Riley's Birth Story

A week ago Monday morning, I woke up feeling the same as every other morning the past month - optimistic and hopeful that Riley would make her big debut that day.  And every day at about 10AM, I give up that hope.  I know that every pregnancy and labor is different, but my only other experience is with Alli.  With Al, my water broke around 9AM, followed by my first contractions.  I delivered her at 8:38 that same night.  So I couldn't help but expect Riley to follow suit, especially given I had zero contractions and was only 2cm dilated at that point.

So anyway, this Monday I hopped (okay, groaned and rolled) out of bed and made my way to the bathroom.  It was around 7:30AM, and I thought I might have felt my water break.  It wasn't much, but I thought to myself excitedly Maybe today's the day!!  Not that I hadn't thought it several other mornings...but I was pretty anxious to go into labor without an induction, and at 40 weeks and 2 days, time was running out.  So Ryan got up shortly after I did, and I told him that my water might have broken, but I wanted to keep an eye on it.  He went on to work and I laid back down.  Around 8:30AM, I got up again and took a few steps towards the bathroom - but there was no mistaking.  My water had broken!!  I decided to go ahead and make breakfast for Alli and I before I let anyone know.  I knew as soon as I got to the hospital, there'd be no eating.  So I whipped up blueberry muffins and then called Ryan to let him know.  About that time, the contractions started.  They were very mild and hard to time, but they were definitely something.  So I texted my mom and told her I was going to go to the hospital to get checked for my water breaking.  I told her not to head up before I got confirmation, but she said "Your water broke.  You're having contractions.  I'm on my way."

So Lindsey came over to sit with Alli at our house, and Ryan and I headed to the ER.  They tested me for amniotic fluid, which came back positive.  Woohoo - it was baby day!!  Then they began the admission process.  I had one great ER nurse and one that was awful.  She couldn't get my IV in, and when I told her I was woozy about needles, she kept talking about valves and veins.  She also kept telling the other nurse that Riley's heart rate was dropping during my contractions, which the better nurse assured me was normal and because her heart rate came back up afterwards, everything was fine.  Then bad nurse forgot to take my blood, which I found out later had to happen before I got an epidural.  Pretty sure it was her mission in life to make labor and delivery as painful as possible for me - as if I needed help.

Anyway, the labor and delivery nurses came down and wheeled me into my room.  Ryan and I didn't take a hospital tour before delivery, so we were pleasantly surprised to see a huge room with a couch, table and chairs, and a rocking chair.  I was going to labor, deliver, and recover in the same room.  We waited a while on the epidural before we all figured out that they were waiting on bloodwork that hadn't actually been drawn yet.  Talk about frustrated!  My contractions were really picking up at that time.  Finally the bloodwork was complete, but the nurse said that my platelets were low and she wasn't sure if they could even give me an epidural.  I got pretty worried at that time, but the anesthesiologist came in and said they were just high enough that he would feel comfortable proceeding.  He sent in another anesthesiologist to actually put it in, and that's where the story gets painful.  He could not get the epidural in - he tried about five times.  I was in a lot of pain, with tears streaming down my face.  Finally, 45 minutes later, he got it done and I felt the relief.  About that time, my mom, sister, and Alli showed up.   As the epidural kicked in, I had fun chatting with all of them (and my mother in law who showed up a little later).  They checked me again, and I was only 4cm, so I figured we were in for a long haul.

But then, just about 2 hours later, my mom, Alli and mother-in-law went out to get some snacks and the nurses came in to check me.  The student nurse checked first and looked up at the other nurse - "I think she's complete."  The other nurse checked and agreed.  Lindsey hustled out of the room to tell the grandmothers and big sister.  Alli poked her head in one more time to tell me she loved me, and then it was go time!

At that time, Riley was still a little high, so while the room started getting prepped for delivery (think runway lights and a table full of frightening looking tools), they had me push through contractions to get her in position to call the doctor.  Her heart rate started dropping a little, but as soon as my doctor came in, she was fine.  He left again, waiting on her to get into a better position, and the nurse and I worked on getting her lower.  At one point, the nurse commented "She has a head full of hair!!"  And then we pushed one more time, and she said "If I tell you to stop, stop.  She's really close."  So I took a deep breath and pushed while she counted - she only made it to 4 (we'd been going to 10) when she said "Stop! STOP!!" and then called Dr. Hurt in.  He got suited up and we pushed one more time - and baby Riley was born!!

They immediately laid her on my chest and I was SHOCKED at her long dark hair!  Seriously, if they hadn't put her on my chest immediately, I would have thought they had pulled a baby swap on me.  But she was so so gorgeous and so perfect that I couldn't believe it - that's the second time I've had that experience, and there's nothing less special about it the second time.  Ryan cut the cord and then followed the nurse over to where they were cleaning up Riley.  While the doctor worked on me, Ryan was snapping pictures and helping to clean her up - totally not fair.

She weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs, 6 oz. and was 21 inches long - a whole pound and 3/4 inch bigger than her sister.  We've joked that those 6 oz must be hair.  I think my mom almost had a heart attack waiting - Ryan was so caught up in everything that he completely forgot to text her that everyone was okay!  But finally in Alli came to meet her little sissy for the first time, followed by both of her grandmas and her aunt.  Seeing them together for the first time was such a wonderful feeling that I won't forget - and seeing Ryan become a daddy all over again was wonderful too.  It made me so happy that he was able to be a complete part of this pregnancy and birth.  He has proven to me again (as if I needed a reminder) of what a wonderful husband, daddy, and man he is.

Sorry this post is so late - I can't believe she's already eight days old!  We've been adjusting here
at home and trying to get as much sleep as possible, so I'll update again when I have a chance.  I'd forgotten what a full time job mothering a newborn is.  I consider it a victory when I brush my teeth and hair - and a shower?  That's heaven on earth.  But I seriously wouldn't trade it.

Pregnancy Update - 40 Weeks

How far along: 40 weeks - Are we going to have to go to a daily update now?

Size of baby: According to The Bump, Miss Riley is the size of a jackfruit, weighing 6.2 to 9.2 pounds and measuring 18.9 to 20.9 inches long.  I've never seen a jackfruit to my knowledge, FYI.

Maternity clothes: PJ pants, Ryan's shirts, and a Piko when I have to look nice.  Which is almost never.  I'm dressed up above for Alli's 2nd grade awards ceremony.  I thought I'd do my hair for her on her last day of school.

Gender: Obviously a very patient girl who is very happy where she is right now.

Movement:  Still crazy at night and pretty calm during the day.  I had an NST this week because of my blood pressure and my being concerned about her movement that day.  Turns out, all she needed was a little goading from the monitors being hooked up to her.  She passed with flying colors.

Sleep: Sleep has been fine.  We've had storms and rain the past few nights, and that hasn't hurt anything.

Symptoms: Heartburn, swelling, back pain.  I was a little crampy last night, so let's hope that means something is happening!

What I miss: Fluidly getting up and down.  Every time I roll over it's a three point turn.  I need help out of chairs, couches, and off the floor.  And coffee.  And wine.  Still.

Cravings: Sweets - Riley's additional "birthday cake" is almost gone.  She's going to miss it like she missed last week's if she doesn't get a move on!

Food aversions: Not much.  I love it all.

Best moment this week: Alli's 2nd grade awards ceremony and knowing Riley was fine after the NST.

What I am looking forward to: Riley's arrival.  The doctor won't let me go much past 41 weeks, which is this coming Thursday, so at least we know we'll have her within a week's time.  I really don't want to be induced though, so I am really hoping that she decides to debut soon!!

Second Grade Wrap-Up

Today was Alli's last day of second grade - I can't believe it!  It was seriously just yesterday that I was taking her to kindergarten, and now she's 3/5 of the way through her elementary years (they go K-4th here).  Tear.

Here she is before she left for school this AM - can you believe how tall?  Good grief, I can't find pants long enough for her.

 She had her awards ceremony this morning, and she got a certificate for completing second grade and being on the Principal's Honor Roll (All A's all year).  Ryan and I were bursting with pride - she's so very smart!

I love how she's scoping out her awards in the picture below.

And here she is with her second grade teacher Mrs. Fritsche.  We absolutely loved her - Ryan and I commented to each other a few nights ago what an easy year this has been.  Mrs. Fritsche really appreciated Alli for who she was all year long, and that made for smooth sailing.

After that, I checked her out of school and we ate lunch at McDonald's to celebrate.  Then we ran a few errands (I've started my maternity leave today on doc's orders.  Miss Riley was due yesterday but still hasn't decided to show up...sigh) and got our nails done.  I got my toes done last week, but I reupped the manicure this week since our newest princess didn't come for the last one.  She better hurry!  Alli opted for orange with sparkles, and now she's totally ready to kick off her summer in style.

Here are a few quick notes on who Alli is right this minute - you guys know that as soon as you blink, they change.  So I just want to remember her personality right now on her last day as a second grader!

• Favorite Color:  Most definitely orange.  It used to be pink and purple, but I am pretty sure Mikey the Ninja Turtle has convinced her that orange is by far the best on the color spectrum.
• Favorite TV Show:  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles all the way.  She's obsessed!
• Favorite Food:  Still chicken nuggets/chicken patties.  But she's also eating lots of apples and her old standby, cottage cheese.  She drinks orange juice with every single meal - pizza, porkchops, spaghetti.
• Favorite Game:  Yahtzee!  She finally gets it and has actually beaten Ryan and I a few times. I love our little family game nights around the kitchen table getting excited about rolling dice.
• Favorite Video Game:  She and Ryan are fighting their way through every single Lego game on the Xbox.  I believe Batman is complete, and they've moved on to Lord of the Rings.  We're holding out hope a Ninja Turtle one comes out soon.
• Current Extracurriculars:  She loves soccer and horseback riding right now.  She's expressed some interest in karate and has mentioned taking gymnastics again once or twice, but she really loves her some soccer.  
• Second Grade Best Friends:  Nicole, Nadia, Addison, and Samantha.
• What She's Most Looking Forward to This Summer:  By far the birth of her baby sister.  But also the beach, lots of pool time, and all of her summer camps that Mama has signed her up for to keep her from being bored at home with a newborn.

It's so hard to believe we started this school year in a different house with just us, and now we're in our new house (which already feels like we've lived here forever, we love it so much) and another sweet little girl due any day now.  Any day now.  Come on, baby, get a move on!

Horse Crazy and Crazy Horses

I didn't update last week, but when we showed up for Alli's riding lesson last Sunday, a surprise awaited us.  Athena, one of the big beautiful mares at the barn, had her little filly just 12 hours before we showed up!  I won't even start in with the fact that she was due in early June and managed to have her baby a few weeks early and was up and asking for her grain a few hours later...

Isn't she adorable?  They are still working on her barn name, but her show name is Forever Young.  I'm seriously obsessed with her, and so jealous of the time Alli is going to get to spend with her at horse camp in 2 weeks!

So fast forward a week, and Alli had a horse show this past Sunday.  Alli loves the horse shows.  They aren't serious A shows, they are just supposed to be fun, easy shows for less experienced riders (or less experienced horses) to get the whole show atmosphere - traveling to a new barn, meeting new people and ponies, riding in a different ring.  Sunday was extremely windy, which isn't a good mix with a flight animal like a horse, and they moved the show to an outside pasture.  I commented to Ryan before Alli even entered the ring that I didn't like the whole feeling.  I preferred her in the nice, structured indoor ring at this barn, especially given the wind.

And then, it happened.  Three horses in the pasture next to the outdoor ring took off bucking and running, and Alli's little pony Tater Tot decided he would join them.  One big buck, and Alli hung on, but the second one sent her over his head.  He then tore around the "ring" while 39 weeks pregnant Mama beat everyone else out to the middle of the field to check on Alli.  She was snubbing a little bit and rubbing her shoulder with tears in her eyes, but all the while she watched Tater Tot ripping around the arena, bucking and snorting.  It was a little scary for a minute, he got tangled in his reins.  But he finally stopped and shook his head - like "What's everyone freaking out about?"

I was most worried about Alli.  Once I confirmed that she wasn't hurt (thank goodness Tater is such a shorty) and that he hadn't stepped on her, I was so afraid her confidence was going to be shaken.  Fortunately, Miss Diane (the owner of Alli's barn) and Miss Sally (Alli's trainer) knew exactly what to do.  Diane insisted that the show move to the indoor ring, and Sally took Alli over to the round pen to watch her lunge Tater to get all of his kinks out.  Then an older rider hopped on him and rode him around the indoor ring.

My little girl was pretty quiet through the whole thing, just watching everything unfold and rubbing that shoulder, but when the time came, she mounted back up and took charge of that little pony once again. I seriously was bursting with pride.  There was zero hesitation.  She was confident, she was successful (two firsts and two seconds!), and she wasn't afraid at all.

So we welcomed her to the "Real Rider" club - which means you have to fall to be a true horsewoman.  I asked her to ask Miss Sally how many times she had fallen off and she said "This month?"  Then we loaded Alli up, who was her usual chatty self, and she joked about how Tater had told the other ponies "You think that's bucking?? Watch this!!" when he threw her off.  And then we talked about how sorry he looked, especially after he got lunged and then had a 120 lb person on his back instead of little 50 lb Alli.  I could not be prouder of her - I had been so afraid that the first fall would be the one that ruined this whole wonderful riding experience.  But she took it in stride...literally.  That's my girl!!

Needless to say, she also got a few treats for her bravery, including some new pool toys.  We are absolutely loving being a block away from our neighborhood pool.  We've been there all three days it's been open.  It's really going to be a great summer!

Pregnancy Update - 39 Weeks

How far along: 39 weeks - I'm laughing but I'm dying of anticipation.

Size of baby: According to The Bump, Miss Riley is the size of a watermelon, weighing 6.2 to 9.2 pounds and measuring 18.9 to 20.9 inches long.  These foods just keep sounding more and more painful.

Maternity clothes: It's my own version of maternity - Pikos, stretchy pants, Ryan's soft t-shirts, and reindeer pajama pants.

Gender: A sweet but obviously very stubborn girl named Riley Rachelle

Movement:  This girl is cray.  Every night around 8PM and then again at 10PM (and then again at 12AM...) she gets totally wild.  Like rolling, kicking, and punching all over the place!  If you're running out of room, Riley, I have a solution for you...

Sleep: Sleep is okay.  I've been staying up late over this holiday weekend watching movies.  I know I need to sleep while I can, but I am so impatient for her to show up that I have to have something keep my mind off of it!

Symptoms: Heartburn, swelling, some back pain - nothing new, just the usual.

What I miss: Laying out at the pool on my stomach and fitting into my swimsuits.  That's been a new challenge this Memorial Day weekend.  Also having a jaw line, having outfits I can wear for any occasion, and wine.  And coffee.

Cravings: Sweets - I baked a yellow cake with chocolate icing and called it Riley's birthday cake.  She did not seem to be motivated by it, because it's long gone.  I just made another one last night.  Maybe this one will make it until her birth?

Food aversions: I pretty much love all food right now.  I hate it when something gives me heartburn, but I just load up on the Tums.

Best moment this week: Alli's horse show - watching her overcome the adversity she faced was incredible (more on that in the next post).  And spending all of this three day weekend with my little family of three - at the pool, at the barn, playing Yahtzee.  Maybe Riley was giving me one more weekend to savor total focus on Alli.  

What I am looking forward to: She's registered for daycare.  Her newborn photoshoot is scheduled.  Her clothes are washed.  Come on, Riley!!

Advice from Alli

Last week as I'm brushing Alli's hair, I told her how beautiful it was.  It's so shiny and soft and the prettiest shade of coppery red.  She smiled sweetly and said, "When are you going to do your hair pretty again like mine?"

I put the brush down and looked at her in the mirror.  "I mean I like it right now, Mama, but I mean when is it going to be pretty again like mine?"

So apparently headbands and messy ponytails aren't pretty?  We've got a long way to go, kid.  It's going to be a really long summer if you don't like my hair like this.

Unconditional love - they don't care what my hair looks like!

Pregnancy Update - 37 Weeks

How far along: 37 weeks

Size of baby: According to The Bump, Miss Riley is the size of a winter melon (??), weighing 6.2 to 9.2 pounds and measuring 18.9 to 20.9 inches long

Maternity clothes: If Pikos, stretchy pants, pj pants, and Ryan's shirts are maternity clothes, then yes.  This week, Alli asked me in front of her teachers if I was wearing the same shirt I wore to bed the night before.  The answer was yes.

Gender: Still a sweet girl named Riley Rachelle

Movement:  Still lots of strong jabs.  She's far more active in the evenings than during the day, but I mostly have her little patterns figured out, so I try not to worry about it too much.  I did find out at our last appointment that she's head down, so I have pushed her little hiney out of my ribs more than once!

Sleep: Sleep is off and on.  I'm having a lot of cray cray dreams (Dad coaching the Razorbacks, my childhood pony Hopper is stuck at the old house, I'm at a rodeo...), and I have to get up a lot to go to the bathroom.  And I'm snoring.  Isn't that terrible?  I actually woke myself up snoring the other day.

Symptoms: Swollen feet and ankles (I went in to work Friday for my review and to see my coworkers, and I came home to stumps!), some back aches and cramps.

What I miss: Sound sleep - I guess I better get used to it!  Margaritas - went to a happy hour with the coworkers Friday and sipped water on the patio.  And wine & coffee, coffee & wine.

Cravings: Sweets - Alli, Ryan, and I are making s'mores later at Alli's request, and I can barely contain myself.

Food aversions: Not much - I am still not interested in red meat and am having to avoid red sauces, which includes pizza and my beloved Mama Z's.  I think that's what I'll have for my post-birth meal.  Ryan, are you listening?

Best moment this week: We got to see Riley again this week.  I asked if he could tell if she was head down, and he decided to do a quick ultrasound.  Her little face was all smooshed, so I know she's running out of room.  But it's always so fun to see her.  And my mother's day (see previous post) was pretty rad as well.

What I am looking forward to: RILEY.  She's all that's missing now!!