Birth Story

It was April 29th, the night before my last day in the office and one of my dogs was just pacing and going nuts. My wife and mother-in-law went to the casino for a bit while I stayed home with my father-in-law. My in laws had been here finishing our basement! I texted my wife around 11 to tell her to come home because our dog was going crazy and I couldn't sleep. She gets home and around 1:30, i go to the bathroom and there is a little blood and mucous plug. I start having contractions. I was in bed for a few hours trying to deal with them and timing them. They immediately started off at 5 mins apart. Around 4, I had horrible diarrhea and then got into the shower. I told my wife to get some sleep. The shower felt great. (As great as it can feel while you're having contractions) They start getting more intense and I'm pretty much screaming my head off. My wife calls our doula around 5 and tells her what's going on. She suggests getting in the shower again to see if the contractions lessen. They just get more intense and I'm losing more of my mucous plug and I'm pretty sure my water is breaking. I get out of the shower and we decide to tell the doula we are going to the hospital. This is around 7:30. We get stuck in rush hour traffic, of course, and make it to the hospital a little after 8. When I get in, a nurse checks me and says I'm about 3-4 cm dilated. Great! Then the doctor comes in and says I'm only 1.5. It was very discouraging. The nurses explained that he is stingy with his measurements though.

After that? I continued to have contractions and had horrible back labor. Thank goodness the doula is a massage therapist and was able to counter pressure my pain. I also had this amazing heating pad that you plug in for 15 minutes, then unplug it and it stays warm for hours and becomes portable! That also helped. I was in many different positions to try to help. Mostly, I was leaning over the bed with the pressure on my back! I kept telling everyone that I felt like I was going to poop. Haha. I was also waiting for that moment of transition because I was afraid of more pain. Apparently I was already in it because my wife said I looked like I was having an out of body experience during contractions. They had become very different than the other contractions I was having. Meanwhile, I'm falling asleep between contractions. I hadn't eaten anything since the night before and didn't sleep at all! Then I felt like I needed to push so the my wife got the nurse in to check. She immediately said, oh my god his head is right there! So I started pushing. It felt amazing to push! It was hard because I have asthma and felt like I couldn't breathe through some of them, but after about 45 mins, there he was!! He shot out so fast that the doctor was like, whoa hold on. His cord was around his neck so thy had to cut it immediately. They left some for Jaci to cut too. They immediately put him on my chest for skin to skin contact. He must've loved it because he peed on me haha. I ended up having almost a 2nd degree tear. He had to give me a shot to numb where he was stitching, but I still felt it! I was just very glad not to tear more than I did. Needless to say, we were immediately in love and are now just obsessed with him. Here he was yesterday.

Liam Maverick is here!!

I'll give a full birth story soon, but our little boy was born! His original due date was May 8th and he decided he wanted to be an April baby so bad that he came on April 30th at 5:13pm. Here he is!! 

6 weeks left!

We are 34 weeks today and I can't believe it. Time has flown. We had both of our baby showers. One was in Kentucky and the other was here in Philly. Those were amazing and exhausting all at the same time. We just had an ultrasound on Tuesday and they say he is weighing in at 4lbs 7oz! I'm anxious to see how much weight he gains in the next 6 weeks. So far I have gained about 27 pounds! I'm still not waddling, unless I eat so much food and can barely move haha!



From our Philly shower

From our Kentucky Shower

9 Weeks and 5 Days left!

Holy cow. Where has the time gone? We are officially in the single digits for weeks left! I've definitely had a lot of discomfort lately. I hate my couch. I sit on my exercise ball a lot. Or the floor. My in-laws are here finishing our basement and it is coming together so well. We will soon have a lil' man cave for our baby boy! His nursery is coming together too. Just waiting on the glider and ottoman to come in. Once that is done, I'll post pictures. I am in the crazy nesting phase... and I mean CRAZY. I want to organize everything and anything. I passed my glucose test. YAY! And baby boy is moving soooo much. I am going to miss that part about being pregnant. Leaving you with a picture from 27 weeks. So I'm actually a tad bigger now!

22 Weeks 3 Days

Today we are 22 weeks and 3 days. I haven't written in soooo long. It's been a super busy month with the holidays, of course. We went to our anatomy ultrasound and confirmed it's definitely a boy! The tech said he has REALLY long fingers. They did a couple quick 3D pics and he definitely has at least 1 dimple too :)! Here is my bump picture from about 20ish weeks.

I've gained 9 pounds so far as of 22 weeks. I'm an obvious prego now! Next appointment is next week and they will measure him. So I'm excited for that! I'll try to update more frequently. I'll have to do a post about the nursery soon.

It's a.....

BOY! We went to this awesome ultrasound place at 16 weeks. They guarantee everything and we wanted it to seem less doctor office like. It was great! We brought my mom and then had Jaci's parents on the phone while viewing a live link. There was a huge big screen that we could see everything on, a comfy bed for me, a comfy couch for everyone else and lullaby music playing. We knew within a couple minutes that it was a boy! It was very obvious. I definitely cried my eyes out. We also got a great DVD of him as well. He was licking the placenta! So gross! And he was also waving using his left hand. He uses that hand a lot. 

Originally, we wanted a little girl in the family because I have 3 nephews and she has 2 but I guess we just rounded it to 6. After a while, we got REALLY excited at the idea of having a boy and now we want to buy him everything of course. We got our crib ordered and are going through the process of picking out bedding. Here was our Facebook announcement!

Boy or Girl?

No, we don't know yet! But we get to find out Friday at 16 weeks! We are going to one of those 3D places, but not getting a 3D picture, just doing gender determination. They also send a link to Jaci's parents so they can see and hear everything live. We loved the idea. So I decided to make a list of all the gender prediction myths and theories and then see what everyone else thinks!

Old Wives Tale #1: Heart Rate 
If the baby's heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl. If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy. (The heartbeat has ranged from 146-170) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #2: Shape of Belly
If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl. If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy. (I am definitely carrying low and all belly) Prediction outcome: BOY

Old Wives Tale #3: Ring Test
Using a string, hang your wedding ring over your pregnant belly. You are having a girl if the ring swings back and forth and it’s a boy if it swings in a circle. (It was definitely a circle) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #4: Acne
If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl. It’s thought that acne during pregnancy is caused by the extra hormones. ( I have a little bit of acne all of the time) Prediction outcome:  INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #5: Cravings
People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy. If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl. (This one is hard. I have definitely been craving salty foods and don't want sweets at all, but want fruit more than anything!) Prediction outcome: INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #6: Skin under Left Eye
The eye test is when a “V” or “branches” appear when you pull down the skin under your left eye. If you see a “V” or “branches” in the white part, you’re having a girl. I have a “V”, so one more point for a girl. (This is a weird one but I definitely have a V in the white part) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #7: Time of Conception
The person that is most aggressive in bed at the time of conception is the opposite of what the baby will be. (Ummmm... well since we conceived through IUI, this one won't work) Prediction outcome: INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #8: Legs
If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy. If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl. I think it’s too early for me to tell on this one. (My chicken legs are still chicken legs) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #9: Chinese Gender Chart
The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%. It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #10: Mom’s Beauty
Basically you are having a girl if your beauty disappears during pregnancy. It is said that the girl “steals” the mother’s beauty. If you think that pregnancy has never made you look more beautiful, a little boy it is. (Well I certainly don't feel more beautiful at all.) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #11: Dream of Sex of Baby
If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl. If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy. Dreams show the opposite of what you are having. (I haven't had any dreams about the sex of the baby!) Prediction outcome: INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #12: Clumsy vs. Graceful
If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl. If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy. (I don't think I've been clumsy at all) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #13: Side You Most Rest On
If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she’s having a boy. If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl. Prediction outcome: BOY

Old Wives Tale #14: Partner's Weight Gain
If the partner-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl. If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy. (she thinks she has gained weight, but I'm not sure) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #15: Breast Test
If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a girl. If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy.  Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #16: What Do You Think?
71% of the time, the mom-to-be knows what she is having. Prediction outcome: BOY

Old Wives Tale #17: Morning Sickness
If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy. If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl. (UGH. Horrible nausea) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #18: Areolae
If your areolae (the part around your nips) have darkened, it’s a boy. If they haven't, its a girl. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #19: Protein
When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy. (I pretty much hate meat. Cheese isn't sooo bad) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #20: Feet
Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant? If so, you just might be having a boy. If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #21: Headaches
If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #22: Baby Names
It is said that when you can only think of specific names for a boy or a girl, you will have that particularly baby. (we love our girls name but not sold on any boys names) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #23: Urine
What color is your pee? If it is bright yellow, you will have a little boy. If your urine is a dull yellow, plan on a girl. Prediction outcome: GIRL

TOTAL GIRL: 16
TOTAL BOY: 3
TOTAL INCONCLUSIVE: 4

Here is a picture of my recent bump. What does everyone think we are having?!