Today marks Day 6 of being home with Bianca. Overall, I think we have all been transitioning very well. Our Little One hasn't settled into a regular eating/sleeping routine yet, but in general, she is a very good baby. Sunday night was a bit rough; she didn't want to sleep at all (which, in turn, means Mommy couldn't sleep, either), but every other night, she has slept quite well. She has been getting up every 3 hours or so to eat and be changed, but she falls back asleep pretty quickly. Even though I am tired, I feel much more rested than I anticipated.

Just as I suspected, Harry has been absolutely wonderful with her. He never hesitates to hold, feed, or change her, especially when I need a break. I just love watching them together. The two of them are my world, and my heart feels like bursting with joy when I take in the sights of our new family.

I literally can stare at our daughter for hours at a time. She is just so precious. She makes so many cute faces. My favorite ones are when she forms her mouth in the shape of an O and when she smiles. I also love it when she is upset, but not really crying. She makes a "waah" sound that is just adorable.

Bianca had her first doctor's appointment yesterday. She appears to be a very healthy baby. She has already surpassed her birth weight, weighing 7 lbs 11 oz. (She was 7 lbs 3 oz when she was discharged from the hospital.) She had a PKU test done, which I think was harder on me than it was on her. I hated hearing her cry and not being able to comfort her while they squeezed the blood out of her foot. Of course, I had a few tears of my own before it was all over. She goes back for her one-month check-up on October 15th.

Unfortunately, I am unable to breastfeed her. I knew when I had my reduction that could be a possibility, but I was hoping to beat the odds, as most literature says "Breast is Best." We tried our best for three days, including a supplementing system, but we quickly found out that she was dehydrated. My body just wasn't producing enough colostrum. To this day, my milk still has not come in, so I feel better about the decision to start bottle feeding. I know the formula is giving her the nutrition she needs to stay healthy.

My recovery from the c-section is coming along slowly. My incision is still pretty sore. I was prescribed Percocet to help with the pain but I didn't like the way it was making me feel, so I stopped taking it. I think I got a case of the "Baby Blues" yesterday. I was extra weepy. Luckily, I feel much better today.

In other news, Harry and I settled on our house on Friday. We will be officially moving on Saturday, but he and Kris have already started taking boxes over. The painters started this past Saturday. They have done an amazing job. The house looks great. The only room left to finish is Harry's basement. His new toy - his projection system and 100" screen - was installed yesterday. We watched a bit of it yesterday, and I must say, it is pretty incredible.

Without further ado, here are some recent pictures of our Little Miracle:

Bianca is Here!!

We are finally home from the hospital, and I am overjoyed! I am a bit tired, and I don't have the energy to write much, but here is the brief version of our Miracle's birth story.

I went into the hospital Sunday night around 8:00. I was still only 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Instead of repeating the gels, they inserted a medicine called Cervadil for 12 hours. I was checked after that time period, and I had only made it to 1.5 cm and 90% effaced. Dr. London broke my water and started me on Pitocin at that point. I labored until around 8:00 PM. When she checked me again, I had made it to 5 cm dilated.

There was an issue with Bianca's heart rate, though. It was extremely low, and at times, Dr. London couldn't find the rate at all. Dr. London tried to push her head out of the birth canal and back into my uterus, and the heart rate went up just a little. She said that it was bad news because that meant the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. Because the baby was in distress, I had to have an emergency c-section. I was a bit nervous because once they ordered the stat operation, the room filled with people, I was given an oxygen mask, my mother was crying, and I was being rushed into the operating room.

It all ended up wonderfully, though. Bianca Ruth Martin was born Monday, September 14th at 8:39 PM. She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20.5 inches long. She looks just like her Daddy! She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen!

Induction, Take 2

In just a few minutes, Harry and I will be heading to the hospital to try our luck at a second inducement. I feel confident that this time will be successful, and the next time I post a blog, I will be announcing the birth of our beautiful daughter. We appreciate everyone's prayers and well wishes. Hopefully all that positive energy will lead to a relatively event-free, healthy birth. Stay tuned for details!!

Induction = FAIL

Harry and I just got home from the hospital....without our Little Miracle in tow. We had been in the hospital for 23 hours, and I had made only minimal progress. At last check, I was only 1 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Instead of trying to force Bianca out before she was ready, my doctor and midwife decided it was better for me to go home. Luckily, Harry and I had come to the same decision on our own when we heard the options, so we are at peace. We will try the process again on Sunday night...which happens to be our anniversary.

And this little diversion from our original plan means that I can go to our pre-settlement walk through tomorrow. I am very excited about that!!

Today is the Day!

There are just over 12 hours to go before we check into the hospital. Surprisingly, I don't feel anxious at all. I feel extremely calm and at peace.

Harry is sleeping. He will be going to school late today in order to get some extra rest before the long journey that awaits us.

Last night was our final night at home as a childless married couple. I feel so blessed to have a husband who gave me all the extra love and attention I needed without having to ask. He is simply wonderful.

The next time we come back home, we will have our daughter with us. We are so excited to finally meet our precious little girl.

I can't wait to see her for the first time. I can't wait to see who she will look like. I can't wait to feel her in my arms. I can't wait to stare at her in awe, wondering how this perfect little being could come from me. I can't wait to see Harry hold her for the first time. Thinking about all of this is making my heart overflow with joy.

Truthfully, I didn't want an induced labor. I had hoped that my body would start the process on its own. But I am willing to do whatever it takes to get her out safely. I was also able to prepare for tonight in a way I wouldn't have been able to if I hadn't have known when she was coming.

All in all, I am ready. I'm not scared like I thought I'd be. I am confident and relaxed. Sometime tomorrow I will meet my baby girl, and I will be able to look Heaven in the face. I honestly can't wait!!

It's Labor Day....But No Signs of Labor!!

We're still patiently waiting for Bianca's arrival. Not much progress has been made, though. Yesterday, Mom and I went to Defender's Day at Ft. Howard. Mom said that the loud noises from the guns and cannons during the battle reenactment might scare her out. Good thought; however, our Little Miracle wasn't phased a bit. She must be a really good sleeper because she didn't even flinch once! My sister said she is just too comfortable and has no interest in coming out yet. But there are only two more days to go before our scheduled induction. We will be meeting her soon enough!

Still Pregnant

For my faithful few who regularly read this blog, I just wanted to post a quick note saying that I'm still pregnant. Guess the full moon didn't work after all!

Happy Due Date!

September 3rd has finally arrived....but it looks like Bianca wants to stay put in Mommy's belly a little longer. I went to the doctor's this morning. I am still only 1 cm dilated, and my cervix isn't very soft. The doctor tried to strip my membranes, but she said that it is difficult to do at 1 cm. I'm not sure if it worked or not. Kris said I should start feeling contractions if it worked, but I haven't really felt anything since I've left the office other than soreness.

If I don't go into labor on my own before then, I have been scheduled for an induction on Wednesday night at 8 PM. Most likley, I would deliver sometime on Thursday, September 10th. That means at the very latest, we will have a baby in seven days!

September 1st Has Come and Gone

Yesterday, my Grandma Ruth celebrated her 85th birthday. There were quite a few of us curious to see if Bianca would decide to make her arrival on such a momentous occasion, but alas, the day has come and gone and she is still tucked safely away inside my belly.

Another reason I was hoping that Bianca would be born yesterday (or before) is because of school. The new law says that children have to be 5 by September 1st in order to go to kindergarten. And the same rules apply to Pre-K. She would have to be 3 by September 1st in order to get into Pre-K 3. Now that that deadline has passed, our daughter will be 4 by the time she starts Pre-K 3. It doesn't seem like this fact should be a big deal, but when you have two parents who were particulary bright and successful when it came to school, it sort of feels like a low blow. Harry says that in a few years the law might change again, so I am holding onto that hope. And if we start working with her early, there's always the possibility that she could test out of a particular grade, and she can get back on track with the kids her age. (But let's be honest - I really shouldn't be worrying about any of that right now!)

This week I have been feeling pretty crappy. I am more tired than usual, my stomach and head have been aching, and I've been nauseous. It feels like the first trimester all over again! Luckily, Mom has been driving me to work every day, so I haven't had to worry about concentrating on the road in that condition. (Thanks, Mom!)

Friday is going to be my last day in the office. I will still be working up until the point I go into labor; however, my boss has agreed to let me work from home next week. I am definitely feeling good about that decision.

I am scheduled to go to court next Wednesday. Bianca either needs to come out ASAP so I can start the healing process, or she needs to wait until Wednesday night before taking any action. Either way, I really don't want this case getting pushed back again. It's already been rescheduled twice, and the accident occurred over a year ago. I am SO ready for it to be resolved. It would be one less thing to worry about.

On a more pleasant topic, I want to wish a big congratulations to Andrea and Steve. They welcomed their baby girl Natalie into the world on Friday night. I saw a picture of her today, and she is the most gorgeous baby! Seeing her precious face made me ache for my own daughter. I really can't wait to meet her!