A Baby!

I had a baby!

This is going to be a long post, so bear with me.

On August 18th, J and I went shopping for everything else we NEEDED for the baby. So we got washcloths, diapers, first aid kit, baby bjorn, a bag for the hospital, pj's for me, all that good stuff. We then weren't very tired, so we stayed up until about midnight putting things away, opening things, and really just making a mess in the nursery. We finally got tired and went to bed at midnight. 

At 1 am, August 19th, I woke up because I thought I was bleeding. I went to the bathroom but I didn't turn on the light. I usually don't, because then I'm able to get to sleep easier afterwards if I don't. But I then thought that it was blood I was seeing. I couldn't reach the light switch, so I turned on the scentsy behind me and sure enough, it was blood. I started calling for J. He didn't hear me for about 5 minutes. He finally woke up, brought me my pregnancy book, and we decided to call the dr. The on-call dr at the hospital said I should come in that night.

So J gathered everything on the list I had thankfully written for what to bring and we left by 2.

On our way to the hospital, I had 2 or 3 contractions about 5 minutes apart.

When I got to the hospital, they hooked me up to machines, took samples, checked me, and couldn't figure out why I was bleeding...not very encouraging. But the baby was doing fine, I was handling my contractions well-because of J- but I was still only dilated to a fingertip. They did decide that I needed to stay because my contractions were close together. 

They took me over to labor and delivery where they gave me a wristband and she said it meant I was here until I had a baby. WHOA! Crazy reality check! That was pretty awesome and scary at the same time.

I texted my parents and sister when I was being checked so when I was in my own room, I called my sister who was still up at 3 am Arkansas time and talked to her for a minute. She was excited for me and said I should call my parents in a couple hours. At 5 my time, I called my parents. Mom wasn't supposed to come until Friday the 24th, so I was freaking out a little bit. When I told them that I was going to be there until I had a baby, they decided to send Mom out that day. So she packed and I labored... :)

J was the BEST coach I could have asked for. He helped me focus on breathing and relaxing. He reminded me how to do it, when to do it, and just helped me keep my cool. He held my hand, supported me, took care of me, it was wonderful. Since I was bleeding, the dr asked that I be monitored until about 10 am constantly. So I had two belts strapped to me. One to measure my contractions, and the other to measure Little Mr's heartbeats. I stayed in bed to labor for a couple of hours. The contractions were tough. I would grip the bed or J's hand and breathe as focused as I could. J took a little nap (which bothered me because I couldn't take a nap...) and afterwards, we walked around the circle of a hallway they have. I would have two contractions per loop. During those ones, I would hug J and sway back and forth. I think those were the easiest to handle. Since I was still quite tired, I decided maybe a new venue might be nice. So I got into the jacuzzi tub. The jets weren't working, so that was kind of a bummer. But the tub was the worst for helping with the contractions, I think. I'm not tall enough to feel supported while I sat there. I couldn't push against anything or grip anything, so it was really really difficult. The water felt nice, but it didn't help enough.

By 10, when the Dr was supposed to be coming around to check me, I was VERY done with laboring naturally. I was tired, I felt like I was losing my ability to handle it, and I was getting frustrated.

The epidural was called in at about 10:30 and I got it at about 11 or so. I was dilated to a 4, so that was nice to hear that my labors weren't all for nothing.

I was worried about holding still during my contractions while the anesthesiologist was working on the epidural, but I was able to relax enough and breathe through them.

This picture is after the epidural and waiting for it to start to work.

The epidural worked on half of my body. My left side was numbed, but my right side felt frustratingly painful during the contractions. I couldn't move to react to it, and it hurt down my leg instead of just in my belly.

So they called the anesthesiologist back in for another dose.

This is my sweet friend, Tami. She came to bring us our baby book, and J's pj's and slippers. She was there while the epidural wasn't working on my right side. I was so thankful for her support during a couple contractions. For one in particular, J had to be somewhere else, so she held my hand while I breathed through it.

 They gave me another dose of medication and then measured me. I was a 9 1/2!! So they said I'd start to push soon! Oh my goodness!

That's when Tami said she'd leave. :)

Here's my scared, slightly sarcastic thumbs up.

 I pushed for 2 hours. When the second dose took effect, I felt great. I was happier, in zero pain, and ready to do this. I was laughing again, quoting movies, and much more happy company. The first hour of pushing was difficult. When you can't lift your own legs, it's hard to know how to push. I basically learned how to do it from their responses. Then I'd do more of the same thing.

After an hour of not really progressing as much as I should have and they would have liked, they gave me some pitocin so my contractions would get closer together and get stronger.

Once the pit was working pretty well, the on call Dr, Dr. Rice, and her resident, Dr. Frandsen, came in and they got things ready and helped me deliver my baby. My Dr was still on vacation until the next day. I had chosen her because she was a woman and I figured for my first one, I'd be more comfortable with a woman. Dr. Rice was a woman, but Dr. Frandsen was a man. However, I was totally comfortable with him. He was straight forward, knew his stuff, and even explained the feelings I was having very well.

Dr. Rice was the BEST cheerleader ever. She rooted for me, screamed my praises, told me I was awesome, encouraged me rather loudly... it was great. My nurse and J were great cheerleaders, too, but she had just the right amount of pizzazz that I was encouraged and psyched up-especially since I was sooo tired!

So, at 2:47, Clark Tyler Curtis was born!

When they told me he was crowning, I was encouraged and psyched up even more. I really wanted to meet this boy I'd worked so hard to bring to this world. 9 months of waiting and then 13 hours of working.

When they pulled him out, they put a blanket on my chest and put him on there right then. He was screaming, I was sobbing, J was crying and taking pictures, and the nurses were cleaning him up. He had this little quiver in his chin that I just melted for.

I couldn't believe that he was really here. This beautiful boy who stole my heart the second I heard him and saw him. And I got to be his Mother.

He weighed 6lbs 12oz.

And was 19 1/2 inches long

And this is the moment I knew he was in love with his son.

J's family was in Utah for a family reunion that ended on Saturday. When we texted my parents, we texted them as well. Apparently J's dad couldn't sleep anymore once he got the text.

So they drove back sooner than they had planned and arrived in the hospital minutes before Clark was born.

Grandpa with his new grandson

Beautiful Auntie Kristin

Eyes wide open. Such a beautiful boy.

Uncle Tyler-Clark's middle name is after him.

Grandma Curtis. When she walked into the room, she was already starting to cry. Clark has wonderful family.

The board in my room with our goals and info.

Sleeping boy

My mom flew in from Arkansas and got there at 11. I'm soooo thankful for her and all she did the week and a half she was here. So wonderful.

She had a long layover in Chicago when she was flying out here. She told us that she was at a restaurant when she found out that Clark was born. She started to cry when she found out and told her neighbors and someone bought her some cake. So sweet!

My mom stayed until the 30th. She cooked, cleaned, helped out with shifts in the night, did laundry, sewed a couple things for us...She was wonderful. I'm so thankful she came. And I'm pretty sure I've convinced her she needs to visit more often. :)

Wrinkly feet!!

I'm so in love with this face.

Gripping Daddy's hand while getting a bath.

We are totally smitten by this boy. He is adorable, still has his little quiver-hoping to get it on video one of these days, has the cutest little smiles, and is so fresh from heaven, you can't doubt that he remembers  our big brother, Christ. I am so thankful I get to be with this sweet boy for all time and all eternity. I'm thankful for the gospel that allows us to live with our families forever. I don't think I really understood how wonderful that was until I had Clark.