Welcome to the World Evan Raymond Bach

Well Hello Everyone!

I know it's been a couple of weeks, but we have been busy adjusting to life with our new little miracle :). Evan Raymond Bach decided to make his arrival on 10/13/2012 on 1:35 PM. He weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 21 and 1/4 quarter inches long.

 Here is Evan's labor and delivery story :)

I went into labor Friday evening at midnight. At first, I didn't realize what was happening so I waited for a few contractions to wake Jon up. He was quite startled but ready to roll :). He immediately got out his contraction timer app on his phone and we started to time. The contractions were pretty consistent and getting pretty close together. We waited about 2 hours and then decided to call the Dr. Of course, since it was a Friday night and the weekend our Dr. was not on call. We were directed to the on call Dr. who instructed us to make our way to the hospital. 

We made it to the hospital in no time and were directed to triage. I was admitted shortly after and given the epidural. Ahh...blissful relief from the pain :). We then were instructed to rest. I was admitted at 3 centimeters dilation and was progressing pretty well until about Noon. My progress stalled at 7 centimeters dilation for 3 hours - and that is when the Dr. decided to make the call to deliver me via c-section. Of course, this wasn't part of the plan, but the Dr. was great and very reassuring. Our parents had also made their arrival at the hospital by that point which was great as well.

It was my first trip to the OR, and it was very reassuring to have Jon there. He watched the whole thing..don't know how he did that! All I was waiting for was to hear the healthy cry of our baby boy. When we both heard his cry we burst into tears.

We stayed in the hospital for 2 days and then headed home. Of course, Evan cried the whole way! But he has since gotten more used to his car seat and being in the car :).

Here is a picture of Evan with our labor & delivery nurse as well as the Dr. who delivered him!

Well here is to next time. We look forward to sharing our journey as a family of three :).

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara, Jon, and Baby Evan :)

Week 39...Happy 30th Birthday Jon!!

Hi All,

Hope everyone had a great week! We made it to week 39 here at the Bach Household and still no Baby "B". We are getting more and more anxious by the day wondering when he'll decide to come. We were a bit worried about my blood pressure last week, but the Dr. took some blood work and was happy with the results. I go back for another appointment on Monday, so hopefully my blood pressure is OK.

It's hard to think of anything else at this point, besides the baby coming! You're mind really starts to go crazy thinking about the labor process, finally getting to hold him, and praying that he is healthy. He is still very active and has some really pronounced kicks sometimes. It truly is amazing to feel him move. I will miss that once he is out.

Here is a 39 Week picture. I officially feel as big as a house and really didn't want to post this, but I'm doing it for the baby to have in his memory book for the future. Hopefully I'll be back in pre-baby shape in no time!

A big milestone this week is Jon's 30th Birthday! Please send him some birthday wishes tomorrow!! Maybe Baby "B" will decide to make his grand entrance to share his birthday?  His parents came to visit us this weekend and we had a great time celebrating and going out to dinner. Jon was also VERY happy about the PSU win...I would say that was a pretty good birthday present :).

 Happy Birthday to the most wonderful, loving, and amazing husband that I could have ever wished for. When I don't think it's possible to love him more, I find myself finding new ways :). God truly blessed me by bringing him into my life.  I am SO excited for him to become a Daddy. He is going to be an even more amazing father than husband..if that is even possible!

We got a really great surprise this week while I was stressing about my blood pressure. A family friend, Dan Lawlor, sent us a whole bunch of shoes for the baby. They are all so cute! The best pair of course were the customized PSU shoes! Aren't these awesome? Thanks so much Dan! He will be wearing them with PSU Pride!

Well, let's see if this week brings Baby "B".  On to week 39! We hope to meet him soon!

P.S. Please continue to pray for my Aunt Chris as she continues her battle with Liver Cancer. Also, please keep our niece Ava in your prayers as she was back in the hospital this past weekend for some tests. We pray that the Dr. will quickly determine what is going on and for her continued healing. Also - we pray that her parents continue to have the strength to fight through her journey to recovery and remission.

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

Week 38...2 More to Go!

Happy Fall Everyone :)

We made it to 38 weeks. I'm getting very ready for this baby to arrive. I think my mind is working on overtime thinking about everything and anticipating when he might decide to make his grand entrance. We continue to pray every day that he is a healthy, happy baby.  I'm having a rough time sleeping lately  as my legs/hips are really hurting. I've finally resorted to having to sleep sitting up for part of the night. This past Friday I was up at 3:30 and had a serious craving for cheesy, pleasy eggs. I held out until 5 AM to make them, but I do have to say that was the craziest time to have a craving that I've had during this pregnancy.I guess Baby B was really hungry that night!

Here is a picture of me today with my little basketball :). The Dr. (and Jon) say that the baby has dropped. I do have to say it feels that way to me too. It's been fun lately, because sometimes if you find his foot and press gently on my tummy he'll push back. We get a kick out of that.

It has been a beautiful fall weekend here in NOVA. Jon and I were able to enjoy some walks and we even treated our self to dinner out. We figured it will be the last time we'll be able to do something like that for awhile. I also put out a few Fall decorations and we cannot celebrate Halloween in the Bach household without "Gerti". Jon gets a kick out of making her dance, talk, etc...LOL. I do have to say it provides some good entertainment for me too!

 We picked up our new family vehicle this past Tuesday, a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. We really love the new car and it's supposed to be a very safe vehicle. We feel SO much better about the car situation. Jon is particularly in love with it. It's the first new car that we both have gotten. It has a remote start as well which will be great while carrying the baby and to warm up the car in the winter. It also has a really cool blue tooth feature.

As was before, the car seat inspection was quite an operation. They said that Jon got a "B"..there were only a few things that needed to be adjusted in the car seat base. We also learned that in a crash the car seat is designed to go forward against the seat creating a cocoon. Who knew? Here is a picture from the checkpoint..it was quite busy and some people didn't even make an effort. They took it out of the box there!

We  also made a special trip to Costco to stock up on water, paper towels, napkins, etc. We said we felt like we are preparing for a natural disaster..but no only Baby B's arrival :). Oh what a planner I am! I'm sure the baby will put that to a test :).

Well I'm off to fold some laundry..yippee! Maybe this week will be the week? I have a Dr. appointment Wednesday and he plans to do an ultrasound to check fluids etc. I'm excited b/c I'll get to see the baby for the first time since the anatomy ultrasound.

Finally, please keep my Aunt Chris in your prayers. She battled and conquered breast cancer, but has been fighting liver cancer now for the past couple of months. She received some bad news this past weekend and could use all the prayers she can get. She is an extremely strong women. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. We love you Aunt Chris! 

I hope everyone has an awesome week. Happy October to all!

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

37 Weeks..Full Term :)

Hi All,

Well the date for Baby B's arrival is getting very close. I'm now full term, so he can make his grand entrance any day now :). I had a Dr. appointment last week, and the Dr. said that he is measuring as expected and thinks he will be a 7 or 8 lb baby. He also said that he is head down, so let's hope he stays that way!

Here is a picture of me today at 37 weeks.

Here is also a picture of me at 19 weeks. He sure has grown a lot! It's hard to believe that I was that small.

I will officially be working from home full-time starting tomorrow. It will be much better for me not to have to commute, etc. I plan to work until the baby comes and save as much leave as I can for after his arrival.

This past week was a bit hectic for us. We ran into some major car issues with my Mazda and decided it was best to get rid of it. We just didn't feel like it was the safest option anymore to be driving the baby around. We also determined that something a bit bigger would be great.The car seat takes up more room than you think! We've decided on a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and will hopefully be picking it up tomorrow. Wohoo!

I also got his car seat inspected this past week. I'm glad I did, because they needed to adjust it a bit. They had a whole inspection station set up with the Fairfax County Sheriff Department. I've been quite impressed with the resources we have available down here that have helped us to prepare for Baby B.

We are really going to try and enjoy these last few days/weeks before he arrives as we know this will be the last time it's just the 2 of us. We are really digging this Fall weather and are trying to fit in as many walks as we can. It's our favorite time of year for sure.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday Evening and a great week.

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

Week 36...One more Month to go!

Hi All :)

Wow! 36 Weeks here we come. One more Month to go until Baby Bach's due date. We are officially done with all of our classes and tours. We had our baby care class this past week which was great but kind of long. We learned how to swaddle, bath, and change a diaper :). We also had our hospital tour today. I think that is what really finally put things into perspective that this baby will be arriving soon! I have a Doctor Appointment on Tuesday where he will be able to tell about where he is positioned, etc. I'm nervous and excited to hear more about when he might arrive. My dad seems to think he is going to come early on the full moon (9/30). I guess we'll see if his prediction is accurate :). Also, my feet and hands have started to swell :(. I thought I would make it through the pregnancy without this, but it was the newest thing to crop up last week. Oh well..foot rubs are helping..thanks Jonny!

My parents also visited this past weekend. They were SUPER helpful as always. My mom brought down some food to freeze, etc. so we don't have to worry about cooking so much over the next couple of weeks. Thanks again..we appreciate you both very much! It is the last time we will probably see them before we become a family of three :).

His nursery is finally almost done. We just have to hang his name on the wall. We both really LOVE how it came out.

Jon and I both had baby showers at work this past week. We are very blessed to have such amazing co-workers. We were really touched by how nice the showers were and that they took the time out of their busy days to celebrate the arrival of our new baby.  Jon even had flowers to surprise me at my shower at work.

 And, I couldn't wrap up this post without a few pics from Jon's surprise 30th birthday dinner. Thanks Nari Walsh for taking this! For those of you who missed the blog last week, I set up a nice dinner for Jon and a few friends while they enjoyed the PSU vs. UVA game. He was really surprised! Normally he is the one surprising me:). Once again happy early Birthday Jonny  (A.K.A. soon to be the best daddy in the world).

 Well...here we go....last month. Will he come early or late? My vote is late..I just have that feeling, but we shall see :). 

Live.Love.Laugh. 

Sara

Week 35...Only 5 Weeks to Go!

Happy Sunday All -

It is an absolutely GORGEOUS day here in NOVA. Today was sunny with zero humidity..amazing! I even ventured out to do a few things in our yard, and Jon and I were able to take a walk...something that we weren't able to do at all this summer once the Heat of June hit. I also treated myself to a Decaf Pumpkin Spice Latte, so good!

Baby "B" had a good checkup with the Dr. last week. Things are progressing as expected. My next appointment is on September 19th - at that point we'll be able to get a better idea of where Baby "B" is positioned and how far it might be until his arrival. I attended a breastfeeding class this past weekend. I'm very glad I took it as it was very educational and taught me a lot. I'm hoping that nursing works out for us, but I'm definitely not going to get myself stressed out about it. It won't be healthy for me or the baby if I let it get to me too much.

We also FINALLY got the part that we broke putting together the Glider. Man-oh-man that thing was crazy to put together. The instructions had zero text and was all pictures. After much frustration though and putting it together a few different ways - we finally have it finished :). I guess it was getting us prepped for putting together all of his crazy toys.

Jon headed to UVA this past weekend to see the PSU vs. UVA game (can we talk heartbreaker? That poor kicker missing 4 field goals!) on his last trip away before the baby comes. Jon turns the big 30 on October 8th, right before Baby "B" arrives, so I surprised him this weekend and set up a nice dinner for him and his friends. I also had them give him a card and a gift. He was really surprised and I'm SO glad it worked! He is always the one surprising me..and I finally got him :). Love you Jonny and Happy Early 30th!!!

Well have to run for today...bring on Week 36. Looking forward to a visit from my Mom this upcoming weekend!

Oh and check out this sweet bib we got the baby...We thought JP would like it :).

Live.Love.Laugh

Sara

Week 34....Bigger and Slower :)

Happy Labor Day to All,

Week 34 here we come! We can't believe that in 6 weeks (maybe more/maybe less) we will be meeting Baby B. We have enjoyed this past week watching him move in my belly. It's easy to find him now and you can definitely see an elbow, foot, or hand at times. He woke me up bright and early Saturday morning with quite the gymnastics routine! I think he was as excited for college football to start as his Daddy! Here is a picture of me taken this weekend. It's not too great, but I feel it's my duty to post for Baby B's future viewing pleasure :).

We enjoyed the PSU game at our house with our good friends Taylor, Jeff, and their baby boy Liam. Look at this cutie all done up in his PSU gear :). It was great for us because Liam got to test out all of Baby B's new gear/toys. The snug-a-bunny seat was a big hit.

Jon and I still have a few things to get done around the house, but we are definitely starting to wrap things up. I feel like it's been a whirlwind trying to get everything done at the house in anticipation of his arrival. Between work and housework we have always been on the go. I can definitely feel myself starting to slow down. The newest things popping up this week are my feet swelling/hurting by the end of the day and it's become MUCH harder for me to get out of bed at night. I think I've figured out rolling out of the bed is the best option at this point :). I'm also still not sleeping too much as my hips/legs hurt very badly when I lay down. I even went out and bought one of those fancy pregnancy pillows (a Snoogle) last week, and it didn't help at all. I'm keeping it though and using it as a back rest. I've found it's harder to get in/out of my couch as well :). Oh well, it will all be worth it once we see his beautiful face. We continue to hope and pray that he is a healthy, happy baby boy! 

Jon finished up the majority of the new flooring on the 1st level. It looks amazing. He did a wonderful job.

Here are also a few pictures of Baby B's nursery. It's still not 100% put together (we ran into some issues putting together his glider and need a spare part shipped :)). I still wanted to post a few pics of the work-in-progress. Hopefully we'll get the part this week and get pictures hung on the walls.

Well hope everyone has a great 1st week of September. I have a Dr. appointment this week, so wish us luck.

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

Week 33....Birth Class and DC Baby Shower

Hi All -

It's been another crazy week in the Bach Household getting ready for Baby "B" to arrive. I think Jon and I are both experiencing nesting :). His room is really coming together, and I feel like we are getting close to having everything ready for his arrival. I will post pictures once we get pictures hung on the wall.

Jon also made great progress on the wood floor. He is about 99% done at this point. Here is a picture of our front room. He is almost done with the dining room and hallway. We are also taking this opportunity to rearrange the furniture a bit. Here is the picture of the front room. Looking great right? :)

We also had our Birthing Class and our DC baby shower this weekend. The birthing class was very educational. We decided to do the 6 hour express class rather than breaking it up. We learned a lot of great information about signs of labor, the delivery process, and relaxation techniques. As the instructor said - knowledge is definitely power and nothing is forever when it comes to the pain! She also said to think about running a marathon - when you run a marathon only the winner gets a medal. When you are in labor, everyone gets a baby! :). I think the part that is freaking me out the most right now is the recovery/affects on your body and the pain of course! I'm trying not to stress too much about the labor process as Jon and I both said that there are certain things that will occur which are just out of our control. I just hope and pray every day that Baby "B" arrives as a healthy, happy baby.

Our DC baby shower was a "Co-Ed" shower which was fun. It was hosted by our lovely friends, the Walsh's. They are awesome friends and we appreciate everything they did to host the shower very much! It was great to catch up with friend and also get some QT  with our friend's 3 month old babies, Liam and Collette. We can't wait for Baby "B" to join them for play dates.

Here are pictures of me with the lovely ladies and us with the Walshs.

Well here is to another week. We are looking forward to the start of football season and the first PSU game. Go Nittany Lions! We are ONE team! We ARE Penn State!

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

Week 32 - And More House Projects Continue

Hi All -

Wow. 32 weeks! 2 more months until Baby B's due date. I'm definitely starting to slow down more and looking much bigger. It seems like he's grown a lot in just a week. I was telling Jon today that I feel like I want from small to huge overnight. I can still see my feet though! So I'm considering that a positive :). I keep wondering what he is going to look like and praying that he will be a happy, healthy baby.

I didn't get a chance to post many baby shower pictures last week. Here are a few pics from the weekend.  This picture is of the AMAZING diaper cake that my Aunt MaryAnn made. She is very creative and was able to think of something to go along with his nature themed nursery. There was also a surprise bottle of champagne in the middle for Jon and I to enjoy after the babies arrival :).

I love this picture of me with my Mom and Joanne taken at the shower. Baby B is going to be SO blessed to have these amazing women in his life to look after him. I'm very much looking forward to having their help and support after he arrives.

And finally, here is me with my t-town girls. I love these ladies. I'm always so grateful for the fact that we've been able to stay so close through the years. There is nothing like spending time with your childhood friends. I really hope that Baby B can form such close bonds as he grows up.

This week the house projects continued.I think we will both be exhausted before he arrives just trying to get everything done.  I think I mentioned last week, but Jon decided to surprise me with beautiful hardwood flooring on the first floor of our house. He is doing a great job installing it and spent the weekend working on it He is about 90% done. I love the end project of house work but boy-oh-boy do I not like the mess. As you all probably know - I'm a creature of cleanliness & organization :). Something that Baby B will probably break me off as well!

We also were able to spend time with some friends and finally purchased our Glider/Rocking Chair for the Nursery. Oh boy was that quite the decision! We wanted to find something that was relatively inexpensive, but still comfortable. I'll post a picture once it arrives.

Well I'm off to relax for the evening. Please continue to send prayers of healing to Jon's Mom as she continues to recover from her hip replacement surgery.

We have our childbirth class this upcoming weekend. I'm not sure if it will scare me more or relax me. We shall see!

Live.Love.Laugh

Sara

Week 31...Baby Bach's PA Baby Shower

Hi All,

It's been a very busy weekend so this post will be short :). Jon and I headed home to PA this weekend for Baby Bach's baby shower. It was a wonderful weekend spent with family and friends. The shower was held at Jon's parent's house. My Mother and Joanne did a wonderful job planning and coordinating the shower. Thank you both! We love you more than words can say. I also have to thank my Aunt Mary Ann who was a huge help to my Mother.

Our son is going to be truly blessed to be surrounded by SO many wonderful, amazing friends and family. I was very overwhelmed by all of the love and support for our new miracle. I also especially LOVED spending some time with my t-town girls. I really love how everyone has stayed in touch. There is nothing that compares to coming home to friends that you've grown up with and sharing new memories/milestones.  I'll post a lot more pics from the shower next week...but here is what our car looked like for the ride home!

Jon also got to work cleaning out his bedroom at home in preparation of bringing the baby home to PA. He stumbled upon a lot of great old pictures and mementos from high school. We started out as high school sweethearts and now more than 10 years later we will be welcoming our new little boy.

Well, have to run. We are both exhausted from the weekend. More pictures to come! I have another Dr. appointment this Wednesday. Also, please send prayers this week to Jon's Mom, Joanne, as she heads in for hip replacement surgery.

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

Week 30... Checking more things off the list

Happy Sunday Everyone!

10 weeks to go! It's been another hot week here in NOVA. Yesterday was stifling, but it seems like the weather might break a little bit heading into next week. Baby Bach's kicks have switched into much more pronounced movements now. If you watch my stomach these days you can see him moving. It's really amazing. Luckily he is good at settling down at night right now, so I can get some rest.

We went to an infant CPR class this past week. I'm glad we took it. I think we will feel much more confident when we bring him home. INOVA health system has a great health education program. We are looking forward to our child birth class at the end of the month.

Jon spent the week/weekend working on finally finishing the basement bathroom...AND surprising me with starting to put in new flooring on our first floor!!!! It is beautiful!  I came home from being out today, and walked in to him installing the floor..I was not expecting it at all! He is just the most awesome hubby and future dad to be.

I attended my friend Justine's baby shower this weekend. They are expecting their first baby in September. It was very cute and a good opportunity to catch up with some friends that I haven't seen in awhile. They had a really cute idea where the desserts had themes based on books (i.e. moonpies for Good Night Moon, and a bowl of fish for the book (1 fish, 2 fish, 3 fish). Congratulations to Justine & Ron as they head into the home stretch!

I also went to an outing with the "New Mommy" group I joined. We painted pottery. It was a really fun time and nice to talk with other ladies that are at the same stage of pregnancy that I am. I made Baby Bach a "college fund" piggy bank :)

Well, here is to next week. We are looking forward to celebrating Baby Bach with our PA Family & Friends.

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara

Week 29 - BabyMoon to Maryland Eastern Shore

Well, here we are. 29 Weeks. This week they said on the news that it has officially been the hottest July on record in the Washington DC area. It would figure that I would also be pregnant, having to enjoy this summer heat :).  I do have to say though. It hasn't really been too bad. I'm in A/C most of the day, and I still have my ankles!! They have yet to succumb to the humidity. My Dr. was even impressed by that :).

Jon and I decided at the last minute to take an overnight trip to the MD Eastern Shore this weekend. We are SO glad we did it! It was awesome to get away. We left early Saturday AM and first stopped in Easton, MD where we enjoyed their farmers market and shops.

We then headed out to St. Michaels, MD, which is a small town on the Bay. We explored the town and enjoyed some MD crab at a restaurant called the Crab Claw. We had a great table right on the water.

After our fantastic lunch and of course some ice cream! We headed out to our hotel, the Wades Point Inn. It is located right on the water and I felt like we were stepping back in time. It reminded me of those Southern Plantations that I've read about in so many books. This was the road to get into the Inn.

And here is the front of the Inn with me in the front :). It was built in the 1600s. There was no television, so it really felt good to disconnect. The only bad experience was getting caught up in a horrible thunderstorm on our way back to the Inn. We aren't used to driving without street lights anymore and the rain was torrential! All we both could think about was getting Baby Bach to safety! It's amazing how he is already the center of our world.

I do have to say that Baby Bach had a great first trip to the Bay.

Well here is to another week. We are taking our Infant CPR Class on Thursday. I think we'll feel very reassured to have taken it when we bring him home. Hope everyone has a great week.

Live.Love.Laugh

Sara & Baby Bach :)

Week 28...Welcome Third Trimester

Welcome Third Trimester :)

I'm both excited and scared to hit this milestone. I just can't wait to meet our Son, but I also can't imagine at this point what it is actually going to be like to welcome this little miracle into the world. Our world will never be the same. We were driving past the hospital this weekend, and it really hit me that in the near future we won't be driving by..but actually stopping and leaving with another member of our family.

Jon and I have been having a lot of fun with how much he has been moving. I love to lay in bed at night and feel his kicks. Jon loves to talk and "play" with him. This baby will be so lucky to have him as a dad. Jon was talking to him the other night and he kicked him in the mouth...it was really cute/funny.  I guess he didn't like what he was saying ;).

I started to park in the "pregnancy" spots for the first time this week. I figured while I can utilize them, why not? It's nice to be able to park close especially with this summer heat!

Jon's parents came for a visit this weekend. They surprised me and picked up the dresser for the babies room. I love it! I will post a picture when the nursery is a bit more finished.  Jon's dad also helped us put in a shower stall in our basement bathroom.

On top of all of the nursery work and baby stuff..we are trying to get done as many projects at the house as we can before he arrives. We know we will have visitors and a lack of time/money after his arrival.

We also paid a visit to Jon's parents favorite restaurant in NOVA, Peking Gourmet Inn. http://www.pekinggourmet.com/. They have amazing duck and was a favorite restaurant of President George W. Bush during his presidency. Here is a picture of Joanne and I before dinner..I know I look like a giant, but I had on high wedge sandals :)

We hope everyone enjoys the last full week of July. Bring on August :).

Live.Love.Laugh.

Sara