Our baby Atticus!

I can't believe Atticus is now 4 weeks old!  Time flies, and I am finally writing about it all!  My labor happened in what I thought was a crazy, funny way. It wasn't at all how I expected it to go, so that's why I'm writing in such detail. 
On April 23rd, I had my last Dr. appointment, which was the day before my due date.  I didn't even think I'd really be going to this appointment, since Gretel was one week early.  So I was feeling like this baby would never come the morning of my appointment, and complaining about this to Johnny.

My mom had come into town a few days before, and came with me to my Dr. appointment while Johnny stayed home with Gretel.  My appointment was not with my usual ob/gyn, but instead with this other really cute Asian man who I've seen a couple of other times during this pregnancy, and I love him!  Here's how our conversation went:
Dr:  Well you look way too comfortable for your due date to be tomorrow!
Me: I'm not- I feel swollen and the last week or so I've had some really painful carpal tunnel syndrome in my right arm. (he suggests something I can do for that, and I tell him I've been applying essential oils and it's totally taken the pain away!)
Dr: We can either do a normal exam, or a bit more painful exam that also know as stripping your membranes.  (he goes to get his nurse and tells me to decide what I want while he is gone)
Me: I've decided just to go with the normal exam. (I don't like the thought of toying with nature and speeding up labor, because I think that babies shouldn't be prodded.  I don't want to mess with when their birthdays are naturally going to be, even though I was WAY done being pregnant)

     *He does the exam

I sit up, and ask him if my uterus is still posterior, like at my last exam 2 weeks prior, or if it's now straight down. 
Dr: (shakes his head no) So what have your contractions been feeling like? 
Me: I haven't had any since last week.  I was having a lot more 2 weeks ago, but now there's nothing but cramping which I've felt this entire pregnancy.  So I just ignore it, because I always have cramps.
Dr: Who drove you here today?
Me: Well, I drove but my mom is with me.  She is really dizzy today so that's why she didn't drive me.  ( I'm confused about his questions)
Dr: What was your labor like with your daughter?
Me: It went a lot faster than I thought, and when I got to the hospital I was at an 8 and there wasn't time for an epidural.  So my main concern this time has been that I'd be stuck in rush hour traffic on my way to Roseville during labor.
Dr: Well I can't figure out why you look so comfortable right now...you're dilated a good 5 cm. 
Me: WHAT?!!  Are you kidding? 
(he is laughing pretty hard, and I'm bewildered)
Me: I don't understand how I could even be dilated without any contractions; how does that work?
Dr: Oh, you're having contractions....you're just a little tougher than most girls.  I'm really surprised myself.  Now I want you to get dressed and I'm going call Roseville's labor and delivery and tell them to expect you.  And I want you to go straight there-don't go home first. 


So I went out to the waiting room to tell all this to my mom, feeling absolutely shocked.  She saw my expression and thought I was making it up, because I am a terrible liar, and she said I didn't look like I was telling the truth at all.  I sat down to tell her the conversation I'd had with the Dr., and she kinda still didn't buy it.  Just then he poked his head out into the waiting room and said, "Ok, I've just called to let them know, and I told them not to send you home because they don't think that you're really in labor."  I told him my mom didn't believe me, and he said laughing, "Do you want to check her?" 
Then I could tell he was wondering why I was still there hanging out, and he said, "Now remember-I don't want you to go home first.  Just go straight there."

I felt like I was in the twilight zone as I called Johnny to tell him to get Gretel and my hospital bag and meet us there!  He was shocked also. 
So I drove to Roseville, and checked in at 1:00 pm.  On the slip of paper I filled out, it asked the reason for visit.  I wrote, I'm in labor!  I didn't even feel like it, so I actually felt stupid checking in to have a baby feeling no pain.  The man who was checking me in ended up being the Dr. who delivered Atticus.  He talked to me about everything and told me that since I wanted to do it again without medication, I would be more comfortable if they broke my water and let things happen on their own.  If they gave me pitocin, my contractions would be more painful, and since things happen fast enough without it, he didn't want me to be in unnecessary pain. 

They broke my water at about 2:30, and by 3:30 I was starting to feel those contractions!  Between 3:30 and 5:30 is when all the action took place.  I took a shower, and they got more painful.  So I asked the nurse to check me.  She said I was at a 7.  She needed to leave the room for a bit, and told us to call her if it felt like it was time to push.  I had two painful contractions.  During each contraction, Johnny rubbed lavender oil on my calves and feet-he was a great coach.  Boy, do I sound like a hippie!! 














Breathing through them...I feel ridiculous and Johnny has to remind me to put these breathing techniques from the classes to use. 













Anyway, that second contraction put me over the edge!  I was really writhing, and told Johnny to call the nurse because it was time to push!  She came back in and called the Dr. in.  I was at a 9 1/2, which surprised me because I went from a 7 to a 9 1/2 in 5 minutes!  I pushed for less than ten minutes, and then there he was!!

 

Gretel couldn't stop giggling when she first saw him and said, "can we keep it?"  She says "he's so adorable" and "he likes you" all the time.  I tell her that he likes her too.  She is so sweet, always kissing his face, and wants to feed him a bottle all the time.  (too bad I don't ever pump, so she can't feed him a bottle!)

Atticus Giuseppe weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and was 20 1/4 inches long. 

His middle name is Johnny's very favorite boy name, and I really like it too.  (It's Italian for Joseph, and I like that both "Peppe" and "Beppe" are nicknames-maybe we'll call him those later)
For now, I find myself calling him Mr. Bundles a lot, because he's always wrapped up like a little bundle, and it's the laundry man's name in the movie Annie. 

Here he is in his "take me home" suit!

Lots more pictures to come!!