One week old

Today Logan was one week old at exactly 10:26am.  So of course, I took a picture of him at that exact time and sang Happy Birthday to him.  He was sleeping, but so peacefully.  Wow...it's already been a week...crazy!  I know time will only continue to fly with such an adorable baby.

In the meantime John was missing Logan, so he Skype'd him to say hi.  Skype is fabulous - it is free as long as you pay for Internet....and add a video camera and you can connect with anybody long distance and see them.

Update

So a whole week has gone by (plus a day since we got to the hospital).  I have so much to write about.  I will probably do it in bits and pieces and of course, I have many pictures to post!  :)

We came home on Sunday...we stayed as long as our insurance would pay for...we figured we might as well suck up as much knowledge from the nurses as we can....and it helped that we were completely taken care of.

I am doing well as long as I keep some Ibprofen in me.  He is doing just wonderful...always!

Logan is awesome....he is the most content baby ever!

I will try to post as much as I can today in between feedings.  :)

Best Birthday Present Ever

So today was my birthday and while there wasn't any pomp & circumstance as I normally would've had...it was a great birthday as I got to spend the day staring at my son....and he is just so adorable!  He truly is the best birthday present I ever could've asked for!

I woke up and they still hadn't brought Logan back from his bili-test and I started to cry....I didn't want to start my birthday off without my little boy....so I called them and asked them to bring him in.  As soon as I saw him, I scooped him up.

I proceeded to have my 'hospital' birthday breakfast, lunch & dinner.  Around 7pm, my Mom, Dad, Judy & Bruce (their best friends) came to visit and it was nice to have visitors other than the nursing staff!!!

Logan played a practical joke on John and Jamie, our night nurse - which is still making me laugh.  After our visitors left I got Logan ready to feed, but he was crying and screaming (in cute little baby screams)....something he hasn't done for more than a few seconds at most.  So they both decided to check his diaper to see if he peed....  Logan must've been thinking ready, aim, fire....yep, he peed on both of them.  I didn't see it, but heard them both jump backwards and start laughing....so cute.  He's such a joke-ster.  :) 

I am enjoying a piece of chocolate cake right now and then will most likely get some shut eye.  Logan is hanging out with John....so adorable!

Update

Hey there everybody!

This is Paige...John posted yesterday's pictures and comments (as I was completely out of it).  Wow it's been a crazy last few days.  I am starting to type up the 'Birth Story'...cuz boy was it LONG and I'm trying to remember as much as possible.  :)  A note that was in an email that some of you may have received that wasn't mentioned on the blog was that after 26 hours of labor, I ended up having a c-section....hey, 10 lbs is a BIG baby....he was NOT coming out the el'naturel way.  :)

Logan has just been a gem of a baby....we love him so much - he is just unbelievable and we thank our lucky stars for this marvelous gift every second.

He has nursed well, but in the first 24 hours, he ate about 4 times total....despite the fact that I tried numerous times.  I suppose that he had just gone through a huge ordeal himself and he was quite tired.   He was also probably trying to give me some moments of rest.  :)  The times he did nurse were when he was ready and he did an excellent job.

Today I was able to eat regular food for the first time in a couple days.  I was also able to take a shower and take my first few steps which all went pretty well.  I had all my tubes upon tubes removed, which makes tending to Logan a bit easier.  :)

Here is a close up picture of our cute, little (BIG) man that my sister took last night:

One happy family!

We are all a bit sleepy after 2 days of painful labor, but we're all happy and healthy.

Quick stats:

Birthdate: November 5th, 2008

Time: 10:26 a.m.

Height: 22 in.

Weight: 10 lbs.

Hair: Lots of black hair

More pictures:

Election Day Baby

Yes, as soon as I heard his due date (back in Feb.) I thought...he'll be an Election Day baby...and it appears that unless something magical happens today, Logan will be born on election day.

My appt. this morning went well. He didn't move around a bunch at all, so the nurse and I kept squeezing my stomach every so often to get a kick or two out...then in the last 10 minutes of the test, he moved around on his own, like usual (he was just sleeping and the hot cocoa I downed right before my appt. apparently hadn't kicked in yet).

I am now 2 cm dialated instead of 1.5. I am 75% effaced (up from 50%) last Friday...but his head is still WAY up there....he has not moved down at all.

I told her about my plug (which I lost more of this morning). So she said that was really good to hear. I asked how much is left to come out - she said it is mucus, not an amount....so who knows.

The doctor said that my body & cervix are very ready (I looked down at Logan and said apparently YOU are not). :) She also said that the IVF expert that they work with a lot (he was not my doctor) doesn't like IVF babies to go past their due date due to more risks. I didn't ask at the time what those risks were...or why...although I'm sure it has to do with hormones being forced due to all the drugs and such. Whatever...I'm not going to argue with an expert, nor do I want to risk a thing just to go 'naturally' into labor.

So anywho, she recommended that I be induced tomorrow morning and the nurse had it scheduled within the next 10 minutes.

We are to arrive by 7am for registration and be induced around 7:15. AH! It has not sunk in for John or I just yet that by tomorrow night, we very well could be holding our son!

I told the doctor that I would go home and walk (still in mode of trying to get him to come on his own). She said, I wouldn't do that...I'd go home and rest...you have a big day ahead of you! Good point!

John and I are kicking ourselves for not doing early voting all last week...however, the polling place (which is where we got married...just a half mile away) opens at 6am, so we will be able to vote right before heading off to have a baby! How many people can say that tomorrow!? :)

Everybody - please pray for us. Tomorrow, while a big day for many people around the country due to the election, is a HUGE day for us...the day that will change the rest of our lives in the best way possible. We want a happy, healthy delivery and baby! :)

And check the blog (& feel free to post comments)....we will have our computer at the hospital (which has free wi-fi) and will post pics as soon as we can!

One day late....nothing

So this morning Buddy and I went for a quick walk around a few blocks.  Then John and I went to Church and then stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings to get some 'spicy' food in my system.  

We watched the Bears game (Go Bears!) and then Buddy and I went for a longer walk.  We pretty much relaxed for the rest of the day.

So, basically nothing 'exciting' happened.  Last night I had some 'painful' cramping contractions (that actually woke me up...this was the first time I've been woken up during this pregnancy besides having to pee) for about 45 minutes and then poof they stopped at 1:50am.  I started feeling such potential that 'this could be it'...but when I was able to fall back asleep and didn't wake up until 4:30 (to pee)...I realized that this in fact, was 'not' it.  Oh well.

I will keep everybody posted after my doctor appointment tomorrow morning.  I should be done by 10:30ish.   

I figure we will have Logan by Thursday, as Friday is my birthday and I want Logan to have his 'own' day.  Of course, if he comes on my birthday, that's cool too.  :)

Due Date....No Baby...

So today is Week 40....the big day....the date we've all been looking forward to thinking he would be here by now....but alas, I am still at home without a single contraction in the midst.

Today, Buddy and I took a 3 mile walk, hoping to get something started...nope.  Then I came home and John and I went to Home Depot to get the rest of the materials for our laundry room project.  After we came home we did some yard work - he did the final mow of the year while I plucked all my flowers that will not come back next year and trimmed all the flowers/plants that will come back.  I also pulled some weeds and trimmed some bushes....nothing.  I thought for sure the bending over and walking around would do something...but nope.

Right now, John is finishing the laundry room and I'm....going to try to do something to get Logan to come out....

I will keep everybody posted...

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from the Battermann family (yep, Logan is still in my belly...guess he really didn't want to make an appearance today).  This year Buddy will have to wish you Happy Halloween next to an empty bassinet!  :)

We had several trick or treaters.  A couple little kids who were along with their parents.  Every so often somebody would ask 'when are you due'.  I must admit that it was kind of fun to say 'tomorrow.  And they'd be so surprised...one lady even said 'Oh, but you're so tiny!'.  Aw, sweet lady!

Week 39 Checkup - Part II

So I got back from my doctor appointment a little bit ago.

Logan did not move around AS much as last time, but still enough to pass the test! :) She said that his heartrate is absolutely perfect and when he moves around he has a perfect acceleration...that's my boy...perfect as can be! :)

I am still only 1-2 cm....but I am 50% effaced instead of just 25%, so that is great...at least an improvement somewhere! He is still head down and still floating along...not down far enough.

So, she gave me 2 options:

1) Schedule an induction for Tuesday (that is her day at the hospital and they usually schedule inductions for 'their' days)

2) Come back in on Monday and be checked again. Then, they will definitely schedule the induction for sometime next week...she said that we will definitely have this baby by next Saturday! (It's nice to have a definite deadline!!!)

I opted for #2. I really want him to come when he's ready, if at all possible. So we will wait for as long as they will allow us (even though we are dying for him to arrive...but John and I are both in agreement on this).

She said to walk, walk, walk. Since it is such a nice weekend (60s & sunny) it will be perfect weather to walk in...and Buddy will be there right by my side, so excited to take so many walks. :)

So hopefully I will go into labor this weekend...if not I will provide an update when I get back from my appt. on Monday!

Say some prayers for us that he comes out this weekend, happy & healthy!!! :)

Nothing yet...

So for those of you wondering....I am still at home.

I have had contractions throughout the day.....nothing regular and only one that I experienced some 'pain'... I purposely stayed home today to work from home because I thought something might happen and didn't want to be an hour away.

I am going for a walk right now....so perhaps that will spark something. If not, I do have my appt. tomorrow, so I am excited to see if I've progressed any....

The 'Plug'

So last night around 11pm (while we were getting ready for bed), I am fairly certain I 'passed (at least some of) the mucus plug'. I will not to go into details as 'eww'. The doctor from Monday said I would spot that day from his checkup....and I did all that afternoon....however it stopped Monday night through all of Tuesday...so I am pretty sure that this was not from his checkup.

Now, I've heard that this can mean that labor will start within 24 hours....or a few weeks...so it doesn't have a real bearing on when things will happen. However, I have to believe that with me being a little dialated already and a little effaced that it could mean it will happen within the next few days....and I will continue to believe it even if people say not to...it is fun to believe. (However, I did a lot of believing that I was going to get pregnant 'for sure this time' for 5 years...and yeah, well....)

So I continue to squat and bend and stretch hoping that something will trigger this cute little dude to want to come out.

Ah...Snow???

So I just walked outside to get the mail and yes, snow flurries slapped me in the face (but they are already gone)!

Yesterday we thought we saw them and I said 'no way!'...Well on the radio this morning I heard that some suburbs did in fact get about 6 minutes of snow flurries.

Crazy! It is pretty cold out there....but will warm up to 60 for the trick or treaters on Friday. :)

Week 39 Checkup

Okay, so I do have some exciting news to report!

I am 1-2 cm dialated!!!!

So I had the NST and Logan, again, was very active. I ate 2 bran muffins (homemade from a recipe from my Junior/Senior year High School Food class!!!) and had a cup of hot chocolate before I went to the doc. office...so no wonder why he moved.

The contractions weren't really measuring, but I didn't feel any...so who knows.

The doctor checked me and yes I am 1-2 cm dialated and about 25% effaced....so that is such exciting news!!!! He said that my cervix is not quite ripe enough to have a successful induction (which is okay with me since I don't want to be induced just yet...I'd like to give Logan at least til my due date to come on his own).

So my doc. said that the way he 'checked me' (which was quite uncomfortable) sometimes does spark labor...so that's pretty exciting! Here's to hoping that works!!!

He wants me to come back on Friday (this Friday...Halloween) for another appt....since my due date is on Saturday. It sounded like, if I haven't delivered by Friday and my cervix has made some progress....that they may discuss induction on Friday. Who knows...

Holy crap! This is just so exciting...I'm beaming! It is just so surreal to me that he'll be here so soon. I can't wait to see experience every speck of life with Logan.

Say your prayers that we have a successful delivery with a happy, healthy baby!!!!!

Week 39

This past Saturday was the landmark of Week 39...whoa, crazy!

My plan for this day was to super-clean the house including steam cleaning all the carpets. We gave Buddy a bath...and after this is done and we've gotten him as dry as a towel will allow us, he typically throws himself on the carpet in our bedroom and dries off a bit more that way. So I wanted to get that out of the way before I steam cleaned the carpets.

Well after Buddy's bath, we cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom....I then vacuumed our bedroom and started steam cleaning the carpet. I got a half a row done...and snap. John noticed that the band that makes the brushes spin snapped off. Well, after some searching, apparently this replacement part is not sold in stores....so we ordered the stupid $3 part online. Arg. Therefore, nothing, except for that one half a row in our bedroom, got steam cleaned. So sad.

Later in the day, John got his haircut, Buddy got his nails cut & filed, I got a mani/pedi...so everybody was pampered in some way.

Sunday, after Church, John finished a couple random projects that I kindly pointed out the day before....including installing both car seat bases in our cars, the mirror-thingy in my car (so I can see Logan while driving) and putting the stroller in my Jeep....yeah, well, that thing is huge!!!!! So it is back in the house cuz there was barely any room for anything else.

After doing some of the random projects I pointed out, John actually took it upon himself to start his own project (which, if you know John...that doesn't happen all too often). About a month or so ago, one of the shelves in our Laundry Room fell (the one that holds the detergent and such). Well he decided to take down all the shelves, putty, paint and install cabinets...way to go John! Our laundry room is so small (very narrow) and some shelves were sticking out a foot from the wall, so John would always feel like he was going to hit his head. He finished half the laundry room last night and it looks really nice. One cabinet above the dryer replaced a 6 foot long wire-shelf that went along the wall...so a great improvement!

Well my doctor appt. is in a half hour...so I best get ready. I will post once I have some results from it...hopefully some positive news! :)