Happy Halloween

Dax did have an awesome Spiderman onesie that he wore today to celebrate Halloween, but sadly he peed all over it before we were able to get a picture. We did manage to take our first family photo today, and it turned out great! Both my mom and dad came up to visit today so they were able to take some pictures for us.



Derek also wanted to get a picture of him and Dax in their Michigan outfits, don't worry, Dax has plenty of Michigan State clothing, it out numbers his Michigan clothing :)


Grandma Winters also came up to visit today, it was the first time she was able to see and hold Dax since he was 2 days old. She got in some great time with him, and he was even awake for several hours during her visit. She enjoyed every moment, even changing his poopy diapers hehehe : )

First Bath!

Last week, Dax was given his first bath at home. He likes the sponge baths, and now that his cord has fallen off (as of today!!), we can use the baby bathtub. We're excited to see him enjoy those baths even more! Here's a few pictures to document bath time:


The rubber ducky is an important part of bath time :)


Mmm my hand is so nummy!
Hey, look at me I'm cute and all clean!

Introducing...

Dax Christian William Robinson, born on 10.18.2009 at 6:18pm, weighing 8lbs 4oz, measuring 21.5" long.

Here's my birth story (we delivered at Ingham County Regional Medical Center):

Saturday afternoon my fluid started leaking - I just thought it was pee, but after the continued leaking and "smell test" (amniotic fluid has more of a sweet odor to it) I realized this was fluid and not pee. I was having contractions about every 7 minutes lasting for 60-90 seconds. I honestly didn't want to get my hopes up because of all of the irregular contractions I had been having for the past week. Derek was a little worried and called our friend who is an OB at Ingham, he told him about the fluid as well as the contractions and he said that we needed to go in stat because my water was breaking. I didn't really want to head in, but we decided to at least confirm if this was "it" or not. The minute I hopped into the car my contractions stopped. We arrived at labor and delivery, and they proceeded to call my mid-wife to have her come in and check to see if it was my water or not. Once she arrived she did the tests, we were told that if it was amniotic fluid the swabs would turn blue right away, and they were bright blue. This meant that we weren't going home, we were staying until the baby arrived. They were pretty concerned that I wasn't contracting, my mid-wife said that they wanted to induce within 12 hours of my sac breaking...this would have been about 4:30am! I was only dilated to 3cm, so she said that if I wasn't progressing by 7-8am they would start me on petocin. We got checked in and transferred to a labor room, they started me on the IV for the group b strep (this was why they wouldn't let me leave, they were worried about the risk of the baby getting an infection), and we tried to go to sleep. In the morning, our nurse came in and tried to help me start contracting normally, by giving me a birthing ball, encouraging me to do squats, and she even massaged the pressure points on my ankles. NOTHING! At this point I started to freak out a little bit. I've heard nightmare stories from other women about the contractions on petocin, and I started getting worried that I would end up needing the epidural because of the petocin. They decided to wait until noon to induce me.

I had a breakdown around 11:15am about having to be induced, but Derek was great, he prayed with me and just really helped calm me down. They started the drip at 11:45 at 2 whatever per hour. The nurse let me know they would continue to increase the amount by 2 each 1/2 hour as needed. Within a few minutes I started having contractions, nothing too intense. Around 2pm things started to get really intense, so Derek had my mom come into the room to help calm me down and help me relax. The nurse we had, Karen, was just phenomenal. She did a great job of suggesting different positions for managing the pain and different ways of trying to relax, she gave Derek some things to try out as well. They had a great hollow rolling pin that they filled with hot water that he would roll on my lower back during a contraction. Around 4:30pm they checked me and I was only at 4cm. Around 5pm I felt the need to start pushing, but tried to fight it because in my mind I was only at 4cm. After a few agonizing contractions of trying to not push, I told the nurse, she checked me and I was cleared to start pushing. I pushed for 1 hour 15 minutes, and I think the worst pain I ever felt was the crowning. They say it's a ring of fire, more like my crotch is being ripped out of my body. I'm sure every person in the labor and delivery unit heard my screams. Thankfully it was short lived and our son Dax Christian William Robinson was born at 6:18pm. He weighed 8lbs 4oz, 21.5 inches long and his head was either 14 or 14.5 inches around. I tore in 2 places but they were very minimal. Our midwife did a great job of helping me to push in the right way to not tear as much. Seeing our son made the pain entirely worth it in the end, that's something I never could understand until I actually went through it myself.

Ingham was great, we had 3 AMAZING nurses, the staff was phenomenal, we don't have enough good things to say about them. They were very accommodating to our wishes in our birth plan, and very supportive of all of our requests. We were able to hold the baby right away and spend lots of time with him, they only took him to the nursery 2 times, once was to weigh him at midnight and the nurse brought him right back, and then again for the circumcision. Derek was able to go with Dax for the procedure and stay with him after. They offered me pain meds right away, and made me as many ice diapers as I needed/wanted. They also gave us more freebies than we know what to do with, including a blanket and hat. We stayed a full 24 hours, and I thinks that next time around we will take advantage of the 48 hour stay! I felt like a train wreck (and still do) and it was so nice to have people waiting on us hand and foot. I think the only complaint about the hospital that we had is that dads don't get to eat for free, they have to pay for their meals, but I really can't complain about that!

Here are some pictures of Dax:

Sick

It seems that despite my avid hand-washing, opening of doors with paper towels, and avoidance of all of the sick people I was around, I have finally picked up something. It started yesterday at work, I wasn't feeling so hot, but I figured I was just tired and I had eaten something that didn't settle with me.

Here we are, several hours later with a runny nose, sore throat, and a sinus headache that is trying to turn into a migraine. Oh and my upper left teeth hurt for some odd reason. I know some of you may say "oh that's a sign of labor", at this point I'm not getting my hopes up. I've been having irregular contractions, but regularly having them, for the past week, and I have dropped, however no baby yet. He'll come when he's ready, and for now, Derek and I are enjoying these last few days of "us" time.

We have been very antisocial lately on purpose. Mainly because neither of us want to get sick (too late for me I guess!), and we don't have the desire or energy to have people over and entertain them.

For now I think I'll try to go back to bed - it's warmer there than the couch is! Hopefully this cold/sinus thing will pass quickly, before the baby arrives!

I can't be pregnant forever..

I'm maxed out, and am emotionally spent. I had a huge emotional breakdown today (one of several over the past few days) and I'm just done.

Let's backtrack to Saturday morning around 3AM. Derek and I were in Jackson at my parent's house, and I was wide awake with contractions. They weren't painful, nor did they have any pattern to them. I just ignored them and ended up going about my business that day. As the day progressed I started to track them and noticed they would come about every 8-10 minutes. I did get a little excited thinking "this is it, he'll be here within 24-48 hours". This would keep up for a few hours at a time and then they would stop for a couple of hours. Sunday night, we decided to once again head in to Labor and Delivery to see if anything was going on. Lo and behold absolutely no progress. They did tell us that he has moved from a -3 position in my pelvis to a -2. We went home thinking that we might end up back there later that night as the contractions were getting a little stronger, but still weren't increasing in frequency.

Well here we are, Tuesday evening, and we still don't have the baby. My whole body hurts, my ribs are out of place, my left hip is out of whack and each time I get a contraction I lose feeling in my left hand and get shooting pains down my left leg. I'm miserable, the way that I am the most comfortable is laying down with a variety of pillows shoved around me, or in a hot bubble bath. My contractions are still 8-10 minutes apart lasting for a few hours at a time and then stopping for a few hours. I feel like an emotional yo-yo, I get excited that "this could be it" and then they stop. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this. Derek and I are still pursuing a natural childbirth, and do not want to be induced. I am, however, considering starting my maternity leave before the baby arrives. I just feel really guilty taking that time just for my own personal comfort, I really want to use it all when he is here. But even now the thought of trying to make it through 3 more 9 hour days at work this week makes me feel like this is impossible.

The one thing I keep trying to tell myself is "I won't be pregnant forever". I just keep going back to God and praying that he would help me through this, but also that he would let the contractions pick up and continue. I would really love for Kelsey to have the chance to meet him!

38 Weeks

As of today I am 38 weeks and 1 day pregnant, woohoo! I saw my mid-wife yesterday and everything is looking good. Pee-wee's heartbeat has started to slow down a little (this is normal) and is in the 130's - 140's instead of the 150's. My blood pressure and heartrate were also great.

Complaints: I am massively uncomfortable these days. The best position that hurts the least is laying down. My ribs are sore and keep popping out of place thanks to my ever expanding uterus and baby boy, and I just plain ache. Derek has been great at giving me some wonderful foot and leg massages. I think both of us are really anxious to meet our son and are getting a little tired of waiting!! We're trying to stay positive, and Derek has been good at reminding me check my 'tude when I get frustrated or upset.

My sister, Kelsey, is going to be in the states again for some training and a visit to her home church in Bloomington, IN. She will be in town the weekend before my due date and leaving on October 19th (I think that's right).



She doesn't get to come back very often, and Derek and I probably won't be heading back to Romania any time soon. The next time she'll come back will probably be in 2 years, maybe a little earlier, but there's no guarantee! She would love to be able to meet our son, even if he is only a few hours or days old, but that means he needs to come just a little early. I know that the usual gestation period is about 41 weeks and not 40 weeks like everyone says, so we've joined Kelsey and my parents in praying that this little guy will arrive in time to meet Aunt Kelsey! So really he would need to arrive next weekend, so she could make it up here to see him. I know everything will work out and that God's timing is perfect, I'm just trusting and praying that Kelsey will be able to meet, in person, our son.

This weekend we will be completing our list of "things to get before the baby arrives". This includes, picking up 12 more bum genius diapers, so we have enough of the reusable diapers on hand to get started out, a breast pump, and bottles to use for the pumped milk. This way Derek can help feed the baby too! Now it's just a matter of being patient and waiting for the baby to have his birthday.

October Update - 37 Weeks

It's been a few days since I've updated and I can explain. Between birthing classes, work, getting last minute things for baby, an unexpected hospital trip, and trying to spend a lot of quality time together while it's still just "the 2 of us", Derek and I have been extremely busy!

I am happy to report that our car seat, as of this past week, is now installed in the Jeep. Since this is the car I drive around in the most, and the one we will be taking to/from the hospital, it just made sense to put it there first.
The Saturn will be getting her (yes our cars are females) car seat base installed at some point, but neither of us has felt that it is crucial, despite the fact that installing the base is a piece of cake. Derek also put together the stroller, and we finally figured out all of the features, as well as how to collapse the whole unit. Derek even cleaned out our front closet and made a great space to store the stroller! Way to go Derek!!

The baby's coming home outfit has also been decided upon! Call us dorks, but we (and I really mean me) decided to bring this little one home in a sports themed outfit. Since we don't agree upon Michigan State being far superior to the University of Michigan, we went with something neutral, the NHL. There is no debate in our household over which hockey team to support, Derek is a die hard Detroit Red Wings fan, and it's rubbed off on me (I like the fights - can you blame me?). I found a great website that allowed me to customize the onesie, so on the back is the baby's name (sorry no one can see this till he's born, end of discussion) as well as the number 10, since that was the number Derek always wore in sports.
Paired with that outfit will be a pair of white socks, the cutest little itty bitty jeans you have ever seen (seriously baby jeans are the most adorable thing ever)

And of course a little white baby beanie hat with Detroit Red Wings logos on it. Now I realize it will probably be chilly when this guy has his birthday, but we fully plan on having him wrapped in a blanket and then some for the short trip from the hospital to the apartment.

Everything else is going well! We did have a brief excursion to labor and delivery, not because I was having labor signs, but because my doctor's office thought I had a kidney stone! I was sure relieved to hear that I did not have a kidney stone. Although, I was not thrilled that we had to spend 4 hours in the triage unit to hear that response. We did get to listen to the baby's heartbeat the whole time (I am not a big fan of fetal monitors, they just get plain uncomfortable after 10 minutes!), and everyone who came into the room kept remarking how well his highs and lows were and one of the doctors/residents/nurses even remarked that he was just phenomenal and commented on how impressed she was with his highs and lows. She told us that he was the best on the monitors that they've seen in a while. Way to go baby, he's already off to a great start!

Lately I've also been realizing just how excited I am to meet him. I have never been this excited to meet someone before. The only thing that is somewhat close, and then again not even, is the excitement and anticipation that built up before I finally met my first host family in Belgium in 2003. This is similar, but my excitement and anticipation levels are about 5 millions times more than what they were for that event! I also am realizing just how much I love this little stinker and he's not even here yet! I find myself crying when I see pictures of friends who are having babies with their newborns, or when I hear of other people announcing their pregnancies. I know "A Baby Story" is pretty much the worst show ever, but for some reason, the parts of the birth they do show make me lose it these days I think it's because I realize that very soon (and don't tell me any day now, because he still has a couple of weeks to cook and I fully intend on him staying put until then) that will be me, and Derek and I will finally get to see what our son looks like and we'll be able to hold, kiss, and cuddle him all we want. For the time being we are limited to rubbing my belly and seeing if he kicks back - usually he does and it ends up getting me in the ribs (hence the reason why I call him a little stinker).

Last, but not least, I now know of 7 or maybe it's up to 8, people who are due in the March through May time frame! I don't know if I just pay more attention to these things now that I am pregnant, or if I just know more people these days, but there has to be something in the water. I fully take responsibility for starting the baby bug in my building at work, there are now 2 other ladies there who are expecting, and our birth instructor just told us that she is also expecting and is due during that 3 month time frame!

Oh and one last thought for anyone still reading, I really hope our kitties take a liking to the baby. This evening, I caught Butters, Derek's cat, sitting in the baby's crib. Here's a picture of Butters
Needless to say I flipped out on him, that's the first time he's done that and it is not ok!! The 2 cats enjoy sleeping under the crib and exploring the nursery/office (we only allow them in there when one of us is in there, otherwise the doors stay shut), and so far neither one of them has tried to jump into the crib. My biggest fear is that we'll get up to change and feed the baby and not realize that one of the cats has snuck into the room, and they will jump into the crib with him. Derek and I have had to start a "cat check" before we leave the apartment. It goes something like this:
Arwen: I can see bebe, but I can't find butters
Derek: I don't know where he is either, he's not in the living room or our bedroom
(insert frantic meowing and little white paws appearing from underneath the nursery door)
Arwen: Nevermind, he's locked in the baby's room
Derek: How did he get in there, he wasn't in there when I checked?
(insert eerie creepy music here - this little kitty seriously walks through walls)