the nursery: plank wall

The last post, I showed how we made built-in shelving for the nursery.  The nursery originally looked like this:

And then we made built-ins that looked like this:

And now for the accent wall.  I first used cedar planks when I made the frame for the mirror in our master bathroom renovation (which I still haven't blogged about.. oops).  I like the rough texture that contrasts with the smoothness and sleekness of my contemporary style.  I thought it would be cool to do an entire wall of cedar planks, varying in width, and then painted silver.

There was nothing scientific about this part - we cut some to fit the width of the wall and then used the scraps to make it looked pieced together instead of all of them being the same width.  I figured it looked more natural this way and we could save on some expense.

We made sure that the first plank was level and then went from there...

We filled in the gaps with scrap pieces and we bought 4", 6", and 8" wide planks to add some randomness.

This part of the nursery make-over was the easiest!  And fastest.  With a nail gun, it was finished in no time.

I think Ehren was motioning for me to get something for him and I was all "no, I'm pregnant, I can't get up".  Okay, that really didn't happen.

Ta da!  Wall is up.

Even though it looked kind of cool without paint, I knew I wanted to paint it silver to go along with the color scheme of the room.  So first, I primed it with regular old primer.  Cedar is very rough and porous so it soaked it up very quickly.  It was honestly really annoying to paint the wall because of this.  

I used my trusty Martha Stewart paint that I used on the end table update I did.  I started off with "Thundercloud" and thought it was too dark so I used "Polished Silver" instead.

I also primed and painted the built-ins white.  Ahhh!  I'm loving the contrast with the dark walls.  You can also see the spacing for the crib between the shelves.

And now time to put the crib together!  Even though she wasn't due for another 2 months or so.  I'm just slightly impatient.  And Ehren is just a little bit ridiculous.  (Assembly of this crib did not require a hammer). 

It's coming along!  Sorry for the slow progress on the blogging front, I'm trying to sustain a tiny little parasite life and it's taking up a lot of my time.  Cheers!

Introducing: McCauley Tejada Feldmeyer

McCauley (my maiden name) Tejada (Ehren's mom's maiden name)

April 2, 2014

I had been having contractions all day, not my usual Braxton-Hicks contractions where I could go on about my day, but the kind where I had to stop what I was doing, moan/cuss/close my eyes/breathe.  They weren't very close together or that regular.  I was scheduled to be induced the next day as I would be 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant.  The day felt weird, I was in a bad mood, just sad and restless.  Ehren stayed home from work and I just kind of moped around the house.  My stomach was kind of bothering me and I just overall felt "off".

10:23 pm

That night, we were lying in bed, Ehren, Cozy, and I, getting ready to go to sleep.  While petting Cozy, I said aloud, "this could be our last full night of sleep in a long time".  We had come to terms with the fact I would be induced the next day even though I hoped and prayed through the entire pregnancy that I would go on my own.  However, I spoke too soon.

10:25 pm

Me: "Ummm... I... I think I'm leaking"

I shot out of bed, stood up and felt the gush.

Me: "OMG, my water just broke!"

I ran into the bathroom to try and contain the fluid, freaking out, while Ehren started getting dressed and gathering things.  I had been group texting my friends Joanna and Beth the whole night; they had been making predictions on when I would go into labor or when she would be born.  I had to take a screen shot of the conversation later that night because it was classic.

Cozy was very confused as to why we were packing to leave the house right as we were getting ready to go bed.  We said, "okay, Cozy, go to bed, love you!" as we left the house around 10:45 pm.

Little did I know the long labor I was about to endure.  After they confirmed that I was leaking amniotic fluid (as opposed to...?) I started walking laps.  I had to stop every once in a while when I was having a contraction, breathe through it, and then keep going.  I was glad it was the middle of the night so I wasn't running into all my lovely co-workers while looking a hot, pregnant mess.  (Love you all!)

Of course, after all the contracting I had done during the day and my water breaking, I was only dilated to 1 - 1 1/2 cm.  Ugh.  A long ways to go that's for sure.  I suffered through the contractions all night until 8:00 a.m. when I got my epidural.  The only way to describe real contractions is the most painful, panicky, uncontrollable pain you've ever had.  You become so paralyzed by them you don't know what to do, nothing relieves the pain, pain meds don't even touch it.

Honestly, getting the epidural was less painful than getting an IV.  While the anesthesiologist administered the epidural, we talked about Cozy and the dogs my nurse and anesthesiologist owned.  The doctor told me it would be about 15-20 minutes for it to take effect.  They got me positioned back in bed, with the monitor slightly behind my head, and the anesthesiologist asked, "how does this one feel?"

I replied, in all honesty, "I don't even know what you're talking about".

Epidural for the win.

All smiles after the epidural - just ignore the sunburned, stoned look I'm sporting here:

The rest of the day was a daze and kind of scary.  Her heart rate dropped drastically with contractions, then her heart rate was really high, indicating distress.  Then I developed a fever, which is always concerning.  My awesome doctor (who came in on her day off and spent most of the day watching my tracings) was very cautiously optimistic that I could still deliver vaginally.  She was concerned about the heart rate, the fever, the distress, the slow progression.  However, after an amniofusion, an IUPC, and the "magical peanut ball" while in the sidelying position, and many hours later, things started looking better.  I started dilating more, the tracing looked much better, and it seemed that things were turning around.  There was a point where I stopped worrying and started praying.  I focused on God.  I focused on changing my attitude.  I believe it was at that point that things started looking up.

Labor dragged on until 9:00 pm (yes, 22 1/2 hours after my water broke) when I could finally start pushing.  I pushed and pushed for almost an hour and a half before McCauley Tejada Feldmeyer finally came into the world.  Exactly 24 hours, to the minute, after my water broke.  She was born at 10:25 pm. 

She was MUCH bigger than my doctor and I anticipated.  A whopping 8 pounds, 8 ounces.  I now agree with what most people said while I was pregnant, I was "all baby".

Ehren was such a trooper, such a positive force in that room.  After my doctor would give report on my progress, he would repeat it back to me, emphasizing the positive points she made, encouraging me the whole way.  After McCauley was here, my doctor admitted that she wrote "probable C-section" on my chart.  I'm so glad she was wrong (not that a C-section is a failure at all) but because I was so motivated to push.  I'm so thankful for a patient doctor. 

It was a crazy night at the hospital - 3 babies born within an hour of each other.  My doctor running between my room and another.  My nurse asking me to stop pushing and to wait for the doctor to come back.  The nurses attributed the influx of patients to the stormy weather.  And after being awake 40 hours and going 30 hours without food, I was exhausted, hungry, sore, in shock, amazed, humbled, thankful, did I mentioned exhausted?

First mother/daughter selfie.

Some of the happy grandparents:

Hey!  Why are you guys sleeping?  I'm the one who did all the work!

Ehren has no idea how lucky he is that he can fall dead asleep anywhere, anytime.  The funniest moment, but not funny at the time, was when I was in the hospital bed, Mac was getting fussy in the crib, and Ehren was asleep on the "daddy bed".  I was so incredibly sore (like I got kicked with a steel-toed boot in the crotch) and could not fathom getting out of bed to get her.  I was trying to get Ehren's attention so he could bring her to me.

"Ehren....... Ehren..... Ehren!.......Ehren!!!!......EHREN........EHREN FELDMEYER........EHREN!!!!!"

He still didn't hear me, despite me nearly screaming at him (at 3:00 am, mind you).  He didn't budge.  Didn't stir.

Wanna know how I finally got him to notice me?  I called him.  On his cell phone.   Apparently the gentle ring tone and the soothing vibration is what can wake him up.  Not his screaming, new mom wife lying 5 feet away from him.  It's pretty funny looking back on it and makes for a good story to tell.

Mac and her Aunt Katie:

And here I am, lying in exactly the same place I was when my water broke, with Cozy in the same spot and Mac in almost the same position.  

And now I'm no longer pregnant.  No giant belly.  I can actually get out of bed.  I can go hours without having to pee.  I can sit comfortably.  I feel like a new woman.  And not just because of what I just mentioned but because I am now a mother, a mom, a mommy.  There is a little life that depends solely on me and her dad.  It's a lot of responsibility.  And pressure.  But I know I can do it and I know it will be worth it.

baby bump: 40+ weeks

How far along:  40 weeks.

Size of baby:  Jackfruit. 

Maternity clothes:  My stomach hangs out of the bottom of them.  I think that means I'm ready to deliver.

Weight gain:  I think right at 30 pounds. 

Sleep:  I'm getting better at getting in and out of bed in the middle of the night without flopping around like a fish out of water.  It's pretty routine that I wake up at 1:00, 3:00/4:00 and then lightly sleep until 6:00 and then kinda lie there until it's time to get up.  You could say that I'm having a little trouble sleeping but I also feel like I'm getting prepared to be up all hours of the night.  Joy.

Exercise:  Walking and working.

Best moment of the week: Hitting 40 weeks.

Worst moment of the week:  Hitting 40 weeks and then passing it. 

Movement:  Yes.  She tosses and turns like I do in the night now.

Cravings:  Macaroni and cheese.  Like 4 times this week.

Belly button in or out:  It's out and my belly is so big that it is pretty much flat now. 

Wedding ring on or off:  Off 90% of the time.  When I put it on, I squeal, "Wow!  It's so pretty!"  I forget how pretty it is when I don't see it on my finger everyday.  It's like we just got engaged.

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

What I miss:  Feeling like a semi-cute prego.  Now I just feel like a giant prego who gets stares from strangers who are wondering, "how is she still upright?"  I feel uncomfortable in all of my clothes, even my maternity clothes.  I'm ready for the hospital gown.

What I am looking forward to:  Being a mom.  I've had 5 friends who had their babies within 4 days of each other (totaling 6 babies) and they have all told me how wonderful it is.  I am so excited for all of them (most of them first time moms) and they are so excited for what I am about to experience.  Lots of love and support around these parts.  I'm also looking forward to having a new connection with people - joining the mom club and bonding over being mothers. 

What I am not looking forward to: Exhaustion.  I honestly don't know how I'm going to handle it.  Will it break me down?  Will I surprise myself and handle it really well?  Are we just designed to be able to handle living off only a few hours of sleep when we have kids?  Whatever the answer is, it will be worth it. 

Labor signs: Contractions to the point of timing them on an app.  Pain.  Back pain.  Cramping sensation.  More pressure.  And my belly looks lower and lower all the time.  With all those symptoms you would think that I would be like 3 cm dilated at my doctors appointment.  Well, there is no dilating going on in this girl. 

Symptoms:  See above.   

Nursery:  Done.

Emotions:  Getting antsy and sad and uncomfortable and irritated and bored and impatient and emotional and sad and excited and nervous and pretty much every other emotion you can think of.  I'm just ready.  I'm ready for the next part.  I'm ready to be a mom and I'm ready to see Ehren as a dad. 

 Week in review:

Once again, the week starts off with Cozy cuddles.  Here you can see his beautiful liver head is resting on my knee while his arms are wrapped around my lower leg.  True love.

Cozy was getting cold feet about being a big brother so we put some slippers on him. 
 

Ehren decided to juice again this week so I got to pick my own meals.  Actually, every week I pick my own meals because Ehren will eat anything and loves everything.  Not complaining here!  Anyway, I made Giada's Roasted Vegetables with Chipotle Cream.  Absolutely delicious and very healthy!

She didn't get the memo...

Do you think he was making fun of me?  I think he was making fun of me.

Cozy's favorite snack is an apple, and when we're eating one he will stare us down until we give him a bite.  
 

 

Still pregnant!  I thought she would be on time like her mother usually is, but nope.  She must be going on Filipino time.  Forty weeks and 2 days.

I'm all about to do lists and this one may be the hardest, yet most enjoyable one I've ever made!  I'm ready to check the last box off.
 

 

Alright little girl, we're ready for you.  I'm starting to see how you're already in charge.  You just take your sweet time and we will wait patiently for you.  Okay, maybe your dad will wait patiently for you, I'll just wait for you.