Scapegoat

I don't have much time. I know that I should be taking a shower and getting ready for bed while BG and the others are all asleep. Time's a-wastin'!!

I just wanted to take a quick moment to jot down a thought that occurred to me earlier today. Really, it's occurred to me nearly every day since we brought BG home. And that is that poor QT has to bear the brunt of my irrational anger whenever anything goes wrong...even when he's not around to have actually caused the problem in the first place.

Today, I was scrambling to get out of the house in time to pick Pumpkin up from school, and I grabbed BG's diaper bag only to find that it was missing wipes, diapers, and the changing pad! Ok, so this one was QT's fault because it turned out that he'd used the diaper bag's contents the previous night (rather than using the other stash I keep on hand for use when we're downstairs). His mistake this time was in not replacing the items he'd used. Grrr....

See what I mean? Is that irrational? Oh well. Hang in there, QT! I do love you!

Still. :)

More BG Pics


Born at 4:28 P.M. Ht: 20 in. Wt: 7 lbs.

I'm still without a computer so I thought I'd use the little time I have on this borrowed PC to post a few more pics of us with BG.



1. Beautiful Grandma holding her 9th grandchild
2. Singing "Happy Birthday" to BG
3. Pumpkin helping to feed BG
4. Beautiful Grandma celebrating her birthday in Colorado
5. Pumpkin helping to put BG to sleep
6. Beautiful Grandma and Sunshine resting
7. Daddy with the 2 rugrats

Operation Snipit

I'm happy to report that BG's tongue tie clipping was a success! It turns out that the procedure is a fairly easy and safe one, and we were done in no time with a minimum of muss or fuss! We were expecting a lot worse. I couldn't even look while the doctor was performing the procedure, but it was over so fast that I needn't have worried. Upon leaving the doctor's office, BG had a bottle, and she did not appear to be in any discomfort whatsoever. Ditto when I nursed her a couple of hours later so I guess that's that. Whew!

So, I guess our breastfeeding days aren't quite over after all. Drat! ;)

And, now, before I sign off, I really must check in on our friends back home in Clear Lake. Last time I checked, almost everyone was evacuating (or had already left) well ahead of Hurricane Ike, but I understand that things are still pretty grim down in Galveston County so I just want to make sure that everyone's ok.

Rockabye Baby!

We received some really great baby gifts from friends and family alike, and I'd like to thank everyone once again for your thoughtfulness. It's a really special feeling knowing that there are so many people who care about us. :)

In fact, right now, I'm listening to a gift sent to BG by her cousin Ron. Ron is a surly 12-year old punk who knows it all; however, his soft side still shows up every so often. Like, when he takes an extra moment to make sure that Pumpkin is buckled into his car seat correctly before we drive off.

Thanks, Punk!! Your gift rocks!

The Truth According to Pine

You really just have no shame left after giving birth, haha. I already experienced this once before with Pumpkin, but it holds true!

The truth about being pregnant according to Pine is that it totally sucks. The truth about going through labor (again, according to Pine) is that it also totally sucks. The truth about having a new baby (AtP) is that it totally sucks because you have a very limited amount of time in between those early feedings in which to bathe, eat, rest, etc. The truth about having a baby to hold after all has been said and done is that...well, let's just say it doesn't suck so much. ;)

BG is...well, forgive me, but it's very late and apparently, my brain has already shut off for the night. BG is all right! She's even kind of cute in a pointy-headed sort of way, and naturally, everybody who sees her has to say that she's cute. I mean, what else would one say about a newborn? Well, one who isn't me anyway. LOL

But, really, she's not so bad. Several people have commented on her "fabulous" eyebrows. ??? Personally, I hadn't noticed, but then again, why would I notice anyone's eyebrows? Hell, I barely notice my own! Other than that, I'm just enjoying spending time with her and cuddling her...good looking eyebrows and all.

Breast feeding isn't going very well because she has some problem with her tongue that prevents her from being able to suck properly. It's too bad because she seems to really enjoy breast feeding, but I'm not sure she's getting much else out of it at this point besides comfort. She's probably going to be referred to an ENT Specialist to have the tongue thing clipped so that she can feed easier and to prevent any future problems with her speech. Until then, however, we'll probably have to stick to bottle feeding to make sure she stays healthy so this will probably mark the end of our breast feeding days.

Speaking of breasts, Pumpkin has been vindicated! Not that there was every any doubt, haha, but some of you may recall that he once told me that I had "pretty" nipples (this was definitely during the pregnancy, btw). Well, the baby's nurse (or was it the lactation specialist) has seconded his estimation. Sort of. It's an odd thing for a chick who's not into other chicks to have one of them compliment one's "great" nipples, haha, but that's what happened yesterday. So, yay, Pumpkin! And, thanks...I think. :)

And now it's off to bed I go. Or maybe to take a shower before BG returns from the nursery for her next feeding. Whatever. Good night!

Pictures of BG & Big Brother


1. BG right after her birth. 2. Getting her first sponge bath. 3. Pumpkin ready to visit his baby sister at the hospital and showing off the present he "bought" for her. 4. Pumpkin (with Daddy) getting his first look at baby sister (well, probably 5th look by the time we remembered to pull out the camera, haha). 5. Pumpkin and his baby sister (mini pumpkin??)

B-Day!

The night before my inducement, the charge nurse at the hospital birth center called to let me know that they might have to cancel my appointment for the next day b/c of lack of space. She instructed me to call her the next morning to find out whether or not we'd need to reschedule.

Prior to receiving the call, I was busy packing my bag and helping to get everything at home somewhat organized for my mom, who flew in on Thursday to stay with Pumpkin while QT & I went to the hospital. After speaking to the nurse, it sounded like we probably wouldn't be able to get in after all...or perhaps not until later in the day so I stopped preparing, and we took our time going to bed.

Friday morning, I woke up at 5AM for my usual early morning potty break (ugh). Since I was awake, I decided to go ahead and call the hospital just to see where we stood. Surprisingly, they told me to "come on in!" Even though I felt like crap b/c of how little sleep I'd had, I jumped in the shower then woke QT up to let him know we'd be leaving after all.

We arrived at the hospital about 45 minutes late, but they were still able to take us. Pitocin was started at around 8:30AM, and the doctor came in around 10:30 to rupture the membrane thingamajig (they really should come up with a better name for that, no?). After that, things really took off, and by 11:30, I was fully dilated and ready to roll...and let me tell you, that was one PAINFUL hour. I was told that it was because I dilated so fast. In fact, I was already at 8cm by the time the anesthesiologist was able to get started on the epidural, and the nurse wondered whether he'd be able to get it in on time. Luckily, it worked, and boy, was I glad when that sucker kicked in!

Unfortunately, several hours of laboring went by, and we'd still gotten nowhere as far as getting the baby out. The baby's heartrate dropped precipitously with every push, and the doctor was eventually paged to return ASAP. After examining us (me & baby), she called her office to let them know she wouldn't be back and ordered the Pitocin be restarted (and sadly, also to have the epidural stopped). It turned out that the baby was in something known as "posterior" position, which means she was face up instead of face down in the womb, and thus, was having trouble getting through. Doctor C told us that I may have to go in for an emergency C-section if baby didn't come out soon since so much time had already passed, and the baby was weakening. She and the nurse tried to keep things light, but even as drugged out as I was by this time, I could tell that they were both feeling a bit anxious about my situation. As the doctor examined me, it was obvious that she was struggling with the decision to let me keep trying or wheel me to the OR posthaste. She opted to give it one more shot, and fortunately this time, she was able to get the baby turned around! After a couple more evil contractions and some really concentrated effort on all of our parts, B.G. was born at 4:28 PM fully intact and healthy! Yay!!!

I didn't mention this in my last post, but the day I woke up to find that the baby was not moving, the intensity of my reaction surprised even me. Up until that day, I'd felt pretty ambivalent about this pregnancy, but after a couple of hours of waiting for her to move and feeling nothing, I fell completely apart at the thought of losing her, and I had to have QT call the doctor b/c I did not feel capable of talking to her myself. (Incidentally, that same day, I decided that if my daughter wanted to dress up like a G-damned fairy princess, well by golly, she could!). LOL

Well, as it turns out, that feeling was no fluke. When I finally saw my daughter in the flesh at 4:28 PM, I not only felt bewildered (b/c of the drugs, I'm sure), but I was rendered speechless yet again by the sheer force of my emotions. I remember feeling nothing much when Pumpkin was born, but perhaps b/c of all that I'd already endured with this little girl, all I could think of when I first laid eyes on her was how much I already loved her, how happy I was to see her, and how I'd do anything at all to keep her safe.

It's 11PM now. Pumpkin and Beautiful Grandma came by for a visit earlier, and the look on his face when he saw his baby sister must've mirrored mine when I first saw her, haha. He was soooo happy. I'm glad for that. I hope it lasts a while. :)

As I write this, QT's off taking Pumpkin and Beautiful Grandma back home, and it's time to wake up poor little B.G. for her next feeding so I'll say good night. I'll return to post pics when I get another chance.

Hospitals

The day after the benefit, I woke up at 5AM feeling very odd. It took a few beats for me to realize why. There was nothing at all going on with the ole' baby belly. No pain, no cramps, and most disturbing, no kicking or pushing. The books say to eat something and wait a few minutes before doing more kick-counts so I took Sunshine outside for his morning outing then ate a bowl of sugary cereal (knowing, of course, that I'd be feeling pretty darned ill within an hour or so). Sure enough, I started feeling slightly ill from the sugary breakfast but still no movements of which to speak so, by 7AM, we were on our way to the hospital to get everything checked out. Fortunately, everything was fine, but the experience exhausted us so much that, once we got back home, all 3 of us napped for the rest of the afternoon.

Two days later, it happened again. This time, the doctor advised that we go ahead and induce labor to be on the safe side since this was the 2nd time that BG (baby girl) had suddenly stopped moving. Before we could get started though, we first had to get another amnio done to make sure that BG's lungs were developed enough to survive without machines. By the time everything had checked out ok including the amnio results, it was well into the evening so we requested that inducement be postponed until possibly the next day (actually, I asked if we could just postpone it until Friday since Pumpkin wouldn't be in school that day). The doctor agreed, but the hospital balked. From their perspective, it was either now or never...or at least sometime closer to the official due date. (Apparently, being born early is a much bigger deal here in the higher altitudes than it is back home at warm, wonderful sea level.)

After much deliberation, QT & I opted to take a pass and go home instead since it was so late. My concern was for Pumpkin since he would have trouble sleeping at anybody else's house plus he had school the next morning. So, we missed our chance. :(

The next day, I experienced contractions throughout the day. Likely, they were caused by the amnio, but back to the hospital we went to get everything checked out once again. It turned out that I wasn't in labor so we were allowed to go back home that evening. We decided to keep Pumpkin home from school the next day so that we could all get some much needed rest.

After that, the rest of the week was a breeze. I even made it to my final OB appointment after all, and we scheduled the induction for the following Friday. As nervous as I am about going through labor again, I can't wait! My back hurts, my feet are perpetually swollen, and I can barely make it up and down the stairs anymore. I'll be glad to be done with this. More soon.