Legs

Cuddle time

What's better than a baby sleeping on your chest?

In real time

Mary Lawton asleep in my lap right now

Lounging

Letter

Dear umbilical cord stump,

Please fall off so I can take a real bath.

Sincerely,
Mary Lawton

Actually, she doesn't mind bath time much at all. She loves having her hair washed. She loves the towel I warm up in the dryer for her. (I told her today not to get used to that.)

Outings

So far Mary Lawton has been to Target (twice!), Once upon a Child, and on three neighborhood walks. Because I'm not used to carrying my camera around with me all the time to document these milestones, I don't have any photos. She slept the whole time on all of these outings, as you can imagine. I was a little nervous about yesterday's Target trip, because I went by myself, but it turned out fine.

One week old

Today is Mary Lawton's one week birthday. She loves eating, sleeping, and entertaining us with funny faces. She has tummy time a few minutes a day, and plays (is awake) on her play mat or cat mat for awhile. The dog is in love with her and follows us from room to room. Luckily, the cat is oblivious to her. He doesn't want to be too close to her, and when she cries he can't get away fast enough.

play time

The week has been a blur. They let us leave the hospital on Tuesday evening rather than Wednesday morning, with our promise that we'd take her to our pediatrician or back to the hospital for another bilirubin test. Her level was a little high. We took her to the pediatrician the next morning (Wednesday), and her bili level was even higher, and she'd lost quite a bit of weight. A bilirubin light was delivered to our house that afternoon, and we started putting her on it an hour at a time. I also had to feed her a tiny bit of formula to supplement, since my milk hadn't come in. The next day (Thursday) her bili count was down and her weight was up 2.5 oz. No more formula! We went back to the pediatrician on Friday for one more visit. Her bili level was 10.4, and she'd gained even more. The doctor declared her an "A+ baby" and said she was very healthy. Sweet LJ has been amazing. You'd think he'd been changing diapers and soothing babies his whole life. And her diapers...I recently read something about "sweet-smelling breastmilk bowel movements." Whatever.

Visitors

Mary Lawton had a number of visitors last week.

Lilly and Alisa

Jan (Jan came by twice!)

Gail and Andrew

and of course her Biffy.

5 days old

The most beautiful girl in the world

Mary Lawton J.
Monday, February 16, 3:42 PM
7 lbs, 10 oz, 20 inches long

True love

Mary Lawton and her dad

Welcome home!

Welcome home, baby girl.

2 days old

3 days old. A trip to the doctor can really wear a girl out.

Most of you probably know the news by now, because my mom called you :) Mary Lawton is doing well. We're all a bit tired after 2 pediatrician appointments, a bili light delivered to our house, and 24 hours of feedings every two hours to get her weight up--all within 2 days. The birth story involves 26 hours of labor, but really, who's counting when I have a face like this to gaze at? She is sweet and beautiful, and we are extraordinarily blessed.

39 weeks appointment

Weight gain: None. Same as last week.
My BP: 100/60
Val's heartrate: 150s

Today I saw Dr. H. Dr. G is out this week, which was fine with me. I don't think I like her anymore. Dr. H was great, talked to us for a long time, and basically said you'll have the baby in the next 2 weeks. (They will let me go a week past my due date.) Yes, she'll probably 8.5 lbs or more, but that's no problem and the two of you will be fine. Will there be shoulder dysplasia? Who knows. Will she be a giantess? Probably not. I measured 2 weeks behind today, which might be because she's dropping. So, we wait. I feel fine, so I don't mind waiting. My next appointment is with Dr. G, and Sweet LJ is hoping there will be some kind of showdown between her and Dr. H because their attitudes are so different. We like Dr. H's better.

We're ready, Val.

So, whenever you're ready, sweet girl . . .

We won't let the cat get too close.

I know it's boring.

I know this blog is getting boring without photos. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed lately, but I'll try to do better about taking and uploading photos.

38 weeks appointment

Weight gain: -2
My BP: 105/80
Val's heart rate: 130s

I was pretty nervous about this appointment based on the ultrasound the day before. I didn't know what Dr. G was going to recommend. Would she send me straight to L&D for an induction? We talked awhile about what could happen in the next 2 weeks. In the end, with my total consent, she stripped my membranes (or the gentler euphemism "swept" my membranes). I won't go into the details, but I will say that all the jokers who say "it's not a big deal" are completely high or delusional. Or both. What the membrane strip could do is soften my cervix, promote dilation, trigger labor, or absolutely nothing. It was worth a try. I would rather try this than take a bunch of drugs to ripen my cervix, start contractions, etc. I have a feeling it will do absolutely nothing--this based on the fact that absolutely nothing has happened.

I sat up in bed in the middle of the night and just sat there a minute, and Sweet LJ said, "are you contracting?" He was sooo ready to go to the hospital. His bag sits packed at the foot of the bed.

Another ultrasound

Yes, I inadvertently lied when I announced the final ultrasound. I had another growth ultrasound on Tuesday to see how big Val is getting. They estimated her weight at 7 lbs., 12 oz. This was at 37 weeks, 4 days. Everything looked fine. As the perinatologist said, I just "make big babies." Then she turned to Sweet LJ and said, "you, too." So, if Val gains a half a pound a week for the next 2.5 weeks--well, you do the math.

Val wouldn't give up the profile shot, but we have a few photos of her chubby cheeks and pointy chin, waving at us.

I was extraordinarily nervous about my appointment with Dr. G the next day, which will be another post.

37 weeks, 1 day appointment

I saw Dr. H on Friday (January 30), and I fall more in love with her each time. She is so kind and patient and really has a knack for putting you at ease.

Weight gain: I'm not sure. I think around another +2. I have trouble doing the math anymore.
My BP: 100/80
Val's heart rate: 130s-140s

This visit was fine. Fundally*, I'm measuring a week behind. I asked Dr. H about preeclampsia, because the nurse said, "your blood pressure is up!" with some drama after she took it. Dr. H said preeclampsia starts with a BP of 140/90, and also that my BP increase is nothing to be alarmed about. During your 3rd trimester, your BP tends to go up. I still have to go for another growth ultrasound. Everyone seems confused because I'm measuring a week behind, but according to the last ultrasound, Val is getting very big. Sweet LJ thinks she's long and compactly folded up.


*I don't think "fundally" is a word, but it's what is needed here.

Lilly hangin' with her peeps

My cousin Lilly met Dennis Rodman last week. Will my girl be so lucky?

36 weeks, 1 day appointment

I'm getting more and more delinquent on my posts. On January 23 I had an appointment with Dr. G.

Weight gain: +2
My BP: 110/70
Val's heart rate: fluctuating between 120s and 140s

The nurse seemed surprised that I didn't want an internal exam to see if there has been any progress. I told her I have a month to go, and I'm in no hurry. I'm beginning to lose faith in Dr. G. She asked about my January 12 ultrasound and thinks that maybe the baby is getting too big. She tried a few scare tactics on me. She didn't succeed in scaring me, but she succeeded in making me so frustrated that I cried on the way home. I cried when I got home. Sweet LJ was out of town, and I cried on the phone to him. I want my baby to have a chance to arrive when she's ready. I'm not convinced she's a giant. I don't want to be induced unless I really, absolutely have to be. I have to have another growth ultrasound soon. I want to enjoy these last few weeks, but I'm getting depressed by all the suggested intervention.