Our Life Just Got A Little Fuller

This is going to be one long post, but I have to put in every detail of that special day! There is no words to describe what becoming a parent is like, but I hope I can at least remember some of the feelings we felt when our sweet little baby came into our life. 

June 11

This day has always been a special day for us because on June 11, 2009 Steven and I were sealed for eternity in the temple. I was so hesitant to have my induction date be the 11th, but the doctor assured me he wouldn't be born until the 12th anyway. 

So that night we arrived at the hospital at 8pm after having a romantic 3rd anniversary dinner at noodles :) We went to our room and right away they wanted to hook me up to everything. 

(last pic taken of my pregnant belly! 40 weeks and 6 days, up 22 lbs)

They started me out with a pill they place on your cervix to help you dilate and since I was at a 1 it was much needed. They said get some rest and we'll be back in 4 hours to check you again. I thought Oh great, this is going to be one long night and one slow delivery!

June 12

 So they came back at 1am and I had dilated to a 2... Wahooo. haha They then started me on the pitocin and said they would be back in 2 hours to check me again. Once they came back at 3am I was dilated to a 10 and it was time to break my water. Within minutes of them walking out the door I finally felt my first real contraction! I only endured about 6 or 7 of them before that anesthesiologist was in and giving me the epidural! The contractions were minutes apart and I was shaking all over from the pitocin. By about 6am they said they would call the doc, he'd be over by 7 and it would be time to push! We were so thrilled that our long night was finally over and this baby was about to come out! 

We called my mom and Steve's dad and they both showed up immediately. I started pushing a little before 7am and the nurses were confident I would have him in no time! Well.... Long story short, by 10:37am our baby boy FINALLY came into this world! and not without a fight. 

There were nurses and doctors coming in and out all over the place and it was quite a party there for a while. About the time they said his head was close to coming out, one of the nurses said his heart rate was dropping. She kept spouting out numbers and I remembered they told me a healthy heart rate was around the 135 range. His heart rate dropped to as low as 94. The doc called out some code words and the next thing I know there are about 14 people in this room waiting for the baby! Steve and I were so scared and I just remember hearing them say if he didn't come out now, they would have to vacuum him out. I guess that was enough drive for me to push because I didn't stop for about 3 whole minutes before he came out! Steve wanted to cut the umbilical cord but as he came out they said Sorry dad, we have to cut it and get him cleaned up. They also told me they were going to place him on my chest and Steve would help the nurses clean him up right there. The next thing I know he is brought to the side of the room where there is tubes down his throat and all sorts of tests being ran on him. Steve and I looked at each other and were scared to death. Nobody would tell us what was going on, and all I could think about was the fact that he hadn't started crying yet. I sat there with tears streaming down my face for what seemed like an eternity (which turned out to be about 5 minutes) before I heard our little boy finally start to cry. I felt so relieved! I looked over and saw Steve crying too. We were so thankful he was breathing! 

First picture of our sweet baby. 8 lbs. 20 in. 

The nurse said he had red hair! I guess it went away because I never actually saw it!

First family picture

About ten minutes after he was born we finally got to see him and they laid him right on my chest like they were supposed to do in the beginning. I was so overcome with emotion I couldn't even see his sweet face through my tears! We were able to snap a few pictures before the nurses said ok we have to take him to the nursery. I felt so sick inside. I only had my baby for 5 minutes and now they were going to take him away? They told us he was under stress while in the last few minutes of pushing and he actually had a bowel movement inside me so his breathing and heart rate needed to be monitored. Steve was able to go with him and did skin on skin with him in a little rocking chair in the nursery. 

I thought I would be joining them within a few minutes, maybe 20 tops, but the nurses kept telling me I was loosing too much blood. I don't quite know the terms but a typical woman looses about 500 cc's and I was up to around 800 cc's lost. I couldn't even sit up I was so dizzy. They said I could go to the nursery when I could get up and sit in the wheelchair. 3 whole hours had past and I still wasn't able to get up without almost passing out. I just laid in the bed and cried the entire time. I had just given birth and neither my husband nor my baby were there with me! I was thankful for the rest, but I was so worried about my two boys! Luckily my mom stayed with me and comforted me and actually took some video/pictures of Steve and Jack in the nursery for me to see. I couldn't believe I was experiencing my baby for the first time via pictures and video. It was heart breaking. After loosing around 1,000 cc's of blood and being pumped full of I think 5-8 bags of fluid I was FINALLY ready to leave the labor and delivery room. 

My mom said that as Steve was with him in the nursery he was talking to baby J all about mommy and Winston our dog. He spent 3 hours with him so I could only imagine how much he learned from dad in that time! I was so grateful they got to share that sweet bond and am so lucky for such a sweet loving husband. 

We got to the room where I would spend the rest of our stay recovering and was finally able to see Steve and baby again! It was like I was meeting him for the first time. When I saw him in the delivery room I didn't even have time to study his face. I only got to hold him for moments before he had to leave me. I was so happy to see them both again! Luckily that was the end of him leaving us to go to the nursery. He was finally healthy enough to stay with mommy and daddy.

Makes my heart melt :)

We ended up staying in the hospital until Thursday because my blood count was still really low. I was on the verge of getting a blood transfusion but luckily I stayed above the "dangerously low" range. The rest of our stay was great! The staff was so caring and really listened to us. They were able to help me start nursing without any problems and they took such great care of me and baby! We had so many visitors come to see us. We are so blessed to have such great family support! 

Look at that full head of hair!

We of course had to leave in true Fuller fashion. I promised Steve forever ago that if we had a boy he could come home in Ute gear :)

One happy daddy!