Two Weeks Old

It is so hard to believe that our little one is two weeks old today. These past two weeks have been full of visits from friends and family, visits to the doctor for weight checks, countless feedings and untold numbers of dirty diapers.

Our apartment has been a very popular place these past two weeks. We have had more visitors in the past two weeks, than I think we have had the entire time we have lived in this apartment. Jermaine's mom and Grammy came and stayed with us right after Josiah was born. They were here to take care of us as we came home from the hospital. His Grandpa Bob joined the celebration later that weekend. In the hospital Josiah got to meet his Uncle Ben and Liz. We also had many people from church come and visit us, although we had to cut some of their visits short because he got very hungry. My best friends Jeneille and Holly got to come and visit, as well. And I am sure there are others I am forgetting, but I have a good excuse, I was extremely tired and just a little bit drugged at the time.

Since coming home, my parents have been able to come down and visit from Nebraska. They actually just left this morning. So Josiah got lots of snuggles from his Grandma Patsy and Papa Bob (Some day our kid is no longer going to get his two grandfathers confused) and his Aunt Emma. Although, I think Emma was much more excited about meeting Percy our cat than her nephew. I don't think she acknowledge Josiah's existence until the third day she was here. She was too busy chasing the cat. Josiah has also meet lots of Mommy and Daddy's friends and I am sure he will meet many more in the weeks to come. Jermaine is dying to go and show him off to his kids at school. I am much more hesitant to take him to meet my 8th graders.

Jermaine and I have also ventured out with our little one. We have made three trips to Target. One not very happy trip to the mall. I have no idea what I was thinking taking a newborn to the mall on a busy Sunday afternoon. We were going to go to the zoo, but decided against it because of the strong Texas winds. We will try again some other day.

Josiah and I are still trying to figure out the whole feeding schedule thing. Actually, I am trying to figure out his schedule. He has it all figured out; cry and/or make cute suckling faces and he gets fed. He is eating either every hour, every two hours or sometimes when I am lucky in the middle of the night every three hours. This routine is making for one tired Momma. So far, Josiah doesn't want anything to do with the bottle; Jermaine has tried to feed him a couple of times. And he has only taken a pacifier two or three times. Mostly the pacifier has the complete opposite effect on him, making him madder rather than calming him down. I feel sorry for whatever daycare provider we find.

And no, I haven't found a daycare yet. I really hate the idea of putting him in someone else's care. We do have an appointment to meet with someone tomorrow evening and I am going to call a few more places in the next couple of days. So pray for us. Personally, I would love to get the blessing of an extra paycheck so I can stay home for the last four and a half weeks of school. I have a feeling I will cry everyday that I am at school and not with him. My poor students are not going to know what to do with me.

I think that is all that is going on in our little family.

Josiah Robert Lobaugh

He is here. And I am absolutely in love with my beautiful red- headed Saint Patrick's baby.

Josiah Robert Lobaugh was born at 5:44pm on Tuesday, March 17th, A Saint Patrick's baby. He weighed 8 pounds at birth and measured 20 inches long.

For those of you who are detail people here are the nitty gritty details of Josiah's arrival.

At about 4:00AM on Monday, I began to get steady painful contractions. At 8AM, I called my doctor and was advised to go to Prenatal Observations. Of course, as soon as I asked what we should do, my contractions had stopped. So Jermaine and I went to our 10:30 doctor's appointment with our bags packed and in the car, "just in case." At 40 weeks and 6 days, I was still only 50% effaced, not dilated and Josiah hadn't dropped yet. So we went back home. But with a plan to bring Josiah into the world. We were going to come in on Tuesday evening to begin a process to help me dilate and then I would be induced on Wednesday morning.

At home, my contractions began to come back steadily. By 2AM On Tuesday, my contractions were developing a pattern of three strong ones back to back and then another about 5 minutes later. We finally decided to go to the hospital at about 3AM.

We were admitted to the hospital this time. Praise God. I had dilated to a 1 and was almost completely effaced, but Josiah still hadn't dropped. At 8AM, I had dilated to a 3. At 10 AM I was still a 3 so the doctor decided to start me on Potosin (spelling) in order to get me further a long. At about the same time I decided to go a head and get an epidural, because I was still in the pattern of three back to back very painful contractions and then another a few minutes later. (I cried when they put in the epidural. It was much more painful than the contractions I was feeling.) I dilated to a 6 with the help of the Potosin, but my contraction pattern wasn't any better and Josiah heart rate had started to drop. Also, every nurse I had that day, I think I had 5 total, kept commenting on how narrow I was. So putting all of those things together, the doctor decided that it was time for a c-section. At the rate I was going Josiah was not able to drop and was becoming a little distressed in the process.

I was prepared for a c-section and Jermaine got to put on the blue scrubs at about 5:30PM on Tuesday. By 5:44, Josiah was born. And the rest of the story is just Jermaine and I falling in love with our beautiful son. Hopefully, I will be released from the hospital on Friday morning. I am not in a lot of pain, which is wonderful. It could also be the drugs they keep letting me take. But I am up walking around with very little difficulty. And they have finally let me eat real food, which is absolutely wonderful. Because I am hungry.

No change

I went to the doctor's this morning and at 40 weeks and 6 days my body is still not ready to have a baby. So Jermaine and I go in Tuesday evening for a treatment to help me to dilate. I will be induced Wednesday morning. The doctor still believes that I will have a c-section. But she wants to see what my body will do with a little help. So no matter what Josiah will be here on Wednesday. Jermaine and I are very excited and cannot wait to meet our little man.

I've cleaned, I've scrubbed, I've walked...

I've dyed my hair... Can today please be the day you come. I've done all the nesting, I am going to do. My apartment is clean. Jermaine and I cleaned the carpets and the furniture this weekend. Thank you Jennifer for letting us borrow your carpet cleaner. I need to buy one of those. I have wanted to clean my couches for months and I have had the carpet cleaner for weeks. We finally got a chance to do the cleaning this past weekend. I also cleaned my apartment from top to bottom on Friday. Last Friday, Jermaine kindly hired The Maids to come clean for us. But there were still piles of clutter everywhere. Now those piles have disappeared, many of them into the shredder. I even cleaned several nasty looking floor boards.

Yesterday, Holly and I went to the botanical gardens and walked around for several hours. Not to mention the hours of walking I did in my apartment as we cleaned the carpets. I should have worn a pedometer to count up all of the steps I have walked in the last few days.

I even colored my hair, because I couldn't have my newborn son see me with dark roots and a grey hair. I have a pesky one that keeps showing up. I have a feeling there will be many more in the years to come.

So now I am ready... Would you please come today. I can't wait to meet you.

Due Tomorrow?

Josiah is due tomorrow, but I don't think he will be coming until next week. Jermaine and I went to the doctor today. As of right now, I am not dilated and just partially effaced. Josiah has not dropped at all. So I will be doing a lot of walking in the next few days in hopes that I can get him to drop. I go back again on Monday, March 16 to be checked. If there is still no change, I will go in on Tuesday or Wednesday to get induced. I really don't like the idea of being induced but it doesn't seem like my body is going to do what it needs to in order for Josiah to come on his own.

In the meantime, Jermaine and I have more time to get ready for Josiah. Yesterday we created a wall hanging with a present from Aunt Loni. And there is a carpet cleaner sitting in our living room, just waiting to be used. Our carpets and couches desperately need to be cleaned before our little one arrives. Jermaine was very sweet and contacted The Maids to come and clean our apartment last week.