The Littlest Poppell

Yesterday marked 3 weeks since baby Cora Beth was born. This was also our first week on our own as Derek's parents left Monday morning. We were so glad to have such wonderful company and assistance during such a big period of transition for us! Mom and Dad Bokma helped us in the first week of Cora's life by grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, replacing slats in our old rickety outdoor benches, pulling all my weeds in my garden and flower beds, and painting our pool fence. Dad also repaired a purse of mine that I thought was a lost cause. Then the Poppell's came for a second time (they had spent a week with Joy and Charles in Santa Maria)and also helped with cooking, cleaning, painting the pool fence and sewing curtains for Della's bedroom! We have some awesome parents!! The day of Cora's arrival was spent mostly waiting. The day before (Tuesday), we had a doctor's appointment and had decided to try inducing birth as Cora was 7 days late from her due date of 9/25/2012. The inducement was scheduled for Wednesday morning at 8 AM. Little did we know that when an inducement is scheduled, the timing is dependent upon beds being available at the hospital so when no phone call came by 10 AM, we wondered what was going on. It turned out that we would just need to wait for other families to be discharged from the hospital so a room could be available for us. At 7 PM on Wednesday evening, we got the call that said to came in. We wrapped up dinner, Derek and I both took showers and then headed to the hospital. Pap Pap and Duckie stayed at our house with Della. We got to the hospital around 8 PM and were checked into our room, I was set up with an IV, and the nurses explained how the inducement would work. While we waited for the doctor to come check in on us, Derek went to the store to get some snacks and drinks. We watched the 1st Presidential debate and then tried to get a little sleep... the doctor did not come in to check on us until 11 PM. When she checked me, I was already dilated to a 3 cm and she said she would go ahead and break my water so no induction was necessary!! Yay! She indicated that it could possibly not spur labor on at which point I would need to be given Pitocin. All the nurses said delivery probably would not happen until the next morning or midday so again we tried to get some sleep. The contractions started to get really strong quickly and so around 12:30 AM we called our doula to come and assist with the pain. About an hour later, the nurse checked me and found I was dilated to a 6 cm. At this point, we called Saxon so she could be at the hospital for the delivery. By the time Saxon arrived (about 20 minutes later), I was dilated to a 10cm and was ready to push. The nurses and doctor, however, were not prepared for me to push. They kept having me change positions to keep me from pushing while the doctor was scrubbing down to prepare for delivery. At 2:22 AM the doctor arrived and told me to push. Four minutes and two pushes later (the head and then the shoulders) Cora was here. Derek cut the cord and our family was officially expanded from three to four. Things have been going quite well since Cora's arrival. I feel much better physically and emotionally than I remember feeling with Della. I think I am more confident as a mother this time! Cora is a very alert baby and loves to interact with her sister. Della is always doing whatever I do with Cora with her little baby. When I burp Cora, she burps Baby. Cora even has to "reserve" spots in her swing because whenever Cora is not in it, Baby is :) It is very sweet to watch. Della of course, now seems HUGE compared to Cora. I am not sure when the transition was made from baby to toddler but she definitely made it. Needless to say, we love Cora to the moon and back :)