Out longer than in

Little One, 

Today you've officially been out of the womb longer than you were in it. You chose your 38th week of gestation to make your debut and today you're just a tad older than 38 weeks. I'm not sure how this is possible. Wasn't I just sharing the surprise news with your papa that I was newly pregnant with you?!

What a sweet babe you've been and what a blessed addition to the Blinn clan. I love you, Sweet Pea and I'm thankful you're out. (Even if some days I do wish I was still pregnant with you because I loved that time so much.) 

Love, 
Mama

More photos from the birthing day

Such a perfect picture of my strong yet tender, loving, nurturing man.
He takes care of his family so well.

Well hello, Sweet Boy! Love this.

So tiny!

I remember saying to Matt "That's the farthest away from me he's ever been."
It was all of 3-4 feet away. 

Birth photography

In early December I had a conversation with Val of Happy Ely After Photography and she so very graciously agreed to be our birth and postpartum photographer. I was elated at the thought of having pictures to document the moment my son or daughter entered the world! Little did I know that sweet Jonathan Francis would enter the world rather quickly and Val would nearly miss the whole thing completely!

She gave us close to two hundred photos and its hard to pick just a few to share... so maybe I'll share more than just a few! (Some might be a bit graphic, but they're important because they tell the story in all of its raw beauty.) I wish she had been there for the actual laboring part, but we didn't call her in time because we simply didn't know things would progress as rapidly as they did. All in all, I'm really happy with the pictures she got and I'm so thankful for the images to help me remember the events of Jonathan's birthday. 

So, without further ado, photos from the afternoon and night of Sunday, December 30, 2012. The day we met our sweet baby boy.

L&D Room 10 - Where Jonathan took his first breaths outside of the womb...
& where he was actually born - just outside that bathroom door straight ahead!

A random, compact, excellent visit with the Harks!

The two bracelets all the girls made for me

 Love this.

Little One's heartbeat was in the mid-140s through the entire pregnancy

"Okay Love, see ya later! I can handle this, no need for you to stick around here right now."
Matt left to get dinner, tidy up at home, etc. and a little over an hour later I called him to come back.
I was in pain and wanted his help through contractions. Boy, did things pick up from that moment!

When Blinn went home, we sent Val home because we thought the Pitocin would take longer to kick in and we didn't feel the need for photos of the waiting game. We agreed to give her a call when I was dilated to 5-6 centimeters since labor often progresses quickly from that point. By the time we made the call, I'd chosen to have the bag of water broken and Little One arrived mere minutes later. The first photo Val took when she got back was this one: 

Disbelief that our babe was already here. Amazed that he had a son.
Shocked that the midwife tossed him a babe so fresh and new! I love that Blinn's expression
was captured in this moment, it says so much.

The first time I saw our boy.

The first time I touched sweet J

I'm amazed at how quickly a woman can switch into maternal mode. He was still attached and yet
I was trying to calm him down, shh-ing him and reassuring him that his mama was there.

The circus of women (and Blinn) trying to free Jonathan from all the wires that
were attached to me. Hilarious!

The hot potato is passed back to Papa as I tried getting onto the bed.

And there he was: Our son. We got to gaze at him together and laugh and smile
and weep with thanksgiving. So freaking beautiful.

This is the end of photography installment one... more to come soon!

A prayer

God, 

You are good. 
I am blessed beyond measure. 
I am taken care of. 
I am full. 

Tonight I come to You as the mother of a third child. My sweet baby boy sleeps here on my lap, belly full of my milk, all of his needs have been met. So have mine. 

Thank You for the gift of life. I am humbled by all the ways You lavish Your Love upon us. You are good and Your love endures. 

The most pregnant I've ever been!

With Zachari, I only got to the 36 weeks and 4 days point in pregnancy and then her squirmy little self emerged from my body on that snowy February night. Never did I expect her to come so early or to be born at St. V's. Nor did I hope to have Pitocin and IVs, etc. but in the end it didn't matter because she was here and healthy. Since we were planning a home birth with a midwife at that time, we'd had our home visit at 36 weeks on the dot. Afterwards, we had an in-home photo shoot to document the belly. Little did we know, they'd be the last pregnancy photos we took in 2009. That was then...

And this is now! Today we're at 36 weeks and 5 days and lemme tell ya, that extra day means the world to me!

Perfectly timed on the Winter Solstice, Columbus got its first snowfall of the season and it was a beautiful sight. Matty Boy had the day off and made his daughter quite happy with the chance to run errands with just him and then play in the snow, even making their first snowman together. Its sort of becoming her M.O. not to be in the mood for the prego shots, but she sure was excited to say "Cheeeeeese!" this one of only her. Such a ham. And boy, do I love her.

Baby blessings

On Saturday dear old friends blessed me and Little One with a sweet little brunch to love and support us in these final weeks of pregnancy. It was fantastic and now five days later, I still feel so loved from those couple of hours together. Holly Rae came in from WV, Molly came in from Bladensburg, all of us girls (and little Edmund and Baby Boy Redcay) together made for a most enjoyable Saturday morning.

As has become tradition in our circle of friends, a beaded bracelet was created for me to wear from now through labor and delivery. The words of strength and encouragement they wrote on cards and read to me as their beads were strung on the wire have given me a boost to press on. I so value this tiny bracelet and the significance it represents. Women who have gone before me either in motherhood, significant physical trials and tribulations, or their own personal valleys. We are united in a special way. I'm so richly blessed when it comes to good friends. 

This looks a little fuzzy. Clicking to enlarge should make it a bit better.

Little One Letter #11

Hello Baby. 

I don't have much to say tonight other than I love you. I'm ready to meet you. I'm so, so thankful you're healthy and you're continuing to take space in my uterus as you grow. Yesterday's biophysical profile (BPP) was a breeze and you passed it with flying colors in a mere fifteen minutes. Mama, Papa and Big Sister are so proud of you! We'll see you in January, okay? 

Little One letter #10

Hello, you!

Yesterday we met with Dr. Amburgey and the regulars in the maternal-fetal medicine office and Babe, we got a great report! 

When we were there the day before Thanksgiving, the ultrasound struck a little bit of fear in your mama's heart when we learned your abdomen was a little behind schedule growth wise. At that time twice weekly NSTs were ordered in addition to BPPs and regular ultrasounds... on top of my other OB appointments, trying to fit in physical therapy and the chiropractor. Kid, you're a doozie and these appointments became like a part-time job!
Each NST was a success and the ultrasounds showed that you were growing, the fluid was at a good level, and you were doing a-okay. 

The pictures we got to see of you today were no different. Sweet Thing, in a mere two weeks you've gained an entire pound which currently puts your weight at more than your big sister's when she arrived at 36 weeks gestation. Goooooo you! We must be doin' somethin' right together, eh? That, and I know God's got His hands all over us and He is consistently reminding us that we are His chosen ones, that we are taken care of. 

We don't have to have any more NSTs for the rest of the pregnancy, we just have to have weekly BPPs and then I'll start seeing my OB weekly because we only have a little over a month to go! I'm so proud of you already, Little One and you're doing super well in there! In January your papa, big sis and I will be eager to touch your tiny face, but until then, you stay right where ya are. You can keep flipping and kicking and shifting my organs around til the day you're ready, my child. I'm so happy you're alive, well and thriving!

I just peed my pants a little

How's that for the title of a post?!

I wish it was just to be funny, but it is in fact, truth. I'm 31 years old and twice in this pregnancy I've peed my pants a little while sneezing. Yup. 

As much as I love pregnancy and as much as I value it as a gift, the truth is that its actually not smiles and roses all the time. Granted, I could have things much, much worse and I count myself quite blessed compared to many a woman and her ailments. But! Things have happened to my body throughout three pregnancies that I didn't know were possible and that no man will ever understand. This list is in no way exhaustive, but just a taste of what a prego body can go through to produce a tiny human being. 

• Leakage. My goodness, the leakage and the constant need for a pantyliner through the day and night
• Aches and pains - especially in areas where you didn't even know you could have aches and pains
• Cravings that are inexplicable to the point where you just have to "blame" the babe because nothing else makes sense
• Sensitive, bloody gums
• Tender boobs
• Stretch marks
• Hair loss
• Acne and other skin issues
• Nausea
• Aversions to certain foods/smells that were never an issue before pregnancy
• Extreme fatigue
• Organs and bones shifting to new places in the body
• Swelling - in places you didn't know could swell

And the list goes on! Its amazing how much a woman's body endures throughout a ten month pregnancy, but what comes from it (almost) erases everything. In the end, I'll end up with the teensiest person that is part me, part Matt and 100% a miracle. This pregnancy hasn't been easy on my body, there's no doubt about that, but I am still thankful. I'm already so in love with my son or daughter and once I meet him or her face to face, this list will be a distant memory. 

I'm so excited!

Borrowed words

Suz's post today resonates with me. So much so, that I'm just gonna let her speak for me instead of trying to reword what she said. 

I'm a blessed woman and the child the grows inside me is a gift. Let me never, ever forget those two things.

A happy Thanksgiving

What a gorgeous day! I can't remember a more picture-perfect Thanksgiving Day. The high was around 60˚, there wasn't a hint of cold in the air, the sun was shining in a clear, blue sky. It was amazing and such a gift to be able to stand outside in a tank top for pregnancy photos and not freeze!

We're eight months into the pregnancy now, only two more to go! I've definitely had a harder time physically in this pregnancy, but its really nothing much to complain about in the grand scheme of things. At this stage in my pregnancy with Z, I only had a month left to go, but didn't know it. This time around, I'm banking on a solid seven to eight weeks left til Little One arrives. Here's hopin'!

Diva wasn't into the photo shoot today. She was much more concerned with the whereabouts of Miles and when the two of them could run through the ravine together. Sheesh! The priorities of an almost-three year old!

On the way back home we found a big pile of leaves raked onto the sidewalk. Z was thrilled at the chance to "walk" Miles through them. The picture doesn't show it very well, but the leaves were up past her little knees and she traipsed through them with ease!

Our Thanksgiving festivities were actually pretty enjoyable today, to our pleasant surprise. We slept in a little and Blinn and I enjoyed some French Vanilla coffee together while Miss Z totally ate up the Macy's parade on TV. I figured she'd enjoy it, but I had no idea she'd love it so much! She saw about an hour's worth of the parade and for at least twenty minutes of it, she danced. The Broadway Cinderella and the Rockettes seemed to be her favorite. Here she is dancing with the Rockettes and her papa and I were quite impressed with how well she imitated their moves! And yes, she's wearing a pink tutu, a bejeweled tiara, too-big rainbow pants and a Halloween jammie top. This is how she rolls. All. The. Time.

After our walk to the ravine for photos, we loaded everything up and headed to Grandpa's. This is always the family visit that I enjoy the least, but this year was an exception. Z did great there too. It can be pretty loud and overwhelming for even me and most times when we're there she clams up and no one really gets to see her true self. Today was a little better though and she held her own like a champ. She always makes me proud when I get to show her off to people who don't know her as well. 

After Grandpa's, we headed to the Mosleys' where we celebrated with the grandparents and Uncle Michael. A decent time there too. The best part was how happy Z was to be able to play with her cousin for a few hours. Its nice that she has little cousins so close in age to group up with. That was something missing in my childhood for sure. 

We certainly have MUCH to be thankful for and today I tried meditating on many of those things. This year's 30 Days of Thankful has been good and we've already come up with many more than one thing to give thanks for a day. As it says in Psalm 107:1 "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His Love endures forever."