Evan, week 2
How come no one ever told me all they do is eat, poop and sleep? He is precious, and it amazes me how dependent they are on us.
He has been home for 8 days now, and it has been crazy. I haven't slept for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time, and I have no concept of time. It doesn't matter if it is night or day, it all feels the same to me now!
Jerry and I have been sleeping in shifts. For a 4-hour chunk I'll sleep and he'll bring me the baby for feedings. Then I'll let Jerry sleep while I watch the baby (Evan often won't sleep unless he is in our arms). Then during the day Jerry watches Evan as I take a nap or two. I don't know what I'm going to do when he has to go back to work in August. How do people do this alone???
He is still darling... he really has a set of lungs on him. Once Evan has indicated that he's hungry, if he isn't eating within 2.5 seconds, he is screaming bloody murder. This is frustrating because it's hard to make a baby eat when he is screaming. He also screams quite a bit when being changed, though I think he has mellowed out a bit. The doctors at the hospital kept commenting on his "temper." I prefer to think of him as passionate.
Often when he eats, he keeps one eye open. How cute is that? We call him Popeye.
Today he had his first bath. He screamed. But he sure does smell better.
Yesterday he had his first outing (not counting doctor's appointments) to JC Penney! We had photos taken of him. Unfortunately, it takes 2 weeks before we get them back. We do plan on sending family and friends a photo of him before then. The challenge is finding a way to post the photos on this site using a template that is easy to manage, or something like that. This is Jerry's department, and he's working on it.
Overall Evan is a lot of work, but of course he is worth it. Currently he is laying on Jerry's tummy sleeping. Cuties.

Evan's birth story
Evan is taking a nap, so I have a moment to post his story. I'll try to leave out the gorey stuff.
Last Sunday morning I awoke at 5:45, used the little girl's room, and went back to bed but couldn't fall asleep. I had really mild cramps but after 3 weeks of off and on cramps, I didn't think too much of it. Then, my water broke. I woke up Jerry, told him, and the look on his face was like a child who had just been told there were cookies waiting for him in the next room. I called the doctor, then family members, and took a shower while Jerry frantically put all the necessities in the car.
We got to the hospital by 6:30 and I was having regular contractions, 2 minutes apart, but wasn't in too much pain. I was still dilated 3 cm and 80% effaced. An hour later the contractions were painful. They let me spend as much time as I wanted in the shower and when that no longer helped, I asked for my epidural. I had planned to wait much longer to receive drugs for fear that it would stall labor, but because of the pain I quickly changed my mind. I can't imagine what it would have been like if I had waited any longer.
I think I received the epidural around 9:30, when I was 4 cm dilated. The relief from the pain was immediate and I could then carry on conversations with Suzy (my sister) and Jerry. They told me the average first-time mom progresses 1 cm per hour with pushing to start at 10 cm. This would put us around 3:00 to start pushing.
At 11:30 they checked me and said it was time to start pushing! I thought I had misunderstood them. For the first time that day, I felt horrified and not up to the task...
It really wasn't that bad. I had Suzy and Katie (sister-in-law) and Jerry cheering me on and encouraging me. The pushing lasted about 2 hours. It all went well and progressed well until the end, when the baby got stuck and his heart rate slowed, a sign that he was stressed. The doctor said I would either have to have a c-section or have him vacuumed out. We opted for vacuum. About 3 contractions later, he was out, and I think the whole room was crying with relief.
In a way, it didn't really feel real.
They took him away right after he was born (to the other side of the room, which felt too far) to suction his nose and throat and check him out. About 10 minutes later I got to hold & nurse him. He was so sweet. We feel in love immediately...
He looks exactly like his dad did as a newborn... little nose, same lips and eyes. He has my chubby cheeks, and both mine and Jerry's chin (my cleft and Jerry's upside-down u-shape, whatever you call that). He has dark red hair like mine and blue-grey eyes which might change color. He is chubby! Every part of his body looks like a little strong man and when he eats he grunts and snorts!
After having him home a few days (he had to stay in the special care nursery for 4 days) we are happy but exhausted. He is an angel during the day... he eats well, sleeps often, and has moments of alertness where he makes cute faces and noises. At night he screams when hungry, screams when being changed, and is hesitant to eat even though he seems starving. I'm... so... tired...

He's here! He's here!
Evan Charles Price Stogsdill
Born Sunday, July 13
1:45 PM
9 lbs, 8 oz
20 inches

Details & photos to follow! ~:)

progress!
I am now 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced! That's progress from last week. This doctor says the baby is at -1 station (0 station is fully engaged), so I'm not quite fully engaged, but close. I feel a lot of downward pressure, so I was surprised to hear this.
The doctor also said this looks like a good-sized baby, maybe 8.5 pounds (which is what I was when I was born). I asked if, based on his size, they would induce labor if I were to go past my due date. He said there is little evidence that this is a good idea. Inducing has risks and it's best to let a woman labor when her body is ready, see what she can do, and take other measures (such as c-section) only if necessary. He didn't seem concerned about the size or my ability to deliver him. I guess they never know until they try.
Not to give anyone false hopes, but he said I am "ready to go" and could deliver tonight or this weekend. But let's not all hold our breath. I remember being told the same thing a few weeks ago.
Still, this was good news! :)

5 days and counting...
Well, we're 5 days from our due date, and 4 days from our due date if we can call this baby early!
I'm doing well. I still have more energy than I did a few weeks ago, and I'm still organizing photos. I'm also reading ahead for my classes next semester, just in case I happen to be busy once the baby comes...
I definitely feel like the baby has dropped farther (if that's possible) as there is now a distinction between my chest and my belly. It's not just one big hump. That's nice.
My only current complaint is the 4:00 - 6:00 a.m. block of insomnia I've been experiencing. Because of it, I know that we have owls outside our window, that our downstairs neighbor takes her shower at 5:00 a.m. which lasts approximately 15 minutes (way too long if you ask me), and that Jerry is a very quiet and deep sleeper at this time. I'm glad I get to sleep in instead of having to go to work.
This all doesn't really seem real, this waiting for our lives to change. I can't imagine any of it, so I'm just kind of hanging out, as if on vacation.

He's still cookin'...
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that one doctor's opinion can vary greatly from another's, and that this whole thing of predicting when he might come is 100% subjective. Oh, and that none of them can see into the future. Ok, that's three things, but they're all related...
Today the doctor said she doesn't expect we'll go into labor anytime soon, she expects at least a week, maybe two. So that would put us around our due date of July 13. I've officially stopped obsessing. The earlier predictions that he would come "any day now" just led to me analyzing every contraction and feeling of discomfort. No more!
As of today I am delving into my photo project, which consists of organizing three large tupperware boxes full of photos from the 70's on. That should keep me busy for a few days.
I feel great. I have a lot of energy. I am sleeping better than I was a month ago (not sure why) and my heartburn is gone. I feel a little impatient, but overall I feel pretty good.