Rainbow Baby Archer!

"I have been reading this blog for quite a while. I hope you are holding baby Archer and loving every minute of being his mom."

Thank you dear reader!  Haven't updated in nearly 3 months, but with good reason!  Most important things first - I am overjoyed to announce our rainbow baby Archer Thomas made his way into the world screaming and 100% healthy!

My sister took these professional pictures, and made awesome month signs for his entire first year!

So, the experience - I was at my wits end towards the last few weeks of the pregnancy.  Basically my pelvic floor had dropped out and Archer was sitting on my cervix, so walking was fun and going upstairs was excruciating.  I'm sure I drove my poor husband bonkers with the mood swings, insomnia, heartburn, aches & pains, etc.  

My due date was set for July 5th, but the plan was always for me to be induced once I hit 37 weeks (less of a chance for a late term blood clot).  The date was set for June 17th, and as it grew closer I developed the worst case of "senioritis" imaginable.  Biweekly non-stress tests and ob visits had me praying for normal results but with the added bonus of "hey, look, your water broke, let's go!"  Being pregnant the same time as at least 8 other women I knew had me in happy with a twinge of jealousy tears every time their babies were delivered. 

By my last regular ob appointment, I was in tears walking through the parking lot.  Walking is being generous - I was taking baby steps, cringing and cursing the Florida summer heat with every footfall.  My ob determined I was 2 cm dialated and 60% effaced, and did a membrane sweep.  I was advised to take a walk and return later that day for a recheck, so I took the most painful 3 hour walk around the closest indoor mall, called the husband to come meet me and headed back.  No change, and a parking ticket to boot (expired registration - thanks, hospital!)  Sent home only to return that weekend thinking I was having contractions.  Nope - he was KICKING THE CRAP OUT OF ME.  

I'm ashamed to say I comfort-ate more fast foods that week than is probably healthy or permissible in several states, but I was beyond trying to cook or do anything other than pass out at the end of a long day.  The day before my induction was set, since it had become obvious I wasn't going into labor naturally, I took Parker to the museum as a final "only-child outing" - he had a blast learning about Megalodon and interacting with a snake and gopher tortoise in the reptile room.  Fortunately I was able to sit most of the time.

The morning of induction arrived and I took the only picture of my belly that exists from Archer's pregnancy.

5:30 am, getting ready to leave for the hospital!

We headed to the hospital and got hooked up and started on pitocin around 8 am.  True to form, my labor lasted 8 hours (same for Parker and Coraline).  At around 3:49 I knew it was time - I went from 6 to 10 cm in about 20 seconds and my ob was slapping her gloves on walking in the room. The contractions were hellacious up until my epidural, but the delivery went amazingly quick - I pushed maybe one and a half times and at 4:09 pm, Archer made his way into the world.  I will never forget the look on my husband's face - the relief, the joy, the happiness.  It was totally worth the 8 months of hell I'd been through.  

Archer weighed 6 lbs 11 oz and was 19 inches long.  Ten fingers, ten toes, a good set of lungs on him and a full head of hair.  He looked so much like Coraline.  He took to breastfeeding right away and spent the first few hours just cooing and making noises in his bassinet. I'm not even going to dignify the next day and the terrible experience I had with the hospital making me switch rooms - instead, let me just say that my first meal post-baby and fasting all day (steak and potatoes from Applebees) was seriously amazing because I wasn't touching the hospital food (except for breakfast, that was okay).

It's been almost two months (holy CRAP that went by quickly) and we've settled into a nice routine.  I'm due to go back to work after Labor Day, and even though I'd love to stay home and love on my little guy, there's things like a mortgage and car payments to be made.  Oh yeah - we closed on our house, so I'll post those pics once I get it all viewer-friendly (not easy to do with a newborn in tow).  Parker starts MIDDLE SCHOOL next week (yikes) and Archer is all set for daycare at the same place we originally chose for Coraline - they remembered us when we went back and waived the application fee.  It makes me feel better about returning to work knowing he will be in good hands - one of the two top rated daycares in our zip code with a GREAT infant care room. 

And now - PICTURE BOMBS!

Mommy and Archer!

Big brother Parker! He was so excited, he was pacing outside my room like a worried new dad according to my mom.

A very sleepy Daddy and his baby boy.

Going home day!  Of course he was Batman.

Daddy multitasking

My sister's awesome gift pile for her spoiled nephew

Archer has syndactyly on his left foot (webbed toes). They're adorable.

Archer throws mad shade - and check out that eyebrow.

Blue Steel.

Happiest Baby EVAR.

Great faces.

Laughing baby - best sound ever.

What, me worry? (My current phone screen, because it makes me giggle)

Archer and Babou

One month old!  He actually LOVES his changing table.

Archer meets Lucky - she's become such a nanny dog, absolutely adores him.