I need to do this more often, but can't seem to sit down long enough to compose a blog post. LOL until I have a baby. Sad, but true I guess. Just a brief overview. We found out we were pregnant with Baby #3 the day after Christmas. Little did we know what surprises we were in for this go round. One of those surprises were being pregnant. It happened so fast! AND we found out at Christmastime... and kind of by accident/ by surprise. Markus just kept picking with me that I was pregnant. I went to work the day after Christmas and bought a test just to prove him wrong. Well... right he was! The whole day I thought about how I could tell him. On the way home, I bought a kingcake from Ralph's and wrapped the test up in lots of napkins. Walked in the door and made a big deal to the kids how mommy got a cake for them. We all know it comes with a baby in it, right!? Well Markus went right for the napkins thinking it was a knife in the kingcake box (he already had pregnancy brain, haha) and there it was. I loved that moment.
It was always the deal if we had a 3rd baby we wouldn't find out what we were having. This added to the thrill and anticipation for me. Everything thusfar had been a surprise so I thought, Why not!? It was great. I almost wish I would have done it for the other's, but then maybe not. Ha! Other surprises ensued. At our 20 week ultrasound we were sent to Maternal Fetal Medicine AKA High Risk Dr. because the baby had dilated ventricles and short femurs. I lost it. I kept thinking I take care of myself and I'm not high risk. At that appointment we got a lot of worst case scenarios and the whole we will monitor it type replies. It made for some long weeks ahead. Out of the 3 times we went, we kept getting better news. I prayed like I have never prayed before. But my prayer was always the same.... Lord, may we be open and love this baby however he comes to us. I knew no matter what he was mine and I was going to love him no matter what came of this whole brain thing. Tremendous faith building time in my life. I've never felt more strong and lifted by those around me praying. It was truly and amazing experience. For this, I can handle today. :)
I had given a lot of preparation to my boss so he could sufficiently run his business in my absence. 34 weeks came. I warned him that from that day forward if I went into labor, my doctor would not stop it. He knew full and well as did a lot of others around me. Perhaps this was the Lord's way of helping me prepare for what was to come. 34 weeks and 2 days came, the night of July 25th. It was Saturday. My baby girl came down with hand foot and mouth the day before. I cleaned the house like I have not done in a long time. It was spotless when I was done with it that evening around 10ish. Clothes were done, kid's bathroom cleaned, playroom and kid's room cleaned, floors mopped, door casings and trims wiped down... basically everything Abigail may have touched with the exception of the toys, I cleaned. It. was. insane. And I was tired!!!! and pregnant. The activity continued....
By this point it's 11:30 and I remember the same feeling when I was pregnant with Trevor, like I was peeing on myself and couldn't make it stop. My fluid was leaking. I was in the bathroom by myself and started praying for it not to be. I was not ready. But suddenly the reality of it hit me and I started crying (inside). I walked over to Markus and he asked what was wrong. Much to his surprise I told him I was going to call the doctor because I believe my water broke, but wasn't 100% sure and didn't want to prance to the hospital at midnight if that was not what it was. Spoke to the Dr. on call. Surprise it was the same one who delivered Trevor. Not my Dr. I died a little inside, but listened to her and told her I would pay attention for the things she told me to look for. Called my mom. She didn't answer at first, but called right back. Gave her the heads up I may have to go into the assessment center to see if I was really in labor and my water broke. No sooner did I get off the phone with her and walk over to the bed and GUSH! Like I was in the movies. Yep my water broke and it gushed too. I started balling and getting very worried. Frantically calling my mom who I just spoke with what seemed like seconds ago and she didn't answer. I barked for Markus to call his mom. My brain stopped working. I couldn't think (again) of what to pack in a bag. Markus started packing for me. I kept loosing more fluid. It was crazy. I had already set aside clothes to take to the hospital for both a boy and girl, so I grabbed those and ran all over my house trying to do stuff. Mom got there first. We ran over to the hospital. Did I mention how close it was and how in the middle of the night it took no time to get there!? Um yeah.
We waited in the assessment center for a little bit, got called back answered stupid questions then Markus came back and the real stuff happened. I was dilated to a 2-3 CM. Not really contracting. It was like being in labor with Trevor all over again. Other than my water breaking I didn't feel like I was in labor. WTH. The nurse left to call the Dr. and came back and said, ok we are going to start you on Pitocin. Anyone who knows me well knows that I think that crap is the DEVIL! I had it with Trevor. I thought I would have him naturally til that crap got into by body and I couldn't catch my breath the pains were so nothing to extreme intensity from nowhere. I asked the nurse why I had to have Pitocin? She assumed I would have an epidural and blah blah. I was like no ma'am. I would really like my body to try and do its thang and I will go natural. She left to call the Dr. back. Well at this point it's 1 something and the Dr. agreed to let me see if I could go into labor by myself until 6am. Ok. fine. yipee. I was so excited. I bounced on a ball. Went up down and all around the hospital. I got orders to walk. My MIL met me up there once she got that news to power walk the halls with me. We did this for what seemed like an eternity. I was getting very discouraged because I felt nothing practically. Exhausted and no sleep later, I said screw it... they are going to give me the devil pitocin anyway so at around 5:30ish or so I just stopped doing everything. Got on my bed and chilled out and braced what was to follow. I cannot say enough how much I hate pitocin. Ok now that we have that established... they started juicing me up with that crap around 6:15ish or so. The nurse told me at the old hospital they did the "juicing up" every 15 min. Now they only do it every 30min. Well hallelujah I thought, I may actually be able to breath this time. Hahaha! Then the best nurse ever came on for the day shift. Mrs. Trudy. She was amazing. She told me how she had her 3rd baby natural and all that jazz. We told her about Abigail being born quickly and naturally. She took very good notes and obviously listened to my every word. I had no idea. So the pitocin persists and is barely working. I told Trudy if it continued going the way I was feeling it I could deal, but I made her full aware I had not anticipated the pitocin and would likely be asking for an epidural. She did not let me forget my words "natural". She kept pushing me to go natural. I told her I wanted to, but was so tired. The Dr. checked me at 9:13. I was a 4cm. Granted I had already endured 3 hrs of the devil (pitocin) and the contractions to me were starting to get a lot more regular and a LOT more intense. I told her if I'm feeling this way and I'm only a 4, I will not make it to a 10. I just knew I wouldn't. I told Trudy call in an epidural for me. We went through this are you sure BS for what seemed like an eternity. Meanwhile my phone is going off. The stupid rocking chair in the room continued to squeak and my mom would not stop texting and making her phone go off. I demanded my husband silence my phone (secretly hoping my mom would get the idea... she didn't) and asked the nurse to remove the rocking chair because I couldn't handle the noise. Asked about the epidural again as I curled my toes under and tried to breath. It brought back nightmares of Trevor's labor. I didn't want to relive it. Trudy checked me again with all my crazy mood swings going on. I was a 6. I begged for the epidural at this point. Sweet Trudy got him in there before another patient who wasn't as far along next door as I was. Oh yes she did! The cart rolls in. I was so happy to see the epidural cart, even asked if that is what it was to make sure my feelings would feel better. I no sooner saw the anesthesiologist and I suddenly feel the urge to push. No mind you, I remember this feeling very well. 2 years and 2 months earlier I was in the same hospital with the same urge... I didn't forget the feeling. I started balling and telling Trudy I had to push. She told the anesthesiologist sorry no epidural she has to push, he made sure that was what I wanted and I muttered the same and hollered, I'm so sorry. I was so sorry. I couldn't believe it was about to happen again... NATURALLY! Trudy and Courtney (I loved her too) the nurse who patient I booted out of the epidural were on each of my sides and were hollering all kind of things at me like push and I can't even remember. They frantically found a doctor to deliver my baby because the Dr. on call with my group was nowhere to be found. So here goes nothing. I pushed. and pushed and after about 4 tries and telling the nurses I can't remember how to push... I hear the cry. of my baby. They told me to look but I literally could still feel him being pulled out of my body and couldn't move to do anything else. Then when he was out... all I wanted to know is was he a boy or a girl. Yes that is all I wanted to know. I'm crazy. It was a boy. Then I wanted to hold him. I loved rubbing all over his body and feeling so accomplished at what just happened. The NICU team was anxiously in their corner of my room waiting for him. I didn't want to give him up, but knew that is what had to be. It was sad. They assessed him and assessed him and assessed him. Then took him. During the assessment, I asked questions like how much he weighed. He weighed more than Abigail!!!! I was shocked. I told myself had he gone full term he would certainly have been my biggest baby! He was 5lbs 4 oz and 18.5" long. And the sweetest blue, slimy thing I had ever seen. I was worried about his lungs. I didn't remember my others being so blue, but he was crying great so I felt like he would be fine.
It was truly an amazing thing. My mom was by my side cheering me on like I needed her to be. Markus was not by my side this time during the pushing, but he was behind my mom and I don't even know what he was thinking. haha. Poor Courtney the nurse, I must have squeezed the crap out of her arm I don't know how long. And my sweet nurse Trudy for helping be my voice and strength through the whole thing. She later told me while we were waiting for my room that I went from a 4cm to a 10 cm in 23 minutes and she knew I would go quickly she just didn't know how quickly and she knew I could do it naturally. I love her for helping make that happen. The recovery was just what I needed, especially for what lie ahead.
We got in my room after being in Labor & Delivery for 2 hours. I hate that they make you do that. I begged for the IV to go away. I hated it. Got in my room and I wanted to see my baby. See I could walk... cause I didn't have an epidural. Truly it's a beautiful thing and the Lord helped see me through it. While I was waiting for my food and the IV to be removed, we were visited by some social workers. Markus and I were very confused, but listened to what they had to say. They brought us pictures of Lucas. I wanted to see him so bad. So, I made Markus go down to the NICU to get the update on baby boy, while I waited for food and IV. The social workers walked him to where Lucas was. He was not able to speak with the Dr. but was able to see him. He even sent me a picture of him. His hair was brown. In the pics the social workers brought up it looked blonde. I thought really, blonde hair? Nope it was brown and must have been the lighting. A thought crept into my mind when I saw the pic Markus texted me, but quickly went out of my brain when I saw he had brown hair instead of blonde.
Birth Story to be continued in Part 2.
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