Learning Curve

I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since Brayden's arrival made us a family.  He is settled in and adapting to the world very well so far.  Today's pediatrician appointment revealed he is now 9lbs 4oz and in the 75th percentile for his size.  That's a lot of growing in just two weeks! With breast-feeding, sleeping and even focusing and following objects with his eyes, Brayden is pretty much a pro at being a baby.  Drew and I on the other hand, had a few lessons to learn about life with a new baby:

1. The inner-workings of the digestive system dominate daily conversations in a way I couldn't have imagined. I have mentioned pee and poop more times in the past two weeks than a first-grade class clown.
2. Baby boys come with a built-in fire extinguishing system, but it seems to malfunction quite frequently. The slightest false alarm can send it spiraling out of control, unleashing onto my husband's clothes, the nursery wall, or anything within fountain range.
3. On a related topic, never bend down to lovingly kiss your baby boy on the forehead while the fire extinguishing system is exposed without a diaper.  I nearly caught it in the eye.
4. I have discovered the fastest rate in which I can consume a meal before an inevitable interruption.  For example, a bowl of cereal takes four minutes.
5. I have also discovered the minimum amount of sleep required for my body and brain to function properly.  Failure to meet the minimum requirement results in brief bouts of narcolepsy, usually while nursing a baby.

All lessons aside, Brayden has his dad's laid-back disposition and has only kept us up for a few nights so far. (knock on wood!) He's already developing a little personality. 

Brayden likes: footie pjs, blankets, sleep sheep, playing with mommy's hair, peeing on daddy, eating and sleeping.
He dislikes: diaper changes, being naked, seatbelts and mittens.

A few friends had asked us what it's like to know that from now on there are three of us instead of two, or whether it's strange to go from just us, to us and a tiny human that will be involved in our lives forever.  To me it doesn't feel strange. In fact, as soon as he arrived I couldn't imagine life without him. It's like he's always existed, but now he's home.

Birth Story

It isn't often that one 24-hour duration, one turn of the Earth, changes our life and imprints every moment of itself in our memory, earning the title of "the best day." My wedding day earned this title two and a half years ago and now February 8th, 2014 will no doubt remain vivid in my mind forever.  It was the most physically challenging, emotionally exhausting and ultimately rewarding experience all at once.  It was the best day of my life.

Last Friday afternoon, I was in the middle of one of my due date "treat yourself" activities getting a relaxing massage and thinking about where I wanted to go to dinner with my husband.  But we never went.  At around 4pm I started feeling measurable contractions and we started timing them with excitement and anticipation, waiting until they were about 5 minutes apart so we could call the midwife and go to the hospital.  Earlier that morning I had gone in for a check-up and was told I was dilated 2cm.  I had a ways to go.  It could take hours or days.  

At around 8:30 the contractions were stronger and more frequent, less than 10 minutes apart.  I decided we could wait no longer! To the hospital! Drew put the bags in the car and off we went.  I hobbled up to registration and managed to spit out my name in between contractions.  Within minutes I was whisked off in a wheelchair to triage, where nurses started asking all sorts of questions and testing my vitals. I was relieved when my midwife arrived, but not relieved to hear what she said a few minutes later.  Three centimeters dilated.  Only three?! Four hours of contractions and I'd only progressed one lousy centimeter? That's what I meant to say. What I actually said was a little less eloquent with a little more profanity.  We went back home to continue early labor.

The contractions remained strong and frequent for hours.  I rotated from the warm shower to my birthing ball, Drew following each step of the way cheering me on and offering help however he could.  I was determined to stick it out until I was sure our next trip to the hospital would end with a baby.  Perhaps I waited just a bit too long. When the contractions felt like one unbearably painful contraction with no space in between, I told Drew to drive as fast as he could.  It was 3am.

When we arrived at the hospital I could barely open my eyes.  We checked into triage and my midwife entered the room.  "It looks like we're ready to have a baby," she said.  She filled up a laboring tub to ease the pain of active labor and I got into the warm water, Drew sitting beside it telling me I was doing a great job.  I'd just stepped in when I had another contraction and my midwife told me it was almost time to get out and push.  That part didn't take long at all.  Less than an hour and a half after I'd arrived, I was holding my baby.

Drew and I had planned on taking video during the whole process.  We were so prepared with cameras and printed birth plans, a music playlist for labor and even a cord blood donation kit for Be the Match, that we ended up forgetting in the car.  We took no video and my neatly printed "birth plan" turned into whatever noises I could utter between contractions.  But it didn't matter.  Staring down at two tiny brown eyes staring back, I couldn't believe that we did it.  We had a baby. 

And Brayden James Bautista is perfect.

Due Date

The long-anticipated due date is finally here! After a full 40-hour work week and regular routine with almost no signs of increased activity, I wasn't sure whether or not this day would be just like every other.  That's why I scheduled some "treat yourself" activities to both indulge in some pampering and encourage the little guy to come meet us soon.  A massage, mani pedi, and due-date-date with my husband and some spicy food are all on tap for this weekend... if baby lets me.

Last night I started showing some definite early signs of labor and visited the midwife this morning to find out things are moving along in the right direction! We'll see if baby boy has his mother's punctuality.

Packed and Ready

With just one week left until our due date, Drew and I are completely prepared!  Well, we're prepared for a trip to the hospital. I'm not sure we'll ever be prepared for the trip home with the tiny human that will make us a family.  

Our cameras are charging and ready.  I've packed a bag for myself and one for the baby boy.  Mine's the one with the snacks and the teddy bear.  I'll be experiencing the most physical pain I've ever had in my life, I'm not too proud to admit that I may require the help of Teddy.  Plus, later on I can say I just brought it for the baby.

Not pictured here is Max's overnight bag. He will be having a sleepover with his best friend (my 2-year-old niece) while we're gone.  It's hard to tell if he knows what's happening but I think with the changes going on in the house he knows something big is coming.

And hopefully that something will be here soon!