Rafael Wilbur Lucero-Watje

Welcome to the world little guy! Rafael Wilbur Lucero-Watje
Born Tuesday, November 24th @ 9:48pm
6lb 13.2 oz & 20 inches long
My induction started at 6am with a capsule to get things moving. I was progressing on my own till about 3pm, at which point my contractions had started to space out, so they started me on pitocin. Active labor really started kicking in around 5 or 6pm and by 9:30 pm I was feeling the need to push. I was only 9cm though and the baby was still fairly high so my midwife went to deliver another baby. By the time she came back to check on me, the baby was almost crowning and she didn't have enough time to put on a gown! (Which was really unfortunate for her since my water didn't break until Rafael was coming out!)
We had a nice relaxing time afterwards as got to meet each other and bond for a little bit. They didn't even take him from my arms to weigh him until about a half hour after he was born.
Then they wrapped him up and Philip spent some good daddy/son bonding time with him. We spent a fairly relaxing day recovering at the hospital and were able to get home for a potluck Thanksgiving dinner at our house on Thursday.

Michaela is definitely interested in her brother, but has had a few moments of anger when either me or Philip is holding him and we can't pick her up.

Tomorrow is Philip's last day home and I'm a little bit nervous about what this week has in store for us!

40 Weeks Pregnant

Things that you can no longer do when you are 40 weeks pregnant:
*Tie your shoes
*Shave your legs
*Get up from a chair, couch, or floor, without help from someone or something else
*Eat an entire meal all at one time - there simply is not any room in your stomache which is being squished to the side by a 7-8 lb baby!
*Sleep
*Make any sort of permanent plans - everything is "maybe" or "if Rafael isn't born by then"
*Go without using the word "cervix" in at least one conversation a day
*Go without receiving a daily call from a family member asking "Is the baby here yet?" (P.S. I promise I will call as soon as something happens, ohmygoshpleasedon'taskthatagain!)

Things that you suprisingly CAN do when you are 40 weeks pregnant:
*Chase (and catch!) a toddler running full speed down the driveway and into the street.
*Pick up & comfort a 20 lb toddler who is crying because her toy was just stolen by another kid. *Hold a friends sleeping baby for an hour without it producing enough hormones to put you into labor (darn it!).
*Move and lift heavy boxes full of baby clothes and gear as you organize the new baby's room.
*Breathe comfortably since the baby is no longer pushing up against your ribs.

I honestly thought we would have our sweet little Rafael by now, but he is already shaping up to be a stubborn child with a mind of his own. My midwife has told me that sometimes when a woman has been induced with her first child, her body cannot go spontaneously into labor on its own. We have an induction scheduled for Tuesday, but I am really praying that I am able to go into labor before then. I have nothing to complain about my first birth experience, with a 5lb baby, you can't really complain! Yet Michaela's induction was medically necessary, and I was really hoping I would be able to avoid the restriction of an IV full of pitocin this time around. Oh well, at the least, by Thanksgiving we will have a new son to celebrate with!

A Mother's Love

Just as many in our country are honoring our Veterans today, my heart is honoring my mother. It has been exactly a month since she passed away; a month that I have had to adjust to the fact that she is no longer just a phone call away. As I sit here feeling the soft movement of Rafael moving around in my belly and listening to the quiet wake-up noises coming from Michaela's room, I can't help but feel so tremendously greatful for the life that I live. The life that I wouldn't have if it weren't for my mother's love and sacrifices. Growing up, we knew that we were poor, but we never had to suffer the consequences. My mother always did everything she could to put food on the table, make the holidays cheerful, or celebrate our birthdays in a special way. Although she didn't always make the best decisions, I learned from her how strong a mothers love could be.

There were many times in my life when I was at odds with her and just didn't want to talk to her. Now that she is gone, I would give anything to take those times back and to forgive so that I could enjoy the time I had with her. It sounds cliche, but my mother's early death has been such an amazing lesson in living each day as if it were my last.

Recently this has helped with my anxiety over Rafael's birth. I had been so anxious and impatient to go into labor that I was missing out on enjoying my last bit of one-on-one time with Michaela. Now I am trying to enjoy every tiny little kiss and snuggle. I am trying not to be annoyed when she stops me in the middle of my cleaning and asks in her sweet little voice "Book mama?" I know that these moments are so very precious and that before I know it she will be running around terrorizing her baby brother, and too soon after that going to school and then leaving my nest forever. So for now, I'll put my dishrag down, sit on the floor with Michaela and read "There's a Monster at the End of this Book" for the millionth time. And I'll enjoy every minute of it!