Welcome Cora Isabella Acevedo

Cora Isabella Acevedo

Born Oct. 18th 2007 @ 8:42 pm
6lbs 15 oz - 20 inches long

Ace and I had the unexpected surprise of a baby girl on Thursday the 18th at 8:42 pm. We were shocked to hear "it's a girl". I could have sworn that I was having a boy. We were so happy to finally see her. Labor was pretty difficult to say the least. The experts say that is usually the case with your first. Contractions started at 3:00 am Thursday morning. We called the hospital and the doctor on call and they recommended us to come in. Well, at 5:00 am they sent us home claiming that it was uterine irritability because I was only 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Now, I'm not a doctor but I knew something was not right but since this is something I never experienced before I took the RNs word for it. We came home exhausted (I didn't sleep at all b/c everything started at 10:00 pm Wednesday night) and I still couldn't sleep because of the "uterine irritability". At 9:00 am I finally had given up on sleep and decided to read in the other room. I sat down on the couch and pulled out some baby material to read. Funny enough I started reading about the rupturing of the membrane and at 9:05 am I felt a big rush of fluid. I ran to the hall closet to fetch a towel. Well, I soaked the towel, my underwear, and the pad I happened to put on earlier. A little bit before that I felt trickling but didn't know that my water was breaking. I just thought that the extreme cramping was causing me not to control my bladder. So, needless to say Ace and I went back to the hospital and we were admitted. Of course, I wasn't contracting enough so they put me on Pitocin. Holy moly, I have never felt such pain in my life. I was having contractions 1 minute apart lasting for 1 minute. I had made the decision early in the pregancy that I wanted an epidural. Thank the Lord for that invention. I think I would have passed out if I didn't have that. Around the time I received the epidural, it was lunch time and I advised Ace to grab some lunch since we both knew it was going to be a long process. Besides I was feeling wonderful after the epidural. Well, as soon as Ace left the baby started to experience the hardship of labor and her heartbeat was dropping. They took me off of the Pitocin but I stopped contracting and her heartbeat was still slow. They immediately gave me oxygen and started to flip me to different sides to help her. Supposedly there wasn't much fluid left in uterus and she was laying on her umbilical cord. Ace came back from getting some lunch and was met in the hallway with the concerns of the nurse and doctor. The doctor immediately suggested c-section but wanted to wait a little bit longer to see if the baby would respond in the next few minutes. Poor thing was pooped just like mommy and didn't want to come out since I was technically in labor the night before, you know the "uterine irritability". As soon as we said we just wanted the baby to be safe and to do whatever it took they started to prep me for a c-section and gave Ace his gear. I think it only took 10 minutes for them to get me ready and about 5 staff members participated. I have to say I was really nervous since this was the first major surgery I have ever had. It was quite scary to not be able to feel or move your legs. I was completely numb from the stomach down. I hate feeling helpless. Ace stayed by my side until her gender was announced and she could be moved to the nursery for her APGAR test. Everything went well. Cora was given a good bill of health. Once I saw her I immediately broke down. I was so scared and nervous about the c-section and her health that I just let all the emotions go. Plus, to find out that she was a girl was surprising. I guess my instincts were off. :) What an experience though. Nothing can top that feeling of seeing your child for the first time. As the hospital staff were cleaning and measuring her vitals they finished everything with me. They did let me hold her for a moment but had to put me back together again. Ace went with Cora to the nursery and got to carry her there. After an hour of recovery, they brought Cora to the room with me. I still can't believe she is here. I was right with one thing. She did come early at 38 weeks. My doctor didn't believe me at my last visit that she was going to be early. Funny enough we were actually scheduled for a checkup for Thursday at 4:00 pm.

We were discharged today. Thank goodness! I was going stir crazy being in the hospital 24-7. Ace was trying to sleep on uncomfortable chairs and couches so that he could be with his girls. I tried to get him to go home last night but he refused. Poor thing slept on the most uncomfortable pull out chair/sofa I have ever seen. I was tired of being poked and prodded and I think Cora felt the same way. She is enjoying continuous sleep in her bassinet. I just can't stop staring at our little miracle. We are blessed to have such a healthy baby.

My parents just left Florida on Wednesday at 2:00 pm. Ace and I tried to convince them to stay a little bit longer. I just had a feeling that it was going to happen this week. Unfortunately, they had to drive from Virginia Thursday night and got in first thing Friday morning. They ended up leaving today to drive back to VA. I know they are going to be exhausted tomorrow. Good thing they have off. Ace's parents will be here to visit tomorrow and his Mom will stay till Friday while his Dad will leave on Tuesday. It is nice to have family to help out. My Mom made lasagna for us to eat (which was excellent) and they helped with laundry.

Victor and Riann came with their kids to visit Friday night. They ended up staying at our house with my parents and drove back to Orlando Saturday afternoon. It is great having friends who have already had kids. Riann brought me a bunch of girls clothes ranging in sizes. She had already given me all of the neutral items which have filled Cora's drawers already. This little girl is going to be so spoiled. My Mom went shopping as soon as she got here. She loved the fact that the hospital is across the street from the mall. I know Ace's Mom went out today to do some shopping and his Dad had already bought a bag of girly items on Friday when they visited. Being the first grandchild is going to be wonderful for Cora. I'm just glad we have closet space now. :)

Cora is finally breastfeeding well now. We had issues initially but are now doing well. I have to encourage her since she is enjoying sleep. I don't blame her. I love to sleep too. We were concerned though because I didn't want her to lose weight. Our pediatrician assured us that she is doing very well and that she had only lost a couple of ounces. As of today she weighs 6lbs 6 oz. My milk has come in so she is going to be gaining plenty of weight.

I have to say the only thing that stinks right now is the swelling of the feet, ankles, and hands. My ankles and feet didn't look this bad when I was pregnant. It is really gross. The nurses assured me it is just because of all the fluids they pumped in me Thursday. I also don't like the fact that my belly feels like jello and I look 5 months pregnant. I wasn't expecting to look normal again but jeez I still look pregnant. It is all worth it and needless to say I would do it again not anytime soon though. Give me at least 3 years. :)

The irony of Cora's birth--My only grandma (NaNa) passed away a year ago on the 19th of October and it was a Thursday. I mentioned to my Mom when I was told that my due date was Oct. 29th how ironic it would be if I delivered on the day NaNa passed. Well, we were one day off as far as the date goes but it was on a Thursday. Furthermore, when I was a teenager and NaNa was telling me about her family I decided then and there that I loved the name of my NaNa's mother (Great grandma Cora) . I even told NaNa that if and when I have a girl that she was going to be named Cora. God works in mysterious ways. I wonder if she will have the Native American features of my NaNa. We can already tell she will have an olive complexion. I think the mixture of Native American and Puerto Rican helped in that department. I can't wait to see her personality and facial features develop.

Mom holding Cora for the 1st time

I had been up for 2 days straight so please excuse how rough I look. :)

Gram Gram holding Cora

Grandpa and Cora

My girls from work

Tia and Cora

More pics to come--need sleep to feed. :)