One Week Old

This Tuesday Macy turned a week old. It seems like time is flying! Bryce and I have had many moments where we feel like this whole experience is surreal and can't believe Macy is finally here and home with us. She has been an absolute dream baby. We often remark at how good she is and wonder how long this phase will last.

Macy has been so easy on us. She has such a calm, pleasant demeanor and while awake, she simply sits with her eyes wide open and takes in the surroundings. She only cries when something is wrong (i.e. needs a diaper change, is hungry, etc). Even those crying spells are very brief. At first, Macy cried through diaper changes and change of clothes, but she is becoming much more tolerant of those now.

At our pediatrician's suggestion, we have Macy sleeping in a bassinet in our room. The bassinet is a restored hand-me-down from Bryce's dad. He and his brothers slept in it, and now all of the grandkids have too. We feed Macy before she goes to sleep at night, and she only wakes us up twice to eat throughout the night. Since I am breastfeeding, I am the only one who can feed her. However, Bryce is very eager to help burp her and change her diaper when I am finished. After a week, we have a system developed where we both are getting plenty of sleep.

Naptime with Dad

Macy is our entertainment now. Bryce and I both have time off from our jobs and spend lots of time staring at Macy to take in all her facial expressions and soak up her personality. She has given us quite a few smiles (unintentionally, I'm sure). Either way, they are adorable and make me laugh! She gets hiccups all the time and sneezes quite a bit too. Her little baby coos are so cute. Here is a link to a video with a smile (I tried to upload the video here, but there was an error):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFQ70Kvpmgg

We have been overwhelmed by the love, support, gifts, and meals from friends and family. We feel so loved and are excited every time Macy gets to meet someone new. Thanks to everyone for your positive comments, advice, help, and support!

Macy Colette Skeeters

We were so excited to finally welcome Macy Colette on July 19, 2011.

Our labor/delivery story:
After some mild contractions through the day on Monday, July 18, I began to wonder if I was in labor. I worked all day without being too uncomfortable and took a nap once I got home. I decided to stay at home to relax while Bryce went to play in an indoor soccer game. Unfortunately, during the game Bryce got hit in the face and got a mild concussion. He had to sit out the rest of the game. My friend Jess Lukens was at the game watching her husband play and called to tell me Bryce was hurt. After discussing his status (some forgetfulness and confusion), we decided that Jess and Graham would drive Bryce to a central location and I'd pick him up. He was doing well enough that he didn't need to go see a doctor, but one of our doctor friends advised that he just "take it easy and avoid stimulation"...

Bryce was very sleepy when we got home and decided to go to bed early. I could feel that my contractions were getting stronger and closer together, so I let him know. Before we went to bed, I downloaded an application to my phone that timed the duration and frequency of contractions. Bryce slept while I lay in bed timing the contractions with my phone. Once they reached a point where they were 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute for one hour, I called my doctor. For a first-time mom, it was a little unclear to me whether or not this was the real thing or "false labor" I've read about. I decided to be safe and describe what I was feeling to the doctor. She said I should go to the hospital to get checked out. So, I was forced to wake Bryce from his concussed slumber and head to the hospital.

We arrived at about 1:30am and went to the triage area of the Labor & Delivery floor. They hooked me up to monitors and checked me...4cm dilated with a "bulging bag of water". The nurse noted my contractions and decided to admit me to the floor. My contractions at that point were slightly painful, but not terrible. Once the nurse took us to our room, they allowed me to walk the halls for 45 minutes. Bryce walked with me and paused with me while I held on to the railing to breathe through contractions. After 45 minutes I had to return to my room to have the baby's heart rate and my contractions monitored. They allowed me to walk a bit again, but my contractions were getting pretty painful. Bryce and I decided it was time for the epidural...

I had to wait a bit to get the epidural, but it was well worth it. After it was administered, I felt no pain from the contractions. I could relax and rest in my bed for awhile. Every once in awhile the nurse would come in to reposition me to allow the baby to make her way down. At 8am my OB came in to check me and break my water. She said I'd be pushing within a couple hours. How exciting!

The nurse said I should try a few practice pushes before the doctor came back, since I had an epidural and couldn't completely feel everything. A little after 11am my OB returned and we began with the pushing. Bryce was very involved, holding one leg and helping with push counts. He, my nurse, and my OB were all so encouraging! It was harder work than I expected, but the epidural made it nearly painless. We were encouraged by the fact that we could see the baby's long dark hair when I pushed. At 12:09pm Macy Colette was born and placed on my chest. I shed some tears and was nearly speechless at the sight of the tiny little baby I had in front of me. It's a moment that is so hard to describe! She was very alert for about 2 hours. She hardly cried and just wanted to take in her surroundings. Macy weighed 6 lbs 14 oz and was 20.5 inches long.

I absolutely loved this moment! Wish it could've lasted forever...

She finally slept after her first bath. This is a proud dad!

My birth experience was so positive and such a good experience. It went exactly as I had hoped (minus Bryce's concussed state!). We stayed in the hospital for 2 days and got to bring her home on Thursday, July 21.

38 weeks!

How far along: 38 weeks 3 days
Size of baby: About 6.5 lbs, 19.5 inches long
Movement: I feel movement throughout the day and night. It's more like whole-body wiggling now with some occasional jabs from her feet in my ribs.
Sleep: This unfortunately is getting worse...I feel more restless and have trouble staying comfortable for long. My hips hurt from sleeping on my sides and my arms occasionally fall asleep. I take naps fairly often.
Symptoms: I still have swelling in my hands and feet (thank goodness for flip-flops!). I notice stronger and more frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions now and am just waiting for those to turn into labor contractions!
Best moment of the week: We had another ultrasound to make sure the baby was doing well and the fluid levels were good (all is well, by the way). It was so fun to see her again. This time the ultrasound tech pointed out the hair on her head! I'm hoping for lots of crazy baby hair :)
Labor Signs: At my appointment this week, the doctor said I was approaching 2cm dilated, 20% effaced. We scheduled an induction date in case I don't go into labor on my own.
What I miss: I miss most everything about not being pregnant...being able to wear anything in my closet, sushi, wine, a good night of sleep with minimal trips to the bathroom, bending over without grunting, etc. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective and enjoy these last "simple" days of my life.
What I'm looking forward to: Finally meeting this little girl! We are so ready...
Next appointment: July 20