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    It Stormed today.

    Pssst! We have a baby. Clear blue skies may have been over the Bay, but a storm came through for us today. S2 was born at 1:18pm today (11/1/2010) weighing in at 6lb 10oz and measuring 18″ long. Apgar tests were 9 and 9 and he’s a cute little sleepy-bug.

    Last night I noted to one of my mom’s clubs that I drink a lot of water right before bed. And that even with pregnancy I could drink 1/2L at bed-time and sleep with only a single wake-up. Because of this of course, this morning, at 3:30am I felt as if I could barely hold it to go to the bathroom. Same thing at 4:30am. And then again a 5:30am. I literally felt like I was racing against a mess in my undies. I thought to myself “Yeah, this is karma for bragging. Instead of being up once, I’m now up a 3rd time.” With that last wake-up I just decided to call it quits on sleeping and got up. I went downstairs and started getting G’s breakfast ready. And then it happened: I peed my pants. I went upstairs, changed, and went to the bathroom, only to notice that I had started discharging some mucousy stuff. I got out of the bathroom, woke S up by saying “Babe, I think my water may have broken!” I don’t think I’d seen him get out of bed so quickly in a loooong time. He ran to the bathroom with me and began with the questioning: how much was it, what did it look like, etc.

    So we began the home organization game… just in case.

    At this point in time I knew I had to do three things:

    1. Contact Kelly. I was going to have a c-section, so once we knew we were going to be having a baby, I knew we weren’t going to have much time and I wanted to make sure she had the chance to get her house in order and then come out.
    2. Call my mom. Since she lives in LA, she’d needed a good amount of time to get up here to us to take care of G, while we were in the hospital.
    3. Tell work I wasn’t going in that day… and depending on the news at the doctor’s office, I might not be coming in for a few months.

     

    At 9am, we were at Dr. M’s office. She wasn’t there. Out of town. Dang it! I wanted to be checked. And sure enough, it WAS my water that had broken. Lucky me! I had just told a friend yesterday that I was really hoping S2 would give me at least another 2 weeks before making his appearance. Clearly he had other plans of his own. I sat there on the chair after the doc left crying “I’m not ready! What if he’s not ready?” But it’s not like I can put a cork in there to keep him in any longer, so today was the day.

    The doc asked us to wait in the waiting area while they contacted the hospital and assigned us a surgery time. I sat there on a waterproof pad. Sexy! Honestly, I was hoping for an afternoon time. Since I had no contractions, and wanted as much time to get ready, I didn’t want them to rush us. Oh, and I had purposefully had a bagel on the way to the OB’s office. Mostly because I knew that I wouldn’t be eating for awhile once we got to the hospital. Yet they gave me a time for my surgery: 11:30am. And it was 10am, and we were STILL at the doctor’s office. Shane and I ran home and began the packing game, making our final phone calls on the way. We were frantically throwing things into bags. I had a packing list (thankfully), and had some stuff already put away, but “ready” was not the word I’d use.

    This whole time I had been calling my mom too to tell her she needed to come out. The calls kept going to her voicemail, and I was getting worried. And frustrated. Yes, in the morning I had told her to go on with her day as planned, unless she heard from me. Well, here it was: her “hearing” from me, and I couldn’t get through. I called my dad, my sister, you name it. Lucky for me, this was the day she had class in a place where she had no signal. Somehow my dad managed to reach one of her friends, who was at class with her, and my mom was on her way. However, she wasn’t going to get here in time to get G home from daycare, so we went to drop-off a carseat and “care” bag for G. Miss J would bring him home today. A & B were also on call, but it made so much more sense for Miss J to help us out. She was already at the daycare. Our house is “kinda” on her route home. A & B have an infant of their own to worry about (and a toddler).

    We arrived at the hospital at 11:15. Clearly, my cesarean wasn’t really going to begin 15 minutes later, but we got into a room, I answered the interrogation portion of the program, and we were off. I was nervous about the procedure, I won’t lie, but it was quick, and I didn’t feel anything but the final part where they pulled him out of me.

    As hard as we tried, we didn’t make it to the hospital before 11:15. Clearly, my surgery wasn’t going to start 15 minutes later. We got placed into a pre-op room, and the interrogation for the forms began. We went over medicines, addresses, allergies… I don’t even remember what else. I just remember a stack of papers and 3 pens for my choosing to fill forms out with. Isn’t this why I sent in my pre-admission packet?
    I was now into my hospital gown and cap.
    It hadn’t been very long until Kelly arrived. Sexy hospital hair cap photos. Yey!
    Then it was time for my IV. I did my absolute best to be brave… for the pictures. Hey, Storm is going to see those some day. How can I ask him to be brave for his shots, if I couldn’t be?

    This is when the anesthesiologist came in to introduce himself. Good! It was time for me to plead with him to allow Kelly to take photos in the OR. This might surprise you too, but the person who ultimately has the power to say Yey/Ney on photos in the OR is not the physician performing the procedure (ie. my OB), but the anesthesiologist. To boot, at my hospital you never know who you will be assigned, so it’s not as if I could try and approach each one. But we got lucky: the guy was really sweet, and after considering it, he said OK. I was happy.

    Off to the OR I went for my final prepping. We were in the same room that our Griffin was born. Music was piping through the speakers. I hadn’t noticed this last time. Yeah, I suppose this “was” someone’s office, and sure, music seemed appropriate. I guess.

    One more needle. The one in my back. I was sitting on the table shivering. For starters, I was cold, but also the anticipation was making me shake. I kept thinking back to the last time I sat in that same spot. Griffin’s c-section was an emergency procedure. He was in distress, transverse, his heart rate dropping and we were moving fast. I sat in that same OR table-spot nervous, then, wanting my son to be OK, and at the same time relieved that it would all be over soon. Back then I had labored naturally, without any pain medication. I was tired, and in pain. I was so exhausted that I actually fell asleep the moment my head hit the table. Today I was nervous because I knew I would be awake the whole time. I wondered how much of it I would feel; see; hear. So I sat there shivering. Thinking. Could I really go through with this?

    As I lied down I kept wiggling my toes. I still could, and this scared me. What if they didn’t do the spinal right? I don’t want to feel my surgery! So I kept wiggling my toes. I even told the anesthesiologist I could still feel my lower body. He kept poking me, and asking if I was getting number. Luckily I was.

    It was then that Shane and Kelly came in. Shane sat by my side, and Kelly next to him. Then the doctors came in. Since Dr. M wasn’t there, her two colleagues delivered instead. I knew I was in great hands, but I still missed her. (BTW, it turned out she HAD been come back the night before, but still had the day off, but Dr. P had forgotten, so they didn’t call her. She apologized so much, because she wanted to be there for us.)

    It began. The anesthesiologist kept chatting us up. I remember thinking, “Dude, is this really a conversational-type situation?” I mean, what do you talk about when you know that someone else is poking around your insides? As it turned out vacations. And traveling abroad. I was about to have an infant within the hour, and he wanted to talk about the Bulgarian coast-side. After a while Shane and I wondered “Do you have any idea how close we are?” and almost as if on queue I started to feel some tugging. It didn’t hurt, but it felt so… strange. I remember opening my eyes really wide because the sensation was so bizarre.  “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by Roberta Flack was playing over the radio. And then we heard a cry. S2 was born! It was 1:18pm.
    I asked “Is he still a boy?” These were the first words I spoke to G and it seemed right that I should ask the same question today too. And yep, still a boy. He was whisked off to the table, and after a good wipe down, I got to meet him.
    6lb, 10oz and 18″ long.

    S and Kelly went off to the nursery with S2. This is why I was so grateful Kelly was there. She was my eyes. She was there for me to experience, later, what I couldn’t in person.

    I got stitched up and put into a post-op room. I was cold again. Really cold. And thirsty. And hungry. While I could have all the ice chips I wanted, I knew food wouldn’t grace my sight until the next day. I was also tired so I kept going in and out of consciousness. Waiting on S and S2 to return felt like forever (although I’m sure they were gone no more than 20 minutes). When they came in, I got a chance to nurse. I wondered if it would be as hard as the first time I nursed G. To my surprise it wasn’t, but it was a little painful at first. It was a little like riding a bike after a long while. Except that you start off by falling and bruising your knee.

    The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. We got into our home-away-from-home room and got settled in. We talked about when G should come and meet his brother. I asked that we wait until the next day. I was confined to the bed, with the pressure boots on, and the IVs. I didn’t want him to see me like that, and to associate his brother with me looking that way.

    I went to sleep that night with the feeling that I lived an eternity that day. It’s strange when you have a life-changing event so big and yet to everyone else it was just another ordinary day. But today was the day that my family was complete. Nothing ordinary about that.

    I’m really excited about seeing Kelly’s pictures. It will be awhile before I’ll be able to share those photos with you, but above is an iPhone sneak peak of our boy.

    22 responses to “It Stormed today.”

    1. Alison says:

      WOOOOOO! Congrats and much love!

    2. Libby says:

      Yeaa he is such a cutie. Thats sooo awesome they let KellyM in to take pics. I cannot wait to see. And I didnt know you could feel when he came out with a c-section. Thats really cool A. Can’t wait to hear how big brother takes to his new role.

    3. Adrienne says:

      So excited and happy for your family of 4! Huge, beautiful congratulations!!!

    4. Kirsten says:

      Congratulations!!

    5. Kasey says:

      YAY! Congratulations, what a cutie! Can’t wait to see the KellyM photos too.

    6. Kelly Marie says:

      I am so thrilled that I was able to be there with you! And I am ready with a few photos. If you’d like me to post a couple, just let me know 🙂

    7. Kristin says:

      Congrats on it all! Best wishes!

    8. Molly says:

      Oh A, he is just beautiful. Congratulations on your Stormy day! I can’t wait to meet him and see the photographs (what a wonderful treasure you’ll have). Lots of hugs and love.

    9. Wendy says:

      S is adorable! I am so happy for your family, one of the most wonderful families I know. I am so excited that you were able to get someone to photograph it for you! Has G seen him yet? How accepting is G of S? Congratulations!

    10. suzy says:

      congrats! what a difference a day makes. enjoy all the sweet baby moments. i can’t wait to get my hands on this little guy. love to all. btw – maybe his middle name should be giants :]

    11. Ariana says:

      He’s so beautiful.. can’t wait to see those photos!

      I hope it all comes back like riding a bicycle 🙂

    12. EmWed says:

      Congrats!!!!!! He’s adorable. 🙂

    13. Courtenay Bost says:

      Congratulations! I’m so happy for you 😉

    14. Ariel says:

      Congrats you guys. I am in tears and can 100% relate to A’s fears about him not being ready and not feeling ready myself. He is a beautiful baby boy!

    15. Katie says:

      Congratulations!! He’s gorgeous – almost looks like G already!

    16. Rebecca says:

      Congratulations Guys! He’s perfect, so cute =)

      I think the second time around all the baby stuff was a lot easier, but the complications of a sibling make it tricky when you’re alone w/ both. Hopefully you’ll have a nice recovery period with plenty of help for G so that you can relax and fully enjoy S2. I can’t wait to see photos of big brother with new baby =)

    17. A huge congrats!!! Welcome to the world S2!!!!

    18. Marianne says:

      Congratulations! Early and in charge, but perfect just the same! I’m so happy for you and your healthy boy!

    19. patty says:

      Congrats you guys!

    20. Chris says:

      Congrats you two…so happy for you 🙂 KellyM already has some pics up! Wish we had some like that of Abby…jealous!

      Cheers,

      Chris

    21. Stephanie C. says:

      Congrats! He is so beautiful!

    22. ana ognyanova says:

      Congratulations!!! He must be happy and beautiful baby :))))

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