I really want to document all that I can about Erika's birth. If you want the short version- everything went well, we're doing great, and all is well....
Here is the long version:
Monday night, we met Aunt Heidi, Uncle Brent and Aunt Sarah at Ikea for dinner. Heidi was spending the night so that we could get up early to go and not have to drag the kids out of bed. So we all came home.... opened some gifts from Dad and Pam, watched a few movies, ate snacks (until midnight), and then finally went to bed. I should have been packing the kids' bags during this time, but that's what hindsight is good for. So Tuesday morning, I woke up about 3 minutes before the alarm was supposed to go off at 4:42. So I just got up and started getting showered and ready to go. The whole morning was really nice, just talking with Nate about how excited we were to meet Erika, reminiscing about how all of the other deliveries had gone, hoping we wouldn't have some of the same problems.... it was nice. Noah had climbed into bed with us earlier in the morning, so he was there in our bed, just laying there and then finally went back to sleep. I think he could feel the anxiousness from all of us to get our baby girl here. I had to hurry and pack the kids' clothes, and then we were ready to go. Nate gave me a blessing with the Priesthood, and I can't tell you how nice that was. Just to know that everything was going to be okay. Everything I had played out going wrong in my mind no longer felt like it was there, all my worries.... it was really nice. I don't know what I would do without the Priesthood in my life. And without Nate to share it with me!! It was a neat experience. Finally we made our way to Jordan Valley hospital. We arrived just on time at 6:30 am. Got registered, and quickly put in my room with the lovely gown and monitor. This is the part where they usually take FOREVER to get on with things, but not this time. I was very impressed with how quickly they did everything and how very little down time there was. Kinda nice because I got nervous enough as it was. I'm not sure what it was exactly, just nerves probably, but I was SHAKING like CRAZY. Everyone kept asking me if I was okay as we walked down to the Operating room (which I must say, I quite enjoyed not having to be wheeled in the bed down to the OR..... that's just so unnecessary if you ask me). They got me some warm blankets and the shaking toned down a little, but it was intense! Kind of embarrassing. So they had me sitting up this time for my Spinal Block. They've only done that one other time I think, and that was with Luke.... which had me worried since with Luke they totally hit one of my vertebrae..... VERY painful.... so I was hoping it was just a fluke. LUCKILY things with the spinal went PERFECTLY!!!! I really couldn't have asked for better!! Such a good anesthesiologist.... wish I could give him a tip.... it was so much better than the last time. So of course everything goes numb from the chest down. I have to say, I had really looked forward to this moment for the last few months considering I knew that I would not be feeling any of the pain that I had felt constantly. So this moment was pleasant. And I was really relieved that I hadn't felt all the poking.... I was COMPLETELy numb, that was good. Nate leaned down a couple of minutes into it and announced to me that they had "cut out my incision".... he had to explain that they actually cut around the existing scar from my previous 5 c-sections, and pulled it out, and threw it away. Kinda strange, but how cool that i only have ONE incision now instead of the "one" with slight deviations. My doctor said that no matter how hard they try to get it right on, it's almost impossible, so the scar tissues does start to build up, and it can get kind of difficult to do another one, so they just took them out :). I thought it was strange, but good at the same time.... I can't believe they just threw it away! Then Nate looked down at me and said, "she's HUGE!" Apparently her head was out and Nate thought it was rather large. I am always anxious for those first few noises from my new baby, and this time it was kind of funny because they were so short and few.... she kept starting and stopping crying.
(this first picture is VERY graphic, close your eyes if you don't do well with blood, babies coming out of bodies, or anything in between.... )
She really didn't cry much though, it was kind of weird.
That first moment when she came out and they told me she was a girl, and told me she was doing well, I just became OVERWHELMED with thoughts of how blessed I am. It was so intense. I couldn't help but think about all of my sweet little kids and the blessing of good health, very few problems at all, and it was just SO amazing!!! I couldn't help but thank my Heavenly Father at that moment. I was just OVERCOME with the moment. This moment didn't last long however... it was then that the most incredible pain came over me.... my chest had this stabbing pain, my head felt like it was going to explode, and I just felt really restless all of a sudden, like I needed to be moving. I was losing my breath, and feeling all sorts of things that I didn't want to feel. It was amazing how painful it all felt and how quickly it came on. I told the anesthesiologist who then asked me if it could be heartburn, to which I wanted to scream a "NO!" at him, but I was really just speechless... the whole thing was so overwhelming. He decided to give me some Lortab at that point, just in my IV, and I think that slowly, that is what took the pain away. I had to just close my eyes and pray for it to be over though, it was SO BAD!!! I don't know if I've ever felt anything like that before.... it was hard. But I know that I was helped through that, so I try to think of it as a good experience. I know that I was sent help. So anyway. It took a little while before they finally showed me my little angel. The first thing I thought when I saw her was how much she looked like Noah. Which in turn makes her a Kelly look alike as well, but it was just funny the resemblance. They let me put my hand on her just a little (no picture :( ) and then rushed her away to be cleaned. I always listen to the nurses talking to Nate as they are taking care of the baby afterward. It's weird to just be laying there getting sewed back together while he goes around with the nurses getting pictures and comforting our little one. I love that he is the Dad he is and will hold their hands when they cry and love them when he can. It's sweet.
Yeah, okay, so after the delivery, as they wheeled me down the hall, I started feeling nauseous. I tried telling them a few times that I felt like I was going to throw up, but they only heard me the last time, and only seconds before it came up. They were totally unprepared. Someone grabbed a plastic bag from a garbage can in the hallway and actually put it up to my face and then wiped my face with it after I was done.... is that not disgusting?? I try to just be glad that they did something, but really... the garbage bag? in my face? is that sanitary? I kind of think that was the cause of the next round.... just the thought of what they had wiped my face with..... but luckily this time, they had a towel. So weird.
They took me to our room, and just kind of left me there. Nate had to go video tape her bath, and I was done being sick, so everyone just left. It was SO NICE!!! I LOVED this moment. I really just sat there and thought. Some prayers of gratitude, some for comfort, just really really a nice peaceful moment. SOmething I get very seldom. It was some good reflecting time. I totally loved it. I want to remember that special moment.
After that Nate came in with my little girl, and we all got to just sit there and oooh and ahhh over this sweet little blessing that had just joined our family. Nate always gives our babies a blessing when they are born. It's always very sweet and very special to be a part of that. It's hard to not feel overwhelmed with the responsibility that these little ones are. We have them in our charge and if we fail..... It's just crazy to think about.
Erika's weight was 7lbs 15.8 oz, so they rounded it up to 8 lbs. Baby's who are 8 lbs or more have to have their blood sugar tested and since Erika's was a little low, they had to keep her a little more for monitoring. It's usually the temperature for our kids that keeps them in the nursery, so we were glad for a change.... and glad that her blood sugar came up so quickly. She is such a good healthy baby. She seems SO alert for how young she is too and has received several comments about her alertness too. She is a sweetie. I love holding her. The nurses kept making fun of me for holding her "too much" but really.... do they think I will get to hold her when I get home??? She loves to be held, she loves to eat, and she loves to sleep.... perfect little baby!
