Baby Edoardo is Here!

After an unexpected "breaking of my waters" on July 30th, little Edoardo was born Thursday, July 30th @ 6:13am, weighing 4 lbs 14oz and 18.5 inches long.

Starting that Wed night (the 29th), what I thought was just a routine trip to the bathroom, turned into the actual onset of labor. It was about 8pm and the girls were getting dressed for bed. KC was on the computer working on a paper. When I realized that my water broke, I called for Serene and told her to tell KC. She started screaming a ran to dad to let him know "mom's having the baby, her water broke"! KC was totally stunned (after all I wasn't even 37 weeks yet and the parents weren't flying in until Friday! ). He jumped up and immediately went into panic mode, getting the girls ready and packing his bag (I already had mine packed of course). I called the hospital. They told me to come in right away since I have a history of very quick births. KC called our neighbor and she was happy to come over until Kari (my sister-in-law) could get to the house from Colorado Springs. We rushed to the hospital, got hooked up on the monitor and waited. After an exam showed that I wasn't even dilated yet, I was feeling a little discouraged. After hours of waiting and very irregular contractions, I finally got to a 3, but I just wasn't progressing as usual. This was a very weird experience for me. I've never just "lied" there before while I was in labor. Thankfully we were able to keep busy by staying in regular contact with the parents (on top of that, we had a cord blood banking issue that KC was working on). Anyhow, it is now almost 4am and I am totally exhausted. The contractions are coming hard, but still not regular. I'm only at a 5. The doctor and nurse came in to give me "the talk". The baby is starting to show some signs of distress. There may be a possibility for a c-section. I was then advised that I should get an epidural so that I can at least get some sleep and be prepped in case we need to do one. I was surprised that it didn't take me much convincing. Bring on the epidural (btw, it was wonderful)! Of course I still couldn't sleep, but at least I wasn't in agony. I was able to hold on another couple more hours and when the nurse came in at 6am to check me, I was at 10! Woo hoo! KC had just woken up and the nurse told him I was ready to push. He jumped up with the camera and in one 1/2 push (literally), he came out. Nice and easy. He did have the cord wrapped around his neck 3 times (which is where the distress was coming from), but you know how those amazing doctors work. They looped it off so fast and placed him on my tummy. He was so tiny! It worried me a little, but the doctor didn't seem to be worried at all. He was screaming and was obviously just fine. I actually got to hold him for quite a bit before they whisked him away. I was so sad that the parents couldn't be there to see their son enter the world. It was so oddly anti-climactic. Thankfully KC was able to get it all on video for them (although I give him a hard time because 1/2 of the video is of my vagina). Good grief KC, could you have made it a little more tasteful please?! :S

At 7am I was ready to pig out. We had breakfast and just waited to hear how Edoardo was doing. The nurse came in and told us that he was great and I was so relieved. I could finally breathe. KC and I got all settled in to our new room and finally got a little rest. I was bothered by the fact that the parents wouldn't be there until the next day, so I didn't sleep much. I felt like he was being abandoned and I didn't like it. As soon as we were allowed to see him, KC and I made a visit to the nursery. I hated him being alone! When we got back to the room, we called Kari and the girls and invited them to come to the hospital. When they got there, the nurse brought Edoardo in and the girls got to hold him. You should've seen their faces light up. They were so proud. I think they really felt like they were a part of something pretty special. I'll never forget their little faces...

KC and I spent that night at the hospital as well. The next day (Friday) we got to see Edoardo again and were released at 11am. Leaving the hospital was a little weird, I have to admit. Walking out to the car with no baby was odd. I wasn't sad though. I didn't feel any kind of emptiness, just glee. I felt so proud all of a sudden. I did it! It was great to be home with the girls again. I really missed them. I suddenly felt so motherly (and emotional). I kept hugging them and kissing them. I realized that it was a natural reaction. My body and hormones are telling me I should be taking care of a newborn right now, but instead I have 3 older children to take care of. I immediately started picking up their toys and fixing them lunch. KC had to force me to stop and suggested we go out to lunch to celebrate. The whole time at lunch all I could think about was Edoardo being alone. I knew in my mind that he was being well taken care of, but it bothered me so much that he hadn't even met his parents yet. Although I hid it well, my heart was really hurting. We waited and waited to hear from Antonio and Laura. We didn't get a call until about 10pm that night. Their flight was of course late and they were just exhausted. Neither one of them were feeling good. As hard as it was for them, they decided to go to their hotel to get some rest, so they could be rested enough to spend the next day with the baby. They were reassured when we told them that was a good idea. They don't want to be in a haze the first time they hold their son.

The next morning we were so delighted to get a call from Antonio and Laura asking us to take them to the hospital. They said they wanted us to be there when they met Edoardo for the first time. I was so honored and excited! We all jumped in the van and headed to their hotel. When we got there, it was a big emotional cry session. Laura and I couldn't stop balling and hugging each other. We were such a mess! They invited us into their hotel b/c they had "a little something special" to give us. When we got into the room, Antonio handed me a bag and began the most beautiful speech I have ever heard. I can't even replay any of it, but he then told me that he was in "the business of diamonds". It's funny b/c I was always curious what he did for a living, but never asked. Now I know! When I opened the bag, there were 3 little boxes, each with a single loose diamond in them. He had gotten one for each of the girls. I was so surprised. I think I blurted something out like, "this is too much" and he immediately retorted with "too much?!- You just gave birth to our son and you think this is too much?!" I guess he had a point. :) I thought that was the end of the "special gift giving", but then Laura handed me a larger box. She then began her beautiful speech and I started balling again. Good thing I didn't have any make-up on. I really was a mess. I opened the box and I saw the most beautiful sculpture I had ever seen. It was a black and silver ballerina with diamonds placed perfectly around the bodice. She explained to me that she had a famous sculptor in Rome custom make it for me (she knows how mch I love dancing). I've never owned anything this nice before. I was blown away! I still haven't taken it out of the box yet. I'm too scared! :)

Long story short, we got in the car and they followed us to the hospital. When we walked into the nursery, Antonio and Laura got to see their son for the first time. Again, it was a crying session. I got to lift little Edoardo out of the bassinet and place him in the arms of his ever-deserving parents. It was beautiful. Those first few moments are something I will NEVER forget. Just seeing their faces as they studied his tiny little features. They were glowing from the get go. We took lots of pictures and talked a lot about the labor and delivery. The girls were eventually getting ancy, so we had to get them home. We left Antonio and Laura to enjoy their alone time with Edoardo and told them to call us if they needed anything. (Side note: our Colorado case manager just happens to be on vacation right now, so we're basically going at this alone with no help from her. We're of course clueless, so it's been interesting.)

We've since been in contact with the parents every day. KC and I have pretty much taken on the role of their family while they're here. They come by every evening to pick up the breast milk that I've been pumping and we plan on spending some time together before they leave. My Italian family- it's pretty cool! :) We've definitely formed a special bond and I wouldn't be surprised if you hear me doing this again! I know they would really like a sibling for Edoardo, so this next year will be interesting! Dunt- dunt- dunt- dunt- to be continued... :)

Has it really been 2 months since I wrote last? Ugh! I guess I have a lot to catch ya'll up on!

Okay, so let's begin with June... So that whole "pressure" issue I was having turned into an actual concern. When I had my ultrasound on June 12th, we found that I had complete Placenta Previa and my cervix was already starting to shorten. In addition to that, he was measuring 3 weeks too small. At that point I was only 30 weeks (but really 27), so we were worried about me going into pre-term labor. I was put on modified bed rest in hopes that the Previa would fix itself. This of course freaked myself and the Intended Parents out. The idea of delivering him early after everything that we've gone through was just scary and stressful. Well, long story short, after a LONG 2 weeks of worrying and questioning every little contraction, I went back in again on July 1st, and discovered that our prayers had come true! My placenta had moved away from my cervix and baby Edoardo was again gaining weight. He has since caught up by 2 weeks (he's only about a week small now) and we have high hopes that I should have no problems making it full-term. Yay! I can't tell you what a relief it was to hear that. So... now I'm 34 weeks pregnant and nearing the home stretch. Antonio and Laura are scheduled to arrive in 2 1/2 weeks and I just can't believe that this is really going to happen! I'm going to be handing over their baby next month! *Sigh* :)

Wow!, I'm a slacker! Where have the last 3 months gone? Seriously. Well, as you can see from my little pregnancy "ticker", I have reached the 29th+ week mark and so far so good! Oh, and IT'S A BOY (Ironic, I know)! The parents have already named him Edoardo- or as the girls like to call him "baby Ed".



Overall I feel pretty okay. I'm of course tired and sore, but really can't complain. So far, this pregnancy is just like my last 3. I have been experiencing a lot of vaginal pressure that was kind of concerning me for a while, so I asked my OB to give me an exam just to make sure he was okay. Just as my last ultrasound showed, my uterus is really low, which is causing the pressure. Everything looked fine though and it's really no cause for concern. It's just REALLY uncomfortable! :( So much for my work-outs. I've been trying to still stay active by doing my morning walks at the gym, but I can usually only go about 25 minutes before it feels like he's going to fall out of me. Frequent breaks on the couch (or at the computer) are becoming the norm. It's not so bad though... :)



The parents are of course becoming more and more excited. They are now planning on coming out the last week of July. They'd like to be here early to get settled and ready for whenever baby Ed decides to arrive. I'm excited that they'll be here early. I think it will be a really special time for all of us. Right now I'm working on finding them temporary housing for their 6 week-2 month stay. Any recommendations or advice would be great!



As far as the rest of the fam, I'm still kind of amazed by how we've all managed to normalize all of this. KC is wonderful and supportive as usual. I don't know what I'd do without my nightly feet and back rubs. I know, I have the best husband ever! :) And the girls are just wonderful little caregivers. They are constantly reminding me of eating healthy and getting plenty of rest because "we have to take care of baby Ed until his parents can come pick him up". Sydney likes to sing Leona Lewis songs to him and Serene likes to rub my belly a lot. I've talked to Antonio and Laura about letting the girls come to the hospital after the baby arrives, so they can hold him and have some closure of all of this. They were of course glad to oblige. We're all getting so anxious!

Next week (the 12th) I have my glucose testing and we've scheduled to have a growth ultrasound done. He's still measuring pretty small, so the doc just wants to make sure he's growing okay in there. The frustrating thing is that I seriously eat like a horse! The problem is that it's all going to my butt and not to Ed! It's kind of aggravating, but as long as he's healthy, I guess I can live with a big butt for a while.

Gosh, other than that, it's pretty much the same ol' around here. Nothing too exciting to write about. KC's working like a crazy man as usual, so I'm just trying to stay sane and keep up with the girls. I'm looking forward to some fun summer outings with the fam and I've even started nesting! I obviously don't have a nursery to decorate, so I've been finding things to organize around the house. It keeps me busy! My next project... the garage! TTFN!

From Lemons, to Lemonade...

Okay, life is good again. Good grief. The kiddos are all back to their normal, healthy selves. As for me, I actually feel pretty darn good. Besides being horribly constipated form these prenatal vitamins, I feel quite normal. The "morning" sickness only lasted about a week and I am now finished with ALL of my medications! Wahoo! I went for an ultrasound again on Monday and the remaining baby measured normal and healthy. What a huge relief. The baby that passed is still in my uterus, but it is supposed to absorb back into my system in a few weeks. They're going to do another ultrasound in 4 weeks to make sure it absorbed and the other baby is still doing okay. We should also find out the sex, which I know the parents are anxiously waiting to know. They, by the way are doing surprisingly well. Of course when they got the news, they were heartbroken, but they're rational people and they know that this is just one of those things that happens. No one knows why, except the baby obviously wasn't quite strong enough to stay put (that, or my body wouldn't allow it to). Either way, we can only stay positive and look toward the future. We still have a healthy baby growing in my belly and they still, of course, couldn't be happier. I'm feeling so blessed right now to be in this position that I'm in. As stressful as it may be at times, it truly is a miracle. Speaking of miracles, I've got 3 of my own that are laughing in the other room as I write this. Man, life is good!

When it Rains, it Pours...

So... yesterday was definitely one of the worst days that I've had in a VERY long time. Sydney was on day 2 of a horrible stomach bug. Wednesday was the vomiting and yesterday was the diarrhea. I had to keep her in pull-ups all day b/c she couldn't make it to the toilet every time. She was miserable and so was I. Well, yesterday just so happened to be the day I had scheduled for my first appt with my new OB/GYN. Despite not having anyone to watch the girls and Sydney being sick, I knew I had to go to this appt. Well, we ended up being at the office for an hour and a half. Of course they had to be running behind when I was there with my diarrhea kid and fussy toddler in tow. AN hour and a half later (and many break-downs and poop accidents), the doctor finally performed the ultrasound. The 2 babies came onto the screen as usual, except one was moving and one wasn't. I can't explain how shocked I was and how surreal it was to see this cute little wriggly baby on one side and his/her lifeless brother/sister on the other side. He was just lying there with no heart beat. At that point, I just couldn't take it anymore. I had a slight breakdown. The poor office staff didn't know what to do with me. After getting dressed and cleaning up all of the goldfish and crayons off the floor, I drove home. I cried the whole time. I of course know these aren't my babies, but I've grown so close to the Intended Parents and if you could just understand the excitement they were feeling over these twins, you would know why I'm so heart broken. When I get home, the diarrhea festival continues and I feel like poop myself. KC is doing the best he can, but he also has a project that he's supposed to be working on with Serene. We somehow made it through the night alive, but then I was greeted by a vomit covered Sienna this morning. The diarrhea was soon to follow. Sooooo, I now have 2 VERY sick children and I'm trying to work up the courage to call Antonio and Laura to tell them one of their babies died. I'll let you know the outcome...

So, it's been a few weeks since my last blog so I should probably update everyone. The "morning" sickness has officially kicked in and I feel like poop all day. The rare glimpses of energy that I get in a day are spent on trying to keep my house in order. I'm beginning to realize that this is a lost cause. Those of you who know me, know that I really pride myself on being a multi-tasker and keeping my house and family in order. So, let's just say, that this has been a little rough on me. I'm already feeling like a failure and it's kind of depressing me a little. Okay, okay, I'll stop whining now. On a happy note, I got to see the babies again on Friday! They still look like little aliens, but oh are they cute little aliens! They were both bunched up against the left wall of their sacs. Just so content and so happy. They're both growing appropriately for their ages and their heartbeats were again, very healthy and very strong. Do you know that they already have fingers and toes and even eyelids!? Their hearts have already formed 4 chambers and their sex organs are even beginning to form. Amazing what can grow in just 9 weeks! Speaking of 9 weeks, I'm due to be off of my injections in 3 weeks and boy am I counting the days! It will be such a relief to be finished with the 1st trimester. I'm hoping the Intended Parents and I can start to relax a little bit more. On that note, I think I'll head back to my new favorite place...the couch. Nighty, night!

Double the pleasure, double the fun...

Yep, it's twins and my official due date is August 22nd! Michelle drove up today and accompanied me to my appointment with video camera in hand. We think it's funny now, b/c we can imagine that people probably think we're lesbian partners who are trying to have a baby. Every time we walk into a fertility clinic we can't help but giggle and call each other "honey"... hee, hee...
When the technician walked in and turned on the machine, we could instantly see the 2 sacs. She said it so non-chalant too, like, "there's 2 babies in there". I'm sure she sees a lot of multiples, working in a fertility clinic, but this was the first time I've ever seen them- in MY body! Each baby looked wonderfully healthy in size and we even got a glimpse of the tiny heartbeat. Michelle and I both started tearing up at that point. Like I've said before, in as many ultrasounds and heartbeats I've heard in my times of being pregnant, it never gets less fascinating. I'm only 6 1/2 weeks along and their little hearts were beating so strongly, so warrior like...
The nerves are definitely starting to kick in a little now. I'm worried how my body will handle the extra weight and how I'll handle my household once I get further along. I know that I can only take it one day at a time though and I also know that it is in God's hands now. I know he wouldn't give me more than I can handle. If I didn't have a purpose before, well, I definitely have one now! I'm going to do everything I can to make sure these babies receive the best care and ultimately arrive safely at home with their parents come summer time...