I was going to post everything up until this point, but that would take forever and I have to pick up Charlotte from preschool in 15 minutes. So this is just about the hospital stay.
My due date was August 15th, but Ben's schedule was crazy around that time so I joked to my OB (who is one of Ben's bosses that he delivers with a lot) if we could induce a little early when Ben had the weekend off. He agreed =)
So my mom flew out a few days before to hang out and get last minute things finished. We did some shopping, went to the gym, and played with Charlotte before our big day.
This is a few minutes before I hopped in the shower and got going to the hospital.
I thought Charlotte would be a teensy sad, but she was just excited to have one on one time with Grandma. I'm pretty sure she kissed us goodbye then ran off to play.
Last few quality moments of being the only child.
Got to the hospital around 4:30 and hooked up.
A few hours later I was given Cervadil (before Pitocin to help dilate and get things ready).
They said it sometimes put you into labor and started contractions, but not always.
And of course it did to me.
The problem was if they took it out and I was only dilated a little they wouldn't do it again. So I had to stick it out for as long as possible before they checked and I could be given Pitocin and a lovely epidural.
By 10:30 that night (when we turned off the tv and lights to get some sleep) I had the worst contractions until 4:30 in the morning every 1-3 minutes.
Zero sleep.
By the time they took it out and were ready to start me on Pitocin and give me a blessed epidural I was third in line for the anesthesiologist and had to wait almost an hour.
Longest hour. Ever.
Below: feet swelling due to the fluids they were pumping in me.
Below: last shot of the belly.
This jello was divine. Only in a hospital does jello taste so good.
I love my OB. I didn't always. He's one tough brother.
But he's excellent, calm, extremely experienced, and never made us pay for visits due to working with Ben. And sent Jane a present after she was born.
One of our early appointments he asked Ben (who was there) if he was going to deliver our baby. I was totally down with that, but Ben wasn't so sure. He didn't want to "coach" me and have me get angry at him.
Understandable.
So he agreed just to catch her at the end and call it good.
Right as I was ready to push and get it going he asked how I felt about him delivering and I gave him the thumbs up so he suited up with my doctor (below).
It was the coolest thing to see your doctor and your husband-doctor get ready to deliver your baby.
He kind of became a different person. No more jokes and teasing, but a competent and calm doctor.
Okay, he was a little silly still.
And when he saw that she had dark brown hair we high-fived again like with Charlotte.
She was face up so they had to slowly turn her.
My OB started it off, and Ben took over.
He finished turning her and slowly got her out.
I pushed for about 30 minutes.
My OB didn't have me push at the end though, but slowly had Ben help her come out so I wouldn't tear much (sorry if that's TMI).
I only needed 2 stitches so apparently his method works.
She was so looooong, it felt very weird.
Did I mention my epidural had completely faded away?
She seemed smaller, but longer than Charlotte so I thought she'd be a little over 7 lbs.
She was 9lbs 2oz! And 22 inches!
Where did she fit?
I had gained 21 lbs so she sucked up almost half of that.
Crazy.
Ben said that at this point when he had pulled her out and was looking at her it hit him that she was his baby and how amazing the experience was.
I'm thrilled that he got to deliver her.
And he did a really good job at coaching me when I needed it.
He definitely wasn't my husband at that point, but my doctor.
He was calm and reassuring. He would compliment me and encourage me if I was pushing wrong or was getting tired.
He's a pretty amazing doctor if I do say so myself.
I had these two doctors and two nurses and the room was very quiet and calm.
Very different than at Charlotte's birth where 11 people crowded in there.
Unfortunately, I was the only one that could take pictures.
Which means I'm in no pictures at all.
Oh well.
My OB made Ben finish the whole delivery, including the stitching and all that lovely stuff.
When he finally finished and got cleaned up he cuddled with her next to the window.
She looked SO much like Charlotte.
They have the same big eyes, lips, and shape of nose (Jane's is smaller).
She does not have Charlotte and Ben's elf ears.
Her hair is brown but she has a widow's peak in the front that Charlotte doesn't have.
My mom brought Charlotte a few hours later (after they finished going to the movies).
She was very excited and shy at first.
Then she asked where the other baby was.
So let's back up and I'll explain:
When I first told Charlotte I was pregnant (a few wks before I found out the gender) she wanted to be pregnant too. She wanted to have the girl and I was supposed to have a boy.
A few weeks later I told her it was a girl and she wasn't very happy.
She thought I had stolen her baby.
Eventually she came to grips and decided that she would then have the boy. When we told her we decided on the name Jane she said she was going to have Tarzan.
She told everyone that "we" were having two babies: Jane and Tarzan.
So Ben and I ordered a Tarzan baby to give her when she came to visit the hospital.
So after meeting Jane and having her ask where the other baby was... it was perfection.
We had swaddled Tarzan in a matching blanket as Jane and had her in a little bassinet.
Charlotte was thrilled.
With "our" Tarzan baby.
I was feeling SO good at this point.
Like slightly sore from a workout, but great.
But SO TIRED.
After contracting all night with zero sleep then going straight into delivery... I was pooped.
Jane actually let us nap on and off for the next day
This time around was so different than with Charlotte.
I instantly fell in love with Jane. Like overwhelmingly.
It took awhile with Charlotte. My hormones were in a funk and she was harder from the beginning.
With Jane I've gotten emotional maybe 3 or 4 times since coming home.
After my first delivery I cried about anything and everything for a good 6-7 weeks.
Same puffy/swollen face as Charlotte when she was first born.
My amazing nurse Shirley.
I loved her.
She loves Ben so she was excited to help deliver.
She's from the Philippines so she and Ben speak Tagalog whenever they see each other.
(Ben did a 2 year church mission there)
They were kind enough to speak English around me.
She was funny when I needed it, serious when I needed it, and just good/competent at whatever she did.
Sisters.
Love it.
First family picture.
My Aunt Becky sent us flowers! They were beautiful and such a nice surprise.
Ben's Nana from Texas also sent us some as well as my visiting teacher from church.
Going home outfit.
She was so long they became high-waters.
She did not like being put into her car seat for the first time so Ben swung her around and she calmed right down and fell asleep.
And now we're home and Jane is 18 days old.
Time flies.
This adjustment has been soooo much easier than the first time around.
Knock on wood...
She doesn't fuss unless she's hungry or has a gross diaper.
After the first few days she's been waking up once maybe twice a night. I kid you not.
I'll nurse her right before I go to bed (10ish) then she'll wake up around 3 or so in the morning, then around 7 or 8.
She stays awake for the mornings (8-11 or so).
Sleeps the entire afternoon and will wake for food once or twice. Then is awake early evening for a few hours.
She's been slowly giving us smiles and stares straight at you with big eyes as you talk to her.
She loves the swing and will stay awake in it for a good hour or fall asleep and take a long nap in it.
She sort of likes her play mat.
Hates tummy time.
Gives a solid/manly burp after eating.
Is great in the car and on outings.
She's been to a few restaurants, to church, ice cream parlor, movie (Despicable Me 2), Costco, walks everyday to drop off/pick up her sister from preschool, a flea market, the beach (well, we're going tomorrow), and her first out of town experience: Minnesota this weekend.
Let's hope I don't post in a few weeks and she's an absolute horror.
We love love love her.
And have a TON of pictures from her first few weeks home which I'll get around to eventually.
She also had some newborn pictures done which are scrumptious.
