libby's first photo shoot

Click below for the link to Libby's hospital photos:
Olivia W.

more pictures...

I've had a lot of requests, so here are some more pictures!!!

Our family. So happy.

Lots of hair!

Me and my gal.

Libby in her first "real" outfit. This is the tiniest outfit we have and it's still a little roomy...

Sleeping beauty.

lots of visitors

Libby has had lots of friends and family come to visit in her few short days at the hospital. Here are a few shots.

Aunt Amanda & Uncle Matt (Maddox's mom & dad)

Uncle Doug (Gus' dad)

Granny Pammy (Cousin Casey's Grandma)

Auntie Carmen (This is the first time she ever held a baby. Looks like a natural.)

libby & sarah update

Things are going really well here at the hospital. If all continues to go well, we'll be coming home tomorrow. Libby is so wonderful. She had a little jaundice which required a special light pad to be secured behind her, but that came off today and the jaundice is getting much better. Sarah has been having a little high blood pressure, but she's now on a medication to assist with that until it goes down. Both of these are very common and these are not very severe cases, so we are not concerned at all.
Breastfeeding is going incredibly well. We've got a pretty good system going and Sarah's milk has started to come it. It's all a very interesting process, kind of like a science experiment. We've been getting some pretty good rest at night as we are able to send Libby to the nursery for several hours, so we aren't feeling too exhausted, yet.
When she's had a chance to recover a little more, I'm going to let Sarah post the birthing story, but I should mention that after her 16+ hours of labor, she ended up getting a c-section. This is why our hospital stay has been longer than normal and she hasn't been as able to participate in Libby's care. But she is feeling better and able get around really well.
Needless to say we are excited to get home, but have certainly appreciated our time at the hospital. The staff and nurses have been wonderful and super helpful. I actually went home earlier today to take some of our things back and get the house ready. Plus we really miss our dog Gilmore and he was very excited to spend some time with me.
I'll get some more pictures posted soon, but haven't had a lot of time. Hmm, wonder why...

day one photos

Less than 24 hours into her life, Libby has already had a lot of photo opportunities. Here are just a few and you know we'll keep posting more, for the rest of our lives...

Long and lean.

Striking a pose.

Libby and her mom.

Fresh from delivery.

Libby and her dad.

Libby and Aunt Katie.

Libby and Grandma & Grandpa Whitman

Libby and Nonny.

About two hours old.

introducing olivia mae whitman

Our little Libby is finally here!
I'm too tired to tell the whole story now, but after 16 plus hours of labor, she finally arrived in our arms very early this morning. Needless to say we are all exhausted, but couldn't be happier.
Quick Stats:
Date of birth: Wednesday, 08/27/2008
Time: 3:47 AM
Weight: 6 pounds, 7 ounces
Length: 20.5 inches
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue

She is perfect!!!

doctor/40 weeks

We saw the doctor again this morning and still nothing has changed. Either this baby is very stubborn, or her temporary home is so nice and cozy that she doesn't want to leave. We also had a nonstress test, which went very well. Basically, they strapped a heart rate monitor to my belly, and every time she moved I pressed a button. Then a machine measured her heart rate in relation to her movement. Her heart rate was strong and went up every time she moved, which is what it's supposed to do. We're scheduled for another exam and nonstress test Thursday morning. If the baby shows any signs of distress, we'll go straight to the hospital for an induction. If the baby is fine, we'll check into the hospital for an induction at 4 p.m. I'm feeling a bit discouraged about attempting an induction when I'm not dilated or effaced at all (assuming nothing changes in the next 3 days), but the doctor said he still thought I had an 80% to 85% chance of delivering vaginally although my risk for c-section is higher. He figures we might as well give the induction a shot, though, and Kevin and I agree. Assuming the cervadil they give me on Thursday doesn't kick me into hardcore labor, he'll break my water and start a pitocin drip early Friday morning. I asked if they would do another ultrasound before they started the induction so we could see how big she is, but he said ultrasound measurements are too inaccurate at this late stage to influence our plans. So, if you don't hear from us between now and then, assume we're getting this party started late Thursday afternoon. In the meantime, I'm going to try to rest, eat good food and keep the house tidy. Gilmore and I just got back from a walk. We thought a little exercise might do some good, and the temperature is nice here today. The walk—our typical short route—was challenging, though! Here's what's going on with the baby this week (not much!).

week 40
It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

hanging in there

We're one day past my due date and still no baby. Thanks to those of you who have called to check on us this weekend. We had a nice day yesterday. We went to Babies R Us for some last-minute things, then to Red Robin (which Kevin has been craving) for lunch. We celebrated the baby's estimated birthday by ordering a ridiculously large and decadent dessert called the Mile High Mudd Pie. Then we went home and watched 3 movies. I'm not sure when we'll be able to do that again!

Kevin's parents visited on Friday. We had a nice day visiting and went out to lunch and dinner. They'll be back down next week when the baby is born, too.

Today, we're going out to lunch to celebrate Katie's birthday, which is tomorrow. Maybe Baby Whitman just wants to share a birthday with her aunt!

doctor

We saw the doc today and STILL no change. She may have dropped a tiny bit, which I guessed since I've been having some sharp pelvic pains this week. But he thinks she'll wait to drop until I'm in labor. My weight and blood pressure are holding steady, though, so all is well. Maybe she's just waiting for her mom to get over this cold so I can actually breathe during labor!

Assuming nothing natural happens before then, I'll see the doctor again Monday, and he'll do a nonstress test. Basically, they hook you up to a monitor for 15 to 30 minutes and see how many times the baby moves to make sure there aren't any signs of fetal distress. It's a pretty common test to have once you're past your due date. Otherwise, I'm scheduled to arrive at the hospital next Thursday at 4 p.m. for my induction. The doctor did tell me that I won't necessarily have to have Pitocin because there's a chance the Cervadil will kickstart labor on its own that night. Cross your fingers that I go into labor on my own before then. But if not, this journalist's little daughter has a deadline.

wonderful weekends

After a very busy July, we've had some time to relax and enjoy the unseasonably nice August weather. The weekend before last we got pedicures together. It was the second time I'd gotten one since my birthday, since a few of you had the great idea to give me a gift card from La Petite Salon, or money with the suggestion of a pedicure. I enjoyed both so much (the first with Katie) since my swollen feet have been a constant source of discomfort and even pain, and I can't reach my toenails anymore! We also enjoyed some great meals on the porch and had a 3-hour outdoor brunch with Doug, Sue and Gus outside at Melt (yum!).

This past weekend was excellent too. Saturday we lounged around the house then went to dinner at Carrabbas with Matt & Amanda. Sunday we went to Findlay Market and got some killer tomatoes, fish and sea scallops, among other tasty things. Kevin cooked the scallops Sunday night along with herbed quinoa and fresh tomatoes, and asparagus with orange wedges and crumbled blue cheese. It was actually a pretty simple meal but absolutely divine (I've posted some photos). The scallops rivaled the best I've had at any restaurant.

We're also almost finished with our photo organization project. As you may recall, we spent a lot of time this spring sorting all of our printed photos into albums. Since then, we've been cleaning up our digital photos and creating albums through iPhoto, starting with 2005. We ordered our first photo book this week and are waiting to see how it turns out, then we'll order '06 through '08. That was a major project we wanted to tackle before the baby came or we knew we'd likely never get to it. Kevin did a great job keeping us on track!

I've really been enjoying this time with Kevin, relaxing, finishing up projects and cooking yummy, healthy meals. While I'm ready to meet my baby girl, I'm feeling a little bittersweet about ending the childless (not counting fur babies!) chapter of our marriage. Assuming I don't go into labor before then, I'm looking forward to savoring this last weekend with my husband before I become a mom.

doctor/39 weeks

We saw the doc again this afternoon and still no change. We've tentatively scheduled an induction for next Thursday night/Friday morning if I don't go into labor before then. We would go into the hospital late Thursday night (8/28) to start a drug called Cervadil that helps your cervix dilate and efface. Then I would get Pitocin Friday morning (8/29) to start contractions. So I definitely wouldn't have her until sometime on Friday. It felt crazy to have that discussion because it's next week! But that's still 10 days away, so I'm hoping my body will kick it into gear before then. My plans for a natural labor with no IV and no Pitocin are slowly fading away (along with my love for those of you who voted that she'll come a week late ;-). I see the doc again on Wednesday. Here's what's going on in Baby Whitman's little world this week:

week 39
Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

sick again/doctor

Sorry this post is short and sweet, but I'm headed off to bed and only have a minute.

We saw the doctor again today and still no change. We'll see him again Monday. My last day of work is tomorrow.

Unfortunately, I came down with a cold yesterday, so I'm not exactly dying to go through labor at the moment anyway. I've been so healthy this pregnancy, even through the winter. I'm not sure why my immune system is failing me now! But I'm glad I have lots of time to rest after tomorrow.

doctor/38 weeks

We saw the doc again yesterday and still no change. No dilation, no effacement, no dropping baby. So no news. I'll see him again Thursday, but he's still thinking I'll probably deliver close to my due date.

I've decided to stop working after Friday, though. I'm wrapping up all my projects at work this week. And I'm getting increasingly more uncomfortable since I'm not sleeping well, I'm swollen most of the time and I'm having random cramps and aches. It feels weird to have made that decision though. Everything's been so hypothetical for so long, so it's strange to finally execute these plans. I really thought I'd work up until my due date, but I figure throwing in the towel one week early isn't bad. I want to maximize the amount of time I have with the baby after she's born, but, since my doc isn't going to let me go more than a week past my due date, I'll only be sacrificing a maximum of 2 of my 12 weeks off beforehand. And it will be nice to have the time for myself to rest.

Here's what's going on with the baby this week:

38 weeks
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

surprise for me!

At work this week, my manager Brian had scheduled a "Mid-Year Review" with me for Friday, which isn't a required thing, but I thought it was a good idea. So I spent some time on Thursday getting ready for this meeting. Then someone else scheduled a meeting in another building right before my meeting with Brian, which seemed a little strange, but I didn't really think too much of it at the time. So at 11:00, we went back to the conference room for my "review" but when I walked in there were ten of my co-workers, a cake, and a big pile of pink gift bags waiting for me! My team had succeeded in surprising me with a baby shower! It was a very pleasant surprise and I was really touched by their thoughtfulness. I got all kinds of cute outfits for my little girl and a Target gift card (because there is nothing left on our registry) that we will have no trouble spending on baby necessities! The other thing that made the day special was the gift from Brian. He and his wife own a framing shop and as a gift they matted and framed a series of pictures from Sarah's baby bump photo shoot. It is beautiful and looks absolutely perfect in the nursery.
I am really lucky to have such a great group of people to work with and I can't wait for them to meet our daughter!!!

feeling better/37 weeks

I've felt better each day since Monday and am returning to work today. I must have just had a nasty little stomach bug. Thank you for all your kind words and phone calls the past few days. It has been nice to stay home from work and rest, but I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel yet. If I began my leave this week, it would cut my maternity leave 3 weeks short (or more if I go past my due date), so I'm hoping to hang in there until at least the end of next week. And if I haven't had her by my due date, I'm definitely planning to stop work then.

I saw the doctor yesterday and still show no signs of labor. I'll see him twice a week now, next on Monday, end of day, then on Thursday. I'm hoping not to go into labor this weekend because he's out of town and he practices alone. Of course, there's a doctor that covers for him while he's out, but I've never met him. Here's what's going on with baby girl this week.

37 weeks
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away. Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

stomach bug

I woke up at 2 a.m. with what I can only describe as a terrible belly ache and the shivers. I ended up having some gastrointestinal distress and eventually vomited, which is something I rarely do and haven't had the pleasure of doing at all during pregnancy. After that I had lots of cramping and some contraction-like feelings but nothing regular. Kevin got up with me and we spent the rest of the night in the living room trying to decide if I was in the early stages of labor or if I had a stomach flu. We both stayed home from work and saw the doctor at noon. I wasn't showing any signs of labor and didn't have a fever, so he said he thought it was a stomach bug. He ordered me to stay home from work to rest and drink lots of fluids until after I see him at my regular weekly appointment end of day Wednesday. At this point, the nausea has subsided. I just have a very, very bad pain in my lower right abdomen that hurts when I move or when she kicks me. I was able to take a 2-hour nap, though. We know that your body can "cleanse" itself in the days before labor, so there's a chance something might happen this week, but for now we're treating it as a stomach problem, which was my initial hunch. So please just pray/hope that I either feel better tomorrow or go into labor! If I'm going to be in agonizing pain, I want some results, lol!

I also got the bad news today that I'm a group B strep carrier. Group B strep is a bacteria that lives in your system and doesn't harm you (it's a different strain than the one that causes strep throat). There's nothing you can do to contract or prevent it; 10 to 35% of people are just carriers. Unfortunately, you can pass it along to your baby in the birth canal and it can cause lots of problems, so they treat you with IV antibiotics your entire labor. I'm pretty disappointed because lately I had set my mind on trying to have as natural a labor as possible, including using the shower/labor tub at the hospital, trying different positions and yoga poses, etc. Kevin and I took a yoga workshop and have been enjoying learning about natural child birth, so it's kind of a bummer. I can still try NCB, but I'm going to be limited in my resources to manage pain when I'm hooked up to an IV. I guess it's good that I know now so I can adjust my expectations.

A bit of good news: Kevin has been awesome today. He got right up with me and brought me whatever I needed and helped in any way he could to make me more comfortable. I never had any doubt, but I know he's going to be wonderful when this all happens for real.

ultrasound pics

Like Sarah said, these didn't turn out great, but I wanted to post a few of our latest ultrasound photos so you could get one last peek at our little lady before she makes her big debut!

Not super easy to see, but this is her profile. It looks to me like she has her arms crossed over her chest and she is getting ready to take a big drink.

This is her foot. I really like how we've been able to get a shot of her foot in a few ultrasounds. I know there's really no scale, but it looks so much bigger to me. Hopefully she won't have giant feet like her Dad.