Grayson's due date was actually June 28th, and about a week before I had declared that I was DONE. It was getting really hot, I was really uncomfortable, achy and just not a nice person (according to Derek...and I would have to agree). So, on my last doctor's appointment, she said she would feel comfortable inducing me since everything was going smoothly with my pregnancy and my first delivery didn't have any complications (other than being super long).
On June 26th, Derek and I went to the hospital at 10pm to start the process. Gramma came over to stay with Jocelyn at the house.
A picture of my 10 month pregnant belly!
I am all smiles in this picture, but this delivery was definitely NOT full of smiles....more like crying and yelling at people, I will explain...
After about 6 tries, we finally got both of our faces in the picture :) Once again, I was not in pain in this picture.
On the day of my doctors appointment when we made the decision to induce, my doctor also stripped my membranes to help move the process along. It wasn't until I got home that I started to have some painful contractions, so I worked from home on Wednesday "just in case" my water broke like it did with Jocelyn. On Wednesday night we went into the hospital to start the cervadil medicine to soften my cervix. It was almost instantaneously that my contractions started to intensify. At about 2:15am, I requested the epidural. When he was putting it in, for some reason it just didn't feel the same as it did with Jocelyn, but I didn't think much of it. I felt like it took him forever to do, and it made my left leg twinge uncontrollably when he was doing it?
The epidural started to work, life was great and we were going to get some rest. I did start to notice that the epidural was stronger on the left side of my body as opposed to my right. So we started to do some acrobatic techniques to use the force of gravity to get the medicine to my right side. I was also feeling very nauseous, which was very different than my epidural with Jocelyn. I ended up taking some Zofran, and that helped a lot. At about 7AM, we started the Pitocin to move my contractions along. After about an hour of being on the Pitocin, they decided to take me off of it because my contractions were getting very close together. About 30 minutes later, my water broke. As soon as my water broke I went from being 4cm dilated to 8cm dilated in just 30 minutes, and then I was really in pain as my epidural was almost non existent on the right side of my body. My left side felt fine. I was so scared and in so much pain! I had no intentions of being one of those "natural" "no pain medication" deliveries....I am nobody's hero! So the fact that I could feel what was going on was making me a VERY mean person. I am pretty sure Derek wanted to vacate the premises. Me and the anesthesiologist were best buds by this point because the epidural was NOT working and he had to keep pumping pain medicine in me to tie me over. The finally decided to pull the epidural out slightly in hopes of it hitting a different spot on my spine. This worked a little bit, but I have never been in so much pain...not good!
Once we "kind of" got the pain medication under control, it was time to start pushing. Derek and my L&D Nurse Nancy (same one who helped me deliver Jocelyn) picked up my completely paralyzed legs and I tried to push. Grayson did NOT like this, and his heart rate plummeted down to the 50's. Nancy called in the OB to assess. They determined that his head was turned sideways, just like Jocelyn's was and that was preventing him from coming out. Derek and I could tell that both Nancy and Dr. Muller were not liking this situation very much, and it made us nervous. They started to prep the OR for a c section because it was too late to use forceps (like they did with Jocelyn), and she couldn't get her hand up there to manually turn his head.
Then at the last minute, I felt some weird pressure and told the doctor "I think he turned his head??". Dr. Muller looked under the sheet and was like " Oh wow, you are having this baby NOW!". She could hardly get her gown and protective gear on, they were all running around like crazies! I literally pushed 3 times (less than 5 minutes) and he was out! It all happened so fast!
Grayson was born at 12:43pm, a much faster delivery than Jocelyn's!
Dr. Muller
A group picture: Dr. Muller & L&D Nurse Nancy
Gramma Lynna
Uncle Steven and Aunt Blaire were there to welcome Grayson too!
First bath
Holding my little man
Jocelyn meeting her little brother for the first time!
I couldn't wait to hug on my little girl, I missed her a lot while we were in the hospital, but she had so much fun with Gramma!
Gramma Joyce
Big Sis Jocelyn sporting her new shirt
Gramma and Grandaddy holding Grayson
Poppy holding his first grandson!
Our first family of 4 picture. Not the best, but it will do!
Getting his hand/foot prints before we left.
Leaving the hospital
Aunt Kim was in town from Indiana to meet Grayson too
Everyone has been asking how Jocelyn is doing with Grayson, and this picture says it all. She LOVES him. She is not jealous at all and is mommy's little helper. Almost to the point of being annoying. I find myself having to redirect her often to go do something to help mommy that she is able to do. She is so precious with him, and I am so thankful she has so much love in her heart for him.
A little different the second time around. Derek just whisked him out of his car seat when we got home. I was like "ummm, honey don't you want to bring the car seat in?" Definitely more confidence in our parenting skills.
Our first week was full of naps, eating and getting on a schedule.
We also welcomed Grayson and Jocelyn's cousin, Ashton on July 1st. So neat that they will be only a few days apart. We can't wait to meet him.
We also had newborn photos taken by one of my neighbors and good friends, Haley B Photography . I will post those pictures soon.
We also celebrated my birthday, as well as the 4th of July. Maybe next year Grayson will be awake for the neighborhood parade.
I honestly can't believe we are officially a family of 4! We are so blessed to have two beautiful, healthy kiddos. I can't wait to watch them grow up. Now if we can just power through these next few weeks of sleepless nights and feedings, all will be good!
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