The Fun to Turn One!

When our baby turned one I knew I wanted to have a birthday party for him while keeping it simple and homey.  I figured he would never remember this, but I still wanted him to have something for pictures for his 1^st year!  We didn’t want to go all out, firstly because we couldn’t afford that (hello, we’re on a one post doc income right now lol!), secondly because we didn’t want to have to top it year after year and thirdly we knew that Isaac could care less at this point about a birthday party, lol.  Frankly, his dad did not see the point either, he was like, “Umm this bday party is not for Isaac, this is for you.” Ok ok, maybe it was for me (I do love planning events!), just a little, but I was honestly thinking about the memories for our little one and having loved ones around. 

First thing I did was tackle the guest list.  Poor Isaac does not really have other babies his age he plays with (except his one bestie), so his party mainly consisted of grownups (our friends and fam).  We figure as he gets older and starts going to pre-school and school this will be rectified soon enough, so we’re not sweating it.  Plus, I haven’t been too pleased with the braggy, bougie stay at home moms I’ve met in Atlanta (I’ll discuss this in another post).  We wanted to keep it intimate and not have a very big event because we’re rather simple, so the number of guests that came was just right for us!  After the guest list was complete, I had to figure out a theme.  There are soo many cute ideas out there for kids!  I went with a theme centered on one of Isaac’s fave books we read to him almost every day, Eric Carle’s, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  How did I pick this theme?  I wanted to have something personal to him, something he liked/enjoyed and full of vibrant colors!  I didn’t go with Sesame Street because his room is already decked out with it and one of my baby showers had this theme as well, so I wanted the new new!  It wasn’t until he brought his baby version of the book to me that a light bulb went off in my head and I started my research.  If planning a bday party or kid event, just observe your kid and see what he/she enjoys.  This will definitely inspire you!

Caterpillar made out of paper lanterns

Desserts and favors

Some decor inside at dessert table

Upon my research online, I found soo many cute caterpillar ideas and went with what I could, based on our budget and designated space.  I found cute décor online and ordered almost all of them on Amazon for the low low!  I like cute stuff, but for the right price honey!  Anywho, I really LOVE this store, Pottery Barn Kids and I actually found a super cute caterpillar themed party on their site as well and I definitely used some of their ideas (the hanging caterpillar lantern, red tablecloth).  Pinterest was also a great resource (gave me ideas for polka dot fabrics)!

Caterpillar cake

An extra cake we got just in cake the cupcakes were gone!

Some of the Trini food!

 I found a couple of ideas for a cake (see below), but one of my besties, Alex found the caterpillar cupcake cake that we went with!  I thought it was super cute because it was in the shape of the caterpillar, I was going to use its head as Isaac’s smash cake and who doesn’t like cupcakes?!    One of my other besties, Melissa’s mom who makes all of our beautiful and yummy cakes made this so special for Isaac!  It was a hit, we all LOVED it!!  We also wanted to have food because his party was from 1pm-4pm and I don’t know about you, but I like to eat lol!  We decided to go with Trini food to go with something different… and Isaac is part Trini afterall! 

Another cake option:  cake pops

One of the cake options

Watch Me Transform

If any of you are familiar with Eric Carle’s book, you know that one of the many lessons it teaches is the concept of metamorphosis and growth as the caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly.  With that, I wanted to showcase the same with Isaac so I made a banner saying, “Watch Me Transform” and had a picture of him from birth to each month leading to his 12 month birthday, so that we could all see his transformation.  Babies sure do change a lot in appearance from month to month!

Here's the tunnel, balls scattered, one of our furry babies and a couple of Isaac's cousins!

Smash cake time!

The weather was surprisingly nice that day so we had activities outdoors in our backyard and indoors.  We got the kiddies a tunnel with balls to crawl (like a caterpillar) in and out of (Isaac still loves this tunnel so def recommend this!), a car buggy that his Auntie Zak got him and of course our other babies Pumpkin and Toby running all over the place to keep them entertained!  The smash cake is also messy so had him eat it on the deck for easy cleanup, thank goodness!  Almost forgot!  Isaac’s bday is actually very close to Halloween, his bday being on October 26^th, so I decided to have everyone dress up as well!  For some reason, I think this will occur at many of his bday parties, call it a hunch lol!  We had him dress up as our little caterpillar and Jon and I were mommy and daddy butterfly.  I thought I was going to have to battle Jon for him to dress up as a butterfly, but he surprisingly didn’t!  I was shocked, but it also warmed my heart knowing that he was doing this for his fam and didn’t think twice about it.

Our happy baby!

Family shot!

Overall, we had a great time filled with love and laughter!  We couldn’t have asked for a better 1^st bday for our baby, and while I was busy planning trying to make it cute and whatnot, I realize that’s not what matters the most.  What matters is having special people around you (who can make it of course) to celebrate this time and create magical memories together!  So whatever your budget, work with what you’ve got and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.  As long as those dear to your fam are there, it will be awesome!

Ohh and how can I forget, Isaac also got his first haircut after he turned one!  We took him to a cute kiddie salon called Kuts 4 Kids and it was the cutest little place.  I don’t remember ever seeing those when I was a little girl.  He was all smiles before, but once he got that smock on and his hair got wet, he looked oh so pitiful and cried as well.  He wanted to nuzzle his head in my chest and as much as I hate to see him cry, I absolutely LOVE when he does this!  Internally I’m like yes, he needs me and wants me to comfort him!  I am such a weirdo I know, lol!  I’m going to be one of those moms who can’t handle their child growing up and will be a bag of bawls once he has to start school.  I think we’ve found the perfect hair stylist for him though, Shiquita, at least I think that’s her name???  I dunno, I’ll have to find out again because I know I have a difficult (ghetto lol) name as well!  The place was super kid friendly, with a toy train travelling around the entire shop, toys, music, Disney movies playing and cute seats for them to sit in.  It was also a good price, only $14.50, score!  They also send coupons in the mail so I love that!  Shiquita also gave us tips for Isaac’s hair that I wanted to share because I had no clue!  She said to make sure to cut his hair with scissors and not clippers or else it will affect the way his hair grows and completely change it.  I love his big curls, so I definitely appreciated that bit of advice and won’t let clippers touch those locks!  Check out pics below of my sad cookie bear!  I thought that people would stop thinking he was a girl with his haircut, but it keeps happening (even when I have him dressed in blue from head to toe), to the point that I don't even correct them now because it happens quite often so I just smile lol!  

Before haircut

Smock time

Crying Cookie Bear

He only cheered up after we left lol!

0-12 Full Speed Ahead!

There are soo many milestones from birth to 12 months of age, from the first angelic smile to those first steps.  It has been quite an adventure, an awesome one filled with lots of laughter and awe inspiring moments. 

Here I am feeding him for the first time

I remember Isaac’s first feeding of solid food, baby oatmeal mixed with breast milk.  I was extremely nervous about him choking. I would put the tiniest amount of food on the spoon and the whole process took me an hour, which in my book is ridiculous, lol!  I made and continue to make all of his food simply because I’m trying to ensure he eats very little processed or fatty foods.  I am constantly trying to come up with yummy food options for his developing palate.  Some of his faves are:  green peas, pears/pineapple and apple chilled puree, avocado with minced chicken breast, chow mein (Trini style noodles with veggies and meat) and pancakes with flax seed and fresh fruit mixed in an oatmeal batter to name just a few.  He is used to seasonings because that’s what I cook with on the reg, hello, his mom is Trini afterall!  I also make sure to taste everything I feed him because if it doesn’t taste good to me, why would I expect him to eat it?  I also have to make sure the consistency is spot on because when he first started eating he preferred a smoother/creamier texture to his food, but now he actually likes some tiny bits to chew on.  He also self weaned as I started to feed him more and more solids.  I managed to breastfeed him for 1 year and after that he has graduated to a diet consisting of solid foods (veggies, fruits, whole grains, meats, starches) water and lactaid milk (unfortunately he’s lactose intolerant like his mommy and daddy, curses!).

Opening his mouth for Toby! Gross!

Isaac is definitely on the move now, so we made sure to baby proof our house (cover electrical outlets, hide wires, pad sharp corners, childproof doors/cabinets, oven/stove, gate off areas, etc…)!  The only area that is ehh is the food and potty area for our doggies and we have to block off our kitchen because those little hands like to touch everything!  And I dunno what it is, but he is always trying to eat the dog food!  I’m like this stuff does not smell good and you’re not a doggie, stop trying to eat it, yucky!  This is also gross and can’t believe I’m sharing this, but he’ll also open his mouth so the dogs can lick inside of it!  The whole time he is also smiling as his mouth is open as well!   I guess it feels good, I dunno, but I’m not trying it!  I’m like omg disgusting what are you doing?!  Jon just laughs and says, yup he’s getting his germs, that’s my boy, how cute!   I’m sorry, but that’s not cute, lol!  Needless to say,  I brush/clean his mouth every day.  Friends and fam keep telling me boys are gross and I’m starting to believe them, yikes!

Our little Cookie Bear (one of my many nicknames for him) is also trying to walk and it’s just the cutest thing to us of course!  Seeing his chunky legs and potbelly on the move make me all warm and fuzzy inside.  He started walking after he turned one on November 5^th and I remember being like umm when are you going to start walking because we need you to be ahead of the game here buddy.  I was becoming one of those annoying parents and Jon had to tell me to take a chill pill and let him develop on his own timeline.  Sometimes I just need a wakeup call and after that I stopped placing my own developmental demands on little one.  I realized I had to let him do it at his own pace.  I think the moment it clicked was the day I took him for his 12 month check up and while in the waiting room another mommy was there with her 12 month old for the same thing.  She asked if Isaac was walking and I was bashful and sheepishly said no.  She seemed almost relieved and said that her son wasn’t either and she was feeling pressure from her other friends with babies because their kids were younger and walking already.  I was like whew, I’m not the only one!  It was such a relief!  After that, I took advice from Dr. Sylvester (Jon) and took that chill pill.

In the meantime, I try to expose all of Isaac’s senses to as much as possible, from his first time in the pool and beach, to fireworks in the park, festivals and road trips.  We go on adventures almost every day and while I may be apprehensive sometimes due to my shy nature (contrary to what many may think, I am extremely shy to the point that my fam used to call me Shyesha), I get out there for the benefit of our baby.  Witnessing his first impressions to new experiences and interacting with other babies is always entertaining, at least to me.      

Next post I’m going to go into details on Isaac’s first birthday party, how we came up with the theme and his first haircut!

To Work or Not To Work... That is the Question!

This is by no means an easy decision!  As my 12 weeks of maternity leave were dwindling away anxiety started to kick in for me because I was grappling with a difficult decision.  Do I go back to work knowing that we would continue our comfortable lifestyle and be able to provide our baby with anything he, or rather we wanted, or do I stay home and provide the best care possible to him each and every day?   I went back and forth with this, while my husband was resolute on me becoming a stay at home mommy.  I definitely would have gone back to work (at least in a part time capacity) if either grandmas would have been able to watch Isaac, but alas, that was not the case.  Therefore, we had to make a decision on what would be the overall best for Isaac.  

I had to let go of my pride and put my family at the top of my list.  I would think, Omg I went to a fairly good university to become a stay at home mom?  And what will everyone think about me?  Am I a failure/loser?  I prayed about this constantly and God kept telling me that at this point in our lives I was to stay home with our son.  I kept trying to fight it and take control, but He truly knows what is best.  I also had to tell myself who cares what people think.  Do they pay your bills?  Heck naw! I don’t know if this is part of me growing older, but I just don’t care anymore about other’s opinions.  Life is too short to worry about that!

I must say that I am soo happy that I decided to become a stay at home mommy for the time being, even though it is a lot of work and at times waay more stressful than working!  This is probably one of the happiest and most satisfying times for us.  And although we definitely don’t have the funds we did with a two family income, God has been providing in all the ways we could ask for!  This is certainly a blessing and we do not take it for granted in any way.   Every now and then I’ll ask my hubby if he wishes I were back at work and he always responds with, Heck no, you’re much happier now and I love coming home to a happy and well taken care of family, what more can I ask for?  Hearing this from him really gives me that boost I need on those days I get down on myself because no matter what I do, I want to make sure I’m doing a darn good job at it!

After a few living/lifestyle adjustments (clipping coupons, yes maybe one day Issac will imitate honey boo boo child and say, “My mama nickname is Coupon Queen!”; monitoring our spending; hitting up the farmer’s market; cooking for most meals; limiting the vacays; finding free or cheap events to attend, etc…) we have been able to tweak things in order to provide for our family.  Sure, we are no longer able to go on our annual Sandals vacay or impromptu shopping sprees, but we know this is temporary and we will appreciate it much more once we are able to do it again.  In the meantime, we continue to look at the positive aspect in every challenge and work on being the best parents possible!

By no means am I knocking parents who choose to place their child in daycare or whatever means to get back to work.  We as parents must make whatever decision on what is best for our family and it is no one’s place to judge that.  Priorities are different for everyone, so figure yours out and make it happen!  And either way, get a great support system around you because I can testify that great friends and family really make a difference! (I will brag about this, God has placed the best people in our lives and we are always in awe of this!) 

Whether you decide to stay at home or go back to work be at peace knowing you are doing what is best for your baby given your current circumstance.  Also, if something isn’t working, don’t feel trapped, make whatever changes to ensure happy living for your family!

This is Definitely NOT Easy!

When we came home from the hospital, we were relieved to be home so that we could start getting into a routine.  There has definitely been little sleep since that time and man, I definitely miss those days where I could sleep for 4-5 hours without interruption!  Everyone tells you to sleep while the baby is sleeping/napping, but I just couldn’t.  This was the only time I had to do household or personal things, so I skipped the sleep.  However, after almost falling asleep at the wheel I definitely put the kabash on that and try to get my sleep on!  I had to come to the realization that these other things could wait. 

I am also a clean freak so I’m always cleaning and making sure things are straight and in order.  I remember when I couldn’t do this the first couple of weeks home I felt like I was going to go crazy!  Praise God for my mom who understands me because she would clean and this is going to sound crazy, but I would come out inspect and make sure it was up to par.  Yes, I have problems.  Once I saw all was well, I would go back to taking care of Isaac and trying to heal.

I was so happy my mom was here because I was having a really difficult time getting around for a while after giving birth.  It took me about 6-8 weeks to heal and it was painful.  I couldn’t sit or stand for long without feeling pain and then to make matters worse I started to get hemorrhoids!  This is common due to the force behind pushing your baby out.  Basically, it's like you're making the biggest poopie of your life!  Not to be too graphic, but it felt as if someone were pulling down on my piece!  Can you imagine?!  So yeah, having pain everywhere down there was just unbearable!  Thank goodness it went away after about 8 weeks because I don’t know how much longer I could have taken that!  The two products that really helped me heal were Tucks Medicated Wipes for the hemorrhoids and Dermoplast Pain Relieving Spray for the stitches. I was suffering for weeks until my sister-in-law told me about Dermoplast.  She told me it really helped her heal quickly and provided pain relief as well.  I wish I had this product from the beginning because it was a miracle worker!

During this time, I also became frustrated with breastfeeding occasionally because Isaac would sometimes feed every hour from 6am-2pm!  I remember crying and thinking omg I don’t know if I can do this!  I felt trapped as if I were one of those dairy cows, existing to produce milk.  I was trying to bear it until one day my mom came in the room to check on me and I had a major meltdown.  She knew I needed some time alone and took Isaac so that I could rest and just have some me time.  I felt bad that I needed this, but it’s okay, it doesn’t make you any less of a mom, it makes you human.  Rest assured this too passes and it does happen occasionally, but it is perfectly normal.  I was apparently going through some post partum, which has since subsided.  Make sure you discuss this with your doctor and be honest about your feelings.  I did this and felt so much better after gaining more knowledge about it.  It also helps to have supportive friends and family as well!  Thanks everyone! 

The first couple of months are rough at first, but once you get into a routine it significantly improves.  You’re still going to be in a perpetual state of exhaustion, but you’ll get used to it because your little one makes all of the above worth it!  (I don’t want to scare anyone from having kids!)  Those times are now fading memories, but the love for your baby is never forgotten and grows stronger and stronger each day.  And you best believe I will let my kids know what I went through for them and they better appreciate it, lol!  Just kidding, ok maybe not! :)

Some Things I Forgot to Mention…

Couple of shots of our nursery, sorry didn't get any of the glider

Daddy on his comp with Isaac in his lap

Massive belly on our babymoon!  Almost 9 months preggers here!

Pic from babymoon in Destin

Cuddle time in family center with Isaac!

Isaac in carseat

Maternity pics thanks to Ren and Mike!

Pacifier in mouth

The day finally came for us to take our little one home and we were nervous and excited at the same time!  Luckily, we made sure to get a lot done before we had him, which I highly recommend!  Before you deliver, make sure you:  go on a babymoon (we went to Destin, FL because we love the beach!), take maternity pics if you're up to it, have a baby shower(s) to get lots of great stuff from loved ones-so register, have your nursery in order with crib, changing table, rocking chair/glider, baby monitors and a bed in there as well for those nights you can’t make it back to your room.  We did a Sesame Street themed room and it was a great bonding activity for both of us.  Daddy did the painting and Mommy did the decorating!  Remember to avoid these paint fumes when you’re preggers because it’s not good for your little one.  There are some paints safe for pregnant women, but I just wouldn’t risk it.  Have the proper clothing for your baby depending on the time of year he/she is born.  Provide the necessary equipment like a bassinet if you want to keep baby in the room with you.  We did that for the first 6 months, and then Jon forced me to put him in his crib/room.  I was like, “Why not just keep him here until he’s a year?” However, Jon put his foot down reminding me that we needed our personal couple time and that he didn’t slave on his nursery for him to not sleep in there.  It was tough, moreso for me, but it needs to be done because now that he sleeps in his crib I sleep so much better!  You will also need lots of diapers and wipes, diaper genie to keep the stank away, baby first aid kit with thermometer and nail clippers, burp cloths, washcloths, little mittens so baby won't scratch himself up, pacifiers (if you wait too long to introduce the pacifier and you are breastfeeding your baby will only want your breasts and reject pacifiers and bottle nipples, so make sure you pump your breast milk as well into bottles), swaddling blankets, blankets, formula if you don’t breastfeed, nursing pillow (I have a Boppy that I love) if you breast feed, breast pump, bottles, bottle cleaner, bottle drying rack, Dreft laundry detergent and of course lots of love!  In the beginning, they don’t need that much, especially since they sleep a lot, waking for feedings and diaper changes. 

Also, make sure you pack your labor and delivery bags in advance!  I packed mine 2 months before delivery.  I had two separate bags, one for labor and one for delivery.  The labor bag was very light and consisted of a video camera, camera, charger for both, cell phone charger, change of underwear, sports bra, lotion, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, face lotion, comfy socks, slip on shoes with rubber bottom soles, hair band and elastics.  We also made sure to pack a change of clothes for Jon as well with an extra toothbrush and men’s deodorant, oh yes and he brought his laptop.  Then, in the delivery bag I packed 3 sports bras, 3 undies (didn’t use those though), deodorant, lotion, face wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, brush, flip flops, shampoo/conditioner, a couple of cute outfits for Isaac for pictures, and a going home outfit.  Definitely make sure you have an infant car seat properly installed because the hospital will not allow you to leave with your baby unless this is done, and they do check.  It must face the rear of your vehicle.  I remember we didn’t even know how to buckle Isaac in and they had to show us, so practice beforehand because that was so embarrassing! 

Once you have your little one you’ll be able to see what you need and don’t, so just go with the flow because there is a ton of baby stuff out there!  I'm definitely a product junkie, so I probably made us purchase items that we don't really need or use anymore, so make a decision on what best fits you and your little one and go with it! J

Whoa Whoa Whoa, This is A lot!

Sorry for the late post guys!  I’ve been going through a bit of postpartum, but with my parents here I am feeling much better so decided to get my post on!

On the left is a bottle with colostrum and the right has breastmilk

After delivering, we were elated and those feel-good hormones were steadily flowing so I barely felt anything as Dr. Taylor was stitching up my rippage.  It was about 20 stitches down there so Isaac got me pretty good!  I was also holding him at the same time, allowing for skin-to-skin contact.  This is a bonding time for you and your baby.  He was directly on my chest and this was also my first attempt at breastfeeding him.   I was told that by doing this our hormones were synchronizing with one another, which would then signal to my body the need to produce breast milk.  For the first 3-4 days, I didn’t produce breast milk, but my baby was getting the necessary nutrients through the colostrum from my breasts.  We knew this because he was soiling his diapers and he barely lost any weight after delivery.  I thought I would produce breast milk right away, so when my lactation consultant told me about this I was shocked. 

Prior to giving birth, we decided that I would breastfeed our baby for 1 year.  The benefits are awesome for baby and for you!  Breastfeeding provides all the nutrients and vitamins your baby needs, it helps stave off illnesses, builds up their immune system, helps with colic, and prevents ear infections, just to name a few of the benefits for your baby.  It helps you by creating more of a bond with your little one, tightens your uterus faster, allowing you to lose the baby weight a lot quicker and if you want the extra boobage this increases that significantly!     

Here is what the mesh undies looked like!

Once we were all cleaned up, we were moved from labor to what our hospital called family center. We were here for 3 days and learned so much during this time!  Our nurses were so helpful and we asked them tons of questions!  It was also during this time that I started to feel the pangs from delivery and let me tell you, I hated it!  Tmi moment!  So I loved loved loved not having a cycle for the time I was preggers and then to go from that to having blood pour out me like a faucet, wearing these mesh undie shorts with an ice pack in them and a pad that was huge, let’s just say it was really uncomfortable and gross!  It made me not want to use the restroom, but make sure you do or else you’ll pee yourself because your muscles down there don’t work at this time, lol!  (Trust me; it’s happened to me several times, where I was scurred to cough hard or sneeze!)  So gotta get your kegels on!  It was a process each time, where I had to squirt myself with warm water, put this cleanser on, squirt again, dry, put new ice pack, new pad, new undies and all the while try not to get blood all over the place or mess with my stitches.  It was just disgusting and such an ordeal!!!  I hated it so much that I would try to hold it in for as long as I could and then have to run to the bathroom or else go on myself, which also happened, smh!  Thank goodness for the mega pad!  So yeah, don't do that!

Besides my physical ailments, most was not bad while in family center because I definitely fell I love all over again and got my grub on!  The food was surprisingly yummy!  Too bad, they only gave me food and not the hubby, so he had to go out and get food while I ate.   It was also during this time in family center that we had guests come visit like my besties, sister, nephew, both of our parents and friends.   It is a joyous time and one that eases you into parenthood.  I kept Isaac with me and felt such a strong connection with him immediately.  My love was already so intense and it grows more and more each day! 

Next post I’m going to talk about coming home and the do’s and don’ts! 

Omg We’re Really About to be Parents!! Continued-The Final Moments!

I felt so clean afterwards and was definitely ready for that epidural!  Nurse Anna told me it would be a 20 minute wait for his arrival and that was before my enema, so I figured I only had about 10-15 minutes left, thank goodness!  After about 30 minutes I just couldn’t take it and in my nicest voice asked where he was.  I guess she could see the panic in my face and apologized, telling me he will be on his way soon hopefully.  When she left that room the sailor in me came out because all I kept saying to Jon was, “Where the F*** is that epidural man?!!!  I neeeeed the drugs NOW!!! I can’t take this F***** pain anymore, what does he think is going on here?!  He is being so inconsiderate!”  Poor Jon would just nod and agree.  Then as soon as Nurse Anna would come back in, I would put on a front and ask politely where he was, but inside I was a raging bull!  You know how it is ladies, when you’re so mad at your significant other, but don’t want to make a scene in public so you wait until you’re alone to let him have a verbal lashing, yeah this was what I was going through, except my anger was directed at the epidural man. 

We were able to see my contractions on the monitor and they were crazy strong with only 30 second breaks in between so I was dying!  During this time, Jon was on his computer doing who knows what and I had to yell at him during a contraction telling him he needed to come rub my lower back before my contraction started.  He would go back and forth every 30 seconds between his computer and me!   Who does that???  I guess he realized I was on edge and stayed there rubbing my lower back and even started to breathe with me.  The pain got so bad that during one of our breathing sessions I thought he was off, but then after seeing him look at me crazy and then the spit from his mouth hit my face from his laughter, I couldn’t help but crack up during my contraction!  I was laughing and crying at the same time.  Apparently, my breathing was really off.  He said I looked super crazy because my hair was everywhere, my breathing was all over the place and I had a crazed look in my eyes.  I will always remember this because despite me being in agonizing pain, we were still able to crack up with one another as we normally do.

Finally, the epidural man came and I couldn’t wait to get that needle in my back!  They had me sit on the edge of the bed hugging a pillow and told me to be very still or else I could face being paralyzed if I moved.  Moreover, I was having contractions and I had to bear it and stay still even though I wanted to scream.  Epidural man cleaned my back and inserted this tiny tiny tube via a large needle that released the feel good drugs.  I didn’t look at the needle because I didn’t want to freak myself out, but Jon saw it and told me it was huge!  To be honest, I didn’t even feel it go in my back because the contractions were a painful distraction.  Just so you know the needle doesn’t go in your spine, it goes in the layer before your spine.  Also, if you get the epidural you also have a small tube or catheter inserted as well so that you don’t pee on yourself (you can’t get up since you’re numb).  I felt some pressure with this.  However, after 10 minutes I was numb from the waist down and felt great!!  There was only mild pressure when I had those pesky contractions and this gave me an opportunity to rest because it caused them to slow down as well.  Nurse Anna also checked my cervix and I was dilated 8 cm by the time the epidural man came (you are 10cm when you give birth), insane!  I didn’t know this at the time , but you have to be 5-6 cm dilated before they can administer the epidural to you.  I was close to having my baby and that’s why my pain was crazy strong and coming so fast!  It was around 12am at this point and I was given the okay to sleep until it was time.  I had intermittent naps because Nurse Anna would wake me to change the sides on which I slept and continuously check our baby’s heart rate and mine. 

It was around 4:30am when I felt a pop and woke up.  I knew my water that broke and immediately called Nurse Anna.  She checked and sure enough it did break and I was 10cm dilated!  She told me to get ready and went to call my OBGYN.  I was about to have a “Knocked Up” moment when I saw that another doctor in my OBGYN’s practice was going to deliver my baby, but she seemed pretty nice and we’re easygoing so we just went with it.  For some reason I started shivering and running a fever right before delivering so Dr. Taylor wanted us to get the baby out stat to avoid any infection.  My besties, who came for the delivery, were told to leave the room and only my hubby was allowed.

We had discussed where my hubby would be prior to labor and he wanted to be above all the action near my face.  Well, that’s not exactly what happened, lol!  Dr. Taylor told him to help hold one of my legs back, where my knees were in my face and I was told to tuck my chin into my upper chest and do a practice push.  During that practice, I pushed some of the baby’s head out.  As I was doing another push, all I could hear was Jon shouting, “Oh junk!  He’s ripping you at the side sooo bad!”  With maniacal laughter following. Now ladies, this is not something you want to hear while pushing.  I stopped pushing at that point and said, “Huh?!”  Dr Taylor jumped right in and said keep pushing don’t worry we’ll fix everything after.  After two pushes and help from the vacuum, baby Isaac came into the world at 5:06am weighing 6lbs 10 oz and 20.5 inches long.  Jon cut the umbilical cord, which was tough and they immediately took Isaac to get the mucus out of his lungs and clean him up while Daddy watched.  Soon after the afterbirth came out as well, which sorry this is gross, looked like a big chunk of bloody meat.  We were soo happy and I couldn’t wait to get Isaac into my arms!

Check out some of the pics below:

Here I am prior to delivering

Here's Daddy's corner of the room

Here we are with Nurse Anna!  Check out the contraction machine to the far right!

Here they are cleaning up our little Isaac!

Getting weighed and measured

Me with Dr. Taylor.  As you can see I'm worn out!

Proud parents and happy family!