Someday...

I will post about the whole labor ordeal

and share what life is like with a new little baby

and actually take a shower.

But it may not be anytime soon, because for now we are just surviving day to day while we all figure each other out. Being a mom is rough some days. Good thing he is so cute.

New Birthday Coming Up!!!

Mark your calendars...Baby Boy Hedin is scheduled to arrive this coming Monday, October 10th!!

I went in for a simple blood pressure check yesterday (which was barely in the normal range) and my doctor happened to be available to chat after. The chat turned into an exam (still only dilated 1.5) and serious conference about how it is a greater risk for me to stay pregnant at this point (due to my crazy blood pressure fluctuations) than it is for the baby to be born.

At one point in this conference I heard him say..."we could induce you today..." and panic set in. I really want to give my body all the chances I can to get the baby here when it is ready. Inducing me could cause stress to the baby and increases the possibility of a c-section. Both of those possibilities scare me.

I guess the risk to my own body of developing pre-clampsia should be very scary to me too. Logically I can see the reason to be induced, but psychologically I want to fight it. In my desperation I found myself saying dumb things like, "But, we have an appointment scheduled for Tuesday...don't you want to have an appointment on Tuesday?" 

In the end the doctor and I came to a compromise. We both felt ok about holding off until Monday  (no later) so that the baby had one last chance over this weekend to come on his own.

And do you know what? I think the baby must understand my desperation. Yesterday a few hours after I got home, I think I finally felt some contractions for the first time. Today, I've also had a few. Maybe sometime this weekend they will become regular and we can beat the scheduled birthday. Here's to hoping!

A Long Morning at the Doctors Office

Today's appointment was interesting. The doctor informed me I was 75% effaced, but I was still not dilated. He decided he would help that out with a very uncomfortable examination. He stripped membranes and somehow by the end of the exam had me dilated to 1.5. He seemed very pleased with himself and said, "that should help things get started!" I was just grateful that he was done and thought I would be released.

The excitement didn't end there however. My blood pressure once again was a little high, so they set me up in a room with a couple monitors on my tummy measuring the baby's heartbeat and movement. It seemed like I was there forever but it was probably only 10 or 15 minutes. Honestly, I didn't mind the wait. There is something reassuring about hearing the heartbeat so consistent and for so long.

The baby readily passed the heart rate test, but wasn't cooperating with the movement side of things. (I knew he wouldn't be, because he always is pretty sleepy in the mornings.) I kept telling the concerned doctors and nurses that he really moves a lot, they just have to be around from ten o'clock to midnight to get the exciting show.  They buzzed him with sound waves a couple times which made him not so happy, but got the achieved result of a few kicks. Eventually the little guy decided to wake up on his own and was wiggling around enough to please the doctor.

Next stop, ultrasound to measure fluids around the baby. Again we passed the test. I asked the doctor if he could give me an estimate on weight. Since he so successfully "got things started" I wanted to know what I was in for when this little guy decides to make his entrance.

Ideally the baby holds still at this point so measurements can be taken easily. Instead the doctor spent the next ten minutes chasing him around because he was wiggling so much and sending very accurate kicks at the ultrasound wand. (revenge for being so rudely buzzed awake) The doctor laughed about his "lack of movement" worries a few minutes earlier and said that we had a "very healthy ( estimated 7 pounds 6 oz) baby" on our hands.

Now the question is, when will he decide to make his grand entrance?

Halloween Memories

I was scanning pictures today and came across this jewel. Since we have officially entered October I thought it was fitting.Technically not my memory since I wasn't even born yet, but still I think this is one of my favorite family pictures.

My five older brothers all dressed up for Halloween. Jared and Michael apparently both went with the classic Davy Crockett costume...the other three...well I have no idea what they are supposed to be. I do like John's bat mask though.