Favorite Reason...

Hello World

Well, he's here! And yes, we can now say HE. Jake Nathanial Dougherty was born last Monday, September 26th, weighing 6 lbs. 14 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. I know I'm super late on getting this posted on the blog and most all of you know all this through Facebook already, but I promised I would put more details and the full story up on the blog...so here it is. My guess is this post will take me several sittings - I'll let you guess why. :)

*For those of you who aren't interested in all these details, you can skip to the bottom for a few pics. I'll try to post the rest in an album on Facebook soon...

Anywho, I had a doctor's appointment on Friday the 23rd and as we expected, I still hadn't progressed. 0 cm, barely effaced. We were already discussing how far after my due date (the 29th) we would go before inducing. I was convinced (and had convinced everyone else) that this baby was going to have to be encouraged to come out. I was wrong.

Sunday night (well, technically Monday morning) at 3am, I started having what I assumed were contractions. (Reminder: never done this before, so how should I know?) I decided to get up and keep unpacking/organizing (another reminder: we had just moved into our rent house 4 days earlier...good thing we booked it and were almost unpacked.) The contractions were coming consistently, but were not spaced evenly at all. I would have one 5 minutes apart, then 8, then 4, then 9, etc. But they didn't stop.

When Josh woke up at 7, I told him I thought I might be in labor. He was obviously surprised and I told him what had been going on. At that point, they were getting a little stronger, and I was having to breathe through them, but they were definitely bearable. I called my friend (who also happens to be my OB's head nurse...she's AMAZING) at 8 and asked her what I should do. I really didn't want to go to the hospital and be sent home. And even though I was pretty sure I was in labor, I wanted to progress as much as possible at home and figured I had a ways to go.

She said to keep track of the contractions for the next couple hours and then she would schedule me an appt at the doctor's office to get checked rather than checking in to the hospital. Josh went to work (yes, I told him to) for a few hours, then we packed our bags (just in case) and headed to the doctor. When we saw the doctor at noon, I was between 4-5 cm dilated. He said "How do you feel about having a baby today?"

*Fun side note - We had to see a different doctor b/c my OB was on call - could timing have been more perfect?!? I had accepted that she probably wouldn't be the one to deliver the baby, but I really wanted her to...and she did! Did I mention she wasn't on call again for 2 weeks? I love God's timing!

We walked downstairs (yep, clinic is 2nd floor, hospital 1st...so convenient) and got checked in. I had an epidural around 2:00 and was b/w a 6 and 7 at that point. I was pretty proud of myself for laboring that far on my own. It really wasn't so terrible, though I never got to the really hard part.

You would think that as well as I was progressing, I would have had him sooner than 8:00. Well, this is where I'll add in the detail that made everything complicated. I was actually sick. I started feeling crummy on Sunday morning and as I progressed through labor, my throat was hurting, I was really achy, and I could tell I was running a fever. I was hoping this was just a random side effect of labor, though my gut told me it wasn't.
When I checked in, I was running a fever, so they kept monitoring me pretty closely so it didn't affect the baby. As the day went on, my fever continued to spike and I kept feeling worse. Skipping a few details, I was basically dilated to a 10 for about 2 hours before they would let me push. They were trying to pump me with antibiotics so they could get to the baby before he was born. I know that sounds crazy and impossible, but my epidural was working great. I definitely felt pressure, but it wasn't unbearable. By the end of that 2 hours though, I HAD to push.

Great part about that? Because he was so low for so long, I only pushed for 10 minutes and Jake was born. (And surprisingly, didn't have much of a conehead at all.) So really, the labor and delivery part were super smooth...it was just me being sick that threw a kink in the whole thing.

The really crummy part was that I couldn't hold him after he was born. They wanted to quickly run a flu test before I held him. When that came back negative, I could hold him but I had to wear a mask since they still didn't know what was wrong with me. So unfortunately, our first pictures together are of me in a mask. Oh well, it will be a story we will always tell. Poor guy, I'm sure he'll tire of hearing it.

The other really crummy part is that I am still sick. I'm on my 3rd dose of antibiotics and I think this stupid virus is FINALLY starting to subside some. I guess this is the "woe is me" part of my post, but I would sure appreciate any prayers. Adjusting to life with your first baby is difficult enough, not to mention being so sick. I've had some major meltdowns...not so much related to the baby as much as just not wanting to feel like this anymore.

Regardless of that, I am madly in love with this little guy. It was so fun to finally experience that instant love everyone talks about when you have a child. Josh and I are doing well. He is incredibly supportive and helpful. I've also never been more thankful for him.

YIKES, was that long enough for you? Thanks for reading if you did. I'll try to post again soon, but I make no promises. ;) I'm still an amateur at ALL this. In the meantime though, enjoy some pics. We'll be here, figuring out what it means to be parents and wholeheartedly relying on the Lord to teach us!

 
Proud Daddy. Holding Jake for the first time...letting me see him, though I couldn't hold him yet.


My first chance to hold him. If you skipped the story above, I explained the mask.


In love already.


First family pic. I took the mask off for 5 seconds for this one.


Our little Jake-bug. You can see the war wounds on his hands. They made him have extra blood work because I was so sick. Sorry buddy.


Still my favorite pic.


Coming home. Thank you Lord for letting us get in our rent house just in time!


Just one more because he's so stinkin' cute.

Less than 2 weeks...

It's hard to believe that my due date is less than 2 weeks away at this point. I'm just over 38 weeks. I promised several friends I would post one more belly pic...so here it is. (You'll notice I cut my face out -wasn't exactly the most flattering angle. Yikes!)

I really feel like I'm gonna make it to my due date (if not after) - don't know why I think that,  just my gut feeling. But this baby could prove me wrong. I just need this little guy or gal to hold out until next Wednesday (the 21st) - that's when we officially move into the house we are renting. How great will it be to actually somewhat "nest" a little before the baby arrives? Nothing like getting down to the wire. It's all worked out to this point - I'm not worried!

I still feel really good, especially considering how far along I am. I just haven't reached that point where you want it all over with. I consider that a blessing. More than anything, we're just excited to finally meet this little one. 

But anyways, here's the pic. Hopefully the next post on here about Baby Dough will be an introduction! We'll do our best to post something pretty quickly when he/she arrives and keep you faithful followers updated. 

Almost Fall...

So, I've had this idea to blog about why I'm so ready for fall for several weeks now, and I figured I better get on it, since fall is practically here. PTL!

I wouldn't say that I have a favorite season, but if I had to choose, fall and summer would tie for first. I love that I live in a place where I get to experience all the seasons. (Well, if I'm being really honest, I could do without winter. Maybe just some cold weather from Thanksgiving to Christmas, with a little snow on Christmas, and I'd be good.)

Anyways, here are 10 reasons I'm so excited for fall (pics included so you don't get bored)...

10. Fall = deer season = deer meat coming our way!
I know, could I make myself sound any more redneck to start off this post? I actually don't hunt (I have sat in a buddy stand several times, but never actually been the one "hunting"), but it's a lifeblood for my dad and brother. And as a result, I reap the rewards. When we ran out of ground venison (aka, deer meat for those of you who don't know) back in May, I think Josh and I bought our first pound of ground beef since we've been married. It just seemed wrong. So, no pressure Dad and Ry...but let's go on that, k?!?

9. Fall clothes. I love a good scarf with some boots. Thanks Pinterest for all the ideas, even though I can't afford to actually make them happen. I'm still inspired. I'm also equally excited about not wearing maternity clothes anymore.

8. The scents of fall. I know, I go from talking about deer hunting to Yankee candles. I consider myself well-rounded. CANNOT wait to bust out my fall candles when we finally are in our own place. One of my favs...

7. The leaves. Cannot wait for them to change. Definitely one of the perks of the Ozarks. And I'm pumped to be back in NWA - love Old Main lawn in the fall!

6. Cooler weather. I actually appreciate warm weather more than most people because I'm so cold-natured, but I always love the transition to cooler temps. Which we will be getting again tomorrow - yay!

5. Josh's family will be making the long trek from South Carolina to visit us (and the newest addition) in early November. We're both really excited to have them here. Definitely doesn't happen as often as we wish it could.

4. Fall means we're that much closer to the holidays. Don't worry - I don't wish away fall and Thanksgiving just to get to Christmas. But I do always get excited as I anticipate the holidays coming. Maybe that's because my family did such a great job of creating fun traditions and making it such a special time. I just love everything about the holidays, and I especially love that it means time with my family. (Lana and I may have watched this movie year round in college...classic.)

3. COLLEGE FOOTBALL. Thank you for returning to my life! The suppressed tomboy in me (if you only knew how bad I was) comes out when I talk about college football. The past 2 Saturday's have been glorious. Josh and I anticipate the start of college football much like I just said I anticipate the holiday season. There's nothing better than waking up on Saturday morning and watching College Gameday. It really is something we've done together since we've been married. I'll make us a big breakfast and we'll sit for 2 hours watching Gameday. We just discussed last Saturday how we want to make it a family tradition. Not sure toddlers and little ones will really get into that? Good thought, though.

2. Our own place. If you've kept up with my previous posts, you know we've been staying with some friends for the past 4 months in their guest house. Yep, 4 months. I know, they are very gracious and giving people. But finally, next Wednesday, we will be moving into our own place. No not technically our own home, but one that we are renting from a great couple in our church. At least it will be our own space and we won't have to be invading someone else's anymore. Thanks Flint, Rebekah, and Cilla! You only have to endure us for another week.

1. BABY DOUGH, of course! I think this one makes the first 9 even more special. Can't believe nine months of prayer, anticipation, and planning have already passed. 2 weeks and counting. Cannot wait to meet and hold this little one. We'll keep you posted on he/she's arrival!  (the original announcement we sent out to friends...)

My Best Friend's Wedding...

that I missed.

Yep, that's right. I wasn't there. There are probably 2 people in the whole world (outside of my fam) that I would never miss their wedding - my childhood best friend Lindsey and my college best friend and roomie, Lana. (Well, I got to be in Lindsey's wedding back in June...she was gracious enough to still let me stand up for her even though I was 6 1/2 months pregnant. Thanks Lin!) However, as of yesterday, Lana Hass is now Lana Hawk and I wasn't there for it.

We realized this was going to be the case back in the spring. Josh and I had just started telling people we were expecting (since we were out of our first trimester) around the same time Lana got engaged. Long story short, she had a very small window of opportunity to get married and well, I can't exactly change my due date. Seeing as I'm about 3 weeks from having a baby and Lana's big shindig was about 10 hours away in Indiana, I guess it wasn't meant to happen. But after some awkward silence on the phone and shedding a few good tears, we accepted the situation for what it was.

Bottom line is Lana was going to walk away married to her best friend at the end of the day, whether I was there or not and here in a few weeks, I'll have a little baby in my arms and I'm sure I won't regret the reason I missed. I can still be a source of encouragement and accountability in her marriage whether I got to stand beside her or not.

So to Lana - I love you tons and sent up prayers for you and Adam all day yesterday. I can only imagine how beautiful you looked. (I can't wait to see pictures.) I miss you and I'm beyond blessed to still call you my best friend. Congratulations Mrs. Hawk. :)

Our only picture together on her wedding weekend. We got to skype for a few minutes Saturday morning so I could at least feel a small part of it.

Life Update...

Since it's been a couple weeks since my last post, I figured I would update everyone on the latest in the life of the Dough's. Bulleted lists makes things easier to read, right???

• The House - We officially closed on our home in Branson yesterday. I'd like to tell you that it's bittersweet, but that's not true. It's just sweet. After the waiting process, we are more than relieved to have that burden removed. It was a wonderful home and we'll carry some sweet memories from it, but I know we will eventually have a wonderful home here too. (Oh, and we made $600 more than we were expecting...not much to some people I'm sure, but that's A LOT to us. Thank you Lord!)
  
• Back to 2 Cars - After the crazy sale of the jeep, we went on a hunt for a more "family-friendly" car. We already knew what we were looking for, and it only took us about 2 weeks to find the right car at the right price. We now own a 2005 Nissan Murano. We were looking more at 2007's and 2008's, but they all had more miles and cost way more. Our 2005 only has 50,000 miles on it and was way cheaper. And you can't beat not having a car payment, right?!? Obviously, we've only had it for a week, but so far, it's been great and we love it. One more step closer to Baby Dough!!! :)
  
• Our Stuff - Yes, we closed on our house and if you've kept up with previous posts - no, we are not in the rental house yet. Still a few weeks before that move (fingers crossed that Baby Dough waits to make a grand entrance until we are in there...we'll see.) So, most of our stuff is in storage for a few weeks - yes that means we'll be moving it multiple times in a month. So fun. But hey, on the bright side, the sweet family that owns the house we'll be renting (and still currently lives there) moved their stuff out of one room so we could put all our BIG pieces of furniture in there and not move them twice. That makes things a little less complicated.
  
• Baby Dough - Baby Dough is doing great and getting BIG (at least in my opinion.) I start my weekly exams next week which means we are definitely on the home stretch. We now also have all of our baby stuff in one place - that's a good feeling. Definitely not organized and not set up, but at least it's in 1 place, not 3. Now if I could only find a pair of shoes that fit my fat feet. I have to squeeze them into every pair. Not cute, I can promise you that...but worth it, I'm sure. Sorry no pic, this time - I'll try to post at least one more soon.

I'm sure there's more to tell, but that covers the big stuff. Well, other than how excited we are that college football starts in less than a week. Go Hogs!

Jeep-less...

So, like I promised...here's the update on the vehicle situation. As stated in the previous post, we've had a lot happen in the past couple weeks. All great things, just A LOT to take in. Including what happened on Tuesday.

We've known for months now that we would need to reconsider our current vehicle situation. Josh has driven a '99 Jeep Wrangler for the past 3 years, and it's worked great b/c he didn't drive it very much. Just to work (which used to be a 4-minute drive) when we weren't driving together and around town on a really nice day. The Jeep seriously only used a tank and a half of gas every month - max. So no biggie!

Well, with the new job and baby on the way, we knew it was time to sell the Jeep. Josh drives around (town, not long-distance...don't be confused) like crazy for his new job, and the Jeep was KILLING our gas budget. Let's just say it got about 12 miles to the gallon. Yep, I know. We'll blame it on the huge tires. So anyways, we started fixing up a few of the things that needed fixing (not the big things, just the affordable ones) and cleaned it really well on Saturday.

I, being (slightly Type A) added "Put the Jeep on Craigslist" to my to-do list, and Tuesday afternoon I was really wanting to cross another thing off, so I told Josh that we should go ahead and list. So we did.  I assumed it would take a while to sell. I was wrong.

Josh jokingly told me as soon as we posted the ad, "Okay, start the timer. Let's see how long it takes to get our first call." Well....

18 minutes later...we got a call and an offer at our goal price. The guy showed up at our place within another 10 minutes, and they were off to the bank 20 minutes after that. So literally, in less than an hour, the Jeep was gone and we had cash in hand. 

This is a good thing, I know. But it happened SO FAST that I didn't feel like I had time to process. I called my dad b/c I still don't feel like I'm old enough to make these big decisions on my own even though I'm 28 and have been married for 5 1/2 years. Do you ever feel old enough to feel confident making huge decisions like that? I don't know.

So, we're currently down to one car (which we can make work for a while) and on the hunt for a crossover vehicle that will serve as more of a family car. I'm excited.

I realize this sounds silly, but I feel kind of bad for Josh. If you know him at all, you know he is OBSESSED with Jeep Wranglers. I mean, wrangler owners seriously have their own club. They wave at every other wrangler (and ONLY wranglers) they pass on the road...and get offended when they don't wave back. It's like improper etiquette or something. But he told me it was worth it - he gets a baby out of the deal! Anyways, I hope that someday we can afford to get him another wrangler - even just as an extra vehicle.

In the meantime though, thanks for sacrificing babe! The Jeep will be missed. :(