Becoming Parents

Since it's been almost three months, it's about time I record the journey we went through to bring little Jay into the world. Oma flew in on December 6th, because based on my other sisters' experiences, the first babies come early. I tried so hard to get things tied up at work by the time Oma arrived, that when she got there I enjoyed the rest of the day off on Friday and then the weekend, hoping it was my last time logging into work. Every night, Mom was hopeful as she heard me get up that I was going to open her door and tell her I was in labor and we were going to the hospital.

Monday rolled around, and I didn't have much to do at work because I had handed almost everything off, so I worked a couple hours and then took the day off. I repeated this pattern all week, working a little and playing most of the day. I know Mom came to help me with Jay, but what fun it was to just be able to hang out with her! We went on walks around the mall, did some Christmas shopping here and there, and got pedicures. I never had a pedicure before, so it was such a fun treat. We also made cookies, because Bryces always need cookies. One evening we got tickets to the BYU basketball game and that was so fun!! I even did some jumping around to the music to see if I could encourage Jay to come. I loved being able to spend the time with Mom, fully recognizing I won't get much one-on-one time with her again.

Mom scooping cookies.

Go Cougs!

Leading up to Christmas, Mom read us Christmas Jars. I loved it! Reading stories is one of my favorite traditions.

Pedicures

Ladies afternoon out, so fun.

On Friday I had a follow up doctor's appointment, now over due by 4 days. M was in a final, so Mom came with me to my appointment. Dr. Rees was very kind, and said, you're not progressing and this baby is big...we need to induce. I reallllllly didn't want to have to be induced, but over the past weeks I hadn't made progress and knew I needed to get moving for Jay got way too big. When we determined that was what needed to happen the doctor said he'd schedule something for Monday. Mom's flight home was Thursday, so she asked if there was any way we could do it sooner and Dr. Rees said he'd go check the schedule. He came back to the room and said they had a room open right then and that I should go to the hospital. I quickly said M was in a final and asked if I could wait, he quickly said no and that I should go to the hospital. So, Mom and I drove home and then straight to the hospital where they started me on some medicine to prepare my cervix for delivery. When M finished his final, he gave me a call and I told him I was in the hospital and Aunt GayLynn would be picking him up from campus to bring him. I was so happy when he arrived, and grateful to have had Mom there with me in the meantime. Looking back, I am so grateful I didn't know I was going to be induced that day. I would have stressed and not slept and lucky for me, I just got to drive myself to the hospital and have the baby without the pressure leading up to it.

So, into the hospital we went on December 13th. I started medicine around 1 o'clock, and M and I enjoyed the rest of the day together. We watched some Hallmark movies, walked around my little room because we weren't allowed to roam the hallways, enjoyed lunch from Mom and then dinner from the hospital (they had an extra one so M got it). We even played some cards. As the night wore on, we decided to head to bed and try to get some sleep, hoping the next day we'd have a baby, but the nurses were thinking it may not even happen until Sunday.

Burgers, fries, and a milkshake - definitely the best food to start your labor with, yum!!

M was pretty excited about his fold out bed, and swore it was comfy.

Chillin' waiting for the baby to decide to come.

Our meal on the house because they had extra.

Around 1 AM, I remember starting to feel the beginnings of contractions, although I didn't really know what they were. But, by about 2, I really started to feel them and the nurse said I was beginning to dilate. Woohoo! The rest of the night, I didn't really sleep as contractions got stronger and stronger. It seems like it was about 4 AM when I started to grip the sides of the bed each time I felt a contraction and then shortly I was squeezing M's hand or doing anything else I could to work through the pain. By 8 AM I was dilated to a 5, half way there and I was thinking I could hold out a little longer on an epidural...but, through a few more contractions and knowing the anesthesiologist was right next door, I called the nurse and we decided we were ready. Once that kicked in, I fell asleep. I was so tired, I slept off and on until about noon. My water broke around 10, and when the nurse would come check on me at 11 I was dilated to a 10. She didn't want me to push though because the doctor wasn't there yet, haha so I went back to sleep. Around noon she came back in and said we could start to push. Pushing was kind of fun and with a mirror I could see slight progress, even so slight I sometimes wondered if pushing was even helping. :) The doctor came in around 12:40, and by 12:50 with maybe 2.5 pushes Jay was out. The doctor even told me to just do a half push the last time. How incredible it is to see a little baby come! He was screaming from the get go, which made all the nursing staff very happy. 8 lbs. 15 oz, they said it was the biggest baby they'd seen in a long time and one of the least complicated births. Jay was measured in the hospital around 19 inches, but when they stretched him two days later at the doctor's office he measured 21.

First moments holding Jay

Sweet baby boy, all wrapped up to take him to baby/mom unit

First family photo

Oma cuddling Jay, I couldn't find a pic that had all of Oma! 

Daddy enjoying Jay

Jay meets Uncle David outside the womb.

M and I just stared at Jay in amazement for almost the entire time we were in the hospital. We stayed at the hospital Sunday, and came home Monday. Saturday night, Jay was a champ and the nurses took him for a few hours at night so M and I got some good sleep. Sunday was a good day at the hospital. We had some people come and give us a spiritual thought, followed by the sacrament. What a blessing of having a baby in Utah! Then, we got our celebratory dinner for lunch. They bring in candles and sparkling cider, it was very fun. Mom came and visited us for a while that evening, which was wonderful too.

Eating our celebratory dinner/lunch

Jay - One Day Old

Monday came and we were fairly anxious to get home, but we waited until we met with the lactation consultant. Jay had stayed up all Sunday night screaming and wouldn't eat and I didn't get much help from the nurses on staff...they would come in, say oh, keep trying and we'll come back soon...two hours later of screaming. The took Jay for about an hour and I slept and M slept, but boy were we tired. With the lactation consultants help, I got Jay to eat a good feeding, I pumped and then we got to go home!

Jay all ready to come home! 

Family loaded in the car, heading out

We were so grateful to have Oma there when we got home. She saved us! We were so tired, and she took Jay, gave him cuddles, even got up with me a few nights to try to help me when I was feeding him. Jay and I had a hard time figuring out nursing so we went to another LC while Mom was with us, multiple trips to the pediatrician for help, and got in somewhat of a rhythm just before Oma left on Thursday.  We were so not ready for her to leave, but luckily M was finished with all his finals so he would be home to help me and to change every single diaper.

Oma giving Jay a nail trim, he had really long nails when he was born

Made by Kara, it was Me, M, and baby Jay

We had some fun adventures the first weeks of Jay's life. I am so grateful M was home to experience them with me! One that sticks out in memory is Jay's first sponge bath. We just got him undressed and started the bath, and he peed, we got that cleaned up, and he pooped...we ended up just leaving the diaper on at that point and for the other sponge baths we had to give him. Another was when Mom was here and I was changing Jay's diaper he started to poop, so I pulled him up on the mat so he wouldn't get in it and the poop just kept coming...Mom quickly got me another diaper mat and I moved Jay over there. AND, the poop kept coming half way up that mat! I was amazed at how much came out of that little guy and just had to laugh. Incredibly grateful Mom was there to save me with an extra mat and help with all the clean up.

Having a baby is a whirlwind and sometimes it feels like forever ago, and other times it feels like just yesterday. We are grateful for our miracle baby and he truly does bring so much joy. I am grateful for the trust Heavenly Father has given us to let us raise one of His sons, and I pray we'll be able to do what we need to, to help Jay return.