Hello bloggers!
Thursday night Cory and I said goodbye to one of our favourite characters on television, The Office's Michael Scott. We have been watching this show together for more than half of our relationship. It was probably the first show that Cory had to persuade me to watch that I ended up loving. The only reason I agreed to watch it in the first place was that he told me there was a great will-they-or-won't-they relationship that would be right up my alley. That would be Jim and Pam, or Jam as they are affectionately known as. Well, by me anyway. They sucked me in and I soon learned to love the fearless leader of The Office, Michael. We spent as much time cringing at him and hiding our eyes as we did laughing at him - but that's exactly how you are supposed to react to this insane character. He is a fantastic salesman, desperate for his employees to love him, and just wants to be everybody's best friend. He has made a lot of mistakes over the years but just when you are starting to lose faith in him he does something to reel you back in and save the day.
As we watched the final episode we couldn't help but realize how much Michael has grown up and how much the employees of The Office have come to appreciate what a great boss Michael has been and how much they will miss him, craziness and all. A few things stick out the most about this episode.
Holly & Michael
I am so pleased that Michael has found true love with Holly and that he is leaving the office for a good reason. I loved how when he was upset and scared about the move and wasn't sure he could do it, as soon as he heard Holly's voice he was instantly calmed and laughing. He knew he was making the right decision. As he so eloquently stated "Holly's my family now. She's my family. And the babies that I make with her will be my children." After all of Michael's hopeless relationships and his desire to have the real thing a la Jim and Pam, it is so fitting that he has truly found his soul mate.
Oscar's Scarecrow
One of the best parts of the episode is Michael's goodbye gift to Oscar and the hilarity that followed. He gave him a brown sack that he drew a face on with a marker and called it a scarecrow because Oscar "gave him a brain." Oscar accepted this gift with a genuine "thank you Michael" and "it's beautiful". Then we are in Michael's office where he is giving a hilarious interview to the documentary crew about how Oscar accepted the gift believing that it had taken Michael a great deal of effort to put together and how Oscar truly has "the lowest opinion of me of anyone." This was Steve Carell at his best. We couldn't stop laughing.
Jim Figures It Out
My very favourite part of the episode was the fact that Jim was the only one to figure out that it was Michael's last day in the office, not the following day as he told everyone. The goodbye between Jim and Michael was so moving and just so perfectly Michael and Jim. There were tears, both in Jim and Michael's eyes and also in mine.
Pam's Goodbye and The Documentary
Jim tried to contact Pam who was out shopping for a new shredder (actually she was seeing The King's Speech) so that she could hightail it back to the office to say a proper goodbye to Michael, but she didn't respond (how could she receive his text as she was in the movie theatre where no cellphones are allowed?!). We see Pam's car pulling into the parking lot just as the cab taking Michael to the airport leaves the lot. At the airport Michael is putting on his shoes after making it through security and he says his final goodbye to the documentary crew. Favourite line of the episode: "will you guys let me know if this ever airs?" - genius. You must be a long-time Office fan to appreciate the hilarity of this. Anyway, as he removes his microphone pack he says "this is going to feel so good getting this off my chest" to the cameraman and just like that we can't hear anything he says. However, we are treated to him mouthing one last "that's what she said." Perfection. We see him mouth the word "goodbye" and start walking to his gate, his suitcase trailing behind him. But wait! Next we see Pam carrying her shoes running toward Michael. We can't hear their conversation but there are two hugs and I'm sobbing. Literally sobbing. Pam later tells the crew as she watches his plane take off that he wasn't sad - he was hopeful. Hopeful that he would be upgraded on his flight and looking forward to seeing Holly. It was just perfect.
We will miss you here in the Maye household, Michael!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Random Thoughts That Don't Go Together
1. I watched Marley and Me this week. Great movie. It made me think about our beloved Boston who we lost last Fall. It also made me realize that our golden retriever Fenway is part-Marley. Not so much on the destroying all property side but rather on the goes bananas when people come over side. I should really get him trained. Like Marley though, he loves us, all three of us, more than anything in the world and he shows us that everyday.
2. I also watched Country Strong. Very enjoyable movie if you are a country music fan (who isn't?). What surprised me, though, was how strong of a singer Leighton Meester is. I love her on Gossip Girl, love her even more as a singer. She needs to release a country album!
3. Facebook can be mind boggling and annoying. What is with all the people who write status' that are four lines long with not a single punctuation mark? I am by no means a grammar expert - quite the opposite in fact. You will find several grammatical errors in this paragraph alone (please don't stop being my friend, Jill!) but throw in a period or a comma here and there so we can at least separate your thoughts. This is an example of what an awful, annoying status would be:
I was walking down the street and wouldn't you know it Cheryl jumped out of the bushes screaming I like dogs I can do 10 pushups from my toes do you like mustard circles have no corners my favourite colour is pink I bought 3 new picture frames I keep a fan on all year long there are lights in the sky that look like UFOs Netflix is taking over our house I believe in ghosts
See what I mean? It drives me bonkers. You know what else does? Some of the pictures people put up. You know the ones I'm talking about. Let's just leave it at that to protect the guilty.
4. I'm very lucky.
I have a wonderful husband who loves me and loves our family. He takes care of us and he makes us laugh. He asked me out when I was a too-skinny (oh to be 15 again), nerdy girl (still am) with crooked teeth (still have those), and he was the cute boy everyone liked. He holds my hand when we are in public sometimes. He laughs appropriately at my brother when he makes a joke that isn't funny. He doesn't make fun of my Mom when she gets lost in a parking lot. He doesn't punch my Dad in the face when he yells at the top of his lungs when Harrison is sleeping. He doesn't file for divorce when I have my cranky pants on in the morning (and boy were they on this morning). He took me to see The Notebook three times in the theater. He introduced me to the Red Sox in 2003...just in time to really care when they won the World Series in 2004. He agreed to go to Disney World for our honeymoon and agrees that we must return as often as we possibly can. He has baked me pancakes and cookies shaped like Mickey Mouse. He combined two different kinds of cereal to recreate my childhood favourite cereal that you can no longer buy in stores. He married me.
I have great friends who love me and are always there for me. They listen to me when I complain about being poor (thank you, maternity leave pay!). They reassure me when I tell them I am worried about Harrison and whatever new thing he is doing that has my stomach in knots that turns out to be nothing. They keep me going when I am ready to quit at bootcamp. They tell me I look great even when I don't. They pass along movies, songs, books, and blogs that they think I would like. They are always up for a chat. They notice when I change my hair or wear new jeans or have new glasses on. They give me advice when I ask for it. They don't give advice when I don't want it. They give me a shoulder to cry on. They like me for who I am. They don't judge me. They inspire me.
5. I have a son who I love so much it overwhelms me sometimes. He is the most beautiful, handsome, and cutest baby boy I have ever seen. His smile lights up the room, and he smiles often. I have hundreds, maybe thousands of pictures of him and he is smiling in most. He has the best laugh. He laughs when I kiss the side of his chest up to his armpit. He laughs when we play peek-a-boo. He laughs when I gently blow air on his face. He just laughs and it is magical. It is my favourite sound in the entire world and I cried real tears the first time I heard it. When I pick him up to take him downstairs in the evening to get ready for bed, he puts his hands on my face and pulls me to him, and gives me a "kiss" (he opens his mouth and tries to eat my face). I think of him and I can't help but smile, no matter how sad or mad I might be. He is a real life pick me up that never fails. He is so special. He is delicious. He is mine.
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| Cory and our beloved Boston |
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| Boston and Harrison |
Our precious Fenway!
2. I also watched Country Strong. Very enjoyable movie if you are a country music fan (who isn't?). What surprised me, though, was how strong of a singer Leighton Meester is. I love her on Gossip Girl, love her even more as a singer. She needs to release a country album!
3. Facebook can be mind boggling and annoying. What is with all the people who write status' that are four lines long with not a single punctuation mark? I am by no means a grammar expert - quite the opposite in fact. You will find several grammatical errors in this paragraph alone (please don't stop being my friend, Jill!) but throw in a period or a comma here and there so we can at least separate your thoughts. This is an example of what an awful, annoying status would be:
I was walking down the street and wouldn't you know it Cheryl jumped out of the bushes screaming I like dogs I can do 10 pushups from my toes do you like mustard circles have no corners my favourite colour is pink I bought 3 new picture frames I keep a fan on all year long there are lights in the sky that look like UFOs Netflix is taking over our house I believe in ghosts
See what I mean? It drives me bonkers. You know what else does? Some of the pictures people put up. You know the ones I'm talking about. Let's just leave it at that to protect the guilty.
4. I'm very lucky.
I have a wonderful husband who loves me and loves our family. He takes care of us and he makes us laugh. He asked me out when I was a too-skinny (oh to be 15 again), nerdy girl (still am) with crooked teeth (still have those), and he was the cute boy everyone liked. He holds my hand when we are in public sometimes. He laughs appropriately at my brother when he makes a joke that isn't funny. He doesn't make fun of my Mom when she gets lost in a parking lot. He doesn't punch my Dad in the face when he yells at the top of his lungs when Harrison is sleeping. He doesn't file for divorce when I have my cranky pants on in the morning (and boy were they on this morning). He took me to see The Notebook three times in the theater. He introduced me to the Red Sox in 2003...just in time to really care when they won the World Series in 2004. He agreed to go to Disney World for our honeymoon and agrees that we must return as often as we possibly can. He has baked me pancakes and cookies shaped like Mickey Mouse. He combined two different kinds of cereal to recreate my childhood favourite cereal that you can no longer buy in stores. He married me.
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| Our wedding day - June 20, 2009 |
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| Rehearsal party - June 19, 2009 |
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| This about sums us up |
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| Goose and Duck (we have a new shirt for Harrison for this ball season - Gosling) |
I have great friends who love me and are always there for me. They listen to me when I complain about being poor (thank you, maternity leave pay!). They reassure me when I tell them I am worried about Harrison and whatever new thing he is doing that has my stomach in knots that turns out to be nothing. They keep me going when I am ready to quit at bootcamp. They tell me I look great even when I don't. They pass along movies, songs, books, and blogs that they think I would like. They are always up for a chat. They notice when I change my hair or wear new jeans or have new glasses on. They give me advice when I ask for it. They don't give advice when I don't want it. They give me a shoulder to cry on. They like me for who I am. They don't judge me. They inspire me.
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| My beautiful cousin and friend Holly and I |
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| Our wedding party - so much fun! |
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| My bestie (since '97 ish!) and I |
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| Tanya and I and our boys |
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| The girls at Jill's birthday (Jill this is the only pic we are both in, so my options were limited - we need to work on this!) |
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| Wedding party girls |
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| Jody and I! |
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| My best guy friend - Darce and I |
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| My beautiful work friends! |
5. I have a son who I love so much it overwhelms me sometimes. He is the most beautiful, handsome, and cutest baby boy I have ever seen. His smile lights up the room, and he smiles often. I have hundreds, maybe thousands of pictures of him and he is smiling in most. He has the best laugh. He laughs when I kiss the side of his chest up to his armpit. He laughs when we play peek-a-boo. He laughs when I gently blow air on his face. He just laughs and it is magical. It is my favourite sound in the entire world and I cried real tears the first time I heard it. When I pick him up to take him downstairs in the evening to get ready for bed, he puts his hands on my face and pulls me to him, and gives me a "kiss" (he opens his mouth and tries to eat my face). I think of him and I can't help but smile, no matter how sad or mad I might be. He is a real life pick me up that never fails. He is so special. He is delicious. He is mine.
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Harrison's Birth Story
Hello strangers!
I know it has been a long time since I've written. I'm working on this :) I have just been inspired to share the story of Harrison's birth. I have to admit, I am doing this purely for selfish reasons. I feel like I am forgetting the details and want to put this down on paper - or rather, put it on screen - as soon as possible so I have it on record forever. I can't wait to one day share this with Harrison when he is older.
If you have no interest in the details of this scenario I suggest you stop reading now!
I will start with the morning of July 26. The first "flag" should have been my shower. It was early in the morning. I had to get up extra early because I had an appointment at the bank about our new (to us) car. A second vehicle for H and I to cruise around in on maternity leave - hooray! This was a huge deal to us after sharing one vehicle for several years. Anyway, so I am in the shower and all of a sudden I am overcome by the heat or something. I need to be sick. Like right now. Then came the choking. I had to open the curtain and hop out of the shower...dripping all over the bathroom floor as I tried to catch my breath. Eventually I was able to maintain steady breathing and feel semi-normal again. I thought maybe I was coming down with something and/or my shower had been too hot for a very pregnant lady. I should mention at this point I was only 36 weeks and 5 days pregnant so I did not think labour was a possibility yet. Most people will gladly tell you that you will be well past your due date with your first child, so you never think you'll be a few weeks early. Since I was feeling okay again, I got dressed and off to the bank I went. I told my Mom about it that morning and she made some comment about how it was probably a sign that things were moving along. I didn't realize at the time that they were moving so quickly.
The rest of the morning and afternoon were fairly uneventful. We had our pregnancy photos scheduled to be taken that evening with our best friends Cheryl and Mike. Cheryl's due date was exactly one month after mine. So Cheryl and I ran some errands that afternoon. We went to get our eyebrows waxed, for one. I remember laying on the table chatting with the eyebrow wax lady about how I hoped it wouldn't be too much longer as the giant belly I was lugging around (and it was HUGE) and the heat were really getting to me. As she helped me down off the table she told me she hoped our little one would come sooner rather than later. We continued our errands with a trip to Old Navy where we struggled to find shirts that would flatter our ever-growing figures for our photos. We settled on a couple of cute ones and headed home.
I believe the photos were scheduled for 7 pm that evening at Blooming Point beach. By the early evening it wasn't looking good for the photos. It was pouring rain outside. I was disheartened. I knew it would be a challenge to find another night that the four of us were free, and that Jason, the photographer, was free. We were running out of time. We got to Cheryl and Mike's a bit early. I remember as I walked in and Mike saw me, his jaw dropped and he said something like "holy crap". He hadn't seen me in a week or so and my belly had grown apparently. I think I was doubling in size everyday by then!
By some miracle, the rain hadn't even started in Blooming Point. In fact, the sky was blue and the sun was shining, Jason told us. So we piled into the Roberts' Saturn and headed for the beach. Driving along the bumpy road I mentioned that I was having some weird pains. They were nothing I couldn't handle and I certainly didn't think them to be labour pains or "real" contractions. I figured they were more Braxton Hicks which I had been experiencing a little bit on and off. I can remember there being one other time where they were actually painful, so I didn't think anything of it. The four of us joked about how awful it would be if it was real labour because I couldn't possibly have a baby in Cheryl and Mike's beautiful new car - it would ruin the leather seats!
I only noticed a few "pains" during the photos. I was probably too distracted to notice them. Maybe H gave me a break so I could get some decent shots :) After we were all piled back into the car they started again but, again, they weren't anything to freak out about. They weren't overly painful, they were more uncomfortable. We made a pit stop at Cheryl's parents' house. I can't for the life of me remember why. It may have had something to do with needing to use their printer - I can't remember. Anyway, we walk in the house and Sheila sees me and she is shocked by how much I have dropped. She asks me how I'm feeling. I tell her about the weird pains and she gives me a look that says "you're gonna have a baby soon."
It was "Bachelorette" night so we made another pit stop at the Petro to grab some snacks for the show. Let me point out here that the guys would be putting together Baby Girl Roberts' dresser and not watching The Bachelorette. Anyway, we get to the Petro and I realize I can't go in. Suddenly my little uncomfortable Braxton Hicks contractions are turning toward the more painful end of the spectrum. We all laughed it off and Cory agreed to get my snacks for me. I can't remember what they were exactly. I know Pepsi was probably involved and perhaps chips? I know that part isn't important but I feel the need to recall every little detail of this experience.
The Bachelorette begins but we aren't paying too much attention. Lucky for us it was only "The Men Tell All" episode, so it was pretty boring anyway. The pains continued and Cheryl and I were stumped. She suggested we start timing them - just for the heck of it. After three or four more contractions she tells me they are three minutes apart exactly, everytime. Huh. They are lasting between 20 and 40 seconds. Huh. Well certainly labour would not progress this quickly for a first timer, so again, we convince ourselves it's just Braxton Hicks. I'm surprised by how painful these contractions are becoming so I decide to give Labour & Delivery a call anyway. Just in case.
A kind nurse (who would later turn out to be my labour nurse) answers the phone. I blurt something out that sounds like this: "Hi. I'm almost 37 weeks pregnant. I'm having contractions every three minutes. They kind of hurt. It can't be labour, right?" She asks me a few questions and probably sensing my anxiety assures me that I am probably correct - it's most likely not real labour. It could be an irritable uterus. I could be dehydrated. I should drink lots of water and go to bed. Okay. I was relieved. I was terrified of giving birth, I didn't feel ready yet. I couldn't wait to meet my boy but I felt so ill prepared when it came to motherhood. Sure, I had all the essentials. The nursery was finished and looking beautiful. All the tiny clothes were washed and either hung up in the neatly organized closet or folded up in the new change table/dresser combination. So after about another half hour of pacing the floors Cory and I head home.
I immediately change into my jammies and go to bed. I last there for maybe two minutes. They are becoming increasingly painful and I am concerned that if this isn't labour something is really wrong with me. I won't be able to last the night if these pains continue. I decide to try a bath. I think Cheryl had told me to try that if the pains didn't subside. I am willing to try anything. I just want it to go away. I last in the bath for maybe fifteen minutes. At first I thought it was working because once I was in the bath my first contraction seemed to take a couple of extra minutes to happen (but made up for it with intensity!). No such luck. I called Cory to come help me out of the tub. I had to call several times because apparently he had fallen asleep already. I put my jammies back on and slid into bed. This just wasn't going to work. Either I was in labour or something was really wrong. Cory suggested I call the hospital again before we go in.
So at 1 am I made the second call. Same nurse. I didn't really ask her anything. I said something like "Listen, I called earlier and the contractions haven't stopped. They are still only 3 minutes apart or so and have increased in intensity. I'm freaking out." She told me if I was freaking out I could come in. There was definite skepticism in her voice. There was no way she believed me to be in labour. I told Cory she told us to come in so we got ready. At the last minute he saw my hot pink hospital bag in the kitchen and asked if we should bring it. I wasn't sure. We ultimately decided to bring it just in case. My camera was not packed in the bag as I was still using it on a daily basis, so unfortunately I don't have any photos of the labour process or the first moments of his life :(
When we arrived at the hospital Cory told me he would drop me off at the door and go park. I wouldn't let him. I was too embarrassed to walk into that hospital alone, even in the middle of the night. The truth was I knew I was in pain but I also "knew" there was no way I could be in labour. I thought it was going to turn out to be nothing and I would be humiliated. The commissionaire let us in and I told him we were going to labour and delivery. He was like " uh, yeah, I kind of figured that out on my own." Let the humiliation begin. He asked if they knew we were coming and I said they did. He told Cory to go to admitting and he would wheel me down to labour and delivery. I refused the wheelchair...he said he would get in trouble with the nurses if he let me walk. Oh God. This was going to be my most embarrassing moment when they sent me me home a few minutes later. And I have had some pretty embarrassing moments. I was also worried about how Cory would find me. I became much more attached to him in pregnancy and if there was a chance, even a slight one, that this was the real thing, I didn't want him to leave my side for a second. I knew my way around the hospital since I work there but Cory did not and this made me nervous.
My nurse, Jane, took me from the commissionaire and showed me to a small room. She gave me a gown and sent me to the bathroom to gown up. I had another contraction in the bathroom. She asked me some more questions when I came out and wanted to confirm that the contractions were in fact coming every three minutes. I insisted they were. I could tell from her face she didn't believe me. She asked when I had last had one, and I told her about the one in the bathroom. She told me they would monitor them and see what was going on. So she and a student nurse named Marsha hooked up this band thingy to my belly and we waited. Cory showed up right before they hooked it up to my relief, so I didn't feel so alone and quite so frightened. After a few minutes of monitoring Jane assured me I was in fact having contractions (thank God I'm not crazy) and she would need to check my cervix to see if it was labour. Oh no! This part terrified me. I immediately reached for Cory's hand as I prepared for the unpleasantness. It wasn't as bad I as thought. Huh. I think it was probably overshadowed by all the painful contractions! I watched Jane's face as she "checked" me which seemed like FOREVER. She got a weird look on her face and then she said "Well....I think you're in labour." Oh. My. God. My eyes immediately went to Cory's and welled up with tears. I was stunned. I knew I was in horrible pain, worse than anything I had ever experienced but most of me truly believed that this was just my body playing tricks on me. He just smiled back at me...I think he was in shock too. He really didn't think it was the real thing. The student nurse saw the tears right away and asked if I was okay. I told her I was fine, just surprised and really scared. She was great, really supportive and excited about her job. Harrison was moving around a lot in my belly and you could see all sorts of movement of what I assumed to be knees and elbows or something and she was very excited about this. It was cute.
Jane had left the room to go notify the doctor or something and I suddenly realized this was actually happening and I needed some more information. I asked Marsha how many centimeters I was dilated and which doctor was on call. Both very important questions. She told me Dr. C was on call (phew). She was on my list of "good" doctors so this made me very happy. I obviously would have preferred my regular OB-GYN but he was on vacation so I knew that was a no-go. It was about 2 am at this time. I figured there was no way I would have the baby before the end of the doc's shift so I asked who would be on call after that. She knew Dr. C was on call until 7 and she wasn't sure who came on after that. Note to self: try to have the baby before 7! She went to find out from Jane how many cm I was dilated. She came back in shortly after and informed me 3-4. I was shocked! That was pretty far along, I thought, for such a short time. I think I based this on births I've seen on TV where they stay at 1 cm for, like, 24 hours. Like when Rachel gave birth to Emma on Friends. I also instructed Marsha to tell Jane I wanted an epidural and as soon as possible. I knew things must be progressing quickly and I wanted my epidural!
Once in the delivery room Dr. C came in to check me herself. She was very kind to me and I was lucky to have her. She checked me and told me I was actually almost 5 cm. What?? Holy crap this is going fast. Get me my epidural! She told me that the anesthetist had been called and would be on her way to the hospital shortly. I told Cory to go call Cheryl as we had promised her we would let her know if we went into the hospital. Initially when we made the decision to go to the hospital I really thought they would send us right back home so opted to wait to make that call. I told him to also call my Mom and tell her to get here as soon as possible as we had made the decision to have her in the room with us. My Mom is an LPN and is great at taking care of people so I thought she would be a huge help, and I knew that it would mean so much to her to be there. He made that call and also called his Mom, Heather, to let her know what was going on.
By the time Mom arrived, probably 15 minutes later, I was in so much pain I didn't know if I could make it through. I had stopped talking altogether about 5 minutes before. I answered the nurse's questions and just tried to power through what was happening. Mom was talking away to me and I had to just ignore her and try to make time go faster so the anesthetist would arrive already. Dr. C had asked if I needed something for the pain while we waited to get the epidural. She didn't ask me though, it was almost as if she wondered it aloud. I gave her a resounding "YES!" but she just gave me a weak smile and left the room. I guess she figured it was better to wait - I'm not sure. I kept hoping she would come back with some magic pill that would make this pain stop. It got so intense that I had to get sick a few times. There was no warning. It just happened. All over my gown. Yuck. This is when all my pride went out the window. I tore off my gross gown and waited while they grabbed me another gown and helped me into it. I just stood there in my room completely naked and I didn't even notice, really. This is what happens to you in labour, or at least this is what happens to me in labour. My self-consciousness was gone for the time being. I was too focused on making it through this to care about anything else.
At this point I just told kept telling myself "one more". One more contraction until the anesthetist finally gets here. And then one more after that and so on. After what seemed like forever but was probably only 45 minutes to an hour she arrived. I knew she was going to have to explain to me all the risks and benefits, what the procedure was like, what to expect etc. I knew all this from typing this stuff in Medical Records. I just kept nodding and yes'ing and hoping she would just do it already. I had been pretty scared of this part because I knew that getting a needle in your spine is a pretty big deal and that any movement can be dangerous. I was very scared I would sneeze or get one of those shivers and be paralyzed or something. I had thought a lot about this in the last several months. However, when the moment arrived I really wasn't scared. I was more scared of what would happen if I didn't get this freakin' epidural! I sat on the edge of my bed facing Cory who sat in a chair. I leaned over and placed my hands on his knees. He held them there. I kept telling her to wait because my contractions were practically on top of each other and I was scared of getting the needle during a contraction. She told me they were too close together to wait and I just had to deal with it, basically. So I squeezed my eyes shut and waited. I didn't feel it at all. The pain of the contractions was way too intense to worry about some silly needle. Dr. M. told me the epidural would take about twenty minutes to kick in. It seemed like forever to me. I continued on with my "one more" strategy. Just one more contraction until it kicks in, just one more, just one more....
Right after Dr. M left Jane wanted to check me to see how things were going. I nodded, kept my eyes closed, and struggled through yet another contraction. My eyes shot open, however, when she told me I was fully dilated. Um...what? "Fully dilated?!", I exclaimed. She said yes and asked me if I had an urge to push. I didn't think so. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. I heard her tell Cory and my Mom that hopefully I could have a little rest and then start pushing. I listened to Jane talk Marsha through different nurse stuff in the chairs to the left of my bed and Cory and Mom talked quietly in the chairs to my right. After a few minutes I opened my eyes and said that I thought maybe I felt like I had to push...I wasn't sure. I had never been in labour before...how was I supposed to know? Jane had left the room for a moment so Mom went to get her and tell her this. She came in and the pushing began.
Cory and I had discussed the whole giving birth situation before. I was clear I did not want him watching from "down there" as I didn't figure he'd ever look at me the same way again. That was more than okay with him. So, we had decided he would stay up near my head during the whole thing. He held my right leg and my Mom held my left as I pushed. It took me a while to push correctly. Again, I had never had a baby before, how am I supposed to know? After the first couple I got the excited encouragement from Jane and Marsha: "Exactly like that Sherri! Keep going!" A couple of times I felt like crying and would say "Ow!" in a rather pissed off/in torture kind of voice and Jane told me to breathe. I may have responded with "I am breathing!" a little too forcefully. I told them my face was going numb and was told I wasn't breathing correctly. I knew the right way - in your nose, out your mouth - but I just felt like I couldn't do it that way. I was more hyperventilating. I do have to say though the pushing was the easiest part for me. By this time the epidural had kicked in. It hadn't helped me with my contractions at all as I was already fully dilated by the time it started doing its magic, but I'm so thankful I had it for pushing the baby out. Cory kept quietly cheering me on and encouraging me, almost whispering them to me in my ear. I wanted to look in his eyes and see his face during this experience but I lost all sense of reality. I couldn't respond to anyone, I just dug deep and hung in there, basically.
After 15 minutes or so of pushing Dr. C. came in and got into position. I took this as a sign that the baby would be coming soon but at the same time I knew I had been pushing for a short time and expected this to go on for much longer. Like hours. After a couple of pushes I asked Dr. C if things were progressing at all and she said they "oh yes, definitely!". Mom kept telling me she could see the head, but they had been saying that right from the very first push. Then all of a sudden my Mom felt faint and Jane rushed her to the bathroom where she was given cold compresses. She came back two minutes later and said she was just hot and tired and that she was totally fine.
All of a sudden it seemed like it was finally time and Dr. C was telling me that the head was out and that it looked like a big baby. Then he was out and I saw him. It was 5:06 a.m. He looked....purplish. She cut the cord herself right away and handed him off to some other people I hadn't even realized were in the room. He wasn't crying which I knew wasn't good but we could hear him breathing and making little baby noises, everyone was calm, and they were no codes being called, so I knew it wasn't anything too serious. I asked Dr. C if everything was okay when she came back over and she said he was most definitely okay: pink, good pulse, breathing, he just hadn't had that one big cry, probably due to fluid in his lungs so they would have to take him up to the nursery. I was relieved that he was okay, and again, thanks to working in MR and typing consults etc., I knew this wasn't that unusual. They brought him over to me and set him on my chest. It was magical. He was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. His perfect little pink pout sticks out the most in my mind and his eyes wide open and looking at me. I couldn't believe this perfect little guy had come from me - it was the greatest gift. They told me they were taking him up now and invited Cory to come along. Cory looked at me for reassurance and I told him to definitely go and be with our baby, that I was great now. And I was. I kept saying "I did it!" It was the best feeling to know that I had been strong enough to endure this and that my precious boy was finally here and he was beautiful.
I delivered the afterbirth which felt really gross. Dr. C thought it was quite large. I didn't get a look at it - though I meant to! She started sewing me up and we chatted a little bit. I told her I typed her stuff and that she was an excellent dictator which we so appreciate in my department. She told me what a great job I did. Cory came down with exciting news: Baby was doing well and was 9 lbs even and 21 in long! Needless to say everyone was surprised by his size given that he was over three weeks early. My first thought was that my due date was wrong. I had had a chemical pregnancy (early miscarriage) the month before, so I thought that we made a mistake and that that pregnancy had actually continued and therefore my dates had been off by a month. I explained all this to Dr. C and she said that wasn't the case. Harrison was acting exactly as she would expect a 36/6 week baby to behave and there were certain physical characteristics that coincided with 36 weeks as well, like the white filmy stuff that he had been covered in. So, it turns out I just grow very large babies! ;)
I called my Dad and Cheryl from the delivery room while I waited to be taken up to Unit 4. My Dad was excited and so very proud of me. He couldn't wait to meet little Harrison. Cheryl was shocked to hear my voice on the line, I think. I told her she was an aunt and she couldn't believe it had happened so quickly. As another very pregnant lady she had heard the stories of the intense long labours of first-timers too. After those phone calls we made our way to the Maternity Ward. They took me to the nursery and showed me where Harrison was. They told me I could come see him anytime I wanted to. Again, I couldn't get over how beautiful he was. The most perfect baby I had ever seen.
They showed me to my room and my nurse, Amanda, helped me into my bed. The epidural was still working so I couldn't completely feel or work my legs correctly. My family doctor came in very shortly after (he works fast!) and told us he had just been to see Harrison and that the pediatrician was checking him out now. He told us that the pediatrician would be here to speak with us shortly, but that essentially Harrison was born a little over three weeks early and was behaving as such. He would be fine, just had to catch up a little bit. That sounded like good news to me. Dr. Gaston, the pediatrician, came in soon after and reiterated what Dr. Morais had told us. He had some ailments, but nothing they wouldn't expect from an early baby. He had some fluid in his lungs. He was pretty sure there was no infection but IV antibiotics would be given as a precaution. He had a heart murmur common to premature babies that would probably disappear in a few days. He had jaundice which, again, was typical of early babies and would be taken care of with the bili lights. He was very positive and assured us that Harrison was healthy and just needed to catch up before we could go home. I was very pleased to hear this from the expert and hoped it wouldn't take too long before we could go home. I was on cloud 9 after speaking with him, knowing that Harrison would be just fine and it was getting late enough in the morning that I could start making a few more phone calls.
It was shortly past 7 in the morning and I knew one of my coworkers, Donna, would be in the office by now. I told her to guess where I was calling from and she knew right away: "Not Unit 4?!". Yeppers! That was my favourite game to play when I called people. I always asked them that same question. I waited until a more reasonable hour and then had to call one of my closest friends and a mommy-to-be herself, Tanya. I kept getting no answer. I knew she had to work at 9 and is usually late leaving for work, so I knew she couldn't have left already. She must be in the shower. I kept calling and calling and finally she answered. It was so exciting to be able to tell her! She was shocked, just like everyone else was. I called a few other girlfriends and visited with my parents and mother-in-law. It was awesome. As each of them came in Cory took them to the nursery to show off little Harrison. My legs weren't working correctly so it was a while before I could go join them. When I finally did I just stared at him in awe. I couldn't believe he was finally here and that he was so perfectly....perfect.
My next blog will be part 2 of the story - our week-long stay in the hospital.
I know it has been a long time since I've written. I'm working on this :) I have just been inspired to share the story of Harrison's birth. I have to admit, I am doing this purely for selfish reasons. I feel like I am forgetting the details and want to put this down on paper - or rather, put it on screen - as soon as possible so I have it on record forever. I can't wait to one day share this with Harrison when he is older.
If you have no interest in the details of this scenario I suggest you stop reading now!
I will start with the morning of July 26. The first "flag" should have been my shower. It was early in the morning. I had to get up extra early because I had an appointment at the bank about our new (to us) car. A second vehicle for H and I to cruise around in on maternity leave - hooray! This was a huge deal to us after sharing one vehicle for several years. Anyway, so I am in the shower and all of a sudden I am overcome by the heat or something. I need to be sick. Like right now. Then came the choking. I had to open the curtain and hop out of the shower...dripping all over the bathroom floor as I tried to catch my breath. Eventually I was able to maintain steady breathing and feel semi-normal again. I thought maybe I was coming down with something and/or my shower had been too hot for a very pregnant lady. I should mention at this point I was only 36 weeks and 5 days pregnant so I did not think labour was a possibility yet. Most people will gladly tell you that you will be well past your due date with your first child, so you never think you'll be a few weeks early. Since I was feeling okay again, I got dressed and off to the bank I went. I told my Mom about it that morning and she made some comment about how it was probably a sign that things were moving along. I didn't realize at the time that they were moving so quickly.
The rest of the morning and afternoon were fairly uneventful. We had our pregnancy photos scheduled to be taken that evening with our best friends Cheryl and Mike. Cheryl's due date was exactly one month after mine. So Cheryl and I ran some errands that afternoon. We went to get our eyebrows waxed, for one. I remember laying on the table chatting with the eyebrow wax lady about how I hoped it wouldn't be too much longer as the giant belly I was lugging around (and it was HUGE) and the heat were really getting to me. As she helped me down off the table she told me she hoped our little one would come sooner rather than later. We continued our errands with a trip to Old Navy where we struggled to find shirts that would flatter our ever-growing figures for our photos. We settled on a couple of cute ones and headed home.
I believe the photos were scheduled for 7 pm that evening at Blooming Point beach. By the early evening it wasn't looking good for the photos. It was pouring rain outside. I was disheartened. I knew it would be a challenge to find another night that the four of us were free, and that Jason, the photographer, was free. We were running out of time. We got to Cheryl and Mike's a bit early. I remember as I walked in and Mike saw me, his jaw dropped and he said something like "holy crap". He hadn't seen me in a week or so and my belly had grown apparently. I think I was doubling in size everyday by then!
By some miracle, the rain hadn't even started in Blooming Point. In fact, the sky was blue and the sun was shining, Jason told us. So we piled into the Roberts' Saturn and headed for the beach. Driving along the bumpy road I mentioned that I was having some weird pains. They were nothing I couldn't handle and I certainly didn't think them to be labour pains or "real" contractions. I figured they were more Braxton Hicks which I had been experiencing a little bit on and off. I can remember there being one other time where they were actually painful, so I didn't think anything of it. The four of us joked about how awful it would be if it was real labour because I couldn't possibly have a baby in Cheryl and Mike's beautiful new car - it would ruin the leather seats!
I only noticed a few "pains" during the photos. I was probably too distracted to notice them. Maybe H gave me a break so I could get some decent shots :) After we were all piled back into the car they started again but, again, they weren't anything to freak out about. They weren't overly painful, they were more uncomfortable. We made a pit stop at Cheryl's parents' house. I can't for the life of me remember why. It may have had something to do with needing to use their printer - I can't remember. Anyway, we walk in the house and Sheila sees me and she is shocked by how much I have dropped. She asks me how I'm feeling. I tell her about the weird pains and she gives me a look that says "you're gonna have a baby soon."
These are a few of the pictures taken at the photoshoot.
Photographer: Jason MacLean
It was "Bachelorette" night so we made another pit stop at the Petro to grab some snacks for the show. Let me point out here that the guys would be putting together Baby Girl Roberts' dresser and not watching The Bachelorette. Anyway, we get to the Petro and I realize I can't go in. Suddenly my little uncomfortable Braxton Hicks contractions are turning toward the more painful end of the spectrum. We all laughed it off and Cory agreed to get my snacks for me. I can't remember what they were exactly. I know Pepsi was probably involved and perhaps chips? I know that part isn't important but I feel the need to recall every little detail of this experience.
The Bachelorette begins but we aren't paying too much attention. Lucky for us it was only "The Men Tell All" episode, so it was pretty boring anyway. The pains continued and Cheryl and I were stumped. She suggested we start timing them - just for the heck of it. After three or four more contractions she tells me they are three minutes apart exactly, everytime. Huh. They are lasting between 20 and 40 seconds. Huh. Well certainly labour would not progress this quickly for a first timer, so again, we convince ourselves it's just Braxton Hicks. I'm surprised by how painful these contractions are becoming so I decide to give Labour & Delivery a call anyway. Just in case.
Cheryl and I at the photoshoot
Photo by Jason MacLean
A kind nurse (who would later turn out to be my labour nurse) answers the phone. I blurt something out that sounds like this: "Hi. I'm almost 37 weeks pregnant. I'm having contractions every three minutes. They kind of hurt. It can't be labour, right?" She asks me a few questions and probably sensing my anxiety assures me that I am probably correct - it's most likely not real labour. It could be an irritable uterus. I could be dehydrated. I should drink lots of water and go to bed. Okay. I was relieved. I was terrified of giving birth, I didn't feel ready yet. I couldn't wait to meet my boy but I felt so ill prepared when it came to motherhood. Sure, I had all the essentials. The nursery was finished and looking beautiful. All the tiny clothes were washed and either hung up in the neatly organized closet or folded up in the new change table/dresser combination. So after about another half hour of pacing the floors Cory and I head home.
I immediately change into my jammies and go to bed. I last there for maybe two minutes. They are becoming increasingly painful and I am concerned that if this isn't labour something is really wrong with me. I won't be able to last the night if these pains continue. I decide to try a bath. I think Cheryl had told me to try that if the pains didn't subside. I am willing to try anything. I just want it to go away. I last in the bath for maybe fifteen minutes. At first I thought it was working because once I was in the bath my first contraction seemed to take a couple of extra minutes to happen (but made up for it with intensity!). No such luck. I called Cory to come help me out of the tub. I had to call several times because apparently he had fallen asleep already. I put my jammies back on and slid into bed. This just wasn't going to work. Either I was in labour or something was really wrong. Cory suggested I call the hospital again before we go in.
So at 1 am I made the second call. Same nurse. I didn't really ask her anything. I said something like "Listen, I called earlier and the contractions haven't stopped. They are still only 3 minutes apart or so and have increased in intensity. I'm freaking out." She told me if I was freaking out I could come in. There was definite skepticism in her voice. There was no way she believed me to be in labour. I told Cory she told us to come in so we got ready. At the last minute he saw my hot pink hospital bag in the kitchen and asked if we should bring it. I wasn't sure. We ultimately decided to bring it just in case. My camera was not packed in the bag as I was still using it on a daily basis, so unfortunately I don't have any photos of the labour process or the first moments of his life :(
When we arrived at the hospital Cory told me he would drop me off at the door and go park. I wouldn't let him. I was too embarrassed to walk into that hospital alone, even in the middle of the night. The truth was I knew I was in pain but I also "knew" there was no way I could be in labour. I thought it was going to turn out to be nothing and I would be humiliated. The commissionaire let us in and I told him we were going to labour and delivery. He was like " uh, yeah, I kind of figured that out on my own." Let the humiliation begin. He asked if they knew we were coming and I said they did. He told Cory to go to admitting and he would wheel me down to labour and delivery. I refused the wheelchair...he said he would get in trouble with the nurses if he let me walk. Oh God. This was going to be my most embarrassing moment when they sent me me home a few minutes later. And I have had some pretty embarrassing moments. I was also worried about how Cory would find me. I became much more attached to him in pregnancy and if there was a chance, even a slight one, that this was the real thing, I didn't want him to leave my side for a second. I knew my way around the hospital since I work there but Cory did not and this made me nervous.
My nurse, Jane, took me from the commissionaire and showed me to a small room. She gave me a gown and sent me to the bathroom to gown up. I had another contraction in the bathroom. She asked me some more questions when I came out and wanted to confirm that the contractions were in fact coming every three minutes. I insisted they were. I could tell from her face she didn't believe me. She asked when I had last had one, and I told her about the one in the bathroom. She told me they would monitor them and see what was going on. So she and a student nurse named Marsha hooked up this band thingy to my belly and we waited. Cory showed up right before they hooked it up to my relief, so I didn't feel so alone and quite so frightened. After a few minutes of monitoring Jane assured me I was in fact having contractions (thank God I'm not crazy) and she would need to check my cervix to see if it was labour. Oh no! This part terrified me. I immediately reached for Cory's hand as I prepared for the unpleasantness. It wasn't as bad I as thought. Huh. I think it was probably overshadowed by all the painful contractions! I watched Jane's face as she "checked" me which seemed like FOREVER. She got a weird look on her face and then she said "Well....I think you're in labour." Oh. My. God. My eyes immediately went to Cory's and welled up with tears. I was stunned. I knew I was in horrible pain, worse than anything I had ever experienced but most of me truly believed that this was just my body playing tricks on me. He just smiled back at me...I think he was in shock too. He really didn't think it was the real thing. The student nurse saw the tears right away and asked if I was okay. I told her I was fine, just surprised and really scared. She was great, really supportive and excited about her job. Harrison was moving around a lot in my belly and you could see all sorts of movement of what I assumed to be knees and elbows or something and she was very excited about this. It was cute.
Jane had left the room to go notify the doctor or something and I suddenly realized this was actually happening and I needed some more information. I asked Marsha how many centimeters I was dilated and which doctor was on call. Both very important questions. She told me Dr. C was on call (phew). She was on my list of "good" doctors so this made me very happy. I obviously would have preferred my regular OB-GYN but he was on vacation so I knew that was a no-go. It was about 2 am at this time. I figured there was no way I would have the baby before the end of the doc's shift so I asked who would be on call after that. She knew Dr. C was on call until 7 and she wasn't sure who came on after that. Note to self: try to have the baby before 7! She went to find out from Jane how many cm I was dilated. She came back in shortly after and informed me 3-4. I was shocked! That was pretty far along, I thought, for such a short time. I think I based this on births I've seen on TV where they stay at 1 cm for, like, 24 hours. Like when Rachel gave birth to Emma on Friends. I also instructed Marsha to tell Jane I wanted an epidural and as soon as possible. I knew things must be progressing quickly and I wanted my epidural!
Once in the delivery room Dr. C came in to check me herself. She was very kind to me and I was lucky to have her. She checked me and told me I was actually almost 5 cm. What?? Holy crap this is going fast. Get me my epidural! She told me that the anesthetist had been called and would be on her way to the hospital shortly. I told Cory to go call Cheryl as we had promised her we would let her know if we went into the hospital. Initially when we made the decision to go to the hospital I really thought they would send us right back home so opted to wait to make that call. I told him to also call my Mom and tell her to get here as soon as possible as we had made the decision to have her in the room with us. My Mom is an LPN and is great at taking care of people so I thought she would be a huge help, and I knew that it would mean so much to her to be there. He made that call and also called his Mom, Heather, to let her know what was going on.
By the time Mom arrived, probably 15 minutes later, I was in so much pain I didn't know if I could make it through. I had stopped talking altogether about 5 minutes before. I answered the nurse's questions and just tried to power through what was happening. Mom was talking away to me and I had to just ignore her and try to make time go faster so the anesthetist would arrive already. Dr. C had asked if I needed something for the pain while we waited to get the epidural. She didn't ask me though, it was almost as if she wondered it aloud. I gave her a resounding "YES!" but she just gave me a weak smile and left the room. I guess she figured it was better to wait - I'm not sure. I kept hoping she would come back with some magic pill that would make this pain stop. It got so intense that I had to get sick a few times. There was no warning. It just happened. All over my gown. Yuck. This is when all my pride went out the window. I tore off my gross gown and waited while they grabbed me another gown and helped me into it. I just stood there in my room completely naked and I didn't even notice, really. This is what happens to you in labour, or at least this is what happens to me in labour. My self-consciousness was gone for the time being. I was too focused on making it through this to care about anything else.
At this point I just told kept telling myself "one more". One more contraction until the anesthetist finally gets here. And then one more after that and so on. After what seemed like forever but was probably only 45 minutes to an hour she arrived. I knew she was going to have to explain to me all the risks and benefits, what the procedure was like, what to expect etc. I knew all this from typing this stuff in Medical Records. I just kept nodding and yes'ing and hoping she would just do it already. I had been pretty scared of this part because I knew that getting a needle in your spine is a pretty big deal and that any movement can be dangerous. I was very scared I would sneeze or get one of those shivers and be paralyzed or something. I had thought a lot about this in the last several months. However, when the moment arrived I really wasn't scared. I was more scared of what would happen if I didn't get this freakin' epidural! I sat on the edge of my bed facing Cory who sat in a chair. I leaned over and placed my hands on his knees. He held them there. I kept telling her to wait because my contractions were practically on top of each other and I was scared of getting the needle during a contraction. She told me they were too close together to wait and I just had to deal with it, basically. So I squeezed my eyes shut and waited. I didn't feel it at all. The pain of the contractions was way too intense to worry about some silly needle. Dr. M. told me the epidural would take about twenty minutes to kick in. It seemed like forever to me. I continued on with my "one more" strategy. Just one more contraction until it kicks in, just one more, just one more....
Right after Dr. M left Jane wanted to check me to see how things were going. I nodded, kept my eyes closed, and struggled through yet another contraction. My eyes shot open, however, when she told me I was fully dilated. Um...what? "Fully dilated?!", I exclaimed. She said yes and asked me if I had an urge to push. I didn't think so. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. I heard her tell Cory and my Mom that hopefully I could have a little rest and then start pushing. I listened to Jane talk Marsha through different nurse stuff in the chairs to the left of my bed and Cory and Mom talked quietly in the chairs to my right. After a few minutes I opened my eyes and said that I thought maybe I felt like I had to push...I wasn't sure. I had never been in labour before...how was I supposed to know? Jane had left the room for a moment so Mom went to get her and tell her this. She came in and the pushing began.
Cory and I had discussed the whole giving birth situation before. I was clear I did not want him watching from "down there" as I didn't figure he'd ever look at me the same way again. That was more than okay with him. So, we had decided he would stay up near my head during the whole thing. He held my right leg and my Mom held my left as I pushed. It took me a while to push correctly. Again, I had never had a baby before, how am I supposed to know? After the first couple I got the excited encouragement from Jane and Marsha: "Exactly like that Sherri! Keep going!" A couple of times I felt like crying and would say "Ow!" in a rather pissed off/in torture kind of voice and Jane told me to breathe. I may have responded with "I am breathing!" a little too forcefully. I told them my face was going numb and was told I wasn't breathing correctly. I knew the right way - in your nose, out your mouth - but I just felt like I couldn't do it that way. I was more hyperventilating. I do have to say though the pushing was the easiest part for me. By this time the epidural had kicked in. It hadn't helped me with my contractions at all as I was already fully dilated by the time it started doing its magic, but I'm so thankful I had it for pushing the baby out. Cory kept quietly cheering me on and encouraging me, almost whispering them to me in my ear. I wanted to look in his eyes and see his face during this experience but I lost all sense of reality. I couldn't respond to anyone, I just dug deep and hung in there, basically.
After 15 minutes or so of pushing Dr. C. came in and got into position. I took this as a sign that the baby would be coming soon but at the same time I knew I had been pushing for a short time and expected this to go on for much longer. Like hours. After a couple of pushes I asked Dr. C if things were progressing at all and she said they "oh yes, definitely!". Mom kept telling me she could see the head, but they had been saying that right from the very first push. Then all of a sudden my Mom felt faint and Jane rushed her to the bathroom where she was given cold compresses. She came back two minutes later and said she was just hot and tired and that she was totally fine.
All of a sudden it seemed like it was finally time and Dr. C was telling me that the head was out and that it looked like a big baby. Then he was out and I saw him. It was 5:06 a.m. He looked....purplish. She cut the cord herself right away and handed him off to some other people I hadn't even realized were in the room. He wasn't crying which I knew wasn't good but we could hear him breathing and making little baby noises, everyone was calm, and they were no codes being called, so I knew it wasn't anything too serious. I asked Dr. C if everything was okay when she came back over and she said he was most definitely okay: pink, good pulse, breathing, he just hadn't had that one big cry, probably due to fluid in his lungs so they would have to take him up to the nursery. I was relieved that he was okay, and again, thanks to working in MR and typing consults etc., I knew this wasn't that unusual. They brought him over to me and set him on my chest. It was magical. He was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. His perfect little pink pout sticks out the most in my mind and his eyes wide open and looking at me. I couldn't believe this perfect little guy had come from me - it was the greatest gift. They told me they were taking him up now and invited Cory to come along. Cory looked at me for reassurance and I told him to definitely go and be with our baby, that I was great now. And I was. I kept saying "I did it!" It was the best feeling to know that I had been strong enough to endure this and that my precious boy was finally here and he was beautiful.
I delivered the afterbirth which felt really gross. Dr. C thought it was quite large. I didn't get a look at it - though I meant to! She started sewing me up and we chatted a little bit. I told her I typed her stuff and that she was an excellent dictator which we so appreciate in my department. She told me what a great job I did. Cory came down with exciting news: Baby was doing well and was 9 lbs even and 21 in long! Needless to say everyone was surprised by his size given that he was over three weeks early. My first thought was that my due date was wrong. I had had a chemical pregnancy (early miscarriage) the month before, so I thought that we made a mistake and that that pregnancy had actually continued and therefore my dates had been off by a month. I explained all this to Dr. C and she said that wasn't the case. Harrison was acting exactly as she would expect a 36/6 week baby to behave and there were certain physical characteristics that coincided with 36 weeks as well, like the white filmy stuff that he had been covered in. So, it turns out I just grow very large babies! ;)
I called my Dad and Cheryl from the delivery room while I waited to be taken up to Unit 4. My Dad was excited and so very proud of me. He couldn't wait to meet little Harrison. Cheryl was shocked to hear my voice on the line, I think. I told her she was an aunt and she couldn't believe it had happened so quickly. As another very pregnant lady she had heard the stories of the intense long labours of first-timers too. After those phone calls we made our way to the Maternity Ward. They took me to the nursery and showed me where Harrison was. They told me I could come see him anytime I wanted to. Again, I couldn't get over how beautiful he was. The most perfect baby I had ever seen.
They showed me to my room and my nurse, Amanda, helped me into my bed. The epidural was still working so I couldn't completely feel or work my legs correctly. My family doctor came in very shortly after (he works fast!) and told us he had just been to see Harrison and that the pediatrician was checking him out now. He told us that the pediatrician would be here to speak with us shortly, but that essentially Harrison was born a little over three weeks early and was behaving as such. He would be fine, just had to catch up a little bit. That sounded like good news to me. Dr. Gaston, the pediatrician, came in soon after and reiterated what Dr. Morais had told us. He had some ailments, but nothing they wouldn't expect from an early baby. He had some fluid in his lungs. He was pretty sure there was no infection but IV antibiotics would be given as a precaution. He had a heart murmur common to premature babies that would probably disappear in a few days. He had jaundice which, again, was typical of early babies and would be taken care of with the bili lights. He was very positive and assured us that Harrison was healthy and just needed to catch up before we could go home. I was very pleased to hear this from the expert and hoped it wouldn't take too long before we could go home. I was on cloud 9 after speaking with him, knowing that Harrison would be just fine and it was getting late enough in the morning that I could start making a few more phone calls.
It was shortly past 7 in the morning and I knew one of my coworkers, Donna, would be in the office by now. I told her to guess where I was calling from and she knew right away: "Not Unit 4?!". Yeppers! That was my favourite game to play when I called people. I always asked them that same question. I waited until a more reasonable hour and then had to call one of my closest friends and a mommy-to-be herself, Tanya. I kept getting no answer. I knew she had to work at 9 and is usually late leaving for work, so I knew she couldn't have left already. She must be in the shower. I kept calling and calling and finally she answered. It was so exciting to be able to tell her! She was shocked, just like everyone else was. I called a few other girlfriends and visited with my parents and mother-in-law. It was awesome. As each of them came in Cory took them to the nursery to show off little Harrison. My legs weren't working correctly so it was a while before I could go join them. When I finally did I just stared at him in awe. I couldn't believe he was finally here and that he was so perfectly....perfect.
My next blog will be part 2 of the story - our week-long stay in the hospital.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I'm back!
It's been a week-and-a-half since my last post - oops! Sorry about that. I will be better.
Can you believe it's February already? Insane! You are probably wondering (well, probably not, but I'm telling you anyway) how I've been doing with my New Year Resolutions. So far, so good with some. Not so good with others.
Exercise routine is going fantastically. Still going to bootcamp (which is getting harder every time!) and New Mommas Fitness classes (which are also getting harder!) twice a week. Sometimes I do an extra UFIT class in there as well. So basically that one couldn't be going better.
Eating better is going good too. The Pepsi habit has been surprisingly the easiest to break. I have had two cans of pop this month. That's insane to me. I was drinking Pepsi like it was water every single day. Totally addicted to it. I don't crave it as much and can now just enjoy it as a treat. Feeling really good about that one.
Cutting the fast food habit has been going well too. I ate fast food a total of three times which is insane as I was eating it probably five times a week before. When I go out to a restaurant with friends I still get fries but will get a sandwich instead of cheeseburger.
If only I was seeing real results from accomplishing these feats. I am working harder than I ever have in my life in terms of exercise and cutting out my bad habits but I haven't lost any weight at all. It's frustrating but I'm hoping that it's just a slow start. I can't believe that changing my lifestyle this much won't change my body. Fingers crossed that things improve in February. At the very least I can at least know that I am being healthier and that is what is most important.
The goals about printing off my photos and organizing them and working on a baby book and scrapbook for Harrison are not going well. Haven't started. That's what the next 11 months are for, right?
How are you making out with your 2011 plans?
Can you believe it's February already? Insane! You are probably wondering (well, probably not, but I'm telling you anyway) how I've been doing with my New Year Resolutions. So far, so good with some. Not so good with others.
Exercise routine is going fantastically. Still going to bootcamp (which is getting harder every time!) and New Mommas Fitness classes (which are also getting harder!) twice a week. Sometimes I do an extra UFIT class in there as well. So basically that one couldn't be going better.
Eating better is going good too. The Pepsi habit has been surprisingly the easiest to break. I have had two cans of pop this month. That's insane to me. I was drinking Pepsi like it was water every single day. Totally addicted to it. I don't crave it as much and can now just enjoy it as a treat. Feeling really good about that one.
Cutting the fast food habit has been going well too. I ate fast food a total of three times which is insane as I was eating it probably five times a week before. When I go out to a restaurant with friends I still get fries but will get a sandwich instead of cheeseburger.
If only I was seeing real results from accomplishing these feats. I am working harder than I ever have in my life in terms of exercise and cutting out my bad habits but I haven't lost any weight at all. It's frustrating but I'm hoping that it's just a slow start. I can't believe that changing my lifestyle this much won't change my body. Fingers crossed that things improve in February. At the very least I can at least know that I am being healthier and that is what is most important.
The goals about printing off my photos and organizing them and working on a baby book and scrapbook for Harrison are not going well. Haven't started. That's what the next 11 months are for, right?
How are you making out with your 2011 plans?
Friday, January 21, 2011
Anything Like Me
Happy Friday!
Cory and I are so in love with this song that I just had to share the lyrics. So fitting for new parents :) Listen to the song on YouTube, it's awesome! It's called Anything Like Me by Brad Paisley.
I remember sayin' I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy, I'm okay
And then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said, "You see that thing right there? Well, you know what that means"
I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me
He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast
End up every summer wearin' something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass
In a window down the street
He's gonna get in trouble, oh, he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback
If he's anything like me
I can see him right now, knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass tryin' to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on?
That'll be his first love 'til his first love comes along
He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me
He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket, he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skippin' class
And be grounded for a week
He's gonna get into trouble, we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback
If he's anything like me
He's gonna love me
And hate me along the way
The years are gonna fly by
And I already dread the day
He's gonna hug his mama, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he can't wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me
There's worst folks to be like, oh, he'll be alright
If he's anything like me
You love it, right?
Cory and I are so in love with this song that I just had to share the lyrics. So fitting for new parents :) Listen to the song on YouTube, it's awesome! It's called Anything Like Me by Brad Paisley.
I remember sayin' I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy, I'm okay
And then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said, "You see that thing right there? Well, you know what that means"
I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me
He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast
End up every summer wearin' something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass
In a window down the street
He's gonna get in trouble, oh, he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback
If he's anything like me
I can see him right now, knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass tryin' to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on?
That'll be his first love 'til his first love comes along
He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me
He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket, he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skippin' class
And be grounded for a week
He's gonna get into trouble, we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback
If he's anything like me
He's gonna love me
And hate me along the way
The years are gonna fly by
And I already dread the day
He's gonna hug his mama, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he can't wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me
There's worst folks to be like, oh, he'll be alright
If he's anything like me
You love it, right?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Handle With Care
Hello!
WARNING: Stop reading right now if you plan to read Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult or don't want to know the ending!!
I just finished this book. It was the first Jodi Picoult book I had read in a long time. I first started reading her books when I started working at the QEH in early '08. Anytime you were in the hallways or eating up front by the Pantry you would see someone holding one of her books. You'd be waiting in line in the cafeteria and someone would see you holding her book and strike up a conversation about which books you had read and which ones you loved. It was like a cult or something.
My friend Lynn recommended her to me and lent me her copy of The Pact. I found it really interesting and off I went on a string of her books. I read one after the other after the other. After probably five or six of them I needed a break. The subject matter is so intense and heavy. There is usually death involved. It was too much. Once I went back to "chick lit" I never returned to the sometimes depressing, sorrowful stories she wrote. Until recently.
During pregnancy all I read were pregnancy or baby related books. After I had Harrison I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to read a paragraph, let alone an entire novel. Now that he has a nighttime schedule that is working out well I have found more of a desire to read at night before I turn in. I read the few books I had kicking around - a Nicholas Sparks, a Jennifer Weiner. One night I really wanted to read but all I could find was this Jodi Picoult novel that I had been given from someone at work and hadn't mustered up the strength to read. I figured I'd read a chapter or two and that would satisfy me until I could get to the bookstore and pick up something more uplifting.
I found that I got into it fairly quickly though. I mean, I wasn't staying up hours later than normal just to find out what happened or anything, but it kept my interest each night for a few chapters. Once I was three quarters of the way through I started spending much more time reading, trying to figure out what was going to come of it all. I had seen the book on my friend Jill's table when I first started reading it and asked her if she liked it. She said she didn't like the ending. This didn't surprise me as the endings of her Ms. Picoult's books are often depressing. Often a surprise death or something of the like. I was prepared for that when I started reading it.
The story is about Charlotte, a mother whose second daughter has a very serious condition called osteogenesis imperfecta which causes her bones to be extremely brittle. She suffered 7 breaks in utero and 63 by the time she was 6 and a half. Her name is Willow. Charlotte is married to Sean and Charlotte has an older daughter from before she met Sean named Amelia. Amelia is 13 in the story. Piper is Charlotte's best friend, and for the first half of Charlotte's pregnancy with Willow, her ob-gyn. Essentially it's about Charlotte deciding to sue Piper for wrongful birth - basically saying that Piper should have recognized fetal abnormalities on her 18 week ultrasound and given her the option to abort the pregnancy. Charlotte wouldn't have aborted the pregnancy in the first place (she thinks) but she wants so much to give Willow a better life that she is willing to say this in order to get the money it takes to cover all Willow's medical expenses and give her the best treatment options available.
Each chapter is told from one of the main characters points of view: Charlotte, Sean, Piper, Amelia, Marin (the attorney who is representing Charlotte), and finally, in the last chapter, Willow. There is a lot that happens throughout the course of the book, from flashbacks of how Charlotte met Piper, Charlotte and Sean's relationship, Amelia's difficulty being a sister to a disabled child, Charlotte's pregnancy, Willow's birth and life up to this point and how it affects everyone around her. This was all fine, if a bit depressing.
The ending though, like Jill, drove me nuts. We find that Charlotte and Sean's relationship repairs itself, Amelia finally tells her parents how difficult it is being Willow's sister and how she feels invisible, and gets help for her multiple problems that have stemmed from this. Charlotte wins the lawsuit and is awarded the hefty sum of eight million dollars.
In the final chapter we are first introduced to Willow's point of view. She explains that Amelia got help and is painting a lot and happier. Charlotte and Sean are doing well. Willow is, for the first time, fracture free and loving it. They have the cheque for the eight million stuck to the fridge, never having cashed it, and getting along just fine knowing they have it for backup should an emergency come up. Then, just like that Willow heads outside to find Amelia and falls through some ice and drowns. Boom.
I just don't understand why someone always has to die in her books. The subject matter is heavy enough and lots of lessons are learned without always having to kill someone off in the final pages. Can't you just for once have a happy ending after a book full of misery? Grrrrrr.
I don't think I will be reading anymore of her books for a while. A long while.
WARNING: Stop reading right now if you plan to read Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult or don't want to know the ending!!
I just finished this book. It was the first Jodi Picoult book I had read in a long time. I first started reading her books when I started working at the QEH in early '08. Anytime you were in the hallways or eating up front by the Pantry you would see someone holding one of her books. You'd be waiting in line in the cafeteria and someone would see you holding her book and strike up a conversation about which books you had read and which ones you loved. It was like a cult or something.
My friend Lynn recommended her to me and lent me her copy of The Pact. I found it really interesting and off I went on a string of her books. I read one after the other after the other. After probably five or six of them I needed a break. The subject matter is so intense and heavy. There is usually death involved. It was too much. Once I went back to "chick lit" I never returned to the sometimes depressing, sorrowful stories she wrote. Until recently.
During pregnancy all I read were pregnancy or baby related books. After I had Harrison I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to read a paragraph, let alone an entire novel. Now that he has a nighttime schedule that is working out well I have found more of a desire to read at night before I turn in. I read the few books I had kicking around - a Nicholas Sparks, a Jennifer Weiner. One night I really wanted to read but all I could find was this Jodi Picoult novel that I had been given from someone at work and hadn't mustered up the strength to read. I figured I'd read a chapter or two and that would satisfy me until I could get to the bookstore and pick up something more uplifting.
I found that I got into it fairly quickly though. I mean, I wasn't staying up hours later than normal just to find out what happened or anything, but it kept my interest each night for a few chapters. Once I was three quarters of the way through I started spending much more time reading, trying to figure out what was going to come of it all. I had seen the book on my friend Jill's table when I first started reading it and asked her if she liked it. She said she didn't like the ending. This didn't surprise me as the endings of her Ms. Picoult's books are often depressing. Often a surprise death or something of the like. I was prepared for that when I started reading it.
The story is about Charlotte, a mother whose second daughter has a very serious condition called osteogenesis imperfecta which causes her bones to be extremely brittle. She suffered 7 breaks in utero and 63 by the time she was 6 and a half. Her name is Willow. Charlotte is married to Sean and Charlotte has an older daughter from before she met Sean named Amelia. Amelia is 13 in the story. Piper is Charlotte's best friend, and for the first half of Charlotte's pregnancy with Willow, her ob-gyn. Essentially it's about Charlotte deciding to sue Piper for wrongful birth - basically saying that Piper should have recognized fetal abnormalities on her 18 week ultrasound and given her the option to abort the pregnancy. Charlotte wouldn't have aborted the pregnancy in the first place (she thinks) but she wants so much to give Willow a better life that she is willing to say this in order to get the money it takes to cover all Willow's medical expenses and give her the best treatment options available.
Each chapter is told from one of the main characters points of view: Charlotte, Sean, Piper, Amelia, Marin (the attorney who is representing Charlotte), and finally, in the last chapter, Willow. There is a lot that happens throughout the course of the book, from flashbacks of how Charlotte met Piper, Charlotte and Sean's relationship, Amelia's difficulty being a sister to a disabled child, Charlotte's pregnancy, Willow's birth and life up to this point and how it affects everyone around her. This was all fine, if a bit depressing.
The ending though, like Jill, drove me nuts. We find that Charlotte and Sean's relationship repairs itself, Amelia finally tells her parents how difficult it is being Willow's sister and how she feels invisible, and gets help for her multiple problems that have stemmed from this. Charlotte wins the lawsuit and is awarded the hefty sum of eight million dollars.
In the final chapter we are first introduced to Willow's point of view. She explains that Amelia got help and is painting a lot and happier. Charlotte and Sean are doing well. Willow is, for the first time, fracture free and loving it. They have the cheque for the eight million stuck to the fridge, never having cashed it, and getting along just fine knowing they have it for backup should an emergency come up. Then, just like that Willow heads outside to find Amelia and falls through some ice and drowns. Boom.
I just don't understand why someone always has to die in her books. The subject matter is heavy enough and lots of lessons are learned without always having to kill someone off in the final pages. Can't you just for once have a happy ending after a book full of misery? Grrrrrr.
I don't think I will be reading anymore of her books for a while. A long while.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Golden Globes Recap
Hey guys!
So, the Golden Globes have come and gone. It was good. Not great, but good. I have re-watched one speech and the opening monologue so that tells me that there weren't all that many "great" moments.
Ricky Gervais was hilarious. He definitley took it farther than last year. He has said countless times in interviews that he was going to push the boundaries to the point of guaranteeing he would not be asked back for a third time. I think he probably succeeded. Although, based on the ratings and feedback from the audience, they should ask him back. I read that some celebrities' reps made complaints about some of his jabs so I'm guessing celebs trump actual viewers. Robert Downey Jr. apparently felt that some of his jokes were mean-spirited. I don't agree. Some of them were probably inappopriate given the environment, maybe distasteful (which you could also call Robert Downey's Jr's jokes when he was presenting), but I don't think the guy would intentionally hurt anyone. It's his job to poke fun at the headlines, movies, TV shows, and actors of the year. Plus, the guy did the same thing last year, so the HFPA knew what they were getting into. I say job well done.
Movie Awards: Boring. There were not any real surprises here. The Social Network did quite well which I was glad for as I really enjoyed the movie. Best Actor and Best Actress were Colin Firth and Natalie Portman respectively which is exactly what everyone said would happen.
TV Awards: Better. Chris Colfer (Kurt) from Glee won and he had the best reaction and speech. It was awesome. He was clearly shocked and overwhelmed and the sheer "glee" on the faces of his fellow cast members was moving. He made some adorable comment about dropping his heart somewhere between Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, and he stood up for the Kurts of the world. Lovely.
I have to admit I was surprised when Glee won Best Comedy Series over Modern Family. I have to say I don't really agree. I love Glee, don't get me wrong. Modern Family is more of a comedy, though. It's spot on in every episode. I would have been happy with either one winning, but I have to say I sort of felt like Modern Family got screwed a bit on that one. I think they'll get the SAG award over Glee, though.
Fashion: The ladies did well with their dress choices. I didn't see too many horrendous ones. I thought Olivia Wilde looked like she was wearing a prom dress. Scarlett Johanson looked like she might have been wearing a nightgown. There was a lot of green. Mila Kunis wore it best, I thought. Others that stood out to me for looking great were Eva Longoria, Mandy Moore, and Sandra Bullock (loved her bangs too!). Others that stood out to me as having made some odd fashion choices were Michelle Williams, Christina Aguilera, Emma Stone, and Leighton Meester.
All in all it was enjoyable but I've seen better. I'm looking forward to the Screen Actor's Guild awards in two weeks.
Did anyone else watch? Thoughts?
So, the Golden Globes have come and gone. It was good. Not great, but good. I have re-watched one speech and the opening monologue so that tells me that there weren't all that many "great" moments.
Ricky Gervais was hilarious. He definitley took it farther than last year. He has said countless times in interviews that he was going to push the boundaries to the point of guaranteeing he would not be asked back for a third time. I think he probably succeeded. Although, based on the ratings and feedback from the audience, they should ask him back. I read that some celebrities' reps made complaints about some of his jabs so I'm guessing celebs trump actual viewers. Robert Downey Jr. apparently felt that some of his jokes were mean-spirited. I don't agree. Some of them were probably inappopriate given the environment, maybe distasteful (which you could also call Robert Downey's Jr's jokes when he was presenting), but I don't think the guy would intentionally hurt anyone. It's his job to poke fun at the headlines, movies, TV shows, and actors of the year. Plus, the guy did the same thing last year, so the HFPA knew what they were getting into. I say job well done.
Movie Awards: Boring. There were not any real surprises here. The Social Network did quite well which I was glad for as I really enjoyed the movie. Best Actor and Best Actress were Colin Firth and Natalie Portman respectively which is exactly what everyone said would happen.
TV Awards: Better. Chris Colfer (Kurt) from Glee won and he had the best reaction and speech. It was awesome. He was clearly shocked and overwhelmed and the sheer "glee" on the faces of his fellow cast members was moving. He made some adorable comment about dropping his heart somewhere between Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, and he stood up for the Kurts of the world. Lovely.
I have to admit I was surprised when Glee won Best Comedy Series over Modern Family. I have to say I don't really agree. I love Glee, don't get me wrong. Modern Family is more of a comedy, though. It's spot on in every episode. I would have been happy with either one winning, but I have to say I sort of felt like Modern Family got screwed a bit on that one. I think they'll get the SAG award over Glee, though.
Fashion: The ladies did well with their dress choices. I didn't see too many horrendous ones. I thought Olivia Wilde looked like she was wearing a prom dress. Scarlett Johanson looked like she might have been wearing a nightgown. There was a lot of green. Mila Kunis wore it best, I thought. Others that stood out to me for looking great were Eva Longoria, Mandy Moore, and Sandra Bullock (loved her bangs too!). Others that stood out to me as having made some odd fashion choices were Michelle Williams, Christina Aguilera, Emma Stone, and Leighton Meester.
All in all it was enjoyable but I've seen better. I'm looking forward to the Screen Actor's Guild awards in two weeks.
Did anyone else watch? Thoughts?
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Golden Globe Sunday!
Whoop Whoop it's Golden Globe Sunday!! Jeff and Sherri's annual viewing party of two starts at 9 sharp. I didn't watch the five movies nominated for Best Picture like I wanted to but I have seen a few of the movies that will be showcased tonight.
Black Swan - Didn't like it. Didn't get it. Ick. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis were both great, though! I think Natalie Portman will probably win for Best Actress.
The Social Network - I LOVED this. It was so fascinating to me. I think this movie will win for Best Picture. I wouldn't mind seeing Jesse Eisenberg or Andrew Garfield win for their performances but I don't think it will go their way.
127 Hours - I LOVED this movie. It isn't nominated for Best Picture (but it should be). I hope that James Franco wins for Best Actor - his performance was excellent. Unfortunately, it seems that honour will go to Colin Firth for The King's Speech. I haven't seen it but I do like Colin Firth and I'm sure he deserves it.
Love and Other Drugs - I think both Jake Gyllenhaul and Anne Hathaway were excellent, but neither will take home the acting honours. The movie itself was pretty good - not as good as I thought it would be, but enjoyable all the same.
As far as TV goes, I am hoping for wins for Glee and Modern Family!
I shall update tomorrow with my opinion on the show, and my ratio of winners! I am having some well deserved treats tonight and I will enjoy them!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, friends!
Black Swan - Didn't like it. Didn't get it. Ick. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis were both great, though! I think Natalie Portman will probably win for Best Actress.
The Social Network - I LOVED this. It was so fascinating to me. I think this movie will win for Best Picture. I wouldn't mind seeing Jesse Eisenberg or Andrew Garfield win for their performances but I don't think it will go their way.
127 Hours - I LOVED this movie. It isn't nominated for Best Picture (but it should be). I hope that James Franco wins for Best Actor - his performance was excellent. Unfortunately, it seems that honour will go to Colin Firth for The King's Speech. I haven't seen it but I do like Colin Firth and I'm sure he deserves it.
Love and Other Drugs - I think both Jake Gyllenhaul and Anne Hathaway were excellent, but neither will take home the acting honours. The movie itself was pretty good - not as good as I thought it would be, but enjoyable all the same.
As far as TV goes, I am hoping for wins for Glee and Modern Family!
I shall update tomorrow with my opinion on the show, and my ratio of winners! I am having some well deserved treats tonight and I will enjoy them!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, friends!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
We have a tooth!
Hey guys!
I am proud to announce that my precious 5 1/2 month old baby boy has his first tooth!! It came so quickly and was so tiny that I didn't even notice it! We had been feeling his gums and knew that it would happen soon as you could feel the little hard nubs on his gums. It wasn't until I got home from bootcamp Thursday night that Cory told me our little one had his first tooth. When I felt around, there it was, a little sharper than normal and a tiny white thing sticking above his gum. Very hard to see. The next morning it was a little more noticeable and today even more so.
I feel so proud! Isn't that strange? I always feel proud when people say anything about him. "Wow, he sure is a big boy!" - I get this a lot and for some reason I feel overcome with pride and joy, like I must be doing something right when in reality he was just a big boy to begin with and has grown accordingly. "Look at those big blue eyes!" - again I feel about 10 feet tall when someone says this.
You know how people say that parents always think their baby is the cutest one there ever was? This is so true. I honestly think that Harrison is the cutest little fella around and has been since the day he was born. His constant smiles light up the room, his laughter warms my heart. He isn't too big, he isn't too small. He is, in a word, perfect. Cory said to me once when we were basically congratulating ourselves on the beautiful child we made, "do you think we just think he's this perfect because we're his parents? Do you think other people think he's not so cute?" This hadn't even occurred to me. We think he's this cute because he really is this cute! How could anyone think any differently? I can't even fathom it. Think about it though, you know you have all at one point or another seen a picture of a newborn and thought to yourself "oh all newborns look the same", or "he'll grow into his ears/nose/chin before long". Is this what people think/thought about my child? No. I still believe he is the cutest baby boy and everyone else must think so too.
I find myself constantly wishing for time to slow down and speed up when it comes to motherhood. I keep waiting for the next milestone. First smile, first laugh, first sleep through the night, first tooth, and now I can't wait for him to be able to sit up on his own so he can play with his new toys he got for Christmas, and say Mama and Dada. At the same time I can't believe my tiny baby is about 20 lbs!! He has doubled his birth weight! He will be changing into the bigger car seat soon. He will soon be ready to start solids. How can all these things be happening so fast?? SLOW DOWN TIME!! It's a constant battle between wanting him to grow and develop and discover everything and everyone around him, and wanting him to say my little boy forever. I see this battle continuing for, oh I don't know, the rest of his life.
I am proud to announce that my precious 5 1/2 month old baby boy has his first tooth!! It came so quickly and was so tiny that I didn't even notice it! We had been feeling his gums and knew that it would happen soon as you could feel the little hard nubs on his gums. It wasn't until I got home from bootcamp Thursday night that Cory told me our little one had his first tooth. When I felt around, there it was, a little sharper than normal and a tiny white thing sticking above his gum. Very hard to see. The next morning it was a little more noticeable and today even more so.
I feel so proud! Isn't that strange? I always feel proud when people say anything about him. "Wow, he sure is a big boy!" - I get this a lot and for some reason I feel overcome with pride and joy, like I must be doing something right when in reality he was just a big boy to begin with and has grown accordingly. "Look at those big blue eyes!" - again I feel about 10 feet tall when someone says this.
You know how people say that parents always think their baby is the cutest one there ever was? This is so true. I honestly think that Harrison is the cutest little fella around and has been since the day he was born. His constant smiles light up the room, his laughter warms my heart. He isn't too big, he isn't too small. He is, in a word, perfect. Cory said to me once when we were basically congratulating ourselves on the beautiful child we made, "do you think we just think he's this perfect because we're his parents? Do you think other people think he's not so cute?" This hadn't even occurred to me. We think he's this cute because he really is this cute! How could anyone think any differently? I can't even fathom it. Think about it though, you know you have all at one point or another seen a picture of a newborn and thought to yourself "oh all newborns look the same", or "he'll grow into his ears/nose/chin before long". Is this what people think/thought about my child? No. I still believe he is the cutest baby boy and everyone else must think so too.
I find myself constantly wishing for time to slow down and speed up when it comes to motherhood. I keep waiting for the next milestone. First smile, first laugh, first sleep through the night, first tooth, and now I can't wait for him to be able to sit up on his own so he can play with his new toys he got for Christmas, and say Mama and Dada. At the same time I can't believe my tiny baby is about 20 lbs!! He has doubled his birth weight! He will be changing into the bigger car seat soon. He will soon be ready to start solids. How can all these things be happening so fast?? SLOW DOWN TIME!! It's a constant battle between wanting him to grow and develop and discover everything and everyone around him, and wanting him to say my little boy forever. I see this battle continuing for, oh I don't know, the rest of his life.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Boston Rob is back! Thank you, Survivor!
Hi everyone!
Oh what a glorious day! I found out from my Entertainment Weekly addiction that Boston Rob and Russell will be back to compete on the next season of Survivor: Redemption Island. You may or may not know that I LOVE Boston Rob. I mean love. Let me explain.
I have been a fan of Survivor since the first season (though I missed a few in recent times). So, I first came across Boston Rob on the fourth edition of the show, Survivor Marquesas. I didn't care for him all that much. I didn't understand why his luxury item would be oils to oil himself up. Then came Survivor All-Stars.
I had seen an interview with host Jeff Probst before this season aired and he said that for the first time there was a real love affair on the show. I am a hopeless romantic, so this made me even more excited for the All-Star edition. It became apparent from the very first episode that the romance would be between Rob and Amber. It ultimately became the Rob and Amber show. Rob was deliciously charming and he seemed to really care for Amber: "She's sweet. She's beautiful. Her ass is smokin too." All said in that famous Boston accent. Later, "It would be nice to win the million and take the girl away too." Swoon. Yes, I know all these by heart because I own the season on DVD and may have watched it a few times.
The survivors dwindle down to five. The famous "car" reward challenge comes along. Rob wins (Amber was a close second). He won a brand new Chevy truck. He was stoked. He is then told he can pick one other contestant to come along with him on a second part of the reward which includes a drive in his truck to the "Survivor Drive-In Movie Theatre" where there will be all you can eat hot dogs, popcorn, candy, and soft drinks. Like a true gentleman he picks Amber. They get to the drive-in only to learn from Jeff that Amber gets a car too! They freak out excitedly and then head for the movie where the two cuddle in the bed of his truck. Swoon.
The survivors are down to the final three. Rob, powerhouse that he is, wins immunity and is left with the decision of who to oust (and therefore who he brings with him to the final two). The answer is obvious if he wants to win: take Jenna. She is incredibly annoying and no one can stand her. Instead, he brings the most deserving person, his love, Amber. Fastforward to the reunion show. Before the votes are read he gets down on one knee and proposes. She accepts. Swoon. Amber wins. She played a great game but Rob was, well, robbed. As Jeff said at the beginning of the reunion show, he dominated physically and he dominated strategically. The bitter jury was just unable to look past their elimination to see the insanely strategic and physically dominating game played by Rob.
I couldn't watch enough interviews with them following that show. I couldn't read enough articles. I was "Romber" crazy. I was thrilled to find out they would be on the Amazing Race. I had never seen the show but became a regular viewer that season tuning in to watch Rob and Amber in action. Rob pissed people off and he won people over. He was smart. Really smart. They made it all the way to the end and came in second after a questionable decision of a pilot to unlock the plane doors to let the winners, Uchenna and Joyce on the plane. Had the pilot not made that decision Rob and Amber would be another million dollars richer. Oh well. They took it in stride.
Next, their wedding was a two hour special. Cory had his own apartment then with a DVR. Let's just say I watched it more than a few times. It only made me love him more to see what a sweet man he is in "real life."
Then there was their short lived stint on Amazing Race All-Stars. They came in first place in the first episode and were eliminated in the second episode. I was heartbroken. haha. Oh well.
They slowly faded from the spotlight until recently when it was announced that Boston Rob would return for Season 20 of Survivor entitled Heroes Vs. Villains. Yes, Rob would be a villain. I was ecstatic! I watched pregame interviews and found out that Rob and Amber had only weeks before welcomed their first child, a daughter. Swoon.
I made the mistake of reading spoilers on this season because I just had to know if Rob made it to the end. Unfortunately, he did not. He didn't even make the jury (by one tribal council). I wished I had not read the spoilers. There was lots of Rob to see on this show, though. He emerged from that season as a hero instead of a villain. My favourite part of that whole season was during the reunion show when he and Russell were exchanging words and he said to Russell "given the opportunity I'd gladly go back and kick your ass all over the island." Swoon! Jeff laughed and mentioned that perhaps that would be another season.
Enter Survivor: Redemption Island. Recently, at the Survivor: Nicaragua reunion show it was announced that there was going to be a big twist for the next season. Cory was on the laptop while I was watching and he said he read on the internet that the twist would be Rob Vs. Russell. I hoped against hope that the internet was right. My excitement grew as Jeff introduced Rob in the audience and, after finding out that he and Amber had just welcomed their second daughter, asked him to read the intro to the piece on the next season. No dice. The twist was Redemption Island.
Redemption Island is a twist that involves the ousted contestant living alone on Redemption Island until the next person is voted out. Then the two compete in a duel and whoever wins gets to stay on Redemption Island. The last person standing on Redemption Island will be allowed to reenter the game. All the contestants will know about this new aspect of the game before it begins.
So, today I was on the EW website and scrolled down to the bottom of the page. I was going to check on the status of the gift subscription I got my brother for Christmas. I was about to click on the appropriate link when I saw a picture of Rob and Russell on the bottom of the screen with a title that said "They're Baaaaaaack!". I clicked on the link and read the first few lines. I am embarrassed by how excited I was. I jumped up to call my husband and tell him the news. No, he wouldn't give a crap, but he would understand how excited this made me. No answer. No answer. No answer. I called my brother instead.
Oh, it shall be a glorious season!!
You know all about my love affair with Rob now. I haven't said much about Russell. The truth is, I loved Russell in Survivor Samoa. He was crazy, but he was brave with his strategy and hilarious to watch. He made what would have been a very boring season, a very exciting season. I didn't like him as much in Heroes Vs. Villains. Mainly because he was against Rob from the start (because he was threatened by him...which he admitted to in preshow interviews), but also because he came off way to cocky and arrogant this time around and wasn't funny anymore. He was responsible for Rob's demise. Obviously, now I dislike him completely. I really hope Boston Rob can "kick his ass all over the Island"!!
Any Survivor fans out there? What are your thoughts on these two players and the new Redemption Island twist?
Oh what a glorious day! I found out from my Entertainment Weekly addiction that Boston Rob and Russell will be back to compete on the next season of Survivor: Redemption Island. You may or may not know that I LOVE Boston Rob. I mean love. Let me explain.
I have been a fan of Survivor since the first season (though I missed a few in recent times). So, I first came across Boston Rob on the fourth edition of the show, Survivor Marquesas. I didn't care for him all that much. I didn't understand why his luxury item would be oils to oil himself up. Then came Survivor All-Stars.
I had seen an interview with host Jeff Probst before this season aired and he said that for the first time there was a real love affair on the show. I am a hopeless romantic, so this made me even more excited for the All-Star edition. It became apparent from the very first episode that the romance would be between Rob and Amber. It ultimately became the Rob and Amber show. Rob was deliciously charming and he seemed to really care for Amber: "She's sweet. She's beautiful. Her ass is smokin too." All said in that famous Boston accent. Later, "It would be nice to win the million and take the girl away too." Swoon. Yes, I know all these by heart because I own the season on DVD and may have watched it a few times.
The survivors dwindle down to five. The famous "car" reward challenge comes along. Rob wins (Amber was a close second). He won a brand new Chevy truck. He was stoked. He is then told he can pick one other contestant to come along with him on a second part of the reward which includes a drive in his truck to the "Survivor Drive-In Movie Theatre" where there will be all you can eat hot dogs, popcorn, candy, and soft drinks. Like a true gentleman he picks Amber. They get to the drive-in only to learn from Jeff that Amber gets a car too! They freak out excitedly and then head for the movie where the two cuddle in the bed of his truck. Swoon.
The survivors are down to the final three. Rob, powerhouse that he is, wins immunity and is left with the decision of who to oust (and therefore who he brings with him to the final two). The answer is obvious if he wants to win: take Jenna. She is incredibly annoying and no one can stand her. Instead, he brings the most deserving person, his love, Amber. Fastforward to the reunion show. Before the votes are read he gets down on one knee and proposes. She accepts. Swoon. Amber wins. She played a great game but Rob was, well, robbed. As Jeff said at the beginning of the reunion show, he dominated physically and he dominated strategically. The bitter jury was just unable to look past their elimination to see the insanely strategic and physically dominating game played by Rob.
I couldn't watch enough interviews with them following that show. I couldn't read enough articles. I was "Romber" crazy. I was thrilled to find out they would be on the Amazing Race. I had never seen the show but became a regular viewer that season tuning in to watch Rob and Amber in action. Rob pissed people off and he won people over. He was smart. Really smart. They made it all the way to the end and came in second after a questionable decision of a pilot to unlock the plane doors to let the winners, Uchenna and Joyce on the plane. Had the pilot not made that decision Rob and Amber would be another million dollars richer. Oh well. They took it in stride.
Next, their wedding was a two hour special. Cory had his own apartment then with a DVR. Let's just say I watched it more than a few times. It only made me love him more to see what a sweet man he is in "real life."
Then there was their short lived stint on Amazing Race All-Stars. They came in first place in the first episode and were eliminated in the second episode. I was heartbroken. haha. Oh well.
They slowly faded from the spotlight until recently when it was announced that Boston Rob would return for Season 20 of Survivor entitled Heroes Vs. Villains. Yes, Rob would be a villain. I was ecstatic! I watched pregame interviews and found out that Rob and Amber had only weeks before welcomed their first child, a daughter. Swoon.
I made the mistake of reading spoilers on this season because I just had to know if Rob made it to the end. Unfortunately, he did not. He didn't even make the jury (by one tribal council). I wished I had not read the spoilers. There was lots of Rob to see on this show, though. He emerged from that season as a hero instead of a villain. My favourite part of that whole season was during the reunion show when he and Russell were exchanging words and he said to Russell "given the opportunity I'd gladly go back and kick your ass all over the island." Swoon! Jeff laughed and mentioned that perhaps that would be another season.
Enter Survivor: Redemption Island. Recently, at the Survivor: Nicaragua reunion show it was announced that there was going to be a big twist for the next season. Cory was on the laptop while I was watching and he said he read on the internet that the twist would be Rob Vs. Russell. I hoped against hope that the internet was right. My excitement grew as Jeff introduced Rob in the audience and, after finding out that he and Amber had just welcomed their second daughter, asked him to read the intro to the piece on the next season. No dice. The twist was Redemption Island.
Redemption Island is a twist that involves the ousted contestant living alone on Redemption Island until the next person is voted out. Then the two compete in a duel and whoever wins gets to stay on Redemption Island. The last person standing on Redemption Island will be allowed to reenter the game. All the contestants will know about this new aspect of the game before it begins.
So, today I was on the EW website and scrolled down to the bottom of the page. I was going to check on the status of the gift subscription I got my brother for Christmas. I was about to click on the appropriate link when I saw a picture of Rob and Russell on the bottom of the screen with a title that said "They're Baaaaaaack!". I clicked on the link and read the first few lines. I am embarrassed by how excited I was. I jumped up to call my husband and tell him the news. No, he wouldn't give a crap, but he would understand how excited this made me. No answer. No answer. No answer. I called my brother instead.
Oh, it shall be a glorious season!!
You know all about my love affair with Rob now. I haven't said much about Russell. The truth is, I loved Russell in Survivor Samoa. He was crazy, but he was brave with his strategy and hilarious to watch. He made what would have been a very boring season, a very exciting season. I didn't like him as much in Heroes Vs. Villains. Mainly because he was against Rob from the start (because he was threatened by him...which he admitted to in preshow interviews), but also because he came off way to cocky and arrogant this time around and wasn't funny anymore. He was responsible for Rob's demise. Obviously, now I dislike him completely. I really hope Boston Rob can "kick his ass all over the Island"!!
Any Survivor fans out there? What are your thoughts on these two players and the new Redemption Island twist?
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