playing the odds

Different articles will say that somewhere between 8 and 14 percent of women experience their water breaking before labor starts, and that only about 4 percent of babies are born on their due dates. These are the statistics that were running through my head when my water broke, on Josephine's due date, and therefore the reason it took me a while ... three episodes of leaking amniotic fluid over a 4-hour period ... before I finally called the doctor.

We arrived at the hospital around 3:15 in the morning, Saturday June 6. The nurses confirmed my water had broken, and that there was meconium in the fluid (the baby's first stool). The presence of meconium makes things a little bit dicey, as it can lead to infection and possible problems for the baby.

It turns out I was already in labor when we arrived at the hospital, though I couldn't feel the contractions. Even so, I was still only dilated to 2 centimeters. Josie wasn't handling labor well, so they put me on oxygen and fluids, and within an hour her heartrate stabilized. So they added pitosin to the chemical mix to get labor moving along a little faster. Even so, by noon I had only dilated another centimeter, and Josie had gone back to not liking labor. So, they took me OFF pitosin, to give her some time to rest, and to see if her heartrate would stabilize again.

Unfortunately, this time, her heartrate continued to give the doctors some concern. After each one of my contractions, her heartrate would drop dramatically, a fact I could hear on the monitors they had me hooked up to. It started to alarm even me, and around 1:30 the doctor came into my room to announce that Josie wasn't going to do labor anymore, and it was time for a C-section. We needed to get her out of there. At my doctor's appointment a week later, he confirmed that the placenta was indeed infected, and getting Josie out of there was exactly the right decision.

Talk about having a procedure down to a science! At 1:30 they announced the need for the C-section, and she was born at exactly 2:00, half an hour later. Caleb stayed with me behind the blue curtain while they delivered Josephine. It was the weirdest thing to feel the tugging and pulling going on, and then suddenly, it felt like my stomach collapsed ... and she was out! What an amazing thing to hear that little cry! Caleb went with a nurse and Josie to the recovery room while I got stitched up, and I eventually joined them there.

Nothing about Josie's birth went the way it was supposed to. After a combined 9 hours of lamaze classes, I ended up not using much of anything I learned. We watched one video about C-sections, which I didn't pay much attention to. I wasn't going to have a C-section, so why pay attention? I had expected 20 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing, a full week after my due date. This is why I hadn't packed yet for the hospital (Caleb did that in 20 minutes after I called the hospital at 2 in the morning), and why it took me as long as it did to finally call the doctor in the middle of the night.

My delivery story isn't anything like what I expected, but my healthy baby girl is so much more than anything I imagined. Speaking of which, she's waking up from her nap ... I'll write more later!

party weekend

This past weekend we celebrated a wedding, a birthday and a baby (not mine ... no Josephine yet). I'll let the pictures tell the stories.

THE WEDDING

On Saturday afternoon, in a lovely and simple ceremony in my parents' backyard, my grandpa got married. He married Marilyn McNichols, a woman he's known since high school. In fact, she and her husband and my grandparents were good friends for the past 60+ years. We are so excited they have each other. They have been a true example of how being blissfully in love is not only for the young, but for the young at heart as well.

The "Auntibodies." My Aunts ... Jean, Joan and Joyce, and my Mom ... standing as grooms'-maids beside my grandpa.

Caleb trying to outdo my belly. But at 39 weeks, I'm afraid its impossible. (Just one week to go! Or thereabouts ....)

My grandpa and Marilyn with Jack and Joan, my parents Doug and Judi, Jean and Dave, and Joyce and Bob. (I don't think Joyce knew the camera was rolling ... )

THE BIRTHDAY


My brother David and his wife Rachel came down this weekend for the wedding, so we had a chance to celebrate Rachel's birthday on Sunday morning with a full breakfast. Her actual birthday is June 13, but I don't think anyone minds starting those celebrations early, especially Rachel.

Rachel, starting her morning off right.

THE BABY SHOWER

My cousin Molly (my Aunt Joyce's youngest daughter) is expecting her first child just 7 weeks after me. We celebrated on Sunday afternoon in my cousin's backyard. The aunts had fun with the bug theme for the shower, and made these cupcakes.



Molly is on 24-hour bed rest right now, but was given permission to be at the shower ... as long as she reclined during the party. She's doing well, and we're all continuing to pray for a healthy and full-term baby. She just has 8 weeks to go!

Molly opening gifts. This is a blanket my mom crocheted for baby Swanson (we don't know if she's having a Gustav or a Vienna yet).

last day

Well, today is my last day at work ... for a while at least. After today, all that's really left to do is, well, have this baby. Am I ready for that? I don't know. Part of me is hoping I go another two weeks or so before labor starts. I could use the time at home to finish cleaning and organizing and getting rest. And yet, I'm also just so stinking tired of being pregnant, I'd welcome labor pains at any moment. Cleaning and organizing can happen when she graduates from college. All I know is that the waiting game has begun. My official due date is one week from this weekend, though I expect it'll be two weeks before we have any real action. I figure if I keep my expectations further out, then I won't be too disappointed when June 8 comes and goes without contractions and that longed-for harried drive to the hospital.

This impending and imminent motherhood thing has certainly been on my mind a lot lately. Having just recently celebrated Mother's Day, I can't help but compare myself to my own amazing mom. If I can be half the mom she was and is, I think my kids might turn out OK. And, though lots of domestic things come to mind like how good she is at cooking and crafts and decorating, its her character I long to most emulate. She is patient and humble, and truly interested and invested in her kids. She's also one of the wisest women I know. It seems a lot to live up to, and yet when I express any concern or fear to her about raising my own kids, she is encouraging and confident that I will do a great job, which means a lot to me. As many of you know, I'm not really what you'd call "a kid person." But my mom assures me she wasn't either, and look how great HER kids turned out.

Fortunately, babies don't enter the world at the terrible twos, ready for their first day of school or driving, or in the midst of the crazy teenage years. I get to start at the beginning, and take things one day at a time. I'm worried enough about breast feeding and changing diapers, I don't think I could handle much else just yet.

When I set aside my fears and uncertainties, I find myself really excited for this next and newest adventure in life. I can't wait to meet our daughter, the little wiggle worm who has taken over my body for the last 9ish months. I can't wait to see what she looks like, to watch her personality emerge, to dress her up in all the cute clothes we've been given (which is funny, 'cause even though I was never much into dolls, I can't WAIT to play dress up with Josie!). I just can't wait to get to know her.

I also can't wait to parent with Caleb. Though neither of us knows much about what we're getting into, we're excited to dive in together. Its always nice to be on a steep learning curve along with someone else, especially someone else equally as invested in the learning process. Oh, and talk about a man who is already wrapped around his baby's finger. Its going to be fun watching him be the sucker I know he'll always be for her.

I'll keep you as updated as I can over the next couple weeks. Here we go!

happy anniversary to us!

On May 6th, Hunky Hubby and I celebrated 3 years of marriage. Go us! In an effort to keep things simple and inexpensive, we opted for a small staycation. We took two days off work (Mon-Tues) and enjoyed a leisurely at-home four-day weekend. We did some cleaning and organizing around the house and in the baby's room, but also made time for leisurely activities like napping, sleeping in, watching movies, eating out, and even a little wandering around REI (our annual dividend, plus a 20% off coupon, enabled us to purchase a new travel/camping barbeque!). It was a splendid weekend ... which is nice, since it will probably be our last one kid-free for quite some time.

Using as many coupons and gift cards as we could, we actually kept the cost of our staycation down to a tank of gas and some snacks for the movie theater (we saw Star Trek at 2:10 on Tuesday afternoon ... soooooo the way to do a new release. There were only about 10 people in the whole theater!). So, our big splurge? Double scoop waffle cones at the ice cream parlor on Main Street in Disneyland. Mmmmmmm, well worth the expense. Caleb enjoyed butter pecan and another non-chocolatey ice cream, while I had mint 'n chip with chocolate chip. DE-licious.

Me in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle ... and 36+ weeks pregnant. (I'm starting to feel as big as Sleeping Beauty's Castle.)

Happy Anniversary! Aren't we cute?

our trip to Washington

I finally have a few pics from Washington to post. Well, more accurately, I finally have time to post them. Since we got home last week we've been focused on the baby's room ... cleaning things out, prepping for painting, and painting. There's been no time for anything else. We're still not totally done, but we're getting there. I'll post THOSE pictures when we finish.

I'll let the pictures tell the story of our trip.

When we arrived on Friday morning, we got our rental car and spent the day in Seattle. We ate lunch at a lovely little cafe overlooking the Sound at Pike Place, walked through the shops, got hot chocolate at the first Starbucks ever, walked to the Space Needle through a shady part of town, and spent time wandering through the gift shop. It was a cold day, but sunny and beautiful, so we put up with the it. Besides, I got to wear my new cherry red maternity coat.

Pick axes for door handles ... we could only be one place ...

Because we're us, we couldn't go to Seattle and NOT visit the REI flagship store. Its a huge store. REI on organic steroids. They had a whole corner set aside for kids, complete with a tree house they could play in. I had a tough time not wanting to buy baby sized hiking boots and socks. So cute! Can't wait to take the baby camping.

David and Rachel and Timber.

On Saturday, David and Rachel took us to a nearby lake. We spent an hour or so ambling around the entire lake. Again, it was a beautiful and sunny day, and though cold, the walk kept us warm. We were so fortunate to have such beautiful weather! And we experienced one of the fun parts of the outdoorsy Washingtonians, their love for dogs! There wasn't a soul at that lake not walking at least one dog. We could definitely do Washington. Maybe then I could get my Great Dane.

On Sunday the five of us (David, Rachel, Timber, me and Caleb) took the ferry to San Juan Island. We spent the day driving around the island, all of us dreaming of having summer homes there. We saw goat farms, sheep farms, and one farm with a giant camel. Every piece of property seemed to have its own lake and land enough for gallivanting about as though you were a character from a Jane Austen novel with nothing better to do but gallivant.

We went to the whale watching site on the island, where in the right season you're supposed to be able to see Killer Whales. The right season is June through September. So awesome. If only it had been summer.

We didn't see any Orcas, but we DID see eagles ... close enough we could practically see the whites of their eyes! (If eagles have whites in their eyes.) Check Caleb's blog for pics.

David and Timber. Like man, like dog?

On our drive back to Seattle on Tuesday to catch our flight, we took a scenic drive called Chuckanut Drive. It followed the Sound for several miles, again a beautiful day. We passed an alpaca farm as we drove, and I wished we'd had time to stop. Some of the best yarns come from Alpacas. And I love yarn.

Overall it was a great trip. It was relaxing and a great time with David and Rachel. Can't wait to go back ... maybe when the Orcas are coming through.

drumroll please .......

It's a GIRL!

Please let me introduce to you Josephine Lois Weston. Josephine because her mama has always loved the name (and the many variations of nicknames with which it comes) and Lois after her precious grandmother who passed away last summer (and who, incidentally, worried I would never want or have kids of my own ... so this is also my posthumous "I told you so.") Here's a few pics from the ultrasound yesterday.

Little Jo's foot (which I've felt kick me at least once so far)

Profile of her head, and you can see her heart, too.

She's stretching here.

Now she's staring straight at the camera. Already photogenic, which in this family is going to be very important.

Weston Family Christmas

A few pictures from our weekend in T.O. (Thousand Oaks, for those of you unfamiliar with the local vernacular). Thursday was Christmas of course, Friday was relaxation day, Saturday we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo. Good fun was had by all. (For the rest of the pictures, from all our Christmas celebrations, click here.)

OK, this one is actually at my parent's ... my mom's creative decorating of the chandelier in the living room. I thought it was cool, so I photographed it.

Conrad and Burke trying to figure out the singing reindeer with the snow ... We eventually had to take out the battery, as they're pretty good at figuring things out, and the reindeer only sang one rather annoying song.

Conrad with Grandma, getting ready to open stockings.

On to the zoo ....

Burke, emerging from his shell.

Not the greatest picture of me, but the only one there is (out of nearly 200 pictures taken during Christmas).

Conrad, enjoying his mandarin oranges.

Husband and apes.

Burke, getting a better look at the giraffes.

A picture of the future? (The future where our kids have run off and we can't find them ... thus, the empty stroller.)

Andrew with Burke, Lucas with Conrad, and Christie ... at the sea otter exhibit.

More photos to be seen here.

t-giving

A few fun pictures from Thanksgiving.

My cousin Amber holding my niece Madeleine. Aren't they adorable!?

Grandpa with his great-granddaughters Lindley and Liana.

PIE!

Uncle Dave napping with Lucy.

Amber with Liana, Lauren with Lindley, Caleb and Rachel ... letting the food settle while we watch The Incredibles.

Aunt Joyce, Lauren, Lindley, Mom, Julie, Rachel, the top of Amy Beth's head, Aunt Jean, Amber, Rachel with Maddie ... playing games in the living room.

Lincoln.

Jon with Maddie, Amy, and my Dad, who think every picture should have someone picking their nose ....

Me and David. David left that afternoon to drive up to Washington with his friend Billy. He took a big load of his and Rachel's stuff, and was hoping to find an apartment and a job in the time he's up there. They move the week after Christmas.

Cousin Joy and Dad ...

I hope everyone had a fun and filling Thanksgiving!!

rachel's shower

A few pictures from the baby shower on Saturday ....

No set of pictures from a family event is complete without at least one of Madeleine, my neice. Here she's being held by her Aunt Rachel (not to be confused with cousin Rachel, for whom the shower was thrown).

The place settings. Rachel's theme is black and yellow with lambs ... in case you couldn't tell by the picture.

The lunch table.

Rachel, the guest of honor, at lunch.

.... along with everyone else.

Aunt Brianna showing her neices Liana and Lindley how to use a phone (or something to that effect).

Rachel's sister Joy made these framed letters that spell out the baby's name, Sophie. So cute!



Rachel's family (from l to r: Molly, Darcy, Brianna, Rachel, Aunt Joyce, Joy, Lindley and Liana)

Rachel with the Hammer girls, who threw the shower. (from l to r: Rachel, Amy, Rachel, Mom, me, Julie and Madeleine.)