An Update

Looks like Fifi has high bilirubin like Clara did. Rather than take her home and come get her levels check daily for the next couple of days, the doctors ordered some photo therapy. Check her out under the lights.

Oh, and I say her name in the video.

My New Little Sister

Paw Paw and Nanna came to visit yesterday. They've been playing with me all day today. I have no idea where Mommy and Daddy are. Paw Paw keeps saying something about a pital, but I don't know what that is.

Then, this afternoon, we went to the doctor and saw Mommy and Daddy. They have a baby with them. I think it belongs to the doctor, that's why we saw the baby at the doctor. Paw Paw took some videos of me with the baby.

I saw that the baby had a mouth, nose, eyes, neck, and hands, then I said, "All done baby." That means I want to do something new.

A little while later Daddy asked if I wanted to hold the baby on my lap. He seems to be very concerned that I like her. Which is weird, because I think she belongs to the doctor. Isn't the doctor going to take the baby home? Again, Paw Paw took videos of me holding the baby.


Mommy said I was very good for being soft. When I asked about Fifi and pointed to Mommy's tummy, she pointed to the baby and said the baby is Fifi. How did she get out?

All Clean

Here's a little video of our first moments with a clean Fifi. She spent a little over an hour in the nursery getting all checked out and cleaned up. She's the same length as Clara was, but a pound and a half heavier. Alternately we think they look quite alike and very different. You be the judge.

Bonjour, Fifi

At 12:52pm today we welcomed Fifi Katherine into the world. At 21 1/2 inches long, she was equal in length to her sister. At 9 lbs. 10 oz. she is a whopping one pound and six ounces larger than her older sister.

Mom was amazing. She started pitocin at 9:15am, was in transition by noon, and pushed for 10 minutes from 12:42pm to 12:52pm. Sans epidural! She was incredible and is now resting while Fifi is warming in the nursery.

Bienvenue au monde, Fifi!

Note: Her name is not Fifi. We're just still fighting over it.

Food & The Lack Thereof

Kristin had to stop eating at 10pm last night. But I didn't. So I just went to the cafeteria and found some decent food that was shockingly affordable. I know. Who would have thunk?

Whilst I was gone, a different doctor from the practice stopped by, verified that baby is head down (ha-le-freaking-lu-jah), and broke Kristin's water. The nurses just started the patocin and now the fun begins.

Did I mention they have a stash of cookies and Diet Coke for the dads? I'm liking this hospital more and more.

Ready ... Set ... Where's The Doctor?

The phone rang at 5:30a this morning. "Come on in. We're ready for you." We got up and I took a shower so I'd be human. Snow covered streets begged that we drive slowly. Once at the hospital we checked in, the IV was placed, the ultrasound showed a baby head down, and now we're waiting for the doctor to come confirm everything.

And we wait. As Kristin just said, "Let's get this show on the road."

Wait for it ... wait for it ... wait for it ...

Big Shoes, Little Shoes

It amazes me how big our little Clara has become. She is increasingly independent by the day. She has opinions about which toys to play with, which shoes to wear, which snacks to eat. (One might be tempted to wonder where this comes from, but let's be honest: have you met her grandparents?) She is changing so rapidly.

Tomorrow I will get to meet her little sister. (Name undecided. Suggestions in the comments.) I want to try to remember all the little moments that I'm starting to forget for Clara. Will she scream for the first hour of her life like Clara did? Will she have a mullet like Clara did? Will she make cute little noises like Clara did?

Don't keep me waiting, little one. I so want to meet you.

Am I Ashamed?

I created a Pandora station off of Lady Gaga.  I have it pretty customized now such that I love almost everything that is played.  One song popped up that I REALLY like, that sort of surprised me.

Unusual You by Britney Spears.  It's off her latest album, Circus.  It has a total electronic beat and is slightly out of character for the rest of the album.

I just bought the song off iTunes and have it on infinite repeat.

In other news, Kristin is still pregnant, the baby is breech again, and stress levels are high.  Father-in-law and his wife arrive tomorrow.  Clara is endlessly saying, "Paw Paw?  Tomorrow?  Paw Paw!!!"

To Midnight & Beyond

They can talk all night long. And, oh so sad, they leave tomorrow.
We'll miss you Bonnie and Michael.

The End?

39 weeks and counting. It looks like Monday will be the day, unless every other nine-months pregnant woman in Provo decides to go into labor on Sunday night, or unless baby decides she's ready before then. At my appointment today my OB scheduled the induction, so barring a full labor and delivery unit we'll be heading in early, early Monday morning. Hopefully all will go smoothly and at least as quickly as Clara's delivery did. Wish us luck!

On The Way To Cafe Rio (Updated)

Bonnie and Michael are here for a visit! What does Bonnie want most of all?

Cafe Rio!!

Update:Clara and Michael holding hands in the parking lot.

Testing Title

I'm testing posting to the blog via e-mail. Is it working?

It Just Keeps Getting Better

Alternate title: Why do my children hate me?

Well, more accurately, why does the unborn child hate me? I'm 38 weeks today and she was supposed to be here by now. When I started having problems with blood pressure about six weeks ago the specialist I initially saw hoped we would make it to full-term (37 weeks) without my developing preeclampsia. Check. The plan was then to do another ultrasound and amniocentesis at 37+ weeks to determine whether or not baby's lungs were developed enough to go ahead with an induction to prevent the onset of preeclampsia. Amnio: check. Lungs: not so much.

I had the ultrasound and amnio this past Monday, and the amnio results came back in a marginal range, meaning that more than likely she would be just fine if she were to be delivered, but they were not high enough for them to say that with certainty. Since I'm not yet in a situation where delivery is absolutely crucial, we have to wait. Let me tell you, not the news this pregnant lady really wanted to hear, but what can you do?

Well, on Thursday everything just got even better. In addition to high blood pressure and a large-ish baby (at 37 1/2 weeks she was measuring at about 8 1/2 pounds), I have also been dealing with polyhydramnios, meaning I have too much amniotic fluid. All the extra fluid gives baby ample room to move, and during a routine ultrasound (I have short ones twice a week along with the non-stress tests) we found that she has flipped to breech yet again. She had stayed head down for nearly 4 weeks, so I was confident that we had left that particular hurdle behind. Not so, it would seem.

During my weekly OB appointment we discussed what course we'll be taking now, and the breech position complicates things. Assuming that I don't develop symptoms of preeclampsia over the weekend, we just wait. Nothing is set in stone, but if she flips back on her own by mid-to-late week we'll probably go ahead and induce while she's in a good position. If she doesn't flip, then by the end of the week (or maybe the beginning of the following week) they would try to turn her and immediately induce before she has the chance to turn again. And of course, if that fails, then it's off to experience the joys of a c-section. I can't wait to find out what that recovery would be like while trying to care for a newborn and a toddler on my own.

I have to admit, when the nurse who performed the ultrasound on Thursday told me that the baby's head was back under my left rib cage, I immediately informed her that this baby is already losing the favorite child contest. Maybe if she's really, really good and is head down again on Tuesday I'll change my mind.

Anticipation

A few days ago Clara and I were looking at some old pictures of her and Michael when I mentioned that Michael would be coming to visit us in two weeks. She started jumping up and down, very excited, and said, "Bubba (which she insists on calling him even though she can say Michael perfectly well)? Two week?"

She then looked at me quizzically and asked, "Bonnie?"

"Yes, Bonnie is going to come and play, too."

"David?"

"No, David has to stay home and work."

"Oh. Bubba two week. Bonnie play. David work."

A very succinct summary, no? One which was repeated many times all day.

The next morning when I went to get her from her crib, she looked at me and the first thing she said was, "Bubba week. Bonnie play. David work." So far this has happened three mornings in a row.

So, Bonnie, needless to say Clara is really excited to see you guys soon (as are Oliver and I).