We've had a baby

March 21, Tuesday - I felt cruddy all day and nothing was right. I was grumpier than I'd been in a long time. I went home and hoped that he come like I wanted on the 22nd. Keep hoping! March 22, Went to work, this time in a great mood but not feeling quite right. Hungry but nauseous and ended up feeling a bit better. Found the dresser that I'd been hunting for to go in JT's room and got all excited. That night, I had my breastfeeding class after work. It was a small class and the 3 other ladies weren't due until late April so I was the closest to her due date. At one point JT was poking me again and the instructor pointed at my belly and said, "don't you dare come yet". I went home and told Kevin about the class and about how excited I was! I was over the fear and ready for the delivery and start of the familial unit. I went to bed at 11:30, woke up when he came to bed at 12:30. We had sex and was back in bed to sleep around 1:50. I woke up at 2:00 with a contraction...same as usual. Then another at 2:02, same intesity. Cool. Then at 2:04 and 2:06 and 2:08. At this point I was getting a little excited but didn't think anything of it since it was all in the front and not anything stronger than what I had been feeling. I thought I better try to stay awake for an hour just to see if the regularity continued...Next contraction was 2:12, then 2:16. At this point since it changed I went to sleep. At 3:36 I rolled over and it felt like when you wake up with a full tampon. And my first thought was wondering why I had in a tampon. DUH! I rolled over and heard/felt a little pop. Oh my! I figured it was just 6 quick steps to the bathroom so I shoved a hand in front and another behind me hoping to "cup it in" until I could get to the toilet. HA HA HA HA! Water on the bed, on the floor, on the comforter and to add an element of danger I had to jump over the space heater. I'm lucky I didn't electrocute myself! *giggling* "Baby, um..my water broke" What? Yep, it broke. *more laughter* WHAT DO WE DO?! Call and go to the hospital! I called the number on the doctor's card to tell them my water broke and instead woke up some random stranger. "You did what? I think you have the wrong number". After 3 more misdialed numbers, I finally got the doc on the line and I got permission to shower first. And dry my hair. And flat iron it. And put on my makeup. Honestly, after my water broke the contractions weren't any different than normal. By 5 o'clock, though, I was starting to bend over a little bit and saying, Oh yeah, cramps. I remember these. We get to the car and double check to make sure we have everything. Car seat? Check. Diaper bag? Check. Suitcase? Check. Charger and phone? Check. Body pillow? Body pillow? Okay, there it is. Off we go! I was so excited and not even thinking about what was in store for me. The bumpy ride I anticpated was nothing. We both smiled all the way there and I was busy shouting to passing cars and people stopped next to us that "hey, I'm having a baby!" Nobody offered congratulations. We arrived at the hospital at 6:00. The pad I used to soak up the water was pretty soaked and I'm standing in the front lobby of the ER hunched over with a giant soaked up pad in my green turtle pajamas, red shoes, black purse and big body pillow. I was afraid to move or walk any further so I started shouting conversation to the ER clerks. Everything alright? Nope, I'm fine. Are you in labor? Yes. Do you know where to go? Uh huh. Do you need some help? No. (pointing out the door) I'm waiting on him. At this point the security guard walked over and asked if I needed help. What? Did I stutter? No, I'm fine, just leaking an ocean out my privates and I'd prefer to have my husband here, thanks. We get up to the L&D floor and after several detours through the construction zone we end up at the Check In station. hehehehe. Fancy title for a woman set up with a clipboard at a fold out table in the middle of the hallway. She pointed which room to go into and we proceeded to go in, check it out and stand there and giggle at each other. "Well, son, here's were you're going to be born!" "Hey, look at that view - I get to look at the roof while I'm in labor" The nurse came in, gave instructions for the change and we got started. Okay...I'm getting a little carried away with details. I'm sorry! Trying to get to the good stuff but I keep remembering stuff that I think I should tell you. Hmmm...so check in I'm at 2 cm. Fine. Do I want an epi? Yes? Then I need to start pitocin. Whoa - necessary? Yes. Doc said. Let's talk to doc then. Okay...doc comes in and said we need to get things moving since I haven't progressed since Tuesday and my waters been broke since 3:30. Okay - let's do it. No harming this munckin after all this time. Pitocin in, no biggie. No wait, big biggie! Crap this hurts. Okay - breathe, if I can get to 3.5-4 cm then I get the epi. Breathe. Breathe. Huff and puff. Ouch. Oooo. Damn, that one hurt, too. 8 o'clock. Way to go! You've progessed. To a 2.5. What? Geez, c'mon baby, it's time. Get to getting and let's get this magic drug so I can stare out the window and enjoy the view. They cranked up the pitocin and left the room. NOW things are starting to take shape. I feel movement. But it's like he's trying to move out my butt. Wrong hole, buddy. Move up and try again. Maybe take a left? Try again, please! OWWWWWWW! At this point, I don't know...it's somewhere between 8 and 9 and I'm on my side begging Kevin with hand gestures to shove his fists into my lower back and buttocks. ANYTHING to help push this kid back to the right spot. No good. Now I'm waving him off. But I'm proud that I didn't hiss "DON'T TOUCH ME!" I anticipated going into this with calm peaceful labor, huffing and puffing with an ease until it was time to push. Oh No. Not this girl. I never knew how vocal I could be. I was screaming through the contractions and these buggers were coming about every minute. I am not a fan of the fast contractions. No sir. Now I'm yanking the side rails towards me and pushing them away, I think I cracked the one I was in so much pain. And I'm screaming. LOUD. The nurse actually called IN to us and asked if we needed help. I yelled, "I don't want to do this again!" and Kevin sweetly said, "whenever you're ready." I didn't have the heart or patience at the time to say I was talking more specifically about contractions, not another child. But let's get real. I'm in this much pain this early on? Doc comes in to check again since my screams sent the nurse running for the AOK on the drugs. I breath/scream through the next one and then feel her checking me. I'm predicting that I'm up to a 4 at least and we can go. Oh No. Still hanging out at 2.5. UGH! Time to give me the epi because it's time to really start things up. Here's the ending (finally) 2 attmepts at the epi later and I am starting to feel some relief. And it's the beginning of the best 2 hour naps of my life. They came back to check..up to a 3. At noon I was a 5 and they figured I was dilating about 1 cm an hour, if lucky, 2. At 2 I was at 8. SUPER DUPER! I might have JT before the end of the night! 4 o'clock I'm at 8. Say what? Yep, still an 8 and now the butt pain is coming back. In addition to him (JT) most likely laying face up inside of me, now my cervix was swelling because of the positioning. I was given a deadline of 1 hour to get him in the right spot or we'd need to do the c-section. Safety reasons. No problem. I said to the doctor, "that's cool because this epi is the best thing that's happened and given me the best sleep in months. At this point I don't even want to push. Now I'm scared to do that." We talked, we agreed we'd wait and see. Kevin asks how much I think he'll weight. My guess is 7 lbs 4 oz. 5:07 and she's in the room, checked and I'm still the same. In less than 10 minutes she had Kevin in surgical scrubs and nurses running around with masks on and me laying on the bed with my camera just waiting to go. At 5:49pm they poke a squinched up face over the curtain and say congrats and whatever else; I was crying at this point because it was done and also because I couldn't see what was going on. Kevin smooched me and ran around the other side to check him out. 7 pounds 6 oz 19 1/2 inches long 13 1/2 head (who cares!) I've been on a steady diet of Vicodin and Percacet every 4 hours since Friday night. The first day I thought I was Superwoman and passed on the serious drugs. JT lost weight and dropped to 6lbs 9 oz and since my milk came in he's grown to 6lbs 11 oz. His jaundice levels are a bit high so we're going tomorrow to the pedi and have his first check up. He's great. We keep saying we've got the best baby in the world. He's already rolled over from his back to his side. I think it's a bit creepy but also worth bragging about. Then again we're prejudiced. Each of us have the perfect baby, just for us. P.S. If any of you watched the A&E show about the Roller Girls here in Texas, Lux from the Rhinestone Cowgirls was my nurse last night. How cool is that?!? P.S.S. Okay - time for another round of breastfeeding. He's picked it up like a champ but prefers to lick the left one before finally settling in.