A Baby Story -- Part 3 -- Happy Birthday, Noah!!

The procedure that Dr. Snowden performed did trigger my labor - but I was totally ignorant to notice what it was! How dumb do I feel now?? I spent the weekend not feeling too good but decided that I had to keep going. I remember going to church on Sunday, the 22nd - GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. We were in the worship service when I noticed something felt a little weird. Didn't really think 2 things about it. Went to the bathroom in between worship and Sunday School (because we went to worship first at 9:30 and then Sunday School at 10:45.) I wanted to go to the bathroom just to make sure everything was ok -- make sure I wasn't bleeding everywhere. It NEVER occurred to me that my water may have just broken. I did not experience a "gush" like I thought. You know, tv always makes it so dramatic and not to mention a friend of mine delivered a preemie 10 weeks early the September before and she had "the gush". We went on to Sunday School and I am not sure where we went from there honestly. I remember waking up that next day, kind of having the same "little issue" and it finally occurred to me -- what if it is water leaking. I mentioned it to Keith and he said that he didn't know - only I would know that. Hum - the typical boy answer. We got ready and headed on to Bubbles & Bells, taking Maggie with us. I decided to call the doctor and they asked me to come in around 2 pm - which was just a couple of hours later. We didn't want to tell the family and get everyone excited for nothing. We obviously had to tell my dad - since he works in the store with us and since we had Maggie. Kind of needed to get a game plan if I was admitted.

We headed off to the doctor to see not my doctor but another one who had just returned from her own maternity leave that day. She examined me - asked me why I thought my water had broken, told me no, there were no signs of amniotic fluid, sent me on my way and said to come back for my scheduled 8 am appt the next day. I went home SO disappointed - and let me tell you - I do not like that doctor!! We went back to Bubbles & Bells, grabbed Maggie and other items that we needed and told Dad that we did not feel like working anymore that day -- yes, that was the advantage to owning your own business that I miss dearly! We stopped by the grocery store, picked up food for soft tacos for dinner and headed home. It was such a leisurely night at home. I remember sitting on the couch with Maggie, curled up and we had girl time and watched The Bachelor. We finally did tell our family that we had been to the doctor but did not obviously receive the news we wanted to hear.

It was an early to bed night for me since I had to be back at the doctor at 8 am. Let me tell you - I was so glad that I went to bed early. I woke up around 2:30 am with a weird pain and rushed to the bathroom. Kind of felt like I was going to be sick but not throwing up. I kind of went, hum?? and went back to bed. A few minutes later, I had the same pain. I just laid there, again going hum?? I looked at the clock to see what time it was - 2:40 am. I just laid there. Again, a few minutes later - the same pain. The clock now said 2:49. I was having contractions and they were 9 minutes apart. I remember in baby class the nurse telling us that labor is a long process - a person would usually labor at home for several hours with contractions 20-30 minutes apart and they were starting at 9 minutes apart? The nurse also told us to come to the hospital when they got 10 minutes apart. I decided to wake up Keith - or better yet, attempt to wake up Keith. It was a harder task then I thought. I do remember Maggie waking up but she must have had the instinct going on because she got under the covers and hid. Some help she was. I finally got Keith awake by basically yelling - I'M HAVING CONTRACTIONS. He asked if I was sure -- um, ya think? Every 9 minutes I have a "party" in my tummy?? Yes, I'm sure. We watched for a few episodes and then called the hospital. They asked how far away we lived, told them 25 minutes and she said we needed to head on towards the hospital to be sure we missed rush hour -- keep in mind, it was 3:30ish by this point. Rush hour - are you kidding me? I begged to take a quick shower and wash my hair and you know - Keith wouldn't let me. That is my one regret the entire day! He was hilarious though - "the nurse said we needed to come on now. we have got to go." Blah! Ok - whatever!

So we got dressed, grabbed the bags, double checked the list that I had made to make sure we had everything and we headed out the door. Poor Maggie did not understand why we got out of the comfy king-sized bed in the middle of the night and she had to be put into her crate. It just was not fair. I gave her lots of kisses, told her she would have to be a big girl in her bedroom a lot today and told her that when she saw Mommy next, she would have a baby brother. Off we went.

We decided to call the parents on the way - just to give them a heads up. The entire pregnancy - Keith kept talking about wanting to call the family in the middle of the night - and that is just what he did! 4:15 am and he calls GiGi and GrandDanny and Papaw. Nina was at Grandma's house that night so Papaw waited about a hour to call her. Keith also wanted to turn the emergency flashers on as we headed down the freeway -- with no other cars and he even wanted to run some red lights -after making sure it was clear. He had the full "father driving the mother to the hospital" experience!!

We got there to find out that I was having contractions but was not dilated enough for them to formally admit me. The nurse suggested that we walk the halls for 30 minutes or so then come back and be checked again. If still not to 3 cm, then walk some more. They didn't want me to leave the hospital since we lived 25 minutes away and rush hour really would be here soon. We started wondering - where will we go if they make me leave?? We started walking and I soon saw my dad pulling into the hospital. He came up and walked the halls with us -- said he was home alone and was wide awake and decided he would just come on over with us. I remember walking and walking and walking - leaning up against the wall during the contractions - breathing. Finally my 30 minutes were up and we headed back to the room. It was somewhere between 6 and 6:30 now and I was at 3 cm - Praise The Lord - I was having the baby today and they could admit me.

We made more phone calls - I called Dorinda first - and she panicked! Why? Because Meghan had colorgurard tryouts THAT DAY - Seriously!! She was excited though - Meghan cried because she couldn't be there. I called Jonica - she was ready to come but had to get Shawn situated. I text messaged Jen, Jennifer and Carlie! We were on our way - ready to have a baby!!

My nurses were great! I was privileged to have 2 LDR nurses - one was Dani and I honestly do not remember the name of the other one - I know I have it written down at home, but she was wonderful. She was new to St. Vincents Hospital so she sat right there with me the whole day watching my progress! Dr. Lassiter came in and said that she would be my delivering doctor and she proceeded to break my water. I started telling her my water situation and guess what - when she broke it, there was NO water!! Hum, was I right or was I right?? I know I didn't go to med school, but I knew that was my water yesterday when Dr. Heaton treated me ugly!

I had my epidural soon after and I was well on my way to feeling GOOD!! The epidural did not do so hot with my blood pressure - so they made me lie all the way down on my side for an hour. We talked Keith into going to get some food and mom stayed there with me while I tried to rest. Dr. Lassiter didn't like my readings either - she was monitoring me from her office upstairs - so she came to check me out. Apparently Noah was too high up in me... because of lack of water to bring him down!! Noah wasn't handling everything too well either, so she wanted to head on to c-section. Dani was in there at the time and begged Dr. Lassiter to give us 30 more minutes -- she wanted to try to flush me with bagged fluid and see if she could get Noah to slide on down a little bit. Thank goodness it worked -- within 30 minutes he was low enough and I had so much pressure that I was ready to push.

They were prepping me when Jonica rolled in on 2 wheels - literally. She had decided to stop by her office to finish something that had to be done that day - and everything kind of progressed so quickly that she was almost late. She made it just in time to give me loves and then they kicked everyone out of my room. Let me tell you -- if you know me well enough, you know that I do not like to miss anything. St. Vincents was genius when they first created the birthing suites that also serves as your room post delivery. It was wonderful being able to have my entire family in there while I labored! You know I would not have handled it well having everyone in the waiting room and me not knowing what was going on!!

I started pushing about 1:30-1:40. Dani was such a trooper working with me while I pushed -- she definitely knows the tricks of the trade!! She had me ready when Dr. Lassiter came in that basically she just had to catch! Noah was born at 2:31 pm weighing in a 8 lbs and 21 1/4 inches long and RED HAIR!!

The nurses began all of their work on him while Dr. Lassiter completed what she needed to with me. What I did not realize was Noah was not doing so hot on his breathing. The lack of water was really getting to him. Keith said he did look a funny color, thank goodness I was clueless! The nurses wanted to take him straight to NICU but Dani came thru once again. She wanted to try the mother/baby skin to skin thing and see if he would calm down. She unwrapped him and placed him on my bare chest and told me to talk to him. Sure enough, within a few minutes, he was calm and his breathing regulated. Dani was SO amazing and spared us so much! I will forever be grateful to her!

I wanted to feed Noah before everyone came in. In the process of trying to nurse for the first time - someone knocked on the door. The nurse opened it and it was my Nanny. I will never forget it. She told them who she was, she was a retired nurse and her Granddaughter had just given birth. The nurse asked if it was ok to let her in - and of course she came in. Nanny helped coach me thru the first feed. We told her that she got to see Noah before anyone else and then she asked where they were. We laughed when she found out that they were in the waiting room and she had walked right passed them. No one even knew Nanny was there. Keith walked her out to where they were -- and they were not so thrilled that Nanny had seen Noah before they did. Oh my goodness, we laugh about it now! Only my Nanny could get away with that!

Keith brought our mothers in first, since I was still attempting to feed then our sisters and then everyone else. It was such a joyous night!

Our first family picture

(can you tell how tired we are... we had been up almost all night!)

We came home from the hospital 2 days later - on Shawn's 1st birthday. I do remember Momma Gena and GrandDanny and Aunt Dorinda being at home when we got home. Maggie was there waiting on us - even though she ignored me!! She was not too thrilled with what Mommy and Daddy came home with, but she soon warmed up - after I gave her the new blue bear toy and the bag of treats!!

She soon warmed up to her new brother!!

This is the first night home from the hospital... wish Noah could sleep like that now!

Maggie is getting her first formal introduction to Noah

She seemed quite interested in what Daddy had!!

And today is my baby boy's 2nd birthday - and I can not believe it is here already. I have no idea where the time has gone. I am so thankful that God chose Keith and I to be his parents, and better yet, I am SO thankful God chose him to be my son. He is so full of life and I love every minute with him. I can not wait to see what adventures we will go on and can not wait to see what God has in store for him. He is such a treasure.

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOAH!! Mommy and Daddy love you SO much!! Thank you for blessing our lives!! <3

~Randi