Welcome to WordPress.com. After you read this, you should delete and write your own post, with a new title above. Or hit Add New on the left (of the admin dashboard) to start a fresh post.

Here are some suggestions for your first post.

1. You can find new ideas for what to blog about by reading the Daily Post.
2. Add PressThis to your browser. It creates a new blog post for you about any interesting  page you read on the web.
3. Make some changes to this page, and then hit preview on the right. You can always preview any post or edit it before you share it to the world.

Spencer has been precrawling for a few months now. But this week he finally took the final steps and is now officially crawling.

Unlike some babies who take a few tentative steps now and again Spencer does everything with gusto. He goes 100 miles an hour. He started crawling Thursday and by Friday I could see his main goal was to pull up on whatever he could get close to. The next day he was pulling up to his knees in his crib and today he can almost get to his feet.

He will be sitting and then push up with his hands until he is in a down dog position. He balances there for a bit and either topples over or sits down. They he will quickly crawl away.

Some kids practice and practice until they get it right. Spencer seems to want to wait until he is certain he can do it, and do it quick. Then, and only then, does he take off.

His personality is really shining through these days. His laughter is contagious but just as quick as he laughs his feelings will change and he will get pissed off about an injustice with a toy and will start whaling loudly.

What a fun kid.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Nursing is going great. 1000% improvement over my nursing start with Elliott.

Spencer's First peds appt was uneventful. We go back for a 2 month visit.

Spencer opened his eyes big and wide today-his eyes are dark slate blue. I suspect they will turn brown over time. He is becoming more alert and stays awake for longer periods of time. But overall sleeps a lot still. For the past 2 nights he has slept with me all or part of the night. I never felt comfortable sleeping with E. Perhaps because I was medicated post C-Section and my mobility was poor. Or perhaps I am just more confident this go-round, I don't know. But it has afforded us better sleep-for which I am appreciative.

Elliott is adjusting. He doesn't want to hold or touch Spencer. But isn't angry or hurtful to him either. We are trying to give Elliott that same amount of attention but of course that is near impossible. With both of us home it has been great-but when hubby goes back to work I suspect E will have it twice as hard. E loves spending time with Dad and will be sad when he goes back…plus having to share my time with S will be even more difficult for him. I should have some fun things planned for him that will also be easy on me. Maybe Gymboree classes or something like it.

I consider myself a good planner but this transition after hubby goes back to work will be difficult. Throw Christmas in the mix and I for sure will be tapped out.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

We got home yesterday afternoon from the hospital. I was sooo excited to see Elliott. He was napping so we were able to settle in a bit before he woke.

We had a super relaxing transition home, ordered take out and went to bed early. The night was rough as Spencer didn't sleep until 2am but we slept from 2-5 great!

Other things to report-

My milk came in today!

My heartburn is almost gone.

The bloody toothbrush is gone.

The swollen gums are gone.

I lost 17.5 lbs since my last midwife visit.

Squating to pee is a lot easier than sitting and the urine avoids my stitches. Thank you Stroller Strides for making me do all those squats.

My wonderful husband bought me the most awesome “push prize”. It arrived via UPS last night with perfect timing-its a Tiffany key and it balances out my charm necklace perfectly!

We put up our tree and Hubby and E put up light.

More soon and photo's.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

This time around it was important to me to have an accurate account of the events and when they occurred. Partly because I am neurotic and partly because I like to look back as my memories fade quickly when no sleep is involved. So here is the technical update and the emotional one will come later.

3:30pm almost 10 cm dilated past zero station

3:45pm epidural is awesome and knowing what is coming- -I manage to nap for 20 minutes. Time/progress is slowing, I suspect allowing me to gather the energy for the next stage.

4:45pm full 10cm dialated and began light pushing. The 3 hour push time limit begins.

5:30pm they suggest and do drop the epi dose hoping to assist with more effective pushing. The thought being if I could feel more I would be more inclined and able to push. They went from a 16 down to 4 on the epi.

6:00-6:30pm My Midwife leaves to check on her other laboring patients and the epi is almost off. The pain is now back to being intense and causing me distress, anxiety and panic. They keep having me change positions to try and relieve some of the pain, but manage to loose the babies HR . It is also causing me exceeding discomfort. I start vomiting and they give me zofran. Panic ensues-my blood pressure drops, I have a low grade fever (100.7), and the room floods with docs trying to determine the cause of the problems. They even started to suspect the cord being wrapped around him. There was a lot of commotion and whispering.

6:45pm My midwife returns and I insist on being in a comfortable position for me. They also up the epi again and relief is almost instant. We resume our normal pushing pattern and are making progress again. But because of the scare we are being monitored by the MD's and are on a tight time limit-we are approaching our 3 hours.

7:00pm Things are back in swing-I am energized and pushing well.

7:45pm Docs visit again ready to call time on me but instead see my sons head and my effective pushing. Go me!

8:01pm Spencer is born! Laid on my chest where he promptly poops all over me. The cord is left to pulse. And we start our bonding. His apgars were 7 and 8. He got a slow start with crying and took a few minutes to pink up but quickly found his way. The placenta is birthed and the cord is later cut. All is well in my world.

Later the midwife, who is doubtful, but wants to be safe indicates I may have contracted chorioamnioitis from being ruptured for so long and the labor taking a while. They put me on 2 IV antibiotics and Spencer gets tested too.

We are both fine and recovering well. Photos and updates soon! Xoxoxoxo

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

9 cm and station 0. She thinks in the next 2 hours I will deliver. They already wrote happy birthday spencer on the board in my room.

I started to cry – I feel nervous and excited and worried – all in the same breath.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

From 3am to 9am I didn't have any consistent or real contractions.

When the shift changed and a new midwife came on board she suggested, rather than start me on pitocin or an enema or castor oil, to sweep my membranes again and break any bag of water left. She also checked my cervix and I was 3cm-that was around 9:45am.

Very soon thereafter I began having contractions-strong ones with hardly a break in between. Hubby made me keep standing and walking and I was getting pissed. I broke out in tears several times and by 10:30am I was ready for an epidural.

We agreed that I would wait till 11am and hope that I had dilated more. At 11am I was 4cm and really in a lot of pain. I asked for the epi.

Holy shit-why people labor without one is beyond me. It was painless to administer and I feel awesome.

My contractions are steady and progressing nicely. Its 1pm and the initial pain meds should be easing off and the epi itself kicking over. Then I should start to feel more of the contractions and less numb.

More details soon-hopefully the next update is news of a baby. But I suspect I have a bit of time.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

3:30 am and I am checked in to Labor and Delivery.

Positive test on my water breaking-duh! … And the 24 timer now starts. Already I feel anxious and under the gun to get my contractions moving and active.

Getting the IV was horrible. She poked around my right arm for a long while and didn't get it in. Then I needed a break because I thought I might vomit. Which I didnt-phew. Then a different nurse worked on the other side. It still feels uncomfortable. I hate needles and being prodded painfully.

If the contractions don't progress and cause cervical changes by 8 or 9 am then the midwife suggests taking castor oil or an enema. Or if I decline those I can start on pitocin.

So far the contractions are totally tolerable and about 3 minutes apart. It feels like a gradual tightening of my lower abdomen. They are steadily getting stronger the less anxiety I feel. My digestive system is still purging and I feel nauseas. Even as I am typing they are getting more frequent and harder.

Spencer is moving around fine and his heart rate is great. I feel a huge amount of love for Elliott right now-hormones? We had the best week together and compared with the 2 weeks prior-i am very grateful for that time. I feel like we really bonded and were able to reconnect.

Jeff is trying to nap while he can, and I am enjoying my hour in between the fetal monitoring to be alone with my contractions and anxiety.

The irony in all of this is that the day before I went into labor with Elliott I ate at CPK for lunch. Tonight, before we went to the Del Mar Festival of Lights we also ate at CPK. We never eat at CPK. Today is also my BFF's daughters first birthday…will they share the day?

When we arrived home tonight I started to feel some mild contractions and felt compelled to show my MIL all the things she would need to know around the house and regarding Elliott. Then we went to bed early. I got 3 great hours of sleep and here we are.

I am ready to welcome this boy into the world. Bring it on. More soon.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®