It's a BOY!!

We're HOME!!!! Wow, I haven't been online in forever and have so much to post! Lots of pictures :) Oliver Nicholas was born Friday, August 21, 2009 at 12:27PM. He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 inches long. He is officially one week old today! He had to spend 4 days in the NICU for "wet lungs" and needed help "transitioning." He had AWESOME nurses who made sure we could see him all the time, stay late even during their 2 hour shift change when visitors are not allowed, called us before any "firsts" like the first time he was allowed to be held because of all the wires, tubes, and oxygen, his first bottle feeding (not through an IV), his first bath, all that stuff, so we could be there and do it ourselves :) They also rushed all the last tests and things so he could go home with us, the evening I was officially "kicked out" (Ha!) Here are a few pictures of all the excitement! :)

The morning of the C-section

He's here!! (you can't see Nich's giant smile under the mask) :)

48 hours old

Proud Papa and uncle :)

One week old today and at home!

My beautiful little boy!

He is the BEST baby ever! He is so calm and easy going, such a great little boy :) He's been that way a whole week and I hope that's his personality, he's such a lovebug!! We're major cuddlers, it's hard to put him down :) Ok, I'll post this now, I've kept everyone in suspense long enough!

Tooooooo-morrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, it's only a day away!!!

It's planned, and won't change again!!!! In less than 24 hours, I should be strapped to a table, Nich at my side, the tallest curtain between me and a giant incision, tubes coming out of everywhere, and a precious little baby being born!!! Yes, my C-section is scheduled for Friday August 21 at 10AM :) We're so excited it is finally here!! Nich, a Beatles nut - not just a fan, but somehow is sure he was born in the wrong decade - thinks it is a good omen that our favorite doctor (Dr. A) will have just gotten back from a Paul McCartney concert the day before our C-section, ha ha ha!! I'm thinking he'll be nice and relaxed and ready for this surgery :) I've already warned Nich he's not allowed to talk Beatles and concert stuff with him when Dr. A visits me this afternoon, OR during the C-section. He really MIGHT get pummeled, and not because I'm in pain! Ha ha ha!

I've been up here at the hospital for the past week being closely monitored, and everything has been looking great! Beautiful NST's and some equally beautiful contractions. Everyone keeps hoping I might go into labor so then I HAVE to have the C-section, but I'm hoping nothing happens between now and tomorrow morning - I like planning. Of course, this pregnancy has been a lesson in letting go of control and the idea of planning ANYTHING, so now at the end, I am happy that this one little thing, like the birthday of our child, will happen on schedule. This time. I hope.

I now understand Heather...I can tell I'm going to totally miss feeling this little baby move around all the time, and sharing that special bond only he and I have at the moment. I can imagine holding him in my arms, watching him move and thinking, "OH! That's what you were doing in there!" and the mystery and cool feeling of tiny limbs and butt rolling around in there ending. But, I am SOOOO excited to meet him! I can't wait! Since today's the last day I'll have my big belly, here is a tribute to my belly. Thank you to Heather for taking such fantastic photographs! You should check out her site and hire her to take pictures of anything you want, she's awesome!

Ok, maybe those are enough pictures...but I have so many more that I love! You can check them out on my Facebook page if you haven't already seen them, but most of you I know have already seen them :) I just like them so much! As of right now, the countdown is 22 hours, 17 minutes...

New News...

I've had a few days to digest our new news, and am a little more comfortable with the new timeline! We went in August 4th for our amnio and found out our little man isn't ready yet. His lungs aren't quite mature enough and he needs another 10-14 days. I am very very happy to carry him as long as he needs to be ready, but I also didn't realize quite how scared I am for him to stay where he is! As soon as we got the results back, we broke down - at first because we were disappointed we wouldn't get to meet him that day, but even more the fear of, is he safer inside or outside? Being able to see him all day, watch him breathe, move, feeding him, hearing him...that is a very comforting thought and we keep praying that he is still safe while we can't see him.

But now we have a little more time to finish the nursery, which we have been procrastinating putting together because we're still worried we may not bring this little boy home - he's healthy and happy as can be, but of course we're still nervous! We have yet to build the co-sleeper he will sleep in for the first few months, right next to my side of the bed...although...I don't think I'll be putting him down for a few weeks!! Ha ha ha!! I'll just hold him all day and all night :)

Tuesday the 12th, I see my OB and schedule a date to have him - how many people get to choose their baby's birthday? Pretty cool! It will fall anywhere between the 13th - 17th...I'm leaning more for the 14, a Friday, but maybe waiting until the 17th is a guarantee his lungs will be for SURE ready and he can come home with us? On the 17th, I'll be 38 weeks pregnant, that's pretty to term, and as a "wimpy white boy," as is termed in the NICU since white male babies tend to have the most problems, he should be ready by then. (No one better use that term around me, by the way...it sounds funny and might be funny after we meet him, but right now, I'm a little overprotective! :)) We were suprised at our results because I got the lung steroid shot at 27 weeks, and a booster at 34 weeks, and still he's not ready...the results could also be somewhat skewed because of the extra fluid diluting the results.

So, onto my 11th week on bedrest, and should have an even 12 by the end - good since I like nice round, even numbers...ha ha! But in happy news, Heather Witt took some great shots of my gorwing belly! She took the pictures the day before our amnio, and they are so cute! I've got 16 favorites and am trying to see how I can get them digitally and post them all over the place - I love my big belly and will miss it - I am so happy to have such good pictures :)