Theo is born!

It is hard to believe that Theo is already a week old today... this past week was a blur, and it's hard to blog when you have a little baby snuggled asleep on your chest!

We had been waiting since his due date (16th) for labor to start, but I knew he would come when he was ready, or as Jon thought, after I was able to eat a long awaited breakfast sandwich from a food cart we had been meaning to visit on Saturday. (The Big Egg in the Mississippi district, and it was delicious.) Saturday night I started having the usual regular contractions that I knew would either go away with sleep or lead up to the Big Event. Sunday morning I woke up shortly before 4 am with painful, regular contractions, and I knew labor had started. After talking with the midwife on call she said she expected to see me later that morning in the hospital. Hours later, she said she would be expecting me in later that afternoon...and then it was that evening for sure! My mom had arrived from Boise, and my contractions were getting to be very intense, but not quite close enough together. I was in tears and we decided to go to the hospital, if only to get checked with the possibility of being sent back home. 
After being checked, waiting an hour, and then being checked again, I was dilated to a two. This was discouraging after 20 hours, but the midwife assured me that I was hovering between early and active labor. She sent us home with Ambien at midnight, and I took a bath with the idea that I was taking a break from these contractions and getting a little sleep. Thirty minutes after trying to get some sleep I had bloody show, called again and she wanted me to come back. I was reluctant as I thought my labor would not have progressed much. After we got there she said two wonderful things--I was dilated to a seven and, fill the tub! (I was planning a natural waterbirth)

The tub was such a relief, as the contractions were still there but I was able to relax and float. I got in at about 4 am, and the time passed so quickly. Before I knew it I was feeling the unavoidable urge to push. I was dilated to a 10 (this was done by slipping a flashlight into a vet glove and checking it underwater), which was interesting because transition seems to have presented itself earlier when I was at a two rather than when I was approaching a 10. Pushing was an adventure. I was making these low noises I didn't know existed (think cows singing karaoke). It felt intense. I had many conversations in my head encouraging me to keep going! Before I knew it, forty minutes had passed and there was a crying baby in my arms. It was so unreal and amazing to share the next twenty minutes with Jon just looking at our baby boy. He was predicted to be about 7 pounds and ended up being almost 8 and a half! (That was a fun surprise)

It's funny how merely a week later I am digging deep to remember the painful details of childbirth. Those parts have just become unimportant and overshadowed by the joy of Theo's birth. I prayed for the faith that my body would know what to do, and Jon gave me the confidence and motivation to go through with everything without fear. I love our new little family.

We were both a little tired.

But it was so worth it.

Theodore Andrew Hall
8 lbs, 6 oz; 20 in.
Born June 21, 2010 at 5:57 am

I love birth stories, so I'll be sharing mine soon. Thanks for all of your well wishes!

The winter maternity sweater is back out!

40 weeks today... My apartment is dark and it feels like late winter again here, which makes my 2 cups of "I hope this stuff actually helps labor" tea go down comfortably, at least (in my favorite ceramic non-disposable disposable cup!). Jon drank hot chocolate last night. My heater just clicked on. What is going on here?

Yesterday I googled things like "pedicure natural induction" and got my toes painted jade green. Which was the Chanel color of 2009. It might look ugly, I can't really decide. My finger nails are red so I look like Christmas. Is this why people usually get mani/pedis with their friends? To avoid potentially fungal related polish choices?

What I'm up to lately

*making boyish shorties/bloomers to be paired with the sleeveless onesies I'm dying today. Just try to tell me those things are not adorable.

*listening to Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside (while making above)

*eating lunch with Jon here, where I promptly canceled out the past two dinners of raw veggie sandwiches in one fatal, home fry filled, bechamel sauced swoop (the name of the cart is more than self explanatory). My tummy feels more bowling ball than basketball.

*fielding kicks, shoves, and aggressive dance moves from my belly (I think he's confused as to the correct way to get out of there)

*watching videos and in general geeking out over Apple's newest product. Theo, I don't care when you come, but I already have plans June 15th, 12 am.

38.75 weeks nesting (or lack of) thoughts

My pregnant twin (no, not my actual twin, but my friend who had her due date three days before me) had her baby yesterday. Which kind of sent me into a slight "am I ready" panic. But I am so happy for her, and everything turned out wonderful, and her baby is precious. I think the most nesting-ish thing I did last week was make a 5 hour playlist consisting of mostly Sufjan and a track that plays ocean sounds for an hour. Hospital bag not too packed, cause mostly it's stuff I can't pack until right before. (right?) Our car seat was ordered weeks ago, and is still not here. All I know is, I still may not have him for another 2 weeks, but each day I get more uncomfortable and feel pains that mean this situation is going to go down. Sometime. Anytime.

But with all those natural anxieties, we are so excited to meet this little guy. And it's ok if he doesn't have hair at birth, but I just want this ranging, crazy heartburn to have meant something, you know?

i heart estate sales

I used to love thrifting, and I still do, but one drawback about Portland is that a lot of people love thrifting. And Goodwills are so expensive it makes me mad. Estate sales are where it's at. They are popular here too, but we hit a good one right when it opened one morning, and the thrill returned just like I had walked into a farm town Deseret Industries. My favorite find was a completely hand pieced vintage honeycomb or "grandmother's flower garden" quilt top. It is lap sized, (pieced American style, FYI) and I love that I can finish it on my own. These quilts take about a million years to make, consisting of hundreds of hexagons (about 2" across). I will need some help from my mom figuring out how to finish it...