I am just so glad that we've passed that two week mark. Now I can drive, we can get out a bit more (although I'm in no hurry to take her to really germy places), life is just so much easier.

It's so beautiful out today. I can't wait to go out trick or treating with the boy. I have to go dig out his pumpkin bucket, but he's totally clear on the concept. He knows the phrase "trick or treat" and that he gets candy. How he knows this is a mystery.

Tomorrow we have our two week checkups. I can't wait to see how big the girl is getting. I know she's gaining. Her cheeks, belly, and thighs are definitely filling in. And hopefully I'll get a gold star for my recovery as well. She also has a hip ultrasound Friday, but I know her hips are a-ok. She does still like being crunched up, in the sling, in her same breechy position.

Way to freak a mom out :: phone message from pediatrician's office about my baby's test results, saying call back today. Turns out they just didn't get enough blood for her toxoplasmosis test, where I'm freaking out, as I'm on hold, that she's got PKU or something, cause I don't even know what they test for in the hospital.

Nino will be so happy though - today her cord fell off. He's freaked out by it every time he helps me change her. I'm glad we didn't have to wait for her tub bath though. Our pedi now doesn't give any "rules" about the cord - no alcohol, give baths any time, don't worry about it. And you know what? It was exactly the same, within a day, of when Nino's fell off.

I think all of my kids will be well served by my first being a "high needs" baby. I can't tell yet if this one is, but I feel like she's more mellow. Or maybe it's just me. I had to hold or wear her brother, nurse on demand, sleep touching him, just for my sanity. And now, that's what I do. I can't imagine parenting any other way now, but it grew from necessity. He's a perfectly normal, well adjusted almost 3 year old. Sure, he has his moments, but nursing until after his second birthday and sleeping with mommy and daddy did nothing to tamper his independent spirit. And as my MIL says "he's obviously not a child that never has 'no' said to him". We're not pushovers, just doing what's right for us.

We just got back from princess's checkup. She had been a bit jaundiced. Today, they didn't even think she needed a heel prick, she's such a normal color. Her hips "don't feel breechy", but they still do a two-week ultrasound. And she *is* getting two teeth. I'm not nuts. They brought all the nurses out since it's so rare. My superstar.

And they want breastfed babies to their birthweight by two weeks. Five days later, she's 7 lb exactly - 3 oz over her birthweight. WTG momma milk!

A recap of our week.

Tuesday: Appointment with Hypnobirth instructor. That afternoon, BP sends me for 24-hr observation in hospital. Baby has remained head down.

Wednesday: Discharged to bedrest.

Thursday night: awoken by serious baby movement.

Frday: Another BP check, NST, and Biophysical profile. DH is in xray for his foot while I am in radiology for BPP. His tibia has chips. She is certainly head up. Because of BP issues, they want her delivered soon. Soonest time available is Monday morning at 7:30. I figure we have the weekend to decide on a name and figure out G's childcare, etc.

Friday night: Climb into bed with Harry Potter. About 11 I feel funny. Get up to use the toilet. Poor DH is trying to hobble off the toilet for me and I feel I can't hold it. Turns out I'd sprung a large leak. I sit on toilet, hoping it's an "all at once" thing. We call MIL and I'm still leaking. This is a lot of liquid. G wakes up, I give him a kiss, Grandma settles in on mattress on floor. Get to hospital, where contractions have begun. Still leaking, they get me ready for C. Signing forms. Meanwhile, labor is really kicking in. I think it'd have been a fast one, as in the 1.5 hrs since my water broke, I really have to concentrate on them. They did no internal because of the germ factor, but I felt similar to when I showed up at the hospital with G, 5 cm.

Dr. Parker, the anesthesiologist, rocks. He talked me through it all, took necessary precautions but not over the top. "My" nurse, Molly, rocks too. She was who I'd have chosen to look after my baby. I get in there, they give me the spinal, which works immediately. I felt very lightheaded, and couldn't tell if it was the lights or the weirdness of the situation or what. My BP had dropped, so they adjust my medication. DH is brought in on his rolly stool and in his jumpsuit. I didn't know they had begin to cut me until I hear "there's her bum!!" and hear the yell. I could tell they were doing stuff, but not even a moment of discomfort. She is placed in the warmer. I watch DH cut the cord, hear her yell yell yell, her little bright red body. She came out very clean, a bit of blood, some vernix, and her hair is red when wet. Suddenly I feel my heartbeat in my ears. Dr P adjusts my meds again. My BP kept plummeting and I felt woozy.

As soon as I'm stitched up, we are brought to a recovery room, where I can hold her and nurse her. I'm very, very shaky, but she's a champ and knows what she wants. I probably shook for about an hour afterwards. It's weird to shake like that and not be cold.

Baby girl is bathed, swaddled, and we all go back to our room. Zonk out for several hours. At some point that afternoon, we officially decide on her name. Just seeing her, we know. It's perfect.

Massima Ward I. 6 lb 13 oz, 19" peanut.

So I show up for my bi-weekly NST for hypertension. They want to do a biophysical profile. They go to measure her head.

That's her bum. Again. I was woken up by activity last night, so it must have been serious. She's fine, measuring 7 lb 3 oz, and practice breathing. I almost had a C today.

I have to be there at 5:30 monday morning to deliver my baby girl. October 17 was my first original edd. How funny is that?

Unless my water breaks or something.

Oh and hubby was bringing the trash out today and broke his ankle. We are *quite* the pair.

I'm home with no baby. Which is good and not good. No induction, but no baby. BP was out of control at my appointment Tuesday, so I got sent for 24-hour observation and urine collection. BP is still high, but since it was able to (barely) stay under 150/90 with rest, I get to go home. On bedrest. And try things like pineapple, EPO, and sex to get me back.

I have until friday when I get checked again. Possible weekend induction. I'm at a "high and tight" 1.5 cm, so they aren't really raring to induce. If I were at a 3-4, she'd be here.

Off to dig out those capsules and shower the hospital stink off to get my hubby in the mood.

It was also my first night away from Nino. He left crying saying he wanted me to sleep at home. I did too. *sigh* He did fine though. Me, I needed Ambien. ;o)

Welcome to the world L Jack vT. Glad you didn't make your mom wait much longer.

This morning, at our hypnobirthing refresher, Mary told me my face looks like I'm close to delivering. I think that's a nice way of saying I'm puffy. I feel it, especially after taking some photos yesterday. Blergh. But it was nice to see her, chat, relax, and generally feel more prepared for the next step.

During relaxation, I had some contractions, verging on painful. I hope that all this hooey of pre-labor means a shorter main event. I dont' feel 100% ready yet, but close. And I don't have any of the same signs I had before Nino, other than the fact that all my nails broke. Weird omen that I haven't seen in any books, but a few days before his birth, all my nails broke off.

Wallace and Gromit was okay this weekend. I wanted the cleverness of the earlier stuff. Ah well. It was more mass-audience focused, which is fine. And I got some good sewing done. Two new pouches. Maybe for me?

Well the version was a-okay. Not comfy, not painless, but it worked! I'm a tish sore today, just like a bruise, which is no big surprise with the way they muscled me.

Now if I could go into labor in the next week, that would rock. Like Monday maybe. I'll have to check the lunar calendar. I've been crampy and achy, which could just have to do with this bizarre weather and the manhandling.

Just checked the lunar calendar. Apparently the 17th, my original due date, is a full moon. Imagine I have yet another punctual child?

Had the fun of my first non-stress test yesterday. I had a headache which with my BP issues can mean something. So I called to see what else I could take . . . 2 hours later I'm at the birth center with monitors all over. I did, however, get to check out the new tub. I so want to use this tub.

And read vogue. This very bizarre ad where this woman had an octopus on her head.

So I was telling hubby about it, as a while back there was a Jamie Kennedy show that in volved models and bugs in their mouth. Nino was there and goes "OH MY GOD!!" his use of that phrase just cracked us up. Lots. Then he went on to say that the octopus needs to go back in the Merrimack River.

Oh ya. And I was reading the sheet on The Version today, where they say things like "breech deliveries have a higher rate of c-section". Does this possibly mean that my doc will do vaginal breech deliveries? Can I do a little happy dance? I'd love that. That'd be cool. For her life I could tell her she came out arse first.

I am quite hopeful. At the chiropractor yesterday, she thought the baby is head down, sunny side up. Which they let me labor and/or deliver in. Possible back labor, yes, but avoiding c-section is wonderful, to me. Taking a bath Sunday night, baby was very active, and there was a moment of instant relief from back pain. It hasn't come back either. Not the awful chronic pain I had. And this morning, the sitter told me my shape was different. I'm hoping that one of these things is something.

Still, version is scheduled for Thursday, and maybe they can just wiggle her into place a bit. And jumpstart some labor? ;o)