The Baby Is Here!

Claire, Soup, Jacob Finch is finally here! He came into this world weighing in at 9lbs and 9 ounces and 21 inches long. :)

I was pretty surprised to discover he actually was a boy. I had pretty much convinced myself we were having another girl, well, and after a couple ultrasounds thought so, too. :)

But overall, we are all in love with this little guy. :) I'll be writing up his birth story soon. I was able to go natural with the help of the good Lord, a close friend, my husband, and a nurse {who had previously also been a midwife}. As of now, we're all happy and healthy and getting use to a new routine. Thanks to all who have followed along on this journey, I can't wait to see how it all plays out!

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To My Baby

Well, today is the day. 
We will be going in around 9:00 am to induce labor. I hope you are ready. I'm ready to meet you. I've dreamed of this day for 40 + weeks now. I've imagined the moment you're placed on my belly, in my arms, playing it over and over again, feeling the love and joy that I know I'll experience. 
I look over at your Dad and imagine you look like him. I hug Maddie because I know I'll miss her so the night we're a part. You are coming into a wonderful family. I am so happy and honored to have you join us. Your Dad is amazing. Your sister is so full of life. Your brothers will love you even though they may not say it often.  You are the blessing that completes our family. You make the circle go round. 
I hope you're as happy and as excited to see us as we are you. I will miss the special bond we have, the presence of you within my body. Momma loves you so much. It has been am amazing pregnancy. I have enjoyed every moment of it. It seems to have flown by so quickly. Thank you for growing so big. Thank you for being my baby.
I love you.
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What To Do On Your Due Date Besides Have A Baby

I'll admit it, I'm down, I'm pouty, I'm feeling sorry for myself that I'm still not holding my baby in my arms. But hold on, I am so grateful for still being pregnant, for being pregnant with a healthy, happy baby. I am so grateful that we've had to make no emergency visits to the hospital and that we're simply just waiting.
So, how did I spend my due date? Trying to enjoy myself. :) After we ran by and picked up a borrowed bassinet, we swung by Target for much needed supplies: toilet paper, toothpaste, and art supplies :)

Then it was to the park for swing time!

And then a quick stop off at the store for munches: salads, sandwiches, chicken salad, pasta salad, and of course CUPCAKES!

And then at some point it was time to break out the art supplies and enjoy a bit of painting. :)

While lastly we created a few little gifts for the baby and placed them above the changing table. As I woke up through out the night I would look over and see the art and smile. Thanks, Maddie Moo for spending the day with me and helping Momma to keep her focus on the positive side of things...life and living :)

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Well, We Made It: 40 Weeks!

Well, here it is, a date I've waited 9/10 long months for, a date that I'd never think I'd see still pregnant. :) I awoke this morning to celebrate this day with morning sickness. It's been happening lately...I had hoped 2012 wouldn't see me standing at my mirror, puking but hopes are just wishful thinking at times. No biggie.
I had a doctor appointment yesterday. He was very relaxed. He said the baby seemed very happy, he/she even gave him a little kick while he had his hand on my belly. I was between 3.5 and 4 cm, still 50% effaced, and the baby was still a bit high. I expressed my concerns about the size and he assured me that the baby's head wasn't large and that it may not even be a 9 lb baby. Maddie had a small head...I remember being so grateful for that after I birthed her. :) My boys tend to have larger heads and broad shoulders.
My fingers and feet are swelling now. It didn't start til this last week, and I think my face is a little fuller, too. My blood pressure was up just a tiny bit, 134/86, it's the first time it's gotten out of the 70's. I can't wait to start running again and enjoying that 50 beats per minutes heart rate. 
Anyway, if nothing happens before next week we're scheduled to go in Wednesday, Jan. 18, 9:00 am to start an induction. And, if the hospital is full that day then we'll go in at midnight, after they've let a couple families check out, and we'll begin then...which will actually be my aunt's 60th birthday. What a gift, huh? :)
I'm really trying to remain positive about it all, I mean, what else can I do? Maybe we'll celebrate today with a cupcake and playground time, that always seems to brighten my day. :) And maybe Maddie and I can make Claire a little gift for when she does arrive. :) Yeah....
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Dear Baby Soup: Week 39/40

I knew you would be born in a hospital. I knew this birth would be different from my last. I had wondered why we would need the hospital, would there be complications, would you be early? I think it's more that you're gonna need a little help getting here.
I've been walking around for almost a week now at 4 cm, no telling if I'm actually a little more than that by now. Each dr. visit I've gained at least 1 cm. My next appointment is tomorrow. My due date is Saturday. I wonder what we'll do.
I'm more concerned about meconium and the placenta. After you reach full term there's a chance you'll have a bowl movement while in utero and swallow some which can cause you to be sick, and toward the end of a pregnancy the placenta can just start to wear down and be less effective. I don't want you sick and I want to make sure I'm supplying you with the best nutrients and oxygen.
I've thought about asking to have my membranes stripped but this can simply lead to a couple days of contractions before labor actually begins and I feel like I've been living in that sort of transition for a month now. I wonder if we should start pitocin to help things along. I don't want to be strapped to a bed, I don't want to be strapped in by those belts, I want to be free to move to deal with the discomfort without begging for pain meds and increasing my chance of a c-section.
I'd love for you just to come naturally but honestly little one I'm not sure I have what it takes to wait. And it's not that I just want to hold you but it's that I'll let the fear build and then I'll convince myself I'm inducing for your good.
Oh, Lord, be with me....
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Playing In Labor/Delivery: What I Learned On Our Trial Run

So Sunday I had some great pressure waves all day. They were 7 to 8 minutes a part pretty much all day and then around 6:30 pm they jumped to 3 and 4 minutes a part. I got excited. Sean had already left for work so I called my oldest son, Austin, over to stay the night. I simply told him I'd just feel more comfortable if he was here in case anything were to happen. 
I had called Sean a couple times at work letting him know how close things were...this was a first, I've never called him once work starts so he was pretty ready to go into the hospital just based on my own new behavior.
So, the contractions continue on for over an hour and after talking with my cousin, Tiff, I decide we'll just go in and get at least checked. Sean made it home and we decided to take Maddie with us until we knew for sure we'd be staying the night.

We arrived at the hospital around 9:30 p.m. and I was checked and put on a machine to monitor everything. I was 4 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I was really surprised that I hadn't thinned out anymore than I had, in the past, this was never an issue and seemed to happen fairly quickly, but this time around it's been three weeks and I've now only gotten to 50%. Anyway, I was still excited about the 4 cm. This still put us in the first stage of labor but only 1 cm over and we'd be considered active. :)
I realized quickly I was not enjoying the whole lay in the bed hooked up to a machine time. The bed was uncomfortable, the belts were tight, and the baby kept moving so I kept having to be readjusted not to my comfort but to pick up the heart beat. I ended up on my side where my hip began aching...by this time I was  frustrated and ready to go home.

Now, on a positive note here, this was my first enjoyable time in the labor/delivery area. My last two hospital births had been intense and intimidating. It was refreshing to meeting my nurse, Charity, and to actually have a moment to connect with her, share my fears of this only being false labor, and to really get comfortable in a hospital setting. It wasn't until later, with a different nurse, and all the monitoring that I began myself shutting down and wanting to return to my own place of comfort...home.
After an hour, Charity came in to ask how I felt everything was going. I explained that I felt more waves while walking rather than just sitting in the bed. We decided to spend the next hour walking the halls. She wanted to make complete sure we weren't in active labor before sending me home since this was my 4th baby.

Maddie and I walked around the hospital. She did an amazing job being such a big girl. We tipped-toe around since by then it was 10:00 pm and everyone was sleeping. We saw a couple of families waiting for their baby and we even got to see a woman wheeled off to a c-section {that was not a pretty sight. She laid there all quiet, not moving...I thought she was dead.} Anyway, I can't imagine a 10:00 at night c-section to be a planned event so I assumed it was being considered an emergency... definitely not a situation any mother wants to be in.
I knew Charity was going to check me again around 11:00 pm so Maddie and I headed back to my room. I was getting tired by now and I knew in my heart everything had stopped. We would be heading home. I wasn't too completely let down, I would rather be at home than stuck in a hospital bed for the night.
My doc and I had agreed that we'd do very minimal medical intervention so I knew I wasn't doing pitocin or other medications to soften the cervix, this was simply going to be a waiting game. We headed home, stopped off for food, since it seemed everyone was starving, and Maddie and I finally made it to bed around 1:00 a.m. She was a trooper I must say. Daddy was a great supporter. And I didn't cry when I realized I wasn't in full blown labor. :)
I now know for sure that I want to be in active labor when I go in. I also realize that it wont be as comfortable as my home birth but that's the compromise I'm making. My next doctor appointment is in a few days and depending on where my cervix is then, I may ask my dr. to sweep my membranes but that's about as far as we're going to go at this point. We'll have this baby, eventually. :)
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Dear Baby Soup: Week 38

How far along? 38 weeks and 4 day {39 weeks and 4 day according to our ultrasound}

Maternity Clothes? I'm back to my yoga pants. They are so comfy and I actually can't wait to run around in them after the baby's born.

Best Moment This Week: When Maddie stopped running a fever and I discovered I was 2.5 cm during my dr. appointment.

Baby Movements: You love running late at night/early morning. I don't know how you have the room but you do enjoy moving around. :)

Cravings: Hmmm...nothing really going on this month.

 Labor Signs: Almost every day I'm experiencing some sort of "labor". However, after today's dr. appointment I've enjoyed some pretty consistent waves, they aren't very intense but they are definitely present.

Belly Button Popped? My belly button is not just popped but popped so far outward, it's like puckered lips. 

What I Miss: A hard workout.

 

What I'm Looking Forward To: Finally heading to the hospital to birth you.

 

Weekly Wisdom To My Babe: I love you. You are a blessing to this family. Thank you for being with us.

Weekly Milestone: You are done, baked, perfect...now we just wait til you're ready to be born. :)

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Dear Baby Soup: Week 36

Claire

Meaning: Clear, bright; famous

Origin: French

Alternate spellings: Clare, Clara, Clarabelle, Clarissa, Clarice

Claire, the French version of Latin Clara, means "clear, bright, famous." Clara was the more popular name for nearly a century, ranking in the top 15 between 1880 and 1899 and outranking its French sibling until the 1970s. While both versions are currently on the rise, Claire is keeping its lead on more-classic Clara.

How far along? 36 and 1 day {37 and 1 day according to our ultrasound} weeks

Maternity Clothes? Lately, since being on maternity leave, I find that I lounge around in my p.j.'s quiet a bit. They don't really fit over my belly but hang bellow it, exposing the midsection. Could be cute, maybe not, but I'm comfy. :)

Best Moment This Week: When my headaches went away a week after suffering with migraines.

Baby Movements: You are huge. You no longer really kick but roll and flop, just like I do while lying in bed.

Cravings: I haven't really had any this week.

 Labor Signs: I feel as if I've been in prelabor all week. I have inconsistent pressure waves, depending on the day, the situation, etc. We'll find out later this week what progress I've made. :)

Belly Button Popped? Oh yeah...

What I Miss: My prepregnancy body.

 

What I'm Looking Forward To: Seeing you for the very first moment.

 

Weekly Wisdom To My Babe: I love you. I'm also scared. I'm doubting my ability to birth you as well as manage it all once Daddy works 3rd shift. I mean it, little one, I'm pretty scared of what the next month will hold for us. I pray about it and know the good Lord will provide. Let's work together and make it happen, k? :)

Weekly Milestone: You are full term! We could go any day now and I seriously believe it won't be much longer. You are big and you are ready. :)

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Dear Baby Soup: Week 34

How far along?  34 weeks {35 weeks according to ultrasound}
Maternity Clothes? Yep and the belly is beginning to hang out from under my shirts.
Best Moment This Week? Experiencing pressure waves every 10 minutes while working and deciding to head home early to rest. Then I listened to your heart beat {135} while at the doctor's office...simply beautiful. :)
Baby Movements? Oh Lord, honey, you still choose to roll all over the place even though I keep trying to tell you you've run out of room!
Cravings? No real food cravings this past week.
Labor Signs? The more tired I am the more pressure waves I experience.
Belly Button Popped? Oh yeah and the stretch marks are starting to show up!
What I miss: Sleeping and being comfortable.
What I'm Looking Forward To? Birthing you!
Weekly Wisdom to my Babe: Always take time to enjoy one another. Always appreciate the small moments as well as the grand ones. Hug and kiss the ones you love.

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Dear Baby Soup: Weeks 32/33

How far along?  32 {33 ultrasound} weeks
Maternity Clothes? I still enjoy wearing my regular work shirts which aren't maternity but just this week I realized I've started coming out of the bottom of them. It's time to switch to the XL size to cover this belly!
Best Moment This Week?  I love feeling your sister rub my belly and how you gently kick back when you feel her. You also enjoyed our reading time last night. I can't wait til you're lying in bed with Maddie and I and we're all reading together. :)
Baby Movements? You are huge! I'm predicting you're close to 5 pounds now and I feel every little twist and turn you make. My belly rock and rolls all the time. :)
Cravings? I haven't had any massive food cravings this past week. Lately I've been more concerned about cleaning and preparing for you. :)
Labor Signs? The Braxton Hicks are certainly picking up. It seems my belly is certainly gearing up for you!
Belly Button Popped? Yep and I love rubbing my finger over it. :)
What I miss: Sleeping comfortably but it's not that big of a deal. I know soon enough this ol' body of mine will be back to it's normal self. 
What I'm Looking Forward To? Birthing you. Holding you. Loving you.
Weekly Wisdom to my Babe: Family time is important, don't take it forgranted. The holidays aren't really about the "stuff" as much as they're about coming together to create new memories and share of yourself with others. Moments will never be perfect until you're able to let go of the idea of perfection and simply enjoy the moment in itself. 
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Dear Baby Soup: Weeks 30/31

How far along? 30.4 {31.4 based on ultrasound} weeks

Maternity Clothes? My yoga pants keep me company. :)

Best Moment This Week: Nesting over the weekend and discovering our exciting news at last week's doctor's appointment.

Baby Movements: You are such a mover and a shaker! I love how you wake me up early in the morning "running". :) And, I believe within the next week or two you're gonna start to slow down simply because you're running out of room.

Cravings: Potato chips! It was a horrible shopping experience. I couldn't stop myself from throwing all kinds of junk food into my buggy. This can not become a habit! :)

 Labor Signs: The Braxton Hicks are regular and a constant reminder that you will be here soon enough. Still nothing like what I experienced a few weeks back though. :) 

Belly Button Popped? Yep

What I Miss: My body...

What I'm Looking Forward To: Actually finding out what sex you really are!

Weekly Wisdom To My Babe: I love you, sweet one. With you our family will be complete. Always know that I'll push you to be your best and even in those moments that I don't shower you with constant praise, know that I love you...always.

Weekly Milestone: According to our last scan you were sitting right around 3.5 pounds which is even a little big for 31 weeks. And, it seems you'll be gaining a 1/2 pound each week, so your milestone this week is definitely the fact that you're plumping up. :)

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Dear Baby Soup: Week 29

How far along? 29 Weeks

Maternity Clothes? Most definitely and you're even beginning to really feel out the belly patch.

Best Moment This Week: When you kicked my hand, scared and hurt me, and I yelled out, hitting my bowl of ice cream during our work luncheon.

Baby Movements: You are growing so big. Your kicks are now pretty uncomfortable. :)

Cravings: I'm back on the fish kick and grits. I've eaten grits for a week now.
 

Labor Signs: Nope. Nothing really going on at the moment. :)

Belly Button Popped? Yep.

What I Miss: Walking without discomfort. I finally feel pregnant. I finally waddle. I am finally uncomfortable.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Birthing you :)

Weekly Wisdom To My Babe: Below is a message that may take you several years to understand. It will probably take a lifetime to accomplish. Your Dad knows and understand these words. He has said them to me many times. It has taken me longer to understand them. Even if you can move mountains, Baby, with your faith, you must have love. Make love your focus and the other will naturally come.

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Weekly Milestone: Your brain can now regulate your breathing and body temperature. Way to go, little one. These are two very important traits you will need in 11 short weeks. Wow. Wow. :)

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Dear Baby Soup: Week 28

How far along? 28 weeks, 3rd trimester!!

Maternity Clothes? Yep, yep.

Best Moment This Week: While on fall break we all enjoyed spending extra time together. I actually began daydreaming of what it might be like to be a stay at home mom. :)

Baby Movements: You are growing so big and your kicks and punches are starting to feel a little uncomfortable. :)

Cravings: Tuna fish has been on my mind the last few days.
 

Labor Signs: I actually had a small scare this weekend when I had several real pressure waves. They were 5 minutes apart and seemed to be brought on by standing. I rested for a couple of hours and everything seemed to calm down. Your dad called them my practice waves. I laughed and said when you can't talk or concentrate on what's going on around you during the wave, you certainly aren't practicing any more.

Belly Button Popped? Yep, I'm proud to say the button has finally popped.

What I Miss: Sleeping without pain. My hip pain started up this weekend. I think it just happens when you get so big and I sleep on my side.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Holding you...

Weekly Wisdom To My Babe: Again, life is so fragile, don't simply live it as if there will always be a tomorrow. Every time you leave a loved one/friend, kiss and hug him/her good-bye. Never with hold the words, "I love you," but more importantly show these words through your actions. Always give to the needy, and never forget that the needy are those who always around you. Don't just pray for people but do for them as well. 

Weekly Milestone: You are blinking now! Congrats to you!!

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Dear Baby Soup: Weeks 22, 23, and 24

Can you believe the way you've grown??!! We are now 6 months pregnant and the end is getting closer. I'm so excited! I must admit, I'm a tad bit worried I won't make it back down to that 6 week size after it's all said and done. I'm trying to exercise but these last few weeks have really brought on the appetite and I think I've put on a few pounds. The doctor says it's good, I say he's old and doesn't know what it's like to carry around an extra 40 pounds after giving birth. I guess it simply comes down to what is best, what you want, and what you're willing to do to make it happen. I've done alot of things in my life, little one, and success starts with an idea, a dream, a wish and then you create a plan and stick with it. You simply need a guide, which will hopefully be the Lord and your family, and from there a desire will arise. 
I so hope you're as excited about being a part of this family as we are about having you. I love feeling you move and last night I had a dream I could feel your little hands. Only 16 more weeks to go until we meet, my love. I'll keep working out since the health benefit is so great for us both and I plan on beginning my hypnobabies reading/listening this weekend. I want this birth to be pleasant and stress free. I want you to enter into the world calm and reassured that everything is perfect.
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Dear Baby Soup: Week 21

I am officially counting down...only 19 more weeks to go!
Whoo-Hooo little girl, we are almost there. I can't believe how quickly this time has flown by. I'm trying to really take advantage of this time, I'm a bit anxious about having two little ones born so close together. I'm use to 9 years between each birth. Oh well! :)
I rode 11.48 miles today on the bike, getting ready for the big day in January. For some reason I have a feeling you'll come either on your due date or very close to it. It may be from the fact that Maddie came two days shy of her due date, now your brothers on the other hand came two and three weeks early and still weighed 8 and 9 pounds. I also predict you'll be a bit smaller. I think the workout will actually pay off to keep us both a bit slimmer, or so I hope {on my part}. :)
I love you, little one. I'm so enjoying your movements and can now watch my belly move as you kick and turn. :) You seem to be very nosey as you awaken to the kids playing and laughing, acting as if you're ready to play. Soon, you'll be moving right along with them.
Cravings: Salads and Grapefruits
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly.
Discomforts: round ligament pain as I move around while sleeping.
What I'm looking forward to: Spending time with you and the family while I'm off on maternity leave. 
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Dear Baby Soup: Weeks 18 and 19

So I got a little busy last week and didn't enter week 18 so it will simply be combined into this weeks. It's ok to make mistakes or to forget things at times, Little Soup, life isn't perfect and nor should we expect it to be.
Forgiveness should be a big priority in your life. I know it's hard. Oh, do I know, but it's just as important for you to forgive those who have hurt you as it is for you to be forgiven. The good Lord says, we are forgiven as we forgive, which ultimately should be the reason why we forgive {simply because we have been forgiven ourselves} but it also does a world of good to our own peace of mind when we forgive.
When you hold on to pain and grudges, you allow anger to build and resentment to set in. This resentment and pain will only eat at you, yet through forgiveness you can experience freedom and relief. It's amazing how it all works. I hope and pray you are never injured to the point of never being able to forgive but in the case you are, it's through God's love that you will be able to show grace just as you are shown. Always remember that, my little love.
With our last dr. appointment we did another ultrasound and it seems you're a little girl. :) You weren't moving much but you were rubbing your face and sucking your thumb. We checked all your different body parts and I loved seeing a glimpse of you again. :)
I can't believe you'll be with us in just a little over 4 months. :) I'm stocking away the savings so I can spend time with you before going back to work. I can't wait to smell you and feel your soft skin. I love you, Baby Soup!
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