Sweet Surprise

BOTH my boys are sleeping...
Who knew that after my last post on the 30th that I would have my sweet baby the next day? I sure didn't! Needless to say the 10 other things on my To Do list are still To Do, although I did get the wall hanging up in the nursery! And those fabulous dinners I hoped to have waiting for a hungry hurried day in the freezer...not so much...but that is okay...in exchange I received this....
Ren was born at 11:57 am on Tuesday, 31 March...weighing in at 7pds 8oz and 19.5 inches long. He decided to arrive 10 days before his due date...which was okay by me....except I still have that To Do list...I guess I will always have a To Do list.
So Monday night...after hanging the nursery wall hanging, making dinner, cleaning the kitchen and fretting over The List and how much time I had left...my water broke...it was around 11pm. So a call to my Mama...for prayer, a call to the hospital to verify that I should head in, a bag to pack, dogs to let out and in and a hubby to wake...started this whole birth experience. We settled into L&D around 2am, IV started...I was not dilated at all...I could only think that this was going to be a loooong day (you know they say 1st births are looooong). 6am...not quite 2 cm...drugs upped, lights dim, Hubby sleeping...me praying...for strength, wisdom and peace. 8am doc comes to see me...drugs upped again...3 cm...this is going to be a long day...that is all I could think of...I need to keep my strength up..rest...so I asked for something to take the edge off. In and out with contractions...Hubby counting with me, watching the rolling hills on the monitor...encouraging me...loving me. 10am no check...the pain was getting intense, still bearable but not quite able to rest anymore. I thought...Oh ...I am going to be in labor until tonight at least and this pain is only going to increase...I don't know if I can take that...it might be too much...so I asked for the epidural. Hoping for some relief by 11am. Well, 11am came and went..."you are next in line...there are a couple who requested ahead of you"...okay...so breathe..count....squeeze my Man's hand....11:20am...no more rolling hills now spiky plateaus...the pain...oh.my.god... it felt like someone was wringing my body out and trying to tear it in two at the same time. 11:30am..."we just need to get this other bag of fluid in you...you are next for the epidural"...11:45am "honey I need to check you and see how far you are before they can do the epidural"... ARE YOU KIDDING ME...the bed goes flat..the pain shoots up. Wide eyed nurse exclaims..."you are ready to deliver this baby"! I lose it...crying, screaming (yes..I was that scary lady screaming in the delivery room) I am not ready...mentally not ready...Get it together...we can do this...we can do this...he is almost here...just 10 more minutes..and after 1 minute then only 9 more to go...then 8...I can do this. Doc comes in...people scrambling around preparing the room. Okay time to push...Roll up like a ball...deep breath...I remember...A Baby Story...I can do this...5 pushes and Ren is on my chest. Sweet relief...HE.IS.BEAUTIFULl! I can't believe that I have done this...that he was living and growing inside of me. And my Hubby...my CHAMPION...he took such sweet care of me..even though he was just as scared as I was.
So we are home..adjusting, gazing at this boy in wonderment...tag teaming for sleep...requiring patience as we learn him. This is wonderful!