A friend of mine invited me to a craft fair and told me that a girlfriend of hers was going to be there with her son. My friend said that she wanted me to meet her other friend because she was pregnant and her husband had just deployed. I thought, "YESSSSSS, finally someone close that will know how I am feeling!" We met up at the craft fair and Kathryn and I got along great. She told me about her husband and I told her about mine. We got each other's phone numbers and decided we would get together soon. In this time of Facebook of course we friended each other. As I was looking at her pictures I thought her husband looked like someone I had met at Ft. McCoy in October of 2010. So I asked her if he had been up there. She checked and he had been. I met her husband while I was visiting mine while he was in a class. My husband and another guy in his unit had to go up there for a movement class and the other guy in his unit saw his other friend so they started all hanging out. When I went to visit we all decided to go out in town. My hubby's friend and this other guy decided they wanted to ride a mechanical bull. It turned out to be one of the funniest things I had ever seen. This guy sat and talked to me while the other two went out to smoke. He told me about his wife and his son and that they lived in Florida. Of course I had to ask where, and he told me. I thought that it was great that he lived just about an hour away from my family. He said that we should come visit so I could meet his wife.
Well...only a year later, and I met his wife. We have hung out a few times and it has been great! I am so thankful to have someone close that knows what is going on and what I have been going through.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Vacation Part 2
I guess I have BEEN uber busy lately and haven't had much time to blog. So here is the rest of our vacation.
We spent a few days with my dad and step-mom then went to my inlaws. While we were at my inlaws we went to get some professional pictures taken of myself and our son. AE Photography did an AMAZING job! They are part of Op: Love ReUnited. It is a program that allows deployed military families to get some pictures taken free of charge. The first time we went did not go well. Our butthead son decided he would NOT crack a smile. The photographer allowed us to come back another day. We left my inlaws and went to some of our best friend's house. We had a blast there. (I'm kinda guessing Karen and Chad enjoyed us there too!) We got pictures taken and finally our son decided he wanted to smile and laugh while we were there. We ended up with some GREAT pictures. Truth be told, one will be put on canvas and given to my husband for Christmas. We then went back to my dad's house. We went over to my friend's house in Chicago. We had so much fun. One of her daughters (she has twins) is IN LOVE with our son! Still to this day she says, "BABY!" when I call. Then my friend came back over to Iowa with me. My dad was having a wine tasting at his house and I knew that 95% of the people there were going to be military. And even though it was a house full of strangers for my friend I know that she felt so close to all of them. I'll never forget her coming up to me with watery eyes saying, "I never thought it would feel so good to hear someone else say, 'When my husband was deployed...'" I have been around most of these people before so it was great to see them again and show off our little boy. You can always tell which ones are the grandmas because they want to hold babies. Needless to say, our son got passed around quite a bit that night.
The rest of our trip was pretty quiet. After 3 weeks of being away from home I was ready to be back in nice warm weather. Our return flights were great. Our little boy is quite the traveler.
We spent a few days with my dad and step-mom then went to my inlaws. While we were at my inlaws we went to get some professional pictures taken of myself and our son. AE Photography did an AMAZING job! They are part of Op: Love ReUnited. It is a program that allows deployed military families to get some pictures taken free of charge. The first time we went did not go well. Our butthead son decided he would NOT crack a smile. The photographer allowed us to come back another day. We left my inlaws and went to some of our best friend's house. We had a blast there. (I'm kinda guessing Karen and Chad enjoyed us there too!) We got pictures taken and finally our son decided he wanted to smile and laugh while we were there. We ended up with some GREAT pictures. Truth be told, one will be put on canvas and given to my husband for Christmas. We then went back to my dad's house. We went over to my friend's house in Chicago. We had so much fun. One of her daughters (she has twins) is IN LOVE with our son! Still to this day she says, "BABY!" when I call. Then my friend came back over to Iowa with me. My dad was having a wine tasting at his house and I knew that 95% of the people there were going to be military. And even though it was a house full of strangers for my friend I know that she felt so close to all of them. I'll never forget her coming up to me with watery eyes saying, "I never thought it would feel so good to hear someone else say, 'When my husband was deployed...'" I have been around most of these people before so it was great to see them again and show off our little boy. You can always tell which ones are the grandmas because they want to hold babies. Needless to say, our son got passed around quite a bit that night.
The rest of our trip was pretty quiet. After 3 weeks of being away from home I was ready to be back in nice warm weather. Our return flights were great. Our little boy is quite the traveler.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
VACATION! part 1
Traveling always gives me a bit of anxiety. Traveling for the first time with Trace, alone, gives me MUCH more anxiety. At least, it did. Mom took us to the airport and once we got there, checked in, and got our bags checked we headed to the restaurant in the airport. This gave me a chance to eat and a last chance to feed Trace so he wouldn't be hungry on the flight. Got that all done then we started to go through security. I decided to put him in the front pack for the trip. Tip #1- DO NOT put your child in the front pack until AFTER you go through security. You will have to take them out of it so the front pack can go through the xray. My experience went like this...put my 2 bags on the belt, kick off my shoes, literally, take Trace out of the front pack (one handed so the other could hold onto him), walk through security, TRY to put on the front pack while not putting Trace down, put shoes back on (not flip flops either), then grab both bags. Apparently after doing all of this I had impressed the TSA people because 2 of them came up to me and thought that I had done it all before. HA!
We boarded the first flight to Atlanta. packed flight and OF COURSE Trace (my fat boy) got hungry about half way into the flight. I decided, as to not offend anyone, I would stand up in the back of the plane to feed him. Those of you that breast feed might understand the troubles of feeding while standing. Mind you, Trace really is a heavy kid already almost 15 lbs at that point. It worked out pretty well actually. The flight attendant was great. When she realized how much trouble I was having putting my boob pad back in she closed the rear curtain so I could let it all hang out. Trace was a happy camper the rest of the flight. Got to Atlanta, went straight to our gate, figured I'd feed him again before we boarded so he wouldn't want to eat again. HA! Got onto our flight, which was a small plane. I set Trace in the seat so I could put one of the bags up top. Trace proceeded to fall over (into the seat of course). The couple in front of me had a 7 month old boy, so the dad offered to hold Trace while I put the bag up. Took off and about 45 minutes later Trace decided that he was hungry AGAIN! I fed him in the seat this time (I was sitting by ONLY females so it wasn't so much of an issue this time). After eating he decided to let out some seriously smelly poop! So I had to change him. Tip #2- The bigger planes have a changing table in the rest room, find out which rest room has it! The smaller planes, DO NOT have a changing table. So, in the small bathroom I closed the toilet seat, wiped it off with good wipes, laid the changing pad down, and changed him. (You try doing that in a plane bathroom while there is turbulence!) I had to put everything back into the diaper bag, so I asked the woman sitting next to me (must have been in her mid to late 70's) to hold Trace for a second. I have never seen a stranger's eyes light up so much! Trace had a great time with this woman, he smiled and talked to her the ENTIRE time. She told me that we had just made her whole trip.
We got to Moline and I could breathe a wonderful sigh of relief because we just made it through out first plane ride together! Trace did not mind taking off or landing. And when strangers continued to tell me what a great baby he was I figured that it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
We boarded the first flight to Atlanta. packed flight and OF COURSE Trace (my fat boy) got hungry about half way into the flight. I decided, as to not offend anyone, I would stand up in the back of the plane to feed him. Those of you that breast feed might understand the troubles of feeding while standing. Mind you, Trace really is a heavy kid already almost 15 lbs at that point. It worked out pretty well actually. The flight attendant was great. When she realized how much trouble I was having putting my boob pad back in she closed the rear curtain so I could let it all hang out. Trace was a happy camper the rest of the flight. Got to Atlanta, went straight to our gate, figured I'd feed him again before we boarded so he wouldn't want to eat again. HA! Got onto our flight, which was a small plane. I set Trace in the seat so I could put one of the bags up top. Trace proceeded to fall over (into the seat of course). The couple in front of me had a 7 month old boy, so the dad offered to hold Trace while I put the bag up. Took off and about 45 minutes later Trace decided that he was hungry AGAIN! I fed him in the seat this time (I was sitting by ONLY females so it wasn't so much of an issue this time). After eating he decided to let out some seriously smelly poop! So I had to change him. Tip #2- The bigger planes have a changing table in the rest room, find out which rest room has it! The smaller planes, DO NOT have a changing table. So, in the small bathroom I closed the toilet seat, wiped it off with good wipes, laid the changing pad down, and changed him. (You try doing that in a plane bathroom while there is turbulence!) I had to put everything back into the diaper bag, so I asked the woman sitting next to me (must have been in her mid to late 70's) to hold Trace for a second. I have never seen a stranger's eyes light up so much! Trace had a great time with this woman, he smiled and talked to her the ENTIRE time. She told me that we had just made her whole trip.
We got to Moline and I could breathe a wonderful sigh of relief because we just made it through out first plane ride together! Trace did not mind taking off or landing. And when strangers continued to tell me what a great baby he was I figured that it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Almost Vacation time...Almost
I still have 3 weeks before Trace and I go up to Iowa but I have been packing for a week now. I got a new bag, I haven't checked a bag in over 10 years, so this was a must. I ordered a padded bag for the car seat and a bag for the stroller. And I got a nursing cover, because I'm sure the people at the Atlanta airport or on my flights don't really want to see my boobs. I HAD to make a packing list because knowing me, without the list I would pack and repack more than 30 times in a month. With my packing list I know what I have packed and I don't have to worry about forgetting something that I really need. I know that I am over packing for both Trace and myself. But you try packing for your first trip with your son and have the trip be 3 weeks to half way across the country!
Now I am very much looking forward to this trip, but my first thought when I bought the tickets for 3 weeks was, "What am I going to do without seeing my mom for 3 whole weeks?" Yes, I am 27 years old and a mother, but I have not spent this much time with my mom in 9 years! We spend every day together. When I leave the house she is with me and most of the time when she leaves the house Trace and I are with her. (Its nice having a built in friend that I can do EVERYTHING with). In Iowa the plan is to spend a few days with my dad and Glenda. Katie and the girls are going to come over and spend some quality time with us too! Then I will be going to a wedding with the Simonson side of the family and I will be going to spend about a week with Bob and Carol. I can't wait for Cory and Nate to meet their nephew. I REALLY can't wait to see Marsha and Heather, (I miss you girls!). Then I'll go back to my dad's house and spend some time with my Grandma, she will get to meet her other Great grandson.
The three weeks are going to fly by I'm sure. I can't wait to get up to Iowa and see some of my friends as well. If anyone can think of stuff that is a MUST for our first trip PLEASE let me know!!!! And any advice for plane travel (nursing on the plane/carrying EVERYTHING through an airport/etc) with an almost 3 month old is welcome.
Now I am very much looking forward to this trip, but my first thought when I bought the tickets for 3 weeks was, "What am I going to do without seeing my mom for 3 whole weeks?" Yes, I am 27 years old and a mother, but I have not spent this much time with my mom in 9 years! We spend every day together. When I leave the house she is with me and most of the time when she leaves the house Trace and I are with her. (Its nice having a built in friend that I can do EVERYTHING with). In Iowa the plan is to spend a few days with my dad and Glenda. Katie and the girls are going to come over and spend some quality time with us too! Then I will be going to a wedding with the Simonson side of the family and I will be going to spend about a week with Bob and Carol. I can't wait for Cory and Nate to meet their nephew. I REALLY can't wait to see Marsha and Heather, (I miss you girls!). Then I'll go back to my dad's house and spend some time with my Grandma, she will get to meet her other Great grandson.
The three weeks are going to fly by I'm sure. I can't wait to get up to Iowa and see some of my friends as well. If anyone can think of stuff that is a MUST for our first trip PLEASE let me know!!!! And any advice for plane travel (nursing on the plane/carrying EVERYTHING through an airport/etc) with an almost 3 month old is welcome.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Our relationship...LONG sorry!
I've been missing my husband a little bit more than usual lately. I've got pictures of us all over our room and a few of them are from the first 2 months of knowing each other. I love telling people the story of our first few weeks together, so for those of you that don't know it, here ya go.
He was stationed up at Ft. McCoy in Wisconsin, as was my cousin. I was living in Iowa at the time and had gotten out of a HORRIBLE relationship a few months prior. I had finally decided that I was going on be on my own for awhile and did not want anything to do with guys. My cousin was getting promoted and wanted my dad to pin him. (My dad is a retired Colonel in the Army). My dad didn't really want to make the 3 hour drive up there, pin him, then drive 3 hours back alone, so my cousin called me and asked me to go. My cousin had been trying to set me up with a guy for probably 4 months at this point and I kept saying, "No, I don't think so." I ended up going up with my dad for the promotion. We got on post and went to the OPFOR building because behind it is where the promotion would take place. As dad and I were sitting in the main part of the building there were a few soldiers walking around. I spotted one and my first thought was, "Holy crap, he is HOT!" My second thought was, "I sure hope that is the guy that I'm suppose to be meeting." And my third thought was, "If its not the guy I will be meeting him anyways because that is the guy that I am going to marry." (Apparently while I was checking him out he noticed. Which he told me after.) The promotion happened and my dad offered to take my cousin, his girlfriend (at the time), and this guy out to lunch. I got into the car with dad and then saw who the guy was that was going with us. Imagine my excitement when it was THAT guy! We went all out and went to Taco Bell. HAHA, but the guys only had about 45 minutes for lunch. We get there, order, and as I am getting something to drink my cousin introduces us. Now, how am I suppose to get to know this guy while my dad is sitting next to him and across from me? Needless to say we didn't talk at all. My dad and I ended up leaving to go back home and my future husband went back to work without a word. Thankfully he lived just 30 short minutes from me and had planned on coming home that weekend. My cousin went with him and I invited them to come eat supper at the restaurant I worked at. They came down as I was getting off of work and we all ate together. He invited me up to his house to drink and hang out so I went with them. We all stayed up til 6am and he never really said anything to me. In fact, I thought his other friend liked me because I spent most of the night talking to him.
I woke up at 8am because I couldn't sleep any longer and I walked around his house. I was nosey and wanted to check out his medals, coins, and the rest of his Army room/office. Finally about 10am when no one was awake still I decided that I wanted to wake my future husband up and talk to him. So, I opened his door and lightly rocked the opposite side of the bed. He woke up and we sat there talking for 2 hours. I had to go to work and since I didn't have my car there he had to take me back home. The next night he invited me back up to go out with some more of his friends. I drove up and met them at a bar. I also met his ENTIRE family! (Day 2 of knowing each other and we had both met parents). We had a good time again and I finally realized that he did like me! The next night we went out in Rock Island. It was at this point that he told my cousin, "If I had to wait 28 years to meet her it was all worth it." Pretty sure that's when I fell in love with him. After my cousin had told me this and I confirmed it with him he said, "So, I really like you and I don't want to date anyone else, sound good?" I said, "Sounds great!" We stayed at my parents house that night then got up and went to the John Deere Classic the next day. It was so great spending 3 full days with him, but he had to go back up to work. And he was off. He told me that he wanted me to come visit him when I had some time off of work. I was lucky enough to have 3 days off the next week so I went to visit him. I spent all three days relaxing in his room while he worked. The second night there we finally went on out "first date". All of the rest of the time we had been together my cousin was right there with us. I had to go back home and really didn't want to. We decided that I would go visit him whenever I had at least 2 days off, so I made sure once a week my schedule let me do that, and he would come home on weekends when he didn't have to work.
We did this until September then he asked me to move into his house. I didn't even have to think about it, and I was a Maquoketa resident. We spent the next year driving back and forth to McCoy and Maquoketa to see each other. I swear I can make that drive with my eyes closed. Those 6 hour round trips were so worth it. There were even a few times that he would make the drive just so he could have supper with me.
We moved fast in our relationship, but I knew from day one that I would marry him. Now here we are 25 months after we met, we are married and have a son! I couldn't be happier (other than having him home of course). I love my husband more than life itself and couldn't imagine my life without him. I love you BOO!
He was stationed up at Ft. McCoy in Wisconsin, as was my cousin. I was living in Iowa at the time and had gotten out of a HORRIBLE relationship a few months prior. I had finally decided that I was going on be on my own for awhile and did not want anything to do with guys. My cousin was getting promoted and wanted my dad to pin him. (My dad is a retired Colonel in the Army). My dad didn't really want to make the 3 hour drive up there, pin him, then drive 3 hours back alone, so my cousin called me and asked me to go. My cousin had been trying to set me up with a guy for probably 4 months at this point and I kept saying, "No, I don't think so." I ended up going up with my dad for the promotion. We got on post and went to the OPFOR building because behind it is where the promotion would take place. As dad and I were sitting in the main part of the building there were a few soldiers walking around. I spotted one and my first thought was, "Holy crap, he is HOT!" My second thought was, "I sure hope that is the guy that I'm suppose to be meeting." And my third thought was, "If its not the guy I will be meeting him anyways because that is the guy that I am going to marry." (Apparently while I was checking him out he noticed. Which he told me after.) The promotion happened and my dad offered to take my cousin, his girlfriend (at the time), and this guy out to lunch. I got into the car with dad and then saw who the guy was that was going with us. Imagine my excitement when it was THAT guy! We went all out and went to Taco Bell. HAHA, but the guys only had about 45 minutes for lunch. We get there, order, and as I am getting something to drink my cousin introduces us. Now, how am I suppose to get to know this guy while my dad is sitting next to him and across from me? Needless to say we didn't talk at all. My dad and I ended up leaving to go back home and my future husband went back to work without a word. Thankfully he lived just 30 short minutes from me and had planned on coming home that weekend. My cousin went with him and I invited them to come eat supper at the restaurant I worked at. They came down as I was getting off of work and we all ate together. He invited me up to his house to drink and hang out so I went with them. We all stayed up til 6am and he never really said anything to me. In fact, I thought his other friend liked me because I spent most of the night talking to him.
I woke up at 8am because I couldn't sleep any longer and I walked around his house. I was nosey and wanted to check out his medals, coins, and the rest of his Army room/office. Finally about 10am when no one was awake still I decided that I wanted to wake my future husband up and talk to him. So, I opened his door and lightly rocked the opposite side of the bed. He woke up and we sat there talking for 2 hours. I had to go to work and since I didn't have my car there he had to take me back home. The next night he invited me back up to go out with some more of his friends. I drove up and met them at a bar. I also met his ENTIRE family! (Day 2 of knowing each other and we had both met parents). We had a good time again and I finally realized that he did like me! The next night we went out in Rock Island. It was at this point that he told my cousin, "If I had to wait 28 years to meet her it was all worth it." Pretty sure that's when I fell in love with him. After my cousin had told me this and I confirmed it with him he said, "So, I really like you and I don't want to date anyone else, sound good?" I said, "Sounds great!" We stayed at my parents house that night then got up and went to the John Deere Classic the next day. It was so great spending 3 full days with him, but he had to go back up to work. And he was off. He told me that he wanted me to come visit him when I had some time off of work. I was lucky enough to have 3 days off the next week so I went to visit him. I spent all three days relaxing in his room while he worked. The second night there we finally went on out "first date". All of the rest of the time we had been together my cousin was right there with us. I had to go back home and really didn't want to. We decided that I would go visit him whenever I had at least 2 days off, so I made sure once a week my schedule let me do that, and he would come home on weekends when he didn't have to work.
We did this until September then he asked me to move into his house. I didn't even have to think about it, and I was a Maquoketa resident. We spent the next year driving back and forth to McCoy and Maquoketa to see each other. I swear I can make that drive with my eyes closed. Those 6 hour round trips were so worth it. There were even a few times that he would make the drive just so he could have supper with me.
We moved fast in our relationship, but I knew from day one that I would marry him. Now here we are 25 months after we met, we are married and have a son! I couldn't be happier (other than having him home of course). I love my husband more than life itself and couldn't imagine my life without him. I love you BOO!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
So much has happened pt. 2
Once I got home mom and Chris helped me out so much. From the 26th on my husband was trying to get home. He got delayed because of rain. He got delayed because he didn't get cleared. He got delayed because the base SUCKS! Then I finally got word that he would be state side the next morning. I got VERY excited and anxious. I knew that I would have way too much anxiety at the airport so I had to put Trace in my Moby wrap when we got there. Then I saw his plane land. I had a sign, mom and Chris had flags and the video camera. We went to stand at the end of security. There were other people waiting and they all looked at the sign and the baby. Each one of them said that they were happy that they were going to be able to see our reunion. -Trace was 5 days old- As I looked down the walk way through security I could see a guy in ACUs. Thats when I lost it. I was shaking and crying. Really I can't even explain the way I was feeling. And I think that only the people that have been through it will ever be able to understand me completely. Then I feel his arms around me and I totally lost it. I was sobbing. Everyone around us was clapping. I finally quit shaking enough to take Trace out of the Moby wrap and hand him to my husband. Let me tell you, that was the best thing I have ever seen. Those of you that don't know my husband, he is not an emotional person AT ALL. And I could see him welling up a little bit. After about 5 minutes of standing there and just taking everything in we decide that both of us can walk again and we head home.
My husband was home for 15 days. It was a great 15 days.
When we took him to the airport to leave Trace and I went through security with him. Once again, everyone was so nice to us. I did a good job and didn't cry until it was really time for him to board the plane. He was one of the last ones, there was a line in the jetway and the guy at the gate said, "You have a few more minutes. I'm not going to rush you at all." So we stood there, him holding Trace and an arm around me holding me as close as he could. Of course I was crying and shaking (again). Then it was time. Our last kisses. Our last, "I love you. I'll miss you. Don't forget about me. and Stay safe." And he was on the plane. I stood there with Trace until his plane left. Off I went, back out through security, and home.
We are now on the downward side of the deployment and I am getting use to him being gone again. Thank goodness I have Trace here to kiss all of the time. He takes up most of my day so that helps the days go by faster. But it's still tough. Soon enough I will have my little family back together. But for now, I have my mom and Chris to help me. (I will never be able to do anything to repay them for all that they have done already for me, Trace, and my husband. I love you both more than you know!)
My husband was home for 15 days. It was a great 15 days.
When we took him to the airport to leave Trace and I went through security with him. Once again, everyone was so nice to us. I did a good job and didn't cry until it was really time for him to board the plane. He was one of the last ones, there was a line in the jetway and the guy at the gate said, "You have a few more minutes. I'm not going to rush you at all." So we stood there, him holding Trace and an arm around me holding me as close as he could. Of course I was crying and shaking (again). Then it was time. Our last kisses. Our last, "I love you. I'll miss you. Don't forget about me. and Stay safe." And he was on the plane. I stood there with Trace until his plane left. Off I went, back out through security, and home.
We are now on the downward side of the deployment and I am getting use to him being gone again. Thank goodness I have Trace here to kiss all of the time. He takes up most of my day so that helps the days go by faster. But it's still tough. Soon enough I will have my little family back together. But for now, I have my mom and Chris to help me. (I will never be able to do anything to repay them for all that they have done already for me, Trace, and my husband. I love you both more than you know!)
So much has happened pt. 1
Well, I will start with my last doctor's visit. It was June 22nd and the doc checked me and then said the famous last words, "You should be good for another week or two." So I went away thinking, "Well, I can do a week and a half no problem then." Thursday, Friday, and saturday were spent cleaning. Friday and Saturday Mom, Chris, and I spent most of the day cleaning the Lani. By that I mean we moved everything and scrubbed the floor, organized, and put stuff back. (If you've ever seen the lani you would understand that this is a HUGE job). Not to mention that it was hot as hell. Both days I ended up in the pool to cool down and just relax. Saturday night we made Nick's sloppy joes, which were SO good.
-Minor back story- from the 22nd on, every morning and night I would write an email to the hubby that only had words in the subject line, "No labor yet."
I got into bed Saturday night and was texting my father-in-law. As I just about fell asleep I remembered to e-mail the hubby and said, "No labor yet." The got up to use the restroom. As I am standing there washing my hands, after I peed, something is not right. I feel like I am peeing on myself. I said to myself, "I just went to the bathroom, I didn't sneeze (those of you other mom's know what I am talking about), what the hell...OH S**T! My water broke!" I go knock on mom's door and said, "I think my water just broke." Mom responds with, "are you sure?" I say, "Yeah!" and then I head back to the bathroom. On the way I grab my phone. I sit back down and I start to bawl. I do this for about 2 minutes because I am realizing that my husband will not be home for the birth of our first child. I call my friend Katie, I cry, and she helps me calm down (I'll never be able to repay her for the few words she had to say to me because it got me back into the frame of mind that I needed to be in). Then I call my doc, mind you, we had not discussed calling when I go into labor because I still have one or two weeks. The on call doc calls me back and tells me to go to the hospital. I grab my bag, mom and Chris get their's and we head to the hospital. After we get there and get all checked in and settled they decide to start me on pitocin, at this time I still had not felt a contraction. Once the pitocin got started (2am) the nurses tell me to try to get some sleep. I was too wound up to do that. All I could think about was, "What if he doesn't get the email and doesn't even know I'm in labor until Trace is born?" So I think about my options. Option 1- RED CROSS: we had been told to call the Red Cross to get the message that we were in labor and then our husband's would hopefully be on the next flight out. WRONG! The Red Cross proceeds to tell me that they don't make Labor Messages, only Birth Messages. I get PISSED. Option 2- Get ahold of all Army wives that I know and ask them to message their husband to get ahold of mine and tell him to call me ASAP. Option 2 worked! One of the wives, whose husband is with mine, email her hubby the message. He finally calls (6am). I tell him what is going on, he had just gotten back and was exhausted. At least he knew now. I'm able to sleep for about 15 minutes. 7am rolls around and I am starting to have to breathe through the contractions now. The nurses change out and the new ones come in. I ask them to check me because it had been a while since I was checked last. I was 5cm...ummm...time for the epidural. I get the epidural and feel great! Then I start to get a bad pain on my left side. The nurse checks me and says, "You're a little more than 8, but we will call the doc and see if he can reposition the epidural." Took the doc a little while, 45 minutes or so, and teh nurse checks me again before he gets there. The look on her face was so funny, she said, "Well, its too late, you're 10 and ready to push." She calls the OB and he gets there. As he is putting on his gear my hubby calls! The doc was so nice, not my doc and I had never even met this one. He talked to my hubby through the entire thing. I pushed for all of 13 mintues and Trace was out. My hubby got to hear the first cry. It was the next best thing to having him there with me. I felt great after. And honestly, I didn't feel a thing when I was pushing.
After a few hours I got sent to the post pardom side. All of the nurses were so funny. The couldn't believe that I was the one that gave birth. They all said that I looked so good and was in such a good mood that it couldn't have been me. In the 2 nights that I had to stay there I only had motrin one time, for some back pain, and they couldn't believe that either.
Finally I got to go home!
-Minor back story- from the 22nd on, every morning and night I would write an email to the hubby that only had words in the subject line, "No labor yet."
I got into bed Saturday night and was texting my father-in-law. As I just about fell asleep I remembered to e-mail the hubby and said, "No labor yet." The got up to use the restroom. As I am standing there washing my hands, after I peed, something is not right. I feel like I am peeing on myself. I said to myself, "I just went to the bathroom, I didn't sneeze (those of you other mom's know what I am talking about), what the hell...OH S**T! My water broke!" I go knock on mom's door and said, "I think my water just broke." Mom responds with, "are you sure?" I say, "Yeah!" and then I head back to the bathroom. On the way I grab my phone. I sit back down and I start to bawl. I do this for about 2 minutes because I am realizing that my husband will not be home for the birth of our first child. I call my friend Katie, I cry, and she helps me calm down (I'll never be able to repay her for the few words she had to say to me because it got me back into the frame of mind that I needed to be in). Then I call my doc, mind you, we had not discussed calling when I go into labor because I still have one or two weeks. The on call doc calls me back and tells me to go to the hospital. I grab my bag, mom and Chris get their's and we head to the hospital. After we get there and get all checked in and settled they decide to start me on pitocin, at this time I still had not felt a contraction. Once the pitocin got started (2am) the nurses tell me to try to get some sleep. I was too wound up to do that. All I could think about was, "What if he doesn't get the email and doesn't even know I'm in labor until Trace is born?" So I think about my options. Option 1- RED CROSS: we had been told to call the Red Cross to get the message that we were in labor and then our husband's would hopefully be on the next flight out. WRONG! The Red Cross proceeds to tell me that they don't make Labor Messages, only Birth Messages. I get PISSED. Option 2- Get ahold of all Army wives that I know and ask them to message their husband to get ahold of mine and tell him to call me ASAP. Option 2 worked! One of the wives, whose husband is with mine, email her hubby the message. He finally calls (6am). I tell him what is going on, he had just gotten back and was exhausted. At least he knew now. I'm able to sleep for about 15 minutes. 7am rolls around and I am starting to have to breathe through the contractions now. The nurses change out and the new ones come in. I ask them to check me because it had been a while since I was checked last. I was 5cm...ummm...time for the epidural. I get the epidural and feel great! Then I start to get a bad pain on my left side. The nurse checks me and says, "You're a little more than 8, but we will call the doc and see if he can reposition the epidural." Took the doc a little while, 45 minutes or so, and teh nurse checks me again before he gets there. The look on her face was so funny, she said, "Well, its too late, you're 10 and ready to push." She calls the OB and he gets there. As he is putting on his gear my hubby calls! The doc was so nice, not my doc and I had never even met this one. He talked to my hubby through the entire thing. I pushed for all of 13 mintues and Trace was out. My hubby got to hear the first cry. It was the next best thing to having him there with me. I felt great after. And honestly, I didn't feel a thing when I was pushing.
After a few hours I got sent to the post pardom side. All of the nurses were so funny. The couldn't believe that I was the one that gave birth. They all said that I looked so good and was in such a good mood that it couldn't have been me. In the 2 nights that I had to stay there I only had motrin one time, for some back pain, and they couldn't believe that either.
Finally I got to go home!
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