I sit here typing this blog reflecting back on the last 13 weeks... (Yes, Savannah is now three months old and I have yet to update this blog since she was born.)

Our lives changed forever the moment I gave birth to the most amazing little baby in the world.
In the last three months I have watched this perfect angel grow and smile and laugh and coo. I have been so fascinated with her progress that I have not had the time and desire to write, all I do is talk to Savannah and stare at her. I thought I did owe it to myself and those of you who read this her birth story, even if just a 'Readers Digest' version, and an update of how life has been since.

Welcome to the world Savannah Noel Hage.

Savannah was born October 4th, 2010 at exactly 1:15 pm.

I watched the video of her arrival in the world this evening for the first time. I have to admit that I did tear up when I re-experienced her birth.

She was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 19 inches long. From the moment that she left my belly and entered our lives, we have felt such a joy that we cannot describe. In fact, we had never truly understood what love is until we met her.

Our labor and delivery wasn't simple. It took days and a long two hours of pushing.

My body wasn't progressing or cooperating to allow for a vaginal delivery, so, my doctor suggested induction at 40 weeks.

Our first attempt at induction was a bust... a heart crushing bust. I was so ready to meet our little girl. We were scheduled to be induced on September 30th, but as we met with that doctor on the Thursday morning, he gave us the news... we weren't ready. Even the baby wasn't quite in position for a swift delivery.

So, we rescheduled.

On Sunday evening, October 3, 2010 we arrived at our hospital, more optimistic that our little angel would arrive the following day. I was going to be given a cervix ripening agent. This was the second time I had to undergo a ripening treatment and this time it had to work.

The medicine did its job and I, almost immediately, started having contractions. These contractions, oddly, were not painful. My tummy would tighten every 70 seconds. This went on for several hours. then, at 1:15 am, my water broke! I was officially in labor!

According to the video I saw tonight, that's when the contractions actually started to hurt, but I don't remember them being too painful.

Of course, I am sparing you all a lot of the bloody details and yes, pardon the pun.

Rick and I were so excited. We were finally going to meet our love bug... one way or another.

Our doctor, was not as enthusiastic about a vaginal delivery. He informed us that a c-section was likely if I didn't fully dilate in a few hours. When my water broke and I officially started dilating, Savannah moved into the birth canal. The doctor was a little worried that she was tucked in the canal too long and that my bone structure may not permit a vaginal birth as well. Knowing he had to treat two patients, we took the cards we would be given. But almost two hours on the dot went by, and I was fully dilated!

We had the most amazing experience at our hospital. Our nurses were so wonderful and attentive. We fell in love with Nurse Rita, who made sure to take the pain out of labor. She tucked pillows under all of my appendages and then did the same for Rick. It was called the Rita "fluff and buff" and it made the experience a lot more comfy for us! She held my hands and head during my epidural and encouraged us as we prepared to be new parents. Sadly, Rita's shift was over before we delivered our munchkin.

Let me tell you, I married the best man on the planet. Rick never left my side. My epidural didn't exactly work the whole time. In fact, the pain was so terrible while I was dilating that last couple of centimeters that I was certain that some how, someone messed up! Rick helped me through that like a pro. He whisked me out of the hospital and to our honeymoon in Maui. Instead of feeling the pain of labor, I was visualizing...feeling the sun and the sand. We were swimming with sea turtles and watching the beautiful Hawaiian sunsets. It helped me so much!

Before we knew it, it was time to push!

We were at the point where I was sure that my husband would be sitting in a chair right next to my shoulders. Boy was I wrong. Rick was right there holding my legs and counting down contractions! He was a true coach and just as excited to meet our daughter!

Two hours later and a lot of pushing too, little Savannah Hage was here!

Parenthood begins with love

Rick holds his little girl constantly. I have never seen him more proud of anything. She is a gorgeous baby- complete with thick blond hair and possible blue eyes and we feel she is so in tune with us. She came out of the womb alert and aware of who her parents are.

Over the last several weeks, Savannah has grown in so many ways. She looks like she has doubled in size, she has filled out.Her hair remains blond, but instead of platinum, she is golden. She also has some of the bluest eyes I have ever seen.

Her eyes are always open. She is one of the most alert babies I have ever seen. She loves to look around and she fights going to sleep. Late at night, she defiantly tries to keep her eyes open as if she is afraid to miss anything!

With each passing Monday, she grows a week older. During week 6 we started seeing lots of smiles! ( Although, her first smile came to us around four weeks old). She is cheerful and happy in the mornings, after she is done sleeping in of course.This morning, she was cooing and smiling! She is happiest when we talk to her and smile at her, things I certainly miss experiencing all day now that I am back at work.

Parenthood means a lot of worrying

When Savannah was born, she had some bruising on her little head, which caused her to be a little jaundice. Our pediatrician wanted her to sleep on a Ultra Violet Ray blanket, called a Billi-Blanket. This was the first health related matter that had Rick and I worrying. Never get on WebMD and search out your particular ailment... it is so scary.

So, the worry began early and it wasn't long before we had another big scare. The beautiful thing that many states are doing to better treat congenital defects is newborn screening. The ugly fact of that is... sometimes... something pops up. In our case, it was the gene for Cystic Fibrosis. We were so scared that our little beautiful baby was not going to live a full, healthy life filled with sports, outdoor activities and the possibility of children of her own. The mere thought of all of the struggles she could endure broke our hearts. We were required to undergo some testing. It was called a sweat test, that basically examines the salt in her sweat to determine if she has the disease. When we received that call, the newborn ether that we had been on suddenly faded and the concern and fear of the fragility of our perfect blond baby.

We woke up long before the sun was up to make our 5:45 am appointment at Phoenix Children's Hospital to learn our fate. The test required Savannah to have her arms wrapped in cellophane, so, that she could sweat onto a round ph paper. Savannah did great during the test, she took it all in with little fuss. We patiently waited for the results of her test for 24 long hours. In those hours we came to peace with the idea that she "could" be sick. We prayed very loudly as we went through all of the emotions and started planning for the worse case scenario. When the phone rang the next morning, we were on pins and needles. Happily, we took the news that our golden nugget did not have cystic fibrosis. We were so relieved, our baby is healthy.

Savannah Banana

Savannah continues to amaze us. Just today she was sitting in her little chair by herself and began squealing and laughing. She is happy and that's something that Rick and I feel extremely blessed about. We have heard horror stories about early parenthood, but I guess we dodge a bullet on that. She has only four cries... Hungry, tired, wet/poopy, and if she has gas. She only melts down when she is way past tired. We are also blessed to get between 5 and 7 hours straight of sleep a night. It seems Savannah enjoys her sleep as much as we do. I am sure she will make up for this later on in life as a teenager trying to sneak in after missing her curfew. Until that time though, we will continue to kiss her little cheeks as she sleeps soundly and appreciate our little blessing who gives these new parents more sleep than we expected... I am going to go ahead and knock on wood now.

35 Weeks- the count down is on!

Yesterday, we were delighted with another ultrasound! It is truly amazing to see how our little one has grown! She weighs around 5 pounds 3 ounces.

Savannah is also a huge fan of eavesdropping and sucking her thumb/fingers! When we were viewing the ultrasound yesterday, the tech could see her little eyebrows moving and her facial expressions changing as we all were talking! It is hard to make out, but none-the-less, she is my daughter, so, she will have to be "in the know" at all times!! ( Sorry baby girl- its genetics!)

Take a look at the ultrasound! It is three minutes long and makes both Rick and I bored with technology and long to meet our gorgeous baby girl!

Approaching D-DAY

It has been a really long time since my last entry and for that I apologize!

Rick and I have been extremely busy trying to ready our house for the baby!

Our nursery is nearly finished and the rest of the Hage house remodeling project is on its way as well!

After going back and looking at my last post, I realize there has been nearly 20 weeks between then and now... So, here's a quick update!

We have a name:

Savannah Noel Hage

It's hard to describe how Rick and I finally agreed on a name, but for some reason Savannah just took and we both LOVE IT!

Noel is from Ricky's dad's middle name- which was Noel ( like Cole), and I loved that Rick wanted to pay tribute to his dad in our daughter's name!

At 28 weeks, we were able to see our little peanute in a 3D-4D ultrasound. The technology is so amazing! It blew our minds that we created a mini version of ourselves!

She already smiles! ( I am sure she inherits that trait from me :)

She had her thumbs and her toes in her mouth the day of the ultrasound, so, our pictures were a little distorted. I liked that we truly couldn't see all of her features. I felt like we were looking "behind the curtain" a bit too much!

We think she has my nose and lips! In the top picture she looks very Hage/Franken though... So, I am not sure what to expect... Just that she is going to be the most gorgeous baby alive !!

I also stepped in front of the camera again to have some maternity pictures taken. I did them at about 31-32 weeks. I wish that Ricky was in some of them, but they turned out very nice!

Kortni, my gorgeous sister-in-law took them! She did a great job!

Today, marks 35 weeks and two days.

We have just a few more weeks to go and boy are we excited!

Baby Girl Hage

IT'S A GIRL!!!

We don't have a final answer on names yet, but we do know we are having a precious baby girl come October!

Above is a youtube video of our ultrasound from today! Enjoy!

Tickle Fight Anyone?

The description of your baby's early movements are a little off... I haven't felt any flutters or butterfly wings ( or at least I haven't noticed any).
What I have noticed is a full on tickle fight.
Our baby first began tickling me on May 1st. It was late at night and a political debate was brewing after dinner.The noise level was starting to increase, and all of a sudden....blllliiiiiipppppp! Right across my lower abdomen. I was totally surprised by it too!

In the meantime, our bouncing little baby has enjoyed tickling me often.

Monday, little baby Hage decided that it truly liked cake. I figure this child will follow in the tradition of my family of cake lovers. After eating the cake, the little blip-blip-blips started.
It was great! A wonderful feeling, and unfortunately it made me want another piece of cake!

I felt it last night- to the point it made me giggle! I am not a ticklish person at all. In fact, it drives Rick nuts that I don't laugh out of control when someone takes a feather to my feet. This little blip-blip-blip... it tickles and its glorious!

What do old wives really know???

When it comes to gender prediction, many people have their "Old Wives Tale" tricks to figuring out if a pregnant woman will have a boy or a girl.

For the past two months, my mom has asked me to conduct one test that she believes to be conclusive. She believes in this test because she got accurate results when she was pregnant with first me and then two years later with my brother, Sean.

This test is the one and only Drano test and is not recommended for a pregnant woman to conduct on her own for reasons you are about to learn.

Yesterday, I finally agreed to conduct this gender experiment. First, I needed to purchase the Drano. Let me tell you, CRYSTAL Drano is not in many grocery stores. I went to three stores before I could find the number one ingredient to this superstitious test. Finally, in a little hardware store I hit the jackpot... and they made one too... Crystal Drano is like $10!

So, upon my arrival at my mom's house, she insisted I urinate in a plastic cup. I had already told her that I had read the fumes from the Drano can be toxic and I wanted to keep my space from the chemicals. She agreed that she would conduct the test, all she needed was the pee-pee.

So, I obliged quite willingly ( being pregnant- you have to "go" a lot.)

I handed her my "sample" and she proceeded to conduct her "old wives tale" trick in the bathroom. Only one problem....

As she poured the "sample" onto the "predictor crystals" in another plastic cup they started fizzing and smoking. Before she knew it the entire bathroom was filled with smoke-like toxic gas and the plastic cup began to melt right there in her hand. With her hand burning and lungs coughing for oxygen, we decided that we should take this show outside.



Next, my mom poured the lovely blue crystals into a blue dish. The same thing happened, lots of smoke, and in the end, because the dish was blue, we could not tell the results. Our results to round two were inconclusive, of course. Test number three came next. She returned from the kitchen with a little glass dish that was white. She poured the pee over the crystals and we waited... and waited...
The secret to this "test" is that the crystals will turn "Army Green" ( according to my mom, however I have also read that it turns brown. The old wives tale says that if Drano turns dark green or brown its a boy, if there is no change its a girl.)




It didn't look remotely green or even have a hint of brown. It remained blue, until we poured it out.That's when we saw a hint of olive green, which left us scratching our heads.

( I guess it looks a little green inthis photo-- who knows)

So, after three attempts, it was fair to say that our results remain inconclusive.


Shortly after that, we did the wedding ring on a hair over my belly test... it went in circles...
whatever that means...

Anyway, we may find out if all of the "Old Wives" out there really have the facts right around Mother's Day. I really hope to know by then!

Will we be buying pink or blue???

Inspired by a best friend who had her first baby last year, I too am going to post a quizlet to get your input.

We are 15 1/2 weeks along in our journey and in just 3 or 4 weeks our little baby bump will go from an "it" to a "he" or "she."

What do you think the baby is....

Here are some of the facts that may help you cast your vote:
* Heart rate was in the 160s
* Morning sickness from 5 weeks until 10 weeks
* Rick will not settle on a boy name
* No real cravings, some tiny aversions- plain peanut butter, vinegar ( oddly I still like pickles and certain dressings, but the plain vinegar is gross).


Cast your vote above!

15 weeks and really starting to look the part!

I know it has been a long time since I last wrote, but there hasn't been too much to report!

Since the last update, we have had just one appointment, but it was a big one. We were able to hear our baby's heart beat for the first time. I was a little nervous when it took a few minutes for the doctor to find the beat with the Doppler... but when he did, it was incredible. We tried to take a video to share that wonderful noise with everyone, but it didn't turn out because the heartbeat was so quiet at the time. Doctor Awesomness told us the heart rate was in the 160's. ( For all of you old wives tale believers out there- you have to tell me your take on it.) We were 12 1/2 weeks at our last appointment, I had been feeling a little chubby in my midsection and asked the Doctor Awesomness if that was fatty fat... he gave me my confidence back, He told me that was actually baby bump. I had already been having people rub the Buddha, and was telling them, "that's not baby, that's what the baby eats!" Well, I was wrong and was very apologetic to all of those who's hands I slapped away from my belly.

We are now 15 weeks along and yes, we are officially showing. I have no idea how I am carrying, because it all seems so foreign to me. Some say that I am carrying kind of high- I feel like it is just all across my midsection. I haven't noticed that I am carrying the baby in my butt- and thank goodness for that. I have had enough help throughout the years.

I broke down and put on maternity pants this morning. I decided I had to after I went through all of the slacks in my closet and fastening buttons was a straining activity. So, now my closet is filled with items that will expand with me and not cut off my circulation in my tummy!

This weekend I also felt the urge to detail everything!!! I started in my kitchen! Nesting has officially begun. I began with the refrigerator, which I had been putting off for the past several weeks out of fear of my lovely up-chuck reflex. But, for the last month, the urge to vomit over nasty smells has eased up on me. So with a trash can in hand, I dumped all expired science projects hidden in the back of our terrible and ergonomically incorrect fridge!

Next on the list- cabinets. It's time to make room for baby! I needed to find space in our cabinets that will one day house bottles,"pump" supplies, sippy cups, baby food, baby plates... etc.... ( the list could go on and on).

So, I emptied on tiny cabinet and combined our food items into one make-shift pantry.

Leaving plenty of room for more items like these!

(The above items are not items we have purchased already, they are leave-behinds from babies we have watched.)

Last week, a weird phenomenon happened to me... On Wednesday, I did not look pregnant. I was looking thinner, wearing normal clothes, but did feel lots of stretching and pulling in my lower abdomen. By the next day....Pop! There was a mini-baby bump and clearly, I was showing.

I think it gets a little bit bigger everyday. I took this picture this morning while getting ready.

Our little prune is causing us to need some prunes!- Warning- not for those who blush easily!

We are nearing the finish line of the first trimester, however, the days feel like they go on forever! Just two more weeks, 16 more days to be exact and we are happily in the the second block of baby growth.

I can feel my body actively working to the point where I am simply exhausted at any given moment in the day. I am not complaining though, I simply imagine that our little fetus is swimming in all of the space he or she has right now! I imagine he/she can stretch out really long and get good and relaxed! Right now, our little "Shrek" has "so much room for activities."

It is such a crazy thing- growing a human being!

We are 10 weeks- soon to be 11 weeks...

Here is a little update on our baby....

The baby is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver are in place and starting to function. If you were to have super secret ninja vision and could see our munchkin you may be able to spot tiny nails forming on fingers and toes and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

Yes- I know, I read too much. Just take a look at that picture, while that is not our baby, that is how old and how big our baby is right this second. I am often dumbfounded at the idea of how quickly our little life was conceived and how big it gets every day.

We are roughly the size of a prune or a kumquat...

If you are unaware of what a kumquat is or how big... Here is a look...

It is amazing to me that I have something that big growing in my belly! I don't feel like I am really showing that much! It just looks like I went on an all cake all the time diet.

Rick and I often joke that the growing bulge in my belly is actually a "food baby" and not our baby. The definition of "food baby" is something most people choose not to discuss, but I will because the more preggo I get, the less filtering I do.

Food baby: (noun,) a descended stomach that appears like a baby-bump but is not the fetus, this phenomenon is caused by a build up of gases, food and digestive matter that is making its way ever so SLOWLY down your intestinal track.

Gross I know!

Here's what I think the culprit is to our Food Baby- the lovely anti nausea drugs that I have taken to not retch my guts up every morning... ZOFRAN.

So, while I haven't had to throw up, I also haven't been able to take care of business either! Its quite a funny problem to have. Prior to pregnancy, I would never would have dreamed of uttering the c-word, but now, I guess I have lost my shame and embarrassment and now have the ability express everything... especially to my poor husband. I am sure he would have paid a lot of money to never hear me say..."Honey, I have no idea why I am so constipated!"

I am sure this is just a temporary issue and will be resolved soon- with a lot of fiber, a lot of kiwi, and a lot of patience!

Stay tuned for next week: We will have a surprise for you to hear as well!

Prego Books and What Ones Do You Read???

Being pregnant, you often feel exhausted and absent minded. You crave knowledge and anything that can zap your normally functioning brain back to life.
So far, in my short experience of being "with child", I have had a ravenous urge to read everything under the moon about pregnancy. I feel like John Travolta in "Phenomenon" only I don't expect to be fluent in Portuguese... only fluent in truly "what to expect" next.

More than a year ago, knowing that one day I wanted babies, I had purchased books on the sly. I found several at "Big Lots" and for pennies on the dollar really. So, I spent a whole $4.00 on the books and tucked them away for the day that they would actually emerge with function. I also found another one in the bargain bin at a major book retailer for a fraction of the retail price... and yes, I hid that one as well.
I didn't want my poor husband to think that I was obsessed with having a baby, did I??!??!( even though we all knew that was the case.)
I was ready for that day to come, when I could dust off their covers and truly dig into the book chapter by chapter, or week by week in prego book terms.

Four weeks ago ( give or take a few days) I did just that. I got out "Working Mother's Pregnancy" and the "Emotions of Being Pregnant" and "Your Pregnancy Week by Week."
I started reading. Matching my symptoms, scanning with such close scrutiny of all the things that could go wrong and beginning to worry. Please God, keep our little one tucked safely in my expanding waistline.

It has become pleasure reading of text books. It seems so unlikely that the science and biology involved in reproducing a 1/2 you 1/2 husband little version of a person would be so gripping and page turning. It is just that. When you read how big your sea monkey is getting every week there is such a great pleasure in knowing that it is growing with the help of your love!
This week we are a blueberry and the fascinating thing about it, our little "Shrek" as we joke about it ( Shannon and Rick put together), already has a fully beating heart, brain development, growing fingers and toes, a little nose and earlobes too!
When you read that - you know that God truly has a plan and his creations on this planet are truly perfect in His eyes. At 8 weeks and four days along, our baby is starting to look like a baby.
It is easy to get addicted to reading about that!!

So, I bought a few more books. I actually bought one for Rick- that way he will know what he can expect from me and whats going on in the "inside."
I also bought a few books on Amazon ( used books for just a few dollars each) that were highly recommended by my wonderful mommy friends. The books are stacking up. And while I haven't spent more than 20 dollars total on them... I can already see the look that I will get when Rick peeks at the night stand to see 7 Prego-related books plus Dave Ramsey's book.

When we were at the Doctor's office on Monday, our doctor, who will soon become famous in this blog for his awesomeness, handed me two books.
He said "I don't want you to go out and buy a bunch of pregnancy books." (oops) He handed me a medical book from the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians and "What to Expect When You are Expecting." He said- these two are all you need!
"One is the most accurate and one is just for fun."

Rick's eyes lit up as if to say..."see I told you so!" So, after docs advice, I no longer feel the need to buy the latest edition of each book on the store shelf. I do, however, feel the need to read all of the ones I have on mine...
The good thing is, 40 weeks is kind of a long time.

Breaking News: Our Hage Baby Set For Delivery Oct 2, 2010

At the start of 2010, Rick and I decided that it was time to start "trying" to have a baby. Rick thought that was going to mean lots of "trying" with no results. But that's not exactly how things worked out. On January 30, 2010 Rick began to suspect that I was potentially prego, but I was not thinking that I was feeling anything other than major PMS.

Well, it wasn't PMS.

The cramps, the swelling ta-tas, the overwhelming and immediate drain of all of my energy at once was not monthly visit from "Aunt Flow."

In big bold letters on the EPT pee stick it said Pregnant! Our lives immediately changed.

It wasn't long before I started feeling the joys of pregnancy. At first, it was just a couple of days a week. Now, I am finding myself kneeling before our porcelain throne everyday- sometimes more than once. Throwing up has become a ritual for me in the morning... mostly triggered by brushing my teeth. Then, I have to brush my teeth again. Luckily, the second round with the soft bristle doesn't flare up the good ol' gag reflex....yet!

We were lucky enough to find the most amazing doctor!

Our first trip to the OB was one for the record books. I am extremely blessed that Rick wants to be involved in every step of this journey of ours. He may not feel that way when he has to sit in the doctors office with me and EVERYTHING is exposed! Rick learned this the hard way during our first visit.

We both arrived at Dr. Eckel's office feeling nervous and anxious. We were on edge. It was such a weird sensation to be celebrating getting pregnant when for so long you do what you have to do not to get pregnant. We both obviously are worried about all of the changes that instantly happened to our newlywedded bliss. As we walk through the doors from the lobby into the area where the big mean ugly scale sits, our anxiety is building. Then, they ask me to pee in the cup. I was like "Sure..."That was until I read the 10 instructions you MUST follow in order to properly accomplish said task.... gulp.... stage fight.... and the urine sample was a no go!

I was sweating all over my body... and felt that sudden twinge of vertigo start... Ears ringing... Still can't pee...my vision suddenly looking down the long "shining-like" hallway ... still can't pee...

I give up.

When I step outside of the bathroom and explain my sudden battle with stage fright, I get this look like "Girl, are you really pregnant???"

The nurse takes my blood pressure after that- and boy, did that ever skyrocket! 130/80!WAY HIGH for me!

So, we go into the exam room. Rick is trying to keep calm. He is quiet... too quiet!

During this first visit, the doctor does a full physical exam on me. This is obviously something most men don't have the pleasure of enduring year after year.

So, during this exam, Rick describes a sudden dizzy feeling overwhelming his normally cool head.

That's when he says "I think I am going to pass out."

Our wonderful doctor immediately jumped into action... He told Rick to put his head between his legs as he was already tearing off the rubber gloves preparing to catch his fall.

I was still in stirrups as I watched my husband slump over. I caught one shoulder with the doctor leaning over me to catch the other. Rick went lights out!

After a few minutes, my pale faced husband began to regain his sense of where he was and feeling in his face. Our experience was perfectly us. We are clumsy and chaotic at times and this visit was proof that God has a splendid sense of humor. We do too about our first visit. We also believe the perfect doctor was brought into our lives.

It's absolutely amazing to think that in a short time- Rick and I will be rocking our newborn to sleep.

Our second visit with our doctor was today. An amazing experience!

We saw our baby on the big screen!

The round mass in the center of the dark is our little sea monkey. Today, we both fell in love with our little creation!

We are back at the doctor in three weeks. We will hear what the baby's heart sounds like!

Will it be a tap dancer or a helicopter pilot?