14 days ago...

I looked like this: (Scarlett took these two pictures)













... and I was miserable, and a day past my Due date... so I went to the OB, and he was not thrilled with my progress, or lack thereof. My odds for a successful vaginal delivery were rapidly going down the crapper, and I was SO done with this being pregnant thing. So after weighing out the options with the Doc, we decided to Schedule a C-section STAT... the following morning.. (as mentioned in my previous post) So, we went in, with our letter in hand, and reported for surgery 2 hours prior to the scheduled 8am delivery time.

here's a LOVELY (not really) pic of me all dressed and wearing my "funny hat" to go into surgery. He is so good at capturing my awkward expressions, and his own, too. He was excited to get this thing under way too. He recorded my surgery and everything with my iPhone... I haven't been brave enough to watch it yet...

I so totally moisturized, put on foundation and eyeshaddow to look nice for this delivery... okay there, I admitted it, now forget I said that... and think it's a natural "glow" :P

WORST part of the surgery was that *damned* yes I swore, sorry about that, SPINAL! It is so much worse than the epidural. I do not buy that I was "distracted" by my contractions last time making it not *seem* so painful... This was Hell in a Handbasket... and the guy  ASKS you if it feels centered or to the right or left, you rapidly blurt LEFT! or RIGHT! as you are in excruciating pain. There is an "assistant" to the anesthesiologist, mostly just there to HOLD you while you sob motionlessly from the PAIN of the insertion of the thing that is supposed to help you AVOID pain... I had Joe take a picture of me after this experience, so that I wouldn't forget it, and you could see that it really WAS an awful experience.













The surgery was a success. Eloise Jane Rawlins was born. Joe says she came out with eyes wide open. 6 lbs 11 ounces born on 11/6. 17 inches long, head 15". 
 
When Joe brought her to me the first time she was still fussing a bit, and I started talking to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead and she calmed down right away. Something magic about how they already "know" Mom directly from birth.

They even put little "low-jack" things on their legs so that nobody can just walk outta the hospital with your baby unnoticed. This made me feel good. Plus I thought they were kinda cute...
 
They got us to our room....

....and people came to see her throughout the day. I am sorry to say I did not get any decent pictures of my in-laws with the baby, and that is saddening to say the LEAST. 

Rita brought Scarlett to the hospital, and met Joe in the lobby so that he and she could come in and we could all meet Eloise together as a family. Rita had her all bathed (which I heard was a real task) dressed cute and her hair done--even with a bow. Here she is, entering the room. Joe picked her up to see the baby, he asked if she wanted to give her a kiss, and she kissed Joe instead. It wasn't until he picked her up and held her that Scarlett grasped the concept that he meant she should kiss the baby. 

 

My Hospital Recovery went swimmingly. The nurses kept being impressed with how quickly I was able to move on my own, and walk with ease. I think it's just because I felt so much better than I did after the first one that I was ready to take on the world! I also had them keep the pain medicine coming on time the entire time I was there, and for the most part the Nurses did good at keeping me in my drugs. I had a lot of great nurses, and only one shabby one. I debated back and forth if I was going to go home after 2 days or 3 days, and decided to opt for the extra day of rest. 

They took wonderful pictures of Eloise at the Hospital, and I'll post those pics in another post. Here are some I took in the Hospital:

by day two Scarlett was ready to try and hold the baby but was unaware she wasn't just supposed to toss the baby out of her arms when she was done. it was pretty funny, luckily she was sitting on the bed with lots of room in front of her... I had just told her, "hey, let me know when you are done with her and I'll take her back, we don't toss sister" 

She thought it was easier when I held the baby. :)

bringing my own blankets, hats, and clothes for the baby really made things more enjoyable in the hospital. Also bringing clothes for me to change into for the last couple of days for me also helped me feel more human again. 

 

        

first wide eye open picture

All in all, Eloise is a delightful baby and for the most part very contented. She does like to eat, a LOT, and during the daytime my milk supply is enough for her, but at night she likes to have some supplemental formula, too, so that she will go down for the night. I need to stop thinking I could just feed her longer to give her what she needs, because it just doesn't seem to be the case and I just get more and more frustrated trying, plus by then I am so exhausted, that my coping mechanisms are less than stellar. I am always so grateful for the sleep i do get. Sleep is a magical wonderful thing and like a drug I wish I could have MORE and More and MORE!!

Scarlett has done pretty well adapting... though is sometimes even more overly emotional about things and I try to explain to her that I hear what she is saying but she will have to wait until the baby finishes eating before I can get up and get/do ABC&D for her. 

My pain is pretty much nil. They used this dermabond stuff for my incision instead of staples, and I think it also helped ease my recovery process... but the other day i noticed an unpleasant smell that showering did not remove, so I went to the doc yesterday and apparently they just needed to take the glue off, it was  starting to come off on its own and was holding onto odors it came in contact with... and I'm going to try to keep a pad or something over it to keep it dry. 

Here are a few pics since we got home. 

Well, my girls need me, so I'm off. Sorry for the delay, time seems to be in short supply. Lots of love,

Red Rawlins

Like a Kid on Christmas Eve.

Well Folks, it's 5am. In 1.5 hours I report to the hospital to wait 2 hours to have a C-Section. Eloise Jane will be in my arms very soon! I am so excited!!! Pictures will come, ASAP. Upon consideration I think we are just going to keep Scarlett close-by us. I don't want her to feel alienated from this new change that is going on. While I have had the opportunity to send her out for the week, She is still my sweet baby girl, too, and I don't want her to feel abandoned. We will all get acclimated together. Not to mention all the adorable photo poses we would miss if she weren't around for that first week~!

I am delivering at Banner Desert. Gifts and visitors are welcome. We all know that nobody gets any decent rest in the hospital anyway, so as long as you are healthy, you are welcome.

Knowing it was my last night with a big pregnant belly made it bittersweet as I lay in my bed, observing her every movement inside of me.

Loads of Love to all.

Tomorrow tomorrow, you're only a day away.

Dear Eloise,

Tomorrow is your due date. It would be awesome if you could just make things happen bright and early on that day, or tonight after Daddy gets home from work. Mommy has tried her best to remain patient, but is no longer sleeping well with you on the inside, so please do me a solid, and come out soon. Grammy Rawlins is really excited to meet you and would like to do so before she has to go back to Utah on Saturday. Scarlett has been practicing with her baby doll pushing in the swing and playing with your bouncer. She is going to be a great big sister, hopefully :). I will do my best to make sure she is soft and gentle with you. You have lots of adorable clothes to wear.

Daddy and I are so excited to see your beautiful face, and hold you in our arms. We already love you so much. We hope you are nice and healthy when you come out, and that you like to sleep, and eat well for us. I hope your head isn't too big, and that we can have you without any need for a C-Section, but as long as you are healthy that is our number one priority.

Love, your Mommy.

The baby has definitely dropped, my center of gravity is a bit off now, and I find myself having to walk on my tippy toes to remain standing. I've been doing laundry and getting things organized in the house, and have had lots of help from Rita the past few days.  She helped us organize the room that was Joe's office, getting my craft table out of the living room, and also still leaving room for her air mattress and computer to go on the table in there for the next few days; She is going to come stay with us until she heads back to UT Saturday. Glenn will be coming into town Saturday morning, so hopefully El will be with us by then so they can meet, too, before they make the drive.


I got the arrangements made for the glider to be dropped off at Sarah's house by my friend Tracey. I am planning to have the final cluttered space in my bedroom cleared so we can put the chair in my room as planned. My friend Nina brought us lunch and some clothes from when she and her older sister were babies, and they are just great. Back then, they really dressed babies like dolls instead of little grown-ups.  One of the outfits was actually made out of polyester.. sooo great.

Still need to install the baby seat bases in the cars. I'll try to have Joe do that when he gets home tonight. He has been super busy with work, and I have been trying to allow him to work long hours so that he feels less behind when he has to take time off when the baby comes.

Love to all, thanks for reading, and for being our dear sweet friends and family. We love you all, and can't wait to be able to tell you that our Eloise Jane is here.

xoxo, Red Rawlins

Gentleman Joe's

Wishing not to be home last night for trick or treaters, we went for a walk around the Riverview shopping center. Joe likes to take pictures in front of businesses with the name "Joe" in the title, so I had to snap a few in front of this Barber Shop. Scarlett instantly wanted to be in the pictures. Here was our result:






Still no baby. In partial boredom, I decided to Google. I found a page for Acupressure points to induce labor. I totally went for it. Am feeing some contractions now... will keep this up till we get this baby here!