He's here!! Our baby boy finally decided to grant us with his presence!! It all started on November 29. Which was my original due date, but I guess he was measuring small at our 20 week ultrasound, and our date was pushed back to Dec. 4. I just didn't catch on I guess. Anyway, I went in to my routine 39 week appt. I was dialated to a 3 and 90% effaced. He then stripped my membranes again, (this time OUCH) and said I had a good chance of still being a week out. So discouraged I went home and basked in my misery. But then, things started happening! I started cramping, and having more painful contractions. So, I got up and walked and walked and walked. Unfortunately, nothing. So the next day, I again went for a walk. On my way back home "reggae cowboy" came on my iPod. Well it's almost impossible to not dance to that song, so I kinda started skipping. Well attempted to skip at least, in my attempt, I tripped over a dirt clod and had to stumble to keep from falling. The second I got my balance, I got the most painful contraction I'd had yet. I was bound and determined to keep things going so I kept walking. After about 3 miles it started to get dark so I headed home. At this point about every 4th contraction was painful enough I had to stop and breathe through it. When I got home, they started to slow down, so I did my best to keep moving. I put my Christmas tree and decorations up, swept, mopped, and vacuumed so much I'm surprised I still have carpet. Around midnighty contractions were about 4 minutes apart lasting about 45 seconds. So I told Eli we needed to go. Once we got to the hospital, they hooked me up to a moniters and let me sit for an hour to see if I progressed. At 2:00 am they checked and guess what?! NOTHING! I was so disappointed. So they gave me a shot of morphine and sent me home with the instructions that If the contractions got worse to come back. The morphine kicked in by the time we got to the car, and although I couldn't keep my eyes open, every 5 minutes I was woke up by a strong contraction. I tried to sleep, but it didn't work. So I got in a warm bath to try and ease the pain, still didn't work. By this time the pain was deep in my back and hips. So around 6:30 am I told Eli we had to go again. They hooked me back up and checked and I was dialated to a 4 1/2!! So they admitted me and hooked me up to more machines. Luckily, the anesthesiologist was just finishing up his shift, so he was right ready to go with my epidural. I had been so nervous about it, but I didn't feel anything, and after it kicked in, labor was a breeze! My dr came in around 9 and broke my water, and they hooked some Pitocin up to speed things up. The next time they checked I was a 6. And by 4:00 pm I was 10 and ready to push!!Hixson was born at 5:20pm and weighed 7lbs 0oz. And was 19.5 inches long. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice causing his lungs to not work properly. He was having to work too hard to breathe. I also spiked a fever during labor, causing him to have one too, so with that and his lungs, they wheeled him up to the NICU to watch him and do a procedure that opened his lungs up. I only got to hold him for about 30 seconds before they took him. Eli went with him and they took me down to see him when they transferred me to another room. Luckily around 9 he was breathing great on his own and his fever had come down, so I finally got to hold him!! And he is perfect!! The next 2 days were spent just relaxing,and visiting all my family that came to see us. We got to come home Monday dec 3, but unfortunately his billed in levels sky rocketed and we had to have lights in our house. It was the saddest thing just having to have him lay there for 5 days. Needless to say, he is now extremely spoiled and doesn't like to be put down!! I don't even care, I like snuggling with him!!
At his 2 week check up, our little chunker had gained 3 lbs and grown an inch! I can't believe he's growing so fast. I already want it to slow down.
I never knew how much a baby would change our lives. He's only been here a little over 3 weeks and I already have forgotten what life was like before him!! I never knew i could love some thing so much and I must say I love it!! Being a mommy is the most exciting, scary, exhausting, and rewarding thing I've ever done.
