Settling in with Sig

People keep asking how things are going for us, with a concern specifically for our sleep and sanity. To be honest, we have enjoyed two weeks of the most relaxed and special time of our entire relationship. Sig has adjusted to us, and us to him. In his sweetness, he wakes up once a night with a click of his tongue, never a cry. Alex and I both say how glad we are for the 4am feeding, because we both wake up missing him.

We are loving our new normal, which involves a little less sleep, a lot more laundry, a little more mess and a lot more love. We are so thankful  for the many visitors whose time and kindness has already been a blessing in his 11 day life. We have spent many hours figuring out breastfeeding, lounging in the backyard, and visiting with friends and family. He has already experienced many firsts:

-outings to Target, IKEA, Starbucks and Home Depot
-first bath
-first home visit from Grandma Joan  (who Alex and I refer to as G-Ma J) and Great-grandma Polly
-first visit to the farm
-first pediatrician visit-he is healthy and perfect!
-first birthday party to celebrate his one week of life, and GrandBob's 2,704th and Uncle John's 1,612th weeks of life
-first visit to church-my mom says he's Pentecostal 'cause he raised his arms during the doxology :)
-first live lullaby by MorMor

As I write this, we are on our way to Portland for his first of many, many trips to see grandparents. Sig is a trooper, sleeping in his carseat while Kaj and Khloe stare at him from the trunk. Alex points out all of the trucks for him as we head down I-5 and listen to country music, so that he is well-versed in both.

Sig is most active between the hours of 10pm and 1am, and we have dubbed him "Mr. Late Night." Who would have thought that my most precious moment of the last couple weeks would occur at 12:30am. I held an alert Siggy in my lap on our bed while Alex read Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?, and I laid my head on Alex's shoulder and cried from beginning to end. I feel so full, not the kind of heartburn-inducing-pregnancy full, but the bursting with love for my husband, my son, and the God who has blessed me with both.

He's Here!

He's here. Sleeping on my chest. His little nose making little puffs each second while his hands explore my chest. I cannot describe how incredible it is to feel all of these little movements on the outside of my body, rather than the inside. The most wondrous thing is how normal it already feels. We have been talking about and dreaming of little Sig for years, and it just feels right that we get to hold him and tell him we love him.

I am told that I should write everything down, as these next few weeks, months and years will fly by. I am in the hospital for day three of little Sig's life, and I can already see how time flies. Alex has gone home to feed our dogs while Sig and I listen to YoYo Ma and reminisce over the adventure of the last few days and wait for Starbucks :)

Wednesday evening, July 11th, Alex and I shared a wonderful meal with GrandBob and Grandma Marilee on the waterfront in Des Moines, followed by some boat and sea life viewing at the marina. I had gone to sleep around 10:30 while Alex watched a show next to me. I woke at 11:59pm to use the restroom, which was not uncommon this late in pregnancy. Very quickly, I was writhing with back pain on the floor while Alex looked at me like I was a crazy person. When the pain subsided, I determined that I was not tired anymore, and began doing laundry and cleaning. Another wave of back pain (which I described as menstrual cramps set on fire) sent me crawling around in search of a comfortable position. Anyway who has been through this may have been able to recognize these signs of early labor, but I was convinced that I was being a huge baby, and this was not a big deal, merely an inconvenience. I told Alex that I had two fears, "one, that I have really low pain tolerance and this is what late pregnancy is supposed to feel like, or two, that I have really high pain tolerance and we should be at the hospital right now." With our handy contraction timer app in hand, and our book from one of our classes outlining the signs of labor, Alex called our midwife, letting her know that I was feeling pain every 4 minutes for about 45 seconds. She told us to come in after talking me through a contraction. I was hesitant to go, and kept telling Alex that I wanted to stay home. I was still not convinced that this 1am trip to Ballard was necessary as I sang along to "I'll Be" on the radio and called Sarah to give her a heads up where we were, but that we would probably be sent back home, so we would keep her updated, as this was probably nothing. She wisely said that she would meet us at the hospital, ad she was not going to be able to sleep any longer. I was quite crabby, as they put me in a wheelchair and brought me to the birthing center. Apparently, I do not like being a patient. The midwife came and let me know that I was dilated to 9, and that the baby would be coming soon.

The whole birth is a blur, and just like little Sig's eyes open and close, scenes from those few painful hours go dark and light. My memory, just like my consciousness, fades in and out. Scenes from Sig's birth:
-a flurry of people and activity around the bed
-Sarah gently stroking my hand as I faced her and fixated on her beautiful brown eyes
-Alex's strong hand on the small of my back
-a dimly lit room
-changing positions every few minutes
-exhaustion like I have never known
-whispering to Sarah, "is it bad that I want to take a nap more than I want this baby out?"
-my mom in the corner of the room saying "I'm pushing for you, Marie!"
-listening for Alex's voice above all others
-before the last push, turning to Sarah on my right and pleading "you do it, Sarah..."
-thinking everyone was being so quiet between contractions
-being conscious enough to snap at Alex and Sarah "I need to hear your voice...stop rubbing...less pressure..I need to see your face..."
-bearing down and thinking "I sound like a bear"
-saying to Alex, "Babe, I'm going to get you your baby" before the final push
-relief and joy as they placed that slimy, crying newborn on my chest

Sig's birth by the numbers:
7 lbs 3 oz-birth weight
19 inches - birth length
6 hours, 3 minutes: active labor
14 - visitors in the first 14 hours of life
22 - visitors while at the hospital
60 - hours in the hospital

Scenes from a Pregnancy

As we go from counting down the weeks to counting down the days, I am reminiscent of this journey and the unique experiences it has brought. I am often asked "what is it like to feel pregnant?" I wish I was one of those women who could say that it is like having a glow of life or whatever inside you, but if I am honest, it is awkward and the opposite of glamorous.

Starbucks Showdown
After placing an order for one of many caffeine-free beverages I have had since November, I headed straight for a room I have become very familiar with-the restroom. Unfortunately, another woman had the same destination, and was also pregnant. In addition to the awkward "you-go-first" dance, we very clearly sized one another up to see who was further along, and therefore more deserving of the facility. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation, and thinking of it like a cowboy showdown at high noon. I let her go first, although I'm sure I would have one the how-far-along battle if it came down to it.

The Crumb Catcher
Getting used to what I call my "Homer Simpson" belly has definitely been an adjustment. I have tried to leave the house more than once with toothpaste on my belly, due to not leaning over far enough when brushing my teeth. I am already excited about the day when I can scoot up next to the table, rather than placing a napkin strategically bridged between my belly and eating surface.

Mattress Maneuvering
It was sometime in my second trimester when a soft, cushy pillow-top bed stopped being a place of comfort and began being a little torturous for every nerve in my spine. Fortunately, I live with a man who collects camping gear to equip a large herd, and for several weeks slept very comfortably on top of sleeping bags on the floor at his feet. One genius morning, I suggested to Alex that we flip our mattress to accommodate for my changing needs. Alex looked at me, looked at the mattress, looked at the fabric and declared that it was not a good idea, as the back side if the mattress clearly wasn't designed for sleeping on. I looked at him, looked at my belly, looked at my nest on the floor, and declared that his 6-month pregnant wife was not designed for sleeping on the floor, and I couldn't care less about the mattress fabric.

Stroller Set-UpGetting ready for a baby is all about logistics. We have spent hours organizing, planning, procuring, Craigslisting and setting things up for the little guy. We know that the chaos is yet to come, and this time of preparation is just helping us get ready.