mim + martin

Birth Story

2012-02-10T15:25:00.011-05:00

It's been three months and kind of ridiculous that I'm posting the story now--but all the details are still seared into my memory and I want to get them down on record before they fade. I'm writing it one handed as this sweet baby prefers her naps in my arms lately-- a sweet reminder that the story has a good ending.

I went in to labor on Friday, October 28, six days past my due date. We had a non-stress test and ultrasound scheduled at the hospital that morning and the nurse confirmed that the light cramps I was feeling were in fact contractions 5 minutes apart. I gleefully putzed around, packing my bag and making pumpkin bars until the evening when the contractions started getting more uncomfortable. I barely slept that night.

The next morning, we were welcomed to the season's first wet snowfall. I spent the day at home watching the snow fall from my bed and pacing the apartment dealing with steady contractions. By that evening, it took a lot of focus to get through each one and I was feeling exhausted. We had until midnight to make it to the birthing center at St. Lukes-Roosevelt and we decided to make a run for it at 11pm.

The midwife examined me and I was only dilated to a two! Ugh, what disappointment. She gave us a few options and we decided to pace the hospital halls for a couple hours in hopes that I might dilate more quickly. Thank goodness it was the middle of the night, because I was making some crazy noises in that empty cafeteria. Contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes and lasting for about 1 1/2 minutes each.

But I didn't make any more progress in those grueling hours and I was more exhausted than ever. Hoping that Martin might actually get some sleep if we went home, we made the sad drive back to our apt at 4am.

I took a hot shower and a couple Benedryl per the midwife's recommendation. Desperate for some sleep, I remember dozing for a couple minutes between super intense contractions. By 9am, I was at my wits end and we finally headed back to the hospital at 11am.

Thankfully, I was up to a 4 by then and we decided to break my water to really get things moving. Oh boy. The sheer exhaustion and even harder contractions sent me over the edge. I begged for an epidural and was apparently quite bossy about it. What absolute relief, though.

Of course the epidural necessitated pitocen and the bad cycle I dreaded began. After being stuck at 8 centimeters for 4+ hours, the baby showing signs of distress (slow heart rate and meconium), a swelling cervix, and a mysterious fever that I developed...the midwife started talking c-section. I felt like I was dreaming, I was so tired and was almost past the point of caring. I just wanted that baby out of me and in my arms!

As the OBGYN started wheeling me into surgery, though, I started to panic at what was happening. In all my natural birth reading, I had not mentally prepared for surgery at all. It started badly when I could feel them begin to cut through my abdomen and I yelped. They whisked Martin out of the room and had to administer more anesthesia. Beyond exhausted, I just tried to focus on breathing and not fainting during the surgery. But I really felt surrounded by angels--Martin held one hand and my midwife held my head in her hands while stroking my hair. When they finally got right down to Eliza, the surgeon started yelling "She's huge!" They needed an extra hand from the midwife to hoist her out of me. I was surprised by the immediate relief--It really did feel like I gave birth to her.

It seemed like ages before we heard her first cry. Martin was able to watch them weigh and clean her and then they brought her right over to me. Love at first sight!

I fell asleep while they stitched me back up and as I nursed her in the recovery room. I think that was the most sleep I would get in one stretch while at the hospital.

We had a few visitors while we were there. Greg, Chip, and Matt stopped by on separate days.

Martin helped me waddle down the long hallways to stretch my swollen legs. Those four days in the hospital still seem like an eternity in my memory, but on Thursday, November 3, we finally were able to go home as a little family of three.

(Crazy to see how swollen I still was in these pics!)

Thanksgiving Blessing

2011-11-28T15:02:00.001-05:00

We had a million things to be thankful for this year and family claimed a top spot on the list. We were excited to welcome the Harwoods up for the week and introduce Eliza to Aunt Elizabeth, Nonna and Nonno. (What do you think? We're still trying those grandparent names on for size.) It was so fun to watch them dote on our little princess and find her just as charming as we do.

Greg hosted a delicious Thanksgiving feast and we all took turns dancing, singing, and bouncing with little E. It's amazing what joy a little baby can inspire.

On Sunday, we blessed Eliza. I was thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa Rich could come out for the occasion. We felt incredibly blessed, loved, and supported to be surrounded by so much family for such a special day. Martin offered a beautiful prayer, blessing Eliza Minnie with a thankful heart, faith in Christ, and a desire to improve the world around her. She's already been blessed with an awesome dad, who is sure to quiz her on tree names and football stats. Watch out.

Greg again generously hosted a little party afterword for all our family. His apartment was full of our nieces and nephews running down the long hallway and playing with his awesome collection of fun wood toys. It was eerie to think how quickly Eliza will grow to be their ages before we know it. The day ended too soon and we said hurried goodbyes to everyone as they went there separate ways back home. Thank goodness for skype and airplanes.

Flying too Fast

2011-11-17T21:03:00.003-05:00

The past several weeks have been a whirlwind of family time celebrating our newest addition. Grandma Rich was our first visitor a week after Eliza was born and she blessedly swooped in to scrub the tub, treat us to Costco, and hold, cuddle, comfort and love my baby and me. She was full of wisdom and wonderful perspective, reminding me with each crying fit "this won't last forever!" Those words have been echoing in my head as I've watched Eliza continue to grow and change so much every day.

After being holed up at the hospital and then at home for several days, it was really nice to feel my strength come back and be up to a few outings. My first day out the door, I really could only go as far as the museum two blocks away. But, over the next few days, I ventured to the farmers market, the pediatrician, and a few walks around the neighborhood.

Saying goodbye to Mom was made easier knowing we'd see her again in a few more days for Eliza's baby blessing and saying hello to Emily who stepped right in to practice her baby soothing magic. She was wonderfully helpful and it was so, so fun to have some good sister time. I am in absolute awe that she somehow manages 4 little cherubs of her own and was kind enough to come all this way to help me out with just my one. I can't believe we didn't get any pics except for this silly one of her hiding behind Eliza!

Happy First Week Eliza!

2011-11-07T21:36:00.001-05:00

One week ago today this little girl made her first appearance. Her cousin Charlie had been asking nonstop when she was going to "pop out of my tummy." Well, we got the best kind of Halloween treat...and trick--she really did pop right out of my belly. It wasn't the birth I had planned, but 3 cheers for modern medicine. I'm happy this girl showed up safe and sound.

She was quite the kicker in utero and she's kept up the habit. We've been impressed by the strength of her little frog legs.

After four days in the hospital, we got home on Thursday and time has both flown by and stood completely still. It's been so magical to settle in together as a family, get to know Eliza, and figure out our roles as parents.

Some of our discoveries:

She gets really sweaty when she cozies up to sleep
She loves to suck loudly on her hands
She has a nice set of lungs and likes to use them
She refuses to transfer from sleeping on us to her crib
She can punch and karate chop her way out of the best swaddle
She likes to be danced with and sung to
She creases up her nose and furrows her brow hard when she wails
She sleeps for either 5 seconds or 3 1/2 hours--almost no in between

But, more than anything, we're blown away by how hard we've fallen for her. She's the sweetest most beautiful babe.

Close Encounters of the Baby Kind

2011-10-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

Martin and I have started watching The X-Files on Instant Netflix. I don't think this is helping my recent insomnia. Last night we made our own entertainment by scratching my itchy belly and then watching the alien inside do insane acrobatics--a trick we've learned over the last few months. Maybe the scratching echoes loudly through that amniotic fluid or tickles her somehow, but it usually wakes her up and promptly makes us laugh. We're going to be great parents.

Anyway, in the middle of her karate chops and stretching my tummy to it's outer-most limits, we heard a distinct SNAP! We both looked at each other in horror. The sound definitely had not come from me. Martin started exclaiming "she's broken a bone!" And I couldn't help nervously laughing uncontrollably until we heard another POP! Like any expectant parents caught unawares in the middle of the night, we started feverishly googling "baby makes alien communication through womb" and "what does baby clicking noise mean?" We were comforted to find that there are actually several pregnancy blog threads that address the phenomenon, but no answers. Cue spooky music.

Ticking Baby Bomb

2011-10-21T09:04:00.004-04:00

My belly grows bigger and bigger every day and we're waiting with anticipation for it to explode. We're at T minus one day to due date. But, I must admit, I've been enjoying this last week before Miss Baby arrives. I'm now on maternity leave and I've been taking naps, eating cookies, finishing projects, and blissing out on free time before my life changes forever.

Martin came with me to see our midwife yesterday and she declared I've dilated to 1cm, which felt like a worthy accomplishment until I did a little googling and concluded that means nothing. We're hoping (with crossed fingers, toes, knees and elbows) to have this baby at the St. Luke's-Roosevelt birthing center. They sold us on their tour of private rooms, queen size beds, jacuzzis, and Laura Ashley decor. But, they also happen to be insanely strict about any possible pregnancy risk factor and won't let you deliver more than 6 days past due date. So we've stocked up on Evening Primrose Oil and spicy Thai food and I've made an appointment for an acupressure massage tomorrow. Bring it, baby!

The past nine months have been full to the brim of baby prep and Martin has been a champ at managing most of it. We repainted our little apartment, renovated our bathroom and kitchen, and somewhat decluttered by shoving junk into a storage unit. Friends and family have generously loaned essential baby accoutrements--including this co-sleeper bassinet. I know it's impractical, but I've loved dressing it with handmade quilts from grandmas, blankets from great aunts and filling it with snuggly toys from friends. Fine, I'll follow guidelines and empty it of all but slumbering infant when the time comes, but for now it feels like a little shrine to baby love.

Mollye

2010-01-05T12:43:00.012-05:00

For about 6 months Mim and I have talked about adopting a kitten. When it comes to pets, I've always liked cats because they're independent and self grooming. Mim wanted a cat because we're not going to get a dog right now (although we've been offered a Weimaraner puppy). So we finally we decided that when we got back from Christmas vacation, we'd adopt a kitten from a shelter. Turns out, adopting a kitten in New York City takes quite a bit of work! First, you have to find a shelter/non-profit/foster owner that will allow you to adopt one kitten. Most owners want you to take in two kittens so they have a playmate. Second, adopting a kitten in New York City requires multiple forms and applications. One form is to be accepted as a candidate to adopt and another form to adopt. Third, adopting a kitten in New York City requires multiple interviews. For us it was two phone interviews and an interview in person to meet the kitten.

After several phone calls, email inquiries, forms and interviews, we finally found a foster owner that would let us adopt Molly, a beautiful grey and white striped kitten that is 5 months old. We're going to meet her tonight at 8. Cross your fingers that everything works out!