Kent is born!

I've decided that writing a blog is a good way for me to journal because I suck at writing things down and I can type so much faster than I write. So this blog is mainly for selfish purposes, but if you'd like to read about my life as a new mom, that's great with me! I can't guarantee I'll be great at writing consistently, but I'm going to write when I can. 

Honestly, Kent's birth story isn't anything too crazy or out of the ordinary, but it's still a miracle and one of the most wonderful things I've experienced. I'm a weirdo and I loved the time we spent in the hospital during the labor, delivery, and healing process. I know I was lucky because everything went so smoothly and some people have it much harder! You ladies are amazing.

Kent was due on Thursday, March 3, 2016. I had a pretty easy pregnancy--not a lot of sickness, cravings, moodiness, etc.--but I was ready to have that baby by the beginning of March. I wanted to work as long as I could so that I could take off the rest of the school year and just spend time with my Kent and figure out how to be a mom (I was allowed 12 weeks of maternity leave and I used them all!). The tricky part was that my doctor would be out of town from Friday, March 4th to Sunday, March 6th and I really wanted him to deliver this baby (my doctor--Dr. Seale--is amazing). So at my weekly checkup on Wednesday, March 2nd, I was dilated to about a two, but I had been at a two for about two weeks. So Dr. Seale stripped my membranes (what a weird/gross-sounding phrase) and I went on a long walk/waddle to try to have the baby before he went out of town. It didn't work. I was an ornery woman for a couple of days and my 17-year-old brother thought it was the perfect time to push my buttons. (Thanks Trev!) I ended up punching him in the face at a Mexican restaurant because he wouldn't stop driving me crazy--don't worry it wasn't TOO hard and I warned him I was going to do it!

So Saturday night at my parents' house I started having cramps--not very often, maybe just every 30 or 40 minutes or so. I wasn't sure whether they were contractions or not, but we went home and throughout the night they got more painful and closer together. I had contractions all day Sunday. It was a long day!! I'll always remember watching Harry Potter and playing Yahtzee with Kevin and pausing every few minutes while I had a contraction. I had been timing the contractions on my "contraction timer" app and by early afternoon they were getting more regular and close together but I was so nervous about going to the hospital and having them tell me it wasn't time yet and I had to go back home! Because I wanted to be sure it was the real deal I waited until about 7:00 that night when the pain was bad enough that I cried (I like to think I'm pretty tough when it comes to pain...) and decided it was time to go to the hospital. We arrived at Mckay-Dee and they checked me and I was dilated to a little more than a 4. I was so happy that I wasn't at a 2 anymore! I wanted to hug the nurse when she came in the room and asked, "OK! You ready to have a baby?" I was ready (or as ready as I'd ever be). 

We were admitted into the delivery room and called my parents to come--this was it! I was the only one having a baby that night at the hospital so I think I was a little spoiled. I met my cute nurse, Megan. We were lucky, too, because Megan had a student from a nearby college that was shadowing her, Kim. They were both AMAZING--so sweet and helpful and fun to talk to. Kim wants to be a labor and delivery nurse and this was her only chance as a student to be in the labor and delivery unit. Her shift ended at 5:00 AM and since I was the only one there, we all hoped the baby would come fast enough for her to see the delivery. Megan had gotten ahold of Dr. Seale and he was home from vacation!!!! He was going to sleep for a few hours and said to call him when I was almost ready to push. I was so happy Kent waited for my doctor to be back in town. :)

We were in!

Both of my parents came, which I loved. I knew I wanted my mom in there--we are best buds--and I'd told my dad months ago that he was welcome to come too if he wanted (our family is really close haha). He didn't seem to thrilled with the idea at the time--he's a pretty not-touchy-feely kind of person and, let's be real, the delivery process is pretty NOT private. He decided to come, though, and I'm so glad he did. It's not like he saw all my lady parts and he was SO excited for his first grandchild. Meanwhile, Shawn and Markel, the Jakes, and Trevor were at my parents' house awaiting the news til late into the night. It was so fun that they were all so excited. :)

Siblings waiting for news! (Shawn is taking the picture)

Time went by so fast for me between checking in and delivering! It was about six hours but it felt like three at the most. I had the epidural (which was definitely something I appreciated, but props to those of you who do without!), and Megan kept checking me and was surprised at how fast I was dilating. We had fun with my parents while we just waited for the time to start pushing. Kevin and I played Heads Up, laughed with the nurses and anesthesiologist, I tried to get some rest (like that was going to happen!), and we were all just so excited... I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I was a pretty awesome patient. I mean, my bed wasn't working and they had to move me to another bed after I'd had my epidural (which makes it hard to move!), but I did it like a freakin champ. haha. :)

Around 1:15 AM, Megan called Dr. Seale and had me start doing practice pushes. I only did one or two though, because she was worried Kent would come and the Dr. wouldn't be there yet! Dr. Seale got there quickly (looking a little tired, but not angry or anything) and he said because of the direction Kent's head was facing it would be safer to use the vacuum to assist. So we used the vacuum and after about 7 pushes (maybe like 10 minutes) Kent was here! With the pushing I felt more pressure than anything, maybe a little pain, but I don't even remember feeling pain, I just wanted to have my little guy here. I remember that last push saying to myself "I'm going to get him out on this one no matter what!" and it worked! He was born at 2:01 AM on March 7th. He started crying a few seconds after coming out and had the sweetest little cry. He did great after that and the nurses all commented about how cute he was and one even said "he doesn't even look like a newborn!" He was perfect. They finished cleaning both Kent and me up, checking him out (scored high on his APGAR test-woot woot!), and Kevin brought him to me. 

Holding my baby for the first time was one of the sweetest moments I've ever experienced. I was tired and overwhelmed, but more than anything I was blissfully happy.

Kevin was a champ through the whole thing and didn't let anything phase him. I was curious about how he was going to be with the delivery process, but he was very calm and collected. He got a little nervous when it was time for me to push, but he barely showed it. It's good to know that he's level-headed in high-stress situations. :) He was an amazing dad from the very beginning. We were both just giddy.

My parents were in love with Kent instantly, the rest of our family was ecstatic too--Jake told me he couldn't stop crying while he was trying to sleep because he was so happy. Kev's family had been waiting to hear the news and were super thrilled as well. They sent beautiful flowers to our hospital room the next day.

Flowers from Kevin's family

Kim, the nursing student, was so happy she got to see a birth and she cried happy tears with the rest of us. I'm glad she was able to be there, too.

They moved us to our new room soon after the delivery and we were just so happy. We had several visitors and almost always had one of the members of my family there. My parents brought Kent their "Welcome" gift--a cute puppy they had made at Build-A-Bear named Wrangler. He came with a cowboy hat and a handkerchief around his neck and is ADORABLE. It was so fun to watch my family fall in love so quickly with our new little buddy.

Grandma with her first grandbaby!!

Grandpa loving his new grandson

Shawn shaved off his beard for THIS moment. 
He wanted to be the uncle with a creepy mustache. 
I don't get it either. :)

You know Jake is excited when he is up and at 'em early enough to
 be at the hospital at 7 AM!
(also I don't know why we don't have a picture
 with Trevor, but he was there too)

Cute little Wrangler from
Kent's Grandma and Grandpa :)

We had great nurses and staff for the two days we were at the hospital and I seriously loved my time there. Everyone was so kind and willing to help with any little thing. I was healing well and trying to take advantage of all the help I had and just focus on loving my Kent-a-roo. I did have some pretty insanely swollen feet though (from all the IVs and what not). It was also hard for me to watch them prick Kent's little foot for the testing! His cry from pain made me want to protect him from ever being hurt. I guess that's part of being a parent.

The top picture is my foot now.
The bottom is a couple days after I gave birth!
SO swollen!

 When it was time to go home Wednesday morning, we were a little nervous, but ready to be at our own place. I didn't know how hard the next 6 weeks would be (more on that in another blog), but I'm glad because I was able to just enjoy my time in the hospital and not be apprehensive. I was so excited to put Kent in his going-home outfit because it was the same out fit all three of my brothers and I came home from the hospital in! I rode in the back seat next to Kent because it made me feel better (I still do that on occasion!).

 Anyway, Kent's birth was a wonderful experience and I'll never forget it, but I wanted to get the details written so I could remember it well.  I'm lucky it went so smoothly and can only pray it goes as well when we are ready for our next little one.  Oh, what a joy it is to be a mother! :)

This was the last picture we took at the hospital.
His "going home" outfit was the same outfit that my brothers and I
all wore when we left the hospital as newborns too!