Hannah is here :)

As you have probably heard, we welcomed our little baby girl Hannah Laverne into the world at 5:36 AM on February 19, 2013.   After an extra 12 days of waiting and nearly 36 hours of labor, she finally graced the world with her beautiful presence :)

More to come on her birth and the days following in future posts, but for now, I wanted to announce the start of a second blog - Hanging with the Heacocks - where I will post Hannah stories and pictures for a broader audience.  Link to that blog is here but don't get too excited - I haven't posted anything yet :)

For now, here are a few pictures to enjoy!  I know I'm biased, being her mom and all, but I think she is stunning :)

Countdown continues

But now there is an end in sight.  We saw the doctor this morning, had an ultrasound and a non-stress test to monitor the baby's heart rate and movements, as well as check the fluids and made sure the baby is still thriving.  The great news is all is well and the baby seems quite cozy in his/her current home.

The bad news is I still am not really dilated - less than a centimeter.  The other potential bad news is that the baby is already big - 9 lbs according to the ultrasound.  As a disclaimer, they said ultrasounds can be off by as much as a pound in either direction, so it's possible we still have a reasonable 8 pounder.  It is also possible we have a massive 10 pounder.  Yikes.

Primarily because of the baby's size, I am scheduled for an induction starting Sunday night and into Monday morning.  Of course, if the baby comes before then on its own, we will be thrilled, but if not, we are praying that the induction is successful and the baby isn't too big to...fit.  If it is too big, we'll have a c section.

To be honest, it was a pretty discouraging appointment - no one wants to be induced and definitely no one wants to be told to prepare for a possible c section.  However, Alex and the doctor are so right to remind me that the important thing is, one way or another, we will finally have a healthy baby in our arms in just a few short days.  We can't wait for that :)

A Watched Pot

You know what they say - a watched pot never boils - and right now, I feel like this baby is a watched pot refusing to boil.  That's right folks - no baby yet.  The doctors have assured me that I won't be pregnant forever, but it doesn't always feel that way.

I have to say, waiting for the baby to arrive has been harder than I expected, both physically and emotionally.  Physically, I am more uncomfortable than I was at any other point in this pregnancy.  My back is killing me, it's hard to breathe, and getting off the couch, getting into a car, or even going to bathroom can be quite challenging.

Emotionally, it has been tough because although I know I have no control over when this baby chooses to arrive, I still feel strangely disappointed in myself as the days tick by and nothing happens.  I can't go anywhere without someone asking me, "when are you due?" and when I say, "last week", I get bombarded with advice about how to get labor going or stories about their experiences.  I know they mean well and just want to offer encouragement, but...I haven't found it all that encouraging.

That said, Alex has been great about keeping my spirits up.  He is calling this our "bonus time" - extra time for just the two of us to hang out - and has reminded me that these days of "just us" are nearly over, and then we will have the rest of our lives to celebrate and enjoy this little person.

For those keeping score, Thursday will mark 41 weeks.  If the baby isn't here by then, the doctor will do some tests (an ultrasound and non-stress test) to make sure the baby is still thriving in its current home.  If it is and all is functioning well, they will let me go another week.  If the baby isn't here by 42 weeks (Feb. 21), I'll need to be induced.  We're praying praying praying that the baby comes on it's own before that point!

Due Date

Well, today is the baby's official due date.  I can't believe it's really here.  It doesn't mean the baby will be here of course, but the date that we've prayed about and anticipated and talked about is finally here.  I woke up this morning, turned to Alex and said, "the baby is due today."  Alex, my loving, compassionate husband, who knows how anxious I am to get this baby out into the world, turned to me and said, "well, the baby is not a library book."  Good point.

I laughed at the comment, but as I've been thinking about it this morning, he's right - the baby is not predictable like a library book.  I have absolutely no control over when this baby arrives.  It shouldn't surprise me - I've had no control over what's been happening in my body for the past 40 weeks - if I did, I might have done something to feel like less of a whale.  The point is, why would this day be any different?

For me as a believer, there is actually a lot of comfort in that.  After all, God has been in control this whole time - he has grown this baby from a tiny cell into a full human, and a strong one I might add.  He has taken care of me and my health and kept us safe.  He has turned my body into the perfect home for this growing baby, with all of the supplies the baby needed to grow into a complex and unique little person.  His timing has been perfect all along - and it is that testimony that keeps me from getting (too) anxious as the hours of this day tick by.

The baby may still come today - it's not even noon yet - but if it doesn't, that will be okay too.  One way or another, this baby is coming soon and whenever it does, we will be ready!

Pregnancy Tips

I'm sure this list will grow as I think of more things over time, but before the baby gets here, and chaos ensues, I thought I'd post this list of pregnancy tips I've been compiling.  If my mom friends have anything to add, definitely leave it in the comments! So, in no particular order, a few tips:

1. Buy maternity clothes at Old Navy, especially when they have clearance events.  I didn't even know Old Navy sold maternity clothes, because they only sell them online.  However, lots of people leave really helpful reviews and I haven't been disappointed.  I probably wouldn't buy jeans (just because I wear jeans all the time and like to know they are comfortable and fit well before I buy them), but definitely cute tops, yoga pants, coats, etc.
2. Always keep Tums at arm's length.  I never had heartburn before pregnancy, but oh boy, I do now.  I have them by my bed, in my purse, and in the kitchen. Tums are a good source of calcium too - bonus!
3. Read to your belly.  This is one of my favorite things to do these days - sit on the couch or bed surrounded by lots of pillows reading to the baby.  It is the greatest and the baby seems to like it too.
4. If your feet swell, don't be afraid of compression socks.  I finally broke down and bought two pairs, because I knew we had a few days of lots of walking ahead, and they were lifesavers.
5. Take your rings off early.  I did, but then I made the mistake of putting them back on.  Still not sure what to do about the one that's still stuck...
6. Take all of the classes your hospital offers.  We learned so much, and it provided some comradely with other expecting parents who have the same fears and anxieties we do.  Plus, it made breastfeeding seem less....weird and scary.
7. Subscribe to Lucie's List.  The mom who writes Lucie's List is hilarious, honest, and helpful.  She writes about the things you want to know but are too afraid to ask, as well as the handy tips that can save you time and money as you are buying baby gear, etc.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'll post more follow up as it comes to me!

Date

We are one week from Herbie's due date!  Which means we could be days (or hours) away, or we could still have up to three weeks to wait.  As you can imagine, the anticipation is intense :)

We are trying to take advantage of our last few days/weeks as non-parents by sleeping in, spending time together, and going on a few dates.  Yesterday was unusually warm in the 'burg, so we decided to walk to a nearby restaurant for dinner, and then pick up some frozen yogurt on our way home.  It was so much fun :)

I loved being able to just walk out the door and head to dinner, take our time strolling home, and be able hold hands instead of push a stroller or hold a dog leash.  We are about to have our entire lives and routines turned upside down, and although I know that being a mom will come with more joy and love than I can comprehend, I am really glad to have the chance to cherish these times with Alex.  It will never be just the two of us again, and I don't want to forget how special this time has been for us :)

The waiting game.

Today marks 38 weeks and another trip to the doctor!  Baby still seems to be doing quite well - strong heartbeat, moving around a lot, and settled into the head-down position, which is great.  Every week now they are checking to see if I've made any...progress, you know, down there.

No dilating yet, and the doctor's estimate (with the disclaimer that she could be wrong of course) is that I still have another 2-3 weeks to go, which is to be expected I guess, as that is our due date.  I'm just praying this little one isn't too late - if I get to two weeks late, I'll have to be induced, which would be a big bummer.

That said, there is no reason to worry about that yet.  I am just trying to enjoy these last few weeks, get lots of rest, do some cooking, catch up on reading, and all of those things I won't be able to do for a little while as we adjust to life as parents.

Here's to hoping this baby got mom's punctuality gene :)