let's see...what haven't I forgotten yet

At 5:50pm March 10th, 2009 Simon Heiner Cope joined our family. He was 7 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches. He was delivered by Dr. Jiricko by c-section. I have to say, that this time around was way different than my first. Being a scheduled c-section had its pros--such as no labor. babysitters were scheduled. bags were packed. I even got a pedicure right before hand. If I was going to get shrek feet, they were going to be soft! I hadn't ever had one before, and I have to say....it was something I would do again...although, not too often, or I'll lose my claim to 5'3. The cons--the IV was difficult due to an 8 hour mandatory fast. oh wait, back up. cons--8 hour fast. Something about being told no food or drink after X hour, makes ones phsyce crave every beverage and consumable thing possible. I was tempted to cheat, but didn't...and it's a good thing too, because about 3 minutes after the really awesome nurse somehow got an IV into my tiny dehydrated vein, I got incredibly sick. I turned white and sweaty and thought I was going to vomit--ahhh the wisdom of the 8 hour fast. No food in system=no vomit. Thank you mandatory fast!!! They had me wear an Oxygen mask for a while, and that helped me. 5:21, I got my epidural. Which, hahaha also made me sick. Once again, white, sweat and oxygen. I remember looking at Chris and saying...maybe I don't want to do this today. *ha! too late!* The anesthesiologist gave me something to help with the sickies and I felt better soon--which is good, because I could feel the surgeon's hands in my body. Talk about ODD! Simon came out kicking and SCREAMING! He got 9 and 10s on his APGAR!! I was able to see him for about a minute while they closed me up. I was REALLY out of it. They brought him to me in recovery, and he started nursing like a PRO! I'm thinking we delivered him while he was eating because he was a hungry hungry little man. My mom was able to be with me in the recovery area and she stayed with me for a while. Sandi brought Ava up about 9. I MISSED HER SO MUCH. She was very concerned about why I was not moving in my bed and why I had all kinds of tubes sticking out of my hands. She did really well though. She said hi to Simon and pointed out all his features---eyes, ears, nose, chin. They left about 9:30. She was very very tired. Chris stayed until 11, and then headed home. My mom stayed on our couch at our house.
Simon is a great sleeper. He did really well his first night, waking only to eat, or when they changed his diaper. He loves to poop! He let me get in some good sleep. We've had some rockstar nurses and CNAs looking out for us.
Today, my mom took Ava to the zoo!!! What a trooper! Chris came up about 10, and spent the day with Simon and me. He did homework and helped me entertain visitors here and there. He has 2 tests next week, so study time is precious right now. Sean, Leah and Lucy stopped by a few times to say hello! Lucy was hilarious. After about 10 minutes, she'd get bored and start giving us her goodbyes and wanting out to see more interesting things. They made us a DVD that I'm so excited to see. I am going to wait for Ava and CHris to see it with me tomorrow.
Simon slept most of the day. His nursing has increased to 30 minutes already. He's had like 6 bowel movements today. Champ! He loves loves loves to be cuddled, but is also groovy to sleep in his little cart with fuzzy socks and a soft blanket. He weighed in today at 7 pounds 3 ounces. He is sweet and not very fussy--unless you unwrap him. He's a comfy cozy babe.
I'm excited to see my Ava Jayne tomorrow. I'm so grateful that Sandi took over yesterday and my mom was able to tend her today, so that I could have this bonding time and recovery time, but not seeing her all day was really hard. She's my love bug! Chris said he'll bring her to see me tomorrow, which is very exciting. Well...it's 10:30pm...time for some mommy sleep. *hahaha and Simon starts crying. poor little bug!

well, this is it. today...is the day. seems a bit unreal. I'm sitting here sipping the last glass of water I'll be permitted until after Simon is born. I've spent days (ok weeks) cleaning, and have had tons of help, and yet...I look around and there's another week of crap easily to be done. I can't believe the amount of "stuff" that accumulates around here. I've been on a throwout binge, and it's still insane.
Last night, was not at all what I had in mind. I wanted a fun night-nothing special, and yet, something really special as a memory of our last night as a family of 3. Instead, Chris was off helping someone with a computer until about 9, and Ava came home from a play date so entirely tired that she screamed for nearly 2 hours. This led to me having a severe emotional collapse. I was so sad. Here's our last night before things change, and my little girl only wanted her daddy. It ultra depressed me. It was way more emotion than I was able to take in, and I felt it all at once. I already have a dramatic streak, and adding loads of hormones to the situation is never a positive. Ava did finally fall asleep--whimpering---as did I. Today I woke up not only feeling ridiculous about the way I was unable to handle last night, but with a very sore face. You know, when you cry so hard...that your face is just sore? I mean really...what's that about anyway? I'm still sad, but it's also going to be a happy day. We're adding to our family. Hopefully, the birth of Simon will allow my hormones to calm down and some sanity back into my life.
The painters first day is today for the basement. I'm coming to grips with the reality, that I won't be coming home to a finished space. I really really really wanted to, but due to having the finish materials dropped off late, and the painter having to cancel day 1 yesterday...we can't put in carpet until Monday. I'm really not crazy about the idea of strangers coming in and out of my house while I have a brand new baby home, but I need to suck-it-up. They'll be 2 floors apart from my little guy, and so it's not really a big deal at all.
Well, I'd better gulp the last of this water, because my cut off time is in like 10 minutes for water/food ingestion. Please keep Simon in your prayers--it seems like every baby lately is going straight to the NICU for a visit, and I am hoping and praying that he will not follow that trend. I'll be in the hospital until Friday or Saturday. I'm an internet junkie, so I'll likely post while there--because really..4 days in a hospital, what else is there to do?

I'm sitting here watching the Sister of the Traveling Pants 2, and chowing down mini eggs--cadbury's greatest creation.

Today was a great day! I started my maternity leave yesterday. There was something so great about knowing that I was able to come and go and not worry that I would miss a phone call or email that needed my immediate attention. Ava and I went and got Chris new pants, picked up carpet samples, and some more bark for the front yard landscaping project that I had started before the snow came.
Ammon showed up to do the finish work. Joye and Stacy also came over to basically make my life even more amazing. They are quite the team. They added 2 new shelves to my pantry, and I can't believe the difference it has made. They are the Divas of organization. They were here for a few hours, lots of laughs. Ava loved it! She fell asleep standing up--hahaha which is always an indicator of a fun day! Even though the day was full of "to dos" being done, it was so relaxing. I loved it!
Today, Chris headed out early to fix Mike's computer. Ava and I took an easy morning at first, and then headed outside for some fresh air and to blow off some energy. I pulled some of the bags of bark out of the back of the truck--what I could reach anyway, and began spreading it. OH SO AWESOME!!! I was only able to do like 8 of them. The last 2 were way too far back and I was too tired to climb into the bed of the truck to get them. Ava ran and ran and then ran some more. She LOVES to run. She then wanted to go for a truck ride. She loves the truck. We went to the carpet store--night.mare.--and then came home, because I was exhausted. She fell asleep on the way home--where we met up with Chris and headed down to SL for my brother's birthday bash at Mimis. We had yummy salads and swinging time and icecream cake and good times all around. Today was another fabulously busy,exhausting yet somehow relaxing--must be the copious amounts of cadbury mini eggs.

seriously...so i was told the finish materials---moulding, doors etc would be delivered first thing this morning. then, by 10am i called to see when to expect them, seeing as how first thing to me means 8amish. I was told the guy should be here in the next couple hours. so....1:30 rolls around and the guy finally shows up. dude 1:30? I realize I work from home so I'm here whatever, but still it's super annoying to be lied to over and over. If you're going to be coming in the afternoon-use that verbage. also, call if you're running behind. it's common courtesy and good business. this now pushes the project back by a ton. thanks for a horrid experience wheelwright. i won't be passing out your business cards.

thursday's to do

• Ava up at 2am--spend 2 hours getting her back to sleep
• Wake Chris at 4:30 am and let him have a turn...his success rate is way higher than mine lately.
• Turn off very annoying alarm at 7am
• Crawl out of bed at 8am
• Let drywall team in for very last sanding 8:30--hand off check. scowl at snow. move cars to sun to have snow melt off. why is my steering wheel SMOKING? gag! awesome.
  
• head off to dr. appt by 8:45am
• hope that someone is awake to let in the doors and such and to call Ammon
• Ammon installs finish work
• Call Carpet person for official quote
• Call Painter to set up tomorrow
• oh yes and not ignore my job duties as well
• seriously ava....why are there color pages all over my kitchen??????????
• why is my face so itchy?????????????? am i growing a beard?
• should i really be driving when i'm this incredibly tired??????
• why am i blogging when i need to be leaving?
  

so last night...a huge TO DO was crossed off my list. Sandi came over and together we assembled the new dresser for me and Chris. It took a good 2 hours, and some serious sweat, but we did it!! I somewhat knew what we were doing, because it's the same style of dresser that Chris, Steve and I put together for Ava on Saturday, just a larger version. (and not pink.) Ava was excited that she could be our "helper." when it came to nailing on the back of the dresser, she came over to me and I let her use a mallet to punch in a few. She would sing the HANDY MANNY song when she pounded, saying "HANDY AVA!" And then want to put in a new one. She's quite talented. The last nail I did with her ended up bending over. She pointed it out and went UH OH!! IT'S BROKEN. I laughed that even a 2 year old can tell when mommy can't hammer a nail. So much more fun assembling a dresser with a family, than by oneself.
I also picked up our tax stuff from the CPA yesterday, while Ava played with Madison. She hasn't seen Madison in a couple of weeks, due to poor little Mad getting that awful cough that's been going around. Thankfully, she has recovered and Angie came and took Ave's for a good 2 hours. Bless her heart. Ava was so excited when she came home. She told me how they played in the tunnel, and with some balls, and ate hot dogs! Then she crashed for a nice nap. Oh funny---so last night, as we're building this dresser, Sandi and I are just about dying of heat. So, Chris suggested he'd go get root beer float fixins so we could have a yummy snack. Ava-who generally could take it or leave it when it comes to ice cream LOOOOOOOOVED rootbeer floats. She sat on the bed with Chris and totally downed his in record time. he was scared she was going to get an icecream headache. She then asked PLEASE SOME MORE PLEASE PLEASE SOME MORE!! He made her a tiny 2nd one and then she ran around the house like a banshee for a good hour. It was hilarious. I guess I know what we'll be serving at her summer 1/2 birthday party this June.
More exciting news...the reason I'm up and axious this morning...the painter is coming today to do the bid on the basement. Yesterday, the "finish" guy came to measure for doors and trim etc...and then the painter called to see what time he could stop by. I took his first slot-8am-and have been up since like 6:30, because I was terrified I'd sleep in. I'm not really in the ability to jump out of bed and throw something on if I had been woken by the knock on the door. It takes me a good 5 minutes just to climb out of the bed. I should probably video that...because I'm sure it's hilarious to observe. Hopefully, by Friday, the finishes will be done and the painter can come. w00t!
So generally, things are going really well. The to do list is still hanging around, but--hey things are getting done, despite my ever growing aching self. Here are somethings I want to have done by Friday.

• Get a replacement Drivers License--ew so avoiding that can you tell?
• Put up Blindes in Simon's room and Valance
• Move dresser into Simon's room--obviously not MY to do item ;)
• Help Ash move to her new place in Provo
• Buy new crayons and place old broken ones in a container somewhere--because they are driving me CRAZY!
  

Ok, brain is shorting out. MORNING!

false labor=just as painful as real

So I never knew that "false labor" hurts just as badly as real labor, until now. Last night, I started having contractions. They continued for like 2 hours, while I freaked out about soooooo not having anything ready. We got home and I started packing a bag and making like 75 lists just to calm myself down. The contractions were so painful, but not really...consistant and it felt like constant pain--no reprieve. After severe nesting of putting away laundry and packing bags....I lay down to clear my head and see if I could figure out how far apart they were...after 40 minutes or so they went away and I fell asleep. This morning, as soon as I started moving around, they came back. Again, nothing too consistant. About 11, they were starting to seem about 10 minutes apart. I suggested that we got for a walk about 1:30, because I was getting ansy, and had read that if they get worse when you walk, then .... it's a good sign it's real labor. Apparently, that's a lie. They did get worse. MUCH worse. So I went over to McKay Dee with Chris and was monitored for a couple of hours. The nurse said my cervix was "irritated" and not contracting, and that I was having false labor. Feels pretty real to me! I wasn't dialating so they sent me home--which is good, because holy crap is my house still needing like 10 hours of work before this baby can come home.
I didn't expect to feel so sad about leaving for the hospital and Ava staying behind. It almost made me cry. I was only gone 2 hours, but I missed her so much. She was asleep for a nap when we got home, and is still out. I have so much I want to accomplish this week, but everytime I walk, I hurt. I have a feeling this means, my to do list will need to be shortened. In any case, the bags are packed, the baby bed is set up in our bedroom and things are way more ready for Simon's homecoming than they were 24 hours ago...so should False suddenly become real we're set...the only question is...how will I tell the difference?