Finnegan's Birth Story

Our dear sweet Finnegan James,

It is time to document your birth, so that one day you too will know the story should I ever forget the details.  As I write this you are quietly rocking back and forth in your swing, making the occasional grunt that we have discovered is quite common for you.  Today, you are just one day shy of your third birthday, time is already going too fast.

Getting back to your birth, you were born at exactly 39 weeks.  Two days prior to your arrival we had been concerned that you were loosing fluid, and your dad and I took a trip to the hospital to check things out.  After running a test, Dr. Owen said we were free to go, but if I was still concerned on Thursday to go ahead and come in because she was on call and would be happy to check things out again.  Let it be noted that we LOVE Dr. Owen.  

On Thursday the 15th, I got up bright and early to head out to the mall for a long walk.  At this point it became too cold to walk outside, and I met your Auntie Gail to do half mile loops of the mall.  I also want to note that I ate a bowl of fruity Cheerios prior to leaving the house, and finished the box, which in hindsight should of been a sign that this day might be the day ( I did the same thing with your brother)!

After the walk I called your dad because I was still concerned about leaking, and he told me to go ahead and call the hospital. I did so, and they told us to come in.  So I quickly changed and met your dad at the hospital at around 1130.  Once again Dr. Owen ran a test, but also decided to do an ultrasound to see how you were looking.  While the test said things were fine, the ultrasound showed that you had low fluid, which meant we were staying, and were going to meet you soon! 

The decision to induce labor happened around 1 pm, at which point I asked your dad to get me a snack before I wasn't allowed to eat anymore.  He came back with a Snickers and Peanut M&Ms, I sure do love him!  The doctor started the Pitocin at 2:30, and the waiting game began.  At around 6pm she came into check me and wasn't happy with the progress, so she went ahead and broke my water.  While this sped things up with your brother, I didn't know that it would make things go just as fast with you!  

At 7pm the new nurse for the night came in and decided to see where we were at.  Surprisingly, we were complete, and it was time to push!  However, I couldn't feel my legs at this point so we waited a while to try to get my legs back, but you weren't too eager to wait long.

At about 830, the nurse decided we couldn't wait any longer and called Dr. Owen.  While the doctor was still putting her gloves on, you decided you were ready to meet the world, and after 1.5 pushes ( I like to give myself a little credit, your dad on the other hand will tell you I did no work) we welcomed you to the world!  Yours may have been the most anticlimactic birth ever.

You, our sweet Finnegan James, arrived at 841 pm on the 15th of November, weighing 8lbs and measuring 20.5 inches.  You came out hollering with a head full of long dark spiked hair, and long fingers and toes! 

We were instantly smitten with you, and grow more and more in love with you each day! Words cannot express the joy you have brought to our family, and we can't imagine our lives without you!

Welcome to the world Finnegan James! 

Love,
Dad and Mom

~We are alive and doing oh so well~

I certainly didn't plan to take a month off from blogging.  In fact I probably had a lot of things I wanted to blog. But instead we lived, prepped, celebrated, and grew (both in size and in number).  November has been an amazing month, a month I will probably look back on as one of the fondest of this time in our life.  While there are some BIG things I need to blog over this week for the memory book, here is a little recap of the month.

We started the month being full term with Finnegan.  Not knowing when he would arrive, we planned a little vacation for Rowen to grandma and grandpa's in Massachusetts when I hit 38 weeks. Being away from our families, this made things a little easier logistically.  Grandpa came down on November 8th, and introduced Rowen to a love of Trains, and we now have a Christmas train that is currently a work in progress!

On Sunday, November 11th, we sent Rowen on his way, and for the first time since he was born we said goodbye to him for more than two nights.  At times throughout the week we were lost without him, but I know it was good for him to spend time with his grandparents and aunts and uncle!

Without our little man, Rudy and I saw our first movie together since December 2010, it was magical.  We saw Flight, which was sooo good!  It definitely wasn't what we expected, but a great movie nonetheless!  It definitely was an odd week for us, but it reminded me so much of the calm before Rowen was born, simply waiting and watching for signs of labor starting.  The difference this time was we knew what having a baby was like, and at least for me there was soo much anticipation of meeting our new little man!

The same day we said goodbye to Rowen, I began to suspect that I was 'leaking', which is what also happened with Rowen.  I didn't want to just go to the hospital so I waited for my normal appointment on Tuesday, at which point they sent us to the hospital.  After a simple test, which did not show a leak, the ob/gyn sent us on our way, but told me if I still thought I was leaking she was on call again on Thursday and would be happy to check again.  Flash forward to Thursday, the 15th, and I still was concerned so Rudy and I headed to the hospital once again, and this time we did not leave without a baby!

Finnegan James Rivera joined us at 8:41 pm!  I will save the details for his birth story, but we are absolutely smitten with him and fall more and more in love with him and his big brother each day!  We went home on Saturday, and on Sunday Grandma brought Rowen back.  So far he is in love with his brother and has been very gentle and is curious about him!

our first attempt at a family of four photo

Since then we have been enjoying our time as a family of four.  Today Finn is 12 days old, and yesterday Rudy and Rowen returned to our 'normal' routine, and it was my first day of just Finn and me.  

Right now, my heart is incredibly full.  Words cannot describe the love I feel for my little family and it continues to grow.  

Right now, I feel complete, whole, and loved far too much by my family and friends.  

Right now, our life is magical....  

~Tidbits~

I'm home alone while the Mr. is busy taking a test at school and Rowen is fast asleep.  Here are a few randoms for this week:

~I said I would try to wait for Rudy to get home, but I had to watch Homeland.  And it didn't disappoint, I'm hooked yet again.  I only hope that this time it doesn't consume my life like last season did.  It was bad, and I may of watched the whole season in a weekend, and then felt for about two weeks that something was missing in my life.

~Many of the blogs I read are doing the 31 Days Link Up.  This sounds great, but the only thing I plan to do for all 31 days of this month is remain pregnant and reach full term on November 1st.  Ahem, at that point Mr. Finnegan you are welcome to make your appearance.

~And on that same note my BFF is coming home for Thanksgiving.  Which according to her mom means I will go into labor the night of November 24, after Kelley and Bobby have departed to go home to Texas.  No thanks. 

~Now that October is here, I would like the weather to make up its mind.  On Sunday I thought it was cold and was one of the few crazy people walking around town in jeans and a scarf while some people were still wearing tank tops and short shorts.  It also makes dressing Rowen difficult and having two seasons worth of clothes in his itty bitty closet is no bueno.

~We are slowly but surely making progress on Rowen's room, and all I really need at this point is a few of the wall hangings I am waiting on, so here is a sneak peak...

And apparently Lego play is hard work...

~Behind the Music is back on, and right now I'm watching Carrie Underwood which is pretty interesting since I didn't watch American Idol.  I miss the days of Behind the Music marathons, so hopefully this season catches on with the American public again....

~I am waddling, and the worst part of it is I know I'm waddling and despite my best efforts to reign it in I can still feel myself swaying while I walk.  These seven weeks can't go fast enough....

Well thats enough randomness for now, have a great night!