She's Here!

I'll post pics soon...

Audrey Belle Hughson made her grand appearance February 25, 2008 at 11:52pm! here's the details:

7lbs 15oz
22 1/4 inches long
13 in head
APGAR: 9

Chris and I were watching "A Raisin in the Sun" after getting settled for the night. I had a doctor's appointment earlier in the day where I found I was 4cm dilated. She said I could go to hospital if I wanted an "elective induction" because I was far enough dilated but didn't think it would be more than a day or so before I went on my own. So, I declined.

At 10:15pm, I felt the first contraction. It wasn't painful, but different from the braxton hicks and got my attention. A few minutes later, I felt another... I grabbed my cell to check the time and exactly 3 minutes later, another contraction. Another 3 minutes, another contraction... Chris was sitting beside me watching me look at my phone over and over and asked what I was doing.

Me: "Timing contractions"
Chris: "What?! should we go to the hospital?!"
Me: "I don't know... they don't really hurt but they're 3 minutes apart"
Chris: "I'm going to call my parents to come over... I think we should go"
Me: "ok"

He calls his parents - they'll be here in 30 minutes (this was at 10:30pm). Within that time, contractions went from nothing particularly interesting to needing to breath through them. Still not too bad though...

They get here around 11:00pm, we jump in the car and head for the hospital. By this time, my whole body has started shaking and contractions are closer to two minutes apart.

Chris: "we need to stop for gas"
Me: "you're kidding, right? (he's obviously not kidding) ok - just don't fill it, only get what we need to make it there" (we are driving the Expedition which takes FOREVER to fill)

I'm not really paying attention to the ride there, just watching the clock and timing contractions to make sure this really is labor. 20 minutes after leaving the house, we're turning into the hospital parking lot. Chris is driving a little fast and hits a speed bump which takes my contractions to one minute apart. I'm breathing through them ok and still have my wits about me enough to let him know he's driving the wrong way through the parking garage. We find a spot on the second floor near the stairs and grab my bag.

I'm very calm and concentrating on walking as quickly as I can between contractions. Chris is frantic telling me to hurry up and trying to get me to walk during the contractions. I tell him to calm down. lol

We walk down two flights of stairs, across the walkway and into the hospital. During this time, I've needed to stop three times for contractions. Once inside, I decline the wheelchair and walk as fast as I can to the nearest chair and hold on while I breath though the next one. As soon as that's over, we hurry to the elevator and up to the third floor.

Upon check-in they ask if I need a wheelchair.

Me: "no, I'm fine, let's just wait for the next contraction to be over and then walk fast"

The nurse brings us into the triage room to check me out and make sure that I'm in labor. She asks how far apart the contractions are and i tell her "one minute apart" (I don't think she believed me). Before they check me out, I have to get into a gown and pee in a cup. while I'm trying to breathe through the contractions and pee in a cup at the same time, Chris is telling me to hurry up and get the gown on. I sternly inform him that they aren't going anywhere and will wait for me. They're on my time now! By then, things are starting hurt and I KNOW this is real labor.

The gown is on and I climb up on the bed. Nurse comes in and checks me.

Nurse: "you're 9 centimeters. Ummm, Chris, would you please hit that red emergency button?"

Moments after Chris hits the red button, 2 or 3 nurses come in and it's like a scene from ER! They grab the bed and rush me across the hall to the delivery room.

Me: "oh good, I don't have to walk!"
they all laugh

We get in the room and there's now 5 or 6 people in there scurrying around, gowning up, bringing in carts of stuff, calling for the doctor, etc. I'm starting to push as the doctor runs in.

Two contractions later, Audrey Belle Hughson is born! No drugs! woohoo!

Me: "That hurt"
they all laugh

Then a nurse comes over to me and I notice a needle in her hand going straight for my leg.

Me: "what's that?! I don't like needles! Is it going to hurt?!" (I'm very serious)
Nurse: (laughing) "It's pitocin to help the bleeding stop and it won't hurt nearly as bad as what you just did."
Me: "ok"


It was quite the exciting night and surprisingly, natural labor and delivery really isn't too bad when you don't have pitocin and a host of other drugs in you.

Anyway, we are home now and doing well. Audrey is a little angel. She nurses like she's been doing it all her life, has a good appetite, sleeps well (for now) and her big sister thinks she's a "nice baby".

Happy "D-Day" to me - NOT!

February 24 has come and almost gone and I am STILL freaking pregnant!



The doctors are big fat liars. "second babies usually come early" she says. uh-huh, whatever. I guess the key word here is "usually" cause I for one am still pregnant and in two hours will be joining the over-due club.



I've got them all figured out now. They tell women these lies because they know without us, our species would die and realize after one has experienced 10 months of pregnancy, labor and childbirth, there is no way in hell they would do it again unless there was some incentive or promise that it would all be over sooner than the first time. that's a dirty trick. anyway...



Kaitlyn is really talking now! Over the past month, she's gone from 1-2 words to express a need, to forming complete sentences, singing songs and communicating thoughts and ideas and past events. it's really cool and she says some funny things. This morning, for example, Chris brought her into our bed and she crawls over to me to snuggle and we have a little talk.



Me: "good morning Kaitlyn! come give me a hug!"

Kaitlyn: "Hi~i, hug mommy" (gives me a hug)

Me: "does daddy get a hug too?"

Kaitlyn: "daddy broke the tv" (points to the blank wall where the tv once was - now moved into the FINISHED garage/office/gym)

Me: "oh he did? so he doesn't get a hug?"

Kaitlyn: "nope"



He never did get a hug.

That's all my preggo self has the energy to write... my next post better contain pics of little Miss Audrey!

two week wait....

thank god this baby is due in two weeks! I'm so ready to not be pregnant, but with my luck, she'll decide to cook until my kidneys give in. damn. eh well, I just keep reminding myself what hell the first couple of weeks/months are and how much more difficult it will be this time around with an almost 2 year old running the show. I get Chris home for two weeks (including the time I'm in the hospital), then I'm on my own.

note to self: add 10lb bag of coffee to the Costco shopping list.

hhhmmm - better make that two.