My little baby bird, as he calls himself, turned 3 yesterday August 19th. I wanted to post some newborn photos of him and then I found his "birth story" and thought I'd post it. It was just my memory of the morning he was born...I had jotted it all down shortly after he was born so I wouldn't forget some of the details. I certainly don't expect anyone to read this novel, except maybe Eddie. :wink:
SCROLL PAST STORY TO SEE NEWBORN PICS
August 19, 2005
Shortly after midnight I was just getting ready to go to sleep and I suddenly started contracting like crazy. Very painful, every 4 minutes. This went on consistently for 2 hours and decided I should probably call the doctor. I still wasn't sure it was real - I was used to regular contractions and had been having bouts of them for weeks and weeks - but since I was so close to my due date now, I didn't want to risk it. I was due in 3 days. I reluctantly called the doc and she said to come in to get checked, especially since I was so far away, and I had a pretty fast delivery with Anna. So we called Grandpa Rob to come over and stay with Anna. I apologized to him in advance for waking him up, in case it was just false labor! After a 35 minute trip to the hospital, it was 3:15 am when we arrived. By then contractions were 3 minutes apart. I was wishing I had gone to bed earlier that night! I still hadn't gotten ANY sleep. As they were getting me situated, I still wasn't sure if I was going to get sent home babyless or not. When they checked me, I was 4 cm, completely thinned out, with a bulging bag. The nurse announced, "we're having a baby today!" YES! What a relief! I was no longer in doubt. Got checked again at 5 am and I was 5 cm. Things were moving along nicely. My water had started leaking slowly. The nurse suggested I get the epidural, because she thought my water would break any minute and then things would go really fast. I agreed and she ordered the epi for me. I think it was about 6 am when they checked me again and I was almost 7 cm, still anxiously awaiting the drugs. The nurses and my OB came in and everything got real chaotic and things are sort of blur for me here, but they were telling me the anesthesiologist could not do the epidural for me. There was another woman in labor that needed an emergency c-section, and he had to be there. I was so not prepared for that news. I remember looking at the nurse and saying, "does that mean I'm screwed?" She looked back at me with a look of pity on her face and nodded her head. Then she said she couldn't even give me anything in my IV because it was too late and would make the baby groggy. I almost started crying. I was so not prepared for natural birth. I knew nothing about all those breathing and coping techniques woman practice in preparation for natural birth. I laid there terrified for about 15 minutes. That’s right when my parents got to the hospital. They walked in right after I got the news of no epi, and I was having major labor pains. Then all of a sudden, the anesthesiologist showed up! The other woman's baby was doing better and didn't need the c-sec right away anymore, but he had to hurry up and do mine in case he was called back to her. GREAT. A rushed epidural. Um yikes. Once that was taken care, I was sooooo much more relaxed. My parents were back in the room with us, and around 7 the doctor checked me. My parents left the room and the decided to go get donuts downstairs in the cafe. When the nurse checked me, she was surprised that I was already complete and ready to push! Doctor Coll rushed in and got everything ready with the nurse. It was a surreal moment right there, watching the regular room transform into a delivery/OR room in a matter of a minute or two. Lights coming out of the ceiling. Surgical looking supplies all around. Doctor and nurse in scrubs. The little warming bassinet wheeled in ready for a baby! Such a HUGE moment about to happen, what an amazing feeling!! I pushed for about 5-10 minutes and out came Ethan! It was so easy! He came out screaming like a maniac! He had lots of blond hair that looked all kinky from being wet and he was absolutely gorgeous. I got to hold him right away as soon as he came out. He just kept screaming and screaming. I remember him smelling like heaven! It must be one of those mom things. I kept saying to everyone...oh my god..smell him...he smells so good! (he probably smelled awful to everyone else.) As I was holding him, Eddie cut the umbilical cord. I think I videotaped that part myself while holding the baby. His delivery happened so fast, that my unsuspecting parents were just coming back from grabbing their donuts and coffee when they heard Ethan's screams from down the hall. They couldn’t believe I had the baby while they were gone for such a short time. I spent a few minutes with Ethan, then Eddie went with him and the nurse to the nursery for a bath and whatever else they do there. They transferred me to another room where I’d stay overnight. A few hours later, Eddie’s dad brought Anna to meet Ethan. I let her hop into my bed with me and then had Eddie bring Ethan to us so she could see him. She wasn’t quite sure about him and seemed more interested in pressing the buttons on my bed to make it move. A little while later, we sat her down in a chair and let her hold him. She look a little timid about it. She would look at his face real intently, look at his fingers, then look at Eddie like what the heck is this? She was so quiet and serious. Little did she know how much our world was about to change.
And now some photos from his first few moments and first day:
SCROLL PAST STORY TO SEE NEWBORN PICS
August 19, 2005
Shortly after midnight I was just getting ready to go to sleep and I suddenly started contracting like crazy. Very painful, every 4 minutes. This went on consistently for 2 hours and decided I should probably call the doctor. I still wasn't sure it was real - I was used to regular contractions and had been having bouts of them for weeks and weeks - but since I was so close to my due date now, I didn't want to risk it. I was due in 3 days. I reluctantly called the doc and she said to come in to get checked, especially since I was so far away, and I had a pretty fast delivery with Anna. So we called Grandpa Rob to come over and stay with Anna. I apologized to him in advance for waking him up, in case it was just false labor! After a 35 minute trip to the hospital, it was 3:15 am when we arrived. By then contractions were 3 minutes apart. I was wishing I had gone to bed earlier that night! I still hadn't gotten ANY sleep. As they were getting me situated, I still wasn't sure if I was going to get sent home babyless or not. When they checked me, I was 4 cm, completely thinned out, with a bulging bag. The nurse announced, "we're having a baby today!" YES! What a relief! I was no longer in doubt. Got checked again at 5 am and I was 5 cm. Things were moving along nicely. My water had started leaking slowly. The nurse suggested I get the epidural, because she thought my water would break any minute and then things would go really fast. I agreed and she ordered the epi for me. I think it was about 6 am when they checked me again and I was almost 7 cm, still anxiously awaiting the drugs. The nurses and my OB came in and everything got real chaotic and things are sort of blur for me here, but they were telling me the anesthesiologist could not do the epidural for me. There was another woman in labor that needed an emergency c-section, and he had to be there. I was so not prepared for that news. I remember looking at the nurse and saying, "does that mean I'm screwed?" She looked back at me with a look of pity on her face and nodded her head. Then she said she couldn't even give me anything in my IV because it was too late and would make the baby groggy. I almost started crying. I was so not prepared for natural birth. I knew nothing about all those breathing and coping techniques woman practice in preparation for natural birth. I laid there terrified for about 15 minutes. That’s right when my parents got to the hospital. They walked in right after I got the news of no epi, and I was having major labor pains. Then all of a sudden, the anesthesiologist showed up! The other woman's baby was doing better and didn't need the c-sec right away anymore, but he had to hurry up and do mine in case he was called back to her. GREAT. A rushed epidural. Um yikes. Once that was taken care, I was sooooo much more relaxed. My parents were back in the room with us, and around 7 the doctor checked me. My parents left the room and the decided to go get donuts downstairs in the cafe. When the nurse checked me, she was surprised that I was already complete and ready to push! Doctor Coll rushed in and got everything ready with the nurse. It was a surreal moment right there, watching the regular room transform into a delivery/OR room in a matter of a minute or two. Lights coming out of the ceiling. Surgical looking supplies all around. Doctor and nurse in scrubs. The little warming bassinet wheeled in ready for a baby! Such a HUGE moment about to happen, what an amazing feeling!! I pushed for about 5-10 minutes and out came Ethan! It was so easy! He came out screaming like a maniac! He had lots of blond hair that looked all kinky from being wet and he was absolutely gorgeous. I got to hold him right away as soon as he came out. He just kept screaming and screaming. I remember him smelling like heaven! It must be one of those mom things. I kept saying to everyone...oh my god..smell him...he smells so good! (he probably smelled awful to everyone else.) As I was holding him, Eddie cut the umbilical cord. I think I videotaped that part myself while holding the baby. His delivery happened so fast, that my unsuspecting parents were just coming back from grabbing their donuts and coffee when they heard Ethan's screams from down the hall. They couldn’t believe I had the baby while they were gone for such a short time. I spent a few minutes with Ethan, then Eddie went with him and the nurse to the nursery for a bath and whatever else they do there. They transferred me to another room where I’d stay overnight. A few hours later, Eddie’s dad brought Anna to meet Ethan. I let her hop into my bed with me and then had Eddie bring Ethan to us so she could see him. She wasn’t quite sure about him and seemed more interested in pressing the buttons on my bed to make it move. A little while later, we sat her down in a chair and let her hold him. She look a little timid about it. She would look at his face real intently, look at his fingers, then look at Eddie like what the heck is this? She was so quiet and serious. Little did she know how much our world was about to change.
And now some photos from his first few moments and first day:
