Friday, July 11, 2008
Happy Due Date, Norah
Thursday, July 10 was Norah's actual due date. We celebrated by taking her to her (almost) 2 week appointment at the pediatrician. She looks great. She has regained her birth weight, plus an ounce, putting our chunky monkey at 9 lbs, 4 ozs. It was unbearably hot again, so we drove 15 minutes to Half Moon Bay and basked in the ocean breeze that was at least 20 degrees cooler than Belmont. Norah dug her first visit to the beach, although I will have to admit she slept through most of it....
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Norah's Birth Story
**Disclaimer: you may want to skip this one if you are at all sensitive to words like cervix, dilation, or vaginal canal**
It has been a very hot summer up in the bay area, and I was so over being pregnant at about 35 weeks. I suffered from a severe and debilitating pregnancy induced rash/hives, and hadn't gotten a full nights sleep in several months. Baby was due to arrive July 10, but I honestly didn't know if I could make it that long.
Thursday, June 26 was a totally normal day, and Friday was to be my last day of work before starting maternity leave. I was so looking forward to 2 weeks of getting things ready, pampering myself, and SLEEPING. That night we went to bed at about 11 and I was up an hour later to use to bathroom (something that happened at least twice an hour that last month). I went back to bed but realized that my pajama pants were wet. Sadly, I just assumed I was suffering weak bladder syndrome and changed my pants. I went back to bed only to get up a few minutes later to go to the bathroom again (still, not a weird thing). When I stood up I felt a HUGE gush of water soak my pants and spill out onto the floor. Now, we took the requisite childbirth class and they told us less than 10% of women have their water break in this way--its usually reserved for dramatic moments in made for tv movies. So, of course that would be what happened to me.
I woke BVZ up and told him that I thought my water broke (he didn't believe me), and we called labor and delivery who told us to come in. We had nothing packed and nothing prepared and threw some stuff in a suitcase and drove to the hospital. I had no contractions, felt no pain, it was the most surreal drive of our lives.
We got to the hospital and got admitted. I really wasn't this lumpy, there are just monitors under that robe checking out the baby's heart rate and my contractions.
You can't really tell from this picture, but the hospital room was quite big and nice (as far as hospital rooms go). There was a nice big window and private bathroom. Little did we know we would spend the next 6 nights there.
BVZ slept on a fold out chair. For six nights. The man deserves a medal.
They told us to sleep from about 2 am to 6 am to see what would happen with my contractions. I don't think either of us slept a wink. At 6 they let me shower and then started the drug pitocin because the clock was ticking (since my water had broken), and I wasn't making any progress. Along with the pitocin I got bag after bag after bag of saline through an IV which made me have to pee every 5 seconds.
After about 4 hours, it was determined that the pitocin wasn't doing anything and I got the first dose of Cytotec, an oral drug that is supposed to thin and dilate the cervix. Over the course of the next 24 hours I would receive 3 more doses, all to no avail. Finally on Saturday morning, pitocin was started again and things got moving. Now, when I say things started to move, I mean that I went from having zero contractions to having unimaginably intense contractions in a matter of about 10 minutes. It was like going from zero to 60 in just a few seconds. I couldn't believe how painful and difficult it was. One other thing they never tell you about your water breaking, is that it replenishes itself, so it keeps on coming out. Especially when you have a contraction. I was pacing the floor, stopping every once in a while to have a contraction and water would pour out of me. Really, it was so, so gross. After about 2 hours of this pain I asked for an epidural and received the sweet, sweet relief. At that point it was really more waiting for my cervix to dilate.
At about 9 that evening it was determined I was ready to push and so we began. I knew from the beginning of pushing that something was wrong. It didn't feel right and I knew there was no progress. Sure enough, about an hour and a half later my OB confirmed that baby's head was lodged in the vaginal canal and there was little to no chance she would come out on her own. Plus, I was going on 48 hours with broken water and I started to spike a fever. So, that meant a c-section for me. I was scared, but totally out of it on drugs by that point, so it is all just a blur. From the time they told us about the c-section to the time she was born was maybe 20 minutes. It happened really fast.
BVZ went with the baby as soon as she was born, and shockingly enough, remembered to take the camera!
She was 9 lbs, 3 ozs, of pure chunk! We would spend the next 4 nights in the hospital with me recovering from the surgery and learning how to be a family of 3.
It has been a very hot summer up in the bay area, and I was so over being pregnant at about 35 weeks. I suffered from a severe and debilitating pregnancy induced rash/hives, and hadn't gotten a full nights sleep in several months. Baby was due to arrive July 10, but I honestly didn't know if I could make it that long.
Thursday, June 26 was a totally normal day, and Friday was to be my last day of work before starting maternity leave. I was so looking forward to 2 weeks of getting things ready, pampering myself, and SLEEPING. That night we went to bed at about 11 and I was up an hour later to use to bathroom (something that happened at least twice an hour that last month). I went back to bed but realized that my pajama pants were wet. Sadly, I just assumed I was suffering weak bladder syndrome and changed my pants. I went back to bed only to get up a few minutes later to go to the bathroom again (still, not a weird thing). When I stood up I felt a HUGE gush of water soak my pants and spill out onto the floor. Now, we took the requisite childbirth class and they told us less than 10% of women have their water break in this way--its usually reserved for dramatic moments in made for tv movies. So, of course that would be what happened to me.
I woke BVZ up and told him that I thought my water broke (he didn't believe me), and we called labor and delivery who told us to come in. We had nothing packed and nothing prepared and threw some stuff in a suitcase and drove to the hospital. I had no contractions, felt no pain, it was the most surreal drive of our lives.
We got to the hospital and got admitted. I really wasn't this lumpy, there are just monitors under that robe checking out the baby's heart rate and my contractions.
You can't really tell from this picture, but the hospital room was quite big and nice (as far as hospital rooms go). There was a nice big window and private bathroom. Little did we know we would spend the next 6 nights there.
BVZ slept on a fold out chair. For six nights. The man deserves a medal.
They told us to sleep from about 2 am to 6 am to see what would happen with my contractions. I don't think either of us slept a wink. At 6 they let me shower and then started the drug pitocin because the clock was ticking (since my water had broken), and I wasn't making any progress. Along with the pitocin I got bag after bag after bag of saline through an IV which made me have to pee every 5 seconds.
After about 4 hours, it was determined that the pitocin wasn't doing anything and I got the first dose of Cytotec, an oral drug that is supposed to thin and dilate the cervix. Over the course of the next 24 hours I would receive 3 more doses, all to no avail. Finally on Saturday morning, pitocin was started again and things got moving. Now, when I say things started to move, I mean that I went from having zero contractions to having unimaginably intense contractions in a matter of about 10 minutes. It was like going from zero to 60 in just a few seconds. I couldn't believe how painful and difficult it was. One other thing they never tell you about your water breaking, is that it replenishes itself, so it keeps on coming out. Especially when you have a contraction. I was pacing the floor, stopping every once in a while to have a contraction and water would pour out of me. Really, it was so, so gross. After about 2 hours of this pain I asked for an epidural and received the sweet, sweet relief. At that point it was really more waiting for my cervix to dilate.
At about 9 that evening it was determined I was ready to push and so we began. I knew from the beginning of pushing that something was wrong. It didn't feel right and I knew there was no progress. Sure enough, about an hour and a half later my OB confirmed that baby's head was lodged in the vaginal canal and there was little to no chance she would come out on her own. Plus, I was going on 48 hours with broken water and I started to spike a fever. So, that meant a c-section for me. I was scared, but totally out of it on drugs by that point, so it is all just a blur. From the time they told us about the c-section to the time she was born was maybe 20 minutes. It happened really fast.
BVZ went with the baby as soon as she was born, and shockingly enough, remembered to take the camera!
She was 9 lbs, 3 ozs, of pure chunk! We would spend the next 4 nights in the hospital with me recovering from the surgery and learning how to be a family of 3.
Friday, July 04, 2008
She's Here!
Introducing Norah GVZ. Weighing in at 9 lbs., 3 ozs. (and that's 2 weeks early!), she bounded into the world at 11:43 pm on Saturday, June 28, 2008. She's just as cute as we knew she would be. Now if we could just get her to tell the difference between night and day.....
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Baby Girl
She's a little smooshed in there these days and the placenta is in the way a bit, but check her out! Just about a month away now and we can't wait to meet her.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Spring has Sprung
One of the things I was most worried about when we moved into the house (besides the mortgage of course!) was making sure that we didn't kill all of the amazing flowers and fruit trees we inherited. We have (we of course meaning BVZ and the gardener Augustin) have worked really hard all year not to destroy anything and I am so pleased to report that not only is everything alive, but it actually looks BETTER than it did last year!
Babymoon
I thought it would be a great idea if BVZ and I took one last trip just the two of us before baby arrives. BVZ said that since I will only be pregnant 6 or 7 times in my life (ha, ha), I definitely deserved something special. We decided to head down the coast to Carmel and stay at the posh Bernardus Lodge. It is an absolutely gorgeous property and has its own vineyard and winery. Their Chardonnay is named after the owner's wife (Ingrid), as is the name of the vineyard the grapes come from.
The room we stayed in was big and beautiful and came equipped with a full selection of wines and snacks.
Plus, fresh roses every morning...
My favorite part of the whole place was the giant, marble bathroom with a super huge tub.
Plush linens and a feather bed...
All the wine and snacks in the room were 'complimentary'. Now, I know that nothing is really complimentary because you are paying for it in the room rate, but even so, it is brilliant marketing. There is nothing more appealing than propping your feet up on the outside deck and having a great snack and cold drink in the room after a long drive. This should be a mandatory policy for all hotels.
The rest of the property was gorgeous. The outside cafe:
Random fountains:
Bocce ball and croquet lawn:
A very relaxed BVZ....
Saturday morning we got breakfast delivered in bed and then went to the spa for massages. So great. I sometimes wish we were the kind of people who could then just lay around all day, but we aren't, so after our rub downs we headed into Monterey to go to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium.
It is a spectacular place full of interactive exhibits and more marine life than you thought was possible to fit into one building.
He is NOT comparing me to a whale in this picture....
My favorite exhibit by far were the jellyfish. They were truly other-worldly. The exhibit was done up much like an art exhibit, with incredible lighting and simple, silent tanks. It was breathtaking.
One of the most popular exhibits were the sea lions. Everyone oohed and aahed over how cute they were, but they were totally vicious! They would wrestle each other for food (they were NOT playing around), and bang each other up against the glass to get dinner from their roommates. We saw them eat some birds (not sure if that's their diet or the birds just have bad luck), but those poor birdies were getting ripped to shreds. It was awesome.
That night we went into the town of Carmel for dinner and enjoyed the artsy fartsy small town atmosphere. Sunday we spent the morning at the pool. It was all done up Tuscan style and the pool itself was perfectly clear and a balmy 80 degrees.
He's having fun, just anxious for his Heineken (this is at about 10:30 am, mind you)...
It was a perfect weekend away and something I look forward to doing 6 or 7 more times (I kid, I kid).
The room we stayed in was big and beautiful and came equipped with a full selection of wines and snacks.
Plus, fresh roses every morning...
My favorite part of the whole place was the giant, marble bathroom with a super huge tub. 
Plush linens and a feather bed...
All the wine and snacks in the room were 'complimentary'. Now, I know that nothing is really complimentary because you are paying for it in the room rate, but even so, it is brilliant marketing. There is nothing more appealing than propping your feet up on the outside deck and having a great snack and cold drink in the room after a long drive. This should be a mandatory policy for all hotels.
The rest of the property was gorgeous. The outside cafe:
Random fountains:
Bocce ball and croquet lawn:
A very relaxed BVZ....
Saturday morning we got breakfast delivered in bed and then went to the spa for massages. So great. I sometimes wish we were the kind of people who could then just lay around all day, but we aren't, so after our rub downs we headed into Monterey to go to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. 
It is a spectacular place full of interactive exhibits and more marine life than you thought was possible to fit into one building.
He is NOT comparing me to a whale in this picture....
My favorite exhibit by far were the jellyfish. They were truly other-worldly. The exhibit was done up much like an art exhibit, with incredible lighting and simple, silent tanks. It was breathtaking.
One of the most popular exhibits were the sea lions. Everyone oohed and aahed over how cute they were, but they were totally vicious! They would wrestle each other for food (they were NOT playing around), and bang each other up against the glass to get dinner from their roommates. We saw them eat some birds (not sure if that's their diet or the birds just have bad luck), but those poor birdies were getting ripped to shreds. It was awesome.
That night we went into the town of Carmel for dinner and enjoyed the artsy fartsy small town atmosphere. Sunday we spent the morning at the pool. It was all done up Tuscan style and the pool itself was perfectly clear and a balmy 80 degrees.
He's having fun, just anxious for his Heineken (this is at about 10:30 am, mind you)...
It was a perfect weekend away and something I look forward to doing 6 or 7 more times (I kid, I kid).
Gimped
As much as I was wishing it would have, pregnancy has not made me into a delicate flower. Instead, think walrus. Or maybe manatee. They're cuter. Anyway, a few weeks ago, BVZ threw his back out one Saturday morning, and my god, was he a baby about it. I took care of him for the better part of 12 hours, and that night decided to get in the shower at about 10:00 pm. We have a no-stick mat in the tub that someone (not me) had apparently taken out and put back in recently. Without re-sticking it. I stepped on the mat, it went flying, and so did I. Luckily, my instincts kicked in and I broke my fall by whacking my right arm on the side of the tub. It freaked me out something fierce and so my immediate inclination was to scream for BVZ to come rescue me. And rescue me he did. After about 10 minutes (in his defense it took him that long to get his broken back up off the couch and to the bathroom). I escaped without more serious injury, but was pretty banged up. The next day we moaned and groaned to each other and at some point attempted to take a walk around the block to get some fresh air. It isn't an exaggeration to say that we got lapped several times by Tony, the 98 year old neighbor. And he wasn't even in his scooter.
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