A slice of country...: June 2008

Monday, June 30, 2008

Arlo's Stats

Just got home from Arlo's one month check-up. He has grown some, is making lots of vocalizations, and got a healthy report. He's now 22 3/4 inches, weighs 9 ponds 11 ounces, and has a 15" head circumfrence. He's still working on processing those red bllod cells through so he's got a little of that jaundiced yellow color left; the doc prescribed some more old-fashioned sunlight to help.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Grandma Waara Visits

My mom came down and spent a great week with us here - enjoying both Arlo's charm and the big DC-style heat wave. Arlo loved laying with her.

Of course, we kept her pretty busy on her visit - lots of projects, baby-holding, puzzling, and reading predominated. She even made some curtains for Arlo's room and recovered the cushions on the awesome glider chair that my co-workers gave me as a shower gift (it was pure white, and needed a little more protection!)

Arlo's Favorite Hangout

First Meeting

Isn't he Charming?

Good sleeper baby

Dots and swirls

Looking lanky in my buny suit

With mom on the glider - thanks CPB friends!

Showing off those long legs with dad

The Short Version of Arlo's Birth Story

Our goal was to have a natural childbirth. We chose to use midwives and birth at a birthing center in Annapolis, MD (The Bay Area Midwifery Center). It is about a 30 minute drive to the midwifery, which is on the campus of the Anne Arundel Medical Center, so we were covered had there been any complications. The midwives at the Center are terrific and I was so relieved to be in a place where I was comfortable and could let my body do what it is supposed to do.

We had a due date of May 30th or 31st (the earlier date came from my second sonogram.) My water broke just before 8 am on May 31, but no signs of contractions until after noon. We hung out at the house, ate good food, played Yahtzee, watched a movie, took walks, played more Yahtzee (Sam kept winning!), and began to track the contractions in the late afternoon. I called the midwives and let them know things were started and that my water had broken. They asked that we come in around 10 pm to check things out.

We drove to Annapolis with a car full of stuff: baby seat, overnight bag, cooler full of food and drinks. The exam showed I was 3 cm dilated and it would be awhile...contractions weren't very regular but they were getting stronger, and I took a little black cohosh which seemed to really help the contractions gain momentum. We walked around the campus a little, enjoying the cool night air. A few hours later, we went back inside and relaxed on the couch while the midwives finished seeing another new mom out to her car and home. Since my water had broken several hours before, I got an antibiotic to ward off any possible infection, and then I got into the tub. My contractions got stronger and stronger for the next 4 or 5 hours, most of which I spent in the jacuzzi, focused on relaxation. Sam was my coach and companion through it all...we were thankfully left alone for most of the time except periodic check-ins to make sure everything was going well. He brought me ice and water, reminded me to relax, responded to my requests. He really rocked! It was intense, and I was in a bit of a trance-like state - - deep meditation. Once I was fully dilated, we moved to the bed, where Sam and I both tried to sleep a little between contractions (we had been up nearly 24 hours at that point), but I had the urge to push so there wasn't much chance for rest. About 50 minutes later Arlo was born and I had him on my chest moments later. Kid was all natural.

By 11 am we were packed up and out of there. We got home around noon on Arlo's birthday and spent the rest of the day in awe. Now, two weeks later, I can't believe how quickly the pain of childbirth has faded in my mind. It's replaced by something much better: loving our little guy.