Easter weekend pictures...

JB at his birthday party

Aunt Shelly got to meet Charlie

JB and Bubba opening JB's gifts

Charlie getting Baptized

Jason, Jamie, Presley, and Jacob on Easter

Me, Nick and Charlie on Easter

Charlie's Baptism cake

My Mom, Grandma, and Uncle JC with Charlie

My Grandma and Grandpa Elble with their 3 great grandsons

Me, Charlie, and Nick with the Grandparents

2 Weeks old!

Charlie is 2 weeks old already, and it seems like time is flying by. We had a very busy few days this last weekend. My brother and his family came into town from Texas, and spent a few days visiting with us. Friday Nick, Charlie and I made a trip to Normal to see my family, and have a birthday party for my nephew JB. It was a pretty successful trip with not to much fussing from Charlie. Saturday we made our first family trip to Crossfit, although Charlie and I just sat and watched daddy work out. Then Saturday night we went to our first church service at RCC. It was a really nice service, and it was nice to see everyone, and I think everyone was excited to see Charlie. Sunday morning we got up bright and early and made our way over to Normal again. Charlie got Baptized at my parents church, and my Brother and Michelle were Sponsors. After Church we all ( including Nicks parents and brother and sister in law and their kids) went back to my parents house for Easter lunch, Easter egg hunting, and Baptism cake. JB had a great time playing with my other nephew Jacob, and they really enjoyed the Easter egg hunt. The food we had was great, and Charlie did pretty well with all the stuff going on. Monday, my parents and my brother and his family all came to Peoria to see our house ( my brother has not seen it since we bought it 2 years ago) and we spent the day hanging out, and going out for lunch and dinner. We had a really nice time, and it was sad to see them leave to go back to Texas. Charlie and I spent the day today recovering from our bust weekend. He definitely got a little over stimulated, and started to get a little more grumpy each day, so it was nice to be able to relax again today. We did make out first trip by ourselves to the grocery store today, and it was very successful. I just put Charlie in the moby wrap, and he slept the whole time. We go tomorrow for his 2 week appointment and I am excited to see how much he has gained.

Sweet Baby Charlie

The first week at home has been a success. Charlie is doing great with feedings, especially now that my milk has come in.  We stopped supplementing with formula, and he is still satisfied at the end of a meal, so I know I'm doing my job. He has been having 6-8 wet and poopy diapers a day, which means he is getting what he needs. The first few nights were a little rough at night, it felt like I was getting no sleep at all, but even that has gotten WAY better. 2 nights ago he only woke up once to eat! For the most part he still wakes up 2 times to eat at night, but he is good at going back to sleep when he is done. The last few days I have woke up feeling rested, and I would say that is pretty good for the first week home. We go back to the pediatrician today so they can make sure he is gaining his weight back. I'm sure he will pass considering all the pooping and peeing going on. I'm excited to see how much he has gained back. We had our first photo shoot this morning, I think I will use one of these to send out birth announcements. I got some really good ones...

Birth Story

So I went in on sunday the 10th to be induced because I was only a few days away from being 2 weeks overdue, and I had made NO progress at all. We arrived at the hospital at 10pm to start cervadil, and while filling out paperwork, and answering a million questions I started feeling a few weak contractions, and then a pop. I mentioned I felt a pop, but nothing was coming out so we just assumed it was just a strong kick. In the mean time my good friend Monica who is a Labor and Delivery nurse arrived because she was going to be my extra support person, and possibly my nurse it the maternity ward got busy. The nurse was about to put in the cervadil when she said I would have to lay in bed for 2 hours after she put it in before I could get up, so she asked if I needed to use the restroom. As soon as I moved to get up, I felt like I was peeing myself, and it just kept coming. I said I thought my water broke, and the nurse looked at me like I was crazy until she noticed it leaking everywhere ( my fluid level was still at a 20 at that point which is the most it can be) We called all our family, and settled in for a long ride. I leaked through tons of pads, and at one point I even leaked through the bed onto the floor. 

My contractions were 5 min apart right from the get go, and were rather uncomfortable given that my water had broken, but nothing I couldn't handle, just felt like bad period cramps really down low. The worst part was my acid reflux got so bad that I was dry heaving ( this continued through until the end...yuck) This went on for hours. My family arrived at the hospital, and came to see me in my room, my contractions were still pretty mild at this point, I would kinda have to breath through them, but only to make myself more comfortable, not because I HAD to. My midwife came by and checked the position of the baby, and he was very close to being posterior so she decided to do this crazy rolling technique to get him to move. She had me lay on a mat on the floor on my back with a big scarf under me. She stood on one side of the scarf and held the other side and pulled rolling me back and forth on my back. You could actually see the baby turning, it was wild. After that I labored on the ball for a while, and then decided it was time to get some sleep. Everyone left, and Nick and Monica and I got a few hours of rest. I was able to sleep in between contractions very well. The next morning I labored around my room for a while, and they were feeling more intense, but still only 5 min apart. My midwife decided I should go for a walk, but just then baby's heart rate dropped, so I had to postpone my walk and labor in bed for a while. After a few hours of monitoring and no heart rate drops, they let me go for a walk. We did lap after lap, coming back every 30 min to get monitored again. Nothing was making my contractions come any closer together, but they were slowly getting more intense. We decided to try pumping to see if that would help, and after a few hours of that, and no progress I was feeling tired. We decided it was time to do some pitocine, and let me rest a little while. I got a little rest, and then things started to get really crazy. My contractions started getting closer together, but baby's heart rate kept dropping randomly, it didn't seem to happen with strong contractions so we knew it was not the pit. It was only when I would get into certain positions, which made laboring even harder because I couldn't use all my different labor position techniques to help me. Monica was such a huge blessing, she helped me so much through the whole time. Nick was also incredibly amazing, I couldn't have gotten through it without him, I know I was worried going into it that he would not be a very good support person, but he was the best one ever! I felt very helpless and hopeless many times throughout my labor, and Nick did an awesome job keeping me positive, and showing his love. 

I started really feeling the urge to push, and couldn't control it any longer so my midwife checked me and I was only at a 6, after some coaxing from everyone,  I decided it was best for me and baby to take a small dose of pain killer in my IV to help me relax a little through the contractions so I wouldn't push. My contractions were VERY painful at this point, and coming very close together. Monica ended up having to leave because she had to work the next day and she had been there with us the whole time, I am soooo thankful for the time she was there. The nurse that came to replace her was also very nice. Soon I was feeling the urge to push again, Sherry checked me and I was at an 8, but she let me do some small pushing just when I felt the need, and before you knew it I was at a 10, but I still had a small lip of cervix left which she massaged around the baby's head every once in a while until it stayed. I ended up pushing for 3 hours. They all said I had really good pushes, and I was moving the baby a lot every time, but for some reason he kept moving back to where he started. I was sooooo tired by the end I kept yelling that I was exhausted, and I couldn't do it, and that she was stuck in there. My midwife decided that I needed and episiotomy, she ended up having to cut 3 times and then finally out he came. I was not able to have him on my chest right away because there had been meconium in my water when it broke, and it had been 24 hours. DH didn't even get to cut the cord :( But they got him to my very quickly, and it was the greatest feeling in the whole world to have him in my arms. It was a very rough labor, and it didn't go at all how I planned, but I would do it again in a heartbeat to have this little boy. 

After the delivery My face was so swollen I couldn't recognize myself when I looked in the mirror.  The next day I felt like I had been hit by a bus, and everyone said I looked like it to. My chest hurt from dry heaving for 24 hr, my face hurt from all the swelling, my throat hurt from the breathing and vocalizing. My crotch hurt from all the stitches. I was a mess. I'm feeling so much better now, and all my swelling has gone away. My stitches are still a little sore, but feeling better every day. Baby Charlie is doing great, he is eating like a champ, and is a very easy baby. 

Pic of me all swollen...

Introducing Charles Joseph Evans

Charles Joseph Evans, Born 4/11/11, 8lbs 1oz, 22 in 

Questions answered...

Things I'm thinking about...questions answered...
1. What is labor going to be like? HARD! My water broke before I started labor so all the contractions were hard right from the get go, they were also 5 min apart the whole time. 24 hours after my water broke I finally had my little boy, but it was a VERY difficult journey including 3 hours of pushing. Full birth story to follow.
2. Will the induction work like it should? Didn't have to because my water broke and I started labor naturally. I was just getting ready to start the cervadil when it happened to. I did however have to use some pitocin later to help move things along because my contractions would not get any closer then 5 min apart, and trust me the pitocin did it's job!
3. Will I have any trouble or complications during labor? There were some pretty difficult, and scary times during my labor. First thing was just that my contractions wouldn't get any closer together after a long time of laboring. The most scary thing was after things did start moving his heart rate kept dropping out if nowhere. It didn't happen with strong contractions even, it had to do with how I was positioned, soo that made laboring even harder because I was so restricted in my positioning. I also started having the urge to push way to early (6 cm) that wad quite frustrating. The last bad thing was pushing for 3 hrs and still ending up with a serious episiotomy ( she had to cut 3 time) I was so exhausted toward the end I kept saying "I can't do this any more" "I'm too tired" " he's stuck in there, I can't do it"
4. Will my belly button go back to normal? It has not gone back to normal yet... I really hoe it does.
5. What will my stretch marks look like? They are still there and look pretty much the same but a little more...saggy.
6. Will my birth and after my birth be like I want? It didn't quite happen how I wanted but I'm not as disappointed as I thought I would be. They couldn't pit him on my chest right away because when my water below it was not clear which meant he had already pooped. Because of that and the fact he was in there for so long they had to take him right over to the warmer to make sure he was ok. Nick also didn't get to cut the cord for the same reason, which I feel more disappointed about then not being able to hold him right away. Nick said he didn't mind but I feel like someday he might look back and feel like he missed out.
7. Will I be good at breastfeeding?It's a little hit and miss right now, but we are getting better, I just hope my milk comes in soon because I think it will be much easier after that.
8. What will Nick be like during labor? Nick was the most amazing support EVER! I think it was as hard for him to watch as it was for me to go through. I couldn't have gotten through it if I wouldn't of had him there by my side encouraginging and supporting me.
9. How will Isabel do with a new baby at home? Isabel is doing great, in fact she is laying here right next to me sleeping while the Charlie is sleeping on my lap. Every once in a while she gets a little to excited and tries to lick him to much, but she is doing much better then I ever thought.
10. What will baby look like? Nick thinks he looks just like me, but I see A LOT of Nick in him to, esspesally his facial expressions.
11. How big will baby be? He was 8lbs 1oz, and 22 in long ( he's only 20 3/4 now...he had major cone head at first)

Last day home before Baby...things I'm thinking about...

1. What is labor going to be like?
2. Will the induction work like it should?
3. Will I have any trouble or complications during labor?
4. Will my belly button go back to normal?
5. What will my stretch marks look like?
6. Will my birth and after my birth be like I want?
7. Will I be good at breastfeeding?
8. What will Nick be like during labor?
9. How will Isabel do with a new baby at home?
10. What will baby look like?
11. How big will baby be?

An End in Sight...

Well I had my appointment yesterday, and I got good and bad news. Baby looked great from the NST, and from my appointment wednesday, I still have way plenty of fluid. The bad news was that I was actually less dilated yesterday, then at my appointment a week ago (went from a good centimeter, to only a fingertip). My midwife Sherry decided it was time to go ahead and schedule the induction, and because she was going to be on call on monday, and she knew that I wanted her or Nancy to be there we decided together it would make the most sense to go in Sunday night to start cervadil ( because my cervix is not ripe at all), and then start Pitocin on monday morning. I felt pretty defeated at first, but now I am at peace with the decision, and I'm feeling much less stressed. I'm so thankful for having an end in sight, but I still wish that I would have been able to go into labor on my own. My mom gave me some encouraging words when I told her I was worried having pitocin would make it harder to go natural. She reminded me that she was induced with pitocin with my brother because her water had broken, and she said that was a very easy labor. Also my sister in law Michelle was induced when she had my nephew JB, and she did it without pain meds. Sherry my midwife was very encouraging that I would do just fine without using pain meds, and she even said sometimes just the cervadil can kick start labor enough that you don't even need pitocin. So right now our plan is to spend the day tomorrow doing some last minuet pick up around the house, and then hanging out with friends, and relaxing. We go into the hospital at 10pm to start the cervadil, and if needed we will start the pitocin Monday morning. I should have the baby by Monday evening, tuesday morning at the latest!!!

I think this kid is going to look like me...

This is a picture of me right after I was born, and a picture of my little guy from my last sono...crazy!

The last few bump pictures...41 Weeks

So I am now 41 Weeks Pregnant, and these are my last few bump pictures I thought I would document how huge I've gotten, and how messed my belly looks, hopefully this little one comes out soon.