Balloonapalooza!
Originally uploaded by jimandnik
-Jim via iPhone
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
We have a daughter!
Matilda Mae Sullivan is here! She decided to show up 12 minutes past her due date, 12:12am Tuesday September 11, weighing 7lbs. 15oz. and measuring a nice 20 inches long. She was born at home, no complications, in fact everything went better than I could have ever wished for! She is too perfect! Owen seems to be taking to her well, as shown in the video below which was shot on Tuesday a few minutes after waking up with Matilda there for the first time.
The birth was great! I started contractions early Monday morning, but nothing very serious. They were about 5 minutes or so apart for a long time, but not really bugging me. So I cleaned up a bit around the house, went to the grocery store and costco, (which my mom freaked out about!) we then came home and started chopping veggies when I noticed the contractions getting a little stronger where I really had to stop and relax. (Jim was still at work and was planning on being there until around 6pm teaching a class... our deal was I wouldn't call him during the class unless it was the 'this is it come home' call...) So, I called Jill (our midwife) and told her they were just about 5-6 mins apart and getting a bit more strong and annoying, and we decided I'd drive over to her house so she could "check" me to see if it was still just pre-pre-labor or what. So, I called jim saying "this might be the call where I tell you to come home!" but I wasn't sure so we figured I'd call him once I found out more from Jill. So Owen and I got ready and went over to her house around 4pm and I was at about 2cm and only 80-90% effaced. Which meant I still had some more work to do but my body was definitely definitely working. She said I should call Jim and get him home now, if only just for moral support! So, I called Jim... this is the call! We were both smiling so big, you could hear it on either end of the phone!! So he left work to head home! In the meantime my mom and Michelle were on their way over to the house to hang out just in case this ended up being the day!
Jim got home around 530 and by that time I was definitely having more serious contractions, which i just relaxed through while sitting on the couch downstairs with everyone talking and watching Owen be a goof. Dad and Danielle came over around 7ish and Owen was excited to see grandpa! (His first word... every time he sees Grandpa is "ball!") Ellie also showed up around 7ish as well, maybe a bit earlier but I can't remember... when she walked in I was laying on my side facing the couch going through a surge. I called Jill to give her an update, which was that the contractions were spreading apart a bit, some were 6mins apart, some 3, and some 10! but they were all VERY intense and getting stronger! She told me that maybe I should take a warm bath to try and relax my body and let it figure out if it was going to keep laboring or what. So, around 745 I hopped in the bath and it was nice a relaxing. Jim and I were able to talk and act all giggly and excited, while he fed me yogurt! it was very fun! After the bath we put some clean clothes away and I was slightly out of it. Jim kept on asking me why it was taking me so long to put one shirt on a hanger and I was like uhhh geeez it is taking long here you do it! Haha, it was such an odd feeling, like I couldn't keep my mind in one place. I was having to relax and breathe every 3 to 4 mins by this time (around 815ish) and a few of them I felt an urge (somewhere!) to push? or go along with? I'm not sure how to explain it but it was definitely a different type of contraction. So, we came downstairs and hung out with everyone for a bit before I decided to call Jill again. Once I called her she said let me get dressed and I'll be over in a few minutes. (luckily, she actually DOES live a few minutes away and was here within 15!) She showed up sometime around 9, maybe before but I just don't remember. It was crazy, Jill, Marve, and their apprentice Alex showed up all at once, making 12 people in the house total! There was so much positive energy in the house I'm sure that is what helped me along so well! Once we all said our hellos (this took longer than you'd think! hehe) we went upstairs so Jill could check my progress again. After a few contractions, one while heading up on the stairs, I made it to our bed and we found that I was at 4cm, almost 5 and fully effaced! After that, the contractions seemed to ramp up and get really close. Jim rubbed me and did everything and anything I asked. As did the 3 midwives and anyone else. It's really nice being queen for a day!
Sometime around quarter to 10 my mom ran out and got coffee for the ladies and Michelle, while I kept on progressing. Sometime around 11 I really started to feel an urge to push, so Jill checked me again and I was at 8-9cm. We decided to get me onto my hands and knees, resting my head in Jims lap while he sat on a chair. It wasn't until about 1130ish that I started to really push with the contractions, which during that first one I said out loud "oh ya, now I remember this" and what I really meant was 'I kinda don't like this feeling and am not sure I want to do it again!!' But my body was ready and I wasn't going to fight it! SO, I pushed! and I could really feel baby's head move lower and lower every time. I was much more in tune with what my body was doing this time compared to with Owen, and I definitely had much more energy than I had at this point with Owen's delivery. I had one really good push where I was seriously feeling that "I am on fire" feeling. Then Jim asked if he should move down to get ready to catch baby, and they said yes, so he did and the next push, I hear Michelle say "her shoulders are out" and I had NO idea I was at that point already!! I was so zoned out, or in the zone... that I hadn't heard them say anything about the head coming out and seeing her face (which I later heard them all saying on the video that was taken!!) Once I knew the shoulders were out I was like "WOH!" and gave one more good push and felt that incredible feeling of birthing a baby. The first part is all super hard and intense, but pushing out the lower half of the body is so easy and relieving that it makes the last feeling go away so fast! Jim caught her, and there is a picture (which will be posted to flickr soon) of Matilda looking right at Jim, eyes wide open, seconds after he grabbed her. It is seriously priceless.
Anyway, I'm sure you are sick of reading by now, so I will just sum it all up by saying women are so strong, and can seriously do anything! But, we cannot create the most perfect things in the world without really awesome men... Jim I love you so much you are so awesome and keep getting more awesome every second. Thank you for Owen and Matilda.
I can't wait to show her to all of you!
-Nicole
The birth was great! I started contractions early Monday morning, but nothing very serious. They were about 5 minutes or so apart for a long time, but not really bugging me. So I cleaned up a bit around the house, went to the grocery store and costco, (which my mom freaked out about!) we then came home and started chopping veggies when I noticed the contractions getting a little stronger where I really had to stop and relax. (Jim was still at work and was planning on being there until around 6pm teaching a class... our deal was I wouldn't call him during the class unless it was the 'this is it come home' call...) So, I called Jill (our midwife) and told her they were just about 5-6 mins apart and getting a bit more strong and annoying, and we decided I'd drive over to her house so she could "check" me to see if it was still just pre-pre-labor or what. So, I called jim saying "this might be the call where I tell you to come home!" but I wasn't sure so we figured I'd call him once I found out more from Jill. So Owen and I got ready and went over to her house around 4pm and I was at about 2cm and only 80-90% effaced. Which meant I still had some more work to do but my body was definitely definitely working. She said I should call Jim and get him home now, if only just for moral support! So, I called Jim... this is the call! We were both smiling so big, you could hear it on either end of the phone!! So he left work to head home! In the meantime my mom and Michelle were on their way over to the house to hang out just in case this ended up being the day!
Jim got home around 530 and by that time I was definitely having more serious contractions, which i just relaxed through while sitting on the couch downstairs with everyone talking and watching Owen be a goof. Dad and Danielle came over around 7ish and Owen was excited to see grandpa! (His first word... every time he sees Grandpa is "ball!") Ellie also showed up around 7ish as well, maybe a bit earlier but I can't remember... when she walked in I was laying on my side facing the couch going through a surge. I called Jill to give her an update, which was that the contractions were spreading apart a bit, some were 6mins apart, some 3, and some 10! but they were all VERY intense and getting stronger! She told me that maybe I should take a warm bath to try and relax my body and let it figure out if it was going to keep laboring or what. So, around 745 I hopped in the bath and it was nice a relaxing. Jim and I were able to talk and act all giggly and excited, while he fed me yogurt! it was very fun! After the bath we put some clean clothes away and I was slightly out of it. Jim kept on asking me why it was taking me so long to put one shirt on a hanger and I was like uhhh geeez it is taking long here you do it! Haha, it was such an odd feeling, like I couldn't keep my mind in one place. I was having to relax and breathe every 3 to 4 mins by this time (around 815ish) and a few of them I felt an urge (somewhere!) to push? or go along with? I'm not sure how to explain it but it was definitely a different type of contraction. So, we came downstairs and hung out with everyone for a bit before I decided to call Jill again. Once I called her she said let me get dressed and I'll be over in a few minutes. (luckily, she actually DOES live a few minutes away and was here within 15!) She showed up sometime around 9, maybe before but I just don't remember. It was crazy, Jill, Marve, and their apprentice Alex showed up all at once, making 12 people in the house total! There was so much positive energy in the house I'm sure that is what helped me along so well! Once we all said our hellos (this took longer than you'd think! hehe) we went upstairs so Jill could check my progress again. After a few contractions, one while heading up on the stairs, I made it to our bed and we found that I was at 4cm, almost 5 and fully effaced! After that, the contractions seemed to ramp up and get really close. Jim rubbed me and did everything and anything I asked. As did the 3 midwives and anyone else. It's really nice being queen for a day!
Sometime around quarter to 10 my mom ran out and got coffee for the ladies and Michelle, while I kept on progressing. Sometime around 11 I really started to feel an urge to push, so Jill checked me again and I was at 8-9cm. We decided to get me onto my hands and knees, resting my head in Jims lap while he sat on a chair. It wasn't until about 1130ish that I started to really push with the contractions, which during that first one I said out loud "oh ya, now I remember this" and what I really meant was 'I kinda don't like this feeling and am not sure I want to do it again!!' But my body was ready and I wasn't going to fight it! SO, I pushed! and I could really feel baby's head move lower and lower every time. I was much more in tune with what my body was doing this time compared to with Owen, and I definitely had much more energy than I had at this point with Owen's delivery. I had one really good push where I was seriously feeling that "I am on fire" feeling. Then Jim asked if he should move down to get ready to catch baby, and they said yes, so he did and the next push, I hear Michelle say "her shoulders are out" and I had NO idea I was at that point already!! I was so zoned out, or in the zone... that I hadn't heard them say anything about the head coming out and seeing her face (which I later heard them all saying on the video that was taken!!) Once I knew the shoulders were out I was like "WOH!" and gave one more good push and felt that incredible feeling of birthing a baby. The first part is all super hard and intense, but pushing out the lower half of the body is so easy and relieving that it makes the last feeling go away so fast! Jim caught her, and there is a picture (which will be posted to flickr soon) of Matilda looking right at Jim, eyes wide open, seconds after he grabbed her. It is seriously priceless.
Anyway, I'm sure you are sick of reading by now, so I will just sum it all up by saying women are so strong, and can seriously do anything! But, we cannot create the most perfect things in the world without really awesome men... Jim I love you so much you are so awesome and keep getting more awesome every second. Thank you for Owen and Matilda.
I can't wait to show her to all of you!
-Nicole
Monday, September 10, 2007
We have a nephew!
Not to brag, but we have a super cute nephew born Sept 5, Ivan Jayse Sullivan. Virginia gave birth (a very long 18 hours laying in bed! yuck!) to a very healthy and beautiful boy. I think things are going well for them two, and we can't wait to meet him in November!! I posted a few pictures they sent us to our flickr page.
I'm still waiting for my little baby to show up. Today is her "due date" which means... anyday now!! I have been having some regular contractions since yesterday and now they are getting a bit more intense but nothing serious. so... now we just wait for things to get serious I guess. Jim went to work today, I know that if anything happens here i can call him and he will leave right away but i'm still a bit nervous being home alone!! I'm fine though, Owen usually keeps my mind off of the contractions, until he whacks me in the belly while i'm having one with the new golf club i bought him... what was i thinking?!?!
Anyway, hope everyone who reads this is well.. it's almost fall, which means great weather! Yay! I can't wait until we have a backyard that is worth walking out into. (out into?? is that odd?)
I'm still waiting for my little baby to show up. Today is her "due date" which means... anyday now!! I have been having some regular contractions since yesterday and now they are getting a bit more intense but nothing serious. so... now we just wait for things to get serious I guess. Jim went to work today, I know that if anything happens here i can call him and he will leave right away but i'm still a bit nervous being home alone!! I'm fine though, Owen usually keeps my mind off of the contractions, until he whacks me in the belly while i'm having one with the new golf club i bought him... what was i thinking?!?!
Anyway, hope everyone who reads this is well.. it's almost fall, which means great weather! Yay! I can't wait until we have a backyard that is worth walking out into. (out into?? is that odd?)
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