We'll lets see in case anyone is wondering I am no longer in labor. Yeah, I know duh. In fact I ended up having her the night I wrote my last blog. I never would have thought it could happen so quickly, but I was admitted into the hospital on Sunday, November 30th at 6:00pm and delivered her that night at 8:36. I ended up having a natural vaginal birth, with everything happening so quickly I wasn't able to get an epidural. They did give me something in my iv (I think it was called fenterol or something) it took the edge off for like 5 minutes which isn't very long, but it sure helped at the time. Oddly enough when they told me I wasn't gonna be able to have the epidural I wasn't upset, mostly I think because I was just ready for her to come out. Thankfully she was ready too, I only pushed for 11 minutes and out popped Alexandra Marie Cox at 7lbs 1oz and 19in long. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. I just remember crying and saying "I have my baby girl!" and then to anyone I could see "Thank you, Thank you!" My mom asked me recently how I would rate my labor and delivery in reguard to pain. Honestly, the majority of it wasn't painful. Through the early parts while I was at home my fam helped me breathe through it all and drink lots of water. The part that caused pain was while I was in the hospital and was in the transition phase and went from 4 to 8 in an hour and half(this was when I was ready to give up, also when I asked for the epidural). The pushing didn't hurt, it actually felt good in an odd way because I knew it meant she was coming. Although I do recall as her shoulders were coming out say "Ouch that stings". I guess I should say I may remember things diferently and my fam may say I was in more pain, but I think overall it went well. I am not in any way trying to say I'm superwomen though, just that I feel blessed things went so smoothly.

I don't think I can express how lucky and blessed I feel to be Lexi's mom. Everyday I love her more and more. Even though a year ago I never would have guessed that I would be a mom, I now can't imagine not being one. Totally weird I know. I have had a lot of first's in these last two weeks. First time changing a diaper, first time giving a baby a bath (yeah that was just a tad nerve wracking), first time nursing (support is the key to sucess with this), yeah I could just go on and on. The odd thing is that I love it all because all those things alow me to spend time with her. I just can't say it enough I love her! :)

So I'm in labor. You're probably wondering why the heck is she blogging if she is in labor, right? We'll I'm wondering the same thing, but I guess because it's only the beginning so I'm trying to keep myself busy so I don't think about it. So far the contractions have been like really strong cramps I guess is the only way I can describe it. Except at the same time they are different. Every time I feel like tensing up I just try and relax my body and breathe slowly. So far it works pretty well. Fingers crossed it will continue to help me. My fam is being so great they are all just right there for me. I was just thinking dang this means I have to have a name for her and I still have absolutely no idea what to choose. Hopefully I'll see her and it will just come to me.....My little piece of advice for labor is drink as much water as you can handle it helps to keep the labor progressing....

I have just a little over a week to go before my due date. I can't believe it, but I am so ready to meet her. I know that it sounds stupid, but I wish that she would be born before the 1st so that she makes the school deadline. I have a feeling though that she wont. :( I think I have all the little things pretty much taken care of, I even finally got my bag packed. My family is all resting much easier now. Literally my whole family was getting nervous about it even my dad. We'll just thought I would get a short update gotta go bug dad to see if he will hang my shelves.....

I'm just gonna warn you now that the following is just a bunch of boringness about myself so I wont be offended if you fall asleep trying to read it. My sincere apologies.....

8 TV shows I like to watch:
1. NCIS
2. Project Runway
3. America's next top model (yeah I know its sad, but true)
4. Oprah
5. I love Lucy
6. CSI Las Vegas
7. CSI Miami
8. Grey's Anatomy (not anymore but I used to watch it faithfully)

8 Favorite Restaurants
**I don't really eat out so this one is kinda hard**
1. Mr. Pickle (The Hot T is to die for)
2. Mimi's
3. La Mission (I could just eat a whole plate of just beans, rice, and sour cream)
4. Tops Yogurt (Some might not consider it a restaurant, but I love it so yeah)
5. Olive garden (soup and salad yum yum)
6. Selland's (A local catering place that has great salads)
7. La bou' (I love their worm salad. Not really worms, but I don't know the real name)
8. Ike's (It is a little family owned deli near my work that bakes their pita bread fresh everyday. The best part really is the bread, but their thing is sandwiches)

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. I went to work
2. Heather and my mom got me a super soft silk rug for my room
3. I went shopping for a new comforter with my mom
4. Picked up a few things for my pumpkin pal at work
5. Played fetch with Toots
6. Got a call from a Kaiser person who apologized for the teacher not showing up at the newborn class last week.
7. Had the last slice of homemade cheesecake left over from my birthday
8. Was reminded I only have 13 workdays left until I go on maternity leave

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. Birth of my baby girl!!
2. Halloween our theme is 70's this year at work
3. November 14th my last day before maternity leave
4. Thanksgiving (I love everyone just being together)
5. Friday because then its the weekend!! whoo hoo!!!
6. Kristina coming for her baby shower
7. Tomorrow's lunch with Aunt Carel (I just love having lunch with her)
8. The next ultrasound I have with Julie

8 things on my wish list:
1. To win the lottery so I can stay home with baby
2. To buy my first house
3. For my family to be safe, happy, and healthy
4. To be a good momma
5. To have a husband
6. To make more money
7. To loose my baby weight within 9 months of having baby
8. To be thoughtful and kind toward others

8 People I am Tagging:
1. How about just anyone who wants to do it does it :P

So I took the day off to "rest" and get some errands run. Did I get anything done? Nope well I did go to the bank, but that is about it. Why is it when I try to plan to get things done I actually don't do anything? Things always seem to end up that way....Last night I got my little girl her mattress. It was so cool to see it there in the crib. I swear the girl has a nicer mattress than me. Oh well today while I was home I watched a baby story a couple of times and.....yeah ugghh uhhh nope I'm good the stork is going to come and take the baby out of my belly and that is that. It's not even about the pain its just all very intense and yeah I'm definitely going to go the stork route. I think I am getting to be at the whale stage. I just feel round and yeah round. Hmmmm I can't believe I only have 6 weeks left and then baby arrives. I am still no closer to picking a name this week has been Mackenzie and call her kenzie and yes if you are wondering that is one of the names of my family dogs. She really is a great dog though and I like the name so yeah who cares if the dog has the same name? Time to go eat dinner.....

So I've been thinking I know absolutely nothing about babies. I'm the baby in my family so I was never really around any. Yes I have lots of younger cousins, but thats the thing I know toddlers and up well. Give me a baby though and I'm clueless. Really I mean totally clueless. Yes, I know the motherly instinct supposedly just kicks in, but still I have no idea what I'm in for. I just feel like I'm floating around in a sea of the unknown....

Life....you never know how fast things in your life can change. As most know I've had a lot of change lately....I've lost a lot, but yet I've gained even more and I'm not just talking about my rambunctious yet to be born baby girl. I'm talking about how I have learned a lot about myself things I may not have learned for years if I hadn't gotten pregnant. Its interesting how your priorities change and just you change when you have a baby on the way (or when you have any major life change). Even though as most know I will be raising this baby as a single mom I know that I wont be alone I have the support of so many family and friends that I know will be always willing to help. The way I look at it I feel lucky to have so many people who are there for me. It's not like I have no job or health insurance. I am lucky that I'm in such a good situation.

I think some people think they need to tiptoe around the fact that I don't have a husband, but really they don't it's a fact I don't have one so why dwell over it. Sure I'd love to have a significant other to share this with, but I don't so why cry over split milk? I don't mean to sound bitter I just have learned to be practical about it. Not to say I don't have some sad times, but there must be some reason why I became pregnant so I feel no regrets..........On to other topics. Labor and delivery....yeah maybe I'm not ready yet to talk about that. I'm just gonna go into it knowing its going to involve pain, but yet it wont last forever right? I talked to a girl at the bank last weekend who had an epidural with her first child and her leg was numb for three years until she had her next child and the epidural again where it reversed the effect. Weird huh? Freaked me out and she said she found that its not abnormal for things like that to happen. I do know that I DO NOT want to be induced. I have heard from so many of my friends that it is horrible.....Time to go..... :P

So what's new in my life....well I am 6 1/2 months pregnant....crazy I know. I still can't believe it myself sometimes. I mean I'm the baby so how can I be having one? It's crazy though she isn't even here yet, but I can't imagine her not being apart of my future. It seems like everyday I'm am preparing for her arrival....man I guess that sounded gushy sorry moving on.....Oh! I went to a John Mayer concert in July and it was totally awesome!! Me and my mom were even closer than the last time we saw him. I was standing up for pretty much a whole hour straight. The guy behinde me was quite happy once I sat down, but HELLO it was a concert. Maybe he just needed to loosen up a bit. Really I didn't care at the time I was enjoying the music so much I can't wait till he comes again. He is such an awesome live performer!!....Work is well work. I've gotten used to my job now so it doesn't stress me out like it used to. I mean we have a busy beginning and end of the month, but I know how to deal with it now. The people I work with are great. We had a team building event a couple of weeks ago where we all went bowling and played laser tag. I didn't bowl cuz of the pregnancy, but I did play laser tag. It was fun. I think it really opened us all up to each other....Man I swear Haley (her name for this week) head butts me all the time. Thankfully it doesn't hurt, it just feels funny.....We had office olympics at my work to today. It was a team event I did the paper clip diving. It was intense, but I don't think it took me more than three trys to get my clips into the tiny container of water. It was a nice little break from work....well large and in charge me is going to go feed the dogs...... :P

Please ignore icky girl with long hair she had yet to cut off her hair.

Please pay close attention to the addorable furball next to her though.

This is a pic from our camping trip to Fort Bragg in June. It was cold pretty

much the whole time, but still fun. :)

My Beautiful Baby Girl!!!
Already trying to suck her thumb.

Picture taken by Julie my sis

Here is my Toots,

I have finally posted a picture of Toots although it isn't current and isn't very good at least I got one up right? I'll try to put something up more current soon, but I can't make any promises. All I can say is my life consists of sleeping and working and entertaining Toots. I started a new position again last month. I am now an accounts payable and receivable specialist. Yeah totally not me, I know. However, it is more pay. Although I have to say there has only been one day this week where I didn't work overtime. I am pretty much exuasted every day I come home....Oh my gosh I don't know how I could forget to mention it, but guess what???? Nope you're never going to guess it so I might as well just tell you. I got.......tickets to John Mayer for when he is here in July. I can't wait. He is really good in concert and it is outside....You know how when you think of finance you think of stiff collar and stuff like that? Well its true there is a lot of that in finance. I just keep thinking how its funny I ended up in finance when it is like the complete opposite of me. I guess life just takes funny turns.
Toots is so cute I just coughed and she all of sudden stopped chewing her toy and gave me this look like "Mama are you ok?" She is a lot of work, but worth it" We have so much fun together. We went to the dog park for the first time last weekend. Lets just say I think she was in heaven. I don't think she has one aggressive bone in her body though she was on her back as soon as any dog came over to her. Dang it she just took one of my nylon knee highs. See thats what happens when I start to praise her she goes and does something mischevious....I really like the group of girls I work with. They all are different and bring something different to our group. Today we had a team lunch (we wen't to BJ's) and they are all older than me by at least ten years, but I told them in the ways that count I am older than them all. Essentially I was bagging on myself because I am a fuddy duddy, but I always have been more.....simple so i'm ok with that. Anyways they were saying they think I have an old soul. I thought that was pretty cool. Even my boss is awesome she just treats us all as equals.....One thing my new job has done is put me more at ease with is starting conversation with people. It's still not my favorite juice, (which happens to be this pomegrante blueberry one made by minute maid) but after talking on the phone to doctors and just people from other companys i've become more at ease with it. I would never in my life though call me a social butterfly. Hmmm I think I'm craving a popsicle.....

Does it make sense to say I'm so tired I can't even go to sleep?....Yeah I didnt think so. Man this new job I got is brutal. Oh yeah new thing in my life I got a new job. I love it because I am so busy the time just flies by. Its just right now everything is so new. Oh I got married and have decided to move to south Carolina because my new bubbie got a position there work is going to transfer me to a regional office there. We have already found a really nice 1 bedroom shed to live. His new job is just down the road milking cows. I am so proud of him. I couldn't wish for anything more. I sold my car and bought a 1978 winnabego for the trip out there....hmmm maybe I should hit the sack now cause I have no idea where all that came I just started typing. Oh just a bit of john Mayer news who is extremely talented as usual did the theme sing for the movie the bucket list and it is really and that is comingbfrom a totally unbiased opinion of course....the weather has been so nice the past couple of days I hope that it stays luke this. I hate the rain and cold weather they are both so uncomfortable. I recently read one of my old diaries and in it was the first date me and jinny boy went on. It was so hilarious. I wrote down to a tee everything that happend. Even how I caught him being scared to put his hand on the arm rest because mine was on it. What a scardy cat. I can't believe its going to be 8 years this April.....I really mean it I can't believe it has been that long....hmmm yeah sorry got lost in that thought for a second. I really want to buy a house right now because houses are so cheap. I just don't know how to go about it. Yeah I don't know I'll keep you updated on that. Well I officially can say that I am dead on my feet I don't even want to get up to turn the light off....on a last note I am no longer using spell check for this one I am to lazy, two diaries don't have spell check, three I'm lazy, and four I'm just too lazy. Yeah I know I over do it.....man I do just ramble on.... :P