Wow. It is so amazing how time flies by… I wouldn’t say when you’re having fun, since it hasn’t always been fun, but its been interesting. I do love my little guy. He’s starting to “talk”, smile and even dance. I might be a little biased, but I think that he might be the cutest little guy ever.
I thought I should have a spot to rant specifically on poopy diapers and breastfeeding, so if this is what you want listen to, stay tuned!
Right now he’s really cranky, so I should probably do the right thing and check on my son…
Introducing!
Jack Martin Kyle
born at Strong Hospital on March 30, 2005 at 4:01 PM
8 1/2 pounds 22 inches
for those who want the nitty gritty…
contractions started at about 3:30 AM (yee gods!)
received some pitocen at some point (things are really hazy around here)
started pushing at around 3:00 PM (so no epidural for me)
lots of pain around this point and my mind leaves my body
baby arrives at 4:01 PM
Happy new family (yes I can still smile)
We are now at home and right at this very moment Jack is resting comfortably in my lap. Everyone is doing well, however I am extremely exhausted (suprise suprise).
Last night I don’t think anyone got much sleep. Gifts of food, a lap for Jack to rest in and hands to change diapers will be greatly welcomed. Otherwise I look forward to showing him off to all of you in the future!
Time to feed my little man now!
Love
Cathy
I’m still pregnant. I can think of quite a few other states I’d rather be in right now, and pregnant is not one of them. Jack seems quite content just hanging out right where he is, but for me I think I’d like him to come out any time now. Like maybe right now. Nope. Guess not.
The mystical “they” say that there are things that can encourage the baby to come out. Spicy food, long walks, and doing things that got you pregnant in the first place. Well, I’m still pregnant. So there goes that theory out the window.
Friday was my last day at work. I sort of wish that I had stayed a little bit longer, but my boss didn’t want me to go into labor at the library. I must imagine that wouldn’t be a pretty sight for all my co-workers and the library patrons. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if I started having contractions when all the kids were in the library for story time! What fun! “Mommy, why is the librarian crying and screaming?” Unfortunately it means that I’m home with not much to do. I’ve already cleaned up most of the house (although I could mop the floors) and I still need to finish writing thank-you notes (sorry everybody) but I feel very restless. I take naps, but they don’t last too long. I guess I should be taking advantage of this, considering that at the latest life will be changing very drastically on April 6, when the doctor is going to induce me (and which happens to be my mother-in-law’s birthday!)The doctor asked me if I wanted to wait until my birthday (April 18) and suprise suprise, I infatically stated that under no conditions would that be happening.
The glider was a gift from my mother-in-law, and the quilt was made by my paternal grandmother for her first great-grandchild, before she passed away. 
The room is yellow with a space border, so that it can be sort of gender neutral, in case the second baby is a girl.
Changing table of doom!
I went back to work today. It was really pretty exhausting to start working again after lying on the couch for two weeks. Still it was nice to be able to do something constructive. Everyone at work was pretty great about me taking it easy, however I’ve started to feel like I’m nothing but a fetus carrier, and not a person anymore. This is a feeling that I get not just from work, but from everywhere: doctor, friends, family, strangers. I’m just a belly with legs… its pretty creepy, I know but then again I am pregnant and therefor crazy.
I’ve been feeling quite panicky recently. I can’t really imagine why, but there you go. I’m really scared that after the little guy is born, there will be lots of people who want to visit him and hold him, but bit by bit, it will be like I’ve dropped off the face of the earth and swallowed up into a cavernous black pit. I’ll end up spending all my time caring for Jack and forgetting to wash my hair or change my clothes and I’ll begin to (or continue to, depending on who you talk to) lose my mind.
I just found out my little sis updated her website (click on the title to check it out)… That’s more than I can say for my website, which has pretty much died. I think it says that I still attend Geneseo (which I graduated from in 1999) Eeek. This is pathetic. Anyway, my sister’s got a cute website that mentions that her big sister’s first baby is due on March 27th…
Speaking of which, I have quite a lot to tell you about the little guy. I had a horrible cold and took Sudafed, which dried me out. I had an ultrasound because Jack was breech. Luckily by the time we had the ultrasound he had turned. Unfortunately, my amniotic fluid levels were really low, so I had to take a non-stress test, which came out okay. The doctor didn’t want to take any chances though, so I was put on bed rest. Not being able to do anything but lie on the couch and go to the bathroom gets boring really quickly, but I did it. I had to do weekly non-strees tests, and I had to have another ultrasound. My husband says that he looks like an Easter Island statue. So what do you think? I know, I know it’s that one eyeball staring right at you. Kinda freaky, but it’s still my little guy.
Little Jack looking at his mom…
Link: http://www.geneseo.edu/~slh8/
(oh my god. My cat just puked on my papasan chair. It makes me so ill. I hate her so much. oh great, now the dog just ate some of it. blek.)
People keep trying to remind me that women have been giving birth for thousands of years, and that due to all the leaps in medical technology women don’t need to “suffer” anymore. But I still don’t know what to expect. Lots of women have told me, don’t worry about it 20 minutes and you’ll have a baby. Unfortunately, I spoke to my mom, and she said that labor was really long and intense. Great. Thanks a lot mom and grandma. Luckily my mom is going to be in the delivery room, so I’ll be able to yell at her a lot (instead of my husband, who will stil be there, but I won’t have to yell at him. Well as much.) I vaguely remember my mom being in labor with my youngest sister. She was pacing back and forth and my dad was timing her contractions. I’m guessing it will be a couple hours of pain, with bones breaking and things spreading apart and lots of crying.
I’m also petrified of the epidural. Needles in the back, unable to feel my lower body and having a catheter in the back and the possibility of back problems after birth are pretty discouraging. Plus I looked up information on epidurals, and came across this faq. I’ve been trying (although not so hard recently) to educate myself, but maybe it would be better if I didn’t know anything. Ergh! I really don’t know if I want an epidural (well I know I don’t want an epidural), but I don’t want to have to go through all the pain either. The things we do to ensure that we are remembered when we die, and so that our family line is carried on. Stupid.
I think a little bit of me is scared of being responcible for another life (we have a dog and two cats, but I don’t think they expect very much, and as long as we don’t beat them, they probably won’t be traumatized) and it will be a small defenseless life at that. I’ve been wanting to say that yes, I am ready, but some part of me doesn’t really believe it. I want my child to be well rounded and a good citizen, but it’ll mean I have to be so dedicated and conscious of everything that happens to him. It sounds like a lot of work! But I guess that when its your own child you’re talking about, maybe it doesn’t always seem like work. Who knows. I sure as hell don’t. At least I’ll make sure that he reads. I guess thats part of the package when your mom’s a children’s librarian. You have to read.