart arrives. Thanks for the motivation, Natty!

And I have NO idea what we'll do all day tomorrow! Unless my water breaks sometime during the day or contractions get hard and fast, I guess we'll stay busy, loading the car, last showers, maybe bake some cookies to take with us? Our last day as a family of two. Bittersweet.. but mostly sweet. :)

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Eventful.

This week has been different for me.. I have had four nights off, I go back tonight. Back tonight for my last three shifts, might I also add.. :)

Interesting fact?
I went to Labor & Delivery on Monday. As you all know, I've been complaining of this horrible pain in my right upper abdomen for a few weeks now, and it's just getting worse. I figured Cohen was just kicking me repeatedly in some organ and it was just insanely sore. But then on Sunday night, I barely slept an hour. The pain was horrible, no position change helped, no amount of pillows helped. So, Monday morning I decided to call my doctor and get her advice. To my great surprise, she told me to check into L&D because it could be my gallbladder or pre-eclampsia. Well, my blood pressure has been beautiful this whole pregnancy, so I was pretty certain it wasn't pre-eclampsia. And on our way to the hospital, I convinced myself that it was definitely gall stones. :( Symptoms include: intense pain after meals (especially fatty meals), bad reflux, pain near my stomach and liver that radiates to my back, near my right shoulder blade. I had all of these.

We took everything. I didn't know what they would be doing! I thought, if it's my gallbladder, they may want to get Cohen out today... again, I didn't know. We left our bags in the car, so we wouldn't look foolish if it was a quick trip. They were expecting me, got me into a room right away, hooked me up to fetal monitors, took blood, etc. I loved watching the fetal monitor! Sweet Cohen's heart beat hanging out at 130 then jumping to 150 (accelerations) then back down to 130 again. The nurse said, "Have you been having any contractions?" Sadly, I replied, "No." She said, "Well, you're having one right now..." Me, "Really??!?" Nurse, "Yes, you don't feel that??" And she showed Hector and me how to recognize contractions on the monitor. It was so neat. Now that she pointed it out, I could recognize a different feeling when I was having a contraction. They were not painful, just my uterus practicing for the real thing.

My doctor wanted an ultrasound of my gallbladder and liver, so they took me downstairs to get one. The tech was great, and after getting her necessary pictures of the organs, asked me if I wanted a peak at Cohen. "Ummm...Yes?!?" So she gave me a mini show of my little boy. He was "looking" right at me. :) Then I went back upstairs with Hector and got re-attached to the monitors. I actually fell asleep for about 45 minutes, and was awakened when the nurse opened the door to tell me I could leave. The ultrasound had looked OK and most labs were normal, except lipase. So that was it... L&D for 3 hours and no Cohen. I was more than disappointed. My doctor simply advised me to keep my appointment with her the following day.

So, Tuesday, we had our check-up. Still 1 cm dilated, about 50% effaced, however, Cohen is now at -1 station, instead of -3 station. He's moving on down!! She said my cervix is ready to go, we're just waiting on those elusive contractions to start. I gained one pound since last week.. Blood pressure still good. My doctor did inform me that she thinks I have gall stones though, because of that high lab result. She said ultrasound is not the best way to find stones, that CT or MRI are the best ways, which of course I can't do while pregnant. So..YAY! Gall stones to take care of after Cohen is here. :( But, she did give me a little medicine that doesn't shrink stones, but helps with the smooth muscle and sphincters and stuff, to make it less painful, and it has helped! I am so glad, too.. Because sitting hurt, standing hurt, laying down hurt... And now it's bearable! So we're just waiting now. I need some labor dust over here please!

Today I've been cleaning and picking up. If we do head back to the hospital, I don't wanna come home to a pig sty. So, yes, my last three shifts at work begin tonight. Hector will be driving me from now on, so that I don't go into labor on the highway and so that he can get up to the hospital if I go into labor at work. :) I can not stand not knowing when he'll be here!! I want him now! Spicy foods-not helping. Pineapple-not helping. Long walks-not helping. Cleaning-not helping. I hope working will throw me into labor.

While I've been writing this, our very smart downstairs neighbor decided to light a fire in her fireplace (it's like 60 degrees outside....) and NOT open the flew. So, yes. Her apartment filled with smoke, smoke detectors were going off.. which I thankfully heard and became aware of. MY apartment filled with smoke-smell. :( It's gross. I've turned off all the heat/air for now... it's just nasty. I hope this smell goes away soon. Hector was gone working out, and before I knew it was just smoke, I was FRANTIC trying to think of the best way to lug all of our valuables and Cohen's things outside..with a 9 month belly. :) Very thankful it wasn't a fire down there.
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