Catch up...Life as a new mommy

Mom is staying with us for 2 weeks. Even though she is driving me insane at times, she is a HUGE help. She's been cooking me all this good Korean food that is supposed to be good for post partum. I love her. My sister came to visit for a few days too...it's weird to see how she handles babies. I can't believe she's an aunt...and I can't believe that my mom is a GRANDMA!!! My mom is too hot to be a grandma...lol

Not bad for just giving birth, huh?

Dannika Jane Romer was born on July 12, 2009 at 1227AM. She weighed 8lbs even and the hospital recorded her at 19 inches...even though she was actually 21...lol. 

My labor and delivery was crazy. Here are the details...

So I started having horrible cramps on Friday evening, and on Saturday evening, I gave in and Nick convinced me to go to the hospital on base to get looked at. I didn't think I was in labor or anything. So we drove the 45 mins it takes to get there from our house to get looked at. I was 4cm dilated (this is on my due date). Normally, that is protocol for hospitals to admit someone who is dilated that far...or at least tell them to go walk around for an hour and come back. Well..they told me they couldn't do anything for me and sent me home with a prescription for Ambien to help me sleep that night with some tylenol. I left the hospital and got home around 930 Saturday evening. I was in so much pain! so by 11pm, Nick said "F" it, and took me to Mission Hospital (5 mins away from my house) to the emergency room. By this point, I felt like I was gonna die...literally. When we got there, they took me straight to labor and delivery...I had peed all over myself (attractive thought, huh?). My water had broke on me in the wheel chair on the way to labor and delivery. I was screaming in pain. They could not believe that the naval hospital sent me home on my due date when I was 4 cm dilated! I was begging for the epidural as soon as i got there and was screaming bloody murder (Nick has the scratches on his arm to prove it). I don't think I've ever been in so much pain in my life! We were waiting on the anesthesiologist, but in a span of 10 mins, I went from 5 cms to 10....so basically...too late to get an epidural. As soon as I heard the words "it's too late for an epidural"...that's when I started panicking. Nowhere in birth plan had I ever imagined giving birth without medication. I started freaking out and yelling obscenities at the staff...

Well...I gave birth...all naturale...to a healthy bouncing baby girl...8lbs...19 inches...in a span of 30 minutes. the doc told me I coulda been in a birthing video. Either way...it was the most awful...most beautiful experience ever.

Oh yeah...postpartum sucks. It's worse than being pregnant, but when I look at my beautiful angel, it's all worth it. I still can't believe that she was inside of me just one week ago!!! Thankfully, Nick has been absolutely wonderful. He has been doing A LOT for me...night time feedings...and waiting on me hand and foot. I am so blessed that God gave me such a wonderful husband and father to my child.

Life after baby has been a little hectic. It's been overwhelming at times, and I'm sure a lot of it is my hormones. I'm a little sad about having to go back to work in 6 weeks and having to trust her with a stranger in daycare. I guess that is life.

Other than that...I have never been so in love with anyone in my entire life...Having Dannika has been like falling in love all over again. I haven't felt this good since I first fell in love with Nick :-)