He's Here!

Weighing in at 8 lbs. 6 oz. and 20.5 inches long, Mylo finally arrived on September 16! 

From start to finish I was in labor for 22 hours. That included 3 hours of pushing when the time came, and finally ended in a c-section to get him out. He was either super stubborn or super comfortable. 

This is Bryan and me right before they started the c-section. I had about 6 blankets over me because I was so cold - I think my body just freaked out after 3 hours of pushing then being cut open. I remember a nurse asking if Bryan wanted to look over the curtain and watch. Why would anyone want to do that? Yes, I would like to watch my spouse get cut open, please. After that maybe I can eat some maggots or slam my hand in the car door, because all of those things sound equally appealing. 

Once they got him out, all I remember is waking up a couple of hours later. Bryan took one for the team and held him while I was sleeping.

Then I woke up!

And that's when I got to hold him. My doc warned me that my labor may end in a c-section early on in my pregnancy because Mylo was measuring big and my frame is pretty small. I tried to make it happen without being cut open, but I just couldn't do it. Oh well.

About half an hour after the above picture was taken I started experiencing the WORST pain I have EVER felt in my neck. I couldn't move, breathe, sit, lay, talk, or sleep without it hurting. They tried all sorts of pain killers and nothing was working. They finally had to call my doctor at home at 4am (sorry about that, doc...) to get an opinion on what to do. They think that I pulled a muscle in my neck from pushing so hard for 3 hours. I experienced labor, and then pain WORSE than labor, all in the same day, and what makes it even worse is that I couldn't even hold or feed Mylo at all during that time because it was so excruciating. I suppose I deserved a difficult labor since I had such an easy pregnancy.

Now it's over though, and Mylo is here and super cute and definitely getting held and fed! So far he's been a pretty good baby with minimal fussing. Knock on wood.

Sorry for the blur.

Somebody just woke up and was unhappy about being disturbed. 

After 5 nights in the hospital we finally got to go home, so I suited Mylo up in his very first outfit! 

Heh :) 

He doesn't like getting his diaper changed. I don't blame him, I bet it's really unpleasant. He has socks on his hands because baby nails are really sharp and he kept scratching his pretty lil face.

Upon arriving home, this is how we found him.

Surely that's not comfortable...

And now we're at home and settled in! The first night home was the hardest I think, because at the hospital I was basically waited on. I ordered whatever food I wanted and it was prepared and brought to me. A nurse brought me the medications I had to take on schedule, even during the wee hours of the morning. If I needed to take a shower the nursery would come pick up Mylo and watch him for me. There was a whole team of experts at my disposal for me to ask questions and keep an eye on both Mylo's and my health. Then we got home and I felt suddenly so isolated and inadequate. Since then it's been getting easier as we figure out Mylo and how he works.

I like this picture because of how tiny Mylo looks compared to Bryan. And that's it! Now it's time for Mylo to be fed again, so off I go! Then I'll put him down with a full belly and hopefully get to take a short nap while he is sleeping.

A Rant on Extreme Couponing

Have you heard the news? Kroger is going to stop doubling and tripling coupons, and as a sane, well-rounded, non-crazy coupon-clipper, I'm disappointed. They say that they made this choice because they want to focus that expense on lowering prices throughout the store, and if that's the case, then great. I, however, have a different theory. I think it's less because of that and more because of this:

Note the part at the end when her husband just wants to "clarify" that she took herself, their son, and her pregnant friend dumpster diving for coupons. I just feel like there's a line. And she crossed it. Big time. Dumpster diving is so far past the line that she can't even see it anymore. The line is gone to her. What line?


I had a feeling when I heard TLC was doing a show about "extreme couponing" that it may one day ruin it for the rest of us average coupon users. That day is upon us. I mean, who needs 27 packages of cream cheese? Or 1000 tubes of toothpaste? Who wants to have to store all of that? In short, I think these crazies (I said it!) took advantage of the system and now no one gets to benefit. At least at Kroger. As far as I know, Tom Thumb and Albertsons still double and triple. You can also come out pretty good at CVS and Walgreens with the right combination of sales and coupons (although they don't double or triple). Since Kroger is my grocer of choice, however, I am looking forward to these new lower prices they've promised me.

The Story of How I Still Have My Ring Finger

We made it past September 1st! That means Bryan's wicked new insurance will cover the pregnancy! Please pause for a moment while I do a happy dance.

...

Okay.

You're welcome for this nicer weather, by the by. I asked my doctor to please lower the temperature because I just can't handle any more of this crazy heat, and apparently she's God, because it happened. I've learned my lesson, though. Next time we're gonna plan this better and try real hard to avoid being in my third trimester in July and August in Texas.

38 weeks down!

2 to go.

My doctor is pretty sure I'll make it all the way to (and probably past) my due date, but still, just a couple more weeks of none of my clothes fitting and getting stuck on the couch like a turtle on it's shell.

I had to get my ring cut off last week. It was a sad moment, but I did get to see a fire truck up close, so that was neat. 

This is K. Hargrove with his tool *snicker*. You know, his ring cutter. I didn't think to ask what the "K" stood for. Probably Kevin. He looks like a Kevin. 

So it begins. 

 Action shot! I've never seen a ring cutter before. It's basically a mini-saw that he had to crank.

Close-up action shot!  There were 3 people pulling my finger in different directions.

Sad. But also happy, because I still have a finger. Also, Kevin was really nice and helpful.

And this is my battle wound:

It looks worse than it felt. My doctor said that my hands could swell even MORE (wtf?), so since I already couldn't get my ring off we had to cut it. It seems silly that I let it get this far, but I never ever take my ring off. Not to sleep, shower, wash my hands, never. I guess I'm just more committed to my marriage than you are. It wasn't until it got to be 6000 degrees this Summer in my third trimester that I realized that my ring was stuck. 

Since it was SO WEIRD not having a ring on, I made one.

Don't judge mah pudgy fangers. If YOU were pregnant, YOURS would be pudgy too. Don't worry though, this ring is elastic and comes off very easily.

So, word to the wise my pregnant friends, get your ring off before your fingers swell in your third tri! Otherwise you have to get it cut, which is sad. Also, you have to pay to get it re-soldered. Boo.

In other pregnant news, I finally packed my hospital bag. I guess that means I'm ready. Oh, and I bought my first tube of nipple cream, so I guess that means I'm a grown woman.