Stef The Kicking Cutie

[confused]

I am having a hard time waiting! Patience is not my strong suit.

i know i keep coming on to just check this thread, i was even telling hubby last night at like 10 pm that i had to get on and check lol

paula

[jerseyangel]

Yep, I'm still waiting, too

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hi guys. I'm soooo sorry, things got messed up with updating. I must have written down Patti's phone number wrong, cause I texted her two times from the hospital and both times the message came back to me saying that my text message couldn't be delivered .

Soooo, everything is fine. Lukas is here! We checked into the hospital Tuesday morning around 8:30am. Lukas Alexander was born Tuesday evening at 6.55 pm. His weight was 6lb 10 oz, his height was 20.5 inches. They put him on my belly and he started routing for the breast and sucking and smacking right away. How cute! First I will prepare some fotos to post on here the next couple of days and I also will work on his birth story. Do you guys know, who was closest in the guessing game? I don't have much time to check now, cause grand-mother and great-grandmother are both coming down this morning to see the baby. Grand-mother for the second and great-grandmother for the third time.

Thanks soooo much for all the crossed fingers and I have to get going for right now.

@ Angie: I really hope, everything goes well for you as it did for me. I didn't need that much of it, so here's some

****************GOOD LUCK LABOR DUST*******************

See you all later!

[blueeyedmanda]

CONGRATS!!!!!! Stef I am so happy for you and for Lukas and your husband. I wish you all the best of luck!! How exciting!!!! ((((HUGS)))))

[confused]

Congrats on the having and safe and healthy delivery. I will go check soon to see who was the closest in the guessing game.

paula

[jerseyangel]

Congratulations Stef!!! I'm so happy for you

Get as much rest as you can, and enjoy your new little guy.

[mommida]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Blessings for your family.

Laura

Good luck Angie!

[happygirl]

Congratulations to you and your family, Stef!!

One here, one to go

[Canadian Karen]

Wonderful news! Congrats Stef!

Hugs

Karen

[Guhlia]

Congratulations Stef!!! I'm so excited for you! Now if only little Annika would come quickly and safely...

[Michi8]

Congratulations Stef & family, and welcome to the world Lukas! Enjoy your babymoon!

Michelle

[Michi8]

Just got back from the doctor. The baby's heart rate has dropped, just a little, but enough that they mentioned it. Its still within normal range. I have a non-stress test set up for next wednesday and from there they'll determine how much longer they want to let me go. My doctors have been really supportive with the whole vbac thing and I'm confident that they'll hold out as long as they feel safe doing so. I, however, am not feeling very confident that things will go well. I'm having another horrible day and I'm starting to wonder if it wouldn't just be better to have a c section again. This week has been the week from hell.

Oh Angie, you're into the toughest part of the wait now. When it comes to going for VBAC, remember that it's worth it to you and baby to give it a good try. C/s is an option if needed, just as it is in any birth...but you've come so far with your plan, don't give up now. Remember that VBACs do typically go overdue, and there really is nothing doctors can do to make baby come before it is ready to be born, and induction is not a safe choice for a VBAC mother.

Maybe try talking to Annika about how much everyone wants to meet her, and that it's time to make an arrival. Try to relax, do things that take your mind off of labour too.

In terms of the non-stress test, try to push it out of your mind (you can also say no to it if you feel it's best.) When I was told I had to have a non-stress test with my last birth (I was a week overdue then), it made me upset, because I felt like I was being pushed to "perform" on-time. I chose to decline the test, and that really put my mind at ease, because it eliminated that medically-determined false deadline. I ended up going into labour (10 days overdue) a day before the date they had wanted to perform that test.

Michelle

who is sending labour vibes your way!

[confused]

ok i went threw all post to see who won

andrea won weight exactly

blue and darn210 guessed 6.9 so off .1

darn210 guessed 10, and it was 10.25 hours of labor

nikkiUK picked 7 pm. and it was 6:55 pm

congrats to our winners

paula

[Guhlia]

Thanks, Michelle. I'm actually glad they're doing the non-stress test. It will put my mind at ease knowing the baby is still okay in there. I will feel better after the non-stress test. Also, if there is a problem, at least we will know and be able to make an intelligent decision on what to do.

Now, I'm actually hoping that the baby (and me) can hold out a little bit longer. Ugh, I know. Our dryer won't be fixed until NEXT friday!!! I'm afraid to use a laundromat for fear of getting glutened by someone else's fabric softener and I have no where to hang a clothesline. Inconvenient to say the least. Anyway, it would be nice if I had a chance to wash her sheets again before she comes. If not, I guess it won't hurt her to sleep on them the way they are for a few nights. I just don't like that they've been on there for 2 weeks now. I'll have my husband blow them out with the air hose to eliminate the worst of the dust, but it sure would be nice to wash them.

I am DEFINITELY into the hard part. Today was my due date and it always gets harder when you're that close to your due date, especially if you're going past it. I just hope she's doing okay in there.

And hey, at least I'll probably be getting my wish for a sapphire birthstone! That's a positive, right?

[jerseyangel]

Thanks, Paula, for revealing the winners! Congrats to all

I was completely wrong on all counts

[Michi8]

Thanks, Michelle. I'm actually glad they're doing the non-stress test. It will put my mind at ease knowing the baby is still okay in there. I will feel better after the non-stress test. Also, if there is a problem, at least we will know and be able to make an intelligent decision on what to do.

Now, I'm actually hoping that the baby (and me) can hold out a little bit longer. Ugh, I know. Our dryer won't be fixed until NEXT friday!!! I'm afraid to use a laundromat for fear of getting glutened by someone else's fabric softener and I have no where to hang a clothesline. Inconvenient to say the least. Anyway, it would be nice if I had a chance to wash her sheets again before she comes. If not, I guess it won't hurt her to sleep on them the way they are for a few nights. I just don't like that they've been on there for 2 weeks now. I'll have my husband blow them out with the air hose to eliminate the worst of the dust, but it sure would be nice to wash them.

I am DEFINITELY into the hard part. Today was my due date and it always gets harder when you're that close to your due date, especially if you're going past it. I just hope she's doing okay in there.

And hey, at least I'll probably be getting my wish for a sapphire birthstone! That's a positive, right?

There was an article written awile ago about how we and doctors need to think about due weeks rather than due dates...it would certainly go a long way to taking pressure off that baby to make an on time arrival! So you're not really passing your due date, because you're still within your due week!

It's funny that your drier is on the fritz. I was due with my second son when my washer broke. The repair place (Sears) said that impending labour was not considered an emergency, so, no, I couldn't get a repair done sooner. I had so many baby clothes to wash still...I was just a tad stressed. Ended up getting the repair done before I went into labour. I'd not worry about the sheets on the crib. Or you could just flip them over?

If you feel better with the non-stress test then that is a good thing. I had a hang up about mine, because it was during a non-stress test that my first son was found to be breech...that set in motion the first c/s birth for me...I panicked when the midwives wanted me to repeat that test with my daughter.

I'm betting that your baby is fine and healthy. Heart rates do change a bit based on positioning, so it's likely not an issue at all.

Michelle

[Darn210]

Welcome Lukas!! and Congrats Stef!! Take good care of your baby and yourself. Can't wait to see some pictures.

Now, if there had been money involved with that baby poll, I wouldn't have come close on any of the answers. . .

[AndreaB]

Congrats Steph and Welcome Lukas!!!

I can't wait to see photos either.

[mouse]

Congratulations Steff on the arrival of Lucas. Enjoy every precious moment and store them for later memories in life. They grow so fast.

[Cheri A]

Congratulations Stef!!

[Guhlia]

Stef, how are things going now that you're settled in at home? How's little Lukas doing? Any pictures yet? We're all dying to see the little guy.

[barbara123]

Stef, how are things going now that you're settled in at home? How's little Lukas doing? Any pictures yet? We're all dying to see the little guy.

Congratulations Steph,

Nothing like a new baby, congrats to you all.

[2Boys4Me]

Congratulations Stef!

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

We settled in at home pretty good. My milk came in yesterday. And since that, we have longer periods in between, where I can rest . Before that, it was terrible. He wanted to eat. And as soon as he ate, we changed and swaddled him. But as soon as his head touched the crib, couch, bed or whatever else we tried to get him to sleep, he became fussy and screamed and nothing but rocking and walking seemed to calm him down. Well, until new great-grandma Gilbert visited us . She's like, "You have to put socks on him". Hehe, she was right. Ever since he wears those socks, he's sleeping like a champ.

So, this morning, we went to Lukas first doctor's check up with daddy driving and us two on the back seat. . Which is very strange for me, cause before this I was a woman driving around all day for my job myself and was pretty independent. But since I can relax, when I'm not driving, I just used this time to sleep. Because I knew, no matter if Lukas is hungry or needs changed... he WILL sleep in the car. And when I say sleeping in the car, I literally mean this. We don't even need to drive yet. Just strap him in the car seat and pick him up. As soon as the car seat moves on the way towards the car, he's jawning already. The absolute car baby, I'm telling you . You will see it for yourself on one of the pictures, I'm posting here. And... hey, I'm not complaining, about him sleeping. This makes my job a lot easier, as much as I'm traveling! And Tuesday I'm back to work with him as my little shadow . My students Kathy and Lisa will play the "student guinea pigs" for me in the morning and Asya, Lori and Nicky will be my "student guinea pigs" in the evening. The plan is to arrive half an hour to 45 minutes earlier, feed him, in the hope, he stays calm during the class I'm giving. Then, after class, I'll feed him again and head my way home. I so hope, this is working, cause I really can't not give class at this point in life. I need the money.

OK, to make the long story short, here are the first pictures.

Drum roll...... ************** TADDAAAAA ******************

Lukas is only 15 minutes old on this picture. They put him on my chest and he made his way to the breast on his own. Amazing!!! His smacking showed, that he still didn't get it real good though

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/s...er/100_2834.webp

This is my hubby Brock with Luke. They were both in love. Brock even crossed his fear of touching and cut the umbilical cord, even though he got dizzy later on and needed to sit down... lol.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/s...er/100_2843.webp

This is Lukas one day after birth on our boppy pillow.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/s...er/100_2845.webp

This was his first car ride home. My little car baby

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/s...er/100_2846.webp

I hope this worked, if not I need to edit it.

Oh, there's something else, I wanted to let you guys know. Luke's pediatrician knows about celiac disease, because he has more than one case in his own family. So today at his first doctor's checkup, they already had the genetic testing kit ready for us. Isn't that cool? Now I was wondering, since his doc seems to be pretty knowledgeable, if you guys would be interested in me writing a diary about... well, pretty much a journey about the child of a celiac and all the tests involved to either rule out celiac or get diagnosed with it.... I mean, the way it should be by a pediatrician who's knowledgeable. And also about general problems that arise, when such a baby grows up. I mean, you can never rule celiac out 100%, if you have the genes for it. You can only diagnose it, once celiac develops in a child. This way new parents to the board can read about all other problems involved with the testing and all. Just a thought. So what do you think?

Thanks for this baby poll, I had a lot of fun!!!

[Michi8]

Lukas is beautiful! Congrats again Stef.

Michelle