Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Today is my anniversary!
Today marks my ninth year of marriage to JJ! Now I am constantly reminded of what an awesome feat that is on a daily basis especially living in LA where it seems that celebrities keep getting a divorce because they have "irreconcilable differences". I mean come on people marriage is HARD! It's not always easy but you aren't supposed to have it easy... easy means that something is amiss... I always make sure things don't get too "easy" between JJ and I. Easy means that something is falling threw the cracks and that's not good...
So in honor of today I will go out and find something romantic for the two of is to do that can be crashed by Felix.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Birth Story
I know some of you are
curious as to what Felix's birth story is so I figured I would post it
for you to read. It's almost a novel so only read this if you have time!
My due date was swapped around several times so I had 3 dates when I was to "expect" Felix, June 15th, June 18th and June 22nd. So when all those dates came and went I was more than ready to have the little man.
On June 27th I posted something to the effect of "So the big question is should I get JJ to drive me to Caioti's Pizza Cafe in Studio City so that I can have "the salad"?" on Facebook. The urban legend in LA is that after having the salad you are sure to go into labor within 24 hours and being 5 days "over due" I was ready to do anything that would help me have the child already. Lunch time came around and JJ and I looked at each other and said "nah no way are we going to get that salad... too far... but tonight for dinner for sure... we will go..." dinner came around and sure enough we didn't go get the salad. JJ just went to the sub place down the street and got us some sandwiches instead.
Later on that night when I went to the bathroom I realized that the "Bean" had plans of his own and also wanted out as much as I did, as I had my bloody show. I told JJ and the two of us are all excited about this. I called the midwives to let them know that the baby was on it's way and was told to just get some rest and to call them in the morning.
JJ and I both went to bed and at about 2AM the contractions started and there was no way that I was going to sleep threw them. So I let JJ sleep beside me while I moaned and groaned beside him. Next morning JJ woke up and I was still having contractions so he called the midwives. We were told to start timing them and that when they got to be 5 minutes apart lasting a minute for over an hour to call them back which we did later on that morning.
At around 11AM or so Katie came by and sat there with us while I was having a contraction on my bed. Here we all were siting on the bed chatting and me petting Yoda while I'm having contractions and she just looked at me and said " dear you are in early labor just hang on in there because this could last for days so get some sleep!" So off she went and I was just baffled... early labor? but this is worst than all the false starts we'd had in the past and I swear I'm not joking this has to be the real thing...
After she left I tried to get some sleep which I'm not sure I got and waited around for things to move faster. At around 8 PM things had progressed and I was now in the bath tub hanging on for dear life while contractions came over me. JJ called Katie again and she sent Jacqueline to our house.
Jacqueline had been our teacher and we had had a 6 week class with her about what to expect when we were in labor and after. Not having seen her for a few weeks it was nice to see a friendly face again.
So there she is sitting on my toilet while I'm in the tub, talking to JJ and telling him "yeah you are close but this isn't it... the mood will change drastically when it's active labor. Think of the mood and what it's like when you are about to have sex... It will be just like that... and this isn't it... so just relax have a glass of wine or two and see if you can't get her to sleep some." So after all that this still wasn't it? Crap! I mean come on... It had been a full 24 hours at this point and I was ready to have this child like NOW!
So after Jacqueline left, we opened a bottle of wine and had a couple of glasses each which is hilarious when you consider that we don't drink at all. We went to bed after that and JJ being allergic to alcohol was down for the count. I on the other hand was tired but the wine had had no effect what so ever on me... I tried once again to go to sleep and had little success with that... so back to the bath tub I went... the reason the bath tub was now the hot spot in my house is that warm water acts like a sort of epidural so I was just enjoying the reprieve from the actual pain of this "early" labor. In the tub I think I was able to get a few moments of shut eye but nothing to write home about.
The next morning rolls around and JJ once again calls Katie saying "ok this time it has to be it... please come check". She shows up shortly there after and says "yup there's progress but you aren't quite there yet", she was looking for me to be 6 centimeters dilated and I wasn't quite there yet. So she offered to have an apprentice midwife come and act as a doula (person who will help you with your labor) and I was like yes please. So she called Andrey who came into our lives shortly there after.
Andrey is the one I credit with the peace and serenity that I had from that moment on. She made me relax threw the contractions and told me to stop thinking about the pain and to let it just wash over me, to let my body take over and to visualize my uterus opening like a flower so that the baby could come out. Up to that point I had had a frown on my face with each contraction and had tensed up completely. With Andrey's help I was able to just breath threw them like it was nothing. So after having a few contractions, she suggested that we go for a walk and that that would help speed things up and use gravity to our advantage.
Here I am somewhat dilated having contractions walking around our complex with Yoda, JJ and Andrey. With each contraction I would stop and do the 5th grade slow dance with JJ. Meaning I was hanging on to his shoulders with my feet shoulder width apart and rotating my hips as the contractions went on.
After having walked/danced around for what seemed like forever and gone up and down stairs we went home, ordered and had dinner.
Now we were on, so Jacqueline was called back and she checked my cervix and low and behold there had been progress I had gone from barely dilated to 3.5 to 4 centimeters. Not the 6 they were looking for but better than nothing. Jacqueline told me she could feel my bag of waters coming out of my cervix and that right past that she could feel a head. So in my mind we were on the way there and I was ready to rumble. I was told that I needed rest and that they were going to call Luree and have her hypnotize me so that I could get some rest.
It's now day 3 of this and 1AM or so and I'm laying on my left side in bed while Luree is putting me under telling me to imagine that I am walking on a beach and that each wave brings me closer to having my baby and I'm thinking "what in the hell is this? you are going way too fast with your instructions lady... you are telling me to relax all these parts of my body and I'm having a hard time of it... plus how in the hell is this going to allow me to rest if I'm wide awake?" So after round 4 of putting me under, here I am in need of the bathroom so I struggle to get out of bed and run to the bathroom to pee. Luree is like "we can either continue or I can wake everyone up and we can let you have your baby now." I was like "I'm still tired let's see if I can get more rest in plus I hate to wake everyone up." I was secretly hoping that I would sleep for a few more hours and that it would be early morning but not super early so thus ok to wake people up. So here we go with a few more rounds of "imagine you are walking in a forest/beach/field" and now I can feel my contractions and they are now way more pronounced than they were before I went on my walk around nature so much so that hypnosis is no longer working for me and that I'm now wide awake and want this pain to be over with so that I can have this child NOW!
Luree wakes JJ up who had been sleeping in the next room and shows him how to do this massage that is supposed to help me no longer feel my contractions as it confuses the brain as there are too many messages sent to it at the same time. So here's JJ barely awake trying to do this massage on me and while it feels good it's not really helping as he's not doing it like she did but he's trying his hardest tho and he's like "I hate to see you in pain please please please let this be done now please".
After Luree leaves off to the tub I go! Nothing helps like warm water does! It's now 4 or 5 AM and this baby is now ready to come out and all I want is my birth pool to be set up in my living room so that I can have this child NOW!
Katie shows up and they set up in the living room and get the pool ready and in I go. Prior to the whole thing I had asked JJ if he would mind getting into the pool with me so that I could feel him helping me threw this rather than having him sit on the outside of the pool and just talking me threw it. Plus if he was going to catch the baby it would just be easier if he was in there to begin with. He goes to the bedroom and comes back with swim trunks on and get's into the pool and sits on this seat that is built into the pool while I sit in front of him with my butt on the "floor" of the pool.
So I have contractions and he hold my hands while I'm having them and between each of them we are talking and giggling about how we should be charging the midwives rent as they are all sleeping on our couch or bed. They are all completly dead to the world while JJ and I are chatting up a storm making time go by as the contractions get longer and longer and the time between them get's shorter and shorter.
A few hours go by and Jacqueline walks out of the bedroom and to me and asks if she can check my cervix and I'm like hum "no!". I think of the whole experience thus far having someone put their hand up my lady parts to "inspect my progress" is my least favorite so when I'm offered to see how I'm doing down there as much as I might be curious I also could care less...
A few minutes go by and JJ goes to the bathroom. While he's gone Andrey asks me to give JJ the ok to go to sleep which I had already given him prior. When he comes back Andrey talked him into going to get some sleep. So off to bed he went.
After he left the contractions got to be stronger and maybe 5 or 6 contractions after JJ left as I was having a contraction I felt something like a balloon pop between my legs. That was my bag of waters. I tell Andrey this and she get's Jacqueline to check my cervix. Jacqueline checks me and I was right my bag of waters was gone and now she can feel the head I am now 7.5 to 8 centimeters dilated. She feels around a little longer and tells me that the baby's head isn't coming down the way it should and that it's twisted so maybe we should all go for a walk and going up and down stairs should jostle the baby into the right position.
So out of the tub I get and I put on a dress and off we go. Two steps... contraction... two steps... contraction... one step down, two steps down... contraction... going down stairs is like all out torture at this point but if it will help get the baby postionned properly I'm game... well some what...
We get down what seems like 15,000 stairs but is only something like 10 in 5 minutes or so and I feel like I'm complaining the whole time down. Then out the gate we go down 5 more stairs and on to the curb. There Jacqueline looks at me and says: "ok we are going to do something like the duck walk... you will have your left foot on the road and your right foot on the curb and up and down you go till you hit that car... ok?" I looked at her and looked at the car she pointed at which was 2 car lengths away and then look at her and say; "you know I like you right? because when I had a personal trainer I would have killed them if they had asked me to do that... so... count your blessings!" Jacqueline laughed and off I go. One step and one step up... contraction... one step and one step up... contraction... ouch ouch ouch... seriously till that car? Why don't we make it till the moon while we are at it? I make it to the car and by now I'm exhausted so we take a break and sit on the curb and chat for a while. After what seems like an appropriate amount of time to rest off to walk back to the other car. So left foot on the curb and right foot on the road. one step up and one step... contraction... one step up and one step... contraction...
Up the 5 stairs... up the 15 stairs... and we are home... off to the bathroom I go... Baby is now on my blater and it seems that I need to go pee every other minute when I am standing. Off to the bathroom I go and do my business... while I'm in there the midwives have a pow wow and when I get to my bed they are all waiting for me and tell me they are going to grab a sheet and see if moving the sheet back and forth on my belly that it will maybe move the baby in the right position and if that doesn't work that they will try something else.
JJ by now has heard the talking in the bedroom and comes to investigate and finds me on the bed just moaning as the contractions are now unbearable. Katie grabs the sheet and moves it into position and starts moving it and now I'm just not having it. I'm telling her to stop as the combination of contractions and sheet/belly moving action is just too much...
Jacqueline checks my cervix and then runs off to talk with Katie. While they are gone I'm litteraly on the verge of tears and tell JJ that I'm not sure I can handle much more of this...
Katie and Jacqueline come back into the room and tell JJ and I that I haven't progressed in any way and that things haven't changed in the way of the baby's position so that because it's been a few hours that they are suggesting that I be transported to the hospital.
I put my dress back on and off JJ, Jacqueline and I all go to the hospital, which is like 15 minutes away. As we drive there I swear all the pot holes in LA mysteriously find there way on our route and each time we approach on I cringe and that makes my contractions worst. So after a few pot holes I decide that maybe I don't need to have my eyes open and shut them so as to not know when the pain is going to be inflicted on my poor poor body ...
We get to the hospital and walk into the labor and delivery ward and Jacqueline is asking me questions so that we can fill out the information to get me checked in and my brain is just not working... After I get my crap together long enough to answer all her questions off we go to my room... most of the way there this other nurse is like "nope wrong room... please follow me..." and off in the opposite direction we go... and I tell Jacqueline that maybe we should just wait and see if they change their mind about which room I'm going to... since they can't seem to know where I'm going...
In the room I go and I put on the oh so sexy hospital gown... get strapped with two hockey puck like monitors on my belly and wither in pain as I have more contractions... the nurses are done with my "prep" and an anesthesiologist comes in and gives me an epidural and presto the pain of the contractions go bye bye.
For the next 30 minutes or so I'm left alone and I fall asleep in 2 seconds flat and am dead asleep. After that period of time has elapsed they wake me up and check my cervix once again, can't feel that this time, yay! Now I am fully dilated and they are looking at the monitor that's hooked up to my belly and they tell me I'm having a contraction except I can't feel it so as they tell me to push I'm like "ok? but what am I pushing? and where?"
The doctor, Dr. Kline comes in and watches me "push" threw a contraction and tell me that they are going to remove the epidural as it's obvious that I can't feel anything and that I need to feel something in order to push.
Bye bye epidural and now in less than 15 minutes here we go again with the contractions and now I feel like I HAVE to push. And I'm pushing and pushing but it feels like I'm going to poop this child out rather than have it come my cervix.
4 hours of this and I'm exhausted and I want nothing to do with the pushing anymore I'm just way way way too tired. I ask the doctor if we can use a vacuum to get the baby out and off he goes to vacuum the baby out... and then nothing...The Bean has just wedged himself in such a way that he won't come out naturally down the shoot.
Dr Kline had told me that if things didn't progress and that if the baby didn't come out by a certain time that he was going to perform a c-section. This wasn't what I wanted thus the vacuum and the 4 hours of pushing. Ultimately what I wanted and what happened were two very separate things...
So now off to the operating room we go and in a matter of 10 minutes out comes Felix. Up until that moment I had no clue I was carrying a boy and the second I heard him cry I was so very emotional. JJ is all excited about the birth of his son and pulls out his Blackberry and starts taking pictures and video of the happy event.
So here I am on the operating table looking at the clock and watching my golden hour pass me by and start to resent the fact that I'm on this bloody table unable to move while everyone else in the room gets to move around and hold/touch my son.
So after they sew me back up and transfer me to a bed they cart me off to the recovery room. After a few minutes I ask if I can hold my son and all I can do at this point is kiss him... All this work to get this little guy out and after all that he's perfect... My golden hour is almost over but before it is I try to breastfeed him and he latches on... badly and it hurts but who care? because without that first latch breastfeeding would have been a problem...
Katie comes into the recovery room and is the first person we introduce Felix to and she coos over how cute he is. She is also given my placenta which is in a plastic 2 gallon container and fills up half of it. Before she leaves she tells us that she will be back on Saturday with Jacqueline to check up on us.
After she leaves, we are all moved to a private room where we spend the next 3 days bonding with Felix before we are sent home.
What I take out of this experience is that I tried everything I could to get Felix out the "normal" way as opposed to a c-section and that because of his head's position he just couldn't come out that way. That being said if I were to do it again I would in a heart beat. This was the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I can't stop staring at Felix and marvel at how beautiful he is and that for 10 months I created him and made him. I also can't help but be amazed at how he is already his own little person and that even tho he can't talk yet he makes his wishes known.
I love my son more than I could ever explain and hope that the bond the two of us have now will only get stronger as time goes on.
Also I can't thank JJ enough for being with me and holding my hand each step of the way. This process was very much the way I wanted and I can't thank him enough for letting the pregnant hormonal woman get her way.
Katie, Jacqueline and Andrey, I love you! You ladies are rock stars in my eyes! I can't thank you enough for putting up with my crazy labor and mostly for doing away with sleep the way you did.
My due date was swapped around several times so I had 3 dates when I was to "expect" Felix, June 15th, June 18th and June 22nd. So when all those dates came and went I was more than ready to have the little man.
On June 27th I posted something to the effect of "So the big question is should I get JJ to drive me to Caioti's Pizza Cafe in Studio City so that I can have "the salad"?" on Facebook. The urban legend in LA is that after having the salad you are sure to go into labor within 24 hours and being 5 days "over due" I was ready to do anything that would help me have the child already. Lunch time came around and JJ and I looked at each other and said "nah no way are we going to get that salad... too far... but tonight for dinner for sure... we will go..." dinner came around and sure enough we didn't go get the salad. JJ just went to the sub place down the street and got us some sandwiches instead.
Later on that night when I went to the bathroom I realized that the "Bean" had plans of his own and also wanted out as much as I did, as I had my bloody show. I told JJ and the two of us are all excited about this. I called the midwives to let them know that the baby was on it's way and was told to just get some rest and to call them in the morning.
JJ and I both went to bed and at about 2AM the contractions started and there was no way that I was going to sleep threw them. So I let JJ sleep beside me while I moaned and groaned beside him. Next morning JJ woke up and I was still having contractions so he called the midwives. We were told to start timing them and that when they got to be 5 minutes apart lasting a minute for over an hour to call them back which we did later on that morning.
At around 11AM or so Katie came by and sat there with us while I was having a contraction on my bed. Here we all were siting on the bed chatting and me petting Yoda while I'm having contractions and she just looked at me and said " dear you are in early labor just hang on in there because this could last for days so get some sleep!" So off she went and I was just baffled... early labor? but this is worst than all the false starts we'd had in the past and I swear I'm not joking this has to be the real thing...
After she left I tried to get some sleep which I'm not sure I got and waited around for things to move faster. At around 8 PM things had progressed and I was now in the bath tub hanging on for dear life while contractions came over me. JJ called Katie again and she sent Jacqueline to our house.
Jacqueline had been our teacher and we had had a 6 week class with her about what to expect when we were in labor and after. Not having seen her for a few weeks it was nice to see a friendly face again.
So there she is sitting on my toilet while I'm in the tub, talking to JJ and telling him "yeah you are close but this isn't it... the mood will change drastically when it's active labor. Think of the mood and what it's like when you are about to have sex... It will be just like that... and this isn't it... so just relax have a glass of wine or two and see if you can't get her to sleep some." So after all that this still wasn't it? Crap! I mean come on... It had been a full 24 hours at this point and I was ready to have this child like NOW!
So after Jacqueline left, we opened a bottle of wine and had a couple of glasses each which is hilarious when you consider that we don't drink at all. We went to bed after that and JJ being allergic to alcohol was down for the count. I on the other hand was tired but the wine had had no effect what so ever on me... I tried once again to go to sleep and had little success with that... so back to the bath tub I went... the reason the bath tub was now the hot spot in my house is that warm water acts like a sort of epidural so I was just enjoying the reprieve from the actual pain of this "early" labor. In the tub I think I was able to get a few moments of shut eye but nothing to write home about.
The next morning rolls around and JJ once again calls Katie saying "ok this time it has to be it... please come check". She shows up shortly there after and says "yup there's progress but you aren't quite there yet", she was looking for me to be 6 centimeters dilated and I wasn't quite there yet. So she offered to have an apprentice midwife come and act as a doula (person who will help you with your labor) and I was like yes please. So she called Andrey who came into our lives shortly there after.
Andrey is the one I credit with the peace and serenity that I had from that moment on. She made me relax threw the contractions and told me to stop thinking about the pain and to let it just wash over me, to let my body take over and to visualize my uterus opening like a flower so that the baby could come out. Up to that point I had had a frown on my face with each contraction and had tensed up completely. With Andrey's help I was able to just breath threw them like it was nothing. So after having a few contractions, she suggested that we go for a walk and that that would help speed things up and use gravity to our advantage.
Here I am somewhat dilated having contractions walking around our complex with Yoda, JJ and Andrey. With each contraction I would stop and do the 5th grade slow dance with JJ. Meaning I was hanging on to his shoulders with my feet shoulder width apart and rotating my hips as the contractions went on.
After having walked/danced around for what seemed like forever and gone up and down stairs we went home, ordered and had dinner.
Now we were on, so Jacqueline was called back and she checked my cervix and low and behold there had been progress I had gone from barely dilated to 3.5 to 4 centimeters. Not the 6 they were looking for but better than nothing. Jacqueline told me she could feel my bag of waters coming out of my cervix and that right past that she could feel a head. So in my mind we were on the way there and I was ready to rumble. I was told that I needed rest and that they were going to call Luree and have her hypnotize me so that I could get some rest.
It's now day 3 of this and 1AM or so and I'm laying on my left side in bed while Luree is putting me under telling me to imagine that I am walking on a beach and that each wave brings me closer to having my baby and I'm thinking "what in the hell is this? you are going way too fast with your instructions lady... you are telling me to relax all these parts of my body and I'm having a hard time of it... plus how in the hell is this going to allow me to rest if I'm wide awake?" So after round 4 of putting me under, here I am in need of the bathroom so I struggle to get out of bed and run to the bathroom to pee. Luree is like "we can either continue or I can wake everyone up and we can let you have your baby now." I was like "I'm still tired let's see if I can get more rest in plus I hate to wake everyone up." I was secretly hoping that I would sleep for a few more hours and that it would be early morning but not super early so thus ok to wake people up. So here we go with a few more rounds of "imagine you are walking in a forest/beach/field" and now I can feel my contractions and they are now way more pronounced than they were before I went on my walk around nature so much so that hypnosis is no longer working for me and that I'm now wide awake and want this pain to be over with so that I can have this child NOW!
Luree wakes JJ up who had been sleeping in the next room and shows him how to do this massage that is supposed to help me no longer feel my contractions as it confuses the brain as there are too many messages sent to it at the same time. So here's JJ barely awake trying to do this massage on me and while it feels good it's not really helping as he's not doing it like she did but he's trying his hardest tho and he's like "I hate to see you in pain please please please let this be done now please".
After Luree leaves off to the tub I go! Nothing helps like warm water does! It's now 4 or 5 AM and this baby is now ready to come out and all I want is my birth pool to be set up in my living room so that I can have this child NOW!
Katie shows up and they set up in the living room and get the pool ready and in I go. Prior to the whole thing I had asked JJ if he would mind getting into the pool with me so that I could feel him helping me threw this rather than having him sit on the outside of the pool and just talking me threw it. Plus if he was going to catch the baby it would just be easier if he was in there to begin with. He goes to the bedroom and comes back with swim trunks on and get's into the pool and sits on this seat that is built into the pool while I sit in front of him with my butt on the "floor" of the pool.
So I have contractions and he hold my hands while I'm having them and between each of them we are talking and giggling about how we should be charging the midwives rent as they are all sleeping on our couch or bed. They are all completly dead to the world while JJ and I are chatting up a storm making time go by as the contractions get longer and longer and the time between them get's shorter and shorter.
A few hours go by and Jacqueline walks out of the bedroom and to me and asks if she can check my cervix and I'm like hum "no!". I think of the whole experience thus far having someone put their hand up my lady parts to "inspect my progress" is my least favorite so when I'm offered to see how I'm doing down there as much as I might be curious I also could care less...
A few minutes go by and JJ goes to the bathroom. While he's gone Andrey asks me to give JJ the ok to go to sleep which I had already given him prior. When he comes back Andrey talked him into going to get some sleep. So off to bed he went.
After he left the contractions got to be stronger and maybe 5 or 6 contractions after JJ left as I was having a contraction I felt something like a balloon pop between my legs. That was my bag of waters. I tell Andrey this and she get's Jacqueline to check my cervix. Jacqueline checks me and I was right my bag of waters was gone and now she can feel the head I am now 7.5 to 8 centimeters dilated. She feels around a little longer and tells me that the baby's head isn't coming down the way it should and that it's twisted so maybe we should all go for a walk and going up and down stairs should jostle the baby into the right position.
So out of the tub I get and I put on a dress and off we go. Two steps... contraction... two steps... contraction... one step down, two steps down... contraction... going down stairs is like all out torture at this point but if it will help get the baby postionned properly I'm game... well some what...
We get down what seems like 15,000 stairs but is only something like 10 in 5 minutes or so and I feel like I'm complaining the whole time down. Then out the gate we go down 5 more stairs and on to the curb. There Jacqueline looks at me and says: "ok we are going to do something like the duck walk... you will have your left foot on the road and your right foot on the curb and up and down you go till you hit that car... ok?" I looked at her and looked at the car she pointed at which was 2 car lengths away and then look at her and say; "you know I like you right? because when I had a personal trainer I would have killed them if they had asked me to do that... so... count your blessings!" Jacqueline laughed and off I go. One step and one step up... contraction... one step and one step up... contraction... ouch ouch ouch... seriously till that car? Why don't we make it till the moon while we are at it? I make it to the car and by now I'm exhausted so we take a break and sit on the curb and chat for a while. After what seems like an appropriate amount of time to rest off to walk back to the other car. So left foot on the curb and right foot on the road. one step up and one step... contraction... one step up and one step... contraction...
Up the 5 stairs... up the 15 stairs... and we are home... off to the bathroom I go... Baby is now on my blater and it seems that I need to go pee every other minute when I am standing. Off to the bathroom I go and do my business... while I'm in there the midwives have a pow wow and when I get to my bed they are all waiting for me and tell me they are going to grab a sheet and see if moving the sheet back and forth on my belly that it will maybe move the baby in the right position and if that doesn't work that they will try something else.
JJ by now has heard the talking in the bedroom and comes to investigate and finds me on the bed just moaning as the contractions are now unbearable. Katie grabs the sheet and moves it into position and starts moving it and now I'm just not having it. I'm telling her to stop as the combination of contractions and sheet/belly moving action is just too much...
Jacqueline checks my cervix and then runs off to talk with Katie. While they are gone I'm litteraly on the verge of tears and tell JJ that I'm not sure I can handle much more of this...
Katie and Jacqueline come back into the room and tell JJ and I that I haven't progressed in any way and that things haven't changed in the way of the baby's position so that because it's been a few hours that they are suggesting that I be transported to the hospital.
I put my dress back on and off JJ, Jacqueline and I all go to the hospital, which is like 15 minutes away. As we drive there I swear all the pot holes in LA mysteriously find there way on our route and each time we approach on I cringe and that makes my contractions worst. So after a few pot holes I decide that maybe I don't need to have my eyes open and shut them so as to not know when the pain is going to be inflicted on my poor poor body ...
We get to the hospital and walk into the labor and delivery ward and Jacqueline is asking me questions so that we can fill out the information to get me checked in and my brain is just not working... After I get my crap together long enough to answer all her questions off we go to my room... most of the way there this other nurse is like "nope wrong room... please follow me..." and off in the opposite direction we go... and I tell Jacqueline that maybe we should just wait and see if they change their mind about which room I'm going to... since they can't seem to know where I'm going...
In the room I go and I put on the oh so sexy hospital gown... get strapped with two hockey puck like monitors on my belly and wither in pain as I have more contractions... the nurses are done with my "prep" and an anesthesiologist comes in and gives me an epidural and presto the pain of the contractions go bye bye.
For the next 30 minutes or so I'm left alone and I fall asleep in 2 seconds flat and am dead asleep. After that period of time has elapsed they wake me up and check my cervix once again, can't feel that this time, yay! Now I am fully dilated and they are looking at the monitor that's hooked up to my belly and they tell me I'm having a contraction except I can't feel it so as they tell me to push I'm like "ok? but what am I pushing? and where?"
The doctor, Dr. Kline comes in and watches me "push" threw a contraction and tell me that they are going to remove the epidural as it's obvious that I can't feel anything and that I need to feel something in order to push.
Bye bye epidural and now in less than 15 minutes here we go again with the contractions and now I feel like I HAVE to push. And I'm pushing and pushing but it feels like I'm going to poop this child out rather than have it come my cervix.
4 hours of this and I'm exhausted and I want nothing to do with the pushing anymore I'm just way way way too tired. I ask the doctor if we can use a vacuum to get the baby out and off he goes to vacuum the baby out... and then nothing...The Bean has just wedged himself in such a way that he won't come out naturally down the shoot.
Dr Kline had told me that if things didn't progress and that if the baby didn't come out by a certain time that he was going to perform a c-section. This wasn't what I wanted thus the vacuum and the 4 hours of pushing. Ultimately what I wanted and what happened were two very separate things...
So now off to the operating room we go and in a matter of 10 minutes out comes Felix. Up until that moment I had no clue I was carrying a boy and the second I heard him cry I was so very emotional. JJ is all excited about the birth of his son and pulls out his Blackberry and starts taking pictures and video of the happy event.
So here I am on the operating table looking at the clock and watching my golden hour pass me by and start to resent the fact that I'm on this bloody table unable to move while everyone else in the room gets to move around and hold/touch my son.
So after they sew me back up and transfer me to a bed they cart me off to the recovery room. After a few minutes I ask if I can hold my son and all I can do at this point is kiss him... All this work to get this little guy out and after all that he's perfect... My golden hour is almost over but before it is I try to breastfeed him and he latches on... badly and it hurts but who care? because without that first latch breastfeeding would have been a problem...
Katie comes into the recovery room and is the first person we introduce Felix to and she coos over how cute he is. She is also given my placenta which is in a plastic 2 gallon container and fills up half of it. Before she leaves she tells us that she will be back on Saturday with Jacqueline to check up on us.
After she leaves, we are all moved to a private room where we spend the next 3 days bonding with Felix before we are sent home.
What I take out of this experience is that I tried everything I could to get Felix out the "normal" way as opposed to a c-section and that because of his head's position he just couldn't come out that way. That being said if I were to do it again I would in a heart beat. This was the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I can't stop staring at Felix and marvel at how beautiful he is and that for 10 months I created him and made him. I also can't help but be amazed at how he is already his own little person and that even tho he can't talk yet he makes his wishes known.
I love my son more than I could ever explain and hope that the bond the two of us have now will only get stronger as time goes on.
Also I can't thank JJ enough for being with me and holding my hand each step of the way. This process was very much the way I wanted and I can't thank him enough for letting the pregnant hormonal woman get her way.
Katie, Jacqueline and Andrey, I love you! You ladies are rock stars in my eyes! I can't thank you enough for putting up with my crazy labor and mostly for doing away with sleep the way you did.
Thought I would take a look back in time at FB posts before and after the birth of the Little Man
June 16, 2011: the date of the 15th has come and gone... oh well let's see if the 18th will bring anything... it's all a waiting game at this point... ah Beannie way to keep us all in suspense!
Miranda: Maybe JJ will get his very first Father's Day gift from his kiddo? lol Praying and hoping all the best for you guys! Love you Sis! ♥
Me: lol I already got him some daddy's day presents I figured the day was close enough...
Stephanie: the Bean will make their appearance exactly when they were meant too. u_u looking to be quite the little dictator already! XD good luck toots. here's hoping Bean will be here by the weekend.
Me: the way I feel right now you might be on to something Steph.
Miranda: Maybe you'll get lucky and his Daddy's Day presents will include changing diapers? lol
Me: cloth diapers no less... that should be entertaining...
Courtney: Yay, maybe on my birthday! :D
Pia: we're waiting too...beanie wants to make a surprise entrance into this world!
June 17, 2011: Went to see Katie my midwife a little over an hour ago and I was told that I'm about to drop this baby any day now. Which I knew but it's nice to know that I'm not imagining things!
Stephanie: the Bean's on their way! ^^ toldja. not before it is time. u_u sounds like that's gonna be the story of the Bean's life.
Me: any day now...
Stephanie: hey toots. sorry I didn't answer your txt. was in the middle of dinner. nice pic by the way. she's gonna blow! >XD
Luisa: right? I feel ginormous!
Stephanie: hate to break it to you, but you are. XDD -hugs- any day now and it'll all be worth it. til the first round of sleepless nights and the crying. >;3
June 19, 2011: Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! Hope you all have a great day! As for me I'm in labor... so wish me luck kids... Next update will be with sex and such of the Bean so let's keep good thoughts flowing in JJ and I's direction shall we?
Heather: Absolutely darling!!!! Happy fathers day to our pre-daddy JJ!!! Whewhooooo!
Courtney: YAY!! Good luck, girl! As I used to say to my customers when I worked in the maternity store... I wish you a quick and pain free birth! (They always laughed.)
Miranda: Yay!! Prayers and good thoughts your way all day! Love you both!!
Sue: I'm so excited for the both of you!
Megan: Oh my goodness! Good luck to you both! ♥
Stephanie: nothing but the best for you and your family sweets! ^w^ ~♥ may the Bean be with you (soon)! XD
Courtney: The suspense is killing me. >_<
Frankie: FINALLY!!!!! We are sending you 3 lots of good vibes from Hawaii. Yea!!!!!! ♥
Cathy: I must have checked your page like 30 times since you last posted....
Miranda: Can't wait to hear what's going on, text, FB, call...anything!
Paul: Phillips So...? do we have a new G1&2 member yet?
JJ: it's a sandbagger, still not shown up.
Miranda: Thanks for letting us know JJ!
Me: our baby is not a sandbagger... bad JJ! *slaps hand*
Cathy: Haha... Hang in there Luisa : you're almost there!!!! Poor you, you must be exhausted. I send you all my love! xxxx
Me: not exhausted as I've been getting sleep... just annoyed that it's a stop and go process so far...
Cathy: Are you at home?
Me: yup! having the baby at home.
Cathy: That's awesome : lucky you! That's really the best! So many bad things happen in those hospitals. I hope JJ is at your side. Tout ira très bien tu verras. Je t'embrasse très très fort et je suis si excitée pour toi. Tu vas voir: avoir un bébé c'est vraiment le plus beau des cadeaux. Ma Clara c'est tout pour moi, je l'aime tellement tellement tellement fort et elle a changé ma vie. C'est tellement de bonheur. Je suis si contente pour toi. Bon, y'a un mauvais moment là à passer mais ensuite tout est merveilleux. Tu auras ton tout petit bébé qui n'aura d'yeux que pour toi et qui aura tant tant besoin de toi et qui va te donner tellement d'amour. C'est vraiment merveilleux de devenir et d'être maman. Allez courage : You're almost there!!! :)
Me: JJ is on my side, trust me... I had some contractions that started at 1:50AM and I woke him at around 2AM or so and that lasted about half an hour and Then nothing... but we are both waiting for things to start up again! He's been incredibly supportive the entire time! Probably couldn't have done all of this without him.
Cathy: Well my contractions (and Lauren's) lasted 48 hours so no worry and I didn't leave for the hospital till the last minute. Two other friends of mine who were at the hospital told me the doctors made them have a C-section because the babies didn't come fast enough and I read they often do that in France to free hospital rooms. But now that I think of it, I like you, and I read many others have light contractions one day, then nothing for an entire day then they really start. The first are like a warning that it's going to be time real soon. I'm glad you are not alone in this! Thank you JJ! :)
Me: yup it's worst here than it is in France tho... there are a few documentaries that I can recommend to you so that you can see what I mean... having the baby at home is something that very few people do here but that I think more people would do if they actually did the research... as for the stop and go part of labor we were told that this could last for a week or two we are on week two of these shinanigans...
Cathy: Ah, c'est parce que ton petit Bean est trop bien là où il est, bien au chaud dans sa maman... Si jamais j'en mets un deuxième en route, oui faudra absolument que tu m'envois le lien de ces documentaires eti que tu me raconte en détail ton expérience personnel - but for now I have my hands full with my lil Clara. Bon, vu la distance qui nous sépare, la seule chose que je peux faire d'où je suis c'est t'envoyer plein plein de pensées et d'énergies positives et surtout tout plein d'amour! xxx
Me: trust me from what I hear baby #2 is a lot better/easier than the first.
Cathy: haha... we'll see... hihihi ;)
Mike H: praying for the 3 of you. but this is hilarious. i've never heard of anyone going in labor and yet managing to update fb friends hehehe! excited for you and jj! hugs =)
Me: Booboo, that's how you know that I'm not in "real" labor dear!
Cathy: It is hilarious! :) Last year I was doing everything to stay away as long as possible from the hospital and I convinced my boyfriend to go shopping with me although I was already in very painful labor. Been thinking of you! ♥
June 21, 2011: Was woken up at 2AM by contractions that lasted for about an hour then went away... JJ was next to me the whole time which was a great help. Contractions are getting more painful the closer we get to the arrival of the Bean, the pain is bearable at this point but I keep wondering when the "real' pain is going to start... At the rate things have been going today we might be having a summer solstice baby but again we shall see... someone doesn't seem to be ready to come out just yet.
Stephanie: at this rate, I'm going to have to go with the Bean being a girl. such a tease! XD
Me: you know what? I honestly couldn't give a bigger shit at this point... I just want this to be done... This stop and go crap has to stop.
Miranda: Sorry you seem to be havin' trouble Sweety. Bean will come when Bean is ready to (stubborn as it's Mama) ;) Love you!
Me: or Daddy... ;P love you too!
Miranda: True Dat!
Alex: good luck to you :-) xxo
Lauren: Good luck!
Courtney: I want this baby out, pronto. ;D
June 22, 2011: Watching So You Think You Can Dance and Debbie Reynolds is the guest judge! She was in "Singing in the rain" one of my favorite musicals EVER! I have to say for someone in her late 70s she looks FANTASTIC! I mean she looks spectacular! I hope that I look that damned good at her age!
Cathy: lalalalala... comme si de rien était... :)
Me: ouaip bienvenue au club ma cherie!
Cathy: No news, good news?
Me: no news means no news unfortunatly... sorry babe!
Candice: wahou...little bean is definitely not in a hurry!! :-)
Cathy: Mmmmm... C'est vraiment un petit coquin ce bean! Btw, what have you decided regarding names?
Me: We have names picked out but you won't know what the name is until the Bean is born... sorry!
Cathy: This baby really is full of surprises! :) Oh, and I love the little "I'm super" costume you have picked out for him. Really hope you are feeling well and all goes well! xxxx
Me: lol yes! Sorry! I know too many people who have gotten talked out of the names they chose so I don't want that to happen to JJ and I. Plus we've argued about the different names for years so we aren't changing them...
Cathy: Right, well I'm sure you've chosen the perfect names - already Yoda is just excellent. I love it! It was real hard finding a name for my daughter, I only made up my mind once she was born, especially as we were convinced it was going to be a boy so we only really focused on boy names. The name kind of came out of nowhere, it was none of the ones we had discussed previously, I don't even remember what exactly made me make up my mind on Clara, it just felt right - though it was probably the morphine speaking...
Me: lol just know that the names we picked are after people that have greatly influenced our lives for the better and without whom JJ and I would have never met. There that should give you something. Names are hard to come up with. Yoda was actually my Dad's idea, he looked at her and called her Yoda and it stuck! If you look at her ears they are just like Yoda's in Star Wars.
Cathy: Indeed! And she looks wise too! You'll have to tell me how things go with her. I know my Jack Tiffany was so happy to meet Clara. We were scared she might get jealous, on the contrary she was gentle and caring with her from the very beginning. Now she they play together and Tiffany is always looking out for her. Ok, must go, my little monster is up! xxx ..
Miranda: June 27, 2011 Just wanted to tell you that everytime we sit down to pray and eat, Joshua starts his prayer with "Dear God, please let Auntie Loue's baby come out soon and not hurt her and so we can meet it" ♥ WE LOVE YOU GIRL!
Stephanie: that's adorable! ^w^
Miranda: Isn't it? I need a hidden video camera! He asks about the baby every day, and I've had to field some pretty um, delicate? questions along the way!
Stephanie:I can imagine! XD well you can always use the stork story. ^^
Me: Awww! I love that boy! We still want to kidnap the little man if you ever get tired of him!
Miranda: lol! I told him that and he said "ok!" lol!
Me: HA! not sure he could handle a crying baby tho...
Miranda: You'd be surprised actually, he really loves babies
Me: well at the rate we are going... I feel like I'm about to burst... JJ and I are now on baby inducing activities... fun but not working thus far... *sigh*
Miranda: Lots of walking babe (have you tried nipple stimulation? it works)
Me: yes I have and then a lot of what got me preggers in the first place, spicy food (you should see our carpet there was a curry incident...) if all that doesn't work we are gonna go have the labor inducing salad at this place in century city....
June 27, 2011 at 10:21am: So the big question is should I get JJ to drive me to Caioti's Pizza Cafe in Studio City so that I can have "the salad"?
Stephanie: I think you should call and order out. pay the extra if it's outside of their area. cause you know it never fails... >.> June 27, 2011 at 10:43am
Me: they don't deliver this far out we may go there for lunch or dinner... June 27, 2011 at 10:45am
Stephanie: good luck girl! ^^ June 27, 2011 at 10:48am
Me: We never did go out to get that salad... turns out the Bean had his/her own plans... won't be online for a while! Next update will be news of the little one and if you all behave pictures too! June 27, 2011 at 9:31pm
Miranda: YAY!! So happy for you! Sending BEST wishes and loves! June 27, 2011 at 9:37pm
Stephanie: what did I tell you?! XD I was afraid that was what would happen the minute you left on a "trip". that's usually the way the irony works. I'm rootin' for ya toots! may all go well and da Bean be safe. positive thought to you and your family. ^w^ ~♥ June 27, 2011 at 10:47pm
Cathy: you really are unbelievable!!!!! I can't believe you've managed to update us!!!!! God, when I was giving birth I was in mega panic, and I certainly did not have the energy to update my friends and family online - but YOU!!!! You even manage to keep a great sense of humor! Luisa, this kid has one hell of a incredible mom! Je pense très fort à toi!!!! XXXXX June 28, 2011 at 8:25am ·
Courtney: YAY!!!!!! Good luck!
Sue: No bebe yet?
Katy: Can't wait to hear your news! I hope all is well.
JJ Lopez June 30, 2011 New addition to the family Felix Andre Lopez Born On June 30, 2011
Courtney: ...girl or boy! o_o
Ebbie: OMG! Congratulations!
Gregg: Congratulations you guys.
Sophie: félicitations !
Cathy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Mike H.: Tres bien! So happy for you and JJ!
Clarice: will officially be a stage aunt! Congrats JJ Lopez and Luisa Bruno! :)
July 1, 2011 Just wanted to update everyone, we have welcomed into our family baby Felix Andre Lopez. He was born after 40 hours of labor at home and 4 hours of labor at the hospital after all that he was born via c-section at 7:12 PM weighing 9pds 5oz and 22 inches in length.
Miranda: Congratulations Mama! Welcome Felix ♥
Vanessa: So happy for you, JJ and baby Felix!
Amanda: Hurray!
Sophie: Aie! Une césarienne? Allez, on s'en remet bien, j'en ai eu 3... Bises au petit boutchou!!!
Marie: Félicitations à tous les 2! Tu dois être crevée ma pauvre! Et bienvenue à Felix dans ce monde. Bisous
Kristopher: Congrats!!
Cathy: I'm so sorry to hear about the C-section, the 44 hours of labour and the hospital. What hell!!!! :( Honestly, for me, giving birth was like starring in a real-life Saw movie, that's why when you say it's easier the second time round, I have doubts... You'll have to tell me all about it later on when you have the time... What's important is that you have a beautiful healthy baby and you are "okay". And being at the hospital does have its advantages - it's more ressuring with regards to taking care of the baby, you can rest and recover in peace knowing that qualified staff is there to help. And btw Felix is a really nice name. Take care dear friend! xxxx
Stephanie: congrats sweets! ^^ -hugs- talk about a lot of work! love to you and the whole family. ♥
Courtney: Felix is an awesome name! ♥
Megan: Congrats sweetheart. ♥
Clarice: good job luisa. if its any consolation, i think he looks like you :)
Mr. O.: Congratulations. XoxoR
Me: thank you guys! He's my greatest accomplishment and delivering him into this world was one of the most humbling and yet most empowering moments of my life!
Courtney: ♥
Lauren: Congrats!
Ramata: Félicitations!
Candice: congrats & welcome little prince!
Miranda: Maybe JJ will get his very first Father's Day gift from his kiddo? lol Praying and hoping all the best for you guys! Love you Sis! ♥
Me: lol I already got him some daddy's day presents I figured the day was close enough...
Stephanie: the Bean will make their appearance exactly when they were meant too. u_u looking to be quite the little dictator already! XD good luck toots. here's hoping Bean will be here by the weekend.
Me: the way I feel right now you might be on to something Steph.
Miranda: Maybe you'll get lucky and his Daddy's Day presents will include changing diapers? lol
Me: cloth diapers no less... that should be entertaining...
Courtney: Yay, maybe on my birthday! :D
Pia: we're waiting too...beanie wants to make a surprise entrance into this world!
June 17, 2011: Went to see Katie my midwife a little over an hour ago and I was told that I'm about to drop this baby any day now. Which I knew but it's nice to know that I'm not imagining things!
Stephanie: the Bean's on their way! ^^ toldja. not before it is time. u_u sounds like that's gonna be the story of the Bean's life.
Me: any day now...
Stephanie: hey toots. sorry I didn't answer your txt. was in the middle of dinner. nice pic by the way. she's gonna blow! >XD
Luisa: right? I feel ginormous!
Stephanie: hate to break it to you, but you are. XDD -hugs- any day now and it'll all be worth it. til the first round of sleepless nights and the crying. >;3
June 19, 2011: Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! Hope you all have a great day! As for me I'm in labor... so wish me luck kids... Next update will be with sex and such of the Bean so let's keep good thoughts flowing in JJ and I's direction shall we?
Heather: Absolutely darling!!!! Happy fathers day to our pre-daddy JJ!!! Whewhooooo!
Courtney: YAY!! Good luck, girl! As I used to say to my customers when I worked in the maternity store... I wish you a quick and pain free birth! (They always laughed.)
Miranda: Yay!! Prayers and good thoughts your way all day! Love you both!!
Sue: I'm so excited for the both of you!
Megan: Oh my goodness! Good luck to you both! ♥
Stephanie: nothing but the best for you and your family sweets! ^w^ ~♥ may the Bean be with you (soon)! XD
Courtney: The suspense is killing me. >_<
Frankie: FINALLY!!!!! We are sending you 3 lots of good vibes from Hawaii. Yea!!!!!! ♥
Cathy: I must have checked your page like 30 times since you last posted....
Miranda: Can't wait to hear what's going on, text, FB, call...anything!
Paul: Phillips So...? do we have a new G1&2 member yet?
JJ: it's a sandbagger, still not shown up.
Miranda: Thanks for letting us know JJ!
Me: our baby is not a sandbagger... bad JJ! *slaps hand*
Cathy: Haha... Hang in there Luisa : you're almost there!!!! Poor you, you must be exhausted. I send you all my love! xxxx
Me: not exhausted as I've been getting sleep... just annoyed that it's a stop and go process so far...
Cathy: Are you at home?
Me: yup! having the baby at home.
Cathy: That's awesome : lucky you! That's really the best! So many bad things happen in those hospitals. I hope JJ is at your side. Tout ira très bien tu verras. Je t'embrasse très très fort et je suis si excitée pour toi. Tu vas voir: avoir un bébé c'est vraiment le plus beau des cadeaux. Ma Clara c'est tout pour moi, je l'aime tellement tellement tellement fort et elle a changé ma vie. C'est tellement de bonheur. Je suis si contente pour toi. Bon, y'a un mauvais moment là à passer mais ensuite tout est merveilleux. Tu auras ton tout petit bébé qui n'aura d'yeux que pour toi et qui aura tant tant besoin de toi et qui va te donner tellement d'amour. C'est vraiment merveilleux de devenir et d'être maman. Allez courage : You're almost there!!! :)
Me: JJ is on my side, trust me... I had some contractions that started at 1:50AM and I woke him at around 2AM or so and that lasted about half an hour and Then nothing... but we are both waiting for things to start up again! He's been incredibly supportive the entire time! Probably couldn't have done all of this without him.
Cathy: Well my contractions (and Lauren's) lasted 48 hours so no worry and I didn't leave for the hospital till the last minute. Two other friends of mine who were at the hospital told me the doctors made them have a C-section because the babies didn't come fast enough and I read they often do that in France to free hospital rooms. But now that I think of it, I like you, and I read many others have light contractions one day, then nothing for an entire day then they really start. The first are like a warning that it's going to be time real soon. I'm glad you are not alone in this! Thank you JJ! :)
Me: yup it's worst here than it is in France tho... there are a few documentaries that I can recommend to you so that you can see what I mean... having the baby at home is something that very few people do here but that I think more people would do if they actually did the research... as for the stop and go part of labor we were told that this could last for a week or two we are on week two of these shinanigans...
Cathy: Ah, c'est parce que ton petit Bean est trop bien là où il est, bien au chaud dans sa maman... Si jamais j'en mets un deuxième en route, oui faudra absolument que tu m'envois le lien de ces documentaires eti que tu me raconte en détail ton expérience personnel - but for now I have my hands full with my lil Clara. Bon, vu la distance qui nous sépare, la seule chose que je peux faire d'où je suis c'est t'envoyer plein plein de pensées et d'énergies positives et surtout tout plein d'amour! xxx
Me: trust me from what I hear baby #2 is a lot better/easier than the first.
Cathy: haha... we'll see... hihihi ;)
Mike H: praying for the 3 of you. but this is hilarious. i've never heard of anyone going in labor and yet managing to update fb friends hehehe! excited for you and jj! hugs =)
Me: Booboo, that's how you know that I'm not in "real" labor dear!
Cathy: It is hilarious! :) Last year I was doing everything to stay away as long as possible from the hospital and I convinced my boyfriend to go shopping with me although I was already in very painful labor. Been thinking of you! ♥
June 21, 2011: Was woken up at 2AM by contractions that lasted for about an hour then went away... JJ was next to me the whole time which was a great help. Contractions are getting more painful the closer we get to the arrival of the Bean, the pain is bearable at this point but I keep wondering when the "real' pain is going to start... At the rate things have been going today we might be having a summer solstice baby but again we shall see... someone doesn't seem to be ready to come out just yet.
Stephanie: at this rate, I'm going to have to go with the Bean being a girl. such a tease! XD
Me: you know what? I honestly couldn't give a bigger shit at this point... I just want this to be done... This stop and go crap has to stop.
Miranda: Sorry you seem to be havin' trouble Sweety. Bean will come when Bean is ready to (stubborn as it's Mama) ;) Love you!
Me: or Daddy... ;P love you too!
Miranda: True Dat!
Alex: good luck to you :-) xxo
Lauren: Good luck!
Courtney: I want this baby out, pronto. ;D
June 22, 2011: Watching So You Think You Can Dance and Debbie Reynolds is the guest judge! She was in "Singing in the rain" one of my favorite musicals EVER! I have to say for someone in her late 70s she looks FANTASTIC! I mean she looks spectacular! I hope that I look that damned good at her age!
Cathy: lalalalala... comme si de rien était... :)
Me: ouaip bienvenue au club ma cherie!
Cathy: No news, good news?
Me: no news means no news unfortunatly... sorry babe!
Candice: wahou...little bean is definitely not in a hurry!! :-)
Cathy: Mmmmm... C'est vraiment un petit coquin ce bean! Btw, what have you decided regarding names?
Me: We have names picked out but you won't know what the name is until the Bean is born... sorry!
Cathy: This baby really is full of surprises! :) Oh, and I love the little "I'm super" costume you have picked out for him. Really hope you are feeling well and all goes well! xxxx
Me: lol yes! Sorry! I know too many people who have gotten talked out of the names they chose so I don't want that to happen to JJ and I. Plus we've argued about the different names for years so we aren't changing them...
Cathy: Right, well I'm sure you've chosen the perfect names - already Yoda is just excellent. I love it! It was real hard finding a name for my daughter, I only made up my mind once she was born, especially as we were convinced it was going to be a boy so we only really focused on boy names. The name kind of came out of nowhere, it was none of the ones we had discussed previously, I don't even remember what exactly made me make up my mind on Clara, it just felt right - though it was probably the morphine speaking...
Me: lol just know that the names we picked are after people that have greatly influenced our lives for the better and without whom JJ and I would have never met. There that should give you something. Names are hard to come up with. Yoda was actually my Dad's idea, he looked at her and called her Yoda and it stuck! If you look at her ears they are just like Yoda's in Star Wars.
Cathy: Indeed! And she looks wise too! You'll have to tell me how things go with her. I know my Jack Tiffany was so happy to meet Clara. We were scared she might get jealous, on the contrary she was gentle and caring with her from the very beginning. Now she they play together and Tiffany is always looking out for her. Ok, must go, my little monster is up! xxx ..
Miranda: June 27, 2011 Just wanted to tell you that everytime we sit down to pray and eat, Joshua starts his prayer with "Dear God, please let Auntie Loue's baby come out soon and not hurt her and so we can meet it" ♥ WE LOVE YOU GIRL!
Stephanie: that's adorable! ^w^
Miranda: Isn't it? I need a hidden video camera! He asks about the baby every day, and I've had to field some pretty um, delicate? questions along the way!
Stephanie:I can imagine! XD well you can always use the stork story. ^^
Me: Awww! I love that boy! We still want to kidnap the little man if you ever get tired of him!
Miranda: lol! I told him that and he said "ok!" lol!
Me: HA! not sure he could handle a crying baby tho...
Miranda: You'd be surprised actually, he really loves babies
Me: well at the rate we are going... I feel like I'm about to burst... JJ and I are now on baby inducing activities... fun but not working thus far... *sigh*
Miranda: Lots of walking babe (have you tried nipple stimulation? it works)
Me: yes I have and then a lot of what got me preggers in the first place, spicy food (you should see our carpet there was a curry incident...) if all that doesn't work we are gonna go have the labor inducing salad at this place in century city....
June 27, 2011 at 10:21am: So the big question is should I get JJ to drive me to Caioti's Pizza Cafe in Studio City so that I can have "the salad"?
Stephanie: I think you should call and order out. pay the extra if it's outside of their area. cause you know it never fails... >.> June 27, 2011 at 10:43am
Me: they don't deliver this far out we may go there for lunch or dinner... June 27, 2011 at 10:45am
Stephanie: good luck girl! ^^ June 27, 2011 at 10:48am
Me: We never did go out to get that salad... turns out the Bean had his/her own plans... won't be online for a while! Next update will be news of the little one and if you all behave pictures too! June 27, 2011 at 9:31pm
Miranda: YAY!! So happy for you! Sending BEST wishes and loves! June 27, 2011 at 9:37pm
Stephanie: what did I tell you?! XD I was afraid that was what would happen the minute you left on a "trip". that's usually the way the irony works. I'm rootin' for ya toots! may all go well and da Bean be safe. positive thought to you and your family. ^w^ ~♥ June 27, 2011 at 10:47pm
Cathy: you really are unbelievable!!!!! I can't believe you've managed to update us!!!!! God, when I was giving birth I was in mega panic, and I certainly did not have the energy to update my friends and family online - but YOU!!!! You even manage to keep a great sense of humor! Luisa, this kid has one hell of a incredible mom! Je pense très fort à toi!!!! XXXXX June 28, 2011 at 8:25am ·
Courtney: YAY!!!!!! Good luck!
Sue: No bebe yet?
Katy: Can't wait to hear your news! I hope all is well.
JJ Lopez June 30, 2011 New addition to the family Felix Andre Lopez Born On June 30, 2011
Courtney: ...girl or boy! o_o
Ebbie: OMG! Congratulations!
Gregg: Congratulations you guys.
Sophie: félicitations !
Cathy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Mike H.: Tres bien! So happy for you and JJ!
Clarice: will officially be a stage aunt! Congrats JJ Lopez and Luisa Bruno! :)
July 1, 2011 Just wanted to update everyone, we have welcomed into our family baby Felix Andre Lopez. He was born after 40 hours of labor at home and 4 hours of labor at the hospital after all that he was born via c-section at 7:12 PM weighing 9pds 5oz and 22 inches in length.
Miranda: Congratulations Mama! Welcome Felix ♥
Vanessa: So happy for you, JJ and baby Felix!
Amanda: Hurray!
Sophie: Aie! Une césarienne? Allez, on s'en remet bien, j'en ai eu 3... Bises au petit boutchou!!!
Marie: Félicitations à tous les 2! Tu dois être crevée ma pauvre! Et bienvenue à Felix dans ce monde. Bisous
Kristopher: Congrats!!
Cathy: I'm so sorry to hear about the C-section, the 44 hours of labour and the hospital. What hell!!!! :( Honestly, for me, giving birth was like starring in a real-life Saw movie, that's why when you say it's easier the second time round, I have doubts... You'll have to tell me all about it later on when you have the time... What's important is that you have a beautiful healthy baby and you are "okay". And being at the hospital does have its advantages - it's more ressuring with regards to taking care of the baby, you can rest and recover in peace knowing that qualified staff is there to help. And btw Felix is a really nice name. Take care dear friend! xxxx
Stephanie: congrats sweets! ^^ -hugs- talk about a lot of work! love to you and the whole family. ♥
Courtney: Felix is an awesome name! ♥
Megan: Congrats sweetheart. ♥
Clarice: good job luisa. if its any consolation, i think he looks like you :)
Mr. O.: Congratulations. XoxoR
Me: thank you guys! He's my greatest accomplishment and delivering him into this world was one of the most humbling and yet most empowering moments of my life!
Courtney: ♥
Lauren: Congrats!
Ramata: Félicitations!
Candice: congrats & welcome little prince!
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