She's Here (and has been for three months)

So we're back!  On March 17, 2010 I completely forgot about this blog.  Actually that happened on March 16 - when I went into labor.  But that's beside the point, which is that I'm back.   I realized that our journey didn't end at her birth, it actually began.  So why wouldn't I want to document all of it?

Let's start with the birth.  I had been dilating slowly for sometime.  By 36 weeks I was already 5 cm dilated and about 80 percent effaced.  On Monday, March 15 I felt the tiniest trickle of liquid.  Being that I was still two and a half weeks away from my due date, I thought, "Could it be? No, it can't be."  So I monitored closely all night and didn't see anything; luckily I happened to have a Doctor's appoint the next day.   At the appointment, I told my doctor what I saw and she took a look and said she didn't see anything.  But being the good doctor she is, she did a litmus test and voila! Positive for amniotic fluid - this meant I had sprung a leak 24 hours before and therefore had to go to the hospital immediately (risk of infection increases).  I actually asked the doctor why and she advised "to have your baby!"  Nothing like a statement like that to get you going.

So off I went - waddling to the hospital (it was 3 blocks away), while Seth went home to get our bags.   No, I wasn't feeling any pain, just some pressure on my belly periodically.  I was in my hospital room by about 6:30 PM and hanging out.  My nurse was fantastic and indulged all of my birth plan requests (eat lightly, no IV just a hep-lock, able to walk around, only periodic monitoring).  Then at about 8PM my doctor came and fully broke my water (gush is an understatement) and half an hour later I felt my first pang of pain.   I labored for about 4 hours at which point I was at the end of my rope (I started telling my doula and Seth that I didn't think I could do it - meaning I might need to go for the epidural).  But my doctor came in then to check me out and I was fully dilated - it was time to push.  Luckily, I only had to push for about a half-hour.   I felt my daughter coming out and when they planted her on my chest - my life changed.  It's no less than absolutely dramatic.  Time stands still, yet there's chaos in the background.  This little being was looking directly into my eyes and whimpering.  She was slippery of course, but I was not letting this one go.   We just stared and stared into each others eyes.   Completely Awestruck.

And I have to say three months later I'm still awestruck.  Shiloh Divya Dymond is a fantastic kid.  She started sleeping 5-6 hours straight at night at about two months.  And she keeps it simple (and predictable) throughout the day - wake-up, eat, play, go back to sleep.  She started smiling about a month ago and hasn't stopped, especially when you talk to her.  

Here are her one, two and three month pics.