Family of Four

...the rest of the story: (warning, this could be TMI)
last night, we let Ethan stay up late. Right as he and Michael were starting to read stories, I sat down in bed and, sure enough, my water broke!
As Michael ran around frantically getting our bags down to the car, Ethan was running back and forth down the hallway excitedly screaming about the baby coming, I called my mom to let her know we'd be bringing Ethan down for a sleep over weekend. As we got in the car and started driving, I started having more intense and frequent contractions. So, rather then driving away from the hospital, we took Ethan to my sister's and my parents picked him up from there. He was in heaven, I believe this was going through his head; "Wait, you're telling me I get to go hang out with Auntie and Steve and play Star Wars video games, THEN spend the night with Grandma and Papa?!?! AHHH, I'm so excited!"
On the way to the hospital I started timing my contractions, they were about 2-3 minutes apart and lasting 40 seconds-1 minute. We arrived at Penrose St Francis Hospital and were checked into the triage unit at 9:42pm (thank you to my husband for remembering these details). The normal process at the hospital is that you go straight to triage where they verify that you are indeed in labor and at a point where they will admit you.
Our nurse confirmed that my water had broken, I was about 3-4 centimeters dilated and baby's head was very, very low. They also started monitoring baby's heart rate and my contractions. Heart rate was looking good and my contractions were getting ever stronger and more frequent. Thank God for my husband, he was there with a strong hand for every contraction. We got admitted to a labor and delivery room (after what felt like forever) around 11pm, and I was more then ready for an epidural. Our delivery nurse was phenomenal. Her attitude and compassion made us feel like we were old friends with her. She called the anesthesiologist and the epidural was in by midnight.
Here's where things got a little rough. The epidural was working for my belly but nothing lower, in other words the contractions were still very painful and I could feel everything else they needed to do (catheter, cervix checks, etc). Oh, and I'm only 4 1/2 centimeters dilated, so this is beginning to feel like a long night. At this same time, baby's heart rate drops into the 90's (it should be in the 100's). The nurse comes in, puts me on oxygen, makes me turn to my side and has to insert a heart rate monitor directly over the baby's head. Painful!!
The epidural comes with a pain button, every 20 minutes you can push the button and get more medicine. After pushing it 3 times, it finally started to relieve some of the pain in the lower region. The nurse told us that she would check us in 2 hours and if there hadn't been enough change she would have to start me on Pitocin, a drug to stimulate contractions, because of the decelerations of nugget's heart rate.
Once, I was feeling a little better, Bri and Steve came in to hang out with us. I felt so bad, it was the middle of the night and it didn't feel like this was going to go quickly. But them being there was a huge blessing, it provided enough of a distraction for Michael and I to relax. The nurse came back in at 2am for a check, I had decided that we would tell Bri and Steve to go home, that we would call them when it got closer. What the nurse discovered was that in those 2 short hours, I dilated completely and baby was ready to be born!
The on call doctor arrived within 20 minutes and after about 15 minutes of pushing, the announcement of:

Notice, her footprints look like she only has 4 toes per foot, she has all her toes, two just curl in like Ethan's

"It's a girl" rang through our ears. Lucy Nicolle Lockhart was born at 2:36 am on 5/31/11. She weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. With a little bit of dark peach fuzz on her head. She was placed on my chest for her first few minutes of life.
Her birth and next 24 hours of life were so much different then Ethan's. With Ethan everything was chaotic and rushed and scary. With Lucy, everything happened naturally and seemed so much more relaxed. There were 4 people in the delivery room, including Michael and I, until moments before she came out, when a nursery nurse came in.
Lucy stayed with us in the delivery room for the first hour of her life and ate, ate, ate. After that she went to the nursery for her first bath, her footprints and a little Daddy prep talk. Then, she was ours. She stayed in our room, aside from two nursery check ups, and we were both discharged this morning.

She found her thumb, not normal for newborns, they usually lack the coordination. She's very smart

We had a few visits from the family during our stay

A few of Ethan's pictures:

My many hospital bracelets, so happy to be rid of them
Going home!!

Who would've thought, two days ago, the thought of a daughter freaked Michael out. he is now completely smitten with this slice of gorgeousness, and she with him.
We are now home, a family of four.

Family of Three

I started maternity leave on Sunday (Saturday was my last day of work). It was a huge relief to be done, my attitude and emotional state were in serious jeopardy of turning ugly and that just wouldn't be fair. Everything that was bothering me was everything that I would do had I been in my coworkers shoes; "Are you excited?" "Any day now huh?" But, being the 9 month pregnant lady, it was tiresome. Two weeks ago, Michael and I discussed it and decided it best that I start my time away at week 39, regardless of whether nugget was here or not.
My intention for the, hopefully, final week of my pregnancy was to spend some time with Ethan, just doing whatever we felt like.
Mike had to work both Sunday and a half day Monday, and due to a nasty cough, Ethan and I actually slept in both days. The previous post is our pictures from Sunday morning, then in the afternoon, we headed over to the gym to enjoy the outdoor pool, which was freezing!!
Monday hen we woke up, Ethan really wanted to go back to the gym (he loves it there and I know I won't have any excuses not to go). So, we went over and he played while I did a slow workout. After nap, Michael was home. The three of us headed down to Old Colorado City for the annual Territory Days.
Highlights of Territory Days:
1. Riding a school bus from Coronado High School down to the festival (and back again)



2.Getting a snow cone

3. Riding the kid's train!!!
We had an awesome day. Ethan, who has been full of temper tantrums and rebellious behavior, was well behaved. I have been feeling great since we hit full term.
How lucky we were to spend this perfect day together as a family of three... to be continued...

Picture Day

If you give a three and a half year old a camera, what will he take pictures of? Everything!! Yesterday, we went to the park and I let E control the camera, here is a sampling of his photography.






And, of course, a few that I took
This one's my favorite (first I had to get over the fact that he was crushing some of my plants, its a garden, if you can't use it for joy, what good is it?)

Full Term!

We made it! Nugget is officially full term, now we just wait, and wait, and wait. So, what do you do to stay busy when you loose your patience? So far, I have taken up painting (a little) and we went fishing. Days off aren't bad, its working that's really hard. And not because I'm tired or in pain, but because every week I think I won't have to go back, then I do. And everyday people ask "How are you feeling", "Aren't you ready to pop" I can't just will the thing out people! And how would you feel with a 7 pound baby hanging out in your belly? It's great, it's miserable. I'm anxious and excited to get it out, but I'm not ready! So I smile and nod and tell them they'll know when baby comes.

Today, we went fishing. Well, Mike fished, Ethan and I played and hiked. We had a great time. In the midst of our day in the mountains, my sis in law (BFF) had her baby!!! Mirabelle Sophia, entered the world today, on her Grandma's birthday, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces. I am so bummed I am not there to meet her.

36 Weeks and Still Going Strong

We made it! Ethan was born at 35 weeks, on the nose, and here we are at 36 weeks and some odd days. We are ecstatic and so over being pregnant all at the same time. It's very difficult right now, it just feels like we're waiting. Will it be today? Next week? In June? But we also know that everyday this nugget cooks is a better chance for a healthy delivery and less of a chance of a NICU stay. So our emotions are in constant battle.
I am still working, thank goodness since our operations department is currently going through the biggest turn over we've ever had. So there's lots of training to be done before I'm out for 3 months.
We are no longer on medication to prevent labor, whenever God decides its time for baby to come, the doctor has given the green light. My body is progressing toward labor but nothing too dramatic or fast.

Our bags have been packed for several weeks (ever since our hospital scare) and are just sitting on the bedroom floor, waiting to be used.

I'm thinking I can probably exchange the preemie diapers I bought for plain newborn size!!
We are just so anxious to meet this one. We are dying to find out the gender, but are still really happy we decided not to. I can't wait to be able to exercise and run with Ethan, and not worry about if he wants to lay on my stomach.

My belly button has, basically, popped. I think that means we're done.
Until next time... (Maybe from the hospital, but probably not)