Home Sweet Home!

We came home yesterday right after lunch. Matt immediately left for the doctor's office. It seems he came down with a case of the gout while in the hospital with me. Bless his heart! His foot is swollen bigger than mine ever were during pregnancy! From what I know and now see him experiencing, the gout is an awfully painful thing to go through! Please keep him in your prayers. We are settling in and getting into the swing of being home with a newborn. Special thanks to my brother and his wife (who is an amazing cook) for bringing us dinner last night! What a blessing! Here's a pic of Eli in his coming home outfit!

Big Brother!

Special thanks again to the photographer in our family. My dad snapped these pics yesterday during the excitement of Jacob meeting his baby brother!

Addendum

Earlier I posted that we weren't sure Elijah's length. Here's a picture showing his weight, with a picture of the scale for proof. Boy do I love my wife, the thought of having gone through what she went through to deliver that little boy is overwhelming.

Elijah was 21" long

Picture Perfect!

Introducing Eli Sloan...

Mommy and Eli

Daddy and Eli

Yesterday, we checked Jacob out of school early to meet his baby brother. He was so excited and was able to spend some time holding him. He's going to be the best big brother ever! We are so proud of who Jacob is and we know that God has big plans for him.

We are now in our postpartum room. Eli and I are learning to work together to nurse. Matt is catching up on some sleep. We are all basking in the glow of this new little gift from God. Although our delivery was not what we expected, it was perfect! I am grateful for the epidural I received. 22 hours is a LONG time to labor with no meds. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes. We can't wait to introduce him to all of you!

OUR BOY!

Thank-you to all who have been wishing us well and praying for us. We are thrilled to anounce ELIJAH JOSEPH SLOAN has been born.

9lbs
8ounces

not sure how long.... still waiting to find out the length.

Mommy is doing well.

Official birth-time was 10:36am, February 26, 2008.

I'll post pic's later.

Getting Closer

We're getting closer. The pain and discomfort that Jennifer was experiencing prior to the epidural had subsided, but recently the contractions (not that they went away, it's just that the pain subsided) have started back up again. It appears that our Labor and Delivery nurse is satisfied with this progress because we're getting closer to the time for delivery. I'm not a health care professional so I can only guess that the pain she is about to experience is inevitable. Because of this inevitability, I'm thinking the L&D nurse has backed off on pushing meds for the epidural. We don't want the pain to be unbearable; however, it'd be awful if she was unable to push because the epidural was restricting all pain/movement/sensation/etc..

I'm watching the contractions on the monitor and they're now coming pretty consistently. It appears that they're coming at 1 minute intervals and are lasting approximately a minute each time. My beautiful bride is handling all of this wonderfully. Have I told you all how wonderful she is? ? ?

I doubt anyone is awake and paying attention to this right now, but I seriously doubt that I'll be updating this blog anytime in the immediate future. It appears the contractions are becoming a little difficult and "the time" will be coming within the next hour or so. I'll of course post a quick note after our little one is here, but aside from that please don't expect much from us for a while.

Post if YOU read this before 4am

This is a test to see who's truly enthralled by this blog.

I guess if you're checking this out I could go ahead and tell you that Jennifer is catnapping. We tried for several hours to "naturally" deliver; however, we found that an epidural is truly a blessing. I'm absolutely amazed that someone thought it'd be a good idea to stick a needle in someone's spine with the thought that they could mitigate pain and then to do it and actually have it work!.!.!

We had originally planned to go naturally, but we decided that it'd be alright to use the marvels of modern medicine.

Please let me know if you've read this before 4am. Jen and I are both guessing who's going to be up and paying attention to the blog in the wee-hours, but we're keeping that to ourselves. There are only 2 names that come to mind for both of us.

Contractions Have Finally Come to Visit

Jennifer's first signs of contractions have come. This will be a short post because I wanna be a good husband. Notice the title says "Visit" because we want them to come and go, the sooner the better.

If anything changes significantly I'll update, otherwise, I'll let you know at the appropriate time.

My poor wifey

I'm sitting here watching my poor wife slurp down chicken broth from a itty-bitty hospital bowl with a bendy-straw and it's breaking my heart. She hasn't eaten since 10:30'ish and I can tell by the look on her face that this is SO NOT what she's craving. I'm trying to convince her that the greasy substance on the top of the neon-yellow liquid is what's going to be best for her but it's hard to be convincing when you're not convinced yourself.

I'm going to go, I think I'm going to be manly and scavenge an Italian Ice cup from the freezer down the hallway. I will update later IF Jennifer starts to have contractions... still nothing!

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Please feel free to substitute Jennifer for "us".

Talk to you later -Us (this time)

Pitocin party!

Dr. Gizzie came in and checked me...still at 1 cm. What a stubborn little guy! So, I'm now hooked up, so to speak. They've put in an IV and I'm hooked up to IV fluids and a Pitocin drip. I'm also hooked up to an external fetal monitor that continuously monitors Eli's heartbeat and my contractions. Believe it or not, I'm having contractions, just not intense at all. I can still move around some, but I'm limited to the length of the monitor wires. Which means no shower or walking the halls for me. I'm sitting on the birth ball right now, which is a nice change from the bed. I really don't like being in the bed.

At this point, our plans have been surrendered to those of Eli and ultimately God. I have heard that Pitocin can make labor much more painful, much more quickly, so your body is not as prepared for the intensity of the pain. So, we are praying that everything continues to progress as naturally as possible. I have decided that I will take this labor and delivery one contraction at a time and make decisions in that same way. I am not in control of this (which is so difficult for me)!! Thanks so much for your continued prayers! We can't wait to meet this little guy!

Watchin' Ellen

Alright Peeps, we're still in a holding pattern. This little boy doesn't realize how excited we are to meet him and is holding out. As a result of this "holding pattern" we are watching Ellen. I sure do like some Ellen. By the way, this is Matt, and I'm being a little sarcastic, although I'd happily watch Ellen all day long if my BEAUTIFUL wife wanted me to.

If you're keeping an eye on the blog for updates please say a little prayer for Jen. She's not experiencing the types of contractions that she needs in order to have a baby, and our doctor has indicated that they may need to induce using pitocin if the contractions don't come on their own. The time is drawing near and we're really hoping to forgo the medication because "they" say a pitocin induced contraction is more difficult to withstand.

Back to Ellen now, wish us luck!

Spill in Aisle 7!

I got up this morning and had this feeling (ha, ha) that my water broke, so we headed to the doctor. After she confirmed that my water had indeed broken, she checked me (still 1 cm) and sent us over to Rex Hospital. I have not felt a single contraction yet, but the nurse said the monitor is showing some "irrations". Dr. Moody let me know that they will give me 6-8 hours to start laboring on my own before they would need to start Pitocin. I am getting comfortable in my Labor and Delivery room, while Matt runs home to get Jacob's things to his mom's house for the week. Thanks for your prayers and we'll try to keep the blog updated! Love to you all!

Birth Class Buddy's Baby

We met two great couples in our birth class that we have kept in touch with and now call friends. Aubrey and Joel were due on the 15th like us and Lauren and Bryan are due today, the 23rd. I just got an email from Aubrey to let us know that Wyatt was born on Feb. 17th at 3:59am weighing in at 9 lbs, 8 oz. He was born via an unexpected c-section, but mom and baby are both doing well! Congrats to Aubrey and Joel!! He's so precious!! What a blessing!! It makes me all the more anxious to meet our little miracle!!

Eli update!

Today we went in to the OB for a non-stress test (NST) and an ultrasound. The NST showed that Eli is doing well. It monitored his heart rate and his movement. His baseline heart rate was 140 bpm, but ranged from 130 to 170 depending on his movements. The doctor said he looks healthy. Then she performed an ultrasound to check on the amniotic fluid. The fluid is adequate for us to continue to wait for Eli to make his appearance. I was checked and there is no new progress to report...still at 1.5 cm dilated and 50% effaced. The doctor stripped my membranes which may help to spur labor along. She also estimated that Eli is probably around 8 pounds. If he's not made his grand debut by Tuesday, then I go back for another NST, just to be sure that he is safe and healthy. My induction date is set for Thursday, Feb 28th...just in case! Dr. Mohr said she doesn't think Eli will wait that long, though! I'm feeling fine (other than being quite big and my womb being a little cramped for Eli). Continued thanks for your prayers and support as we wait. Love to you all!!


I found this list of things to do when you are overdue. I think I may start going down the list to keep busy...or maybe I'll just sit here and wait! :)

Read another pregnancy book.
Take a bubble bath.
Get a pedicure.
Eat something spicy.
Talk to an old friend.
Learn to time contractions.
Pick out a baby book.
Go over your list of baby names one more time.
Write a birth plan.
Change the message on your answering machine to inform callers you're still around.
Get your hair done.
Get a massage.
Go for a bumpy ride.
Recalculate your due date.
Hang out with us on the pregnancy forums.
Watch reruns on television.
Wash all of your baby clothes.
Check out a matinee movie, alone or with a friend.
Make a rice sock for labor.
Try a new recipe for dinner.
Pack your birth bag for the hospital or birth center.
Look through your pregnancy journal and relive some of the better moments.
Buy a new nightgown.
Go dancing!
Look at some birth announcements.
Put the baby's car seat in the car.
Go window shopping.
Daydream about the baby.
Eat something else spicy.
Buy a nursing bra.
If you have older kids, read to them.
Shave your legs.
Visit someone else with a new baby and practice holding them.
Think of goofy answers to the questions about whether or not you're still pregnant.
Try a new nail color. Change it again.
Call your mom.
Sit in your baby's room for a while.
Buy a cute baby toy.
Get lots of fiber.
Put together any unmade furniture.
Buy stamps for birth announcements.
Work out - go to yoga, aerobics, whatever you like to do.
Practice a new position for labor.
Walk around the mall.
Check to be sure your insurance information is packed in your birth bag.
Do you have batteries for your camera?
Listen to a favorite album.
Buy a pack of diapers.
Buy a new toothbrush for the birth.
Make a birthday cake.
Call your best friend.
Play with your pets.
Do nothing for a change.
Give your husband a back massage. Show him how you like to have your back rubbed.
Buy any birthday cards or presents you'll need for the first 6 weeks after your baby is born.
Have a smoothie.
Recheck your birth bag for the hospital or birth center.
Go to a La Leche League meeting or breastfeeding class.
Take your husband dancing.
Pack some snacks for the hospital or birth center.
Make a belly cast of your belly.
Buy some sexy underwear, or at least not granny panties, for after the birth ( a couple of weeks). If you have older kids, make I'm a big sister/brother t-shirts for them.
Bake a batch of cookies for the doctors and nurses at the hospital or birth center.
Go to your last prenatal appointments.
Order your favorite pizza for dinner.
Think about anything but the new baby or labor.
Tell your husband how much you love and appreciate him.
Make sure you have a long distance phone card for the birth.
Have someone inspect your car seat for safety. Try AAA or local car dealer.
Get a new scented lotion for labor.
Pack a diaper bag.
Page your honey to make sure he's paying attention.
Bake a casserole to eat after your baby is born.
Put your birth bag in the car.
Make sure you have some postpartum help lined up.
Start a scrapbook for your baby if you haven't already.
Call your pediatrician to see if they have a recommended list of first aid items.
Look through your old baby books and pictures.
Have a lunch date with a friend.
Read positive birth stories.
Chat with your doula about any last minute worries.
Feel your baby's movements. Remember how you waited to feel the first fetal movements?
Make a romantic dinner for your honey.
Make a list of everything you will miss about being pregnant.
Learn to knit baby booties.
Ask your mom about your birth.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Rent a video.
Take a practice drive to the hospital.
Listen to a book on tape.
Read a novel you've been dying to read.
Go to work - why not?
Think about your postpartum birth control choices.
Read a new breastfeeding book.
Practice a new relaxation technique.
Refold all the baby clothes.
Write a letter to your baby telling him or her how much you can't wait to meet them!
Make a list of everything you won't miss about being pregnant.
Give birth!

Waiting Game!

We went for my weekly doctor's appointment this morning and saw Dr. Chawla, who's one of my favorites. She let us know that I am 1.5 (almost 2) centimeters dilated and 50% effaced. She thinks I may deliver this week. YEAH!! If I have not delivered by Friday, I go back in for another ultrasound and some more tests...just to be sure that Eli is still doing okay in there. She also asked me if I wanted to try to move this along a little by letting her "strip my membranes." I declined as we are trying to go as natural as possible and avoid any interventions...and I've heard it's painful and I'm really wanting to avoid unecessary pain! :) She asked how we felt about being induced. I let her know that we are wanting to proceed as naturally as possible and would like to wait a little longer before inducing. So, she let us know we can wait until Friday, Feb. 29th, but no later! Here's to hoping Eli makes his appearance on his own very soon! We'll keep you posted. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers! Love you all!

Baby Sloan-Scroll down for newer posts!

Okay, the humorous ticker was a little graphic recently, so I added this developmental ticker instead. As usual, please scroll down for the newer stuff!

Due Date!

It's officially our due date!

I think someone forgot to tell Eli!

We'll keep you posted!

More belly pics!

Special thanks to our photographer, my dad!

You did a great job!

Check out the post below for a fun contest!!!

Baby Birthday Bets!

Ok...I'm hosting a contest. Whomever comes closest to guessing Baby Eli's birthday will receive a $10 Starbucks GiftCard! To partcipate, just post a comment leaving your guess for the date and time of arrival. Be sure to include date and time!! If you aren't family, and/or don't link to a blog, please leave an email address so that I can contact you to arrange delivery of the prize. The person with the closest guess wins the GiftCard. Just so you know, our due date is February 15th. Best of luck!

Birthday Boy!

When I first met "good guy" 6 years ago I thought this he was the greatest . He opened doors, took his hat off indoors, he let my dog out for me, cut my grass, and left me the sweetest note written circularly on a paper plate when I went on a girls' adventure to Kings Dominion.  "Good guy" paid for our dates, walked on the outside (closest to cars and traffic), and really treated me like a princess.

Two months later I broke up with "good guy."   I was 23 years old and enjoying my "early-twenties life."  He was 25, had a two-year old, and an ex. I wasn't ready for that!

I spent the next few years dating a guy that was all wrong for me. It took me quite a while to realize that. The fact that I continued to think about "good guy," would occasionally drive by "good guy's" house, and email "good guy," really should have been a hint. I eventually came to my senses and ended the relationship with "all-wrong guy."  I thought about "good guy" again.  I drove by "good guy's" house (I know kind of stalker-ish) and even tried "good guy's" phone number only to find out that he was gone!  He just seemed to have disappeared!

So, I moved on.  I began going out with friends and enjoying single life.  One night, I went with a group of friends to a Chamber of Commerce event.  Afterwards we went to a local restaurant to hang out.  At one point, I headed to the bathroom.  Per typical Jennifer-manner, I was looking the other way and ran right into someone...literally.  I looked up to see that it was "good guy!"  My heart sank. I had broken up with this guy.  I had not been super nice about it.  All of the sudden there he was and this is the conversation that began to play in my head..."Ugh!  He probably hates me! But, oh, he is so stinkin' cute! Please don't hate me. Please don't hate me.  Say something, Jennifer!  Don't just stand here!  AGGGGHHHH!"  Needless to say, seeing him stirred something in me.

After the initial shock, we greeted each other and stood there talking for a little while...yes, right there in front of the bathrooms. Eventually, we went outside, sat down, and continued to talk.  After some time, my friends left.  I stayed and kept talking.  "Good guy" took me to Denny's for breakfast (it was 2am by that point) and we talked some more.  I discovered, he was on his way out the door to go home when we ran into one another.  Timing is everything (and God's timing is perfect)!  After breakfast, "good guy" drove me home, dropped me off, and drove away.  I was on cloud nine!

It wasn't all smooth sailing from there. I was casually seeing someone else and that left me with a decision to make.  After a few weeks of pondering this dilemma, I made my choice.  Five months later, "good guy" proposed to me.  Six months later I married him.  My life has been all the better because of that "good guy".

So, today, I honor my "good guy". My Matt turns 32 today! He is an incredible husband and father! He is gentle, kind, loving, and full of grace and mercy (thank goodness, cause I need it). He is driven, a provider, a protector, a leader. He is funny, wacky, silly, and makes me laugh. I cannot imgaine going through life with anyone else as my best friend and partner! I thank God for the night that we ran into each other again and for the blessing Matt is to our family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MATT!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Holding pattern...

We're in a holding pattern. After a trip to the OB this week, we discovered that I am still hanging in there at 1 centimeter dilated. The doctor said Eli is head down, which is the desired position for delivery. I'm feeling great! Matt and I were recently discussing how wonderful this pregnancy has been. I've had some terrible heartburn (which is treatable with meds) and my ankles and feet are quite swollen, but really in the grand scheme of things this has been a great time in our lives!

We are now "in the short rows" as my dad would say. My emotions are quite unpredictable. One moment I'm excited about his impending arrival and the next moment I'm terrified! I know it will be so awesome to be able to finally share Eli with all our friends and family.

As we get so close to Eli's debut, I ask for your prayers. Pray that labor and delivery will go smoothly and there will be no complications. Pray that I will have the strength and ability to deliver naturally with no medications. Pray for our health. Pray that the transition to home will be smooth. Pray that Jacob feels our love every moment of every day (whether he's at our house or his mom's). Pray that God continues to guide us as we raise his children. Pray for God's blessing on the whole journey. Thank you for your prayers!

Check out this picture of the wonderful family that hosted my baby shower!