Trey's Birthday

November 27, 2012 started off like any other day with us being a duo but ended with us as a family of three! I woke up to go to work and found my water had broken at 6:59 am. I was so excited about what the day would bring! I jumped in the shower, called Jim to turn around and come back home (he had already left for work) and got busy calling my doctor and "A-team" (Mama and Leslie). 

My mama had decided to stay after Thanksgiving until my appointment Tuesday morning (which obviously I never made it to!) I was so thankful she decided to stay! We called Pee and she dropped her cat off at the vet and started making her way to the hospital from the Island.

We left the house around 7:30 (right in the middle of rush-hour traffic). Mama snapped this lovely picture of the traffic from the backseat.

And checked in to the hospital at 8:39. I was calm and collected and just so excited. Jim thought it would be a little different, that he would run in and say "get me a wheelchair" and there would be much more drama and rushing about. I think he was pleasantly surprised.

Once admitted, I met my nurse, Clara. She was AMAZING. She has been a nurse for over 30 years and was like having another mom there.

Even though my water had broken, I was still only feeling contractions in my back and I was not in any pain at all.

I got gowned up and got comfy in the bed (as comfy as you can get in a hospital bed, that is!) I got hooked up to the monitor to check Trey's heart rate and to monitor my contractions. Turns out I was having contractions about 5 minutes apart and didn't even realize it!

We took a few last pictures of me with Trey in my belly while we finished getting me all set up.

Our last picture as a family of 2.

Clara checked me for the first time at 9:25 am and I was 2 cm and 70% effaced. Yay for progress! Clara started my IV and hooked me up to some fluids and also to my pitocin drip at 11:00 am to get that party started...and boy did it. I finally started having contractions that I could feel and they were no joke. 

An hour later at 12:00, Clara looked over and said I was bright red and holding my breath, so she called anesthesia to bring my epidural. The epidural did not hurt at all. It just felt like some pressure but no pain at all. I had two contractions while getting the epidural but Clara held my hands and I focused on not moving and it was over quickly. 

After getting my epi, I was a happy camper. We took some more photos and just hung out. 

We sent the "big" I love you to Sarah and Brent.

Pee made it there in record time and joined us in L&D. We were only supposed to have three people back there, but they were quiet and the staff didn't seem to mind. 

Clara checked me again at 1:20 pm and I was 7 cm and 80% effaced. She said since my water broke on it's own, she would not check me as often. It was a very surreal experience, we just hung out while we waited... Jim checked my contractions and gave us reports :)

Clara left at 3 pm when her shift was over, and my new nurse, Karen, took over. When Karen checked me at 3 pm, I was 9.5 cm and fully effaced! It was almost go-time!

At 4:02 pm , I started pushing. Pushing was interesting as I couldn't really feel anything. It was like NOTHING I thought it would be like. In-between contractions, we laughed and talked and I ate ice chips ;) I pushed 58 times in one hour (3 pushes for every contraction I had). 

At 5:00 pm, Dr. I. Smith was called (she was on call for my doctor, Dr. Black). Dr. Smith decided I needed an episiotomy. I had to have a second degree cut. After the episiotomy, I pushed  two more times and he was here, at 5:12 pm. 

Daddy cut the cord.

And Trey was placed on my chest. They left him there for quite some time and let us have some bonding time :) This was my favorite part of the entire day.

The second he was born, it was love at first sight. Not that it mattered, but he looked EXACTLY like me and his little looks haven't changed yet!

My "A-team" reported that Trey came out very quickly with the two pushes. He was not exactly straight in the birth canal. He was born at an asynclitism, or head-first position. This means that he was head-first but his head was tilted to the side (hence the side-cone). This position makes pushing more difficult. He had a pretty rough looking cone-head and large bruise from how he was positioned in the birth canal but was healthy with an APGAR score of 8-9. 

They took him to weigh him, warm him up, clean him up and get him dressed for the first time. Trey weighed in at 8 lbs even and was 20 3/4 inches long.

Soon after his birth, Dr. Smith started calling in other people and there was a bit of commotion. I soon learned I was having a postpartum hemmorhage and would need a partial DNC. It was a scary time for us all, but Dr. Smith was able to stop the bleeding without any damage to my uterus, thank goodness! Because of the bleed, I stayed in recovery for longer than usual and didn't get up into my room until close to 10 pm. 

My "A- team" all got to hold and love on that sweet baby while we waited in recovery.

They took Trey to the nursery for his first bath and his paparazzi went with him while Jim stayed behind with me. 

Once in recovery, Mrs Mildred made it just in time for them to bring the little love-bug from the nursery into our room. She met her grandson for the first time!

Daddy got in some snuggle-time and our visitors left us for the night.

We kept Trey in our room Tuesday night and he only woke up twice to nurse so we actually got a little sleep.

Wednesday we hung out as our first day as a little family and were just in awe of our little guy. We had more visitors come by which we loved getting to see everyone.

Trey was born with such long fingernails and even though I meant to pack the baby nail clippers, I forgot them at home :( So glad we decided to pack these mittens "just in case" because we really needed them. Trey scratched himself all over his sweet little face :(

Rachel came to visit and snuggle with the little man! It was so good to see her. We also had visitors of Trey's grannies and Amy on Wednesday.

Wednesday night, we watched Duck Dynasty and Daddy taught Trey all about hunting and told him about all the fun they would have one day duck hunting. 

Wednesday night we utilized the nursery so we could get some sleep. The nurse would bring him to me to nurse him when he woke up. She brought him to me twice to nurse Wednesday night.

Thursday morning was my 28th birthday and it was the best birthday I have EVER had. My sweet little boy asked his Daddy to get me a cupcake and I was surprised Thursday morning with a cupcake and sweet card from my son and husband. 

Trey's Nanny and cousin Quinn also came back to see him as they couldn't stand to wait for us to get home. They are really the best! Nanny got in some good snuggle-time while I showered and got ready to go home and packed up all our things.

Here is the little guy all dressed in his going home outfit! His Aunt Kristie and Uncle Buddy and cousins Whitney and Katie gave him the outfit we brought him home in. (I must say that he wore this outfit yesterday again at 2 weeks old and it was too short- this kid is growing like a weed!!) 

Here he was patiently waiting to be discharged.

For us not bringing much to the hospital, we sure came home with tons of stuff! Here is all our stuff packed up and ready to go!

We had the same CNA two days in a row, Irsula, who was also the one who wheeled us out to the car once we were discharged.

She was even sweet enough to snap a family photo of us in front of the Christmas tree in the lobby before bringing us out to the car. (You know how much we love Christmas, so of course I couldn't pass up this photo op!!)

All loaded up in the car and ready to go home!

The little munchkin slept the whole way home. Mama got really hungry halfway home, so we pulled through McDonalds for lunch. I know, I know, laugh all you want, but we totally went through the drive through when we brought our child home from the hospital!

Daddy drove us home very safely and kept checking on us the whole way home. We are so lucky to have him!

We made it home around 3:30 pm and were welcomed by our family and Lucky. Lucky immediately loved Trey and we let him sniff and lick until his little hearts content. 

We feel so blessed to have this beautiful and healthy little miracle. Our family has not had an easy couple of years- years that have been filled with uncertainty, illness and untimely death. This Christmas, we just feel extremely blessed to have our family and friends but especially Trey here with us.

Thank you to everyone for all the thoughts and prayers. November 27th was the best day of our lives and we thank you for sharing it with us!

Love, Liz, Jim, Trey and Lucky Dog too :)