Oliver Russell

The Thursday night before my induction I raced home from work, did a last minute cleaning spree on the house and then Eric, Elle and I headed to our last dinner as a family of 3. After dinner we headed to mom and dads to spend the night so Elle wouldn't need to wake up super early, we hoped she would sleep late since we were scheduled to be at the hospital at 7am Friday morning. I slept surprisingly well, just normal tossing and turning from being uncomfortable. I cried when I snuck in to get Elle a kiss goodbye in the morning. And I finally started to get nervous as Eric and were driving to the hospital, mainly just nervous about the epidural. Actually having the baby was easy breezy with Elle, it was quick and I didn't feel anything so I expected the same this time around. Wrongo! I took this pic with Elle before we went to bed on Thursday. My last pic with my only child.

They started me on Pitocin once we were all settled in our room and just like with Elle it did nothing to kick start my labor. Around noon they broke my water to get things moving and brought in the anesthesiologist for my epidural, it was pretty clear about 20 minutes later that the epidural wasn't working, I was pretty uncomfortable. They brought the anesthesiologist back in for my 2nd epidural and this time I was completely numb from the waist down within seconds. Reading the doctors body language I quickly realized this wasn't good. I went from feeling great and thanking him to asking if I was paralyzed.  I tend to overreact. :) Within an hour I was able to wiggle my toes so they  gave me my third (and final) epidural.  This one just flat out didn't work. At all. My parents, Mary and Will all came to the hospital that night. They would all take turns hanging with Elle on the main floor of the hospital. At one point I remember Mary and my mom were in the room with me and my contractions were unbearable. I was crying, mom was trying to get me to do LaMaz breathing which I kept insisting people don't do anymore. Eric had gone downstairs to see Elle and everyone was getting ready to leave because it seemed like Oliver wouldn't be making his appearance until sometime the next morning. My mom was in the room and I told her to go downstairs and get Eric, I was in so much pain! I'm not sure how much time passed between my mom leaving and Eric coming back in but it felt like an eternity. In that time Oliver decided he was ready! I was pressing the nurse button over and over and when no one came I started yelling for help into the hallway. I honesty thought I was going to have him all by myself in that room. When Eric got back in the room it was about 5 minutes before he was born. 5 minutes of me screaming and begging Eric to find someone who could give me medicine. All the scenarios that ran through my head when I was pregnant, I never even entertained the idea of having a baby without pain medicine. I don't handle pain well, I was positive I was dying. :) At 10:33 pm on Friday, February 20th I was holding my perfect little Oliver Russell. 7lbs 11 oz, 22in of perfection.

 

Oliver was wide awake after he was born.  Love his little wide eyes in these pictures!

My sweet boy.

 

We were able to go home on Sunday. Eric and I joked that when Eleanor was born we weren't ready to leave the hospital and they kind of pushed us out. This time we were the ones asking to speed up the process. Every patient but one on the maternity floor was leaving that day and we made sure we were the first to go! I was so ready to get home to Elle and let her meet her new brother!

 

My dad brought Elle to our house on his way to Charlie's 1st birthday party. She immediately walked over to tell Oliver "hi" and laid down the law right away by telling him "the pink loveys are mine". She wanted to make sure that very important detail was covered right away.

 

Elle has been really great with him, she is a great helper and is the first to remind Henry and Charlie to only touch him on his belly and toes. 

So in love with these two little babes!

 

RSV

Our house was hit with RSV right as we came back from our fun trip to Columbia.  Mary called me at work on Monday to tell me the boys both had it and I immediately knew the cough that had sprung up out of nowhere for Elle the night before was RSV.  Eric took her to the pediatrician on Tuesday to be checked and lo and behold the virus had indeed hit our house.

I cried a lot.  A lot a lot.  I immediately realized Elle wouldn't be able to come to the hospital when the baby was born, that we may have to keep them in separate houses if he came before his due date...basically every image I had of how things would go for the last 9 months was gone.  It was hard and I threw a big pity party. :)

More importantly than all of that, was how miserable Elle felt.  Her breathing never really sounded wheezy but she did have a night where she had a hard time taking a breath which sent me into a panic.  Thank God Eric was home and not at work that night.  He was most definitely the calm one in the situation.  I was convinced I should sit up and hold her while she slept the rest of the night and Eric was finally able to convince me to just prop her head up with a pillow and lay her down.  I was getting little to no sleep because 1. I'm 9 months pregnant and 2. I was checking her breathing constantly.  Eric said he was getting no sleep because every time I would move he thought I was in labor and he as well was constantly checking Elle's breathing.

Eric stayed home with Elle Monday-Wednesday and I worked from home Thursday and Friday with her.  I hated seeing her so sick but we passed the days with lunch picnics, coloring Valentines and watching movies.  Either Muppets Most Wanted, Stuart Little or Polar Express were pretty much playing at all times.

I found her sitting like this in her room one night and asked her what she was doing.  She said, "just hanging out with my dollhouse".

Eric and I have both caught a cold which resulted in me having to be tested for RSV before the baby is born.  Thankfully it's just a cold virus, although I hope Elle is able to dodge it!  Elle is feeling better, still has a runny nose and cough which means she most likely won't be able to come to the hospital to meet brother which makes me so sad.  Tomorrow is my induction so hopefully we will be home by Sunday and Elle will meet her new buddy then.  I'm beyond nervous and can't believe I will have 2 CHILDREN by the end of the weekend!!

Sprinkle!

One Saturday Mary and I were making plans to meet up for lunch then head out for some shopping.  This is nothing new, it is pretty much our routine every Saturday.  Elle was a bit of a grump and ended up falling asleep for a nap right before it was time to leave.  Knowing it could be dangerous to wake my sleeping bear I kept pushing our lunch time back.  Little did I know Mary, Henry and Mom were already out and about ready to sprinkle Elle and I with some baby love!  By the time I finally got to the restaurant for lunch and saw this set-up I was completely surprised...and felt horrible for being so late!

They went WAY overboard on spoiling this little boy and they didn't forget about big sissy Eleanor either!  They had a Frozen bowling set for her and pink balloon on her chair.

The ladies treated us to lunch then surprised us with pedicures!  Henry joined in on the pedicure fun, he of course picked out the color green and Elle decided to go with purple.

This was Elle's first time getting a pedi and it turns out the girl is a natural.

After our pedi's we did some shopping then stopped for some frozen yogurt with the kiddos.  It was such a fun day and I'm so thankful for everything.  I have the absolute best family, hands down!

Sitting.Waiting.Wishing.

This Jack Johnson song has new meaning for me now!  We are still waiting for little Elle to decide she is ready to meet us, I am ready to force the introduction! :)  Our doctor has said that we will talk inductions and what to do if she is not here by her due date at our next appointment on Monday.  Eric is really wanting her to come on her own, he hates the idea of us picking her birthday.  I, on the other hand, am just ready to meet her!! I so badly want her to be here and home for Christmas.  Doesn't she know she has several presents waiting for her under the tree?! ;)

We had our maternity pictures this past Sunday.  I was secretly hoping I would go into labor before the session started, I wasn't completely sold on having pictures taken of myself going into my 39th week.  Several people told me I would be happy that I did them later on.  I would have loved to see pictures of my mom and dad weeks before they had me, so I guess I'm glad we did them.

So for now I will just keep sitting, waiting and wishing! Any day now, little Elle.