How Manning Made His Grand Entrance

*this post includes some rather graphic pregnancy/birth type info. so you boys feel free to skip
*this post is also long, so please feel free to skip

I want to record Manning's birth story on this blog b/c I never wrote it down for Henry and regret that. It all began last Thursday March 25 around 8am. I was all ready to go to work and was just getting ready to leave. I sat down to pee for the 1 billionth time and realized that I had lost my mucus plug. There was a good amount of blood, so I decided to call the doctor to make sure this was normal. I knew at this point I would not be going to work that day so I called my boss to let her know. Dr. Hargrove had me come in for a check at 9:30am . I arrived and was checked and was told I had indeed lost the plug, was only 1 going on 2 cm's dilated, 60% effaced, and that labor could be 1 hour away or 3 days. Henry was at school and then to Ms. Brenda's so I went home to rest. Frankie came and got me at around 12:30 and we went to Bessinger's for my favorite cheeseburger at my request. I was having a few contractions at this point which I had been having on and off for a day or so, but no pattern and not really that strong. They were strong enough though to make Frankie nervous and she had me come back to her house for the afternoon to rest. The contractions continued to get a bit stronger, but still no pattern. I was convinced that it was just false labor pains, but Frankie believed we'd have Manning by the next afternoon. She was right. I picked Henry up from Ms. Brenda's at 5:00pm and we went home to grab a few things and then headed back over to Mimi's for dinner. Brad met us there and by the time he arrived at 7:45ish I was having strong contractions about 10 minutes apart. We began timing at this point and I had already alerted my parents and Hanna to be on standby. By 8:30 they were coming at 8 minutes apart so we decided to head home and leave Henry with Mimi and Pops for the night. I got home and got in the bathtub to help relieve some of the pain and now they were 4-5 minutes, so obviously they were beginning to pick up. Brad had out his little pad and was constructing some sort of graph to better explain the patterns to the doc. So cute! I called Dr. Hargrove at 9:00ish and she had me head to St. Francis to be checked out. I arrived, was checked, and was 80% effaced and still only 2-3 cm's dilated. I was terrified that they would send me home with false labor b/c at this point the contractions had slowed to 8 minutes again (of course), but my PRECIOUS nurse Susan thought I was good to go and admitted me along with Dr. Hargrove's permission. I could literally write a book about the nurses I had that night, mainly Susan, but I'll save that for another day. She was in her 50's, very motherly, country accent, and the most calming and reassuring nurse. We fell in love with each other as the night progressed and basically both cried when it was all over and I was transferred to the post partum unit. I feel so lucky to have had her take care of me!
So, I got all hooked up to the monitors and awaited the almighty epidural. Which I did not get until a good 7 cm's b/c the anesthesiologist was tied up in an emergency c-section with a girl who had had zero prenatal care and gestational diabetes. She delivered a 13 lb. baby! He finally got there and administered the epidural which took effect immediately and was heavenly! My epidural did not work with Henry and I had a really hard and intense labor. This time it was picture perfect and I couldn't feel a thing, literally. I was able to lay back and rest some. Manning's heart rate kept dropping while flat on my back, so she had me stay on my left side and he was fine. I kind of stalled at 8 cm's so they pushed a little pitosin to get things moving. It worked and soon I began to feel A LOT of pressure and the urge to push. Susan called Dr. Hargrove and by the time she arrived I was REALLY ready to push. I think I pushed about 7 or 8 times and out my little angel came. Brad had decided before that he couldn't handle cutting the cord, so they handed to scissors to Hanna and she took the honors. I don't think she had time to react, so she just did it and did a great job. They immediately put him on my chest and he was the most precious little tiny thing. Those moments after birth are so surreal. You just can't believe it's finally over. That this little person had been growing inside you for 10 months. We immediately thought he looked like Henry and he still does. And yes, he does have strawberry blond/red hair. It's not much, but definitely in the red family.
At 3:13 am on Friday March 26th, my heart made room for one more child. I couldn't imagine how that could be, but it did.
And I am so proud I could just burst!

Introducing...

Manning Sloan Earnst
Born Friday March 26th at 3:15am
6lbs. 13 oz
20 1/4 inches long

We are home and getting settled in now! Manning is more precious than words can describe and I am overcome with the amount of room a mothers heart makes for a second child. He looks so much like Henry did as a newborn and is so cuddly! I am totally in love!

Nesting

I went into major nesting mode yesterday. I mean, I had this SERIOUS urge to clean my house. And it had just been professionally deep cleaned on Monday thanks to my sweet M-I-L. So off I went sweeping and mopping and dusting each room in the house. And I did not have this urge when I was pregnant with Henry. Just ask Deb ;) She arrived to a pig sty and did her best along with a cleaning lady to get it up to par. You see, I HATE cleaning. I LOVE to tidy, but not so much deep clean.
They say that women go into nesting mode just before they go into labor as a primal need to prepare their "nests" for their offspring.
Here's hoping my labor is just around the corner. I am sooooo ready!

37 Weeks, Full Term

How your baby's growing:

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Well, it seems as though I have arrived at full term! I saw Dr. H today and she said that if labor started today she would do nothing to stop it. Little bitty is cooked!
I am going every week now and last week we discussed inducing toward the end. I mentioned that I am not real keen on this idea and she agreed. I sort of feel like i'd like for this to happen "organically" unless of course there is something wrong and we need to get him out. With Henry, my water broke the day before my due date so there was no question we were headed to the hospital. I can't wait to see how this one happens! His head is down, heartbeat is good, and my BP is good. I am not even dilated to one and no effacement, but am totally ok with that. I think with the 2nd one you're so much more relaxed about everything.
I am feeling ok, but am getting a nasty cold/sinus infection (3rd d@%mn one this pregnancy). She gave me an antibiotic and said I should be good to go by the time labor comes around. I feel like I'm waddling now and just feel tired in general. But mostly, I just can't wait to hold Manning in my arms and see what he looks like.
I'll be keeping you posted so stay tuned!

Hiccups

I remember when I was pregnant with Henry he had hiccups in utero off and on, but NOTHING like this baby. He has a strong case of the hiccups at least 3-5 times a day. And always first thing in the morning. It is such a crazy sensation and I can tell he is getting bigger every day because the hiccups are getting stronger. WILD!!!

The Bump, 34 Weeks

32 Weeks

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (the size of a pineapple) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

I seriously can't believe I am 32 weeks pregnant already. This pregnancy really has flown by and Manning will be here in about 8 weeks. I am feeling great still and feel like I have more energy than I did with Henry. I definitely get tired and feel zapped at random times throughout the day, but for the most part feel fine.
Manning's most active time is at night around 8-11pm. It looks like an alien is in my tummy and feels like it too. Brad will catch a glimpse of it from across the room and just laugh. I am at what I call the "grunting" stage of pregnancy. It just makes things easier when you grunt. Like simply standing up or sitting down or getting out of bed. I am also getting up to pee about every hour during the night, so that makes for some interesting sleep. But luckily I have been able to go back to sleep rather quickly.
My appetite is pretty hardy and I HAVE to have dessert at least once a day:) This isn't too far off from my non-pregnant self though.
I will say that I am much more nervous this time around than I was with Henry. I guess because I know what to expect with labor and the infant stage. I have a bit of anxiety about how I will handle having 2 children to care for, but I know I will be ok. Henry is so excited about being a big brother and I know he'll have his moments of acting out, but he will be such a big help to me. He loves helping with small tasks around the house (i.e. letting Lucy out and feeding her, putting his clothes away, getting things out of the pantry and fridge, etc.) And Brad is so great about doing small things to make my life easier. I am so ready to meet my little boy and know he will fit into our family like he was always here.
What a lucky woman I am!

32 Weeks Ultrasound

We went for my 32 week ultrasound this morning and everything looks perfect and right on track. They did this ultrasound to make sure the placenta has "migrated" upward and away from my cervix (indicating a placenta previa). It has definitely moved and we are all set for a "regular" delivery. Little Manning weighs approximately 4.5 lbs and is in the 68th percentile. I am measuring a little over 33 weeks so possibly a little ahead of schedule.

Generally speaking I have a little David Beckham kicking around in my tummy, but of course the one time we needed him to flip around he was sound asleep. He had his little arms right in front of his face the whole time so we never got a good shot of his face. But his heart was beating strong and fast, his kidneys looked great, and all of his measurements were right on. Ultrasound really is such a COOL thing! I am always so amazed at the technology every time we go.

Brad and I have both had visions/thoughts that "what if" this little boy baby really is a little girl baby. But, we had the girl check and he DEFINITELY has BOY parts, so we're safe there.

The Bump

So, I thought I would post a pic of my baby bump for posterity sake. This was taken on New Years Day, so it's a bit dated and I have grown a lot since then. I was about 27 weeks here and am now almost 30 weeks. I'll post another one soon!

25 Weeks

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

I had my 25 week checkup today and everything is looking good. I am measuring 26 weeks and have started packing on the LBs! The baby's heart rate was 146 and has been in the 145-148 range the whole pregnancy. I still feel great and have good energy, but am definitely starting to have the small aches and pains that come along with the extra pounds. I have started grunting a lot when I roll over or try and get out of bed. Brad LOVES it, let me tell ya! I have also started my usual 8-10 trips to the bathroom per day. I can't see my toes now and shaving my legs is becoming rather like doing a yoga pose. But, all in all, I am so lucky to be feeling so good.

20 Weeks and Half Way There!

You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (The way your baby is measured changes now.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).



I feel great these days with lots of energy! I cleaned my house from top to bottom yesterday which is the first time I've felt like doing that in a while. I am finally kicking this chest cold i've had for 2 weeks. Being sick and pregnant is NO fun! I am sleeping really well and unlike my pregnancy with Henry I am not getting up every hour on the hour to pee. I am feeling the baby move all around now and it gets stronger every day. I see Dr. Hargrove next Tuesday for my regular monthly checkup.

It's a....

BOY!!!
Enjoy the shots of our newest little boy!

And we really could not be more shocked and excited! I seriously question my intuition now b/c I would have absolutely bet my life that this was a girl. So did Brad. We had our big ultrasound yesterday and chose not to find out at that moment. We closed our eyes and had the ultrasound tech write it on a card. We went to Mimi and Pops for a big brunch and Pops opened the card and handed Henry one of two gifts that were wrapped up. Henry opened it and handed it to me and it was a little BLUE onsie! I almost fell over with joy! I would have been so excited to have a girl, but really wanted H to have a brother. So, I guess i'll really be outnumbered now and thrilled about it!

Boy or Girl?

In accordance with my super-competitive nature, I have added a little poll to the side of the blog for you all to vote on whether you think chicken nugget is a BOY or GIRL.

Brad and I go on November 6 at 11:30 for the big 19 week ultrasound and we can't wait to see our little babe in action. I am most anxious to make sure that all is well with the baby, but am so excited to find out what sex it is!

So, stay tuned and place your vote!!!

16 Weeks

Right now, he/she is about the size of an avacado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces.



I had my 16 week checkup yesterday and the chicken nugget was sounding good! The appointment was pretty uneventful, but so good to hear the little heartbeat. I am feeling good these days and starting to get some energy back. I am starting to show a little bit and feeling the babe more and more everyday. Here are some stats from the appt.

• Baby's Heartbeat 145
• Weight gain: 0

Kick Kick!!!

I am 16 weeks today and have been feeling my little chicken nugget preforming some acrobatics in utero! I SWEAR I think I felt him/her move around 14 weeks, but didn't report b/c ya'll would have probably called me crazy! They say you feel the second one sooner and I felt Henry at 17 weeks, so maybe I really did. Whenever it was, it is amazing and makes all the aches and pains of pregnancy worth every minute!

Chicken Nugget Update: 12 Weeks

I had my 12 week appointment this morning so we decided to make it a family affair. Brad and I picked Henry up from school early and took him with us to meet Dr. Hargrove and hear his baby brother/sister's heartbeat. Much to my surprise and excitement she decided to do one more ultrasound to make sure everything was looking ok. So he actually got to see the babe in utero! I'm pretty sure he didn't get it, but it sure was fun to be all together to see our new member!

Everything looked right on target for 12 weeks and Dr. Hargrove was very pleased with how the baby is growing. I also got to hear the heartbeat with the doppler and it was like music to my ears. I feel like a 100 lb weight has been lifted off my shoulders! I feel free and open to talk about this pregnancy now and am so excited!

Some things for my records:

• nausea has worn off for the most part, but creeps up occassionally
• hate the thought/smell of Chick-Fil-A and BBQ (2 of my previous favorite foods on earth)
• boobs are enormous and still very sore
• my tummy is starting to poke out a bit, but still not really showing
• am very tired a lot of the time, but really don't have time to be tired like I did the first pregnancy so I press on
• crave p-nut m&m's, french fries, and red meat
• have a strong feeling that this baby is a girl (I also thought Henry was a girl until 2 weeks before the ultrasound, so we'll see)
  

Chicken Nugget

From here on out Baby #2 will affectionately be known as "Chicken Nugget". When we asked Henry what the baby's name is he said, "chicken nugget." So Chicken Nugget it is!
Ironically, the thought of chicken nuggets, patties, sandwiches, wings, strips or ANY of the like make me want to HURL.
Sorry Daddy...I know this is your livelihood, and I trust it will pass, but that's how I feel these days. Bring on the BEEF!

And Then There Were 2!!!

Some of you are already aware of our big news, but i'm putting it out there on the world wide web! I am 8 weeks and 1 day pregnant and had my 2nd and official appointment today. I was seen 2 weeks ago at 6 weeks b/c of some spotting and cramping, but all checked out to be fine. I've had no more of that and my Dr. said it is not totally uncommon in early pregnancy. We saw our little P-NUT swimming around today and Dr. Hargrove was very pleased with how everything looked. Brad and I are beyond excited about expanding our family and I know Henry's life will change dramatically, but all for the better. There is nothing like the bond of a sibling!

We have discussed at length keeping this a secret until 12 weeks b/c of our miscarriage history, but have decided to go ahead and spill the beans. Everything looks great so far and all we can do is pray for the best and hope this one "sticks!"

March 30, 2010!!!!