Birth Story (Part 1)

Thursday night October 6th I started having contractions and they seemed to be about every half an hour but they weren't to regular and then ended up being even less frequent after a while. When we went to bed I was still convinced I was going to end up having to be induced Monday. Friday morning I woke up at 5:30 with contractions every fifteen minutes. I wasn't sure if it was the real deal or not and was paranoid I would end up going to the hospital and it wouldn't really be time and we would be sent home. I also wasn't sure if I should call into work or not but after the contractions started getting a little bit closer together I decided I should probably call and let someone know I wouldn't be able to make it in.

When I call my manager told me good luck and it sounded like I was going to have a baby. I still wasn't sure it was the real deal and was thinking I was going to look really dumb if it really wasn't labor. I had been told a few times that most first time mothers often have false alarms and Chris seemed pretty sure I would have at least one false alarm.

We waited for a while and my contractions were getting worse we decided to get ready and then head to the hospital. By the time we left for the hospital my contractions were between three and five minutes apart. They were pretty painful. We got in the car and headed to the hospital. On the way to the hospital at one point I had gone about eight minutes without a contraction and both Chris and I were thinking it was just a false alarm and we would be sent home. Right before we got to the hospital I had another horrible contraction I think we were both relieved that the contractions hadn't stopped. We got to labor and delivery around 8am and I told the nurse I thought I was in labor they had me go into a room and get into a hospital gown and said they would be in shortly to check me.

On our way out the door for the hospital.

When the nurse came in and checked me I was at 6cm and 90% and I think a 0 station. I was so surprised and proud of myself that I made it to a 6 before we got to the hospital. They told me that the anesthesiologist was in with a c-section and they would get him in to give me an epidural as soon as he was done. The doctor came in and broke my water. That was an interesting feeling when he broke my water and I was very glad my water didn't break somewhere that someone would have had to clean it up... that would have been a mess. I ended up only having to wait about an hour before the anesthesiologist came in. I was so glad I didn't have to wait any longer I was in so much pain when I had the contractions that I was shaking from the pain. I was so amazed that the epidural hardly even hurt at all; getting the IV hurt worse then the epidural. Once the epidural was working I was a happy camper. Seriously the epidural was the greatest thing ever.

Ready to have a baby :)

After the epidural was in place I was able to focus on other things then the pain. The baby wasn't responding well to the contractions they had put me on some pitocin to get my contractions a little more regular and the baby didn't like that at all. The nurse figured out that the baby responded better to the contractions better when I was on my right side so I pretty much stayed on my right side the whole time. After a while I was starting to feel pain in my left side and when I mentioned this to the doctor and the nurse they told me the epidural is effected by gravity and that's why my right side was more numb then my left.

Chris's scared face.

On Oxygen to try to help the baby.

They had to put monitors on the inside because the monitors on the outside weren't reading my contractions or the baby's heart rate. We watched the baby's heart rate on the monitor and at one point the baby's heart rate went down to 60 which was really low and I called the nurse to come in. She talked to the doctor and he wanted her to have me push and see if they could get him to come out.At this point we kicked everyone out of the room.  She had me push once and by this time the epidural was really starting to not work anymore. Dr Watabe finally came in and had me push again. He wasn't sure if the baby was facing the right way and so he stuck his hand in and was trying to turn the baby around, that was so painful. He decided to try using the forceps to get the baby out and they actually slipped off the baby's head. The baby's heart rate wasn't coming up and Dr Watabe decided he needed to hurry and get the baby out.

By this point I was in so much pain I really didn't know much of what was going on. I remember them quickly wheeling me down the hall but I could have been naked and I wouldn't have even known because of all the pain. They gave Chris an outfit to put on so he could be in the room for the c-section. I didn't see him for a while and I was worried he was going to miss it. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me some more medicine for the c-section. I heard them counting and as soon as they were done the doctor started cutting. Generally with the medicine for a c-section they have to wait for 10 minutes for it to work but they only waited for 5 minutes. I felt them cut and I remember the anesthesiologist telling me I might feel a little pressure and I told him I was feeling a lot more than pressure. The baby's head was a little big and one of the nurses had to get on top of me and help push him out. She mentioned later that her feet weren't even on the ground cause she was using all her weight to push. After they got him out I heard him cry and I felt so grateful he had made it.

After I heard the baby cry it still felt like they were trying to get the baby out of my stomach there was lots of pushing and pulling and who knows what going on down there. Chris mentioned that he saw my insides on my chest... lucky him haha.

The medicine finally kicked in and I was very out of it. I remember Chris bringing the baby to me putting him by my head but after they left I had no idea what he looked like. Chris then left and went down to the nursery with the baby while the doctors finished sewing me up. I remember laying there listening to the doctors talking about how their patients get mad when they have an appointment but have to wait because they're over delivering a baby at the hospital. I started to think about how I didn't know how big the baby was or how long or even what time it was. I finally interrupted and asked how much the baby weighed. They told me he was 8lbs 1oz. I was so surprised he wasn't bigger (the ultrasound tech had scared me at my last ultrasound). The doctors then talked to me and I told them how they should just make sure not to deliver those patients babies if they are in an appointment with another patient.

After the doctors finished up with me the nurses were moving me back to the other bed and I didn't realize just how paralyzed I was by this point until I saw that my leg was bent and couldn't feel it. They told me that this was the crappy part about c-sections that I had to stay up in labor and delivery for a few hours to recover and wouldn't get to see the baby for a while.

Being in recovery crazy and after being super hot for the previous nine months it was strange being super cold. I just remember being so cold and shaking uncontrollably. My family stayed in the room with me while I recovered and I received occasional update texts from Chris who was downstairs with the baby.

Baby and Family Pictures

Two weeks after we Gavin was born we had some newborn/family pictures taken. Kate Peterson (elizabethkatephotography.com) took the pictures and she did a wonderful job. Here are just a few of those pictures.

Quick Update

I have a few things that I need to blog about. We took a trip to Wyoming a couple weeks ago. Amy and my Mom threw a baby shower for me (I got some awesome things). I really will blog about all of this and put pictures up... even though I hate pictures of myself right now.

Anyway I just had to post about my doctor appointment yesterday.

My friend Paige was due on Friday and she still hasn't had her baby so I was asking the doctor about how long over he would let me go. He said that with how I've progressed he highly doubts I'll go over but the closer I get to my due date the more we would talk about that. The nurse said the most he would let anyone go over is a week. I really hope that isn't a concern for me.

After talking to the doctor and he listened to the heart beat and that was all good. He checked for dilation and I'm still 80% effaced (I've been there for 3 weeks) 2 1/2 cm dilated. I forgot to ask what station until I'd already left the doctors office last week I was at a -2 station. I've basically gained a half of a centimeter every week which seems to be nice progress. The doctor said if he were to take a guess he would say the baby will come in around a week and a half. I'm so excited I could hardly sleep last night. I really hope he's right :)

Brooklyn is a Funny Girl

Chris gets to take Brooklyn out once a week. Last night we got to take her out to eat with my family and my Sisters' Grandparents (who are super nice and spoil us).

When we got there Amanda's Grandma asked Brooklyn if she remembered that she knew her and Brooklyn told her no. She then told her that she knew her and her big brown eyes. Brooklyn's response was "They're not brown they're green." Grandma said "Oh they're green today?" Brooklyn "No they're green every day."

Brooklyn's little brother was born last week and so she was telling us all about him. She said they put him on the scale and weighed him but she didn't remember how much he weighed.

Me: Six pounds?
Brooklyn: No
Me: Seven Pounds?
Brooklyn: No
Me: Eight Pounds?
Brooklyn: Yeah that's what he did but not anymore.

We found out the baby weighed around seven pounds so I'm not sure where she got eight pounds.

She said he pees on everything. She told us "He peed on my blues clues pants and I was SO mad."

When we took her back her mom came out with the baby and Brooklyn told us "It's okay if you take turns."

Happy Birthday Chris!

This year to celebrate Chris's birthday we went with the fam to Park City. We have fun going every year and it was even more fun this year taking Brooklyn. She was so excited and loved both the slide and the coaster. She is growing up way too fast.

My Little Owls

My BFF Amy in Provo made these adorable owl hats for Baby and Brooklyn. She is amazing! We've decided... or I should say I've decided to decorate the Baby's room with owls. I'm really loving the owls right now. A few months back I found hats similar to these online and was telling Amy I needed to figure out how to make this. She's so crafty she figured them out! They are so cute and I can't wait to put them on my little owls :)

Seven Peaks

Saturday we went to Seven Peaks.

Saturday morning we got up and got ready. Brooklyn's swimsuit from last year was way too tight and made her little bum look like she had four cheeks... kind of funny but not very comfortable. Chris ran to the store and got her a new swimsuit while we finished getting ready. When he got home Brooklyn was so excited about this new swimsuit. It is a Dora Tankini and Brooklyn couldn't stop talking about it. She told us all about how it was a big girl swimsuit and kept telling us "It's what I always wanted". She thanked Daddy for her new swimsuit multiple times. She's such a cutie.

When we got to Seven Peaks we headed over to the wave pool it was so fun to watch Brooklyn get so excited about the waves... giggling and screaming and jumping and sticking her head under the water. She is quite the little fish. She got pretty tired after a little while and snuggled up on my lap in the shallow end of the wave pool and was just about asleep by the time Grandma and Grandpa got to the park.

Luckily she got a second wind when they got there. We took her over to the kiddie play area and she went down the slides all by herself and would swim across the pool by herself (with a life jacket on) and climb up the stairs and then down the slide. She is getting to be such a big girl. After we played over at the kiddie area for a while we went and found Grandpa who took Brooklyn on some of the big slides. She loves doing anything with Grandpa.

After we spent just a little bit longer at the kiddie area she curled up on my lap and slept for an hour while everyone else went down the big slides. It was such a fun and exhausting day.

Colorado, Baby, 4th of July etc....

I've been really bad at updating this blog. I don't know if I can remember everything that has gone on in the last month.

COLORADO

We went on a little trip to Colorado for a last minute family reunion. While we were there I got fried the day we went out fishing. I definitely seem to be more sensitive to the sun then I am when I'm not pregnant. My mom would say I blame everything on being pregnant... which I don't but there are some things that are definitely different now that I'm pregnant.

In Colorado we went to Mesa Verde, Four Corners and saw Ship Hole... haha. (Chris couldn't remember what it was called)

The family also threw me a surprise baby shower since many of them won't be able to come to Utah for baby showers or when the baby is born. I was so surprised. When we got back from fishing there was a cake and balloons and presents on the table and I thought to myself... mmm I wonder who's birthday it is. When I walked over to the cake it said Congratulations and I realized this was for us.We got so many nice things, a bouncy/vibrating amazing chair thing, a baby monitor, cute decorations, and lots of super cute clothes. I cried while I opened most of the presents. I'm so grateful for our family and it was so sweet of them to throw a shower for me while we were there.

RANDOM

Chris and I have been enjoying our pass of all passes by going to seven peaks. It's nice to be in the cool water with how hot it has been. Chris made the mistake of mentioning going to the water park sometime this summer to Brooklyn. That was all she could talk about and was so upset we didn't go that weekend.

BABY UPDATE

I had another Doctor appointment and ultrasound to check on the baby's kidneys. He still has fluid on his kidneys but it hasn't gotten any worse so the doctor isn't too concerned. He said we would check on them again in two appointments and we might let the pediatrician know in case they want to check on them after his born but he said he's really not worried about them. This was a huge relief to me. I'm still a little worried but I'm a little less worried since my doctor doesn't think its necessary to meet with specialists.


THE FORTH OF JULY

The 4th of July was our Holiday with Brooklyn this year which was really fun. Brooklyn loves loves loves parades and fireworks. It was so fun to watch her at the parade and at the fireworks. We picked her up on Sunday night and she was really tired so luckily she went to bed a little early and slept though our neighbors fireworks. Monday morning we got up early not as early as some of the parade crazies but earlier then we normally like to get up on day's we don't work. We drove down to Provo met up with some friends and went to the parade. We didn't have the greatest seats but they weren't bad considering we didn't have to camp out to get them. After the parade we made the long trek back to the car. As soon as we made it to the car Brooklyn asked me if she could take a nap. She is so sweet... I think its funny that she asks if she can go to sleep in the car. I think she probably asks because normally we're trying to keep her awake in the car when we pick her up for the weekend.

After the parade we went to my parents house for a BBQ and games. Brooklyn loves going to Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Mikes'. She even refers to one of their rooms as her room.

There were tournaments in Ladder Ball, Boccie Ball, Air Hockey and Foosball. I was amazed I made it past the first round with any of the games and even more amazed when I won the Ladder ball tournament. David won Air Hockey, Amanda won Foosball and I'm not sure who won Boccie ball. We all had a lot of fun.

After the games were over we headed over to the Kaysville fireworks. They were pretty good. They almost seemed a little tame after going to the Orem City fireworks this year. I really liked how Kaysville had their fireworks set to music. I think that makes it seem more like a show instead of just fireworks. After the fireworks we tried to hurry back to the car but got stuck behind a sea of people in the parking lot. Brooklyn was little frustrated and told us to just drive we tried to explain to her that we would hurt people if we hit them. She finally fell asleep in the car. She is always such a trooper. She goes and goes and goes and hardly ever gets upset or complains. When we got home I walked her upstairs since I'm not really supposed to carry her. She whimpered half asleep the whole way upstairs and when she got in bed she told me I can't find it when I asked her what she couldn't find she just told me "I'm just crying". Poor girl she was so tired haha. She was back to sleep in no time at all.

BABY NAMES

We love Brooklyn so much. She always tells us funny things Chris asked her a few weeks ago what we should name the baby and she told us Wing Nuts. (I'm not sure if I've mentioned that before)

We haven't decided on a name yet. We've thought of a few names that we really like but we're just not sure which one we'll pick. We have decided to keep our baby name ideas to ourselves so we don't have to hear other people's opinions of the names we like. I feel a little bad when people ask and so many people have told us that we should just tell them because they won't tell us what they think or because they won't steal our names.  I think I worry enough about the name I don't need to know what everyone else thinks about whatever name we decide on just yet.

Maybe we'll just call him Baby forever. :)


PICTURES

Coming soon!

It's A Boy!!!!

Yesterday (5/24) we had our ultrasound appointment to find out what gender our baby is.

He was being very stubborn and did not want to show us his pee pee. He had his legs crossed for most of the appointment in a yoga pose.

His heart looks good and his head and he doesn't have a cleft lip or club legs or whatever they're called and his spine looks good and everything looks good. We saw him drinking the amniotic fluid and he stuck his tongue out it was cute. We even got a picture of him sucking his thumb. The ultrasound tech did most of what she needed to do and then she had me go to the restroom because my bladder was squishing the baby.

After I got back from the bathroom baby boy stretched out his legs and we were able to see his ween. She even gave us a picture that says Daddy's boy and put a cursor on the picture pointing to his manhood. :) We are so excited for our little boy. I must say its wonderful to call the baby him instead of it.

There was one little concern the Doctor had. Baby boy has some fluid built up on his kidney's. The tech said this is more common in little boys then in little girls and she would have been more worried had he been a she. He did empty his bladder during the ultrasound so its a good sign and we know that his kidney's are working. I will have another ultrasound in 4 weeks to check on his kidney's and hopefully the fluid issue will be resolved and if not then the doctor will have us meet with a bunch of other doctors to make a plan. I really wouldn't have worried but the fact that the tech and the doctor kept telling me not to worry it made me worry just a little bit.

I forgot to mention that Baby Boy looks like he has big luscious lips. I can't wait to kiss them and his beautiful face :) I know we don't know what he looks like yet but I'm sure he'll be super handsome. 


My favorite part of the ultrasound was when he moved his head and as we were watching him move his head I could feel him move. It was amazing being able to see and feel the baby move all at the same time. I've been feeling the baby move for a while but it's such subtle movements and different then I expected so I'm not sure how long I've been feeling him move. I can't wait until he gets a little bit stronger. I want Chris to be able to feel our little boy. He thought he felt it once but most of the time he can't feel the baby move.


Baby boy is measuring a week ahead and is about a pound. So we're still looking at the first-ish week in October.

Both sets of Grandparents are so excited. Boys will definitely be a new adventure for us (for Grandma Debbie too). I'm going to have to figure out how to change diapers without getting peed on. I can't stop telling everyone how excited I am and I know Chris is excited. He told me yesterday that he was secretly wanting a boy. It's so hard to be patient so in the meantime we'll just pray that Baby Boy keeps growing stronger and is healthy.

It's a Boy!!! The ultrasound tech told us he's well endowed. haha

Baby Boy Sucking his thumb. I love this picture.

His face. I think he might be related to Jack the Pumpkin King.

Baby's little foot.

Big Lips... I love it.

 

B-17 WWII Planes

A few weeks ago we went to see some old planes used during WWII in Salt Lake. Chris's Grandpa actually flew in a B-17 in WWII he was the ball gunner (I think that's what it's called) its this tiny little ball pit on the bottom of the plane. He was shot down and was a prisoner of war and only him and one other guy in his crew survived. I don't remember all the details and I feel like Chris would be a lot more qualified to share his Grandpa's story.