Hello World!

Brad and I would like to formally introduce to you our daughter! On Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 we welcomed Caroline Amelia to our lives. And, she didn't let anyone else call the shots on her birthday either; she came into the world with plenty of 'drama'.
I had been scheduled for an induction on Thursday after seeing the doctor on Wednesday afternoon. I woke up around 1:30am with some cramping and not feeling well but just chalked it up to nerves and the dr. doing the internal exam that afternoon. I got up and moved to the living room to read/watch tv/anything. About 2:30ish I started to feel worse with the cramps and thougth I had to go to the bathroom so I headed to our room. As I was walking into the room to go the bathroom I felt 'something' and went to check it out. I didn't think it could possibly be my water but knew something wasn't right. So I called to Brad in the bed and he walked in and after I told him what had been happening and he looked at what had happened he matter of factly told me we were leaving for the hospital. After all my false alarms and with the induction just a few hours away I wasn't quite sure we should. But, in the meantime what I thougth were cramps began to worsen and the 'something' that happened earlier happened again. I asked Brad (who was quickly getting dressed) to go wake up my mom who was to go with us to the induction so she spent the night. She walked in, saw me in pain and what was going on and firmly announced that my water had broken and we needed to leave. While I was trying to get ready and get to the car I was in more pain and began yelling for everyone to hurry up :) It was the longest car ride I ever took but it was actually the quickest we had done yet....maybe it was because I began telling Brad not to stop for red lights:) I was checked in and hooked up and they started bloodwork and IV's and antibiotics (I was GroupB positive) so I could have my epidural as soon as possible. I decided on the car ride in that I needed it sooner rather than later...so much for "I'll just see how things go and if I can do it on my own". I did progress and efface completely but I stopped dilating after about 7 or 8 hours and the baby was not dropping down anymore. The Dr. told me we would wait two more hours to see if the baby dropped anymore and if not we would have to look at alternative methods. Or in other words a C-section. I didn't like it at that point but kept positive with my labor. I need a second boost to my epidural but I worked through it all and after two hours the dr. talked to me again since I hadn't changed :( I didn't want to but knew that the safest thing now would be to have the C-section and get the baby out. I was scheduled for a half hour from then which was 3:00 and the prep work began. I was so nervous and scared going into the OR but I had a great team with me and my nurse anesthetist was AMAZING. At first they thought they may need to put me under completely since I could still feel their pokes everytime they numbed me but thankfully once they did the test incision and I was fine they allowed Brad to come in and join me. After about a half hour and lots of pressure, pushing and cutting I heard the wonderful words of "It's a GIRL!!" I was so happy and began to sob right then and there. She swallowed some meconium through it all (which is why I didn't think my water looked like it should when it broke) so she didn't cry at first but that lasted only about 30 seconds and I began to cry even more. Brad moved to be with her and began taking pictures and talking to her. I could see them if I turned my head and my heart was so full and happy. They let me kiss and talk to her before giving her to Brad and it was the best moment ever. Just seeing Brad hold her after that was so amazing. I was stitched up and told I did wonderfully and followed my daughter to recovery while my husband went to the waiting room to announce our news. I finally got to hold her and feed her in recovery and it was heaven. We spent three days in the hospital and are now at home learning how to work as our new family. We are loving it even though it is tough work and we sleep very little at night. She saw the nurse from the pediatricians office today and is doing well. She has lost a bunch of weight but noone is terribly worried about it yet and we are getting better at nursing so we hope she starts gaining soon. She is a bit jaundice but we went for tests today and are positive they will turn out fine. We want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers and congratulations-they mean the world to us. We are always up for visitors so please give us a call sometime and maybe we can find a good time for everyone. Stay tuned for more news as Caroline hits all her milestones!

Caroline Amelia Borek
January 21, 2010 3:29pm
9lbs 4oz 21.5 inches long with a 14 inch head!!

Come Out, Come Out whoever you are :)

You see that ticker at the top of this blog? Yeah, the one that says we are OVERDUE!! Today should be a birthday but unless we have some great miracle, it won't be. We thought it might be yesterday but our stubborn child was only having some fun. I started getting contractions before Mass started Sunday so around 10:30 or 10:45 and they kept up all day. They were about 7-8 minutes apart but I knew they weren't long enough so we just went about our day. Brad and I have been staying with my family this week and last week. Brad suggested it so I wouldn't be alone during the day if something happens. Basically, our hospital is a half hour from our home OR from my family and since he works a hop, skip and jump away from the hospital if something were to happen during the day my mom or Melissa could get me to the hospital and he would meet us there. Anyways, we headed down to GPW for the week on Sunday night and the contractions were still coming. We finally headed to bed at 11:30 and they were still going. I was able to sleep for about 3 hours total with the pains waking me up a few times before I was never able to fall back asleep. Once the office opened I called the nurse and based upon what had been going on and my last dr. appointment she told me to head to the hospital to check for dilation, water breakage, etc. After being there for a few hours still with contractions and NO CHANGE from my last appointment last Wednesday I was sent home once more. I am so disheartened and depressed and don't think I will ever go back to the hospital out of fear of being sent home again. We do have another ultrasound and dr. apointment tomorrow and I am really hoping we set an induction date at this point. I want my baby and have very little paitence left! Plus, I am ready to not be pregnant anymore. I think I will miss all the little kicks and hiccups and what not but I am ready to have my body back all to myself :) So, the waiting game continues. And, once more IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD FROM US THERE IS NO BABY YET! :) Can you tell that I get the same kind of questions alot lately? LOL And, hopefully this is the LAST belly picture of me for this pregnancy-sorry I had to do it myself but I wanted one on my due date and didn't want to forget about it.

Say Uncle!

Lately I have been trying to find ways to make myself laugh and find the humor in life a lot more; gee-wonder why? :) And, after yet another disappointing trip to the hospital with labor pains (after 24 hours of regular contractions) only to be sent home once more I REALLY needed the laughs yesterday. Plus, it's always nice to talk about something besides the baby or talking to people about the baby or telling people "NO, I am still pregnant-there is no baby yet". Anyways :) this is a story I just had to share and immortalize forever here so I don't forget it. Our niece Ania (almost 2) has started to talk like crazy latey. Her vocabulary has seriously exploded. A few weeks ago she called me "Minca" for the first time and I was so excited. Yes, that's my nickname and after her sister was so late to talk it was nice to hear it from her. Plus, it's nicer than the nickname her sister gave me when she finally was talking...not nice at all and yes, she STILL calls me it much to my dismay. But, Ania says Minca and Brad almost perfectly. If you remind her she says the aunt and uncle part too but mostly it's just our names but she has time to learn. So, Yesterday I was laying down at my parents house after coming back from the hospital and the girls were there for dinner. She came in and wanted to lay with me so I helped her climb up on the bed and we began a 'conversation' and goofing around with each other. I began tickling her and she of course can say 'Stop' perfectly but I wouldn't let up. So, I began saying "say Uncle, say uncle" (that was our way of stopping somehting as kids-anyone remember that?). In between her giggles and after finally getting a breath as I screamed 'Say uncle!' just one more time she starts screaming 'Brad! Brad!'....as in the word 'uncle' to her means Brad...so funny and anytime I did it to her today, she does the same thing. So cute and of course I now love to make her laugh even more now just to hear her say it :) Kids say the cutest things! Ok, that really made me feel better just to retell the story! Thanks:)

The waiting game

Well, here we are. I wake up everyday and feel like a walking timebomb; wondering if something-anything will happen today. And, it doesn't help that everyone and their brother is asking how I am feeling, or what's going on or if there is a baby. We have had some excitement lately though. We thought we were getting a belated Christmas gift. Brad and I were spending two nights at my parents house for Christmas Eve and Christmas day and he suggested bringing all of our hospital stuff with us. Fine, whatever-but I didn't see the need. Well, we had the need. About 9pm on Christmas day I started having contractions. For the first hour they were irregular but by 10:15 they were pretty regular. Brad and my mom sat up with me and got me water, took turns rubbing my feet and ankles and got me walking a bit while also timing contractions. By 12:30 we decided to head to the hospital since they had been at 6 minutes apart for over an hour and were painful. By the time we got to the hospital they were 4 minutes apart and I was hooked to machines. Mom and Brad kept helping with my breathing and relaxing me. I was checked and of course only about 1 cm so we knew we had a while. They wanted me to stay for a while longer and before long we had moved to 2 minutes apart and kept that up for about 2 or 3 hours. However, they weren't lasting long enough-only 30-45 seconds long (felt longer to me). After checking me again with no progress the nurse said to go home and labor there where I could be more comfortable. She was positive I would have the baby that day and expected me back at the hospital later once the contractions were longer. So, we went back to my parents house and were able to sleep for about two hours and when I woke up I still was having the contractions. Everyone was so helpful with timing and relaxing me and taking care of me. By mid afternoon unfortunately they were slowing and I would go for as long as an hour wihtout having any, but of course they would then pick back up. By midnight they were done :(and I was still pregnant. The next morning we went back in after church because I was feeling awful and sick and the baby had very little movement. The baby of course was fine but while in the hospital and I was hooked up again and they were ready to send me home, they noticed I had been having contractions again! So, we stayed for another hour or so and when I was checked again-after doing this for over a day I had not progressed at all! But, I was still contracting-no fun. Thus began our trying out every old wives tale there is. I began eating lots of spicy food, consumed tons of pineapple and pineapple juice, we walked the mall THREE times and even my parents neighborhood in frigid temps, I bounce on my exercise ball, do different stretch positions, we're rubbing my back and feet in the right spots and yes we have done that other thing that is supposed to help :) Even that blue moon thing on New Year's didn't make a difference! I went and saw the doctor on Wednesday (after having contractions on and off ever since that Christmas night) and he was pleased with everything-and by then I had made a tiny bit of progress. He said it all sounded good and meant baby was trying to make it here soon. I was hopeful! He doesn't think he will see me in the office this week (2days to go) and if I do he will begin to take steps to try and get my labor going before we have to move to an induction next week. I am looking forward to this! I am so tired, uncomfortable and sore at this point and just want my baby and some relief! Brad was supposed to be out of town last week but on the 26th after we left the hospital he made the decision to not leave me now and his bosses were very understanding and are still being great about our stubborn child stuck in there. Please know that between Brad, our families and the internet we WILL let the world know when this little stinker decides to make an appearance. If you haven't heard from one of us then no, there is no baby yet! Please pray for me and if you might pray to my new best friend, the Blessed Mother. I think I talk to her most these days! In the meantime-we still wait! Hope 2010 is going as good for you as it has for us so far! Please send lots of labor dust and healthy baby wishes our way!