Update and some pictures

*So, I started this post awhile back, here it is finally!

Well, Luke was three weeks old as of yesterday! He is such a mellow baby, I still can't believe it. He really does not cry much at all, in fact, I thought there was something wrong with him the first week after he was born. He still eats ALL THE TIME and I am pretty tired ALL THE TIME, but I know it will pass. At his one week appointment (9 days, actually), he was 9 lb 2 oz. He is almost as long as the changing area in his play yard. I think he got the tall genes from both Mark's Mom's side and Dad's side of the family. He has started smiling the past two days, just a few times. It's not gas, either. He was wide awake each time. I will try to get a picture as soon as I can.



Olivia started First Grade last Monday. She is SOOOO excited. She is really tired and really hungry by the time she gets home though. I overheard her telling Anika that a boy at school was "in love" with her, but that she was not "in love" with him. She gave Anika very specific instructions NOT to tell Mom or Dad because she would be "so embarassed." She really likes her teacher and talks about her everyday. She has taken her own lunch everyday because she doesn't like the school food (thankfully). Her favorite lunch item this week was, interestingly, tomato soup.



Big Sisters can't get enough of their baby brother, even after three weeks!




Snuggle Time!




This one is my favorite so far! Luke loves to snuggle up on our chests.

Luke's Grand Entry

LUKE JACKSON BENNETT
AUGUST 11th, 2007
6:52 AM
8 lb 4 ounces
22 3/4 inches long
14 1/4 inch head

Just when I thought I was going past my due date, I was awakened at 2:45 AM Saturday morning in full fledged labor. In my mind, I was going to "labor" at home for a few hours and head to the hospital when my contractions got to be about 5 minutes apart. Well, they started at 5 minutes apart and by the time we left for the hospital at 3:30, they were 2 minutes apart.

I WAS going to do the "natural childbirth" thing for my last baby, but with contractions one after another, I just couldn't ever get comfortable. It was worse than my pitocin induction with Olivia. On top of the contractions being back to back, I was throwing up and then Luke passed meconium when my water broke and his heart rate on the monitor wasn't looking very good. I had to have an oxygen mask on my face. It was just one thing after another. I was a wreck. I labored like that for about 2 1/2 hours.

And then I got my epidural and things were great. I could relax and talk to Mark, my Mom, and the nurses. I don't regret it on bit!

Unfortunately, due the the meconium, Mark was not able to help with the delivery as the doctor had hoped. He needed suctioning before taking his first breath so he wouldn't inhale the meconium into his lungs.

My nurses and my doctor did a great job of keeping me calm, even though they had to tell me several times to stop watching the monitors and "just be the patient."

I pushed a few times and out he came, looking very blue and floppy. I don't think he was breathing. He looked so bad, I forgot to look right away to see what gender he was. The doctor held him upside down by his ankles so he wouldn't swallow. Mark quickly cut the cord and the doctor carried him to the warmer for the NICU nurses. He didn't cry for the longest time. His one minute Apgar was only 3 out of 10 (the lower the score, the worse the baby is). I could see the nurses resuscitating him. I knew exactly what they were doing. It's is amazing how well he responded. His Apgar score at 5 minutes was 9. As you can see in the picture at the top, he is nice and pink!

Need help with a middle name

OK, so we have had our boy name picked out forever: Luke Jackson Bennett.

We have chosen a first name for a girl: Tess. However, we can't find a middle name that we love. I think the more syllables, the better it will flow, as in Tess Elizabeth (which I've ruled out).

Any suggestions? Cindy-maybe there is a family name down the line somewhere that would fit?

I am now OVER 39 weeks, which means this is the longest I've ever been pregnant. Olivia & Anika were born at exactly 38 and 39 weeks, respectively. I think I've been having what is called "prodromal" labor since the doc stripped my membranes last week. Lots of contractions, but they never get regular or increase in intensity. This is something new for me and I am finding it really annoying! I'm really not THAT uncomfortable, just impatient.

Who knows, maybe the fact that Mark has a tee time with his boss for 18 holes of golf this afternoon with his new set of clubs will be enough to send me to the hospital? He's the one that brought it up anyway!

Brian & Beth will be finding out next week if they are having a boy or a girl! I can't wait. Having all these new babies is so fun!

So.........Any Day Now...........We're Ready

I was kind of hoping for a July baby and yesterday afternoon I actually thought it was going to happen. I was having contractions 10 minutes apart all afternoon and then they stopped. Of course, my doctor didn't help much when he said "Hopefully I'll see you tonight or tomorrow" after he stripped my membranes. He did ask Mark if he was going to help deliver the baby. I had forgotten until then that my doc is known for letting the fathers help with the delivery. He described to Mark how he'll do it, and much to my surprise, Mark sounds like he is going to do it and he actually sounds kinds of excited about it. Mark doesn't get excited about much, that's just the way he is.

We painted the baby's room over the weekend. I am so happy with it, it turned out very nice. I will post a picture later.

I worked my last day on Monday. My coworkers had a nice potluck for me. Lots of good food. There are 7 women on my floor who are pregnant right now, with 6 us of being due between now (me) and November.

I just have a few things here and there to get done, otherwise, we are ready!