Happy Feet

I haven't exactly brought sexy back yet,

but at least my feet aren't airbags with toes anymore!

(Photo on right: my feet 3 days post-delivery)

Pregnancy does quite a number on your anatomy. I think it was Nicole Richie who claimed after she delivered her baby (whatever its name is) that she felt like a superhero. Well, I most certainly don't feel like a superhero!

Yet I'm thankful that this bag of bones could produce and house something as beautiful as Caroline. Getting my six-pack back will definitely be a challenge, but that's OK. I think I've lost a bit of my narcissistic vanity. I'm simply grateful to be healthy to enjoy each day to its fullest with my wonderful husband and sweet daughter. Nothing else really matters, but it is nice to have happy feet again!

(Photo at right: my feet two weeks post-delivery)

Sweet 16...Days, That Is

Sweet Caroline is now officially 16 days old. Wow! Time flies. The past week went by really fast. Lots of visitors and lots of help from Nana and Poppy. You have been so great! Thank you! Our friends, family and neighbors have been so thoughtful bringing over meals and cleaning for us. The outpouring of love and support has been a God-send.

Caroline's future friend Lily who lives down the street even came to visit a couple times. Here are moms, Julia and I, with Lily (1 month old) and Caroline (2 weeks).

On Thursday, 9 days after Caroline was born, I had to work a client event. (I know, it sounds crazy, but it was just a simple 90-minute video shoot! No big deal!) But it hadn't been a full week since we left the hospital, so I couldn't drive myself. So Jason and Caroline tagged along and hung out in a private lounge on-site while I worked the shoot.

When the shoot wrapped, I called Jason, but he was frantic and had to let me go. What I found out when I retrieved them was Caroline had two diaper blowouts while I was gone, soiling two outfits, a receiving blanket and even peed on the carpet of the lounge before Dad could get a diaper on her! Apparently at the same time Jason's phone was ringing off the hook and Caroline was also screaming incessantly for about 20 minutes and he couldn't calm her down. All this on top of the fact that we didn't sleep well the night before...Poor Daddy...I took Caroline the rest of the night and let him wind down.

And since that night, Caroline has behaved so well! It's so strange that she would have such a wild experience when there is only one parent to handle it; compounded by the fact that she chose to act out while we weren't at home. Go figure! But Dad isn't jaded. He was such a trooper.

Now Caroline is pretty much sleeping through the night. She wakes for feedings and diaper changes at 1 a.m., 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Not bad for only two weeks old.

Today we went to our first doctor's visit and everything checked out A-OK! In fact, she is starting to roll over and hold her head up on her own, which is way ahead of schedule. What is behind schedule is her umbilical cord falling off. Gross! Can't wait for that thing to drop off...Otherwise she is all good. She has almost reached her original birth weight again. She weighed in at 7 lbs. today.

We also got the hospital bill today. Good gravy, it costs a lot to have a kid! Original estimates for a normal, no-complications vaginal delivery is $12,000 just for the mother. Our bill for 4-day hospital stay and C-section for mother = $19,600. For Caroline, it's $5,060. Yep - that's nearly $25k and doesn't include the $3,000 of pre-natal OB/GYN visits. Thank God for insurance! We're still on the hook for 20%, but at least part of it is covered.

So, how are Mom & Dad? Well, let's start with Dad. Jason has a torn ACL (soccer injury from June). Since we didn't want him to be comatose or on crutches if the baby came early, we've been postponing it. Now we're thinking of scheduling it sometime in September. According to the docs and others who have had the surgery, you are out of commission for at least a week and the pain is pretty intense. You live in a chair and have to move the knee at least once per hour. Not much fun!

As for me, I am healing from the C-section, but learned quickly that I'm not ready to do any vigorous exercise. Typically with such a surgery you are precluded from picking up anything over 10 lbs, driving within the first two weeks, vacuuming and anything else mildly strenuous. I've been feeling pretty good and getting out and about - even working client events - which may have caused me to be a little overconfident. I attempted a cardio exercise on Monday, and was lifting Caroline up and down the stairs in our portable swing. This left me feeling very tender and weak Tuesday and Wednesday, so I've been taking it easy ever since. The good news is that I've lost 22 of the 37 lbs I gained during pregnancy. Only 15 lbs. more to lose!! Hopefully breastfeeding will keep burning the calories like it's supposed to! Unfortunately I still can't fit into my normal pre-pregnancy clothes, but that will come with time. I am determined...:-)

That's about all for now from the Stanleys. Back to cuddling with my cute little Caroline!

Caroline's First Week Out of the Womb

Caroline was surrounded by love in her first week out of the womb. Visitors from near and far came to the hospital and home to welcome her to the world.

The first night home was a little rough; she refused to nurse so we were forced to supplement with formula. Although it broke my heart to once again veer from my original plan, the kid had to eat!

By Saturday she was back on track breastfeeding again, but we still needed to supplement with formula part-time to keep her happy!

Here are ome highlights from her first week - from her first bath to her first walk in the neighborhood...

Princess Caroline is here!

Monday, July 7, Jason and I went to bed around midnight. Around 12:30 a.m., I ran to the bathroom and realized my water broke - for real!

We showered, packed up and having been through dress rehearsal on Sunday night, knew exactly what to do when we got to the hospital. We checked in around 1:30 a.m. By 4 a.m., we were hooked up to Pitocin to induce contractions since my water had already broken (to expedite delivery and prevent infection). By 9 a.m. my contractions had intensified to the point where I could no longer attempt to go natural, so I succumbed to the epidural, much to my dismay!

Once the epidural was in, dilation increased, but very slowly. By 6 p.m. I was dilated 8 cm, but still not enough to begin pushing. However, within an hour, I was fully dilated, so we began pushing. After pushing for two hours, Caroline was not coming out as planned...so the doctor recommended we go into surgery. By this time I had been in labor for 16 hours and had been puking in between pushes due to the high level of pain combined with Pitocin and the epidural.

Although I was even more distraught that I had to have a C section, in the long run it was worth it. Jason was so supportive throughout the entire labor and delivery process. He felt horrible that I was in so much pain, but did a great job rubbing my back and tending to my needs as best he could throughout the long process - especially considering that neither of us had slept for 36 hours. In my mind, I kept thinking - how do people do this more than once? I also tried to psych myself out by imagining the pain of soldiers in warfare or the joy I would endure once Caroline arrived safe and sound.

During surgery, we discovered that Caroline couldn't get out because my tailbone protrudes at an angle that wouldn't let her pass without difficulty. So, it was a blessing we opted for surgery and didn't try to push any longer since it could have hurt her.

She was well worth it! Beautiful blue eyes, blonde hair, 7 lbs, 4 oz., 19 inches long born at 9:18 p.m. Tuesday, July 8.

Check out pictures at http://carolinestanley.shutterfly.com.

Is it time for prom yet?

Imagine getting ready for prom over and over and over again. You buy the dress, do your hair, shave your legs...and then your date doesn't show up. Such is my life as of the last two weeks!

I've cleaned the house from top to bottom so many times. I had a manicure and pedicure. I've read Happiest Baby on the Block and the important parts of Nursing Mother's Companion. We started her scrapbook. The closet is jam packed with clothes up to 24 months. I've stocked and then restocked the fridge and freezer in anticipation of Caroline's arrival to no avail. She is still neatly tucked inside my belly. But it's OK, I'm not mad atcha, little girl! Just come out when you're done baking.

False alarm
Last night we packed the car with our bags along with skeptical intrigue thinking my water may have broken. I had liquid gushing down my leg, but I had also just come from the pool. The doctors would rather be safe than sorry, so we checked in. It seemed so anticlimactic and surreal - completely unlike Hollywood's portrayal of the birthing process. We walked into the quiet, serene hospital as if we were checking into a bed and breakfast for the night. Everything was so low-key, which was nice because I was not convinced that this was the real deal anyway.

As it turns out, my contractions were 4 minutes apart (which I still couldn't feel). And although water was coming out every time I had a contraction, my sac still had not broken. Yes - how exciting to have incontinence at the ripe age of 30! It was funny, if I leaned forward and pushed on my stomach in the right manner, it was like squeezing a sponge. Liquid just poured out of me that was completely beyond my control.

My blood pressure was also a little high, at least the top number. Historically throughout my pregnancy it's been nearly textbook: 110/72 at almost every appointment. But this time it was 131/72, then it was 145/72. However, the doctor didn't seem concerned since it was only the top number and I didn't have other symptoms of preeclampsia such as blurred vision, edema, stomach pain, headache...so we headed home.

So you may wonder - when do I get dressed up again, have my hair did, shave, stock the fridge, scour the house and pack the bags? Well, if Miss Caroline doesn't make her debut on her own prior to Thursday, we are checking in at the Women's Hospital B&B to begin preparations Thursday night for a Friday morning induction on July 11.

Several people still seem completely baffled that I want to try to do this thing natural. We'll see how it goes. Sometimes when you are induced with Pitocin you can't go natural because the contractions are intensified. So, we'll see what happens. Maybe Sweet Caroline will decide she's ready before Friday and we can go natural as previously planned? Gotta keep an open mind and simply pray that it goes smooth and she arrives healthy. That is the most important thing!

Reviewing the last 9 mos!