Shawn Danish Syed

...Was born March 25th, 2009 at 7:47am (via c-section). He was 9lbs 5ounces and 21inches long. He is the love of his Mommy and Daddy's heart and always will be.

It's nice to have the stress of labor and delivery over with and be able to breath a little easier these days (literally). Now there are a new set of worries and concerns that will last a lifetime, but are only normal.

I'm over-joyed and over-whelmed...but also happy that (knock on wood) post-partum doesn't seem so bad. I LOVE my Baby Shawn and we are SO happy that he is finally here!

40 Weeks Pregnant at Aldridge Gardens

Umi and I had a jam packed day today. First off we had to go to the DMV to get my drivers license up to date with my new last name. Luckily there were 2 people in front of me so it took no time at all. Then we had to go to the grocery store (since there was no food in this house except for the frozen or boxed kind lol). We were so worn out after that (at least I was) so we came home, unloaded the groceries, ate some Gofta and Chowel (which is meatballs and rice), and then rested.

My middle sister-in-law (Shaz) has been begging me to go get some professional pictures made of myself with my big pregnant belly. She said she would reimburse us for it. She has been MORE than generous to us lately with money so I got a better idea for some great pictures that wouldn't cost anyone anything. We have a small Botanical Gardens like Park right beside our apartment complex called Aldrige Gardens. As you can see from the pictures it is a beautiful place. So, after lunch I got as dressed up as I could, got Umi and the camera in the car, and we went to Aldrige Gardens and took some pictures of me HUGE pregnant (as you can see lol).

After Aldrige Gardens Umi decided we should get some ice cream (since I was sweating like a pig) so I took her to Brewster's. Our next stop was at Home Depot to get some more pegs so we could fix our book shelf (which right now is a DVD/VHS shelf lol). Last but not least we went to Bruno's and used my WIC to get milk, juice, and peanut butter. Whew!! What a day!

We are finally home now and I am VERY tired. Hopefully I will get some good sleep because tomorrow is my doctor's appointment which is going to be tiring as well. Then, the next day, I will most likely be having a C-Section so I need some rest! Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Now Where Did I Put That Brain of Mine??

Panic!...and it isn't "at the disco". It's right here in my head because I'm realizing that I'm going to have a baby in 3 days!!

I still can't believe it, or the fact that I'm going to be having a C-Section (most likely) which everyone is deeming "MAJOR SURGERY". It sounds a little (ha ha..."a little") scary. I'll get over it. I have to "get over it" because Shawn has to come out somehow and there is NO WAY he weighs less than 7 1/2 pounds. My friend Amiee thinks he is going to weigh 9lbs 1ounce.

When Mo was born he weighed 8lbs 2ounces...and when I was born I weighed a whopping 9lbs
8ounces!! I heard from somewhere (which according to Mom may not be a credible source) that babies tend to weigh-in somewhere between their Mother and Father's birth weight. Mom says that the baby tends to weigh closer to the Mother's birth weight than the Father's. Based on that info you are MORE than welcome to take a guess at his birth weight and I'll post it later to see who was the closest (for bragging rights).

Other than that I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. I know I'm going to be ok though, and I have SO MANY wonderful friends and family praying for us too. We are truly blessed!!

...and I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that after Shawn is born I'll get my brain back...I've missed it so much!! LOL

I Should be Cleaning...

but instead I'm blogging.

Mo and I were going to clean yesterday except that he got called into work. That's ok though because he worked over-time hours and we need the money!

Speaking of money I checked out the SITS featured blogger today (Katie Ritchie) and one of her blogs that I read really touched me. She talked about how her and her husband were down on their luck with money, but God sent them 2 angels (in the form of oil millionaires lol) who were very generous on one of her flights and truly blessed them with extra money to make it through. I couldn't help but relate to this because it seems like Mo and I are down on our luck 24/7 with money...and on those months when it seems we should be up to our ears in debt we come out fine! Sometimes it's because we forgot that Mo worked over-time on his pay-check, or we got tax returns, or even his family wants to be generous because they came into a nice sum of money. Regardless, we almost always come out on top and I would definitely call that blessed and watched over so I know EXACTLY where Katie is coming from!

Anyway, Umi will be here Saturday, and then Mom will be here Tues. We really do need to clean, but gosh do I NOT feel like it! Procrastination is my middle name right now!! I guess I'll "slave" over dinner and when Mo gets home I'll give HIM the cleaning list and say, "Get crackin' Bud!" Ha ha ha...

Wednesday March 25th

Yep...that's when Shawn should be here. When I went to my doc app. yesterday we found out that I am still not dilated, effaced, and Shawn has not dropped.

At my last app. when Dr. Banks was checking my cervix I was in a great deal of pain. I didn't mention it and tried to get over it thinking it was just apart of the exam. Mo decided yesterday to mention it to Dr. Banks because Mo doesn't like to see me in ANY kind of pain, tears, or turmoil (he just can't handle it). It's a good thing he did mention it. Dr. Banks was upset with me for not saying anything and proceeded to tell me why. He said that when he was doing the exam he realized that my cervix was "angled" and VERY narrow. He said the exam was probably very painful to me because he had a hard time with checking me.

According to Dr. Banks my cervix is narrow and angled which would make a vaginal delivery more painful for me. He said if Shawn is 8 pounds or more (by checking next weeks ultrasound) he highly suggests I do a C-Section. He thinks that my pelvis and cervix just won't be able to handle it and that it will all lead to a C-Section anyway.

I have decided that if Shawn is over 7 pounds 8 ounces then I will go ahead with a C-Section, but if he weighs less then that I think I will try for a natural birth. I just don't want to think that I cheated myself out of a chance to NOT have major surgery.

Why is Everything so Complicated?

Tomorrow I will be going to my doctor's appointment to see if I am dilated /effaced and if Shawn has dropped/engaged. I have been walking and doing exercises ALL WEEK in preparation for this appointment just hoping that something has changed. Now I know that everyone has been telling me to hold my horses (as well I should be) however, we (Me, Mo, and Mom) have a few reasons as to why Shawn needs to come sooner rather than later, and why it might be nice to schedule it as an induction (which my Doc seems ok with).

I will start with the reasons why I need Baby Shawn to be scheduled to come now (next week). Physically it is that my anxiety is starting to creep back again. I'm sure this is in anticipation of my labor and delivery, but none the less it's coming back and affecting me and Shawn. I have been having "night terrors" as well. I have dreams so vivid and awful (worse than any scary movie) and that's also adding to my anxiety! Also I have PUPPS on my legs (that's a pregnancy rash) that is spreading and getting worse. Then there is the usual aches, pains, and discomforts of pregnancy that every woman has.

The reasons for Mo are work related. His Chief of Security just had to fire an officer due to scheduling conflicts and now Mo will be working a lot more. Since Mo will be working more it would be beneficial for him to be able to tell Chief when he will be off work because Shawn is being born. I know that might sound unreasonable for his Chief to want that kind of a heads up, but with everything that is going right now at his work I can understand it.

The reasons for Mom begin with the fact that she lives 2 hours away and if Shawn came at 2am that would be tough on her. She has to take medicine to sleep (like most of us do) and that could be dangerous as well. Also, Mom would be able to be there to hold my hand from start to finish without me having to wait on her if I was induced. Last, but not least, to touch on a touchy subject, the ONLY people that I am allowing in the labor and delivery room (besides the doctor and nurses) are Mom and Mo. Now Mo's Mom (I call her Umi) is going to be here within the next 5-6 days for Shawn's birth and to stay and help take care of me after Mom has to go home. She is a wonderful woman, but I just would not feel comfortable with her in the room during my labor. This is because I am a HUGE prude and I will have enough people as it is seeing me half naked that I don't need another! It's also because Mo, and especially Mom, will be more than enough to take of me properly during my labor.

Anyway, I know that if I am not dilated/effaced and if Shawn has not dropped/engaged it's going to be hard to talk induction. Now even though I will be proposing to wait until the 26th or 27th (which is a few days AFTER my due date) inductions can be more painful and have a higher rate of leading to C-Section. I'm going to have to think it through long and hard tomorrow if nothing has changed. If you have been through this kind of situation with a pregnancy, or a friend or family members pregnancy, please let me know (knowing other peoples' outcomes and hearing their advice is always beneficial)!! Thanks!

A Few More Weeks I Guess...

I know I haven't blogged in a few days, but it's not because I went into labor. Mo gets his off days usually sometime between Mon.-Wed. so I don't blog because I am spending time with him. Other than that I have been going out more to the mall to walk, and to the grocery store (since we have money lol). So...that's why I hadn't blogged lately.

Anyway, I had my doctors app. yesterday at 38 weeks + 1 day. According to Dr. Banks I am only half a cm dilated and no effacement (at least he didn't say I was effaced). Also Shawn has not dropped yet even though I thought he had. Dr. Banks told me that had I been dilated ANY he would have set me up (I suppose for induction) next week. Apparently Shawn and my body are still not ready so we will give it some more time.

Other than that my list of things to do before Shawn arrives is now completely taken care of except for the deep cleaning and relaxing. I think I need to add walking and small exercises to it too to work myself into shape for labor and delivery. There are things like pelvic swaying, squats, and kegels that will help prepare me for the big day. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time because, technically, it could be any day now. We certainly are ready now if it does happen! Keep us in your prayers please!