It's a Baby!

I was killing some time this morning playing with my phone, and I realized it's countdown app says two days until Critter's due date...  Or not.  Since he's here!  And he's already two days old!  Crazy!  Actually, what's actually crazy is his birth story.  Don't worry, I won't get too detailed-- I'll try to focus on the random/funny parts and summarize the rest.

So the end of last week, I was really feeling huge and swollen.  Moving around hurt, so did sleeping and sitting.  It was not a pretty sight.  Even my doctor said I was starting to look a little more swollen in my feet and face, which is something she had never mentioned before Friday.  I think my most quotable statement of the time was, "Get him out!"  Yeah, not my best time.  But I accepted what I was so often reminded of in my doctors appointments-- first babies tend to be late.  So I'd force myself to walk a ton and continue on like normal.

I had started my Suzuki teaching class, which I'm sure I'll blog about another time, and I headed in the city twice a week for my class and observation periods.  I was really enjoying it.  Well, I still enjoy it.  It's so interesting, and these more orientation classes focus so much on the development of children, they're like parenting classes.  Coincidence?!  But I was not looking forward to this past Sunday.  I had a special class called Every Child Can from 10-5 where I knew we'd have minimal breaks and sit all day in hard chairs in a warm room.  It really was just that.  Thank goodness I like the subject!  During the lunch break, I talked to my mom for a bit about how Critter will probably be late, but sooner would be nice... if it didn't complicate the timing of Trevor leaving on his mission.  But we really were just chatting about how I'd be pregnant for a long time.  And somehow class was over.  So I headed home on the train, like normal, after talking to Angela on the phone about crock pot chicken recipes.  I hadn't eaten too much for lunch, so I was thinking about dinner the entire way home, and right as I walked in the door, Marcus and I started cooking.  Chicken Divan of course, if you were curious.  And suddenly there was a pop sound and I was pretty sure I had wet my pants.  Just like a movie.  So strange.  I felt kind of dumb because I wasn't entire sure what happened or what to do next because I still had weeks left if Critter decided to follow the normal stats and be almost two weeks late.  So I called the doctor, but no one answered.  She had left me the number to the hospital just in case that were to happen (there are lots of office changes going on right now that impacted phone numbers and scheduling), and guess where she was... yep, at the hospital already with another delivery.  She listened to my rambling about what happened and said I should go in to be checked.  Won't lie, I was a bit disappointed because I was already so hungry, but I managed to refrigerate the dinner we were working on while Marcus pulled together a few last minute items and fed our precious cat. 

We really had prepared for the adventure.  The bag was packed.  Our route was chosen.  We had just always been wondering if we'd be going in crazy commute times or middle of the night.  I was not expecting the Sunday night before he was due.  Which is probably why I didn't really think it was happening at first.  And then of course we spent awhile deciding how to get to Manhattan.  We knew we were taking a cab in the city, but if it was possible to take the train any of the way, it would obviously be cheaper.  So since I wasn't having contractions yet, we decided to take the subway to Grand Central.  And we hailed a cab there.  Seriously.  Pregnant lady on the way to the hospital on the train.  Haha.  Good times. 

When we arrived at the hospital around 7 P.M., of course my paperwork wasn't there yet.  (Again, probably due to changes in the office of my OB.)  So we filled out everything again.  And then we ran into my doctor.  She always laughs during my appointments because she says I'm always so calm and collected about everything, and she wishes it would rub off on others, which is something I never thought I hear said about me!  But she said my phone call was just the same.  She seriously was laughing about it and how most first time moms are late and don't have a movie scene water break to kick off delivery.   She then led us into the Labor Room, where the nicest nurse ever was there to help us and set up my IV.   Conveniently enough my contractions picked up right about then.  But we were in for the long haul since I came in before contractions due to my water breaking.  I knew I was going to have an epidural, and it was nice to just have to decide when.  But that was a harder decision than I thought it would be.  Luckily some of the other doctors had some great advice about how if I know I'm willing, might as well make it more comfortable.  One of the doctors drove me crazy because he didn't think my water broke and then decided to formally tell us it had later.  Weirdo.  Anyway, after I got the drugs probably around midnight--it all went by so much faster than I thought it would--, I was napping on and off for a couple more hours until about 4 A.M. 

My doctor would check up on me every two hours, but she came in at four with a different look on her face.  She said she couldn't even sleep because she was worrying about me and my munchkin.  (She always used cute names like that.)  He was doing great.  I was too.  Contractions were right on schedule.  But nothing had changed.  It had been too long for no progress, so she wanted to do a C-Section.  She wasn't sure exactly what was the issue, but she guessed it had to do with either the length or location of the umbilical cord. 

By five, I was in the O.R., and Marcus was in his scrubs.  They really made a relaxed and comfortable environment for such an intense procedure.  The doctors were all fantastic, and they had the radio in the background.  And the anesthesiologist was hilarious.  (He was from Ireland and had the coolest accent.  NY, and especially this hospital, really is such a fun place with all the different cultures.  I think every nurse we had during the whole process was from a different country!)  Anyway, I bet the surgery took no more than twenty minutes.  They were amazing.  And besides some weird pain in my shoulders and chills, it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be at all.  Even as they pulled out our little man.  Marcus was good and didn't watch anything involving blood or needles, so he made it through the entire C-Section.  He was able to cut the umbilical cord and hold our son right away.  I had some serious shivers going on, but I was able to watch everything.  And the doctors loved our baby.  They kept saying how he's so cute but so big!  It was scary at first just hearing doctors incessantly tell you your baby is huge when you can't see anything.  But then they started calling him "The Gerber Baby" (and also "Bruiser"), which made me not so nervous.  :)

We were able to wait together, as in all three of us, until they were ready with a room for us upstairs.  There was a little time because our nurse wanted to wait for the change in shifts.  Plus, the next nurse we worked with, who was Seventh Day Adventist and felt a special bond to us Mormons, wanted to hook us up with a private room on-the-house.  That took some extra negotiating, but it was so worth it.  Marcus was able to spend the nights here with us in the hospital, so when the baby would cry, he could help pick him up since I move super, super slowly.  Bless that nurse!  And that time became our opportunity to seriously narrow down the list of names, which was way easier after having spent some time with the little man.  Within seconds, we were down to three we both liked!  (I had hoped that would happen.  Haha)

So now we're at the last night here in the hospital.  I've been healing well, but obviously it's a slow process.  And our big boy is doing well too.  He loves to look around, but man, he really loves to sleep.  Eating has been a bit trickier, but he's healthy and apparently happy.   

Now for the part you really wanted... pictures!  I'm sure there will be more soon since we get to go home tomorrow!  So excited!  It's been really nice having so many doctors and nurses around to help as I recover while he's so tiny, but I can't wait to be in my apartment.  And I know Marcus is looking forward to it as well.  It's been so helpful having him stay here, but I'm sure the pull out bed he's sleeping on is anything but comfortable [Marcus Edit: I've camped and been more comfortable :)]  Plus there are some better quality pictures on our camera.

At the train station heading to the hospital

Napping through my contractions-- bless that epidural

Chase Richard Hardy

Born Monday, September 24th, 2012 at 5:32 A.M.

Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City  

9 pounds, 4 ounces, 20 inches long

Brand-new

Probably an hour old

 

Daddy and his son

Finally some food!
This was lunch on Monday after not having eating since my PB&J Sunday afternoon.  Best broth ever :)

Sleeping boy

First big diaper change (success, if you were wondering. haha)

The chunky monkey

Early profile shot

His cute head is just too big to hold on the hat very long

Not the most flattering picture, but proof I'm not lying... I was there too.

Cute toes!

The guys napping

A short clip of our Chaser, per request of my dad :)