The Incredible Grulk Family Blog

hello!  I can’t believe it’s been a month since I posted anything.  I’ll try to be better about that. What a big month it’s been!  MaryJane has begun to smile.  She really lights up a room.  She has started playing with toys and liking to interact.  Her current interests include Aunt Lisette making funny mouth noises, Daddy’s weird faces, and smiling at Mommy on the changing table.  She also has found a great interest in the small disco ball hanging over her changing table.  Patrick Hawks gave it to me as a joke.  Little did we know MaryJane would love it so much.  MJ has also begun to love being outdoors.  Sometimes when she cries, the only cure is to be outside.  We took her to Ledges State Park yesterday.  She slept through most of it, but she loved it.  We go on lots of walks.  Also, you wouldn’t believe how this girl sleeps!  She’s been sleeping for 8 hours in a row almost every night! She usually goes to bed around 9:30, and wakes up around 5:30 to eat, then goes back to sleep until around 8.  It’s amazing.  We think she’s pretty wonderful.

MaryJane is a month old already!  She’s getting so interactive!  I feel like she actually knows who we are now!  We’re starting to feel like this is “normal” now.  The first couple of weeks were pretty rough-at least for me- with all the hormones, sleep changes, and general upheval.  Now, life is getting into somewhat of a routine.  MaryJane and I like going on walks, either in the stroller or carrier.  We walk lots with Megan Hokel and Wes, the boy she babysits.  I’m so glad the weather’s getting nicer!  Nursing is getting easier too.  I’m glad I stuck it out.  This weekend, we spent most of Saturday at Awaken.  It was our last performance of the year, and for me the last one ever.  I’m glad we got to spend the day there.  MaryJane slept the WHOLE time.  Carl is a wonderful dad.  He loves his little girl.  He’s so sad to leave for work every morning.  MaryJane is still sleeping well at night.  We’ve had a couple of nights that she’s slept 6 HOURS in a row!  As for me, I’m definitely learning to be more laid back.  Whenever I try to plan on being somewhere at a specific time, MaryJane decides it’s time to eat RIGHT when it’s time to leave, or expresses her disapproval in the form of a blown out diaper .  I’m glad to be learning though.  It’s kind of freeing.

Hello everyone-

We’re so excited to welcome MaryJane Sophia Grulke into the world. She’s beautiful. We love her so much! She’s named after my (Kelsey’s) Grandma Mary Jane. She is 9 pounds, 4 ounces, 20.5 inches long. She arrived at 2:09 am after a long day of labor.

We were scheduled to be induced in the morning on the 25^th. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30, settled into our room and answered lots of questions. The doctor came over at 8:30 and broke my water. I was 4 cm dilated. We walked the halls of the hospital trying to get contractions started. After about an hour, contractions were coming. They weren’t very strong yet, so we kept walking and walking. At around 1 pm, the doctor checked me again. I had only dilated half a centimeter. A little while later, we started Pitocin because the contractions weren’t regular enough to be productive. Contractions got hard and came often, but were still not in a good enough pattern to be very productive. At 6:00, I had only dilated to 6 cm. Uffda! 2 cm in 9 hours! The contractions were very hard at this point. I had really wanted to do things without drugs, but I couldn’t face 4 more cm at that rate! I had an epidural, and things started moving along. Carl and I got to relax a bit as I kept contracting (though now in a much calmer manner). At 11:15 pm we were completely dilated. We decided to wait to push for a while so baby could move down on her own a little more. We started pushing at 12:15, and MaryJane entered the world at 2:09. She was perfect! Aunt Lisette came up to meet her and brought us Burger King at 3 am. I was starving! She took lots of pictures, and they were on facebook in a matter of hours. It was wonderful. Carl and I slept a bit after that, but not much!

We’re now at home learning to dress her, cut her fingernails, feed her (well mostly I’m learning that part), and love her. We’re all learning how to handle nights. Charlie (the dog) just doesn’t know what to think when she cries. We hope she starts sleeping well soon! We’ll keep you updated.

Hello all,

I had my LAST prenatal doctor’s appointment today.  I am 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  The doctor told me that most women go through all of early labor to get to that point. Wow!  I had to see a different doctor today, as mine is on vacation this week.  He told me I’m dangerous.  Dangerously pregnant.

If I make it until next Wednesday, we’ll be going in at 7:30 am to have my water broken.  So, baby Grulke will be joining us in less than a week!  Hooray.  We’re praying she’ll come before that on her own, but glad to have a definite ending point to the pregnancy.  We’re so excited to meet this little girl!  We’ll update you as soon as she comes.

Hello Everyone, We had a doctor’s appointment yesterday. Baby’s still coming along! I’m now 3.5 cm dilated and still 70% effaced.  I feel pretty thankful, as some women are in hard labor before they make it this far!  The doctor offered to induce on the due date (March 25) if she hasn’t come by then.  We’re trying to decide if that would be a good idea or not.  On the one hand, it would sure be nice to have a clear end in sight, but on the other hand, we run the risk of needing to play the chemicals game if we induce and my body’s not quite ready.  Everyone around us is getting pretty anxious for this baby to come.  So are we!  Give us your ideas to keep us occupied while we wait (im)patiently for Baby Incredible!  We’ll keep you updated!

37 weeks

Hello Everyone,

Well, at 37 weeks, a baby is officially considered “term.”  We’re eagerly (and sometimes impatiently) awaiting our little girl.  At my doctor’s appointment last week, I found out I’m 2 cm dialated and 70% effaced.  If you don’t know what that means, it means things are moving in the right direction.  Baby Grulke isn’t too far away!  This week’s appointment showed that I haven’t gained any weight, and my belly hasn’t grown either.  Those are all signs that things are still moving in the right direction and that Baby Incredible is even more “locked and loaded” than before.  We’re trying to stay patient but it’s hard!  We’re getting so excited to meet this little girl.