A Whole New World

I can't believe it has almost been two months since I have updated this! Time really does fly when you're having fun!

Here are a few things we have been busy with:

Napping

Giving cuddles

Learning how to carve pumpkins from mommy (the expert)

Being a pumpkin

Learning how to carve pumpkins with great precision like daddy


Having a garage sale and hanging out with my Godmother

Posing for pictures at the garage sale with mommy

Going out to eat with Grandma

Cheering for the Iowa Hawkeyes

Some of Christina's hobbies include singing to and cooing at ceiling fans, learning how to push up, working on holding her head up (she is not a huge fan of tummy time), and sucking on her fists. She is weighing in at 11 pounds 2 ounces as of her 2 month appointment last week and she is just moving right along. It's amazing how she is developing her own little personality, and she amazes me every day with how beautiful she is. Her smile is contagious and I just love being home with her. There is no way I would want to miss a thing when it comes to my baby girl, and being her mother is by far more rewarding than anything I have ever done in my life.

What a Fun Day!

Today was Sam's Friday off, so we packed up our little family and did a little running around. It was so nice to get out in the beautiful weather, but my energy level was pretty low still. Sam took us up to his school to show us the campus and to take care of a few things. We drove through and then Christina and I waited in the car since she was napping so peacefully. We decided to head on to the mall on the way back so off we go. It's so funny how much has changed in a few very short weeks! We used to just park the car and off we went into the mall, but this time we parked the car, I climbed into the backseat to feed and change her, Sam got out the stroller and finally, after about 30 minutes we were ready to head into the mall. We had a little surprise as I was changing Miss Chris when her umbelical stump came off. It shocked me when I saw it on her onsie, but I guess it was time.

We went into the mall and checked out some prices on having her pictures done and then she started to get a little fussy. We walked around a little more, but decided it was time to go. I really think that all of the noise and action going around her was just too much just yet. She usually falls asleep in the car, but she was in and out of sleep all the way home. We got home and I tried to comfort her in the quiet of her nursery, but she was having a really hard time calming down. After about an hour she finally settled in for a nap and she has been sleeping since. My poor girl. Oh, poor mommy and daddy tonight! I have a feeling she'll be up quite a bit.

We are looking forward to her Baptism class on Sunday. Her godparents and grandparents will be here early Sunday for brunch and then grandma and grandpa will babysit her while we go on to the class for a few hours. I feel so bad leaving her, but she will be with her grandparents, and there is no one I trust more to take care of her. Plus, I didn't want to use the Church nursery and put her around a bunch of other kiddos and some random sitter just yet.

All in all, this is shaping up to be quite a nice weekend with my new little family. :)

Christina Marie Hill's Birth Story

We went to the hospital at 6:30 am Aug. 31 for the induction. Everything went very smoothly - we were brought back immediately, met the nurse, and got all set up. By about 7:00 am, the pitocin was started and things were going ok. My contractions picked up some, but it was the intensity that really picked up with the pitocin. I went in dilated to 4 cm, and progressed a little with the pitocin. I went ahead and opted to take the stadol to take the edge off the pain, and it helped. It's very strange because you are completely coherant, and you feel the pain, but it's not to the level that you feel it without the medication. It also allowed me to rest better in between contractions. Dr. Rockman came in at 8:30am and broke my water. OMG that was an interesting feeling. Not painful at all, just strange. The contractions came on with a vengance once my water was broken. It seemed like just as I was getting over one contraction another would start. I always wondered how I would know that I was in full blown active labor, but now I understand what people have been telling me. YOU KNOW! I decided to go ahead and get the epidural at that point because the pain was so intense. I take tylenol for a headache, so I would be damned if I would go through labor without some form of pain relief. The anesthesiologist came in with her tray of goodies and wouldn't you know that as she was putting in the epidural, I was getting contractions. It's pretty hard to sit perfectly still and push your back out when you are in the middle of one of those bad boys! She tried the first time and I don't know if I moved or what, but it didn't go where it was supposed to, so she had to try a second time. Thank goodness it worked and my labor was smooth sailing from there. I couldn't feel my legs at all. Someone could have been poking me with a needle and I wouldn't have felt again. I really feel like the epidural is a God send!

Unfortunately, things changed during the course of it all. Christina's heart rate was dropping significantly, which obviously is not good. After moving me into several positions, the decision was made to get her out for her own safety. I wanted to beg Dr. Rockman to give me a little longer to try to progress more, but it became very clear that a c-section was in her best interest. Things went very quickly once the decision was made. My dad was comforting me because I was so terrified. I couldn't stop crying because of all the things that were running through my mind. I keep thinking about the look on my dad's face as he immediately came to my side and took my hand. I will always be thankful that my dad was there at that point in time. I have never needed him like I did at that point.

Before I knew it, Sam was dressed in blue scrubs (sorry about the sideways picture) and the nurse was getting hers on. The anesthesiologist came back to my room and I kept asking if they were both going to be there. It's amazing how you build a relationship with your nurse when you are having a baby. They both kept telling me that they would be right there the whole time. I was wheeled to OR 1. I'll never forget laying back in that bed as I was being wheeled back. All I could see was the lights in the ceiling. I was pushed through double doors to the OR and wheeled into a big room with bright lights. By this point I was shaking all over uncontrollably. No matter how hard I concentrated, I could not get myself to stop so I just gave in to the shaking. I heard voices all around me and then a chipper "Hi Maria, it's Dr. Rockman". I felt so good knowing that he was there and I knew that my baby and I were in good hands. They asked Sam to leave while they got me prepared and I remember just praying harder than I have ever prayed. I prayed that if something went wrong, that my baby girl would be ok and I remember promising God that I would never ask for anything else again. I know, I know.......so wrong to bargan with God, but at the time it's all I could think of. Before too long, Sam was by my side again. It was the most amazing experience we have ever shared. It really seemed like time stood still and even though I could hear and smell everything going on, it seemed like he was the only one in the room with me. We stared at eachother the whole time and he kept telling me how much he loved me. He thanked me over and over and I remember just smiling and feeling so safe. I would start to look away and he would tell me to keep focusing on him. After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Rockman told me I would feel some pressure, and boy he was not kidding! I remember saying "oh oh oh oh!" and then the most amazing sound I have ever heard - my daughter screaming and crying. Sam was beside himself! He kept kissing me and I could tell it took everything in him to sit still until they called him over. They told him to only look forward and not to look at me. I could hear him as he took his first look at his brand new baby girl. He kept saying "oh my God!" over and over again. He brought her over to me and she took my breath away. Never in my life have I seen such a beautiful baby. My husband introduced me to the baby I fell in love with back in February when I found out I was pregnant. Sam took the baby with the nurse to the nursery while they finished up the c-section. I remember the anesthsiologist telling me she was giving me something, come to find out it was a big ol dose of morphene and I was out like a light. I woke up a short time later in recovery with Sam next to me.

I have had my heart set on breast feeding since I found out I was pregnant, but I realized that with how fast everything went, I forgot to mention it ahead of time to the nurse. I told her what I wanted and she immediately went to get Christina. The first time I held her was amazing. I kissed her over and over and pulled her close. She immediately knew what to do and latched on like a pro and nursed for about an hour!

As it turns out, Christina was wrapped in her cord, which was preventing her from descending any farther. She was upside down like she was supposed to be, but she was face up instead of face down. The birth did not go as planned, and I'm still struggling with processing the c-section, but every day is better and better. My baby girl is here safe and sound, and I would go through it all over again to have the same outcome. I am blessed more than I deserve, and I am so happy that this very difficult pregnancy had such a happy ending!

Here are the proud Godparents, Juan and Lorena.

Tomorrow is The Day. I Promise! :)

Well, Sam and I went to see the doctor Friday morning like we were supposed to. That Monday, Dr. Rockman said to come back Friday so we could induce over the weekend. Unfortunately, the hospital we have chosen to deliver at was booked for inductions so the earliest we could get in is Monday (tomorrow) at 5:30 am. I feel so ridiculous that our dates have been all up in the air and changed as many times and it has, but I have to believe that there is a reason for it. I have come to accept the fact that I may quite possible be pregnant for the rest of my life. haha......

So, here we are - my last day of pregnancy and I have all kinds of mixed feelings about it. I am so ready to meet my precious baby girl and to begin our lives together, but I am not quite sure that I'm ready to share her with the world just yet. I love the time we have together when I feel her moving around inside of me. As difficult as this road has been, now that it is coming to an end I can't help but feel a little sad. I surely will not miss the actual physical part of being pregnant at all. I feel so blessed that we will have the baby we were always told we would never have, but the actual pregnancy has been very very difficult and I can't say that I will miss it.

My mom is coming over tonight because we have to be at the hospital at 5:30 am to begin the induction. The doctor will break my water, start pitocin and order my epidural. How in the world are we supposed to get any sleep tonight? Our lives are about to be forever changed! All I can say is bring it on. We are so ready for this. Updates to follow as soon as possible.

Tomorrow Is The Big Day!

Oh my goodness, my little one! I am so nervous and excited about tomorrow! I hope and pray that nothing changes between now and then and I will be able to see your beautiful face this weekend. Your daddy and I are so ready to have you in our arms. I'm praying for a smooth delivery for the both of us (especially you). I can't wait to see you! Mommy loves you more than you will ever know.

38 Weeks

Today is 38 weeks. I never ever thought we would make it this far, but here we are! We are still waiting on our baby girl to grace us with her presence, and it looks as if it will be sooner rather than later, although I'm trying very hard not to get my hopes up like before.

We went to the doctor Monday and I am now 3 cm dilated. Dr. Rockman talked to me again about induction. Apparently with all of the work we have put into keeping Baby Christina in, my uterus is now confused about what it is it's supposed to do. Imagine that. Not only is my uterus "irritable", but now it's confused. Who would have known? He told me to come back next Monday and we would induce Tuesday, then on my way out he told me to go ahead and come in Friday and we will induce either Friday/Saturday! I really hope I'm not getting my hopes up, but it really looks like this could be it! I'm trying to just relax these last few days, but it's hard to do since I feel like I've been trapped at home as it is.

I can't believe I'll finally be meeting my precious baby girl so soon! I can't wait to see Sam as a daddy and my parents as grandparents. She is so special to all of us and I'm so ready to start my life with her. She'll most likely never understand what a miracle she really is for this family, but I'll never take her for granted.

Sam says that he wants another baby within a year. I say he's crazy and he needs to come back down to earth. People tell me I'll change my mind, since you know, people tend to think they know me better than I know myself, but I am perfectly content with my one and only. I'm so traumatized that I'm scared that if I get pregnant again, my Christina will suffer because of it and I'm willing to do that. How do you tell a little girl that you can't take her out to play because Mommy is on bedrest? It has been hard enough this pregnancy and I don't have any little ones to take care of, but I can't imagine doing that to my girl. All of this has been an incredible learing experience - one I will never forget. I will NEVER tell another pregnant woman to "hang in there", "keep her head up", "it's all worth it". I will NEVER tell another pregnant woman that she'll change her mind about having other children in the future when she feels worse than she has ever felt. I now understand and appreciate the need of just wanting someone to just listen and not say anything or offer and advise. I understand and appreciate the need for validation and to have someone just say that they understand why I would feel that way. It takes a special person to do that, and I'm so thankful that I have a few of those people in my life. Christy's "we'll talk about that later" approach is priceless when it comes to talking about having more children. The look in my mother's eyes when she listens to me going on and on. She never has to say anything at all - she just holds me and that makes everything all better. My sister's excitement about being an aunt to this beautiful baby girl. My husband's unending love and support. Juan and Lorena's excitement about being godparents to our daughter. I am so blessed to have all of these people in my life. I have an amazing support system and I am so thankful for them.

I can't wait to post a birth announcement and pictures! Hopefully very very soon.