Welcome Odell Hawkins Brink!

Sorry for the crazy long delay... we're home!

Meet Odell Hawkins Brink

born 2/22/11 10:41 am 7lbs 13oz and 21 inches long. 11 days overdue! The last 5 days have been such a blur.. but it's been really great. Odell has been so sweet and I spend most the day just starring at him.

I went in to get induced but ended up having him natural. Wow.. what an amazing experience.

I labored for 10 hours, pushed for 2 and he came out sunny side up. It took 3 Dr.'s an hour to stitch me up from tearing from front to back. ouchie. I also pushed so hard I gave myself two bloodshot black eyes and have broken capillaries all over my face. I didn't know you could give yourself black eyes from pushing. But make no mistake, the moment he came out and was placed on my chest it made it all worth it. All of it... every single bit of it. The infertility, the tears, the In-Vitro,the overdue pregnancy and the hard natural labor, all of it. I'd do it again tomorrow and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. WAY harder than my first marathon but oh so much more rewarding.

My parents are here helping and they have been a life saver. Doing laundry, cleaning, cooking, shopping.. really great. They leave on Monday and just thinking of them not being here makes me teary. I think things are going to feel a lot harder.We've had a couple of fussy nights but overall he's a reallyl happy baby. His first night home was rough for me... he cried for a couple of hours late at night and I couldn't do anything to make it stop. Vito came into the nusery to find me holding Odell crying just as hard as he was. It was such a helpless feeling. Vito eventually got him to fall asleep and once I fell asleep I felt much better after a nap the next day.

I'm learning so much. Learning so much about myself... about babies, about my husband, my family and little Odell. It's quite the instant lifestyle change, but it feels good.

xo

Still nothing...

Due date came and went... now 4 days overdue and so ready! It's hard to believe that it could still be another week before it happens. We're just trying to savor these last few days alone... soon it will all be so different!

JusT WaiTiNG....

We're just waiting here...

I've been doing everything I can to pass the time...

the official due date is tomorrow.

I'm still working which has helped pass the time during the day but when I get home in the afternoon...

I've been taking lots of naps (notice Cassius still sleeping)

Some knitting, drawing, painting, cleaning... hanging things on the walls here and there...

wondering if these vintage blocks I purchased at an antique store were painted with lead paint... I did put a couple of new prints in my etsy shop! Go take a looksie!

Hope you're staying warm... it's been so cold here in Denver the last couple of weeks.

Someone's been PaiNtinG**--**

One week until my due date! I've been painting to help pass the time and just listed these 8 tiny little paintings in my etsy shop today. It had been months and months since I'd picked up a paintbrush and it's felt so great! Ali and Heather gave me a really cool little original painting on wood as a Christmas gift and I really loved the concept of painting on a small hard surface. It inspired these...It's been crazy cold here in Denver the last few days and school has been cancelled, it's been amazing! Drinking warm drinks, knitting, wearing sweatpants all day and veturing out here and there to meet girlfriends for lunch or coffee. It's a great way to spend my last week before this baby comes.

Hope you're staying warm!