What a difference...

a few weeks make! Three weeks ago today, my water broke at 6am. I had slept approximately 7-8 hours the night before, and I was still "tired" (as if I knew the meaning) from getting up so early.

I still had this large belly that I worked 39 weeks 1 day to grow:I went to the hospital, got checked (not dilated), and started my day long laboring, in which I finagled out of an IV so I could walk around the parking lot most of the morning (thank goodness it was a weekend!), bounced on the birthing ball, pleaded to be able to eat a sandwich for lunch (and a coke...which clearly brought me joy), got a pitocin drip (which confined me to the bed, boo), still didn't dilate, got more pitocin, labored all evening/sunday morning, and finally had a c-section.
Here I am after the surgery holding Benjamin for the first time :(not sure he if he was actually named at this point...we had to make some last minute decisions on what to name him (a downside of not finding out if you're having a boy or girl). I was numb from the chest down...which made the first breastfeeding experience quite interested (oh, and I couldn't sit up either, so the nurses flopped me on my side)

Other things that have changed:

• I've learned to change diapers...cloth ones at that! (seriously, i may have changed 1-2 diapers in my whole life prior to my child arriving in this world)
  
• 2 hours of sleep in a row makes me feel rested
• I feel like I've really accomplished something if I get out of house with Benjamin by myself (it has only happened 3 times)
• I now drink tons of water (blah), but it is worth it for little Benjamin to have enough to eat.
• I have re-learned lots of lullaby's...I was shocked at how I had forgotten the words.
• a completely quiet house is a wonderful sound (I used to enjoy noise quite a bit, but silence = sleeping or happy baby)
• my memory and ability to use the right words when speaking have gotten worse with sleep deprivation (sorry mom for all the taunting all those years, I have been afflicted with the curse)

Everyone, have a great weekend!