bumpdate: Margo's birth story

I had every intention of writing a 36 week bumpdate but then Margo decided that she was ready to be more than just a bump. She arrived unexpectedly on Saturday, February 27th at 2:10pm, a smidge over 3 weeks early.

Before we went to bed on Friday night, I listed all the tasks I wanted to accomplish on Saturday and Alex was game for everything except laundry. We were going to make a quick trip to Ikea, install the carseat, go for a walk, catch up on laundry and enjoy a beautiful Saturday. However, Margo had other plans...at around 5am I woke up with some contractions, but fell back asleep. At 5:30 I woke up and the contractions were a little stronger so I started timing them. Three contractions in, my water broke and I hopped out of bed and told Alex that "it was time to go." I have never seen him move so quickly in my life. He was dressed and collecting our things to go to the hospital at lighting speed. I texted our midwife to let her know that we were on the way to the hospital and then made our bed, much to Alex's chagrin.

Once we got to the hospital (around 6: 15am) and were admitted, they tested to verify that my water had truly broken and checked to see how far along I was...one whole centimeter. That wasn't the most encouraging news, but they got me all set up in a birthing suite and left me to labor. I bounced on the birthing ball, we walked the halls and my contractions continued to get stronger and stronger, mainly in my back.

My midwife arrived at the hospital at noon to check my progress and I was at 4cm! That was the number we had to get to before I could get in the birthing tub, hallelujah! The (world's best) nurses started getting everything set up to bring the tub in the room and fill it, which took about half an hour. In that time I went from a 4 to a 7 and was progressing very quickly.  Sliding into the tub was the biggest pain relief I could imagine. I continued to labor in the tub for maybe an hour before being fully dilated and ready to push. It took about 20 minutes of pushing, but then she was here!!  She was 5lbs 15 oz and 18.5 inches long, perfectly pink and screaming, we immediately fell in love. Alex was so encouraging and supportive the entire time, he was amazing.

Our birth plan (I didn't write it down...if that makes it less crunchy) was to have a natural, unmedicated water birth. Having a birth plan sounds pretty OCD and honestly- unrealistic to me, but everything that we had talked about and hoped for went according to our "plan", which I know is very rare.  It was truly an answered prayer and we are so thankful. It has been such an emotional (in a good way) and wonderful few days and I cannot begin to articulate how blessed we feel and how thankful we are. God is so, so good.

Psalm 139: 13-14
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul know it very well.

Margo's first picture

We are so fortunate to have such a loving family. I'm so glad they all got to come and meet Margo. 

(I forgot to get a picture of her meeting Annie and Libby...) 

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Hanging out with Daddy waiting to be discharged

Finally heading home after 48 hours! 

bumpdate: 35.5 weeks

We are officially in count down mode around here and half weeks are a real thing...at least in my opinion.  As of today I have 4 weeks and 3 days until my due date, but I keep reminding myself that she has no calendar in utero so it's pretty useless to get my hopes up.

We have everything ready to go for her to arrive any time...except we need to install the carseat and I need to figure out what to pack in a hospital bag for all of us. But, those are things that can and will get done regardless of when I plan to do them. Her room is done and all that is missing is a baby. I plan to take pictures of it this weekend so I can share them next week!

I still feel pretty good and have only noticed a bit of swelling in my ankles (which I now affectionately refer to as my cankles) within the last week or so.  Sleep hasn't been too hard to come by, with the exception of tingling arms which can be attributed to carpal tunnel syndrome. Who knew that was a thing?! But, as soon as I googled it, the internet (and later my midwife) confirmed that it's normal in pregnancy and should go away after delivery. I am still swimming and using the elliptical and that helps a lot with circulation and feeling better overall.

I have started going to see the midwife for weekly appointments and she (Margo...not the midwife) is still growing right on track and her heart beat is strong and steady. Her kicks and jabs keep getting stronger and stronger (her lunchtime performance is in the video below).  In the mean time, all we can do is patiently wait for her arrival...and enjoy all the uninterrupted Netflix and dinners out that we can.

bumpdate: baby shower

Last weekend we headed to Salem for our baby shower! It was such a fun and exciting weekend. It was so great to be together in a room of women who have loved me, walked beside me and supported me for as long as I can remember. I hope that Margo will be just as fortunate as I have been with amazing, godly women to encourage and love her (did you catch that name slip?!).  It is such an exciting time to prepare for her arrival and the gifts we received are such a blessing. I cannot begin to express how thankful we are.

My sister- Becky and cousin- Libby, with the help of Jody Smalley (the florist extraordinaire from our wedding) put together the most beautiful baby shower. They put so much thought and effort into every detail and it was absolute perfection, but I'll let the pictures do the talking...

bumpdate: 31 weeks

We are inching closer to the finish line and I cannot wait to meet this little girl! I don't have a lot of new excitement to report this week, I am just gestating right along.

We have been working on getting our house ready to go so we don't have a lot of unfinished projects when she arrives. Her bedroom is 90% complete and I should be able to post some pictures in a few weeks. We have also gotten some new furniture for our living room, rearranged the basement to create a little bedroom space for when we have out of town guests and I am still an organizing machine- don't get in my way:)

I have switched from running to swimming and it feels soooo good on my joints, the weightlessness is fabulous! I am still sleeping pretty well (I hope I don't jinx it!). Also, I've started to notice a difference in how much I can eat at one time, but that doesn't stop me from trying to eat like normal...

Our birthing class is going well, last week we got to see her heartbeat on the monitor and listen to it. The last appointment with our midwife went great and now I will start going every two weeks. She is currently head down and growing right on track. She is a very active little babe, every time our midwife tries to listen to her heartbeat, she kicks her!

Only 8 weeks and 3 days to go, but who's counting?