A Life Begins

Hello Everybody!  This is Nathan (for the second time ever).  Thank you for following Bonnie and me on this 40 week, 4 day journey.  We are proud to announce the birth of our son:

Jude Cole Ehman  7 lbs, 10 oz & 21 inches

This is how it all went down:

Bonnie and I made the drive to Carmel St. Vincent's Hospital on Friday February 20th at 4:30 p.m.  By the following morning around 5:30, Bonnie's body was ready to rock and roll--and by rock and roll I mean we cranked up the Elvis and Kings of Leon in the labor room.  I think the combination of anesthesia and music was all it took to make her labor a short and sweet experience. (the previous sentence is evidence that it is in fact me Nathan writing this blog) Our son took his first breath at 7:34, February 21st.

After visits from almost our entire family--and a little time for rest and recovery, we were ready to leave the hospital.  We introduced Jude to our home on Monday evening.  He has been a perfect baby so far! He communicates with us well and has begun a healthy routine of eating, sleeping, and potty-ing.  I'll spare you all the dirty details for now as it is much more fun to exaggerate in person than on a blog; Plus I'm not sure if everyone reading this knows us well enough to follow our sense of humor. 

We've been able to get a great amount of sleep at night!  Niles and Fiona have begun to get used to the idea of another human being in the house.  They are quite curious individuals and have thoroughly sniffed Jude from top to bottom. I believe they will learn to share their owners and maybe even a couple of their toys.

Today we took our whole family for a walk for the first time, because the weather was gorgeous.  Its a good thing we have wide walking paths around here because the five of us form a pretty intense front.  

Please enjoy the following photo gallery by pointing your mouse at the blue text and clicking.  

Photos of Jude

Thanks again for your support and prayers!

Our Love,

Nathan, Bonnie, Jude, Niles, and Fiona   

Week 40 1/2: Its about that time!

Well faithful followers, its looks like we have made it to the end of the road! Over the last two weeks, I have become HUGE - at least that's how I feel! We met with the Doctor on Monday and he told us that I was still only 80% effaced and still had not dilated at all. I was devastated. Tuesday, February 17 was my due date which came and went in a blaze of glory. It was so hard to keep my spirits up. 

So we went to the doctor again today and saw a different doctor. He is on call this weekend and actually offered to induce us! So, as of 4:30 tomorrow, we will be at St. Vincent's Carmel. I wont go into the details of how the induction occurs, but

 many of you are familiar due to personal experience. Incase you want to read up on it, see this link: Labor Induction.

Please send your prayers through the night tomorrow and all day Saturday. We expect to meet Jude sometime Saturday afternoon. Nathan will post an announcement later that day.

Thank you all for your prayers and support through our pregnancy. Please send more over the next two days, specifically for Jude's health, my stamina and pain, and Nathan's energy. Love you all!

Here is the last pic of pregnant Bonnie; next photo - baby Jude!!...

Week 38: "I am the walrus, goo goo gajoob ga goo goo gajoob"

Well Team, here we are in the home stretch. From this moment, we are 13 days and 2 hours from my official "due date" (2/17). As much as we prayed for Little Jude to be born yesterday or today and despite the bowling, snow shoveling, bouncing (on the exercise ball), walking, foot rubs, raspberry leaf tea, and thai food, here I sit at work going through the motions.

As of Monday, I am 50% effaced and still completely closed. Plus Jude still needs to drop a bit more into my pelvic bowl. Hooray! The doctor said I should plan on going past my due date because I'm a first-timer AND I have had a perfect, textbook pregnancy. Bittersweet. So, in that case, we will have him no later than February 24.

The last week was rather uneventful, with exception of the most wonderful baby shower, thrown by my best friend from HS, Christin and her incredible family. Here is a link to her blog with a few pictures: http://cptwo.blogspot.com/2009/01/mama-bird-baby-bird.html

It was so fantastic to see my best friends - three of which traveled over 2 hours! We invited several of my friends' moms and it was a blessing to see them all and gain knowledge and advice from them.
Once specific piece of advice - agreed upon by ALL moms present had something to do with "toughening" up my nursing 'tools' (aka - my boobs). Although I was supposed to refer to them as my jellybeans on this blog, I suspect that is a bit obvious. Plus, I have a FANTASTIC article to share with all moms out there who have nursed. A good friend shared this with me the other day and it made me so much MORE excited to meet my son and feed him naturally (are you sensing the sarcasm!?)... So if you are offended by the "n" word (nipple) or you are squeamish at the thought of someone (preferably an infant) relying on your boobs for survival, turn back now. This is not for the faint of heart...

Suck It! The REAL Way To Prep For Breastfeeding

Forget that old advice about "gently rubbing your nipples with a towel." If you really want to feel ready to nurse, here's what to do.

By Melissa Balmain, Parenting.com

Day 1
Gently rub your nipples with sandpaper.

Day 2
At bedtime set your alarm clock to go off every two hours. Each time it rings, spend 20 minutes sitting in a rocking chair with your nipples clamped by a pair of chip clips.

Day 3
Draw branching lines all over your chest with a blue-green marker, then stand in front of your bathroom mirror and sing "I Feel Pretty."

Day 4
Open your already-crowded freezer and make room for five dozen plastic milk bags.

Day 5
Fit the hose of a vacuum cleaner over one breast and set on "medium pile." Turn off vacuum when nipple is three inches long. Switch breasts.

Day 6
Obtain "DO NOT CROSS" tape from your local police station, then wrap firmly around your chest. When your spouse asks about it, say, "Get used to it."

Day 7
Tape a water balloon to each breast and squeeze into a maternity bra. Repeatedly hook and unhook the nursing flaps with one hand while using the other to balance a sack of squirming puppies.

Day 8
Dine in the fanciest, snootiest restaurant you can afford, making sure to arrive with a big wet spot directly over each nipple.

Day 9
Record your mother proclaiming, "Just give the baby some cereal like God intended, and she'll sleep right through the night." Play in an endless loop at 1 a.m., 3 a.m., and 5 a.m.

Day 10
Slather your breasts with peanut butter, top with birdseed and stand very still in your backyard.

Day 11
Go someplace public -- a museum, a courthouse, the steps of your office building -- and stuff a lifelike baby doll under your shirt. Use the doll's arm to suddenly hike the shirt up past your collar bone. Lower shirt. Feign nonchalant smile.

Day 12
Suckle a wolverine.

Congratulations! You are now ready to nurse a baby. Maybe.

So, that is what I am anxiously awaiting... ;-) I don't think I mentioned it during the last blog, but I am finally working only three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. My last official day at the office is Friday, February 13. There is a full moon on February 9, so maybe we'll get lucky then.

Well, off to a meeting. Talk to you all very soon!

Bonnie and Jude

36 Weeks - The Last Leg

I can't believe I am typing about the beginning of my 9th MONTH of pregnancy. Wow. Well, as most of you have experienced, the weather here in Indy has been atrocious this week. Today's high is 4 degrees. I'm managing to stay warm, but poor Nathan is stuck taking the dogs out every single time. Its amazing how warm my body is with this little bun in the oven - no pun intended!

I am definitely feeling 8 months, 3 1/2 weeks pregnant. Mostly, my groin muscles, hips and knees are weakening under the strain of carrying the following weights (minus 4 more weeks of growth):

• 7 1/2 pounds is about how much the baby will weigh by the end of pregnancy. (Jude is about 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 lbs right now and is gaining 1/2lb per week)
  
• 1 1/2 pounds is how much the placenta weighs.
• 4 pounds is attributed to increased fluid volume.
• 2 pounds is the weight of the uterus.
• 2 pounds is the weight of breast tissue.
• 4 pounds is because of increased blood volume.
• 7 pounds is attributed to maternal stores of fat, protein and other nutrients.
• 2 pounds for the amniotic fluid.
• Total: 30 pounds (I am at 24 pounds gain currently - so adjust the above numbers accordingly)
  

Not much has changed since last time I wrote. Nathan arrived back from Alaska without any issues and we have been quickly preparing for Jude. We opened and put the stroller together - and when I say "we", I mean "he"... We* put the pack n' play together and the swing too. Everything else is going into a closet until he is about 6 months old. We had a baby shower at my Mother-In-Law's home, hosted by her, and two of Nathan's Aunts (Jude's great-aunts) Suzie and Jenny. As I have said a million times on this blog - we are TOO BLESSED. We received so many linens and onsies and Bumbo seats! ;-)

I will post some pictures as soon as I receive them from my sister's camera!

The main reason for this post is to share with you something very special to Nathan and me. On January 2, we spent 3 hours in our home with THE most talented photographer taking pregnancy photos. I have always loved pregnancy photos, but to me its so crucial that they are done the RIGHT way. Otherwise, they can be tacky or cheesy. Jessica Strickland, our photographer is beyond talented. She shoots in a way Nathan and I both prefer; its very artistic, natural and magazine-like. I just wish we could have had her at our wedding... A few are little risque, but don't worry, I was fully clothed! ;-)

Here is the link to her blog where OUR PICTURES ARE POSTED! Feel free to leave comments!

Yours,
Bonnie and Nathan

Entering Week 35 - "Welcome to the Wide World of Bonnie"

Hello Happy-Readers. Well, again, I didn't uphold my end of the deal by posting soon after Christmas, but this will just have to do!

Christmas was wonderful. We received all of our "big ticket items" from family, so we are finally set with the stroller, pack n' play, bouncer, swing... you name it. I can finally sleep at night knowing that the kid isn't going to home in a shoebox! (here is a picture of all our loot!)

My incredible, irreplaceable, perfect, adoring husband also treated me like a queen in the gift department. I started opening my gifts and the first one was THE blue box we all know and long for - Tiffany's. I opened it (after giving him the look of "what have you done!!?") to find a sterling silver chain. So I open the next box. Its blue too. Now I give him the look of "what on EARTH have you done!!?". Its a charm shaped like a lock with the letter "J" in the middle of it - for Jude, sterling silver from Tiffany's too. I'm crying now. So, we go through a few more gifts and he gives me my last one. Its a large box, so naturally, I am picturing a new sweater to cover the beach ball awkwardly attached to my belly. But no.
Its another BLUE box. Tears, check. The look of "what have you done" has changed to "who are you!? where is my husband that shares my low-balance bank account!?". But this blue box is bigger. I open it very slowly, shaking, crying. Its a strand of pearls. Tiffany's Pearls. Perfect Pearls that no other in the world come close to competing with. The pearls I have looked at adoringly since I first entered a Tiffany's at the age of 14. Here is the series of photos Nathan took throughout- note my expressions...

 

Nathan left for a week of shows the day after Christmas. I wasn't very happy, but what can you do? It is becoming very difficult to take care of the dogs and to get all my clothing on without help! Starting week 32 (8 mo.), Jude starting growing very very rapidly. I have only gained a few more pounds, but its amazing to feel the energy drain out of your body and go straight to your stomach. He doesn't kick too hard any more either, instead he is rolling over and shifting my whole belly! 

I had my 34 week appointment on Monday and Nathan was able to go. It was a normal appointment, but the doctor did confirm that Jude has "dropped", also known as engaged. I can tell a major difference in my center of gravity and I can hardly wear any of my pants because it is so tight down around my pelvis; his head is down there now! As I write, he is jabbing my bladder, not just sitting on it. By him dropping, he is now putting pressure on my cervix, which will hopefully encourage it to soften and begin to dilate. Please pray it does!! My blood pressure was 100/80 and I had only gained about 2 pounds. 

I have been fighting a terrible cold for the last week and that has made getting bigger so much worse. Its hard enough to sleep, much less propped up on three pillows to keep my head clear. Other than that, things are going well. ;-)

Nathan left for Alaska yesterday where it is -38 degrees. I sure am glad that I am snuggled up in my jammies, but I wish he was here to help pull my socks on!

Well, that's all for now. I have another baby shower Sunday with Nathan's whole extended family. I am so excited and blessed to be surrounded by so many people who care about our new gift from God.

Please keep us in your prayers; we pray specifically that Jude come two weeks early, but naturally and healthy.

Yours,

The Ehmans

PS. Here are some photo galleries online of some recent events

Thanksgiving 2008

Phillips' Baby Shower, December 8

Christmas 2008

BURRR! - 31 Weeks (7Mo 3w)

I know, I know, its been FOREVER since I last posted an update. Things kept coming up and I would think, "well, I'll wait and include that news too!" - but here I am a month later with GOBS of news and no time to write! I will do the best I can... ;-)

Lets see... the last post was November 16.

Week of November 24 - Thanksgiving:
This was a really long week. Wonderful, but long. Starting on Wednesday morning, I found out that I failed my initial glucose screening. This meant that my sugar was high and that I would have to do a miserable 3 hour tolerance screening. But that would not stop my eating habits fort he holiday!

Beginning Wednesday afternoon, Nathan and I went to Brown County with his family and stayed in the most darling cabin. It was a true log cabin on the top of a hill, surrounded by trees, a fire pit, jacuzzi, trails and sunshine! We spend Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving day/night there with the fam playing tons of games and eating till we couldn't MOVE. At least I did... Here are some pictures.













































After we left Brown County, we went to my parents' home and had another wonderful evening with family. Marie and Zach were there, so were our neighbors/family Charlie and Tracy. We watched a killer movie after dinner called "Shine a Light" which is all about the Rolling Stones. I think my dad blew his sub woofer because it was so loud - but DANG it was GOOD! Saturday, we woke up and went to Darlington to celebrate the Cain Thanksgiving with Katie, Collin, Marie, Zach, my parents and a large group of Cains! We then spent the evening playing even MORE games. So, Thanksgiving was wonderful and busy. By Sunday, I was ready to hibernate with Jude, Nathan, Niles and Fiona though - I just could not MAKE myself be pleasant - I had had too much action for a pregnant lady!


Week of December 1 - Gestational Diabetes?!:
The week started out normal, despite my crankiness from lack of sleep over vacation. Wednesday was the worst day in a long time. It started out by fasting the night before and that morning. Nathan (best husband ever) went with me to the lab for my extended glucose screening. It started with a fasting draw and then I had to drink the Glucola - EWWW. It might as well be unmixed koolaid. You have to get that down in 5 minutes. I chugged it. Once that was done, they start drawing my blood every hour, on the hour for 3 hours. We sat in one the the waiting rooms at St. V's Carmel and watched a movie on my laptop. The sitting wasn't fun, the blood sugar drop was worse and the 4 blood-draws were just plain painful. I was supposed to go back to work once it was over, but that was not going to happen. We went and had a huge lunch and I went home and crashed - completely. I think I slept for 3 hours.

When the results came back on Friday, we determined that I had passed 3 of the 4 blood tests. So I officially do NOT have Gestational Diabetes. I still watch my carb and sugar intake and try to eat more meat, but I'm not stressing myself out about it - doctor's orders!

What made this weekend memorable was the one-of-a-kind baby shower my sister and mother threw me. From a blue Christmas tree to a baby food taste test contest (which I won!), they had it all. I was surrounded by my "Aunties" - my mother's best friends and received so many incredible gifts. God is so good.

Week of December 8 - Wrapping up the nursery & naked pregnant ladies:
With Nathan home from the 8th through Christmas, we started his time home off with a BANG. At the baby expo in November, I bought a 3d/4d ultrasound for half price. The package didn't include much, but with a healthy little boy in my tummy, all we needed was to see his perfect little face! We got a 15 minute session, tons of photos and a 15 minute DVD. For those of you who aren't familiar with a 3d/4d ultrasound, it is a newer technology that is only covered by insurance in high-risk pregnancies since it gives an incredible view into the womb. The 3D part of the ultrasound are the photos and still images; the 4d portion actually includes a live, moving view of your child in 3d! You can see every aspect of Jude's face, hands, feet, etc. See below...







































After the ultrasound, we went to my parents and showed them the DVD. They were flabbergasted by the technology - there is nothing like it.

That evening, we had our third birthing class... where, may I add, we saw more boobies and poonanny than we could ever, EVER, need to see in a lifetime. Plus, the videos are very specific to show every race and color of family (you know, to be PC). Its like high school text books; you have the asian family, the black family, the girl in a wheel chair. But in these movies, they're all naked, grunting, crying and oozing babies. And I paid $75 for this?!

The next evening we spent tons of time rearranging the nursery and shopping for the last few necessities like a rug and lamp. We successfully got everything needed and my nesting-brain began to calm down. I had been a pregnant-satan for a while because work stuff was disorganized, the nursery was disorganized and the house was filthy. Those things combined are instant insanity for a nesting mother-to-be. Enter Nathan - he cleaned the house from top to bottom, behind the toilets on his hands and knees, hung all the wall decor, went to the grocery and still managed to give me a 20 minute back-rub before bed. I have said it before and I will say it again, this man is not HUMAN! Nor do I deserve him (to which he will promptly agree) - jokingly!

Here are a few of the final items we bought for the nursery:

While working on the nursery, we also located a brand new glider/rocker on Craig's List for $50. What a deal! We went and picked it up, bought some new upholstery to cover the cushions and Nathan sewed them together with extra padding. Yes ladies, he sews too...

I think that just about covers our very busy week...

Week of December 15 - Preparing for Christmas:
We went and got our tree Sunday evening; we both agree that it is the best looking tree we have ever had. Its real, smells like heaven, and about 6' tall.

So Sunday night, we are laying in bed and its pretty late - maybe 12:15 and neither of us could sleep. All of a sudden we hear a crash: the tree. We run down the stairs, fearing the worst and there it is laying half-way across the dinning room table. Water was everywhere, ornaments crushed. Piece of crap tree stand. I have salvaged our trees from the ground two years in the past too while Nathan was out of town, but he was a tree-falling-over virgin. He is not a fan of getting live trees in the first place, so this was icing on the cake. We picked it up, leaned it against the wall, cleaned the floor, collected shards of glass and unharmed ornaments. So many bad words were said during that 15 minute period, I am glad that Jude can't process english yet!

Nathan picked up a new "improved" tree stand from Lowes Tuesday and so far, it is working very well. I have been working like normal and everyone keeps asking me if I am going to take time off before the baby comes. Yeah, no. Since I only get 2 weeks paid vacation and 6 weeks at 60% pay, I will be at my desk until my water breaks. Its disgusting, I know, but thats what they get for paying crap when you have a baby!

That brings me to today. I am sitting here with Christmas music on my headphones, getting ready to head up to Circle Center on my lunch break to do some santa-shopping.

An update on Jude? Oh yeah, he IS the subject of this blog... Well, I was 31 weeks yesterday so that makes him about 16" long and 3 1/2 pounds. He begins a big growth spurt this week too. Over the next 8 weeks, he will double in weight and grow another 4-5 inches. That means he is gaining 1/2 pound a week and mommy gets to gain about 1lb a week! Just when you start feeling like a sea-cow, the kid hits a growth spurt... but oh well, at least I get to eat.

Well, Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you are satisfied with my MONTH long update. Look for another one near Christmas time!

LOVE YOU ALL and GOD BLESS!
N, B & J

Beginning the Third Trimester - Week 27 (6 months, 3 weeks)

Happy Sunday everyone.

Well, I am sitting here watching the Red Skins beat the Cowboys (but its only the 3rd quarter) with some Interpol playing on my laptop for Jude. He really responds when I plan music for him - are you surprised!? ;-) Two bulldogs are snoring near by...

This weekend has been full of relaxation and rest; which was much needed. I managed to work 105 hours during the last two weeks so I was in desperate need to go a few days without a computer in my lap. Nathan has been on the road for the last couple weeks, but I have seen him the last two Monday-Tuesdays. Last weekend, Third Day was in the area, so I was able to hangout with them at the IU auditorium and then in Cincinnati. They are touring with Need to Breathe right now, which is wonderful. If you haven't heard them before, you need to check them out.

Anyway, I am feeling pretty good these days. I can feel the "size" of Jude is slowly starting to effect my body and my mobility, but I am still getting great sleep. At 27 weeks, Jude is now 14" long and around 2 1/4 lbs. Can you believe that? My back is killing me, so I have had a few massages which make life tolerable again. My feet and hands are swelling too, but other than that, this pregnancy is still a cakewalk. Pray it continues to be this painless and enjoyable!

Jude is moving around a lot lately. I can tell that his little feet are up near my ribs on the right side and his head is down near my left hip. Its so cute to wake up to him fluttering his little feetsies on my side. Plus his hands are right under my belly button, so I feel him there a lot too, probably playing with his cord or feet. Its amazing how much you connect with the baby when they begin moving. He has a very consistent sleep/wake cycle and I hope it sticks when he is born! He is awake from 10-noon every day, moves around a little bit around 3-4PM and 7PM and then is really active again around 10-11PM. He is asleep all night while I sleep which is priceless!

With the weather turning cold, the whole "nesting" thing is really kicking in strong. We haven't done anything new with the nursery since I last blogged, but we have some baby showers coming up that will likely add some stuff to the room. The house is a wreck since I cannot manage to clean for more than 30 minutes at a time, but thats just something I have to deal with! I frequently find myself wandering into the nursery and standing at the crib. Its so amazing. In three short months, we will spend countless hours in there during the night pacing, yawning, and cuddling. Time is FLYING. With the holidays rapidly approaching, the next three months are going to continue to be a blur.

We start our Birthing classes tomorrow night which I expect will be quite an experience... I pray Nathan doesn't pass out when they show the birthing videos!! I DO hope they put a fake belly on him so he can feel what I'm experiencing! Not because he "needs to know what Im going through", but because it will be hilarious to see my husband looking like a pregnant lady. HA! Also, we are only 3 weeks away from our 4D ultrasound!

Well, I should probably go to sleep now. I am attaching some recent pictures so you can gawk at my ever-bulging baby bump.

Love you all.