Welcome To The World: Eli Paul Janos!

HE'S HERE!!!

Eli Paul Janos entered the world on Friday, July 3rd, 2015 at 2:59:55p.m. He weighed 7lbs 14 oz and was 20 1/4 inches long. He is perfect in every way and I love the little guy so much! I HAVE A SON! It's crazy! In case you care to hear...this is his story:

At about Midnight on Friday, July 3rd, I was playing a game on the iPad in bed when baby boy moved and I felt a small "pop" in my tummy. I assumed it was gas...I am an Erickson after all. In the back of my mind I wondered if it had been my water breaking, but there was no gush of fluid so i stuck to my "gas theory" and went on playing my game.  At 2:45 a.m., I woke up and went pee..that's when I knew baby boy was on his way.  I began pacing around the house making lists and packing the things I would need at the hospital. Contractions had started and were about 15-20 min apart. Nothing to wake Josh up for at that point. I stayed awake for 2 hours timing my contractions and getting things together and then went back to bed. As I climbed into bed, Josh woke up and asked me if I was ok. I said," Yeah, I'm fine...I'm in labor though."
"What! You are?!" he said as he sat upright in bed, "I spose I should pack and shower, then!"
"Well, no need to rush," I said, "My contractions aren't consistent and they're back to being about 15 min apart. Why don't we try to sleep some more."  I couldn't sleep though. We called Josh's mom and had her come over so someone would be here to care for Babs if and when we left for the hospital. We packed our things, had some breakfast, then went back to bed.
Around 7:00 a.m. Abby woke up and so we decided to get up then, too.  At this point, my contractions had basically stopped. I was annoyed and disappointed thinking it was going to be another 17+ hour day ahead of us.  I swept and mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned the bathroom. I was never good at nesting..leave it all for last minute!
We sent Jan and Abby to the park and Josh and I went for a walk around the block. I had noticed the last time I used the bathroom there was something a little like "your water broke" going on, but I wasn't certain because again, there was no definite gush of fluid. I called my Doctor and she told me to go into the hospital and get tested for amniotic fluid. I was annoyed because I knew it wasn't going to be amniotic fluid and they were just going to send us home again. We went in anyway...
The test was positive for amniotic fluid. My water had most definitely broken at midnight. They decided the best course of action was to get the contractions moving since it had been about 10 hours since my water broke and I was only dilated to a 2. They hooked me up to an IV and started a Pitocin drip. Within the next couple of hours my contractions had started to progress and were about 10-7 minutes apart. I was dilated to a 6. Within the half hour I was at an 8 and I decided it was time for the drugs. They called for an epidural.
The Epidural Guy came in about 15 minutes later (at this point I was in excruciating pain and needed the drugs NOW!) and put in the catheter and medicine. They only worked on the right half of my body. This is something I don't wish on a single person. I'd rather have had no epidural than only a half of one. All of the pain was concentrated to the left side of my body. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe and I couldn't do anything but cry and whisper cuss words under my breath. They rolled me onto my left side to try to get the medicine to move into that half, but it was no use. The Epidural Guy came back in and pulled the catheter out a little bit, claiming that this sometimes helped the medicine move through the body better. After another excruciating 5-10 minutes (felt like years), the drugs had still not seeped into my left side. Epidural Guy came back and removed the catheter and then redid it. I was now in transition and feeling like I was about to pass out. White-hot pain was shooting through my left side and I was sobbing. They rolled me back to my left side and suddenly my left leg got hot and tingly and then numb. At the same moment, I told the nurse, "I feel like I need to push."
"Really?" she said, "Let me check. Oh! That's because his head is right there. If you feel like you need to push, go right ahead. Let's do a few practice pushes"
I asked her to set up the mirror so I could see what I was doing and see how each push moved my progress. Greatest decision of my life! The Doctor came in, same guy who delivered Abby, and set up. I was able to see when my baby boy's head came out, and then his shoulders and the rest of his body. To actually see him be born was one of the most incredible experiences in my entire life. Seeing the birth gave me motivation to get him out, so much so, the Doctor had to tell me to stop pushing because the baby was coming out so quickly! In less than 15 minutes, my little baby boy was out and crying on my chest! The nurse asked if he had a name yet.
"He's here! What do you think?" Josh asked me.
"He's Eli! Oh I love him!" I said through elated sobs!
"I think so too! Good Job Sweetheart! You're amazing!" Josh told me as he kissed my head.

Within the hour, Abigail had arrived at the hospital to meet her "Baby Brofer" and see Momma! When she came in the room Eli cried and she stopped in her tracks and said "Oh! It's a baby!"
"This is Baby Brother, Abby!" I told her.
"Oh Baby Brofer! I want to see" she said as she climbed up onto the bed.
"His name is Eli" I said, "This is Baby Eli"
"Oh Hi Baby Eli. that'sa Baby Brofer" and she kissed him on the forehead.

That's the story...the beginning of our family of 4. It was such an incredible experience this time in the hospital. With Abby, it was incredible but in a totally terrifying sort of way. The adrenaline and fear of the unknown. The anxiety, the trauma to my body...all of the things that are overwhelmingly scary about the first time you give birth I relate to Abby's birth experience. I wouldn't change it for the world (except maybe cut down the amount of time I was pushing. 4 hours is a bit intense), but it was very different than Eli's story. I love both of my stories and both of the perfect babies I got out of each one. I'm still trying to believe I'm a mother of 2 children...when will that be easier to swallow?

Here are a few pictures of my little boy.

Eli Paul Janos. Born 7/3/15 at 2:59pm. 7lbs 14oz; 20 1/4 inches long

Mom and Dad meeting Eli for the first time

Big Sister saying hello to her new brother

She loved him at first sight

my glamour shot after giving birth (This was less than 30 min after he was born! WHAT?!)

"I want to hode Baby Brofer"

My babies.

i love this face! He looks like Wallace Shawn. (Google him)

newborn snuggles!

She came back the next day for more snuggles

Kisses

Proud Daddy

My Name's Eli...I'm just chillin at home

Eli's Glamour shot

My boy and me!

A pic from the hospital photographer. I love this one

um...i have a question.

Siblings! I love them both!

Well Hello Handsome! (7/14/15)

Baby Boy Update

Hi all! I had an appointment today. Here's what we know:

Dilated to a 2. Much effacement. Got an ultrasound today to determine baby's weight. (I'm nervous about how big he'll be knowing how we Erickson women make big ol boys!)

He was head down with a 13" head circumference and weighed approx 8lb 2oz. He'll be comparable to Abby at birth. Whew!

Now we just wait. Wait wait wait. I'll keep everyone posted! 

Xo
M

I'm waiting...

The hardest part about being a mom-in-waiting is the waiting. I'm technically due today...though there are less than 30 minutes left of June 24th. The doctor says baby boy is measuring at an early July date...like the 2nd or 4th or something, but I'm really not interested in waiting that long. I'm done waiting. I'm tired of being pregnant. I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of being impatient and short fused. I'm just done. Stick a fork in me, Folks. I feel like Baby Boy is slooooooooowly making his way toward the exit, but he's sure taking his sweet time. Really, I've been there and done that once before..so there's no need to take your time, Honey...just come on out. 

We're dying to meet you. And really, what are you waiting for? It's so much better on this side of things. Plus...Mommy wants her stinkin body back. You've held it hostage for too long. I love you, Baby Boy...I really do, but COME OUT ALREADY!

I guess we'll just keep being "Patient" and wait for him to get here.  Waiting is the worst. I will go so far as to say I hate it. No wonder Abby struggles...or maybe she's just a two-year old.

Speaking of Abby.  I was able to hitch a ride up north with my parents (to Motley area) and stay a week in a cabin with family a week or so ago. I barely had to lift a finger all week as Mom and Dad took care of Babs and Josh joined us on Wednesday afternoon through Friday. It was an incredible week. I got to relax and rest. I got to watch Abigail grow and learn and develop in a way that I have never been able to see before. I was a spectator in my daughter's life instead of the number one care provider who is always elbows deep in whatever is going on with her at any given moment. It was incredible to see her developing her language and communication skills. It was so fun to see her be silly with Gramma and Gampa. I saw her imagination bloom to such a new level. She loves to pretend and the things she thinks of to pretend about....it blows my mind!  I left with Josh on Friday and in the back seat of our car we had a little girl that I knew was mine (I mean, she looks just like me) but who had grown into such a little girl that I hardly recognized her. This past month, Abby has shown me that she is an independent little girl with such an enormous personality and the ability to (mostly) clearly communicate her wants and needs to her dad and me. My heart bursts with pride every time she catches herself saying "My dood it" and changing it to "I dood it, Momma." She's getting the hang of it. (and no, I will not step in and correct her when she says "dood" because it's freakin cute, ok? Maybe if she's still saying it in a year...) She is....everything. I love her so much. I can't wait to see how she grows into her role as a big sister. She's going to be amazing. I just know it.

I don't have any photos to post this time...all of the pictures from vacation are on facebook and I don't want to go to the trouble of saving them to the computer just to post them here. you've all likely seen them anyway.  But I thought I would put a few thoughts down on a blog post for you who follow me. No baby yet...but I'll let you know when he's here. I promise.

Summer might really be here?

I think summer might be here...and if not, it's coming soon. Abby is the happiest kid on the block now that she can spend all her waking hours outside as long as we don't have music class or swimming lessons. She loves to swing in her friend Eddie's swing (Her swing set is coming soon, but we don't have it yet!) and playing in her sandbox and water table. She's so happy to be outside in the fresh air where she can ride her trike and pull her wagon. She loves taking walks down to the pond in our neighborhood to look at the ducks and geese. She informed me today that the red-winged black bird we saw eats bugs and fish when he's hungry. 

A- Momma, Birdie
M- Yes a Birdie. What do you think that Birdie eats?
A- "sthish" (fish)
M- Fish?
A- Yes.
M- and do you think he eats bugs, too?
A- Yes. Bugth. Birdie eat bugth and sthish

Smart kid.

Every day she is growing. Every day she is maturing into an incredible little girl. Every day she both surprises me and fills me with pride (when we're not having an epic battle over whether or not her scraped up knee needs a "Hello Kitty" Band-Aid or not). She has started showing me that she can entertain herself and/or stay focused on one activity for 20 minutes at a time and I cannot tell you how relieved that makes me. In two more months, she'll be even more grown up and will have even more independence, so maybe bringing home baby brother won't be as scary as I think. Because if you ask me, it's probably the scariest thing in my life since I brought Abigail home.

Tonight, as her daddy and I were playing with her in her room - reading books and doing some bouncing rhymes on our laps- she decided that she'd like to see baby brother. She can only interact with him if it's with my bare belly, so up the shirt went and down the belly band came and she promptly kissed my belly and gave "baby brofer" a hug. She then proceeded to give him head bonks just like we used to do with her when she was a baby. She said "hello" and "I yove yoo" to him and then lost interest. For those three minutes though, it was magical. I can't wait to see how much she loves him. I'm not naiive enough to think it won't be really really hard sometimes, but right now, tonight, I'm choosing to focus on the amazing moments we'll have. The moments that will probably make me cry and fill my heart with so much love that it'll more than likely burst out of my body. 

You guys, I sure was blessed with Abigail. She's an incredible kid.

riding a broom

Look at that smile!

she loves riding the duck at the park

Abby's 'at (hat)

water table fun!

making some soup while wearing Mommy's old sweater

Well, Hello There

Hi! I guess I should say sorry for leaving you all hanging like that. It's been a while since I've bothered to post...my blog even went offline. SAD!!!!

Never fear though, it's back. And this time I wanted to tell you all about the sweet little human growing inside of me. As you know, the human is a boy. Josh and I are beyond thrilled to be welcoming a little man into the family. So far, everything is going perfectly. We did have a small scare around 20 weeks when some Bilateral Choroid Plexus Cysts showed up on his precious little brain. Our Dr. Said that this is a fairly common thing to see and rarely does it mean that there will be complications or genetic mutations, but the fact that it was a possibility scared us senseless. These cysts are a "soft marker" for trisomy 18 and/or Down's syndrome. We had to go back in two weeks after our 20 week ultrasound to recheck the cysts. Like the article I've linked to the condition says, more often than not these cysts go away on their own, so we were holding on to hope that the cysts would be gone. Well, God is good and He answers prayers. At the second ultrasound of baby boy's precious, growing brain it was found that the cysts were gone. The likelyhood that something will be abnormal with our son is so slim that all our worries melted away. (Almost)

This pregnancy has been so easy for me compared to Abigail, who I thought was also pretty easy up until the end when she made me so wide and large all around that I could hardly move! It's been so completely different than Abby though, too. I knew right from the start that this was going to be a boy. It just had to be.  Now I'm looking forward to seeing his perfect little face and kiss his nose and lips and toes and to hold him in my arms. I can't wait for Abby to be a big sister. I can't wait for our family to grow.

Here are a few fun things to share with you. Baby's 20 week ultrasound photo. I'm so in love with him and we haven't even met yet. I look forward to the day.

Mommy loves you, Sweet Boy!

Sweet Baby Boy's Profile!