March Happenings

I keep feeling like this winter will never end (just like everyone else in this area of the country), and so March passed by kind of quickly in a relative blur of sameness.  We did manage to get outside a few times.

Chicago River dyed Green

We finally went to the Vault (we've now had Do-Rite, Firecakes, Glazed and Infused, and the Vault).  The doughnuts were really, REALLY good, but I don't know that I think they're the best in Chicago.  I guess, for me, there's sort of a bliss point for your basic buttermilk cake doughnut.  This place definitely hits that, but so do the other places.

Basically, if pizza isn't your thing, and a Chicago Dog doesn't carry any kind of interest for you, just go on a doughnut tour while you're here.  We've got a LOT of amazing options.

The yeast doughnuts were SO huge!

After we went to the Vault, we headed off to a Chicago Park to check out a Maple Syrup festival.  I had no idea that they could tap trees and make Maple Syrup right in the middle of Chicago, but they can.  It was pretty cold outside, but it was still nice to get outside and into a little bit of nature.

Upper Left:  syrup tasting and boiling sap over an open flame, Upper Right:  Me and Grayson, checking out the tree taps, Lower Left:  Katie inspecting the sap (apparently, it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup!), Lower Right:  Grayson walking in the woods, and Katie and Grayson chillin' (literally) in the stroller.

We got a few days where it was warm enough to head to the local park, go on a couple of bike rides, and be outside for longer than 30 seconds without hating the experience.  Today was kind of cold again though, so we played inside.

I took food coloring and white vinegar and put a few different colors in a muffin tin.  Then, in the pie plate, I spread out a layer of baking soda.  Katie and Grayson both got a medicine dispenser, and then squirted the colored vinegar on the baking soda.  Grayson couldn't fill the dispenser on his own, but I bet he could have done it if it were one of the dropper-types.  Katie had no problems at all, and really loved her "Foaming Rainbow Lakes."

Grayson also tasted all the parts involved...but that problem quickly solved itself.  Neither Vinegar nor Baking soda is terribly tasty alone.

Katie loved the foaming, and then playing in the baking soda afterwards.  She wanted to save her "colored sand."  We didn't.

 Overall, this was a great activity.  Both kids could do it, and they enjoyed it, and it was really easy to clean up.  These days, that's the biggest win of an activity for me.

 Lastly, someone started walking around our house almost full-time!  Watching his little teetering wobbles down the hall and his nervous giggles as he tries to go faster is SO much fun.  It definitely helps to brighten up some of these still-dreary days.

Here's hoping for April Showers...and maybe a few leaves or flowers?

Welcome Grayson!

One week ago, I had my last prenatal appointment. Less than 24 hours later, Grayson Reed Murray joined our little family, and it was wonderful.

First family picture.

I started having contractions that were about 10 minutes apart Thursday evening around dinner. I thought I might be experiencing labor, but since I had been induced with Katie, I wasn't really sure of the exact process when it wasn't started for you. Nate and I were both reluctant to get excited, but I decided that packing the hospital bag couldn't hurt. We went to bed that night around 11:30.

After tossing and turning for a couple of hours, I thought that it was possible that I might really be in labor. I took a bath, to see if the contractions stopped, and then decided that I would start actually timing them, and tell Nate that I thought he might be missing work that day. Starting around 2:00, my contractions were between 3 and 5 minutes apart, and quite uncomfortable. After timing them for a couple of hours, we decided to call the hospital and see what they suggested, since I was group b strep positive, and would need antibiotics. They said we should go ahead and come in. We called a friend who Nate picked up to watch Katie (bless you, Sahily), and headed to the hospital between 4:30 and about 5:00. We ended up parking kind of far away, and had to walk to a different entrance. At this point, I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes, and we stopped about 4-5 times just getting in the door, and a few more times in the halls and elevator up to labor and delivery. They admitted me, and then I had to sit in the bed for about 45 minutes while they took vitals for me and baby, inserted an IV, and checked me. The conclusion was that I was 3-4 cm dilated, fully effaced, and that the babies head was pretty low (although there were also two ultrasounds at the bedside from two different residents that wanted to confirm he really was head down). All of this was really uncomfortable, and I was really, really relieved when I was finally allowed to get up and walk around.

We liked what the nurse put under "Patient Goal"

 It was about 5:45 at this point, and I was in a lot of pain. Nate was right by my side the whole time, usually applying pressure to my hips or lower back, and just hanging out with me. Neither one of us could believe that we were there, having a baby. Around 7, the nurse shift changed over, and the nurse who was leaving said, look, you've probably got a long way to go, you're maybe a 5 or a 6 at this point, and you don't have to be in all this pain, breathing through the contractions. It's probably going to take about 45 minutes for the epidural to get here, so you should keep that in mind." I was feeling a little frustrated with her, because I knew that I could get an epidural, and that it wouldn't make me a failure etc. etc., but I wanted to go without one. Thankfully, Nate, in his perfectly reassuring, no-frills way just said, "I think you can do this." Then he stepped up to put more pressure on my hips. At this point, I moved to kneeling on the bed, and holding onto the back, and things got really intense. Nate even gave me a quick blessing that I could have the strength I needed. I threw up a few times (worst...ever.), and my water broke. We called the nurse to tell them, and thankfully, Nate talked to them, because I was in a pretty terrible state. They had me climb off the bed so they could change the sheets, and I told them I felt like I really needed to push. They sort of acknowledged it, and stated prepping the room, but with much less urgency than I thought was needed. My nurse notified the doctor that I was feeling pressure (serious understatement), and she told me to climb back in the bed so she could check me and see if I was ready. I crawled into the bed on my knees again, and didn't make it any further. The nurse was moving things around on the bed and sort of tossed the tv remote/call button thing and it hit me in the head. I was fairly distracted by everything else going in, but Nate was properly annoyed on my behalf. The nurse then checked me (most painful part of the whole experience) and then just kept her hand there until I asked if she could please stop. She said, "Ok, but just don't push!". I don't actually believe this is possible, and within 2 contractions, Grayson was born at 7:59 am, with a doctor running in right after he was out. They cleaned him up, gave him to me, and just like that, we were a family of four.

Nate, shortly after Grayson was born.

Katie, Grayson, and me on Saturday.  

Grayson, coming home from the hospital.  

7 pounds, 14.2 ounces, 19 inches long, awesome.

My recovery has been great. I really felt like I could have gone home Friday afternoon. Grayson has been a great eater, and sort of knowing what I'm doing has made breastfeeding pretty smooth this time around. Katie really loves her brother (at least for now:), and Nate has been such a perfect support and father. We're all doing so well, and we've got dinners and well-wishes to last us for a good long time, as well as visitors to look forward to in the weeks ahead. Life for us, is wonderful. Thank you so much to all of you who have helped us so far, and for all the congrats and well-wishes too.

As a bonus, here's Katie meeting Grayson for the first time: