Trying Again

I am going to try again.  I can't seem to keep up with this.  LD keeps me busy, work keeps me busy, life keeps me busy.  But I want to be able to look back and have a record of life with my little dude.

Ritchie is 2 now.  And he is in the throes of learning who he is, what life is about, and what his boundaries are.  It's so much fun and so exhausting at the same time.


Ritchie can say his ABC's, count to 10 easily and 20 with some help.  He knows about 6 or 7 colors.  He talks up a storm.  He asks questions and can carry on a simple conversation.  He has memorized two of his books and will "read" them back to you.

He can hop, jump, kick, and throw.  He like to do "yogurt" with mommy.  He gets on my YOGA mat and does down dog, head to knee pose, and he tried cat & cow yesterday.  Mostly he likes to crawl in and out of my legs while I do it...or he likes to lay on my bolsters.


At our two year pediatrician appointment, Ritchie was 34inches tall and weighed just shy of 27lbs.  So he's still a little dude...he's in the 26th & 27th percentile for height & weight.

6 Months

My little dude is 6 months old now. Hard to believe! He now weighs 16 lbs 4 oz, he's 26 1/2 inches long. He can roll from his tummy to his back and his back to his tummy. In fact, he rolls ALL over the living room. Good except that he has a tendency to drop from his tummy to his back and he's hit his head a few times. He's a daredevil. He is now getting up on all fours and tries to lift his leg, so he will be crawling any day now. He had his first taste of cereal last week and he loves it! And he's tried avocado. I think he's going to like eating as much as his mommy & daddy do!

Ready, set...

Ritchie is on the verge of crawling. He has recently discovered how to get his knees up under him and twice now, he's gotten up on all 4's. He hovers there, then crashes. Before we know it, he will be crawling. For now, he gets where he wants to go by rolling or scooting. He's such a smart little boy!

Catching Up

On September 9, 2008 at 12:29pm, our life changed forever.

So here's the story...

I was having contractions when I left work on Monday. I actually stayed late to finish things up, shred, empty out my voice mail and stuff. I had a few contractions off and on during the afternoon and by time I got in the car to drive home, they were coming fairly regularly, but they weren't overly strong. I timed them in the car and they were coming every 6 minutes or so, but they were only mildly uncomfortable. When they had not let up by time I got home, I started teasing Rich that maybe we were going to the hospital. I was actually going to do yoga after work, but the contractions were still coming. They were all over the place, 5, 6, 7, 8 minutes apart. But they were getting a little stronger, then let up, I was having bloody show, but I also thought it could have been my plug. I'd had some show Sunday morning and Monday morning, so I kind of blew it off. We ate dinner around 7 and I was losing my apetite. I was still timing the contractions and I started to finish packing the hospital bag and straighten up the house. I still didn't really think I was in labor, but I started to debate calling the OB just in case. I got into the shower, to relax and just in case I ended up in the LDR. Well the contractions started coming every 1-2 minutes. So I called and was told to go ahead and come in. We did, but I REALLY thought we'd be home later.

We got to the hospital at 9pm. They took me straight to triage, and hooked me to the monitor. After a ton of questions, they did an exam. The nurse told me if I was only 4-5 cm, they'd send me home. Well, I was 8 cm. So they took me to an LDR and the fun began. I was on the monitors and was contracting every 2-4 minutes. The LDR nurse really thought I'd have the baby by 2 or 3am. Boy was she wrong. I wouldn't finish dilating. I got to a 10, but there was a lip left. ALL night long. The contractions were kind of intense, but I had soft music playing, I got into a breathing pattern that worked for me, no one could talk while I was contracting, and they all respected that. I really was in my own little world. I labored in the bed, standing next to the bed, and on my ball. I was hooked up to a monitor for the contractions but they got permission from the doc to take the one off of the baby because my movements caused them to lose his HB. I was also on an IV, so I did have limited mobility. I was able to dose off and on between contractions, so that helped the night pass Because of the GD, I had to get a blood sugar test every 2 hours and the nurse kept telling me it would be my last poke, and I'd have the baby. I changed LDR nurses at 7am and she stopped saying that! Around 10am, she told me the lip was small enough and was flaring out during contractions, so pushing could begin. Holy Cow...that was hard work...and LD got stuck on my pelvic bone. So each contraction I'd push, it'd hurt, he'd budge a little bit. It didn't help that my waters had still not ruptured, so I was pushing out a water balloon! I had 2 nursing students with me all night and the pushing became a team effort. I was so exhausted and couldn't always tell how strong the contractions were, so the students, my nurse and Rich would all watch the monitor and as the contractions would peak they were all cheering on my pushing. I started out pushing from an up-right position, but couldn't use the squat bar, I was too exhausted. When the baby got stuck, the nurse recommended a more reclined position to try to help him clear the bone. This was so not how I imagined it, but I was willing to try anything. FINALLY, after more than 2 hours LD cleared my pelvic bone. My OB had been in and out to check my progress, but at this point, my OB was called out to deliver another baby. It had take so long to get to this point he probably figured there was time BUT all I wanted to do was get mine out. The mirror was set up which was GREAT encouragement for pushing. The nurse had to stop me when I had the baby crowning in a matter of minutes. The doctor came back in, but I was coached in "controlled pushing" that was so HARD after pushing for 2 and half hours. They finally let me push him out. What a relief! He came out screaming! It was the most beautiful sound.I survived 18 hours or so of labor and 2 1/2 hours of pushing, without drugs....I feel so powerful! And I will probably go drug free again!

It's a Boy!

It's a BOY!!!!

It's a Little Dude!

Boy was I wrong...no girl for us...it's a dude. I'm now 28 weeks pregnant. I feel great! I'm getting big and can't wait to meet our little dude!

Starting Out

So all my friends are blogging. so I guess maybe I need to give it a try too. Just not sure I'll keep up with it. But we'll see.