The Day Our Life Changed

It seems that Miss Maddison wanted to come into this world on her own accord. As the previous blog states, we had the induction date for January 26th. Alec and I set off to the Doctor's office on Wednesday afternoon to find out if anything had changed over the week. Dr. Carney listened to the heartbeat and then checked me. I got the NO CHANGE look and was told that friday would be the day. I had thinned out a little more but had only dilated 1cm. So Alec and I got our head around friday and I started planning what I was going to do on Thursday before we went to pick up Alec's parents from the airport. Alec and I decided that it was still early in the afternoon and the weather was soo nice that we would take our pups for a walk around the neighborhood. I think that was the beginning of the end for us.

About 6pm, the contractions started and were about every 10 minutes. I didn't say anything to Alec because I didn't want to worry him. I had a feeling that it could be a long while before anything happened. About 11pm, the contractions were still going strong and I called the after hours line for my doctors office. She suggested that I go to the hospital to get checked out. Alec called Jessica and I hopped in the shower. There was absolutely no way I was going into the hospital without a shower. We got our bags into the car and headed off to the hospital around midnight. Once I got checked in, the nurse hooked me up to the monitors and told me the contractions were only 2-3 minutes apart. I still only 1cm dilated. The doctor on-call wanted to keep me and see how I progressed.



By 6am, the contractions were getting worse but I wasn't dilating on my own. The doctor broke my water and stretched me a little more to 2-3cm. I opted not to get my epidural at that moment and took some pain reliever through IV. Not a good decision. I was trippin BIG TIME!!! I told Alec on several occasions to make sure I was breathing. I was terrified that I was going to stop breathing and hurt Maddison. About 9:30, I asked for the epidural. I knew that it was time to get some relief and not the trippin kind. By noon, the nurse came in to check me again. We were all making bets on what time in the afternoon Maddison would arrive. Even the nurse got in with a time around 4pm. We were in it for the long haul.

When the nurse checked me, her eyes told the whole story. She looked at me with a smile and then turned to Alec and said, "She's 10cm and probably close to pushing. Dont worry though, she could be pushing for an hour or so." She went to call the doctor and we sat wondering how things progressed soooo quickly. We weren't ready to have Maddison. We were ready to wait more. The doctor came in and told me not to push. Maddison had already come down so far that you could see her hair without much effort. Jessica and Alec were in awe of what was going on. By 1:10, my obgyn walked in the room but the gloves on while she said her hellos and with 3 pushes Maddison was sitting on my lap crying. It was the easiest thing I've ever done in my life. I couldn't believe that in a matter of minutes my little girl was here.

Maddison Ann Creighton arrived at 1:15pm weighing 6lbs 13oz and measured at 19 1/4 inches. She is such a little blessing. She has already changed soo much from Thursday. I can't wait to post more about her.

Induction Date Set

Well...it's in the books. If our little Maddie isn't here by friday Jan 26th, Alec and I will be heading to the hospital at 6am. We are super excited about the upcoming week. Alec's parents are flying in from England on Thursday. I am hoping that I will be able to pick them up at the airport and spend a few hours with them before we head to the hospital Friday morning. Jessica is set to pick up his parents from our house midmorning and come up the hospital. There is no reason for anyone besides Alec and I to stay at the hospital for sooo many hours before Maddison arrives.

The call list has been made and handed out. The bags are nearly packed. I'll finish that up tonight or tomorrow. I will probably end up unpacking and repacking through the week. Yesterday was my last day at work until May, so I'm not really sure what to do over the next couple of days. I've got another doctor's appointment on Wednesday afternoon. Hopefully we will have some good news and not the YOU'RE ABOUT THE SAME AS YOU WERE LAST WEEK. (like i heard at the last appt.)

If you guys have any suggestions as to what to do to spend the days or if I may have forgotten anything for the hospital, please don't hesitate to let me know. Any and all suggestions are welcomed!!!!! More news to follow....

2 years

I can't believe that Alec and I have been married for 2 years. These last couple of days we have been so focused on the baby and trying to prepare for her arrival that I haven't managed to even get him a card. I must be the worst wife in history. Most of the time you hear of the men who forget the cards until last minute, but this morning after I got out of the shower on my pillow was a card and a gift. I am so blessed to have such a loving husband!(I plan on stopping by Hallmark on my way home and getting a card. As for the gift, we decided not to buy each anything this time around due the money being spent on Maddison.) I look back over the last two years and how much we've accomplished and what we've overcome. And now we're awaiting the arrival of our first baby girl. I'm not sure that things could get any better!!!

Alec is off today with the bank and I have started my 1/2 days through the rest of the week. I'm not sure what we're planning on doing once I get home this afternoon. Probably not much, except enjoy the peace and quiet of our home while we can. The nursery is ready. The car seat is in the car. The bags are ALMOST packed! We have a doctors appointment on Wednesday afternoon. If anything happens between now and then, I'll make sure I post it.

As for today, I want to make it all about Alec and myself. I know that sounds selfish, but we don't have many more of those days to look forward to.

A Quick Update

So here's the news....Alec and I had a another doctor's appt yesterday. Everything seems to be right on track!! I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. My guess...we're going all the way to the due date and then maybe beyond!!!! Which would be great because Alec's parents fly in on the 25th and I would love to spend some time with them while I'm still pregnant.

For now, I'm at home resting because I'm absolutely EXHAUSTED!! I'm not sleeping at night and the back pains and the practice contractions are wearing me OUT!! So the big plan today is REST, REST, REST!! I'll probably get in Maddison's room and take some pictures so I can post on here sometime soon! Look for more blogs later this evening!!

Another Check-up

Well...yesterday was most uneventful. Alec and I went for my weekly checkup. I was secretly hoping that the Dr. would come in and give us some good news. Congrats Courtney....you're dilated... (any amount would be good!!) But I got the other end of the convo. No dilation! She couldn't even feel Maddison's head. So off to ultrasound we go, just to make sure she's head down and not feet first. I must admit I got a little excited because I thought " I'm going to get another sneak peak at my baby!!" As luck would have it, the tech put the gel on my tummy, took a picture and said "Yep, she's head down. you're good to go!!" And like that, we were ushered out of the room! No sneak peak for mommy dearest! I left the doctor's office tired and disappointed. I feel like we are soo close and yet soo far away.

Today I am working on about 2 hours of sleep and my ribs hurt soooo bad that I don't even want to breathe. But I did make it into work, which is a step in the right direction! Wish I had better news for you guys! But today, it's a blah day!!!

A New Year and A New Baby!!!

I can't believe it's 2007 already! I don't think I'm ready for this at all. The start of 2007 brings me closer to holding my brand new baby girl in my arms. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that either. For the last 9 months, Alec and I have been dreaming about our little Maddison and now the day is finally getting closer to having her in our hands. Are we ready to be parents? I guess I hadn't really stopped to think about it until after midnight on the ride home from Jessica and Scott's. It finally dawned on me...Our lives are about to change drastically!! I mean, I've known everything was going to change since the moment I took the pregnancy test and saw the little pink line. But then one day it suddenly HITS you like a ton of bricks!!!! Whether you are ready or not! So here is my plea to my friends....Bring on the advice!!! I don't care whether it's d-day advice, before the baby comes advice, or bringing baby home advice. Just something to get me through the next 23 days!