Sunday, January 24, 2010

Party of Five


Our Family is now a family of five! Woohoo! Addie made his grand entrance on Friday, January 15 at 9:44 in the morning. It was an interesting journey that ended (though it has really just begun) with all the excitement that you would expect from the birth of a baby boy... and then some!

When we went to the hospital early Friday morning, I was convinced that there was NO WAY they would send me home after having contractions that had begun the evening before and only intensified to an incredible pain just after midnight. Afterall, I had a c-section scheduled for the very reason that the doctors didn't want me laboring on my previously disected uterus. Of course, as soon as I was hooked up to the monitors, my contractions subsided; I only had two in the hour they had me strapped down. The midwife that was on call in triage told me it was a result of my body producing adrenaline and that it was quite common for contractions to stop after coming in. Nevertheless, she told me to get dressed- I was going home. "You'll likely labor for several days before it's time," she told me. I couldn't help but cry.

"But I'm a c-section," I protested as she left the room.

A few minutes later, I heard her talking to the on-call doctor just outside my door, following which she stuck her head in the room and said, "Get your gown back on. You're staying to have your baby!" Apparently, a shift change had occurred and the information that I was a repeat c-section had not been shared with the new shift. Needless to say, I was elated that I wasn't being sent packing!

It was only another hour before the were wheeling me into surgery. The real excitement was about to begin. I patiently awaited the sounds of my baby boy's cries with my husband at my side. I caught a glimpse of the surgery in the reflection of the lights and watched as Addie was delivered. To my delight, he was handed off to the pediatric resident, Dr. Kari, who happens to be a very good friend of mine. It was good to know someone WE knew so well was taking care of our baby.

They announced he was a healthy 7 lbs 8.5 oz and doing well, though he was having a bit of trouble breathing- a problem common with babies delivered via c-section. After an hour or so in the NICU on oxygen, he was doing great and on his way down to the Newborn Nursery.

Meanwhile, back down in recovery, CJ had just been brought in to where I was and Kari had come in to give us an update on Addie. Suddenly, CJ dropped to his knees and hit his head on my bed, splitting his forehead open. I didn't know it, but he had taken some cold medicine before we left home at 4:30 a.m. and had absolutely nothing to eat or drink since. (It was almost 11:30 a.m. by then.) Kari and the Recovery Room nurse took him down to the Emergency Room to have stitches. Luckily, Dermabond did the trick. After getting some food in his belly, he was better and back by my side in no time. When we made it up to my room, the news of CJ's fall had made it around the hospital, much to his dismay. Every nurse that came in was just as concerned for him as they were for me. It was really quite sweet, but I think HE found it to be a bit embarassing.

After a whirlwind of five days in the hospital, both Addie and I were on our way home. It's a good thing, too- I was ready to hang curtains and move the furniture around in my hospital room. I was truly climbing the walls, but I did my best to take advantage of the staff and their help.


It's been a little over a week since Addie arrived and we are quite the happy little family. I'm recovering well and Addie has made himself very comfortable amoungst the chaos of our household. Adjusting to three kiddos has been much easier on all of us, even Juju and Coco, than two ever was. Clearly, we've been busy or I would have posted this little announcement sooner, but thus goes the life of a family with a newborn, right?

Friday, January 8, 2010

The Waiting Game

CJ and I are expecting our 3rd son... well, really any day now. I am 37 weeks and 5 days pregnant (Of course I'm counting!) and my c-section has been scheduled for the 20th of January. If I make it until then, it will have been the longest pregnancy I've ever had. Ugh!

For a little over a week, I have been obsessing about how far away the 20th sounded and searching for ways I could possibly move things along (in the safest ways possible), but following an appointment this past Wednesday that showed no further progress and wallowing in the disappointment of not thinking we would meet our son anytime soon, I settled on acceptance. I spent that evening praying, not that God would move it along, but that I could accept that Baby Addie would come when he was darn good and ready. God is good, God is great, and He has granted me great relief in fulfilling my request. Lucky for me, the past two days have been much more relaxing. I've enjoyed cuddling with our older boys, one on each side of me in the recliner (What will I do with a 3rd?) and doing activities that, as restricted as I am now (and by "restricted" I mean "big"), will be impossible after surgery, like playing cars or legos with them on the floor. I've also taken great advantage (and this is a biggie) of the sweet slumber that will surely elude me with a newborn in the house. I also must remind myself that, as uncomfortable as pregnancy can be, not only has it been a healthy one, but it is also the last moments I will feel the miracle of a child growing inside of me. We have no plans of having anymore children, so though sometimes painful, I am enjoying the last little kicks and rolls that Baby Addie dishes out.

The point is, I see the glass half full now, and while we are still anxious to meet our newest baby boy, we know how quickly time truly flies and he will be here before we know it. I know we'll even look back in a year or two and wonder when all of our babies became big boys. Then, I'll be blogging about how I wish the time would slow down!

And so, I leave you now with this question to ponder. Why do we always think we know what is best for us and fight so hard to steer God's plans for us even when we truly think we believe we are in His wonderful hands? Perhaps I will "go there" in my next blog, but this question surely deserves some thought.