Welcoming Lucas

***First Family Picture***

It's been nearly two weeks since I delivered my baby and I apologize for taking this long to let this group know. I feel indebted to you, my fellow bloggers, because you have been a great support group during the entire period of my pregnancy. But I'm sure you all (especially the moms among the group) understand that getting through the first week postpartum is no picnic. In between my recovery, the feedings, the diaper change and the catching up of sleep, I find it really hard to spend even thirty minutes of my time on the computer.

So as promised, I am writing to confirm the birth of who was once known as Charles Jr. For those of you who are interested in just facts and nothing else, I have first prepared a Short Version. For those who are interested in a more detailed account, I have prepared an Expanded, less-abridged version so go ahead and read on:

SHORT VERSION:

Name: Lucas Philippe Ocat
Date of Birth: Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 13:53 Pacific Time
Weight: 7 lbs 13 ozs
Length: 20 inches
Fun Fact: He's got some serious hair--easily the one with the most hair among all the babies in the nursery.

***Lucas 20 minutes after birth***

EXPANDED VERSION:

Towards the last weeks of my pregnancy, we have been closely monitoring the baby's size. Dr. Green, my OB was concerned that the baby could get too big, as it's usually the case for babies of diabetic patients. So when I saw Dr. Green for my weekly visit on May 18th, she said "we need to start talking about when you are going to have this baby. How do you feel about an induction?" After she explained all the pros and cons of inducing a first baby, I agreed to it and so we scheduled it for Sunday, the 24th when Dr. Green is working and the hospital is normally less busy. I have always wanted Dr. Green herself to delivery my baby, and not some other on-call doctors who I haven't met in my nine months of pregnancy. No offense to the other doctors--I know they are highly competent, but this is a very significant event in my life that I would prefer to be attended by somebody familiar. And so I thought, Sunday is perfect--Dr. Green won't be seeing patients on appointment so she will have more time to spend at the hospital.

Charles and I checked in at the hospital on Saturday night. Indeed, there was hardly any other patient at the OB Reception. I was checked in immediately and what's so cool is that we got Room 203--the Presidential Suite of the Labor and Delivery ward. It's probably three times bigger than the other L & D rooms, comes with a humungous bathroom with a jacuzzi, a linen warmer that looks like a wine refrigerator, a separate sitting area and a separate area just for the baby.

At almost midnight, Dr. Hom (on call for the night) came in to administer Misoprostal--a tiny pill to help ripen my cervix. Dr. Green had asked her to do so saying I wasn't at all dilated. While Dr. Hom was in the room, she called Dr. Green and told her I was almost 3 cm dilated and the pill could get me going into labor that night. Dr. Green was pretty confident nothing will happen until the following day (this is what I mean by trusting the person who has seen me for nine months). That night, I only experienced minor contractions, which I hardly even felt but I knew they happened by looking at the monitors that were attached to my tummy. Early in the morning Dr. Hom came back to artificially break my water bag and jumpstart my labor. I thought "I know I have lots of fluids and a small baby, so if she breaks my water bag, perhaps the baby could just go along?" I've heard stories of babies born that way. Ah, but no! Still that did not get me going.

Dr. Green came in about two hours later and examined me. I was about 4 cm dilated but the baby wasn't descending. So they gave me a small doze of Pitocin to hasten my contractions and hopefully get the baby to descend. After that, I started feeling the contractions and they were getting closer and more intense by the minute. At about 9 am, despite the whopper contractions, I still wasn't progressing. I started becoming miserable so I know it was time for the epidural (Ladies--the epidural rocks! I highly recommend!). The nurse did remind me earlier that when I ask for the epidural, they'll have to put me on the list and they cannot guarantee how soon it can be administered. It can be as quick as 15 minutes or as long as 45 minutes, depending on how busy the anesthesiologist is. Luckily, Dr. Steven, the anesthesiologist showed up after 15 minutes and shortly after the "good stuff" was delivered, my misery turned into ultimate comfort. I further became more relaxed as I saw my sister come in. I just couldn't have this baby without her!

We were still a bit concerned about my slow progress and the baby not descending as he should, but Dr. Green kept reassuring me that they have a plan. I was hoping and praying that C-section wasn't part of that plan. They then increased the dosage of my Pitocin to nearly double and I think that did the trick! By early afternoon, I was fully dilated and ready to push.

At that time, there was just me, Charles, my sister and my nurse Roxanne who by the way is one of the most awesome nurses I've ever known! Considering all the obstacles of an inverted uterus, a tight birth canal and the average pushing time for a first-time delivery, Dr. Green estimated that it will take me 2-3 hours to push. She had to leave but will be back when I'm really close to delivering the baby (doctors normally don't stay the whole time).

At about 1:15 pm I started pushing. Charles was on my left side holding my head while my sister was on my right coaching me and guiding me through the pushing and the breathing. Nurse Roxanne was busy preparing the baby's receiving area but she was also coaching me from where she was. I decided to give it a college try. I knew it was going to take a while and I wasn't worried about the baby coming out so soon and falling off the edge of the bed. Pushing takes a lot of serious efforts. After a few tries I began to doubt if I can continue doing it for the next 2-3 hours. So I tried even harder and I was determined to get it over with in less than an hour. I guess my efforts paid off. After 15 minutes of pushing, nurse Roxanne had to call Dr. Green back into the room. By the time Dr. Green got back, the baby was already crowning--part of his head can be seen.

Dr. Green took over and this is when it got really cool. I continued to push and made progress. In between the mind-blowing pushes and the heavy breathing, I was able to tell Charles to stop pushing with me. He too, was pushing--as if trying to help me out. I worried that he was going to faint. Dr. Green also noticed and said jokingly "we don't resuscitate husbands here!".  I guess it was just really hard for Charles to be in that same room with me and not get carried away.

Finally, the baby's head was halfway out. Dr. Green asked me to reach down and touch it--it was soft with very thick strands of hair. It felt weird but very amazing! I think that was Dr. Green's way of motivating me to give it my best shot and it worked. The next time I pushed I got the baby's head out--what a relief! Dr. Green then asked me to give it another big push for the shoulders. When the shoulders were out, she reached for my hands and tucked them underneath the baby's arms and asked me to pull the baby out myself. So I made my one last big push and pulled the baby out and up into my chest. Finally, at 1:53 pm, I said "hello" to the little creature that I was nurturing inside of me for the last nine months. I was so overwhelmed with emotions that I found myself in tears. It was the most amazing thing in the world!

We named him Lucas Philippe Ocat. I've always liked the name Lucas and Philippe is from his dad's middle name "Philip". Baby Lucas is awesome! He is a perfectly healthy and vigorous baby. Charles and I are enjoying every single minute with him that I don't care what it took to get him here.

We brought Baby Lucas home two days after his birth. He is still adjusting but I think he likes being home. Charles and I, on the other hand, survived our first night with Baby Lucas and until now we're still good friends! It's been challenging but it's getting better and better every single day--and night. Oh yes--I know we're going to be in for a roller coaster ride in the coming months but I am so looking forward to it!

***Mom and 1-hour old Lucas***

***Lucas cozy at home and in his own bed***

Very Soon... (Week 39)

"Very soon, we will finally meet you and hold you in our arms.

Very soon, you will be coming home with us.

Very soon, I'll be feeding you, bathing you and watching you sleep.

Our little monkey,

Very soon, you'll be changing our lives... forever!

And we can hardly wait."

-Mom and Dad

I am approaching the end of a journey and the beginning of a new one.  The prize is too close at hand I can almost touch, feel and smell it. I am going to be a mom very soon and it's now becoming more exciting than nervewracking!

On my 39th week, I stopped going to work.  I am supposed to be staying home resting, nesting and getting prepped for the big day.  But on the contrary, I end up working longer hours at home than when I was at work.  I get so paranoid about not turning over something important to my backups before going on leave of absence.  So I keep checking my work emails and logging in to work remotely to make sure that I didn't and won't miss anything.  It's not that I don't trust my colleagues.  I work with very competent people and I have not a single doubt that they'll be fine without me.  It's just me--I'm not used to being away from work and knowing I will be away for quite some time.  Maybe I'm just bored and maybe this will change as soon as the baby turns up.

I am a little bummed that I have a few more days to go and I still don't have pregnancy photos with Charles.  I can't believe that we've had months to do it and still we couldn't fix a time and get our photos taken.  I know he's not so fond of photo sessions--I had to drag him to our engagement photoshoot.  He would rather be taking photos than be on them.  But I won't be pregnant forever and this might just happen to us once, so I really hope we'll get to do a few clicks before I pop.

Finally, I am hoping that everything will go very well.  And I seek your help, my dear friends, to pray for me, to pray for a safe delivery and a healthy baby!

A Beautiful Spring Wedding

I didn't think I could make it to this wedding.  It was set too close to my due date and although it takes only an hour drive to get there, being that far away from home and from the hospital still made me a bit nervous.

But the bride is a good friend of mine and I really wanted to see her on one of her happiest days. Also, I couldn't wait to be reunited with my other friends who were coming to the wedding. I felt good that day--fresh (because I had a good night sleep), no contractions, the back pains were mild, and it was bright and sunny outside. And so we went to the wedding and I'm so happy we did.

The groom is Mexican so the wedding had a Latino flair to it. They had a Mariachi band playing almost the entire afternoon. They had lechon on the menu, which I think was a good representation of the Filipino culture. What I liked most about the wedding is how they kept it simple and intimate. And I have to admit, the wedding cake--looking pretty but not-so-elaborate--was the most delicious wedding cake I have ever tasted! I had to ask my friend where she got them and I think I'll be ordering special-occasion cake from them from now on (I don't care if I have to drive an hour or two to get it).

I was so happy to be reunited with my friends at the wedding! I shared thoughts with another friend of mine who is pregnant with her second child. We had the grandest time that we ended up going back with our friends to their hotel and going home past midnight.

For a while, I forgot all about the discomforts of full-term pregnancy and the worries of going into labor at any time. I was out there, like the rest of my friends, partying 'til the night was done!

*** Reunited... ***

*** The Newlyweds ***

Because You Loved Me

If I were to describe and tell my mother who she really is to me, I'd simply be singing this song to her...

Because You Loved Me

by Celine Dion

For all those times you stood by me

For all the truth that you made me see

For all the joys you brought to my life

For all the wrongs that you made right

For every dream you made come true

For all the love I found in you

I'll be forever thankful baby

You're the one who held me up

You never let me fall

You're the one who saw me through

Through it all

You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

You saw the best there was in me

You lifted me up when I couldn't reach

You gave me faith 'coz you believed

I'm everything I am because you loved me.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you mothers and grandmothers out there!!!

Grateful (Week 37)

This week, I have so much to be thankful for...

My pregnancy has reached a milestone. At 37 weeks, my baby is now in his full term--meaning his lungs have fully matured and he is ready to survive and adjust to life outside of my womb. Even if I'm not due until 2-3 weeks, he could be born anytime now. And so my countdown begins.

***

I had two baby showers this week! My sister, with the help of my mom organized one on Saturday and my aunt threw me another one on Sunday. I am very grateful for all those who came despite the very bad weather--it was pouring most of the weekend.

I thank especially my sister and her family, as well as my mom, for driving two hours from midnight to two in the morning to get to our place early and prepare everything. My sister only had two hours of sleep that day, but she didn't mind. All she cared about was to give me the perfect shower! Sis, I owe you big time!

I also want to thank my generous aunt, Tita Lalang for being so thoughtful. She didn't have to throw me a shower, but she insisted and I had a wonderful time--we all did! I was also touched that my cousin J came despite feeling sick and nauseous. The one-hour drive must have felt horrible for her, yet she showed up in high spirits and looking great as ever. Thank you, cuz!

So many of our guests brought us presents, and they were all wonderful! After we brought home the gifts and opened all of them, we realized there is almost nothing to buy--we pretty much have everything we need! Thank you to all of you generous souls! You know who you are!


***

I survived a tough and stressful week at work. Yes--I am still working and won't be off work for another week, unless I give birth early. It wasn't just the usual crazy month-end. I also had to train the people who will be taking over my responsibilities while I'm on leave of absence. I am grateful to my teammates and colleagues for being so patient and understanding with me and for providing coverage during my regular doctor's visits, which have become more frequent as I get closer to my due date.

***

Last but not least, I am very grateful to my super loving and amazing husband who has been there for me every step of the way. This week I started feeling handicapped--my back hurts and feels like it's almost falling apart, my legs are feeling so much pressure and walking alone is laborious, it's hard to even change sleeping positions let alone get up from a chair or roll out of bed. But Charles has been very supportive--he helps me get up, he wakes up in the middle of the night when I get hungry, he helps me change and he ties my sandals because I could no longer bend and reach my feet. I would not have enjoyed this pregnancy if he wasn't such an amazing partner. Thank you Beybee! I will be a very proud mother to your son!

Sis

My sister...

... is the first person I think of when I am happy.
... is the first one I call when I have some news to tell--good or bad, happy or sad.
... is the only reason I passed Grade 1--long story, but true.
... is the one person I have the most memories of.

... is the one person who has seen me at my best and worst.
... is the one person I can never get angry at no matter how much she tries to annoy me.
... is always there when I need someone to hold my hand and cry with me when things go wrong.
... is the one person I don't keep secrets from, and the one I trust with all my secrets.

... is the one person who always understands me no matter how weird or crazy I get.
... is the most humble and down-to-earth person I know.
... is my role model and she may not believe it, but it's true!
... is one of my most valuable possessions.
... is one of the reasons why I consider my life blessed!
... is one of the persons I would give my life for.
... is my one and only best friend.

Happy Birthday, dear Sis!  

Words aren't enough to express how very grateful and lucky I am

to have you in my life!

I love you!!!