Introducing...

Miss Harper Elizabeth Moody

September 13, 2011

12:35 p.m.

7 pounds, 12 ounces

21 1/2 inches

Now for the birth story...

I had been having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions the last couple weeks of the pregnancy, but I had absolutely no pain associated with the contractions.  I was fully convinced that I would not go into labor on my own and that I would have to be induced on September 15th (6 days after my due date).  However, I woke up around 4 am on September 12th and felt mild cramping along with the contractions.  I really didn't know what to think of it.  I got up, walked around, googled "how to know when you are in labor", timed the contractions...  my doctor had told me to go to the hospital when the contractions were painful and 5-10 minutes apart for an hour.  Well, these were 5-10 minutes apart for an hour, but I wasn't sure how painful the contractions were supposed to be.  So after calling my doctor, Jason and I headed to the hospital to get checked out.  Unfortunately, I was still not dilated and, after being monitored for 30 minutes, we were sent home.  Bummer!  Jason ended up working from home that day, just in case. 

Well, the day went on and the contractions started becoming a little more painful.  I think it was around 4 or 5 pm that the contractions started to take my breath away.  Jason and I went to my scheduled ultrasound appointment and Harper and the placenta looked great (and her weight was estimated to be 7.8 pounds!  Pretty darn accurate!).  I ate dinner despite having no appetite and having to pause when a contraction came on.  Well, over the next few hours, the contractions became unbearable.  I have never felt pain like that in my life!  I tried every position, breathing trick, curse word (okay... not really) during the contractions.  Nothing.helped.at.all.  But I still couldn't convince Jason that it was the real thing.  He was timing the contractions and since they varied from 3 1/2 to 10 minutes apart, he didn't think it was time to go to the hospital.  I finally made it clear that I was going to the hospital.  I was going to be admitted.  And I didn't care if I had to be induced.  I NEEDED AN EPIDURAL!

So off to the hospital we go.  Again.  At midnight.  This time though I was dilated to a 4!!  I was admitted!  Hallelujah!!!  So they took me to a room and literally the second I got into the bed I lost my mucous plug.  I thought "so that's what I've been looking for the past couple of weeks!"  Finally, FINALLY, I got the epidural sometime around 2:30 am (Although I can't remember details like time when I was in that much pain).  

Ahhh... relief :)  I was checked again and had dilated to a 7!!  We thought that Harper would make her appearance in the next 3 or so hours.  Not quite.  I stayed at a 7 until the doctor rounded at 9:30 am, at which time she broke my water.  That speed things up a little and I was finally ready to start pushing at noon.  35 minutes later, I had a beautiful, healthy baby girl in my arms!!  

I feel like I should also tell you how wonderful Jason was during the delivery.  I was pretty worried about how he would do since he got a little queasy at a couple of the ultrasounds.  However, he did great!  He stood next to me and held my hand and helped me with the breathing while pushing.  He watched Harper being born in the mirror at the end of the bed.  He cut the umbilical cord.  He took lots of pictures of Harper being cleaned up right after she was born.  And he didn't get queasy at all!  He's been such a great Dad, too.  But we'll have to save that for another post.  This one is long enough!

Here are some more pictures of our little miracle's first couple days of life...

going on about 35 hours without sleep

going home!

celebrating Daddy's birthday

sleepy smiles... so sweet!

Newborn Pictures

I've been meaning to blog about Harper's birth- really I have- but somehow it never gets crossed off my to-do list.  If I could use two hands to do things while breastfeeding I'd be able to get a lot more done... Anyway, until I get that post written, I thought you might like to check out the sneak peek of Harper's newborn pictures. You can see them here.  As exhausting as that photo session was, I'm really happy with the pictures so far.  I can't wait to see the rest!!

Dinner Conundrum

One of my least favorite things to do is to plan what to cook for dinner.  I hate it.  I will waste so much time looking for a new recipe, only to come up with nothing.  I don't know what it is.  Well, I think having a moderately picky husband and being a dietitian adds to the difficulty.  Anyway, yesterday was one of those days.  I spent the afternoon on the internet instead of taking a much wanted nap.  However, this time I was successful!  I started by looking for a recipe with ground beef since chicken is not my favorite thing these days.  I also had a  hankering for some cornbread after Giada made some on her show last weekend.  And of course, it had to be easy.

This recipe fit the bill!  It's by no means an elegant "impress your friends and family" kind of meal.  But it's perfect for a weeknight, comforting, tasty, and easy meal.  Especially if tacos from a box is your husband's favorite, and your least favorite, dinner.  And there were very little dishes to clean!  I thought I would share this recipe to hopefully save someone else a little time in deciding what to cook one night for dinner.

Mexican Cornbread Casserole

I used no-added-salt corn since there is plenty of sodium in the taco mix and cheese.  I also think I may add some rinsed beans next time to up the nutrition factor.

And in case you were wondering, today is my due date (which is so hard to believe... after watching  the ticker on my blog for months, it actually says 40 weeks today!).  However, I was still not dilated at all when I went to the doctor on Wednesday.  (By the way, I've been walking 2 miles at least 4 times a week for over a month.  So walking does not help start labor!)  Our plan is to have an ultrasound on Monday to make sure Harper and the placenta are still doing well, and then I will be induced on Thursday, the 15th, if I still haven't gone into labor on my own.  Harper is ready.  She's been head down and very low for weeks.  It will be interesting and exciting to see what happens in the next few days...

My Favorite Cookies

Nope, still no baby.  Maybe the next post.

Today is officially my first day of maternity leave.  I didn't work last Friday or Monday, but I wouldn't have anyway... and Jason was off... so I don't think that counts.  Anyway, I just thought I'd share with you my favorite (and Jason's and Haley's favorite) cookies that I decided to make today - Monster Cookies!!

These cookies are perfect if you like soft, chewy, delicious cookies.  It's also fun to make these for different holidays when you can buy the different colored M&Ms.  You can get the recipe here.

I do have a few comments about the recipe in case you decide to make these:
1)  The recipe makes WAY more than 3 dozen cookies!
2)  I omit raisins and add more chocolate chips and M&Ms :)
3)  Make sure the butter is really, really soft or the dough will be hard to mix together.
4)  I bake the cookies longer than 10 minutes.

Try not to drool over these photos...

I'll share if anyone wants to stop by :)  But since Jason will want at least 3 in his lunch everyday, I'm not sure how long they'll last....

It's September!

I am so happy that it is September.  I really can't believe that I am so close to meeting our baby girl.  It's hard to believe that after everything, both physically and emotionally, that I've been through in the past 2-3 years that I'm actually about to hold my own baby in my arms.  This pregnancy has been such a blessing, and I can't believe how easy it's been.  Not that it was perfect... it definitely got off to a rocky and emotional start, and then there was the whole single umbilical artery scare... but by God's grace, Harper seems as healthy as can be.

I am also so happy that it is September because fall is my favorite season.  There are so many reasons to love fall.  College football, pumpkin-flavored treats, the anticipation of the holidays, cooler weather, dramatically better runs because of the cooler weather (well, maybe not this year), more options to cook for dinner (taco soup, chili, etc.).  If only Jason loved pumpkin-flavored treats and fantasy football had never been invented...   Anyway, I know that it's not officially fall until later this month, but I'm just thankful that it's almost here.

And because I'm afraid my few followers will stop following if I don't post pictures on my blog, I thought I'd share some pictures of the girls' night that my friends and I had a couple weeks ago... I really meant to post them sooner.  These are from the "cupcakes and cocktails" get-together at Sugar Bunch Creations.  While the cupcakes weren't the best tasting, it was a very fun night with the girls, and I'm looking forward to our next planned girls' night to see "Winter Wonderettes" in November :)

(I really wish I had taken my Nikon camera with me.  I couldn't get a single good picture of my cupcakes so the last three pictures were taken after I got home.) 

 "cupcake wars"

Hopefully my next post will include pictures of Harper :)