She's Here!

{Maylee Renae Peters}

4/15/12 ~ 4:09 PM ~ 7lbs 1oz ~ 21 inches

I think she looks like Clara did, but with a rounder face and a bit more hair. She is definitely a Peters!

Our room was right by the heli pad... Every time it flew by it made me think of Clara. She would've LOVED to see it in action!

Maylee's sweet little dry feet...

And teeny tiny fingers!

Mmmm... We love our sweet baby May so much already!

Everything went well and we are home now enjoying the beautiful spirit she brings to our family. Dennis has this week off work and I'm very grateful to have so much of his help as we try and balance things so that everyone gets at least a little bit of sleep. ;-) I have lots of pictures and Miss Maylee's birth story to share but I'm not sure when I'll be able to get it all written and posted. I'm having a hard enough time keeping my eyes open long enough to write this post, so it might be a few days! Just know that we are all healthy and happily adjusting to our new little family of four. :) 

Nap Time {And a Pregnancy Update}

I put Clara down for her nap yesterday afternoon. I was aware that she didn't actually fall asleep until at least an hour later... But I didn't know this is what she was doing!!!

Clara's newest thing is to organize the books/dvd's in a pathway and slip and slide on them. Oh boy.

I got out the infant car seat a couple weeks ago so I could wash it and get it ready for the baby. It is Clara's new favorite hang-out. She gets really mad when we take it away from her. I wonder how she's going to feel when there's a little baby occupying her car seat...

*Pregnancy Update* (Because I know you really want to know these details... haha!)

I am 38 weeks 3 days with baby girl #2. Yesterday at my Dr. appointment I actually ended up seeing the same doctor as last week because the one I had an appointment with was busy delivering one of the 7 babies (plus 3 scheduled c-sections) they had in yesterday morning. It made me giggle because he pretty much told me the same thing as last week, except instead of "probably go into labor within the week" that I'd "probably go into labor within the next couple of days." Hmm... If I see him at next week's appointment I'm not sure if I will laugh or cry! I would still only be 39 weeks, but it's the whole "she's-coming-any-minute-now... but-not-really" thing that is driving me crazy and trying my patience! Not that I am mad at the Dr. for his estimates... I just wonder if it'd be better if I never heard them and just went on being ignorantly pregnant. I guess this baby is just determined to not follow the "norm."

So, as of yesterday I am dilated to a 4, 80% effaced, and at a zero station (baby is low). From what I've read in the pregnancy books I've progressed from early to active labor with those stats! Haha. Awesome. Two nights ago the contractions were actually a little painful so I timed them for almost three hours. They never got closer than 7 minutes, and the pain eventually faded. I really really really thought I was in labor, but alas, I was able to fall asleep and woke up contraction free. Yesterday I asked the Dr. when EXACTLY I should come in because I was really debating about it two nights ago... He said if my water breaks or if contractions come every 5-10 minutes for an hour. I think I could've gone into the hospital four or five times these past two weeks... But they just didn't hurt enough to be the real thing in my mind. I think next time though I will go in. I am really nervous that since I am already halfway through labor that when it really does happen it will go so fast that I won't get there in time for an epidural. Is that a legitimate fear to have? If it goes really fast is the pain "easier" to bear naturally? I'm not into breathing exercises (they make me feel like I'm going to pass out- and I know what passing out feels like! Haha), nor am I much in control of my mental self enough for the whole hypno/positive-thought/imagine-you're-drinking-virgin-pina-coladas-at-the-beach kind of "pain management" that they taught in Clara's birthing class. I made my mind up long ago that I was a fan of anesthesia in all its forms (a certain Ramones song comes to mind... I want to learn it on the guitar but I sadly don't have room on my lap for both my belly and my guitar) even if it's only partially effective on me. I think my dentist uses at least 3 or 4 times the "usual" dose of Novocain to get me sufficiently numb (bless him!) Maybe the thought of saving a few hundred dollars by not getting an epidural would be good pain management for me... Now that is some motivating positive thinking! ;-)

Hmm... This was going to be a short pregnancy update. Can you tell what I constantly think/talk/write about these days? Haha... Keep cookin' baby... I will try really hard to be patient!

Easter 2012

This is NOT a birth announcement... She's still cookin'... I think I've been in early labor for close to a week and a half, but maybe that will make the real thing go faster if I'm already half-way there??? We'll see what the doctor says tomorrow morning at my 38 week appointment.

This year we spent Easter morning at our house. Clara opened her basket and gift from Grandma Teri. I looove the dress & little hat outfit! I will need to take her outside for a shoot sometime... We've got a high of 77 here today and the rest of the week is going to be in the 60's & low 70's. Warm weather makes me SO HAPPY! :-D (Do you hear that baby? It's supposed to be really nice weather! Doesn't this week sound like a lovely time to greet the world?) We went to church and listened to messages about our Savoir and the atonement and his great love for us... Easter Sunday is always one of my favorite days at church. After church we went to my parent's house for a delicious ham dinner. I was hoping that I had stuffed myself so much that baby would decide that there wasn't enough room for her anymore (and wouldn't 4-8-12 have been a really cool birthday?) but maybe I didn't eat enough. The night before Clara was born Dennis and I were on our "last date" and went to the temple and Golden Corral for dinner. That method must've worked for Clara, but this girl is a bit more determined to hang out a while longer. I'm just so excited! Soon enough... Soon enough...

Anyway, pictures. It's not a post without pictures. :)

This girl has a thing with her wrapping paper being just right...

I am soooo big!

Almost...

My tulips and daffodils are almost blooming...

 This is the first year I've had spring flowers. I've ALWAYS wanted them, but was never on the ball enough to get them planted in the fall! I think it's kind of neat that they were planted when this baby was the size of a cinnamon bear.

The buds on the trees are almost blossoming...

Spring blossoms and flowers are the ultimate symbol of hope to me... Hope for longer, warmer days. Hope for bright colors. Hope for a fruitful harvest...

Spring for me these past few years has also been a time of anticipation- the biggest events being the birth of my two daughters. Baby girl #2 is almost here!

Last week at my 36 week appointment I was at a 2 & 50%. That didn't really mean much because I could go on for weeks like that. On Wednesday, however, I was at a 3 & 70% and she was very low. I thought that interesting because everything I've read says that babies don't engage until you're in labor in subsequent pregnancies. I suppose though, that at a 3 & 70% I'm technically in early labor. It just seems to be lasting for days/weeks. My doctor told me that he was very doubtful that I would make it to my 38 week appointment; I would most likely go into labor within the week.

I have a few thoughts on that... I am happy to have that "heads up" that things are progressing and that she is almost ready to make her debut, but that leaves me wondering with every contraction, "could this be it?" It also will be torture if she doesn't decide to come within the week. This anticipation is killing me!

Despite the news that this baby is probably almost coming soon (and all the torture that news brings with it) I am determined to have patience and gratitude for this little life inside of me. Every time I start feeling sorry for myself all I can think of are so many others that are going through the complete opposite struggles like infertility, miscarriage and premature birth. Who am I to complain about the wait for a full-term baby? I also like the idea that the baby is the one that decides when to start labor. I've read that although they don't know for sure, the popular thought is that the baby sends out chemical messages from their brain and that's what triggers labor to start. I am incredibly skeptical about any of the home-methods of inducing labor anyway, but I'm not going to be mixing any crazy concoctions or walking miles and miles to try and "get things started." I also don't want any medical help starting labor unless it is deemed necessary (like if I'm overdue or the baby is in stress, etc.) It's just the whole "I've-hit-37-weeks-so-I'm-going-to-walk-a-marathon-a-day-until-this-stubborn-baby-comes" thing that I don't really understand. I should be clear that I don't look down on anyone that does any of these things. I'm not a fan of having such little control over my own body either. I totally understand what the end of pregnancy feels like!... And maybe I don't actually understand since Clara was born a couple weeks early and (I've been told) that this one will probably be the same. I couldn't even imagine going 42 weeks. Ugh! It's not the labor discomforts that are driving me crazy... It's the psychological stuff... The not knowing! The eternal wait! The almost there...

Anyway, enough with my little rant. Since about Saturday life has been such a roller coaster. There have been days where I'd get strong contractions every 8 minutes for a couple hours, then they'd stop. Then there would be days (like yesterday) where I'd maybe get 8 contractions total all day. And then last night about midnight I had some rather painful, crampy contractions for about an hour. I was sure that today would be the day- I just wanted to wait as long as possible to wake up Dennis. But instead of getting stronger and more painful they got weaker and I was able to fall asleep. She is SO TEASING ME! When Clara was born her water had broke 6 1/2 hours before and there was nothing that made me wonder if I was in labor before that. This pregnancy is sooo different! I'm just glad I know what real labor feels like or I probably would've been to the hospital four times by now based on the frequency and duration of the contractions! Until then I'm just waiting for the contraction that really feels like labor.

Wow this is a long post. Once again, if you've made it this far I'm sorry. This was one of those venting/ personal therapy/ personal journaling kind of posts and I can't imagine anyone enjoying my random pregnant thoughts! Maybe the next post will be a birth announcement... Or maybe not. :) We'll just have to see.

I'm going to go play with my only-child that is almost a big sister...