Wednesday, September 19, 2012

A Lesson in Patience and Joy...REALLY LATE/LONG POST

So, if it helps, I've been working on a version of this post since before Ammon was born. Then he was born--in which case I was at the hospital. When I got home I started on it. It's just taken me the full month to take the time for all of it.

 My due date August 10th came and went without incident...well, a few minor breakdowns but no baby. I attempted to write on this blog about my frustration but couldn't find a way to input it. And now, surprisingly, I can't remember all of it. Honestly, I know I thought: I will NEVER forget this! But to be honest, it's a vague memory. Not so vague to know that I was miserable and so mad that I was overdue. I'd been hoping He would come early. 
This is me the week before my due date:
On my due date I remember that I came home and cried. I was so frustrated with EVERY person who asked me why I was still there...at work...at the store...the Post Office...Here is us on our 4-wheeler ride.
Four days after my due date I was still at work. And miserable. On my walk to the post office that afternoon , my water broke. At first I wasn't sure. Wes laughed when I called to say: "I THINK my water just broke." We went to the hospital around 4:30 but I wasn't feeling any contractions. So we just hung out at the hospital while I gushed everywhere. Here's me hanging out:

Finally at around 3 a.m. they started me on Pitocin. But I didn't start to feel contractions until around 5:30. By 7:00 I was feeling the pain of the contractions and was finding it hard to focus. I finally asked for an epidural but before they got to that point the baby's heart-rate dropped suddenly. Down to like 70 bpm (supposed to be around 110-160 bpm) The nurse came rushing in while yelling at the other nurses. I had no idea what was going on but they gave me an oxygen mask and tilted me to the side while lowering the bed. It took about a minute and a 1/2 for his heart rate to come back. They had called the Dr. for the epidural anyway and told me to plan on an emergency c-section since they also stopped the Pitocin and I wasn't fully dilated. My Dr. came in to confirm that they were going to do a C-Section. Luckily, by this point I was in a a lot of pain so I didn't really care. Wes got scrubbed up and my Mom helped the nurses with prepping me for the surgery. Mom stayed back to call my in laws and my Dad. For me, almost everything about the C-Section was bizarre. I remember thinking that I should not be awake once we got past the operating room doors. I was also strange to know that they were doing surgery not being able to tell--yet still having SOME sensation. 
Wes was my hero during this stage of the game. He stayed with me and talked to me, stroked my hair, and was all around amazing at staying calm. When Ammon was born Wes stayed with me and told me about him. And held my hand even when he went over to Ammon he held my hand and talked to me. The nurses all guessed his weight around 8 lbs. 
But he came in at a whopping: 9 lbs 5 oz. 22 inches long. His head was 14 cm and his chest was 15 1/2 cm. I decided to be very grateful for the C-section. He also had had the cord wrapped around his neck. So Heavenly Father blessed us that day. Here he is:
Here's our first family picture. I was so excited to hold him. That was the absolute WORST part of the C-Section: That I couldn't see him or hold him right after he was born until they fixed me back up. 


I was so happy to meet my little kicker. For me, the single instant he was born I knew that everything was worth it. The pregnancy. The birth. Getting my uterus cut open. He was so perfect and precious. And I am SO very grateful for him. 
It's so nice to feel like a family.
Wes is just a natural at being a father. He is so good and patient. And he loves to tease and joke (already.) These are my absolute FAVORITE pictures of his new fatherhood.
We had quite a few visitors but first and foremost are the excited Aunts, Uncle's, and Grandparents.

Grandma Roberts was almost as impatient for our new arrival as I was. She was so happy to have him here. When she's around, I'm hard pressed to spend any time with him.
Aunt Haylee thought this was old hat--after all, she's been an Aunt since she was 2.
Taylor is so happy to have another boy in the family. Even if there is a 10 year age difference he has someone new he can learn to wrestle with.
Grandma Hunt has been so helpful throughout the whole process. She loves to hold him and help me out.
Grandpa Hunt was also very excited to meet his first grandson.
Aunt Mandee wanted to try his new hat as well.
Uncle Zach was nervous--he's the baby in my family. But he was so excited to become an Uncle. He even sent out a mass text announcing his new title to his friends.
Grandpa Roberts was also very excited and proud of his new grandson.
Even a lot of extended family came to visit. 
My Aunt Marilyn & Uncle Guy came over.
Along with Aunt Linda
We also had Wes' cousin Shanna and Aunt Norma come visit. But for some reason I don't have pictures of their visit.
\Some of my Co-workers came to visit. 
Marles gets official aunt-hood/grandma rights with Ammon because of how helpful/amazing she is.
Darla even came to visit, complete with a Yankee pajama set.
And Todd dropped by to coo. 
In addition to them. A few of our neighbors and ward members dropped by.
Aunt Andrea (my cousin but closest thing I have to a sister in my family)  wasn't at all sure what she thought at first.
But she was a pro by the time she'd left.
And Aunt Kay stopped by as well.

Here are some shots of the little star in all his glory. 
We spent 3 days at the hospital because of the C-Section. It was nice though to just relax and let the nurses take care of us while we enjoyed each other.

Grandma Roberts actually volunteered to change his first diaper.
After 3 days we were finally ready (and scared) to go home.This meant clothes.
 His first car seat ride was weird for me. While we were putting him in the car I kept waiting for the nurses to stop us and say: Just Kidding! We don't really let you guys take them home yet. This was just a test run. And it never happened.
 But all around he decided that it's good to be home. He's been a major blessing. We're so happy to have him here.