It's A Girl!!

We were having an emergency c-section whether I liked it or not. And I was terrified. I have never had major surgery like this before let alone being awake for it just boggled my mind.

They rushed me out of the labor and delivery room into the O.R. area for c-sections. I had 5 specialists who were Dr.'s 1 for the c-section, 1 for the anathesia, 1 for N.I.C.U. babies, 1 OBGyn and 1 surgery Dr. Each one of them had an attending Dr. as well and then we had a team of 5 nurses for the baby aftrwards to do the different things that need to be done for a c-section baby. I loved my anathesiologist Dr., Dr. Ingram. He was awesome. He was there for all 17 hours of my labo and delivery. He was the one who took care of my I.V. meds both times, administered the epidural and no he was going to be taking care of my meds duiring and after the c-section while managing my pain at the same time. He walked me through everything he was going to do before he did it, what everyone else was doing since I couldn't see (there was a sterile curtain put up between my face and my belly) and how the procedure was going to go along with blow by blow narration so I could follow along in the process. He was awesome. ( I even took the time to write out a comment card for him and drop it in the box )  After they were done prepping me, they prepped Dan and brought him in to the O.R..

The surgery took what seemed like only moments and then we were done. Dan was over in the corner with the nurses cleaning her up. But she wasn't crying. Why wasn't she crying? Dan got to cut the umbilical cord and wipe her down. He got to be apart of them weighing her, measuring her, dressing her and giving her the heel prick test and her vitamin K shot. Still no crying. I was still on the table getting sown back up when they brought her over to me and let me see her, touch her, smell her. Wow, you can totally tell she's Dan's kid. She looks just like him! They took her back and started doing some other stuff with her and she finally started crying. So at 1:20am on January 24th, 2012, Sophia Roselyn LeBlanc was born. 7 pounds, 9 ounces, 19 inches long, with a 13 inch circumference head. Yup that's right, my baby is going to be a genius with all that beautiful brain she's got. (That is exactly why I could not deliver her. My pelvic opening was 9 inches- my pelvis never seperated, she was way too big. Regardless she was built to be a c-section baby.)

Labor & Delivery

On Monday morning at 4:47 am I had a major contraction. A real one this time. Another one followed at 9:15 and then again at 10 and 10:30am. I called the Dr.'s office and they said just to make sure that my water wasn't leaking rather than breaking. So we packed up like we were going to deliver and headed off to the hospital. Sure enough, we were 2-3 cm dilated and my contractions were about 15 minutes apart. So they admitted me to the hospital.

We got to the hospital around 12pm. They wheeled me into my room and set me up with all of the monitors and started me on potussin (I think that's how you spell it) to induce my labor and get my contractions closer together. Once they were closer together and I was really starting to get into a groove I got some meds via I.V. to help take the edge off. We did this twice over a couple hours period of time. The contractions were right on top of each other and they were hurting like nothing I had ever felt before. So I opted in for the epidural earlier on to make sure I didn't die in vain during this process. LOL We then broke out the birthing bar and I proceeded to push for 6 hours. That's right......... 6 whole freakin' hours with no progress. I was toast. I couldn't do it any more. I was spent and I just wanted this process over with. I started to cry.

The Dr. came in and said we had 2 options: option 1 was to continue to push for a natural child birth (which is what we wanted and that he could use the forceps and vacuum on her head to guide her out. (Problem with option #1: I didn't want to push any  more, it wasn't going to be a natural childbirth any more because I had already taken all the meds and I was so tired and in so much pain that the idea of prolonging this seemed like sheer stupidity on my part). However, the Dr. said, he couldn't guarantee that it didn't turn out to be an emergency c-section if he still couldn't get her out. OK so option #1 didn't sound so good. What was option #2 looking like: emergency c-section now! Holy crap......now????!!! NOW!!!!! He said. My heart rate was going up, Sophia's heart rate was going up, I was starting to panic, I had run out of energy, I was now crying and this would be the fastest quickest way to end all of this. (Problem with option #2: Sophia's head was wedged in my pelvis. She was too low for the Dr. to do a traditional c-section. He thought the incision would have to be higher and much longer and probably still have to do an episiotomy to make sure he had enough space to get her out). BUT....... the Dr. said, he couldn't guarantee this one either.WHAT!!! Wait so you give me 2 options and neither are an option. What the FRACK! He said that it would be messy and not ideal either. The scarring would be bad and if he couldn't un wedge her from where she was would would have real problems. Oh my God I am going to die on the operating table having this baby. Holy Crap! (more tears) I looked at Dan and told him I loved him more than he would ever know. I told him he had to decide, that I had already checked out and was too emotional. That I was in no shape to make decisions and that I just wanted it to stop. Please make it stop I begged him. He opted for the c-section.

1st Official Labor Contraction

I really worked my body over yesterday. We hit the mall again and walked all 3 floors of the Galleria. I was winded, my back hurt, I was hungry, my cramps had kicked up and all I wanted to do was go home. It did me a bunch of good this morning though. 11:33am this morning I had my first official labor contraction. Wow! My sister Cindy was not kidding when she said it would stop you in your tracks dead. Phew! Let's keep um comin'. I want to get this dog and pony show underway. "Bring it on"!!!! "Make my day"! It's time to "Say hello to my little friend". Sorry, been watching way too many movies lately.... bored out of my mind.

Today is Sunday, a good day to have a kid. Sounds good to me. So keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer. Looking forward to not having to induce her because she is late. The sooner she comes the better.

This One's For The Boys

Listen up ladies, yup that's right I am talking to you! Do you have kids? Are you married? Do you have a special man in your life? Then I am talking to you! This one's for the boys!!!!!!!

For 9 months out of 12 months, for 40 weeks out of 52 weeks, for almost a year out of my life, my husband Daniel has stood by my side. He has gone to every Dr.'s appt. and sonogram, tucked me in to bed, fluffed my pillows, made sure I had good nutritious food in my belly, cleaned the house like Cinderella so my hands won't have to touch the chemicals, run errands for me to make my life easier, driven me around so that I am more comfortable in the car, gotten up with me in the middle of the night to check on me to make sure I am ok when nature calls, picked up my pre natal vitamins from the pharmacy, held my arm as we have waddled around to help stabilize me, offered me a hand to get up and off the couch (as it does suck you in so), walked the dog incessantly day and night so that he doesn't pull me as we walk, offered kind words of encouragement and love when I have complained or have not been feeling well, and just plain out every day loved me!!!!

My husband is a Super Hero. I can't imagine going through this entire process without him. I am one of the luckiest girls on the planet. If you happen to have a special man in your life like this, please tell him how much you love him every single day. Do not take him for granted. There are so many guys out there that would not do this for you where if this man is in your life tell him. Profess your love for him along with your adoration and appreciation.... daily!!!! Let him know just how special he is and try to do things for him in return. Men just want to help. To fix things. To make things better. This is just their way. And I am so glad that this has been what Daniel has been able to do over these past 9 months.

My dearest Daniel, your are my one true love. The love of my life and my soul mate. You make my life easy. Loving you comes naturally. You are my other half. I do not know where I would be without you. You make life worth living. Thank you for all that you do for me. I love you from the bottom of my heart.

What's On Tap For Today

Pancakes! Yup, at 4:52am there is nothing better than pancakes. So my Hubbie and I will start off the day with a hearty meal of pancakes, eggs and sausage prepared by yours truly. (Did I mention Dan didn't sleep either so he is also up as well...) We have a friend stopping by to drop off baby bump pics this morning around 9am and then it's off to the grocery store for some fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and a couple of other staples for around the house. (Refer back to my scurvy comment on a previous blog about 3 back LOL). Need to put gas in the car so we are not stranded when this baby comes, looking forward to walking the Galleria today and doing some sightseeing. Thanks to a good friend Mycah, I have a bunch of freebie coupons to use at the mall: free cookie, free lunch, free makeup, free facial, free makeup brushes.... woo hoo. Looking forward to turning them in and having a fun filled day at the mall all about me. (Hay, I am not being selfish here. Dan gets to get out of the house and go to the bookstore- his holy grail of pitstops along with the video game store. Trust me, this makes him a happy camper! And the two of us get quality time away from the house and get our minds off of this baby). I have been working on Sophia's baby book and picture album. I have a couple of more things I can do today in reagrds to that but not much till she gets here and we can actually start taking pictures of her. Other than that, that's what's on tap for today. Looking forward to the weekend though. Not that the weekend would be any different from the weekdays since everything runs together now that I am off work. The weather is changing. It is going to be raining. I love the rain. We could definitely use it. It is also great for curling up on the couch with someone special along with a mug of hot coco. Definitely looking forward to doing some of that this weekend!

It's 4:52am and I am not sleeping!!!!

Yup, that's right. It is 4:52am and I am awake and blogging along. Yuck! I hate this. Too hot, too cold, can't sleep, have to go to the bathroom, can't breathe, stuffed up, stomach hurts, cramping and contractions ..............and still no baby. Really! Mucus plug gone....check. Dilation.... in process. Cramping and contractions....hell yea! Now if I could just get some sleep. Everyone keeps telling me to. That it is super important especially now before the baby comes. Then why is it so hard to do. Jeesh! Have been taking cat naps during the day to help but it seems to make matters worse at night. I just can't win. I'll take a crying baby any day.

Great Baby News!!!

Went to my next baby Dr.'s appt. Thursday afternoon. Good news. Dr. says we are 1-2 cm dilated. Now I know that that is not much but it is something. A big something since nothing has been going on around here in the last week or so. So excited. Can not wait. I feel like I have a new lease on life with the process. I was really starting to drag my feet thinking this was just not going to happen any time soon.

Called and texted all of the normal suspects and told everyone the news. A few more people to call Friday to update. We are finally in the home stretch. Wish us good luck!