Hey, no time for blogging lately. Between reading the latest Harry Potter book and taking care of a newborn and a toddler I have been kind of busy. Yes I finished Harry Potter. Actually took me 9 days due to having my hands so full. If you have read it (Oh my gosh can you believe the end...!) If you have not, well you suck.

Breastfeeding is a new and crazy challenge, getting these battle cruisers into position is half the battle! I admit I actually miss pumping a little because of the efficiency and the knowledge of how much you are actually getting into the baby! Having the choice to breastfeed rather than pump this time is awesome though!

Alanna grunts all the time...sleeping, eating, rooting...only when she is in deep R.E.M. sleep does she stop. We are calling her "Grunty Pig" right now. Tee hee. Connor is taking all of this pretty well, but I admit he is watching a lot more tv due to breastfeeding time and record-breaking heat advisory days.

That's all for now, I have to soak the aching parts that pushed out a baby two weeks ago.

Toodles
I went in for induction on Thursday, but Alanna was determined to be born on Daddy's birthday! After not responding to the pitocin, my OB hooked me up with a sweet epidural and broke my water. Hours later, at 4:16 AM on Friday the 15th, little Ms. Alanna made her entrance into the world. She was 7 pounds and 11 ounces, and 20.8 inches long.

We had the TLC A Baby Story experience complete with Alanna laid on my belly right after the last push. She breast fed right away and was perfect. She has a full head of dark hair and my exact nose, so of course she is dang cute!

Mommy, Daddy and Alanna headed home last night at 6:45 and have been settling in nicely. All three of us are learning about the challenges and joys of breastfeeding. Connor seems to like his little sister a lot...or at least likes her toys. Alanna has turned out to be a snuggler unlike her brother, we love to cuddle with her!

Thanks to everyone who sent their thoughts and prayers our way! It is rather odd being told when you will have your baby. I mean, I get to put my house in order and stock the fridge, but now I feel the need to sit with my belly and enjoy it while it is still there.

The pregnant belly is cute, it is jolly, it takes your figure and makes it acceptable to the world. For a short time while you are extremely pregnant people take you off of their "judgment" radar and just think "oh she is pregnant, how cute". The day after you deliver you are back to being chubby. Tell me this isn't true?

My belly is low and forward, looking like it is about to blast off of me. It moves and kicks. It has fashionable purple wavy lines across it. It holds a life inside of it that will soon be independent from mine (well sorta). I have to stop and cherish this feeling before it goes away tomorrow.

I am nervous about tomorrow but for different reasons than you might think. I wasn't that nervous the first time because it was a new adventure, I had no idea what to expect. Now I know what it is like to give birth and I shiver with dread. Granted Connor's birth was on the extreme side with the 36 hours of labor, 3 and 1/2 hours of pushing, head not molding and facing the wrong way. Nevermind the congenital surprises that smacked us upside the head. But it sucked! Yes ladies...I admit that the birth of my son sucked! It sucked rhino. There were no magical moments. NONE. I am so hoping that this is different. I want the TLC "Baby Story" experience this time. But still, there is blood, gore, mucus, pain, IV fluid, monitors. It sucks. To have Mother Nature spring it on you in the middle of the night is one thing, to present yourself at the hospital for torture is another. Just wired isn't it? Ahhhhh modern medicine.

Keep me in your prayers ok? My OB does not want me to go past 39 weeks due to this low amniotic fluid thing. My fluid is not critical, but not great and needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Actually the level II ultrasound docs at Bethesda Naval wanted to do it last week! So...Jason and I are going into the L&D department for induction at 8:30 am on Thursday.

Now, because she has MY feisty genes in her this may trigger Alanna to come before than and ruin the nice schedule we have put into place, afterall, I told my niece Summer to stay put until after I came back from the Lollapalooza concert and did she listen? Nooooo.

I called my mother-in-law, the one who is supposed to be in the labor and delivery room with us and told her that I am being induced on Thursday. She is bringing one of her grandchildren back from Tenneessee with her, but not in the L&D room so she had better make some plans.
I had to get one dig in when I spoke to my father about the induction last night, saying "at least I was having the baby earlier enough so that it would not conflict with his vacation plans."

Stupid family. Grrrrr.

Breathe Colleen...breathe...

Think good thoughts for us, send thoughts, prayers and good mojo our way! Seems everyone I encounter wants me to have this baby right now...as if the choice is really up to me! People, Alanna is in charge right now. If I get to 40 weeks they will induce me but until then chill.

What I can tell you is that I had Connor at 37 weeks 6 days and that Jason had a presentation to give that day (he worked on it as I labored - silly husband), I will be at 37 weeks and 6 days tomorrow. What is Jason doing right this second? Working on his presentation for tomorrow. Most likely Ms. Thing has her own plan for her entrance into this world though. Girls are like that.

I feel like I am supposed to literally explode any minute. Kind of a weird feeling. Most of the things on my to do list are done, just need to make some food to freeze. My "thank you" notes from my baby shower are done...no combo baby announcement/thank you note this time around. We cleaned and vacuumed the van today, moved Connor's seat over and put in Alanna's seat. Yea! Now we can take her home without worrying about all of the dog fur and crushed goldfish crackers ruining her environment. We want to make a good first impression after all!

Connor is into everything "baby", describing everything as either "baby" or "big". "Baby thunder, big thunder, baby cow, big cow, baby bean, big bean..." He loves to see pictures of babies and can point to where his little sister is located right now. Of course, to be fair, he points to Daddy's belly right after that. He will be fascinated with his little sister, for at least a day. Alanna will come when she is supposed to and it will all work out relatives or no relatives. At times like this when a world tragedy strikes, you are reminded that it is all trivial. We have a wonderful home and supportive friends...and most importantly our good health.

Let's take some time today to send some seriously positive mojo to the people directly impacted by the bombings in London, and continuing mojo to the people who faced down the tsunami back in December.

Nothing but love.

-Colleen So we moved from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to D.C to be close to our families right? So that in the event that we need families close by, they are there right? Well then what the F is up with our families? Jason's mom has been so excited about helping out in the L&D room while I deliver...so she schedules a trip to visit Jason's siblings in Texas and Tennessee from July 1-12. My parents had a vacation scheduled for the end of July a year ago and would not change it when they found out my due date 9 months ago. So what is the point people? AHHHH!

Basically if I have Alanna on the 15th like I have joked I was going to (Jason's B-day) all is well. If I have Alanna now I get no mother-in-law support, if I have her on my due date my parents would not be around. Geez people, this has been planned for 9 months, get with the program.

If this is the way you're gonna act shouldn't we just move back to Florida?????

Moving on, I had a non-stress test with my OB today that went fine (as always). She was going to check to see how dilated I was and whatnot, but feared to disturb that part of my body because she did not want to trigger labor. Why you ask? Oh this is good...because the L&D department was not allowing women to deliver there! A pipe broke in the nursery, so they could not take care of the babies. All women who needed to deliver were being re-routed to Ft. Belviour or Bethesda Naval. Each 45 frickin minutes away IF you are lucky with traffic. WTF? Two blocks away v/s 45 minutes around the DC beltway. NOT.

Then at my level II ultrasound today a silly resident (my husband is one - I keed) tried to tell me that my amniotic fluid level was drastically low. I told her that she was wrong, and that there was no way that could be true. I have been drinking water like a fiend. Fortunately the real doctor came in and double checked...it was actually at the highest level ever for me. Alanna's kidneys looked dilated, but unchanged really since last time, so all was well...or was it? Because technically anyone over 36 weeks can deliver without significant risks they were trying to convince me to be induced! No way Jose! I told them "nah gonna doit". For one thing, my mother-in-law was not back yet, for another, there was no good reason for it. I called my OB and she agreed. She said she was glad I was so fiesty! Tee hee.

The good news is that the L& D department is set to re-open for admissions tomorrow. My OB said she would be happy to check me for dilation and whatnot either tomorrow or Friday. Heck, I have dropped another two centimeters since last time, I BET there are some other significant changes.

Alanna dear, it's up to you. You be born when you want to be, provided it is before your due date or they WILL induce you. Don't you worry your pretty little head about your silly relatives, they suck anyway. Just make sure you come out face down (unlike your brother) and give me just enough time to get an epidural before you make your grand entrance. Coming out after only three pushes would be nice too.

-Thanks

Love Mom.