moving on.....

Since Elly is now here, I am thinking that she can officially be part of the Family blog. I might post here occasionally but for right now all "White House" new will be on our family website http://abcdewhite.blogspot.com/.  See you there.

A star is born

**I will try to keep this as graphic free as possible**

The time finally came! I was admitted to the hospital on Monday morning to get things going. My Dad and sister-in-law Janna went with me to keep me company since Adam had to work until later that morning. Mom stayed home with Dawson. Thank you Mom!

My delivery doctor came in around 8 and broke my water. I asked if I could walk around and they let me...HOORAY. Spent the next 45 minutes walking the halls. The halls were pretty short so there was a lot of walking back and forth but still, I got to walk! I went back to the room to be monitored again for a little while. Adam showed up just in time to watch me climb back into bed so he, Dad and Janna played card games while I tried to rest. The contraction started getting more and more intense but I became stubborn and tried to make it through them instead of getting meds. My poor nurse, she kept asking if I wanted anything..*hint hint~Epidural* but I kept saying "just a little while longer. Long story short.....I waited too long. By the time I agreed for an epidural, got the big bag of precursor saline and had the anesthesiologist called I was in EXTREME pain and had a VERY strong urge to push through them... not good when you are only dilated to a 3. I think I have convinced Janna to ask for an Epidural at check in when she has her future babies. lol. Finally the epidural started to work and was able to rest. 

My little sister Sadie Beth showed up around 3 and the waiting started........skip ahead to about 5 pm. I was checked...once a gain and HOORAY, I was fully dilated. Dad ran home to trade off with Mom so she could be there for the delivery. Thank you Daddy! Now I just needed to wait till I had the urge to push again. My Angel of a Nurse Practitioner Sara showed up to sit with all of us and wait. By 6:30 I kind of had a feeling that maybe I wanted to push but not really. I got bored of waiting and asked to try. We got me all ready to do a "practice" push. Since Elly was still at a -1 station, I was told it might take a little while to get her out.  Mom left the room to go check on Chandler who ran over after wrestling practice to be at the hospital. I proceeded to do the "practice" push and was immediately instructed to STOP! The nurses frantically started to call the doctor to hurry up and  get in there quick. By then I was begging to push. I could feel her "right there" and didn't want to stop. Janna and Sadie went running to find my Mom quickly and get back in time.  The doctor finally made it to the room and my Angel Sara delivered Elly after 2 more pushes. 


While waiting for me to "feel" something, there had been bets as to how much Elly would weigh and how long she would be. Adam guessed 8lbs 2oz and the rest varied between 7lbs 10oz and up. I guessed 7lbs 6 oz 19 inches and was told I was being optimistic of a small baby. Ellyana Rosalee weighed in at 7lbs 1 oz and 19.5 inches. See, always listen to Mommy. She knows. 


Elly has her own look. She has very light golden brown hair (not as much hair as I expected with all the heartburn I had) and beautiful smokey blue eyes. I hope her eyes don't change to brown and that her hair stays light but we will see. She has no color in her eyebrows and lashes which is interesting. She is a very laid back, easy going baby. She rarely cries and sleeps really well. She is healthy as a horse and melts all hearts she comes in contact with. I have to say she is very pretty and has been compared to a china doll. Perfect in every way. 

Right after she was born. 

Look at those fingers. She is an angel even when she sleeps.

Checking the world out. 

My very favorite picture from that day. Adam is one proud Daddy. He can't stop cuddling her.

The light at the end of the tunnel

 ***I appologize if this is too graphic****


Well.....went to my Doctors today and we now have a light at the end of the tunnel. I had progressed to a 3 so Sara was able to strip my membrane and agitate my cervix. I was instructed to go home and roll on an exercise ball and partake in some extra curricular activities *wink wink*. If nothing happens on its own this weekend, I am to report to the labor and delivery floor on Monday at 7  bright and early to be induced. We will have a baby we hope by the end of Monday! HOORAY!!! 

I am excited to meet my little jelly bean but I am suddenly sad that this is coming to a finale. No more babies for this girl. I am done. I would like to think I know when to stop and enjoy what I have. So.... more to come when it happens......♥

Todays appointment

Well.....last week I only progressed 1/2 a centimeter in dilation. After the huge progress the week before, the lack of progression seemed defeating. Today I went in hoping that after two weeks of contracting every 20 minutes that there would be SOME  progress but nothing.....needless to say I sobbed in the office. I am going back in on Friday, my actual due date, to see if Sara can get things moving. If not then I guess we will schedule an induction date for next week. New date to aim for....the 16th. Seem like if I can't have her on 11-11-11 then having her on her Great-Grandpa's birthday is a good day to have a baby.  I guess we will see. 

Doctor is guesstimating her weight right now to be about 7 1/2 pounds which is a good size. Now I am glad I ate so well and walked/exercised as much as I have. I am still weighing the same as I have for the last 3 months which means that I am actually loosing weight while she is gaining it. HOORAY. Still about 10 pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight.  

Progress

Today was my 37 week visit. Last week when I went in, my cervix was softening but not dilated, I still wasn't effaced and Ellyana was at a -4 station. Today, 1 week later I am dilated to 1 1/2, 70% effaced and Elly is at a -2 station. Sara said she could feel hair. I guess walking 1 mile or more a day has really helped to move things along. Not sure if she will be here this week but it makes me think she will be here soon. HOORAY!!

Here is a picture of my baby belly since I have had a couple requests

The count down begins....

Saw my doctor yesterday and he says everything looks right on schedule as far as he can tell. Ellyana seems to be measuring right on target again. I get to start the weekly visits and get the oh so pleasant "checks" starting next week. He also says that starting next week, if I go into labor he won't stop it. Let's hope that happens more towards the end of the month. 


I am pretty much packed and ready for her to get here. Now I just have to get myself mentally ready for her to be here.

Getting closer....

Today I am 33 weeks. Only seven more weeks give or take and then I will be able to hold my precious little Ellyana in my arms. 

We have the nursery almost set set up and I have most of what we need to bring her home. 

On a weird note, I woke up on Thursday and my baby belly had decreased. I looked like I had just given birth instead of being 7 weeks away. I had been feeling very "heavy" for a few days, a lot of pressure and a feeling of heaviness in my stomach. When i woke up on Thursday those feeling were gone and so was my belly. Elly is still being somewhat active so I am not too worried.  It has slowly started to come back but not to the point that I was at. I can see my feet too which is funny.

Elly is not as active as Dawson was so I am hoping she is more laid back and mellowed out than he is. Chandler was a very mellow baby and with a soon to be 3 year old in the house, the mellower-the better. 

I realize that I haven't post may pictures on here for this blog. Here are a couple of the nursery so far. The colors don't come across a cute as the room really is but for this being my very 1st and last nursery, I am happy.

 Elly's door

Crib and dresser

The knobs on her dresser spell out her name

(This is the same dresser I used when I was younger. It use to be a bright yellow. Now it is a lime green and periwinkle.)

 The beautiful quilt that my Mother-in-Law made Ellyana

 The letters I painted 

(The dots are multi colored. Doesn't show very well)

Sign my Mom and I found.

 Cute flower I found at Hobby Lobby

 Our Craigs List changing table

Like I said, The colors don't show up as accurate on a few of these pictures. Everyone will just have to come as see the room...and Elly too when she makes her appearance.