Cirque du Snip-snip

Bless my son's heart. Today he got the snip-snip and a "clip." But before I launch into my tirade about circumcision, I thought you might enjoy this video of Holden rolling over. You can hear his 5 year old niece and Aunt Cassandra cheering him on (ok, it may sound more like yelling). But at only 3 weeks old... I think it's pretty darn impressive. Mostly the kid just HATES "Tummy Time."

Tatum getting ready to cheer on her cousin -- before he starts freaking out!

Because of the glucose challenges and the resulting body temperature drop that plagued our little guy at the hospital, the pediatrician decided against circumcision at St. Marks. I was (not so) secretly thrilled. Great! I thought. We've bought ourselves more time. . .

I gave Danny two specific jobs with our little guy (among other things). But I had decided to hand over the reigns (of whether to cut or not to cut) to him -- after all, he's got the male parts and I obviously don't. The second decision? Holden's middle name.

Here our handsome guy is sporting H&M Couture compliments of Erin Allen (and his buddy Jonah.)

So he got to make the decisions, but it didn't mean I wasn't going to share my opinions... (as most of you know, I usually don't have strong feelings one way or another...) ;)

Those are tears resulting from either the human rights injustices or a clogged tear duct (you decide?)

We chose the first name and last name together... though I don't think he'd even entertain a hyphenated surname for our guy.

So back to the snip-ship: Sure it helps protect against the spread of HIV... but you know what else does? Monogamy! Besides, it's losing popularity -- especially in the west.

please note the position of his arms...

My main request was that he make an INFORMED decision when it came to our child's precious body parts...after all, I reasoned -- even Joseph Smith revealed that circumcision is no longer necessary...

For those of you wondering if we made the jump to the brave new world of cloth diapers... yes. We're doing a hybrid of cloth, gDiapers AND disposable -- my favorites are the 7th Generation variety though... less impact on the environment than any other disposable brand we've found and seem to be the same price...

The American Association of Pediatrics says that while some studies show medical benefits for circumcision, the benefits are not even sufficient for the AAP to recommend the procedure.

Besides, we have a perfect little angel!

But ultimately, the adage "I want him to look like me"won out...and so it is. And even though I am ranting and raving and I am making Danny change his pants for the duration of the time that Holden's "junk" is healing... because it makes me cry every time I look at it...well, I'm sure my husband made the right choice. Because Danny would never hurt Holden on purpose... he's trying to save him from teenage hell... and I get that.

So in the end: I like giving people the option to make decisions -- but mostly when they agree with me though. :)

And in the interest of full disclosure, we also had the doc clip his tongue today... I would've postponed that one a lot longer but the doc said since we were already putting him through the (well, whatever it was we were putting him through) we might as well do it. I'm hoping we made the right decision...

I didn't get mine fixed until I was 7 or something... and I was "Sabweena" up until that point and in speech therapy... not saying your R's, S's and TH's is kind of adorable when you're a girl... but I don;t think you get afforded that luxury as a guy...

The Stats

A few Stats on my son, and other random factiods I'm discovering:

SEVEN: The number of diaper changes Holden had this morning between 8:30 am and 12:25 pm. He then went on to tally another seven before 6 pm. It's not that I want to change his pants, it's just if a drop of anything touches his diaper, he is quick to let us know...

Holden with a wrinkly forehead.

Daddy on the floor with Holden... "Does this count as "tummy time?"

FOUR: The average ounces Holden guzzles per feeding... pretty consistently every 2 - 3 hours.

EIGHT POINT SEVEN: Holden's current weight... up more than a pound from when we left the hospital (he was 7. 10 at birth, so chubs-mc-gee is what we be calling him soon).

"The box" a gift from my mother-in-love... her mom also used it. Holden is hit and miss with this one...

TWO: Number of my breasts that have felt the true pains of engorgement. I told Marissa and Brandi I could only describe it as if someone had placed fish-hooks through my nips and then proceeded to hang 20 pound weights from them. (Can I get an "AMEN" from any of the mothers out there?!?!) Was that too much information? Maybe a little inappropriate... this is, after all, a "family blog." ;)

Some light reading material - JK, Danny got the Communist Manifesto from a friend who did not vote Obama. ;)

Pretty Marissa feeding the little guy.

TWELVE: Number of washable nursing (breast) pads randomly strewn about our home at any given moment. last night Danny asked me if I was playing frisbee with them, because there really is no rhyme or reason to where they're showing up...

Brandi Honey, holding Holden...

More Marizle...

THREE:Average times Holden gets up during the night... usually between 11:45 and 12:30; another housecall around 2 am, and then one final hurrah anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30...

Grandpa Dave and Grandma Stevie

THIRTY: Pounds I've lost since Holden's birth. Let's just say that last couple of weeks of pregnancy I had so much water weight to gain, it's fair to say that it should've been easy for me to lose that much so quick. But I will add that with how much Holden is eating, this breastmilk/nursing/pumping thing is the greatest crash diet I've ever been on. Oh, and I can get into my "fat jeans" ... which shouldn't be something to celebrate, but I'm going to anyway....I weigh what I did in May of 2008.

Grandma Stevie and Grandpa Dave

Donna - the dopest nurse in the world... WE LOVED HER!

Pictures and Recap

Greetings from Mommyland...

OK, I know I said I was working on the birthing story... and I am (all 2000 words of it. More for me than for you, obviously).  It's just such an emotional thing for me that every time I sit down to write it I get like 2 paragraphs in, start crying and then I miss holding my baby... so it's coming... 

But in the meantime, some "highlights" (readers digest version):

• My cervix never dilated (ok, it dilated to a 1.5 after 24 hours of medical interventions; does that count?)
• Hypnobirthing worked (and Danny was a rockstar). I mean, it helped me relax, and even though I had to be induced, I used it up until the decision was made to cut me open and get baby out
• That's right... I ended up getting a cesarean (Long live Caesar! Oh wait, that's a different battle cry...)
• They broke my h20 after 4 1/2 hours of pitocin, and then I labored another 3 1/2 hours (yes, I could definitely feel it) before my "spinal tap" premier (I never opted for the epidural, thus the spinal for surgery instead...so I really think there's something to be said for the hypno thing)
• Holden was in distress for who knows how long?!? Once they got the internal fetal monitors in place (after breaking my water) they could see I'd have a contraction every minute 1/2 and his heart rate would drop at each peak
• They put me on O2 early, but after breaking my water it revealed he had also passed meconium(sp?) in his amniotic fluid and they were worried about him aspirating
• "Hard Labor" was manageable (about 3 1/2 hours) until the decision for the c-section was made. Unfortunately, I "came out" of hypnosis and had another 45 minutes before surgery, and the pain was like nothing I've experienced before (apparently the "drip" was on a 19 and the highest dosage they go up to is a 20?) Yeah, I could feel it. 
• But Baby is safe, and eating well now (totally lazy eater btw... no offense to Holden, but he kinda sux and sucking...) but I'm pumping milk like a cow so at least it's "mother's milk"... and Mama is doing fine.
• I also would like to note that yesterday I almost put Burt's Bee's Diaper Rash Cream on my nips instead of "Tender Care Lanolin" (yes, nipple cream).  In my defense they do both come packaged in a yellow tube...

Anyway, I have a lot of mixed emotions about what happened through L&D, with my pregnancy being so easy and all, and then to have such an odd turn of events (I didn't even read the chapters on cesarean in "What to Expect" so I was into it blindly.) But I've been working through those (emotions, not so much  the book's chapters...though I've read those now too) this past week and a half.  Like many of you have said, it doesn't really matter as long as he's here and ok.  And he's not just ok -- he's a perfect little squish. 

So some pictures to celebrate (you may have already seen these on facebook if we're "friends," but anyway: 

Daddy and Holden: Day 2 I believe.

Yep, definitely Day 2 after Holden's birth...Daddy has not been getting much sleep... oh and the Pink Blanket was a gift from Danny before we got married (he made it for me) and I took it to the Hospital to be comfortable... so that's why our son has a pink blanket (and because he's totally metro and comfortable with his sexuality)

Single's Ward After Party last Sunday with Holden's Surrogate Uncles and Godmother -- Lindsay Morgan

Holden, Parker and TIgg (Tigg will only be smiling for a moment and then freak out about 5 seconds after the picture as he sees his first umbilical chord... I think he thought it was Holden's circumcised "guy." 

Yesterday: Holden was sleeping... I was picture taking; he was saying "Mom, that's enough."

I don't think he likes the Bear hat... but I think it's adorable. 

Too much work... time for rest.

Holden's Here! And he's perfect...

Friends, 

For those of you who are already parents, you'll understand perfectly when I say I haven't had much time to write since the actual induction Sunday morning. 

It's was 23 hours and 44 minutes from the time we arrived at the hospital to Holden's debut...

I'm excited to share the amazing spiritual and transcendent experience that labor and delivery was for all of us -- mom, baby and Daddy.  But for now, it suffices to say that nothing really worked the way we were expecting; and it was all entirely perfect. 

Holden has joined us... made our family complete to this point; and he is a miracle in more than one way. 

He was born Sunday evening at 6:46 pm, 7 pounds 10 ounces, 21.5 inches of perfection...

Thank you to those of you who have already left well wishes and congratulations via text, email, phone, facebook, this blog, etc.  We appreciate it. (and my apologies for not getting back to you,... we've been a bit preoccupied. ;)

We plan on returning from the hospital on Thursday and I hope to share our amazing birthing story with you all sometime after... but for now, it's time to nurse again and I can hardly stand to be on the other side of the room from him. 

My blessing, my miracle, my precious baby Holden. 

Ready Set...Go?

Sabrena Suite-Mangum, reporting (somewhat live) from St. Mark’s Hospital. Now it’s truly just the waiting/countdown game…

Here are a few funny things that have happened so far (juxtaposed with me complaining about a few things).

I had called St. Marks at 4 pm to see what time they wanted me here (we were suspecting around 7 or so) for the cervadil (sp?)… it’s supposed to thin and dilate my cervix, apparently. After we were given the show-time, the conversation finished up like this:

Me: And is it you that I talk to about getting one of the birthing rooms with a tub?
L&D Nurse: Well you can’t have that – you can’t use it with the cervadil.
Me: Well, what about tomorrow?
L&D Nurse: You’re getting pitocin and will be hooked up to IVs. You can’t use it then either.

To which my eyes got a little watery in them, my throat chakra was growing a lump and so I did my best to thank her before I quickly hung up.

My birthplan is crap… I thought. Everything on there says “Assuming everything is normal” or “Under the premise that there are no special circumstances…”

But there are special circumstances… I have an “unfavorable cervix” and my contractions are about as frequent as the KC Royals winning the world series (read: practically non existent).

But praise for the night shift. We rolled in around 7:30 to the “HUGS” alarm going off (you know, they keep those special arm bands so if someone tries to take a baby too far the whole building goes on lock-down.) So we got a first hand look at what would happen if Danny tried to steal away to Marie Calendars for a Super Bowl party after he’s born…

I was a little shook up because even though I have really been open to accepting whatever this pregnancy brings; the reality of it being so incredibly different than I was expecting has been a hard pill to swallow… even replacing “acceptance” as my mantra!

My throat got all lumpy again, because I still wanted a nurse that was partial to natural childbirth even though we were being induced… Conversation #2 went a lot smoother.

Me (through “sobs and sniffles with sniffles predominating”*): I know….this may sound ridiculous…. to even ask since I’m getting this stuff tonight and being put on pitocin tomorrow… (I can hardly talk at this point)

L&D Nurse: [Nods as if to say “keep going”]

Me: But can I still ask for a nurse that’s partial to natural childbirth?
L&D: Of course, do you want a room with a tub too?

At which point I told her my story about the phone call earlier today, she gave me some Kleenex, hugged me and made some comment about “that’s the day shift… we’re more relaxed on the night shift.”

She gave us Room #5 (Danny’s lucky number), and we got settled in (as best as you can at a hospital.)

I got our room set up:

My birth shrine or sorts with pics of Holden (one my niece drew, an a couple of ultrasounds) the booties my grandma knit (she passed away about 10 years ago but had given the gift to my mom to hold to for us until we had children of our own) and an elephant rattle toy from my yoga guru and friend Jami (Ganesh is an Indiana Elephant deity said to be the remover of obstacles.)

I put out my birthplan and wrote the words “Flexibility is the new Birthplan” across the top of the page. I also set out the cookies I had made for the attending staff and some chocolates.

The medical interventions started:
-the tacky hospital robe
-the IV
-the blood pressure cuff
-the monitors for baby and my contractions

But I do have a tub I can’t use. Huzzah!!! ;)

My midwife should be here in about 20 minutes to get the pitocin started… today marks day 9 of me being overdue…so the majority of the medical community seems to be in agreement that it’s time to get baby out… like Blondie “One Way or Another.”

*verbiage from “The gift of the Magi