Birth Story

Our baby story:

We went to the OB on Monday May 24th at 10:00am for an Ultrasound which showed my amniotic fluid was really low. so to protect the baby, we decided to get induced that day. (37wks, 2days gestational age). We were admitted at 11am, the nurse started the Pitocin to start contractions at 12:45pm, and broke my water at 1pm (to advance labor faster). I got an epidural at 5:15pm (about 6cm dilated by that time), and she was born at 7:11pm after only 6 1/2 hours of hours of labor 12 pushes. (Thank you Marley!)

Mark was AMAZING! He timed the contractions, helped me with my breathing (thank you Boise library for the Lamaze videos!) kept me on my focal point (court tv) during labor, and got some excellent video of the birth (TLC style). He cut the umbilical cord in one swipe and welcomed his daughter into the world like a champ.

She only cried a little when she was born, but handled labor very well despite coming before her due date. She weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 19.5 inches long.


We named her Marley Sorcha. Sorcha(sor-a-ka) is the Irish/Gaelic version of the name Sarah and means "little bright one." Her middle name reflects her Irish heritage and her first name reflects the peace and love that we want to be the center of her life.

We got home from the hospital yesterday and time already seems to be flying by. She eats (barracuda baby) and sleeps well and is in general a calm baby. Astro is on pins and needles around her. He sits and stares at her and will occasionally try to lick her head. Poor little guy will need time to adjust :(

So our next big step is to get ready to move to Maryland in July. Keep checking back as we post every one of the awesomely cute things she does.

Here is a fun little video of Astro meeting Marley for the first time.

Week 37: More Pics

Week 37: BABY BORN!

MARLEY SORCHA THOMAS
Born: May 24th, 2010 7:11pm
6lbs. 9oz. 19.5 inches

Week 36: Rocking Chair

Mark the Handy Man put many loving hours into this chair to give mama and baby a comfortable place to relax.

Before.....























After......

Week 36

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

35 Weeks: Maternity Photos

Mark and I took some pregnancy photos out in nature yesterday.
It was really fun and relaxing and there were only a few weirdo
looky-loos gawking at us. Still, we cant wait to show them to the
baby when she gets older. Enjoy!

34 Weeks: baby's first rides

33 Weeks: progress....

Astro has been indifferent, bordering on avoidant since my belly has gotten bigger and bigger. When we point to it and ask "Whats this?," he turns his head or walks away. This morning, Astro was finally not freaked by the belly, although he looks a little bit like he's doing it to humor us......
we'll see............

Week 33

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How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Week 32 Baby Shower!

All that's missing is the baby!

Week 28: Third Trimester Starts

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How your baby's growing:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Week 28 Crochet UPDATE!!!! 4/29

UPDATE: redid the top that went with the diaper cover. i like the new one better. also added some cute pink ribbon to the little dress. one of these will be her homecoming outfit but i cant decide which one. :)

Some things I've made for the baby....gonna keep working at it.


The bassinet blanket was the first thing I made, then the socks, then the shirt, then the diaper cover and finally the dress...don't laugh at my workmanship!


more to come......?

Week 27-Ending trimester #2 with a "neigh....."

That's right folks! I rode a horse for the first time (seven months pregnant). Here is the video. Thanks Driscoll's for the opportunity (especially Paige for leading the horse) and thank you Brownie for not killing me! BFF! Shout out to Sasha for her camera work:)

Baby Kicks

Watch The Adventures of Baby Ninja. She's kicking and punching, and fighting off bad guys in this epic tale of love, life, and the search for her greatest discovery yet, more room in the womb. Filled with action and heart felt moments, Baby Ninja leaves you wanting more, her strength is inspiring, her plight is just, and she's just so darn cute. Coming in full 3D this summer, this is one you don't want to miss.

Week 27

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How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Week 25- Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga, as described by the website can help you:

"Appreciate and enjoy the benefits of yoga in the company of other expectant women. Through a variety of stretching and toning exercises, you'll increase your energy level, relieve tension, and promote deep relaxation. Breathe, relax, and be refreshed!"

So far, its been pretty close to that. I thought I would hate the slow pace but I've come to enjoy it. particulary the silence! But its not walk in the park. My heart rate gets going, my arms get a workout, and I get an awesome stretch. So far Ive only been to a few classes, so at the end of the 4 weeks, I will write an update to see if I feel the same way.....Namaste

Peace
Not Not the Mama

Week 25

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How your baby's growing

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Dont know who created this but its funny....

"Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me- then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an a$$.

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4) The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no women wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. EVER!!!!! A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!". (P.S. I also do not want to hear that I'm showing more with this one or have gained more or less weight.)

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

Like everything else is life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents' home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Sincerely,
Pregnant woman."

week 24

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Baby's First Story

Mark just read our baby her first or many many stories. I saw this book at the library and had to check it out. Its the cutest story and a precious moment between father and daughter.

Week 23

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How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Week 22 Musings

Dear world,

I fell in love with my little girl when I saw her on during the ultrasound; even more today when we saw her moving around like a jumping jelly bean during our ultrasound this week.

And as I continue to watch A Baby Story or Deliver Me Home on TLC and Discovery channel I realized something about myself as a woman and as a future mother....something profound. I don't want any of you touching my baby! I don't want you holding her, breathing on her, talking to her, ANYTHING. No one other than Mark. And its not because I think you will hurt her. That's hardly a possibility.... Its because she's MY baby. I carried her, I will deliver her, I will breastfeed her, I will lose sleep over her, and so I will have the joy of holding her. Most of you have had your own babies anyway so let me have my first. Let me have those precious first moments to bond with my daughter and fully realize the magnitude of becoming a mother without regard for your feelings of exclusion. Let me hold her and sing to her without burden of an impending duty of relinquishing her to satisfy obligations incurred from the months of help we received from everyone throughout her gestation. Allow me in my own time to permit you into our little world during our first days together as a family unit, and to interrupt the intimacy that we value whenever experiencing life as a family.

I guess what I am trying to say is trust that at some point in time we will allow our extended family to become a part of our daughters first days. There is no device that can measure the significance of family in a child's life. However, these moments are some that we can never have again. So please, wait for our cue patiently and very very quietly....

Baby's Momma

Week 22 Baby Music

So it turns out that our baby has a love for the Ranchera style music. We were at a restaurant in New York and the baby kept kicking and then stopping and we realized that everytime the music played the baby kicked. Not quite sure what to think about that but I guess whatever makes her happy.

So here is some classic ranchero music by Vicente Fernandes to get your baby going.

Week 22

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How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Week 21 GENDER!!!

Finally after 5 long months of biting our nails and wondering what our baby will be, we got some amazing ultrasound photos that let us know the gender of our baby:) Pappa Mark was so happy and Momma Sharon is glowing. Click play on the video to find out if we are having a boy or a girl :)

Week 21

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Week 20 belly

Sharons belly at just under 21 weeks. Getting bigger and stronger now and the baby is kicking up a storm. Even Pappa Mark can feel some of those little kicks and couldn't be more excited. Check back soon, we have a doctor appointment this Monday to find out if the baby is nice and healthy and also what the gender is. Lets hope the little one is a bit of a flasher so there is no question whether it's a boy or girl.

Week 20: Parking

It's taken 20 weeks but we finally found parking for Sharon. First time we found out about Expectant Mothers parking we were in Maryland and Sharon was not pregnant. After we found out we were expecting we kept our eyes open but not to many places have this. Gotta enjoy the little things in life.

Week 20: Craving

This weeks craving is the PASTRAMI sandwich from Port of Subs. It has lots of meat, veggies to top it off, and deliciousness all around. Our baby kicks up a storm after a nice Pastrami sandwich. So go out, get yourself one and see what all the hub bub is all about.

Week 20

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Week 19: Coming Soon...Gender

Sharon's almost 20 weeks pregnant and that means that we will be finding out the gender of our baby soon. Feels like we've been waiting forever. Have our appointment sent, so check back in the next week or so to find out. YIPPEE!

Week 19: Rock'a' My Baby

Got Momma Sharon an old School rocking chair for rocking the baby to sleep.
Has some cool designs on the head rest but Papa Mark might need to buff out the fish that look like they're throwing up :) and with some repair, a paint job, and a little love it will turn this nice and comfy chair into a great rocker.

Week 19

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Week 18

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How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Week 17

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.