Thanksgiving

We had a nice Thanksgiving with our families. The kids really enjoyed themselves and I even managed to get all of my CHristmas decorations out over the weekend. However, the real test begins tomorrow when Shawn goes back to work! The hardest part seems to be getting everyone where they need to be, especially since the doctor still hasn't said I could drive so we are relying on Aunt Emily and Aunt Cassie a lot. It is amazing to me how two weeks ago it seemed so odd to add another member to our family and calling this new person "Drake" seemed unnatural. Yet we already couldn't imagine life without him. It reminds me of a quote I once read that said, "Someone said that you can't love your fifth child as much as your first... but someone never had five children". So far, he seems to be a very easy-going baby. He reminds me a lot of Delaney's personality when she was a baby, but he looks a lot like Dawsyn. The kids are already Christmas Crazy!!!! So, the next few weeks are going to be constant commotion around here. I can't imagine what Christmas is like for people without kids. I bet it is a lot calmer, but probably not nearly as interesting. I am doing well, I just really start to crash around 8:00 every night. I try to stay up until around 10:00 to feed Drake and most nights he makes it to 3 or 4 before he needs to eat again, so I really can't complain. He still isn't back up to birth weight, which surprises me because he only goes two hours between feedings during the day. The good news is that the nursing is really helping me lose the weight, so hopefully that will continue. I also hope to totally get my personality back, I still feel a little out of it at times and my wit certainly isn't back to normal yet, I can't believe how many one-liners I've let get by lately, but I secretly think Shawn is enjoying that aspect of the recovery!

Home and adjusting

We are on our second full day at home. So far, we are doing well. Drake is still on the billirubin blanket for his jaundice. As of today, his levels were still going up, but it looks like he has quit losing weight. So, just like the four before him, hopefully the billi-blanket is on the way out! Dax has been having the most difficult time. He keeps coming over and asking mommy if her belly is sore and can she please have two more babies? (Shawn isn't happy about that!) He wants to help with the baby, but knows that he has to be careful and most of the time, he just looks very confused. One thing he isn't confused on is the pecking order of the house. The first night we were home, he announced, "I'm not the baby anymore! YAY!!!!" Delaney has gone from age 4 to 20 in a matter of days. She really wants to be the big girl--especially when the older two go to school. She wants to help in every possible way. However, she is still as coordinated as a four year old, and is constantly bumping into either mommy or the bassinet! Dawsyn spent the last few weeks before Drake was born saying that she didn't want a baby and this house didn't need a baby and she wasn't going to like this baby anyway and on and on and on... However, she must have forgotten all of this because she has spent the last few days holding Drake every free minute! She runs to him when she gets home from school, she insists on holding him every morning right up until it is time to leave for school and she keeps "smelling" him when she is gone and misses him. She is definitely the mom understudy in the house. Drew has taken to Drake just like all the others, he is very loving, tries to protect him, but acts like he is totally afraid that he is going to "break" him! Poor Drake has already had a baby-sitter. Drew had his 2nd grade music program last night at school. He even got to get up and read a poem. He did great and Mommy just didn't want to miss it, so Grandma Judy and Grandpa Carl babysat so Mommy could go to the program. It was the most uncomfortable hour in a hard metal chair, but the music teacher saved seats for us in the front row so I could get in and out easily. And, of course, it was certainly worth it! Tomorrow's challenge is the Lancaster Christmas parade. Dawsyn is riding her float and Delaney gets to march with her baton class. I am hoping to hobble to a spot long enough to watch the girls go by and then get back home! Thanks to everyone for the cards, emails, and all of the support. It means so much that number five is just as important to everyone as he is to us!

OUR TIE-BREAKER HAS ARRIVED

Drake Michael Edward Adams was born at 8:04 AM on Monday, November 16th. He weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20 1/2 inches long. The surgery went well. I felt pretty good through the surgery and got to see Drake before they took him to the nursery. Once I got to the recovery room, however, I started to feel the oddest pain in my chest and back. The nurses weren't sure what was going on until I told them that I had a horrible metallic taste in my mouth. They then realized that the spinal had gone "up" and I was almost totally numb up to my shoulders. This was a little scary, but once they sat me up and started the pain meds, it slowly faded. I was able to nurse Drake in the recovery room and they soon brought him back to my room once the pediatrician cleared him (he was having trouble with a lot of grunting). At that point, they rolled my bed over to the window and I was able to hold Drake up to the window so the other kids could see him. This was both wonderful and horribly sad at the same time. The other kids are just devastated that they haven't been able to hold him. They cry on the phone to me everynight. We set up a webcam, so they have been able to see and talk to both of us every night, but I know they can't wait until we are home! I am really hoping to go home today. I've never gone home this early, but the doctor has already discharged me, so now we are just waiting on Drake.

Week 38!

So close...
Today is my last day teaching since my c-section is scheduled for Monday. I think we have everything ready. I know that the novelty has definitely worn off at this point! At my last appointment on Wednesday, the doctor did a quick ultrasound because he was a little worried about my fluid level, but there was plenty around the baby. Shawn and I both took Wednesday off so we could go to my last appointment, meet with the people at the hospital (which turned out to be a total disaster) and so I could get some other last minute stuff done. We picked the kids up from school and took them to a nice dinner to celebrate their amazing report cards and parent-teacher conferences. We got very good reports on them. So, now I am too the point that I am just tired, ready, and, of course, scared to death. That is just my personality. Last night I had my conferences for three hours and a lot of people kept telling me that since it was my 5th c-section, at least I knew what to expect. They are right, but that is also a curse because I know EXACTLY what to expect. Last night I even dreamed that I went into the surgery room and they asked me if I wanted a cookie and I ate one and then they told me I couldn't have the surgery because I was supposed to go 12 hours without food or water.
Even though, the kids can't be there at all, we are going to try to make the best of the situation for them. We have it planned so we can take polaroids and no one else will get to know what the baby is until Delaney announces it (at the McDonald's down the street instead of the hospital waiting room). We also have it all set up to do a webcam every day so the kids can see me and know that I am OK. So... we're doing everything we can, I just hope the hospital will cooperate in some small way. Although, based on our meeting Wednesday, I am not counting on anything. I just keep telling myself that this time next week, I should be home, recovering with our entire family, and hopefully a wonderful, healthy baby. Now would be the time to send some prayers our way!

Week 37!

Call Guinness!!!!
This has got to be some sort of record. At my doctor's appointment yesterday, he said I was 3 cm dilated and almost totally effaced, but right now the baby's head is resting on my tailbone so it hasn't engaged yet. Last night, I was up from about 2:30-4:30 with painful contractions off and on--but when I got up to take my shower and get ready for the day at 4:30, they suddenly stopped. As I was leaving yesterday, the doctor said, "I'll see you next Wednesday, if you're still pregnant and that is looking less and less likely!" Yeah right! I'll be there next Wednesday, still touting the huge belly and I'll show up the Monday after that for my scheduled c-section. BOO!!! I so wish I could just go into full labor and have the baby on my own, especially with the hospital saying no one can come visit because of H1N1--not even my other children. The thought of that just makes me nauseous!!!! I was cheered up quite a bit today by my coworkers. They threw a little shower for me and got me a bunch of diapers and wipes and had some really good food. I work with great people--who like to have reasons to celebrate! So, now we are just waiting. I have parent-teacher conferences tonight. After that, I will feel like I have all of the major things out of the way--now just to get baby off the tailbone!!!