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3 Months Make a Big Difference

This boy keeps on changing. It has been so fun getting to know his personality. At times it has been challenging, but like all challenging things, the struggle makes it worth more.

Ezra is such a smiley guy. He loves to look around and when he catches eyes with you he will give the biggest grin. He sure knows how to make a person feel loved :)

Of course there is opposition in all things, and this guy lets you know when he is done. Ezra, on the dot, will start screaming and wailing at 9 PM every night to let us know he is ready for bed. It really is funny to see him get a schedule going.

This kid makes the funniest faces and sleeps in the most weirdest positions sometimes. I guess he takes after me more and more every day :)

Some of Jason's favorite or funny things about Ezra is he loves his little legs to be played with. Whether you bicycle them, kick them like a frog, or have him push off a hard surface, Ezra love his legs.

He has also gotten in the habit of putting his hand down Jason's shirt. We are definitely going to have to teach this boy about boundaries :)

We sure do love this little boy and am very glad he is here with us!

First Few Weeks with Ezra

So apparently I'm on a roll with finding time to write down memories and stories about my little guy, so I am going to run with it.

Ezra's "going home" outfit. We didn't know if he would scratch his face (hence the socks), but it just makes him seem really pathetic...or maybe its the face he's pulling that does that?

One of the first things I realized about this boy is... HE LIKES TO EAT!!!

I for one am grateful I do not have to worry about him staying tiny and scrawny. We did have a spell while in the hospital where he wasn't interested in eating. Since he was born with meconium in the amniotic fluids, some of it got into his little belly. Ezra would spit up this gross brown color and he wasn't even eating anything.
The nurses fixed him all up though by cleaning out his little belly. He's been eating like a champ since.

At his one month Dr. appointment he gained a 2 pounds! He definitely has the Myers appetite!

Family photo after getting home, oh and I  basically look like death warmed over...

I have also learned Ezra is particular about sleeping. He is a side sleeper. I would put him down on his back and he would magically end up on his side. Silly boy! So I always make sure he has bottom arm out to prevent him from rolling all the way over...

Which leads into the second particularity... Ezra doesn't like to be swaddled. Yes, when he's particularly ornery, I burrito him right up, but this boy fidgets and grunts and sometimes screams until his little hands are free.

Just a small fry!

Speaking of hands and arms, this kid loves them! Even from a few weeks old, he is fond of chomping away on them when they are in reach. This love has only gotten greater as he is getting older. Its really funny to see.

My little side sleeper

The first couple of weeks, Ezra has mostly slept, but as he is getting bigger he stays awake longer. His little personality is showing more and more. I think he's a happy guy, but family and visitors might say otherwise :)

Now that's a big yawn for a little guy!

So this is our little guy in his first few weeks. I could definitely bore you with about a thousand more pictures of him, but I won't... at least not tip next time.

The Baby Post Pt. 3

So I didn't expect this to be 3 posts long, but apparently I have a lot to say on the subject.

I agreed to an epidural. So the nurse called the anesthesiologist and he was there maybe 20 minutes later. When I saw the guy, I didn't have much faith in his accuracy. He had big sausage fingers! I've known several people that have had bad experiences with epidurals. Headaches, leaking spinal fluid... enough to scare a person!

And to top it off, try having major contractions while someone tells you "not to make a move while I stick this huge needle into your back"! Not an easy task. My labor and delivery nurse was great and talked me through the whole thing and I made it through.

Once we got the process started I felt better about my decision. The epidural took about 10 minutes to take full effect, but right away, I started feeling kind of tingly in my toes which slowly moved its way up my legs. And then the pain was gone. I do have to say epidural definitely do their job.

I had to be continually hooked up to the monitor now, and I believe they put in an internal monitor to have a more accurate reading of the little guys stats. I was so weird to see my contractions start and stop on  the monitor, but I felt no pain.

They started me on the pitocin, and shortly after they were done with me, I was out cold. And I mean OUT. I finally was able to get a restful, rejuvenating sleep. My nurse would periodically check up on me, and up my pitocin level to keep things rolling.

My contractions were getting longer, stronger and closer together. I finally woke up for good around 4- 4:30 PM and they checked me one last time... I was fully dilated!!!!  About 5-6 hours of not fighting the contractions, because of the epidural, I was able to relax my body for some serious progress to happen! HURRAY!!!

But the weird thing is, I wasn't allowed to push yet! WHAT!!! I was all geared up. Even though the epidural numbed the pain, I could still wiggle my toes and semi feel the pressure of my contractions. My nurse said she wanted me to wait until I felt the urge to push. Having known what that feels like from when I was pushing when I shouldn't have been, I knew what to feel for.

The irony was once my nurse left, I started to kind of feel the need to push, but silly me, I didn't call her back. Both Jason and I were so excited that our little guy was almost here. And I finally had clarity of thought to tell Jason to take pictures of us before the 2 of us became 3.

In the back was the little couch Jason slept on, pretty comfy!

They really should make a more flattering hospital gown!

So when the nurse finally came back to check on me, I said I was ready. So we got another nurse to come with all the delivery stuff, and they had me start. If I thought anything to this point was surreal, actually pushing was so weird yet it was so natural.

My nurse helped me get the swing of pushing. Since I could kind of feel when a contraction was in full force, I got to choose when to push. I would let them know and the would help me lift my legs into a super ab crunch position, tuck my chin, take a deep breath, and bear down. I could usually get 3 pushes in per contraction.

I pushed for little over an hour. They said I was such a great pusher, they had to stop me a couple of times or we would be having this baby before the doctor could get there. And that was when I was super grateful for the epidural because the thought of having the great urge to push and not getting to would be really hard.

So my back up doctor finally showed up (my midwife had previous family obligations that day that she couldn't be there). They got the bed all prepped, all the equipment for the baby was ready, and then the room got really full. Ridiculously full of people. 9 people, the doctor, our L&D nurse, her assistant nurse, the replacement L&D nurse (it was right during shift change), 2 nurses manned at the warming bed station for the baby, and some random L&D nurse that was there the night before when we were admitted and she wanted to be there. And finally Jason and me. It seemed really chaotic, yet I was so focused.

Jason was by my side to start with the pushing , but gradually like a car crash you can't help but watch, Jason witnessed to birth of his son. At one point I wasn't sure how much longer I would have to push and they all told me to reach down, I felt head and I felt hair. That motivated me more...

So at 7:22 PM on February 8th, 2013, Ezra Tennyson Myers was born. They had to cut the umbilical cord immediately and whisk him away because he was born with meconium (meaning he pooped before he was born). So they cleared out his lungs and made sure he was doing ok because meconium can cause lots of problems if it is inhaled. but little Ezra was a good boy and soon enough he was placed on my chest to get acquainted.

Ezra's first picture

Sure Jason got to hold him first, sure I didn't get to see him pee on the nurse while they were taking care of him, but the moment I got to hold him, it didn't matter. This was truly the most surreal moment of all. This little guy had been with me for the last 9 months and now I was finally holding him.

He weighed 6 lb. 2.8 oz.
19.5 inches long
13.6 cm for head circumference

And he is perfect!

The Baby Post Pt. 2

So... if you're still reading, I apparently haven't bored you too much or you don't know what you're getting yourself into...

To keep the memories preserved, let's keep the story rolling...

We officially got checked into our birthing room. Typical hospital room, with all the doodads, but baby equipment, too.

Jason and I got all settled in, got the spiel of when I had to be on the monitor, I got blood taken for labs, and I got a hep lock instead of an IV.  It is aport in your arm, that if they need to hook up an IV, they have already poked you. They just hook the IV into the hep lock. I wanted that mobility that an IV doesn't give you.

So we were left to our own devices to get this baby moving. I headed straight to the tub. People speak of these magical powers the laboring in a tub does... either I wasn't doing it right, or the magic died that night. I stayed in the tub for over an hour, but I guess that's why they call it labor... IT'S TOUGH STUFF!

So I had to be hooked up to the monitor every hour for 20 minutes. This was to check the baby's heart rate to make sure he was handling the labor process just fine... and he was! He was a trooper through the whole process.

While hooked up, I had to be close to the bed, which means it was just easier to sit or lay on the bed during this time. Let me tell you, once you get in one position during labor you get to a point where you don't want to move. ever. again. I hadn't reached that point yet, but was getting close.

I spent another couple hours in the bathroom, kneeling on the floor over the tub, leaning against the wall, or in a location I didn't expect... on the toilet. Its a pretty comfortable position, all things considered.

Jason would periodically check on me, we both weren't too sure what we should be doing to move things along.

I was periodically checked for progress. and I was sure each time I was closer to having this baby. If it hurt so much, I got to be getting close... 3 hours of laboring, only 5 cm dilated. WHAT!!!! A crumby centimeter. A couple more hours of groaning, grunting, trying not to strain, only 6 cm.

I had been in labor for 24 hours and I was still only 6 cm dilated. (Sure some of those hours were pretty simple. but labor nonetheless)

I got stuck at 6. This is when I got desperate. I really wanted to do this on my own. All natural, no drugs. Not meant to be apparently. I was physically exhausted and starting to get emotionally and mentally exhausted, too. How can all this effort be for nothing?

Since I have no photos to document this part of labor, you get cute photos of Ezra

Around 3 in the morning (Friday), Jason and I decide to try some fentanyl. It took the edge off of the contractions. So it basically felt like the pain level when I first woke up with contractions. Very manageable, but irritating enough that you know you are contracting. The nurses warned me the fentanyl might make me loopy... I don't know if it was because I was so sleep deprived, I immediately felt super sleepy and zonked out.

The fentanyl only lasted 2 hours, AND THE PAIN CAME BACK in full force. They checked me to see if anything happened... nope, nada! So another dose of fentanyl for me.

I ended up having 3 doses altogether, and in the before that 3rd shot, my midwife came to see how things were progressing. She had popped her head in a couple of times, but this time she wanted to see some progress. I was stuck at that blimey 6 cm. She suggested breaking my water might speed things up... I agreed to the procedure. I will never think of crochet hooks the same ever again. There was no big gush of water when they broke my amniotic sac. So they let me be again to see how that sped things along.

So 6 hours from first agreeing to some sort of drug to help, and about an hour since they broke my water AND... nothing. Didn't even make a difference. Whenever the fentanyl would wear off I could feel the pain. The only problem wasI was feeling soooo much pressure down below that the only way I found to cope was to push back. This seemed to create some sort of counter pressure, but it also put strain on muscles too soon and too much. It soon got to the point where I felt like I was holding back contractions. I don't know if that is possible to do that, but my contractions became further spaced apart and just weren't doing anything to help dilate me.

I was tired. I was in pain. I literally could't think. I was so focused on my exhaustion, the pain and the fact that I was making NO PROGRESS. I was in bad shape. Jason had no clue how to help. He tried to massage my lower back when a contraction would start, but nothing was helping. My midwife came to have "the talk" with me. She wanted me to start pitocin.

I had been warned by so many women to stay away from pitocin. Its a drug that jump starts contractions so they are at their max. I DID NOT WANT TO GO THERE.  So I was left with the dilemma: Suffer making no progress or suffer more pain making lots of progress. My midwife strongly suggested this because I had been there so long and something needed to happen.

In my mind, I knew I didn't want to experience pitocin without an epidural, but in no way did I want an epidural. I finally came to the conclusion that I needed the pitocin to get my contractions were they needed to be.  But I just did not want en epidural.

I don't know why I fought it so much. I really didn't want an epidural. I think I was scared of it causing me to not feel anything, not be able to push when needed, and cause me to have a c-section. I know its not the end of the world, but you try speaking ration to a laboring woman at her wits end.

They left us be to discuss what we wanted to do. Jason listened to my ramblings of epidurals. But I just knew at this rate I couldn't handle more pain. I was stuck on that bed because the thought of moving was horrible. I had been up for over 24 hours and I just couldn't think. I asked Jason what he thought. He has been so supportive through out the whole pregnancy with going natural, but he said I should get the epidural.

Love this little man!

So we decided it was for the best. Epidural then pitocin.

I will leave it here again because apparently I ramble, and I don't like terribly long posts. I promise the last part is a lot more positive and happy than this one.

The Baby Post Pt. 1

So I have finally had some recoup time and finally found a spare moment to write some thoughts about my little life changing experience.

Just as a warning, it is a LONG post. Probably followed by another LONG post. So you have been warned!

Little Ezra is here and he is great. Its only been almost two months since he first got here, but it seems so much longer. In a good way :) I really can't tell what he'll be like once he gets bigger, but what I've seen so far, I'm keeping him!

Ezra was a week overdue. Things got started on the 7th of February about 3:30- 4:00 in the morning. Nothing serious, but I was pretty sure I was having contractions. Strong enough that I couldn't sleep comfortably, but not bad enough to get Jason up for. Its strange thinking about it now, but I truly can't remember what contractions feel like any more. I guess that is one blessing.

I eventually did get back to sleep for maybe an hour, but I just had the feeling that today was the day (well, it was almost the day). I let Jason know what was going on, but not to freak out. The contractions were only 20-30 seconds long, so no baby for a while. The weird part was they were consistently 3 minutes apart.

I let Jason get to work since I knew it would be a while and I wasn't needing to focus on contractions. So I went about my morning, but in the back of my head I didn't know when to call my midwife. We had an appointment the day before are had decided against checking for progress because I didn't think much was going on. I guess I was wrong :)

Around noon, I finally decided to call. Things were still the same (20-30 sec, 3 minutes apart), but I wanted to be safe. I had to talk to 3 different people and tell them what was up. I think I freaked them out with contractions being 3 minutes apart... especially with a 45 minute drive to the hospital in store. Apparently, their policy is when contractions are 4-5 minutes apart, to start heading to the hospital.
So they wanted me to stop by the office to see what was up, since it would be easier to get checked there, instead of worrying about the admissions process at the hospital for a false alarm.

I of course took my time getting ready, but to Rapid we went. At the doctors office, they confirmed contractions, and they verified that I was 2.5 cm dilated. Our midwife recommended we stay in Rapid and start walking around to see if that speed things up.

About to leave the doctors office...we're officially staying in RC

After a while, Jason and I decided that we would stay in Rapid and get a hotel to labor in.
I really have no concept of time of how long we were there, but I had some tub time to see how that helped laboring, I paced around the room, I sat on my exercise ball... and Jason watch a basketball game... I think it was a Lakers game, I wasn't even focused.

Contractions seemed to get more and more intense. And like all the pregnant women did before me, I was absolutely positive I was making some serious progress. It got intense, and I didn't want to worry about not making it to the hospital, so like all the first time moms before me, we decided to make our way to the hospital. It was probably around 8 or 9 PM by now. Driving in the car now was becoming unbearable. I never realized how bumpy the roads of Rapid City were until that night. I had to keep reminding Jason to break slowly because any sudden movements were INSANE!

SO we got admitted and went up to triage (where they check whether you are staying or not). I got changed into the all too flattering rose colored hospital gown and was told I was only 3 cm dilated. I WAS CRUSHED! How in the world could .5 cm of change be so much more painful.

I had asked to not stay if I wasn't at least 4 cm. So the nurses had me walk around the corridor and nurses station to see what progress we could make. Jason and I made our laps with many stops every 3 minutes. Breathing and leaning against the wall was what got me through that. My hour jaunt around the hallways of Rapid City Regional was done and we went back to the triage room. On a side note, it was in this room I experienced my first "projectile vomit into the garbage can because the bathroom wasn't close enough" vomit. Very fun, I will have you know.

So, triage. The nurses checked and I was at 4 cm. We could now go to our room. I was in a little bit of shock because things were actually happening, I was at the hospital on my way to our room where I would see and meet our little guy. Surreal.

I'll leave off here for the first half of the story...its a bit long...

Name that Tune... Or Guess the Weight

So here is a bit of fun...

Still haven't figured out the self photo thing yet!

Time to put in your guesses. And just to make things interesting, there will be a prize to the winner... a yet to be determined prizes, but a prize nonetheless. So all you competitive people out there get your guesses on.

What day will the little squirt be born?

What will be his weight?

His length?

And for tie breaking purposes, will he have hair or no hair?

Game on!

Full Term... o_O

So, a big deal for any baby, the little squirt has reached full term. Any day he could be born and he would be fine... but I'm pretty sure we will have plenty of time before his debut.

I have obviously been thinking about this baby, what it will be like, what he will look like, when he is going to come? So many questions. But only time will tell.

I've been looking at some photos of me and Jason just wondering who he will take after...

Jason and his mom

Little guy Jason

Baby Sarah

I'm thinking there are some pretty cute possibilities.

Here's some more photos to help with these ponderings...

Apparently Jason was a blonde at one point

Look at those curls! Where did they go?

Funny thing, I still sleep like this