It's happening

Day one turned to day two, and the sun kept setting and rising.  Day seven crept upon the Hughes house, and, today, we woke up with a week old infant.

Happy One Week, Elgin Walton Hughes!  

We love you so much.

Well, well, well

Elgin is six days old today, and we ventured out of the house for his first checkup.  Newborn well visits are scheduled either in the early morning or right after to lunch to avoid other kids, so it was a just a small struggle for Cory to get H to school then come back to the house to pick up Elgin and me for the doctor appointment.  Henry, though, made it pretty easy and got ready almost completely independently this morning.  I am so proud of him.  For those of you wondering, Henry is doing well.  Gosh, I love him!

Now, for the "big" news.  My other boy is gaining weight like he was still an estimated menacingly large fetus.  When we left St. Francis on Friday, his weight was around seven pounds and almost three ounces.  Today, he weighed in at seven pounds and fifteen ounces!  He gained almost a pound since Friday!  I will never forget how excited I was that Henry was back at his birthweight at his first checkup.  You can imagine how excited I am that Elgin gained an additional nine ounces.

So, yes, I have another eater on my hands.  Nursing is going, going, going, and going well, and Elgin even gets enough milk during the day to sleep for three to four hour stretches at night.  In fact, I'm the one who needs him to nurse, so I woke him up a couple of times to eat already.  

Sweet boy who eats well, sleeps well, and is all around perfect, we love you.  

I am thinking of Grandjane's favorite hymn right now.  

It is well.

It is well with my soul.

The Newest Hughes Boy

Baby Cocks listened to my pleas and got here at 38 weeks and 3 days--the same timing as his big brother.

Elgin Walton Hughes
August 24, 2011
3:36 AM

7 pounds, 6 ounces

20.5 inches

First Family Picture

I am so proud of my boys

Go Cocks!

Go Cocks! 38 Weeks

Although we were hoping to not have to attend today's appointment, it was a good day to take another gander at Baby Cocks at our eleventh ultrasound.  Cute baby boy is estimated at eight pounds and four ounces today, which means that his massive growth tapered, but he remains pretty big--88th percentile overall.

Dr. Keith checked, and I'm still around two centimeters dilated but increased to around 80% effaced.  Steady progress!  It's maddening to get too hopeful.  Still, I cannot help but hope for delivery sometime this week.

Thanks, Cocks, for slowing down the growth.  Now, what you could do is pick up the pace on getting here.  Did you feel that earthquake this afternoon?  Your Mama did, and for a few seconds, I thought labor was about to begin.  Alas, it was only tectonic plates moving around an epicenter somewhere in rural Virginia.  Still, you should consider it a sign to move your way on out to meet us.  I love you so much and cannot wait to smell you!  (Your mom is weird, by the way.)

Today, I am remembering to be grateful that I am at the point of being anxious for delivery.  It seems like both forever and only a few weeks ago that we were praying you would stay put and that you would get what you needed to be healthy.  Good job, Cocks.  I am proud of you.

We're now 38 weeks...

Go Cocks!  Seriously.  Go, go, go!  We want to meet you, and we think you'll like meeting us, too.

Random 6AM Thoughts

I fell asleep very late last night, hence the late wake-up time.  It's usually 3 or 4 in the morning.  My mind races.

• My horribly misaligned hips make me feel guilty for being confused by other women's desire to evict.
• Visits are awesome.  I'll never hesitate to visit someone I care about again.  
• Email is good, too.  Not as good, but it's a definite uplifter.
• Thank you, God, for gchat.
• I am going to have a hard time adjusting to full on responsibility again.
• I'll be the primary caregiver!
• Henry looks so old sleeping in his bed.  Peaceful, cute, and grown.
• Wonder if cleaning up Penny's yard poop will help get things moving.  Do I want that visual to be the first image in our birth story?
• Penny needs more exercise and to bark a lot less.
• I love Cory.
• I don't really know Henry's new school teachers very well.
• A praline would be nice, Sarah M.
• It's good to have book hoarding friends
• Stretch marks hurt.  Stupid skin wounds!
• I'm glad I won't have class and research papers this time around.
• Hope everyone lets me keep my jobs.
• Should I get my PhD?  
• Will Cocks look like Henry?
• Definitely need to start working towards my LPC.
• Complacency sucks.  
• Henry and Cory need to get to the pool today.
• I really want to enjoy the remodeled Sea n Isle.
• Our first family vacation there was awesome.  Awesome.  It relaxes me to remember it.  I'll use it for early labor pain management.  Freakin' genius! 
• I had a very good childhood.  Cory did, too.
• It's amazing how good childhoods are typically attracted to good childhoods, and otherwise.
• I don't remember having painful Braxton Hicks with Henry.  Of course I would with Cocks.
• I hope that nursing goes well again this time.
• Must remind Cory to monitor my behavior.  It's going to be a huge adjustment this time around.  Expectations, anxiety, depression, pain...
• Cory might not be able to monitor.  Should we get a mood board?
• Mood board would eventually piss me off somehow.
• I still hate shopping--even for baby stuff.  
• Henry was so fun last night.
• I'm having a hard time imagining being a mom of two.
• I cannot remember how to swaddle or do the football hold.
• I cannot remember a lot of stuff.  I don't remember what I need to remember.
• I hope that Henry's alarm isn't set for this morning.
• I hope that H doesn't ignore me when Cocks gets here.
• Can't believe how much I text now
• Heartbuuuuuurn.  Praline would probably make it worse.
• This pregnancy is so. so. different.
• I love my house.  It's way too small, but my nesting lives strong here.
• I'll get tired of this house again very soon.
• This list is too long.
• I'll just read.  Book due back anyway.  
• Overhead too bright.  Wish this lamp was plugged in or that I could reach the outlet.
• Really hope my arms and legs regain some shape
• Heartburn is one of the levels of hell.
• I read the Twilight series.  Hehe.
• I need to apologize to Cory when he wakes.  Pregnancy hormones and harsh words over non-controllables--not a good combo.
• Wonder if Cory will make us some pancakes.
• Shoot, I could make the pancakes now!  
• Milk drunk babies are funny.  I can't wait!
• Cory probably wants to be the one to make pancakes.
• Hate shopping except for on etsy--especially early morning.  Addiction!
• Crap.  Just found something I was looking for but gave up on and settled for something different. I hate shopping.
• I walk like Jed Clampett

Go Cocks! 37 Weeks

We made it to the official full term mark on Sunday, and today was our 37 week appointment with Dr. Keith and my first cervical check since bed rest began way back in February.  Conditions are "favorable" for labor to begin soon, with almost two centimeters dilation and 50% effacement.  I am not surprised. After all, Cory and I made the legendary Scalini's eggplant parmesan dish on Tuesday, and I ate it for dinner, a midday snack, then lunch, then dinner.  Yum!  Even if it wasn't the culprit, it's a delicious dish.

Cocks's room won't be ready when he gets here unless he holds off a while longer.  But, since he'll be spending most of his time in my arms where I can feel his skin, smell the top of his head, and kiss, kiss, kiss his nose, I don't think he'll mind waiting on his decor.  And, I know we would rather have Cocks here with us than to have a perfect residence.