A year has gone....

Since Gracie had her eyes chemically burned. We have come a loooong way since then, and am so grateful every day that she is 100% perfect and healed! Thank you, God for my little angel.

Isn't she such a ham?!!

Lucas at 1 month

Such a cutie!

Lucas joins the family!

The night before I was to be induced, I think I got a whole 45 minutes of sleep. This is me beyond exhausted, but sooo ready to get our baby here! Gracie has woken up about 45 min before my alarm was to go off (so its not like I was missing out on a ton of sleep anyway!) and had thrown up. Thankfully, she hadn't gotten much in her hair, but she got all of her bedding and her special bear. I cleaned her up a bit, got her in bed with Bill and started washing everything so she would have it in the morning. Nana was in charge in the morning, since we had to be at the hospital at 0500, and I was a little nervous how that might go. I knew Nana could handle it, but I didn't know if Gracie would be ok. Everything worked out just fine, thank goodness! Gracie took to Nana right away, and Ryan was great too. In this picture, I am 38 wks 4 days.

I had gotten my toes done about a week ago, and I loved the little flower design the lady had done. I wore socks the whole time, so its not like anyone saw my toes, but just in case...

Bill and I patiently waited for labor to start. Surprisingly, it took FOREVER!!! Ok, not really, but I was already 4, and lets face it, labor for the Wienands' clan doesn't take long! Pitocin was started at 0630, and I got up to the maximum of dosage before I started having contractions consistently 5 min. apart, and starting to be uncomfortable. They still were quite tolerable, but my doctor had come in, and wanted to see about breaking my water to get things rolling. Being the wimp that I am, I got my epidural first, and then she broke my water at 0859. I was only 5 cm, but had thinned out to 80% from 50%, but baby was still high. About 0930, I started feeling the baby's head coming down, so I had my nurse check me. I was about 8cm, with more cervix on my left side, so I turned to that side. About 10-15 min. later, it felt like the head was about to fall out. It wasn't quite yet, but it was time to push. I pushed a whole 4 times, and we were done!

ITS A BOY!!!! Lucas was born at 0958 with the cord around his neck 2 times! That's why he never dropped down until the very last minute. God was watching out for him!

He held his breath right at first, and it took him a minute to perk up. This 'old man' look reminds me sooo much of Ryan.

Lucas Aaron Miller weighed in at 8 lbs 4 oz, and was 21.75 inches long. Alot bigger than I had thought, I had guessed 7lbs 10 oz., and I thought that was even pushing it.

Bill was thrilled to have another boy! We both thought at the end that it would be a boy.

These are pictures taken by my friend while I was sleeping and Lucas was in the nursery. Isn't he a doll?!

My next post will hopefully be some more recent pics of Lucas, I promise I'm working on it!

Pregnancy pics

Because I didn't post these regularly while I was pregnant, here are a few shots of me along the way....


8 wks

15 wks

25 wks

31 wks, I can no longer see my feet easily.

29 wks

37 wks

Well, as this pregnancy draws to a close, let's see if I can wrap it up in one post! Each has had its own 'symptom' that has stood out more than the others. With Ryan, it was the extreme nausea, but I think I just learned how to deal with that better in the consequent pregnancies. Gracie was severe suprapubic pain, making it very difficult to turn side to side in bed, to walk, just about everything, especially at the end. With this one, it is definately insomnia! I still have a combination of all the other symptoms to a degree, but the one that stands out the most is the lack of sleep. I thought I knew about insomnia, but I truly had no idea. It is staying awake despite feeling exhausted, its restless leg, hot feet, its everything going on in your head, but unable to shut it all off. Its not thinking about anything and STILL not being able to sleep. You can be tired, but still not sleepy. SOOOO frustrating!



I also think I have been much more emotional with this pregnancy as well, most likely because of the insomnia. I've cried alot more, gotten my feelings hurt, and pretty much just carried my heart on my sleave. I'm so sorry to those that have had to hear me rant and rave. Give a few more months, and perhaps it won't be quite so bad! :)

This pregnancy has also flown by! There have been a few moments that seemed to drag, such as a particular rough bout of nausea/fatigue at the beginning, a few weeks of sore hips along with not sleeping, but in general, it has gone by very fast. I think its just the fact that with 2 other small children to care for, I haven't had time to contemplate this baby as much as the others. Don't get me wrong, I've dreamed about what this little one will look like, whether its a boy or a girl, light or dark hair, all of that. But I haven't gotten to dwell on it as much as Ryan's, or even Gracie's.

I will be induced on March 18th at 0500. This is a very big relief for me! Its not even meeting the baby that I am relieved for, though I am extremely excited to finally find out! I am relieved that I will no longer have to worry about delivering at home unassisted, or on the side of the road. I have never done a natural delivery, I've had an epidural both times, and yes, I plan on another. I rather enjoy my pain-free deliveries, but if I had to go without, I *think* I could do it. But I know that Bill is not thrilled with blood, tolerates the births at a hospital setting, but would probably have a very hard time if it was all on him, so to speak. With me being 4cm/50%/-2, I am rather scared that I will go soon and quickly, like we typically do in my family. I think I have a few more days, if I let nature takes its course, but I really don't think its much longer.

I will add more to this post as I think of it, perhaps in the future, perhaps in separate posts. I have pics to upload, but have already packed the camera, and would rather do all of that later, perhaps while I'm living it up in my nice hospital bed!