Baby Day

Our darling little Brystol is now ten days old. Where has the time gone?
A Baby Day update is long overdue.

The night before delivery, I was up all night long wrapping up a few things on "The List." James, to no avail, insisted that I sleep, but I knew I wouldn't, I couldn't. I was too nervous, too excited -- there was far too much anticipation to even lay down and close my eyes. I'm sleepless the night before a vacation, so why he thought the night before meeting our long-awaited baby would be any different, I'll never know. That long night was very productive, and while I left a few things undone, I went to the hospital that Baby Day morning feeling very satisfied with my progress.

We left for the hospital at 5:00 A.M. on Thursday morning and arrived about thirty minutes before our scheduled arrival time. We were so excited! We couldn't believe our day had come -- finally! The surgery nurse had my triage room already set up and began checking me in early. Not long after hooking me up to the monitor, she asked if I could feel the irritability in my uterus. I'd had a couple of very strong contractions on the drive over, but nothing that I would have rushed into L&D for. However, all the movement on the monitor behind James (the yellow line) might have sent me in for a labor check even later that day. Thank goodness for good timing!


Everything became very real to James once he put on the blue scrubs. James obsessed over scrubs nearly the whole pregnancy. He even considered buying his own pair of A&M scrubs just for the occasion. He grew visibly more and more excited pulling all the blue on over his regular clothes. I, however, was not very happy about my big blue hat. James said I looked like a line worker in a cafeteria -- once again with the tenderness.


After meeting various doctors, nurses, and techs in the triage, I walked to the OR. I can honestly say that my excitement was replaced with fear and dread. I felt more nauseated with each and every step. By the time I climbed on to the operating table, I was confident I would either vomit all over the place or experience a "Code Brown," if you know what I mean.

I calmed a bit until the CRNA began trying to insert the spinal. I've had several spinals and two epidurals during my reproductive life and personally don't find them to be a very big deal. I wasn't really nervous about the insertion at all, however, as she attempted to place the spinal, I kept experiencing a shooting pain in my right hip. Though I told her what she was doing didn't feel right, she kept doing it -- eight more times. It wasn't until I began sobbing so hard that another attempt could not be made that the MD took over and tried again. He moved to the space above where the CRNA was working and found a satisfactory location placed the spinal with one very simple, very painless insertion.

Here I am feeling the affects of the anesthesia and just waiting to get the show on the road. The aforementioned CRNA stayed with me to monitor the dosages of medication, and though she was incapable of placing my spinal, she was quite competent from there on out. The kept me well informed of everything going on around me and was quite tender with her care.

(As a side note, three days after delivery I ended up with a terrible spinal headache that knocked me flat out. It came on slowly over the course of the day, but eventually, the nurses found me crying and writhing in pain that I classified a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. I'd surprised them by being up and active the day of my c-section, so they knew that headache was serious stuff. They immediately called in the anesthesiologist, and in the end, I had to have a blood patch inserted to repair the work the CRNA had done.)


Moments later, I heard comments about how much fluid I had (three liters, where one is normal). A couple of people mentioned seeing a baby bottom. My doctor exclaimed, "It's a girl!" It was all over -- what relief!


Brystol initially had a good strong cry...


... but she gulped down some fluid on the way out and was very, very gurgly. She was suctioned in the OR, but she needed more care. A few moments later, a NICU nurse came in to say they'd need to assess her in the NICU and monitor her breathing for a while before they could let me have her. Two to four hours was the expected timeframe.


Chubby baby -- so, so cute!


Weight rounded up to 7 pounds 11 ounces


Seeing that sweet face for the first time...


Daddy in Scrubs


Wiped Out after the NICU Assessment


Brystol cleared her lungs right away, so her NICU assessment was much shorter than anticipated. They ran a catheter into her intestines to make sure no fluid would be found there. When it wasn't, they brought her to me in the recovery room within the hour.

Holding her was a dream come true...


The announcement sign that hung on the door or my hospital room:

"You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing."
Psalm 30:11


Later in the day, Gracie and Bub came to the hospital to meet their long-awaited baby sister. They were both so amazed by her. Gracie, while so excited, seemed to behave like her expectations had been met -- she knew all along she'd have a sister. Bub, on the other hand, was so shocked. He told my mom he couldn't believe we had a baby. Instantly, he was head-over-heels completely in love. They both were.









Sweet Friends and Family Shared Our Joy


Admiring Our Miracle


We're a Happy Family of Five



"Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart
as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!"
Psalm 111:1-4 NLT

"He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD."
Psalm 113:9 NIV