Newborn Photo Shoot

Thanks Tami & Adam for helping me out with this!

The day our family became perfect!

As mentioned in previous posts, Saturday the 12th we were planning on heading in to the hospital to be induced. Low and behold I wake up early Saturday morning with contractions coming every 5-8 minutes on their own. Finally call the D. Gooden around 7:00 and she says to head on in when we are ready and we will see if something is really going on, and if not we will induce. We had a few things we wanted to take care of first so we didn't head right down. Contractions picked up and I started feeling lots of pressure.  Mom comes over to ride with us.  Which I am so thankful for because she was able to snap some pictures of us leaving and helped keep me calm and laughing.  

Chris on the other hand was pretty nervous!  He kept telling us to quit talking as he was driving down there. 

We finally get down there at 10:00 and I am dilated 3-4cm. Doctor decides I am in labor on my own and can get the epidural whenever I want. Contractions were every 3-4 minutes but they weren't unbearable so I decide to wait on epidural.  The labor/birthing room I was in was nice and big.  My sister finally showed up, so it was her, Chris, and my mom in there with me.  At 11:45 they broke my water. That was the strangest feeling ever! After that, the contractions got REALLY intense.  Chris kept asking me if I was ready for the epidural, but I kept saying no.  It was so cute that he couldn't stand seeing me in pain.  I stuck it out for awhile and was quite proud that I was not a screamer. But  when the tears rolled out uncontrollably I finally decided it was time for the good drugs! :o)

All I can say is the epidural was the best thing ever!!!

My dad and Chris' parents made it to the hospital too.  A little later Cam & Ben joined the party. They took turns coming up and spending time with us.  It really helped the day go quickly.  Around 4:15 I was 6-7cm and she could feel the head right down there. Epidural began to wear off some so they upped it back up. Surprisingly the day was going by really quick. I couldn't believe that I had been in labor for so long. Doctor decided to give me some pitocin to try and speed thing up because I was still at 7cm around 5:30. Contractions were coming every minute but the epidural was slowly wearing off on the right side. By 7:00 my right side was back to feeling everything and I was pretty miserable. Doctor checked and was still at 7cm and my cervix was beginning to swell. She said that we knew all along that he was a big baby and could possibly effect the delivery. She said that even though she could feel his head down there, it was too large to descend anymore thus resulting in not enough pressure to dilate me anymore. She thought the best plan was to shift my position to the right since I had feeling on that side and check again in 40 minutes. If there was no change she thought we should do a c-section. I was devastated.  I barely held the tears in while she was still standing there.  Once she walked out, I lost it. I knew that in the end it would be fine, it just wasn't what I wanted. I just want to take a second to pause and say- to those of you who go 100% all natural with no pain medicine- KUDOS TO YOU!  Those 40 minutes that I had feeling on just the right side were enough to tell me that getting the epidural was a good decision!  I can't imagine feeling that pain on both sides the entire time!

Come 7:40 there was still no change. So off to surgery we went.

 The c-section went smoothly. My surgical team was fantastic. Wyatt was born at 9:15pm. Hearing Wyatt's first little cry completely melted both my and Chris' heart. I got to see a quick glimpse of him before they took him over to check him out. 

He weighed 8 lbs and 4 oz and was 20 3/4 inches long. Chris quickly went over to him to take pictures and watch everything that was being done. I hated that I missed those first few moments of his life, but I was glad that Chris could be with him. Very quickly Chris brought Wyatt over to me for the first time. It was the most amazing feeling ever. There are not words to describe the emotions that we were feeling. Chris got to hold Wyatt beside me for the last 20 minutes or so of my surgery. They released my arms so that I could touch him too.

All three of us were taken back to our original labor room for recovery. The nurse quickly stripped Wyatt down to his diaper and we got to spend 30 minutes just bonding skin-to-skin and breastfeeding. It was such a special and intimate moment for the three of us. We then got to introduce him to his family that was waiting downstairs. Around midnight we were taken up to our room that we would remain in until discharge. Wyatt stayed with us the entire time so we had plenty of time to bond.

Overall our labor/delivery experience was a good one. No, I didn't get the delivery I had hoped for and I think part of me will always be sad about that, but I have an amazing son who is perfect in every way. All 3 of us were very well taken care of and the hospital staff were amazing. I will forever cherish this experience and how it has changed my life.  


Here is little video capturing the first days of Wyatt's life.  Enjoy!

Tomorrow our world will be forever changed

I know that I should be in bed getting what is most likely my last night of uninterrupted sleep, but I am just to excited.  I'm sitting here in Wyatt's room just thinking and dreaming.  It is so weird/amazing/mind-blowing to think that tomorrow we will meet our little man.  This pregnancy has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday that we decided we were ready to expand our family.  Chris and I spent the evening riding around the ranch with our dog Tail.  Then we had a yummy dinner at good ole Ralphs!  Our bags are packed and ready. We plan on calling the doctor around 8 or so in the morning.  The next time I post I will be a mommy!!!!!

Someone please remind me that I once said pregnancy was great...

 On Monday I went walking to try and get some things moving.  Well that evening contractions started.  They weren't real consistent so I wasn't even trying to time them.  I was in bed around 10 or so watching TV when they really started getting bad.  They were about every 6-10 minutes.  Chris kept coming in and staring at me.  I finally told him (in a not very nice voice) that his staring was not making me feel any better.  I now feel kind of bad about snapping at him because I realize that he was just feeling helpless.  I believe I took about 4 hot baths between 10 and 1 am.  It was the only thing that helped.  Finally at 1 in the morning I did what any grown adult would do when they were in so much pain that they didn't know what else to do..... I called my mom! She told me to ahead and call my doctor.  Feeling horrible for waking her in the middle of the night, (although I guess that is what we pay them the big bucks for!) I gave Dr. Gooden a call.  5 minutes later I was waking up Chris to take me to the hospital.  

Once I got hooked up to the monitor we learned my contractions were every 3 minutes and (warning TMI) I had lost the remainder of my mucus plug.  I was still only 2cm like I had been at my previous appointment.  So we were sent out to walk for an hour.  Needless to say walking while having contractions & puking every 10 minutes is not fun.  But guess who was the one complaining??? My darling husband!  All the walking was making his knee hurt.....grrrrrr  enough said.

After the hour of walking there had been no change. After laying there for about 15 minutes, my contractions also slowed down. The hospital has a policy that if you are not 39 weeks ( which I was only 4 days away from!) they will not keep you unless you show cervical change.  So home we went. 

So here I sit on the couch.  I haven't been able to return to work because if I get up for more then 20 at a time my contractions come back.  I have an appointment this afternoon and my mom is going with me.  She knows that I am a push over and won't insist that something be done.  So will update a little later.  

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UPDATE: So I am now 3 cm dilated.  Dr. Gooden at first said we would just wait and see what happens. I started crying.  My mom said there is no way she can go another week with the pain she is in.  I guess Dr. Gooden felt sorry for me, because she said I am on call this weekend.  I can't schedule an induction because there isn't anything wrong with the baby that would justify one.  You call me Saturday morning and I will have you come in and just plan on staying.  So that is where we are at now.  Looks like we will be having us a baby this weekend! 

Maternity Photos!!!!

So the incredible  Ashley Hayden Bahr did an amazing job on all of our photos!!  Here are just a few of my favorites. 

34 Weeks!

Can't believe over a month has gone by since I last posted.  Things have just been crazy around here.  Only 6 more weeks to go!  I can't believe it!!!  We had our follow up appointment with the specialist yesterday and it went wonderfully!  The issues that they were concerned with Wyatt's heart has cleared up and everything is measuring in the normal range.  Praise God!  It was so exciting to see our little man yesterday.  He certainly is running out of room in there!  He is head down  (which that head is already measuring 37 weeks!) and weighing over 5 pounds already!  We have our regular appointment on Tuesday with Dr. Gooden so we are very eager to see what she says about his size. 

Last weekend we had the first baby shower for Wyatt.  It was so much fun!  Tami, Heather, Cameron, and Mrs. Cook did a wonderful job creating such a special day for me.  We got all kinds of goodies!  The nursery is coming along nicely.  My school shower is on the 21st and Omee is throwing us one on the 23rd.  Wyatt is blessed to have so many people who already love him.

As far as how I have been feeling.....I'm starting to get a bit uncomfortable.  My feet look like they belong on a marshmallow man each evening!  Trying to sleep is the worst.  During the day I feel pretty good.  Although I have been told I'm starting to waddle. :o)  I have been so blessed to have such an easy pregnancy.  I will admit that I am looking forward to getting back to a normal size. 

Chris and I spend time each evening just watching Wyatt move around.  My belly does the strangest things!  It is quite entertaining!  We were suppose to get maternity photos done today but the weather ruined that plan.  Going to try again on Monday. 

I think that is pretty much everything that has been going on.  Here are a few new pictures:

Letter Blocks

Growth Chart