Before and After

I don't know how he fit in me...it must have been pretty squished in there.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Hello World

Dashel Robin joined our family early Sunday morning at 8:41am. True to his nickname, "Dash" arrived after approximately 6 hours of labor, which is pretty quick for a first time mom! 

As explained in my Overdue post, we had been anxiously awaiting Dash's arrival ever since he "dropped" a week earlier. Dash's head was so low that the doctor couldn't exactly tell how dilated I was on our Tuesday (Dec 30) appointment, but he predicted that baby would be born within a week. We were starting to doubt this prediction as the due date came and went. 

As we went to bed Saturday night, Matt remarked, "I think we'll sleep well tonight." I remember thinking, "We'll see." Not because I thought baby was going to come, but simply because I felt like he would come when we least expected it. At 2:50am, I woke up to intense contractions. I tried breathing exercises, different sitting positions, and running around the apartment to deal with the pain, while Matt dutifully tracked the contractions to see if they were long and strong enough to merit a trip to the hospital. At 3:50am we were gathering our bags and loading into the car. 

I was hoping the whole way to the hospital that this wasn't another false alarm- so the fact that I was still having painful contractions was actually a consolation. We made it to labor and delivery, where the nurse said that I had dilated to 5 centimeters and admitted me around 4:30am. My parents and sister arrived a little after 5am, just in time for me to receive an epidural. For the record, epidurals are THE BOMB. To give you an idea of the difference it made, check out this picture: 

Around 6am, the doctor on call came in and broke my water to speed up the process. Because I basically felt no pain, I was actually able to take a nap afterwards. When the doctor came in again around 8am, to our surprise he said I was ready to push. I was so grateful for the nurse's and doctor's encouragement as I pushed. Since I couldn't feel anything, it was hard to tell if I was making any progress, but they assured me I was. They even pulled out a mirror for me to see, but I only got a few glimpses since I had my eyes squeezed shut when I was pushing. Forty minutes and an episiotomy later, Dash made his appearance. 

It was so overwhelming to have the nurse put Dash on my chest. I couldn't believe I had made it. It seemed like I was going to be pregnant forever, and to finally see the actual work product was a joyous experience.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Overdue

This last week has been full of disappointment. Last Saturday, I started having real, regular contractions and we went to bed absolutely certain we would be parents the next day. But when I woke up, the contractions had ended. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get them to come back. Walking, eating pineapple and spicy foods, etc. Each night we would go to bed hopeful that the next day, we would have a baby. And each morning, we've been disappointed. I've never felt so frustrated or hopeless.

However, just because we felt disappointed at times this week, that doesn't mean that we gave up on enjoying the holiday break. We've been able to do a lot of things that we couldn't have if the baby were here. For example, I've been able to visit my family several times this week while Matt went to work. I've been able to do the last few loads of baby laundry, finish up nursery decorations, play games, visit with extended family members, and watch several movies. I was able to attend my sister-in-law's baby shower and go to the dentist. Even though a lot of these were errands and things that I could have gone without doing, I am grateful that they could be done. By the time the baby finally decides to come, I think I'll have run every possible errand I can think of. It's been nice to enjoy the last few days of "freedom."

If I were to make any suggestions for the last two weeks of pregnancy (be they weeks 38-40 or 39-41) it would be to plan fun things to do with your spouse and family members. Anything you can think of that would be difficult to do with a baby. That way, when the baby does decide to arrive, you know you took full advantage of the time you had, instead of dwelling on the fact that the baby didn't come when he was 'supposed' to.

Looks like I'll be getting my haircut today!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

2014 in Review

JANUARY

Where we started out: House-sitting by Timpview High School, muddling through the middle of graduate school, enjoying life as newlyweds:

FEBRUARY

Matt went to a Psychology Conference in Las Vegas, and I attended a Writing Conference in Provo. We still had time to celebrate Valentine's Day, though:

MARCH

We enjoyed spending time with the Hiatt side as they all came for the wedding of Matt's oldest brother:

APRIL

It was the Lund's turn as we celebrated the wedding of my younger brother:

MAY

We didn't announce it for two more months, but this happened on Mother's Day:

JUNE

New jobs for Matt and I! Matt started working at the Church Office Building, and I split my summer between two immigration Law Firms.

JULY

We moved and we found out the baby's gender!

AUGUST

Matt's birthday and our vacation to Oregon.

SEPTEMBER

Sister Lund returned from her mission!

OCTOBER

We enjoyed attending General Conference and celebrating Halloween at home.

NOVEMBER

We were thankful for family and friends who helped us get the nursery stocked:

DECEMBER

Where we ended up: In a basement apartment by Provo Center Street, seeing the end of graduate school in sight with a dissertation approved and one semester of law school to go, anticipating parenthood.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

The Final Countdown

Notice the paper chain getting smaller?

We are so ready for this baby to come! In fact, I've been getting so stir-crazy that I've started relating random music lyrics to labor. For example, A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton: "You know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight" sounds like the desperate attempt by a pregnant woman to get that baby out ASAP so she can see it in person.

Rhetorically,

Rebekah

Mary's Christmas

Since I'm great with child this holiday season, I've done a lot of reflecting on what Mary's Christmas must have been like. Since it was her first pregnancy and all, I wonder how it went for her. Did she have all the normal pregnancy symptoms? Was she already having contractions when they were wandering the streets of Bethlehem? Did she even know she was in labor? Was she as sick of being pregnant as I am and just couldn't wait to see her baby in person? How much practice did she have with swaddling clothes, anyway?

I pondered all of this as Matt and I were able to be Joseph and Mary in our family's annual Christmas pageant.  

It was also fun to think about Mary's relationship with her cousin Elizabeth as they were both pregnant. My cute sister-in-law played Elizabeth for the pageant (see us out of costume below) and the scriptures took on new meaning as I thought about my relationship with her and how we've gotten closer through our pregnancies. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Maternity Photo Shoot

I'm officially at 35 weeks!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Nesting

There are two kinds of nesting: gathering essentials for the nest and the general instinct to get random things done. Up to this point, I'd say I've been nesting in the former category (if at all). Mostly I've just been researching online like crazy to make sure I get good quality essentials for the nursery. 

However, on Friday I fell prey to the second nesting category: I organized our receipts. We've been shoving them into a file or a grocery bag for the past six months, and it was getting out of hand. So I went through and organized the receipts by month, putting each stack in an envelope and filing them away. As I went through them, it was fun to remember everything that's happened over the past six months. Like how I ate out for the month of May, because I had morning sickness and usually didn't want anything we had at home when I was actually up to eating. Or how we went out to Brick Oven on our birthdays. I saw the receipts from our trip to Oregon and all the places we went there. I found receipts for wedding gifts, frozen yogurt runs, and random shopping trips. It was almost like flipping through a journal, in a way. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Baby at 34 Weeks

Your baby's the size of a butternut squash!

At less than two months to go, he weighs in at about 4.2 pounds to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches.

your baby at 34 weeks

• He's recognizing and reacting to simple songs, if you're singing them. 
• He's also urinating about a pint a day.

     *Information from The Bump



Rhetorically,
Rebekah

ill

It's no fun to be ill and pregnant. You're limited in what medicines you can take, plus you're tired and have congestion anyway.

I've had a cold for the past few days, and it finally kicked into high gear. I'm hoping I can recover in time for Thanksgiving break- it's also no fun to be sick over the holidays.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Cloth Diapers

Had you asked me several years ago if I would ever consider cloth diapering, my answer would have been "no." But as they often do, opinions change over time. After considerable research, we are taking a leap of faith and committing to cloth diapering. Mentally. I have yet to buy and use the actual diapers.

Here are my reasons for using cloth diapers:

1. Saves money (the initial downpayment is higher, but it saves in the long run. also, we may live in an apartment where we pay a flat rate so I don't have to worry about utilities going up)
2. Health benefits to baby (supposedly, less diaper rash and fewer blowouts)
3. Eco-friendly (less energy to wash diapers than to take out bags of trash)

And that's about it. If I were to change the font size of the three reasons to emphasize importance, number one would be in 100 pt font, number two would be in 30 pt font, and number three would be in 10 point font. We'll see how it goes!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Baby Shower

The day finally came!!! I've been looking forward to my baby shower for MONTHS, ever since my amazing cousin offered to be in charge back in August. It seemed so far away at the time. I was thrilled to see family and friends, and especially grateful for their support. And now, I will barrage you with pictures:

Jen really outdid herself with the decorations

And the desserts- oreo truffles, cupcakes, and cookies

We had an awesome turnout-
Lots of family members and even some of my high school friends came! 

Not to mention old ward buddies

My mom brought an awesome blue punch that had rubber ducks floating on top-
(see my cousin serving herself some?)

Presents!! We got SO MANY clothes--
Possibly enough to not have to purchase any more for the next 6 months. :) 

I also felt the love and support of those who couldn't make it. Thank you all.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Winter. This was my view as I headed out to the parking lot:

While the weather may look depressing, it's a sign that the end is near.
For most of the year, I've been associating snow and winter with birth. I'd think about how I'll have to haul baby to school in the snow or how I'll have to bundle baby up so he won't be too cold.  I'd think about how I might be giving birth over the holidays. And now, there's just 7 weeks left to go! So I welcome the snow as a sign of the times.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Pregnancy Terminology

I'm curious how pregnancy terminology came about. Specifically, phrases like "expecting a baby":

Back in biblical times, instead of saying "expecting a baby" they would say a woman was "with child." Which begs the question- Aren't mothers with children even when they aren't pregnant? If a mom is "great with child" does that mean she's fantastic with children? I'm not trying to be sacrilegious, but I just think it's interesting how things have changed over time. Or over language--in Spanish, "giving birth" is literally translated to mean "to give a light." Which is cool, if you think of it in the context that everyone has the light of Christ.

It's funny, the other day a little girl saw me in an obvious pregnancy shirt and whispered to her mom, "She's getting a baby." Which is kind of like "she's having a baby"--but not quite. I had to laugh as I imagined someone (or a stork) handing me a baby once I hit 9 months, as if my stomach was a signal that I was ready.

What's pregnancy phrases do like/dislike?

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Pregnancy Brain

I recently participated in a study that tested "mommy brain" a.k.a. forgetfulness while pregnant. While I think I did pretty good overall, sometimes I read a survey question and felt like this:

I don't feel like I've been hugely affected by pregnancy brain, although maybe because of my participation in the study I've become more aware of when I forget things. It's hard to tell if it's just normal forgetfulness (like forgetting to use a coupon at the store or mixing up left and right) or if there's been a big change in my memory.  I don't think I've done anything ridiculously forgetful yet, but we'll see what happens in the next few months!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Baby at 31 Weeks

Your baby's the size of a pineapple!

He's about 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds this month. He's getting so big, he's probably crowding your lungs.

• He's going through major brain and nerve development.
• Eye development, too. His irises now react to light!
• All five of his senses are in working order.
• If the worst happens and baby is born now, there's a 96% survival rate. 
• *Information from The Bump

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Entering the Third Trimester

I took the glucose test this week and passed! I have to say, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. Maybe because I thought the drink would by a syrup consistency, and it turned out to be like any other sugary, artificially flavored fruit drink. 

Buying maternity clothes that are colorful at this time of the year has been tricky, so I felt especially proud of myself for finding this awesome dress at Burlington Coat Factory.

Not to brag, but I'm in my third trimester and I can still paint my toenails. It's kind of a big deal. And yes, the pumpkins are stickers.

Only 10 more weeks to go!

Rhetorically,

Rebekah

"You don't even look pregnant from behind!"

If I were to choose a phrase to sum up the second trimester, this would be it: "you don't even look pregnant from behind!" I've gotten that comment a lot recently, since baby has decided to stick straight out and not utilize any side space. Which is fine by me. As you can see, it's taken me awhile to show (cue: "Do I show?" song from my 4 month mark). 

Because of this, I haven't done too many "watch me grow" photos because there wasn't anything to show...until this last month. As you can see from the month 5 to month 6 photos, I've finally started to stick out. I officially moved on to maternity shorts, although some of my shirts and dresses are still holding out. 

They kept on telling me that during the second trimester you get your energy back and start feeling a lot better, but I honestly can't say that happened until around week 20 (4 and 1/2 months). Since then, I've been doing a lot better! No nausea, no migraines, no exhaustion...it's like I'm back to normal! Of course, I still have had other side effects, such as heartburn, bleeding gums, and lower back pain, but compared to my first four months, these have been a breeze! I'm so glad I was able to start feeling better for fall semester--I can't imagine trying to go to school and being sick. *crossing fingers that the third trimester isn't as bad*

Here's hoping the second trimester "glow" sticks around for another month or so.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

"I know you're hungry and thirsty, but you're afraid."

Over the past few months I've tried to do posts highlighting the good times we've had this summer. We've gone to Seven Peaks, enjoyed birthday celebrations, watched movies, spent time with friends, etc. Hopefully there won't be many of the post I'm about to write, but I think it's sometimes it's necessary to share the bad times. The hard times. The times of fear. Because everyone has those times, but often they don't want to talk about them.

As you could tell from our trailer, we're excited to welcome Baby Hiatt to the family. But the summer has not been easy because of it.

I've been sick. Extremely sick. Nausea, exhaustion, and migraines have been constant companions. Even though I was on medication, it only worked about half of the time. I'd have a few good days each week, and a few nasty ones.

I'm glad to live close to my parent's house, so that when I got sick at work (in SLC) I could drive to their home instead of trying to survive for an hour going back down to Provo. This has lead to some interesting encounters with my mom, as she would come home to find me somewhere on the floor, like in this picture:

Not staged. She actually took a picture when she found me before coaxing me off the floor.

As miserable as it was to spend a few hours by the toilet or a trash can vomiting, nothing was worse than the times I had to go to the doctor/hospital for an IV:

Blue thing on the left is a barf bag, blue thing on the right is a heating pad covering the IV.

I personally hate needles, and am slighlty traumatized every time I get my blood drawn, but on this day I could have cared less. I would have let them do an IV with both arms and a leg if it would have helped.

Addressing the title of this post, my husband said it to me this week when I was having another rough day. I had thrown up in the morning, but by the afternoon my stomach was growling. It's hard for me to know when I can actually keep food down sometimes, and I always have the fear that I will eat or drink only to throw it all up again (as has happened many times before). Even things that are supposedly easy to digest, like water.

The first trimester was one of my greatest trials, and while the time period is over, the symptoms are not. I still get sick. I still miss work. I still don't have the energy I wish I had. And I'm still afraid. I'm afraid of more pain. I'm afraid that all my plans will be ruined, because of something I can't control. I'm afraid that it will never end. But I try to remember that every day is a friend, and in the end, I'll get a sweet baby boy.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah