Jacob and the Boyd Bear

Jacob turned 6 weeks this past Wednesday eve. Its hard to believe that he is that old! (or that I have taken care of him successfully for 6 weeks!).............

He loves this bear/blanket. I had sold a textbook on Ebay a few years ago to a woman named Karen. We began emailing each other.... After a year or so John and I took a trip to California (one day I hope to add all my vacation journals to my blog)... Her and her boyfriend Jack picked us up from the airport, took us sight seeing and bought us lunch- WOW. I thought this was sooo nice since we barely knew them! Karen has continued to be really nice to us, she sent Jacob the Boyd bear blanket as a gift. : ) He loves it!

I think he looks adorable next to it!

How I became a Mini-van Mom in just 6 short weeks!

Well... I never thought it would happen, I never thought I would let it happen and I certainly did not think I would be happy if it ever happened... But it did and I am happy about it! I now own a miniature bus!!! We traded my Saturn for a minivan.

I always said my next vehicle would be another Honda, however that dream fell through when John's legs were crammed against the glove compartment of the CR-V. I would have loved to have a Pilot, but they are just too expensive.... We definately needed something bigger, I could not fit my jogging stroller in my trunk- and my normal stroller barely fit.

We bought a 2005 Toyota Sienna. We shopped for weeks- looking at all sorts of SUVs. It came down to Mitubishi's Endeavor or the Sienna. The Sienna was the least costly and most practical..... and admittedly I liked how it drove. I liked the reviews I read too and that it has a low depriciation rate... It had a great crah test rating... and seemed to be reliable as well. Now for what almost sent me running!

I arrived at the Toyota dealership to see what they had to offer. I was coming from church- so I was wearing a skirt and toting the baby. John was home taking the radio out of my Saturn and putting in the factory radio, because we had decided on the Endeavor... But wanted to take a look at Toyotas to make sure that our decision was good.

I walk in and I am greeted by 'Jim'. I ask to see the Highlander, the 4runner and the Sienna... and to get pricing. He takes me by the Highlander and tells me it is $40,000 and that is the only one they have. He points outside and says "Thats the 4runner, it's a rugged vehicle, it wouldn't be good for you and the baby. The Sienna now Moms love them!" and he proceeds to bring me a Good Housekeeping article about the Sienna and how much moms love them, how it is the best vehicle Toyota makes for women.... How woman-friendly it is....... My inner-feminist was not liking this man!

Sooo I smile and ask to see the Sienna. I am surprised by how nice it looks..... and so I inquire about pricing.... It was a little more than I hoped for.... Sooo John calls and he is still interested. He drives down- the guy looks over my trade and comes up with a price.... It was a decent price, but I wanted to think it over.

Over the next few days we continue to think about it..... I called another dealership and am quoted a better price. In the meantime we decided to keep test-driving. I drove a Santa Fe and hated it! I hated the sales guy too! Soon I decided the Sienna would be the best decision.

John was worried it would be too big for me..... soo we went back to Honda to drive the CR-V. We had Jacob with us, so we had to put the car seat in. This took forever! John was going to drive first because when we first test drove the CR-V John felt carsick in the backseat, so he wanted me to see how it was.

The Honda dealership has a rule that the salesperson drives you off the lot. So John got in the passenger seat and found his legs jammed against the glovebox. I instantly knew the CR-V would not be big enough....

I went to the the other Toyota dealership alone so John could meet me later- and just sign paperwork if the price was as great as the guy made it sound.

I left Jacob with one of the finance employess and went on a test drive with Luis. I liked the van... he took me out in the 8 passenger model. I had looked at a 7 person one in Pinellas.... but I liked the 8 passenger version. The one I drove also had a roof rack and spoiler... and it was a pretty blue. In Pinellas it had nothing extra and my choices were grey and silver.

So we got back in the office to talk numbers... and the price was still good. $100 more for the 8 passenger model. I was pleased.

Then they went to do my appraisal and came back with $1700 for my trade. I had been offered $4000 everywhere else! I was outraged- basically all my savings they were trying to get back with the trade price. I told them "Thank you for your time, I am going back to Pinellas". The guy at the Pinellas dealership had called the day before and lowered his price $100 cheaper than the Tampa guys..... (but I wanted to see the Tampa guys because their van appeared to have more stuff- which it did: the spoiler etc...)

Well... they said "wait, maybe we missed something".... they came back with $3200 for my trade and to take another $500 off their van price. This was still $450 more than Pinellas, but tax in Tampa is 6% and 7% in Pinellas making a difference of almost $200, so I decided it was about a $2-300 dollar overall difference, but I would be getting the nicer van.... 8 passenger versus 7. Blue rather than silver or grey.... the roof rack, spoiler etc......................
Sooo John came up and we signed the paperwork. It's official... I am now a mini-van mom. I joined a whole new stigma of woman-hood. Its like those get rich quick infomercials... 'In just 6 weeks'.

I have included some pictures of my new van, Jacob and the nursery..... He is so funny.... He just grins and smiles when you talk to him these days.......

It looks like he is saying "HI MOM!" (make that Hi Soccer-Mom)!

...First 5 weeks in Photos

It is amazing how fast time is passing! While I was pregnant time went pretty slow it seemed. At the beginning and the middle of my pregnancy I wanted time to pass slowly because I still had anxieties about motherhood... Near the end of my pregnancy it seemed to drag on forever! I was anxious and ready to meet Jacob!

I had been sad when I found out I was having a boy. But now I have to admit I really do not mind at all. It is kind of neat actually.

My labor experience was odd! I had begun to dilate weeks before and the midwives told me the baby could come anytime... so I waited and waited.... no baby. Soon my due date came and went and I wondered if I would ever have him!

They decided to break my water on Thurs. August 11th if I had not went into labor on my own. Well... On Wed. Aug. 10th I had red blood. I had been spotting pink, but the red blood was different and kind of scary. I called the dr. office at 1pm and they told me to come in at 2pm...

We decided to bring our hospital stuff just in case.... On the way to the dr. office I was having consistant pains- but nothing major- I had been having aches and pains for weeks always wondering 'is this it?'

We arrived and it turns out I was 5cm dilated! I had been 4 the Monday prior, but they consider 5 to be in labor. I got the order to head to the hospital. So off we went.... The hospital is only two blocks away from the dr. office.

We arrived at the hospital and parked... We had to park kind of far out... We walked carrying all our luggage and bags. The security guys offered us a ride, but I was not in much pain so we just walked.... We arrived for check-in. Nobody could believe I was in labor, because I was smiling and not feeling much pain.

We got to the room and my midwife Debbie checked me- I was at 7cm! Still I felt okay.... I could tell the pain was increasing, but still not too bad. They had the jacuzzi filled by then and the water was very soothing! The nurse joked that for my 2nd baby we need to come to the hospital at 7 months! She said I really wasn't acting like a woman in labor. She had written HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB on a napkin, because the dry erase board was missing from the room that she would normally write it on.... It seemed a lot of supplies were missing from the room. She said the water birth room doesn't get used more than a couple times a week so the nurses take supplies from it..... Anyway- the marker bled, so on the counter by the sink(in the waterbirth room at Morton Plant Hospital) now says HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!

I had decided early in my pregnancy that I wanted to do the waterbirth. the midwife who delivered Jacob had been the person who gave me the orientation and first told me about the waterbirth option. She said it is a more natural, gentle beginning for the baby with the added benefit of pain relief from the warm water. I really liked her and had left the office that day saying "I hope she is the midwife who delivers our baby". Sooo the day I went into labor I was truly joyed to realize Debbie was on-call!

John was very calm for the entire labor... He was very supportive and attentive towards me. We called his mom to let her know we were in labor and at the hospital when I was nearing 8cm.... Our nephews were flying home to Michigan and so she had to make arrangements for someone else to take the boys to the airport.

We didn't call my own mom until it was over and Jacob had arrived. She had made comments about not coming to the hospital because she didn't know where Morton Plant was and I figured she would make me upset, nervous and give me too much anxiety. This might sound mean to anyone who doesn't know much about my mom, but I assure you it was the wisest thing to do.

I was told my water would break anytime, because the bag was bulging, but I reached 9cm with the bag intact... so she had me come out of the jacuzzi and lay in the bed to have the water broken.... OH MY! It was sooo warm! John said it was gross to watch.... It flooded out ; )

Sooo I went back in the jacuzzi and Debbie had to go tend to someone in another room..... She told me to call her back if I had an urge to potty #2. The pain began to intensify.... I was definately feeling pain now..... but nothing that would make me cry or scream. Just pain? I can't really describe the pain at this point, but then the urge to push came... but it was mild and I wasn't convinced if it was time or not?

I had the nurse get Debbie back and she checked me and said it was almost time to push. 9.75cm! So she went to get ready.... She returned in waterproof gloves.

She had me begin to push, it took several pushes before I got the hang of it.... Tho i was not convinced I was pushing at all the correct times, the pain was not too great and so I wondered if I was pushing at the right times. It was hot so I removed the shirt I had been wearing. I would still have sips of gatorade between pushes.....

Soon we could see his head coming in and out, and she would say one more push.... BUT this is where things got bad. It hurt!!! I never cried, but I was screaming louder than I ever screamed before.... Debbie encouraged the screaming because she said my pushes were more effective while screaming...... But the pain! It felt like her finger nails were ripping at my coochie. I even told her so when she said I needed to stop backing away from her.

His head was emerging more and more, but still not coming out- She said he had lots of dark hair, which I found hard to believe- because I expected the baby would be blonde like John and bald... neither of us had much hair as babies...... But she had them bring in a mirror so we could see. She felt it would help me and so everyone else could see.... John was supporting me with his legs in the water and his mom was taking pictures beside him......

As soon as John saw the head- he told me to reach down and feel his hair. I remember saying "It's furry!" it was a weird feeling to know that I was close to meeting my son for the first time. I never felt much movement when he was inside me.... People would always ask if he kicks alot, but most of the time I did not feel too much kicking.... At times, John and I wondered if he was alright in there.... But then I would go to my appt. and the midwives would say he was sooo active inside, yet I wouldn't be feeling it..... Sooo I imagine I just didn't feel much?

Well..... at times during the pushing I felt like he was never going to arrive. I remember it being daylight when I began pushing and now it was dark.... thinking will this ever end? Thinking maybe I do not want to try for a girl that badly in the future..... Thinking I can't do this.... Debbie was growing concerned because I had not pushed him out yet...... His heart rate and all that was good.... But she said the skin in my 'down there' was too tight and suggested she either cut me in the water (with no local pain medicine) or move to the bed outside of the water with pain meds..... But she said one more contraction and we would decide.

The first 5 weeks in Photos con't

Well after that contraction- the baby still was not out- So she said we needed to get out of the water. Jacob's head was partially out now... The idea of getting out of the water was a terrifying thought... John knew how badly I wanted a waterbirth so he said "Can't you cut her in the water like you suggested?" She replied we needed to get out because it had been 2.5 hours of pushing and the baby should have been out at least an hour ago.

Admittedly at that point I was exhausted of pushing- my legs were shaking and all my muscles ached from pushing.... BUT getting out of the tub was far more frightening... When she said we would move after the next contraction... I pushed as hard as I could.... I felt my body give way as his head came out... I heard everyone begin to make excited noises and everyone was saying "Keep Pushing! Keep Pushing"

Sooo I took another breath and kept pushing, OH WOW! It was amazing, all at once I felt another tearing sensation (his shoulders) and then his body kind of slithered out. Immediate pain relief!!! I was amazed how instantly it did not hurt. Now I know what they mean when they say "The ring of fire" I know for next time to just keep pushing as hard and long as possible, because it will be instant relief!!!


After he was out they handed him to me. My thoughts were 'oh my God' he was sooo beautiful! I could not believe he was mine or that he had been living inside me for months! We moved shortly after to the bed, they took him for a short time to diaper him and clean him a little.... they brought him right back to begin breastfeeding.

I had to have an hours worth of stitches. Debbie would not tell me how many, just that I needed a lot and in 5 different spots. The stitching up was almost as painful as the delivery.... She had to keep giving me more shots of local pain meds... The shot itself to insert the pain med was painful.


When I was in the water I had lost my IV, so they were trying to give me a new one, to add pitocin and hydrate me...... but they decided to shoot me in the leg with pitocin in the meantime.... to help me deliver the placenta. John was calling people we knew about this time to tell them the news... I talked to a few people including my mom. My mom was sober and happy so I was relieved.



We stayed in the delivery room until around 1am... Jacob was born at 9:52pm... When we got to our room we were under the impression that they would be coming in the morning for his bath.... BUT just as I was about to brush my teeth and remove my contacts.... then there was a knock at the door.... It was time to go for his bath.

We watched his first bath and then headed back to the room.... They brought him back to us after he warmed back up around 3am..... Ahhhh finally sleep.


Well maybe in a perfect world!
At 5:30am the pediatrician came to see Jacob. He took him and returned him about 6:00am... Every 3 hours the nurses would have me breast feed Jacob.

Breastfeeding was really painful! My left nipple was bleeding by day2! Not too mention the lack of sleep...... We had vistors all day on the 11th.... On the 12th no one came to the hospital.... John spent a little bit of time at home that day. I was feeling the baby blues.

The night of the 11th Jacob had been really fussy. The nurse said since he was a large baby (8lbs, 9 oz. 21.5' long) he prob was not satisifed by my pre-milk, Sooo I was really hating breastfeeding at this point.

We had our discharge meeting on the 12th.... They had all the new parents in a room- to discuss mommy and babycare... I was sitting in the room with tears flooding my eyes! Tears of sorrow for lost freedom, tears of uncertainty for the future with this new baby, tears of being overwhelmed with responsibility. You name the reason I had a tear for it! Sooo I was glad she said the baby blues are quite normal.... because John and I were both embarassed as I sat there in tears looking like my world was ending. (not to mention we were the only parents who sent there baby to the nursery during this meeting- he had to have his hearing test.... and I needed a break)........


John called both his sisters that morning.... I was upset when I learned he called them, he said he needed someone to talk to because it hurt him to see me look so miserable. He said he felt overwhelmed and even cried on his way home to spend some time resting.

In the hospital it was difficult for us to sleep- John had a cot like couch thing that he was too tall for and I was being woken to breastfeed... I wanted to go home so badly, but then more depressing news came- They would not let me leave the hospitsl till exactly 48 hours passed! sooo I would be there till at least 9:52pm......

Once we returned home that night, I felt better than I had at the hospitsl. However Jacob hadn't pooed all day... The next day he only peed once and no poos so I called the pediatrician- They told me since my milk hadn't come in to supplement him with formula.

Sooo..... that is what we did. The breastfeeding tho- still hurt a lot, sooo by the end of the weekend I had given up. I felt bad about giving up but I felt it was best for my sanity and my baby blues were almost instantly cured!

More photos of labor and delivery

Photos of the labor and birth!

Hi! i had hoped these photos would be in the order that i chose, but it looks like they are not.... oh well... view and enjoy anyways ; >