Our Baby Boy is Born!

Hello! Our baby boy has been born!

At:
INOVA Loudoun Hospital Birthing Inn
In:
Lansdowne, Virginia
On:
May 11th, 2009
At the Time of:
3:57 p.m.
Weighing:
8 lbs. 1 oz.
Length:
19.5 inches long

And His Name Is:

Josiah Cory Michael Johnston

"The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace."
Psalm 29:11



(Labor progression Chart)

Baby Boy Johnston to Be Born

Tomorrow morning, around 7 am we will be going in to get induced and birth this little babe. Keep us in your prayers! Love and news soon,
elisa

No Little Man Yet

Today is Friday. The eighth. That, mind you, means it is three days past my due-date. Three days beyond the hoped for day. Three days more of carrying a huge mass inside. Could I get used to being pregnant eternally? Possibly. But it would be far from preferred. Three days might not sound like much. But, if you've been very immensely pregnant before you know how much that is. Avi was two days late, and although she was late, I was in labor from the end of her due date. In otherwords, I knew she was coming. Yet now, although little Johnny John Johnston still could enter this world tonight, I have no clue. I just wait. I wait biggly.

Who lied to us in the first place, declaring pregnancy to be only nine months? They sure seem evil, whoever they are! 40/4 really does equal 10. Ten months, yep. I CAN do math (sometimes). Of course, that isn't exactly counting those funky 5 week months, but who counts those when you are measuring in weeks anyways? They just want us to feel like its less time so we don't go crazy earlier. That way we are already nine months along (36 weeks) before we realize we actually have another month (at least) to go. And by then, the baby could be born at 37 weeks and we think "I can do one just more week!" And then the baby isn't born, so we think, "well, maybe this week...." and then its "well maybe next week..."etc.... Its kinda mean that they give us about 5 weeks we can deliver in. Five whole weeks of uncertainty and hope, of it being just dandy if that baby comes at any time. By the time the due date comes you've been thinking, "heck! I could have had this baby 3 weeks ago already!" Then who in blue blazes is going to want to stick around until week 42? No one! Nadie!

So, of course they will induce me on Monday if he still hasn't appeared. But I do not prefer that. I would prefer his body, my body, and whatever hormones that need to get going to create that perfect cocktail to kick this process into gear. I want those hormones to pour through out my veins crying "May-day, May-day . . . Free little human up! Free big mama up!" Or whatever those hormones say to get this going.

Honestly, there is so much to be thankful for. From having multiple nights left of good sleep, to having more time with my husband, daughter, my mom, and my good friends before baby is born. I have had to rest this week, which has driven me crazy doing so little, but its been good for me. Josh finished his class and final and has been able to not have to worry about that for a few days while baby still hasn't come. I've tried all those natural methods to get little guy out, and he is stubbornly set in (well not caster oil-yuck!). So in the meantime my skills in patience have been forced to grow, along with my trust in God that His timing is better than mine. After all, I probably would have had him at week 37 if it was my choice. So, in the meantime I still wait. I try not to be bitter as I wait. I try to happily wait being content in all situations. Em-hum. Cough. On that note, maybe I should take another walk and eat more pineapple now. Later!


(Video of Avi sliding)

Preggo Update

I am still pregnant. I am trying not to be jealous, as my friend had her baby a week early today. Yesterday, a woman I know had her baby three weeks early (she was due after me). And, another friend of mine might get to have her's early too even though she is due a week after me (although, that is because she might have to get a c-section of which I am really NOT jealous of). I am out! Or probably not, as I will have this baby by the 11th of May at the utmost latest (according to my Doctor). And, it is much more likely I will go before May 5th, as this is my second baby. Really, if I am jealous, I am jealous of possibly two weeks less of being able to sleep through the night. There is no reason I should hurry away my sleep- I love sleep! So thank you God I still haven't had this baby because that means one more night of peace!

I have been feeling very out of sorts all weekend: jittery, heart-pounding, somewhat nauseous, trouble focusing with my eyes (And my mind!), extremely swollen feet/legs (which went away as I laid down a lot), and a slight to extremely bad headache. In case you don't know, these all happen to be the most common symptoms for preclampsia, a high blood pressure issue that happens in pregnancy which is very dangerous. I get symptoms like these with my migraines, too, though, which makes me skeptical I actually have a problem going on. Generally, though, my migraines follow a pattern that is pretty distinguished, unlike how I felt this weekend. So, as to avoid being sent to the hospital to get checked out (which I knew would happen if I called the Dr.), I took my blood pressure at those little booths in the pharmacy sections at grocery stores. It said my blood pressure was higher than typical, but it wasn't crazy. Hence, I continued sleeping or laying down very pathetically most of the weekend.

So, this morning I called the Dr. when the office opened. Sure enough, they wanted to see me. They did the typical tests, the blood pressure, pee-test, checked the baby's heart rate, etc... For the most part, it was all well. But, of course, little did I know but you can still have preclampsia and it only show up in blood work. And besides, I shouldn't be feeling this way, so they should monitor the baby. Hence, despite all my work to avoid the hospital, guess where they sent me? Yep! So, after calling around, finding someone to watch Avi (thank you Becky!) I got to be tested all over again in the hospital the rest of the morning and early afternoon. And, nope, nothing amiss with my blood work and the baby happily kicked its way through an hour of being monitored. Actually, it was somewhat relaxing, which was good because otherwise I surely would have been chasing Avi wishing I could go back to bed. I am not complaining. I am just slightly annoyed I had to go through that for nothing. Conclusion: my blood pressure is a little higher than normal, yet I do not have preclampsia. Take Tylenol and if my headache persists, please call the Doctor again (yey, so we can do the whole process one more time!).

I am still one centimeter dilated and the baby's head is still "whoa! Its right down there, I can feel it!" (according to my nurse practitioner). So, at 38 weeks, I am the same as I was last week, minus the extreme energy and feeling mostly crappy.

Surprise Baby Shower

I must say, I was extremely impressed with the baby shower that was thrown for me this Saturday. I don't think I ever have had a surprise party, so it was a new experience along with just being totally fun. I kept thinking that morning that life was just too good, and that I should appreciate all the goodness I had been blessed with while things still are "good." And that was before the shower!

Josh and I had a great morning together, I got to sleep in, take a shower while Avi was awake, and I just chilled out upstairs with a glass of juice and bowl of strawberries Josh brought me. He purposefully kept me upstairs, and I completely just thought he was being all nice giving me a break from Avilynne. He brought me my journal and Bible just to chill out next to the sunny window to spend time with God. He told me we were going to eat brunch together and he had arranged for Jill to watch Avi. When I eventually came downstairs, I realized we weren't eating brunch at home and kinda wished I did my hair or put on makeup. But, hey, at least I had taken a shower!

I thought it was odd that we were going to drop Avi off a few doors down together, when one of us could wait in the car. And why weren't we locking to house door? He didn't want me leave my purse on the car, even though I figured I could still see it from Jill's doorway. But, hey, I am a risk taker (often needlessly) so I brought my purse with me after all. Jill had me come in, and then I saw a cake and all this delicious food. I was like "Oh my goodness....its a surprise party for me- I think! But I'm here early as there is no one else here." I was then ushered towards the living room and I saw everybody hiding in the corner. They were all happy and I was all embarrassed for some reason while totally thrilled and happy. My initial thoughts were that they invited Abbie, a teenager who I mentor as well as girlfriends who weren't just from church, which I thought was cool. I just was impressed that whoever invited people invited people I'd want to come, not just people from one area of my life.


Anyways, I was starving by this point, and there was an amazing spread of breakfast casseroles, the most awesome sweet french toast (of which everyone was begging Tori for a recipe), strawberries and homemade whipped-cream, and all sorts of other beautiful and delicious foods. It was soooo very "ummy" (as Avi would say)! And then there were all these nice people around me who wanted to talk and be baby-showerishy-girl-like (though not awkward too dressed up baby-showerishy-girl-like). Deborah, Jill and Becky did an awesome job putting it together. There were all these games, from measuring my belly to guessing the time when an ugly plastic doll was "born" (meaning the ice defrosted around it into water), and a questionnaire about me and another one about nursery rhymes. I personally was entertained and I didn't even get to play half of the games : )

Then, of course, there was a massive plethora of presents which I was totally not expecting. Long ago I had come to the conclusion I wasn't going to have a shower, and so have just been assuming I had to get whatever we needed for a boy. It was very happy, though, to receive all these gifts, mostly the type of stuff which I won't buy myself as its not "necessary" such as extremely cute clothing or baby blankets or "rocket" stuff which I was totally impressed people found. I was really surprised by all the gifts I received, and, thankfully, I really liked them too. They were beyond tractors and footballs, to my glee!

Apparently, I had made it pretty difficult on the people putting it together. Deborah moved her car on Saturday morning because she told me she was going to be gone and wouldn't be able to hangout. That was smart on her part because I actually looked for her car to see if she was home and could hangout after all. I went with Becky to Costco on Friday, where she had to pick up the cake. She hid it in her cart, but didn't know how to get it in her car without me seeing it. So, she arranged a whole complicated pick-up with our other friend Amber which seems like it was just too much work to be worth it. That night I was really bored so I hungout at jill and stacy's. Yet, that kept Jill from being able to get anything done like she had wanted to because I was around (really, someone did say I should join them playing rockband, so it wasn't entirely a self-invite). I thought it was weird Deborah came in dropping stuff off, acting odd and freaked out that I was there. She told me she was bring stuff for the Needs Network, which later I noticed was only three pairs of socks. Um....I am pretty sure it doesn't take two trips between our houses for her three pairs of socks.

I was somewhat suspicious because of that. Almost two weeks ago Becky also made a comment to me, trying to keep me from buying diapers. I didn't get why because she was saying maybe people would give them to me. And I said, yes, maybe they would after the baby was born, but I would need diapers ASAP. I was trying to figure out why I should bother counting on someone else to give me diapers who knows when, when I really didn't want to have to stop at a store on the way home from the hospital. She thought I should wait a week before I bought some. I was kinda suspicious then that maybe she was having the other girls in our lunch group do presents or something for me, yet nothing big. But as nothing happened after her comment I had totally given up on the idea. But then on Friday night the possibility that maybe someone was trying to surprise me came up again; this was more so in a way in which I'd just keep my eyes open for other clues. It wasn't something I suspected or expected at all, especially not late Saturday morning.

I really like being surprised. I really enjoy being with people. I love eating good food. I don't mind getting presents in the slightest. I was very impressed by how put together and how nice the shower was, especially with me having no clue and it being put together so close to the end of my pregnancy. In generally I guess you can say I really felt loved by the whole ordeal. And who doesn't like to feel loved? Ahhh....my heart is bursting with affection! Thank you so much, guys!

Baby Registry

For those of you who have been wondering what we could use or like for baby number two, you can look on the baby registry that I have up (link below). We don't have a lot of essential items we need, as we are blessed to have many things already that we can re-use from Avilynne or that I have picked up here or there. I will continue updating it when we receive similar items that are on the registry.

Baby Registry

I can't believe I am really full-term now, at 37 weeks! It might be three, even four weeks yet before you hear from me that Mr. Baby Johnston is born. But, it could be tomorrow, too! I am pretty sure the baby dropped lower a few days ago. Although "lightening" doesn't typically occur in second pregnancies until labor, something totally changed which sure feels like it dropped, it least to an extent. He isn't in my rib cage as much, making it easier to breath. Yet he is a lot lower, pressing on my very low back and other down there areas which is sometimes very painful. Although pregnancy isn't comfortable, I am trying to have a positive view that at I can still sleep through the night without nursing, and I don't have to take care of two crying children yet!

Bigger and Better

Just about 30 weeks preggo- Only two months more or less to go!



Yes, this isn't necessarily the most proper movie scene, but I love this clip from Juno. So many great phrases about pregnancy and pregnancy tests all packed into two short minutes - "Er-a-go-is preggo." "What is the prognoses Fertile Myrtle?" and "That ain't no etch a sketch, this is one doodle that can't be un-did, Home Skillet."

NYC

Avilynne did amazingly well with Deborah, her weekend babysitter. It was such a good thing that we didn't try to bring her with us. I also did amazingly well without Avi (I'll blame it on pregnancy hormones, but I did shed a tear or two on my way out the door).

We almost missed our bus. But, hey, we didn't. It was freakin' cold in NYC! I am SOOOOO ready for spring. I am pretty sure my bum was about to be amputated due to frostbite. We stayed with Josh's childhood friend, Adam, and his wife Erin in their nice, small Manhattan apartment on the tenth floor (last picture is a view from their place).



We took the metro a lot. We saw Times Square, The Statue of Liberty, and Ground Zero. We went into Macy's and smelled perfume, bought cheap "I love NYC" T-shirts, took the Staten Island Ferry, and stood at the top of the Empire State Building. We ate amazing halal street food, and had an exciting experience eating at a vegetarian Indian food restaurant (while I braved onions). It was hard moving around so much with my big belly, but I managed thanks to our gracious hosts and Josh constantly checking on me. I don't think pregnant people live in NYC. I might of seen just one on the whole trip, but that person might not have even been pregnant.

In a nutshell was our trip to New York City. It was a much needed distraction from life at home for myself, and it was fun to be together without Avilynne. I think New York City fell from grace in my mind from being poetically romantic as the greatest city to being just a really big city where I am glad I don't live. We both enjoyed the NYC and the trip a lot, though.

Snow Day Video (and other happenings this week)

Avi played in the snow this week, our first really big snow storm. Go figure, she likes to eat snow. Very very cold snow. I do too, I understand. Snow is almost as good as ice, but it doesn't crunch enough. I did lie though, this video is from a week ago, not this week. And this video is actually really bad, too. I was very excited about putting up a video, but the one I really really wanted to put up was too long. So, this one will have to do.



I am now a little over 26 weeks pregnant. Although the morning sickness, viruses and mono are all gone (Thank You God!), it seems back and lower ligament pain has taken its place. Little did I ever know that I had ligaments oh way down there, but apparently baby johnston has taken it upon himself to stretch those out as much as he is able. At least that's what my OBGYN says is what is happening, though it seems so much more severe than that. How kind of my baby to do that for me. Thankfully, everything else is well, as far as I know. I go to the Dr. next week and I get another ultrasound, so maybe I'll update you again then.

As for myself, I have been fighting hard against not living in a depressed pit. It seems I've been pounded on by a mix of hormones, winter, feeling like I am not having enough time with people I need to spend time with, and just getting frustrated about how nothing I get involved in seems to work out which mixes into a toxic combination of meaninglessness. So, that's been my irksome struggle of late, which, too often has gotten the best of me.

On a positive note, I am looking forward to going on a weekend adventure with Josh to NYC. He has never been there and it has been one of our hopes we'd get a chance to check it out together while on the East Coast. We are taking one of the Chinatown buses (35$ roundtrip) to Times Square and crashing with a childhood friend of Josh's who lives in Manhattan. Our housemate, Deborah, has insanely offered to watch Avi for the weekend as she wants to feel what its like, being a full-time mom. And she kindly wants to give us a break before baby #2 is born. Cheers to "Deb-Deb," though I am not too sure she really will appreciate acting out the favor she is doing for us while actually doing it. This is my first time away from Avi overnight (2 nights), so I am hoping I'll do O.K. (note, I am not worried about Avi, but myself!)

Flexibility 1,2.3!

Flexible, I am not. I feel like my body would like to shut itself down into a state of Rigamordis. Maybe thats just what happens with age. Have you ever seen a Dr. with a newborn? They take their legs, pushing them up frog-legged, and start flapping them up and down like a chicken's wings. When we saw Avi's pediatrician do that to her the first time, I almost started screaming at him thinking he was about to crack her hips. Amazingly, he didn't. 'Cause babies, I guess, can just do that. He would have broken my pelvis. I would have not been happy. I, apparently, am NOT as flexible as a baby. Maybe that's because I am filled with baby. Baby likes to hang out as low as he can go, to my chagrin. Being pregnant already throws my back off, but of late bending or standing awhile also makes me feel like my pelvis will crack, which makes me fear I will just split open at some point doing the dishes or something innocent like that. Its not terrible, but it is uncomfortable.

Also I am physically extremely inflexible right now, today I had the pleasure of being flexible in life. Although I might often not consider this to be a "pleasure," today it was. I wasn't really too sure what would happen with my day, but I had spent time with God and just knew it was His day that I got to live in. I went to the chiropractor, having conversations with my Dr. and his receptionist both, people whom I've known a long time and have had some great discussions with. The study I lead that day was cancelled, and instead I found myself driving home not really knowing what to do. I drove by a friend's house, whom I just knew I should visit. In all honestly, I really didn't want to visit her. Yet, I pushed that aside, made a U-turn and stopped in to say hi. It turns out she just found out her husband shattered his elbow and she had to meet him at the emergency room. So, not only did we have a good conversation, but I was able to help her out by watching her kid for a bit. I was then able to bring dinner to a friend of mine who just had a baby and hopefully cheer her up. I honestly don't remember more of my day, but one thing I wanted to say before I didn't believe it anymore was......how thankful I am to be able to be flexible. That I don't have a 9-5 job, that I have resources without working myself, that I can just kinda follow what is best and make a difference in the world. Sometimes being flexible bugs the heck out of me, plans being ruined and such. Or even worse, not having any direction whatsoever, or knowing what to do. But, when I let go of my day and was just available to be there for others, it was great. Not being in control can also be good.

Johnston News

1.) Avi not only still likes to play in toilet water, but she can also now successfully lift the toilet seat (to my dismay).

2.) Baby #2 is kicking and rocking inside. I have actually forgotten how far along I am exactly, but I have been feeling movement since week 16, the earliest possible.

3.) Avi is getting better at walking and she can also officially climb down the stairs as well as go up them. Yeppie! Oh, the wonderful mobile world!

4.) Josh seems to be constantly moving and going, traveling often for work to the Chesapeake Bay, or sometimes he is a little luckier, such as going to FL last week. All to say, I am rightly jealous that he gets to see, go out on and at least have the opportunity to enjoy salt-water. Its rather not fair, as I am the one who loves the ocean, though his pictures and google-earth GPS locator I at least am in touch with the water through some form of media/technology.

5.) Late next week I have my mid-pregnancy ultrasound. As many know, this is THE ultrasound, the one everyone always waits and pines for. We can officially find out the baby's sex. Last time we thoroughly enjoyed not knowing the baby's sex and frustrating you all to no extent, making you guess and be annoyed. Besides it was a ton of fun hearing "its a girl" when Avi came out. Honestly, I am afraid that if we find out what the baby's sex is, then it won't be thrilling or exciting at all when the baby actually is born. My friends tell me this is silly, but I really don't see how it can be thrilling when you know what your having. Of course, maybe that's even more of a reason for me to find out what we are having, so then I can be proven wrong. All to say, Josh is letting me decided if I want to know or not in advance. As typical for a decision of this 'caliber', I cannot decide and I often find myself going over the pro's and con's. Currently I am leaning towards finding out the baby's sex. This is probably because I have been somewhat rather wanting a boy; its an expectation I do not want to carry with me into the delivery room. Besides, if it is a boy, then I can plan for it. Is it possible that is its a girl I can keep it a secret and if its a boy I can know now? That would be ideal! But I guess that just doesn't work since its pretty much a 50/50 thing. Hum. Any comments?

6.) My news of today is that my Dr. called confirming that I have mono, you know the "kissing disease" (or whatever we called it in high school). Isn't that delightful? I got it from our housemate who we think is just getting over it (don't worry, we weren't kissing- at least not like that *wink*). So, this explains why I wake up every morning with a sore throat, still need almost 12 hours of sleep a day in my 2nd trimester, why I have swollen lymph nodes and why I still can't knock off sickness in general (which I've pretty much had some form of sickness since the last week of September). So I am actually not really surprised (or even disturbed) by the news. In fact, if anything I am happy that I have finally been diagnosed with something. This is because a lot of my life I haven't been diagnosed for something when something has often seemed "wrong," so this time I am glad to know I am not a hypochondriac and at least there is some distinction (so therefore I am allowed to not feel well and don't have to pretend that nothing is wrong). If I understand correctly, mono doesn't have a particular treatment and it doesn't effect the baby in me (and Avi shouldn't be able to catch it), so I'm guessing it won't be a life-altering problem until it fades down. I just hope for Josh's sake I haven't given it to him.

7.) Lastly, news wise, I came to the conclusion that I am overall

• Content
• Doing a lot
• But still "being" as my identity

In other words, this is where I often have hoped to find myself for many years. I think I am maybe getting better at not having to define my self-worth with what I do. I've been realizing this as I had a profound revelation that I "do" a ton, a massive amount actually. I am involved in a ton of stuff which surprised me to acknowledge that. But the distinction is that I am not aware of it. It isn't a stressor, it isn't what I live for. Its more so I am living life, and I'm pretty content living life, doing what I do or not doing those things. For those of you not like me, this might make no sense why this is an amazing thing. Yet for some of you, you know exactly what I mean. Anyways, I hope I can continue down the road of contentment with life the way life is and where I am in it.

Baby's Birthday #2

Well, I have the official count now: I am 7 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I was right, I am not nine weeks along as originally though. It is weird that we have known we are pregnant for 5 weeks already, thanks to First Response, which, mind you, ripped us off for that little digital pee stick (I'm still slightly bitter I bought the wrong test. Though as it was so early, another one might not have picked up the pregnancy that soon).


Anyways, I thought I'd share the happy news. The due date is May 5th, 2009. The baby looks pretty blobish, with a slight semblance to the baby in-utero shape. Yet above is what it technically looks like right now. We have a good heart-beat of 150 beats per....minute? Whatever it is, it is healthy. So, that's about it. Happy baby!