Tyler is 4 years and one week old today. I have loved every second with my little boy. I realized today that I have not recorded his birth story. I have Jackson's because I was in the thick of blogging when he was born, and his birth was so traumatic it was like therapy :) But I hadn't started a blog until Tyler was a few months old. And I wouldn't have dared putting that private, intimate of information on a webpage back then. But now, my blog is my journal. My family's journal. I printed off one year for Christmas and plan to do the same with every year. Our yearbook, if you will... So what about when Tyler asks to read about his birth and it isn't in here? Well, now it will be. This is the LONG version of what I remember:
When Jeff and I decided it was time to get pregnant, I was just about to finish my last semester of College before my student teaching, but I had a summer in between. So we planned out how I could be pregnant, but not early, and pregnant but not enough to go into labor while teaching high school students. It took us about 4 months to get pregnant, and although at the time I thought it was an excruciatingly long time, it was perfect timing.
We were living in San Antonio at the time, Jeff was installing alarm systems and I was an office manager for the same company. I went home in July to visit my family and didn't know I was days old pregnant. Before I left, I took a pregnancy test, hoping to be pregnant and be able to announce it to my family in person. But it was negative. When I got back I took another pregnancy test again, and got that lovely plus sign.
Jeff and I were super excited! I knew from all the pregnancy books that you shouldn't announce it until you see a heartbeat, but we couldn't hold it in. We called all of our family members and told them the great news.
It wasn't until about week 6 that the nausea hit and a week later, I was throwing up everyday for about 4 or 5 months. And even then, I'd have bad days. I remember driving from San Antonio to Phoenix and then to Idaho in our car with no air conditioning in the dead of August, puking in a trash can. I was sicker than I ever thought I'd be, but I was still so happy to be pregnant. When student teaching started in Blackfoot, Idaho, I accepted the fact that I'd be throwing up before class started and many days at lunch in the student bathroom. But I got through the days and I couldn't have been more excited to be done in December.
I remember loving being big! I loved my big belly and the way maternity clothes fit on me. I never minded gaining weight, and enjoyed being able to eat whatever I wanted. Usually string cheese, sprite, and ho-hos.
By February, I was ready to have this baby. I remember doing the dishes everyday, thinking this could be the last time I did the dishes before he comes. I had 2 due dates from ultrasounds: February 28 and March 4th. Of course, I was going by Feb. 28 and my doctor was going by March 4. I remember telling my Mom that if February 29 comes and I haven't had the baby, I was going to be so mad. She said, "if February 29 comes, we are all in trouble" :)
I remember staring at his crib, bedding washed and prepared for the baby and feeling so ready for a baby to put in there!
So come the first week of March and I was ready for labor pains. I was like, "bring it on!" I had braxton hicks contractions often, but not much happening. I remember going in for a dr. appointment and my doctor said I was dilated to a 1 and I was so happy! I really thought that I would have a baby that day. Why don't they teach you in lamaze class that the first stage of labor could last weeks?
A few days later, and nothing but back pain and fake contractions, we decided to go in and see if I had made any progress. I decided Friday would be the perfect day (must have been March 2 or so). Jeff could be with me all weekend and wouldn't miss any school. So, I get hooked up to the monitors and waited. My doctor came in and asked if I was ready to have a baby today and I said, YES! And then, he left. I asked the nurse where he went and I thought she said, "he went to Denver." And I said, "well, when is he going to get back?" When she said, "I don't know..." I freaked out. Why would he go to Denver and leave me here? And then I realized she said, "he went to dinner" Oh that makes sense. Pregnant people freak out easily :)
Anyways, after walking for hours and no change, they decide to send me home with a sleeping pill and tell me, "Come back when you are ready, we usually don't send you home a second time at 40 weeks." So, I take the pills and go to bed.
I woke up that night feeling horrible, threw up a few times and slept all day Saturday.
I went back in Sunday night just sick of being pregnant and hoped they would let me stay... hook up to monitors, more walking, no change... But my dr. must have felt sorry for me, so he let me stay and gave me some pitocin. About when I started to feel a ton of pain (I think I was about a 4), they broke my water and it was such a cool feeling. My nurse suggested some pain meds in the iv and then an epidural when I was relaxed. My only birth plan was to be as comfortable as possible. So she gave me some Demerol which made me really relaxed and happy! I remember laughing and telling Jeff, while rubbing his face, "I love you, Thank you for coming."
I was totally relaxed during the epidural, but I realize later they had trouble getting it in. I was hunched down for a good 10 or 15 minutes, but I wasn't feeling any pain and I didn't realize there was a problem. Something about my spinal column being very small... Not a big deal except that it wore off quickly.
I progressed quickly and they were able to turn off the pitocin so I could labor naturally from 7-10 cm. Within a couple hours, I was able to sleep and then it was time to push. I was so excited about this part. Had dreamed about the time to push while watching a Baby Story during my pregnancy. But I started getting nauseous, got the chills and started shaking. Oh, the shaking. I couldn't control it! I'm sure it was nerves and that my body was working really hard although I couldn't feel much, just pressure. I pushed for about an hour, and they kept looking at the baby's heart rate and it was low, and wasn't fluctuating like they would want it to. I remember at some point them telling me it was borderline needing a c-section if his heart rate didn't come up. (Interestingly, something I didn't remember until Jeff told me after Jackson's delivery and all the complications with Jackon's heart rate which did lead to a c-section) Anyway, about an hour later, Tyler was born and it was beautiful! I remember holding him and crying and feeling such a great amount of joy! That I wasn't pregnant anymore, that the delivery went smoothly, that I had a great experience, that I was finally holding him, that he was perfect, that I would be a mom now, that Jeff and I would have a baby to take home!
The recovery was definitely harder on me than the delivery. Another thing that they don't teach you in baby-prep 101. But once I got over the discomfort and pain, I loved every second of having a newborn. I never did mind the middle of the night wake ups, I was able to sleep with him during the day. Tyler was such a great baby! He woke up often to eat, but he never cried unless he needed something (food, diaper change or sleep) I was able to listen to his cues and know what he needed based on where we were in the EASY cycle (eat, activity, sleep, you time).
When he was a month old, we blessed him in church and my family celebrated Easter and my graduation. It was a wonderful time we spent together!
Soon after that, we moved to Orlando for the summer. Remembering my last journey cross country with no a-c and all the puking, I decided to fly and meet Jeff there. It was quite an experience flying alone with a newborn-- messy poopy diaper I had to change in my seat due to turbulance and the stay in your seat sign... but we got there safe and sound.
I remember sitting in our new apartment in Orlando, just Tyler and me the night before Jeff would meet us out there. It was completely empty: no furniture, no belongings, just me and my suitcase and Tyler. He slept in the stroller and I slept on the floor. It was such a strange feeling. I remember thinking, I should be so homesick and lonely right now. But I wasn't. I had my buddy Tyler to keep me company--and busy :) And that's how it's been ever since I've had kids. I've never felt homesick for my past life, or another home (we've moved a lot). I just felt like where they are, I am also. And it's good. I love being a mom and I wouldn't do things differently if I had the chance!
And that's Tyler's story!
