Avery's Arrival

WARNING! This will be a long post...and it's more for me in the future to read then you...

As everyone knows, late in pregnancy your life pretty much is revolving around trying to get this "blessing" detached from your body so the real fun can begin...well, all along I had been saying, Avery really needs to come the last week of August...and that's exactly what I got! Super excited about that...so here we go...

On Friday, August 28th, I woke up with my normal, not feeling that great, Braxton Hicks...tightening what have you. I woke up around 4:50am and I had been working on an order the night before and needed to get some basic white ribbon to complete it. I decided I would run to Wal-mart, pick up the ribbon and complete the order before I left for work.

Well, I wasn't feeling very good and I was having contractions pretty regularly. I got the ribbon came home, finished the bows and headed upstairs. I kept having contractions and decided, that maybe we should go get checked out at the hospital. I told Kenny and he said okay. We headed over to labor and delivery and I went to triage...long story short, they said I was having contractions, but they weren't strong enough and too far apart...so I reluctantly left and headed to work (I actually looked cute that day and said I should finally take a picture of my pregnant belly...but I didn't!).

On the way to work, the contractions were getting stronger and I was thinking, there is no way I'm going to make it through the day feeling like this. Kenny said we would "re-evaluate" at 11:30am if we should return to the hospital or not. Well, the contractions lasted until ~10:30 and then flat out stopped! I was so devastated...but I still had my goal set for the upcoming weekend.


So, after dropping that order off that I was feverishly trying to finish Friday after work, I met Kenny for Mexican. I usually don't eat extra spicy food (because you can't taste it), but I certainly did on Friday to encourage labor type actions. The food was so hot, I only ate about half of it and we headed home. Kennedy was waiting for us when we pulled up and we all went inside. I decided we should all take a brisk walk around the neighborhood (a little over a mile is our route) and we put Kennedy in the stroller, got the bigger dogs and enjoyed our walk. By the time we had done our usual route, I had the great idea to switch out the dogs and go around again...by the second time I was very tired and came inside the house. Oh, forgot to mention I played hula hoop on the Wii before we left...it was pretty fun, but probably not appropriate for a pregnant lady in her 9th month!

Shortly after coming inside I went to the potty and was super excited to see the last bit of my mucus plug had fallen out (blood tinged). I yelled to Kenny "you wanna see something gross"...he said no, but looked anyway. This was encouragement for me...I took a shower and went to bed.

About 4:40am on Saturday, I woke up from a dream. In the dream I was pushing a piece of paper to a young girl (don't know who the girl was, but she was wearing pink) and it hurt my stomach. Well, I guess that jarred me out of my sleep and I attempted to get up to go to the bathroom. As I was moving for the first time, some wetness escaped from me and I tried to hurry to the potty...I didn't make it! I couldn't believe it...I've never just wet myself...but I did this morning. After cleaning that up I was able to notice that I was having contractions again and they were pretty regular. I went down stairs to continue my timing and to walk around. I eventually decided to sit on the chair - but first I put a towel down. I was probably sitting for about 10 minutes...all along tracking/writing down my contraction times when I got this HORRIFIC pain...and before I said out loud..."what was that" I had a gush of liquid come out of me. Since I had just urinated on myself upstairs I studied the substance for a long time and determined it wasn't urine. I took the towel as evidence and headed upstairs. I told Kenny I needed his help and asked him to write down the contraction times while I was in the shower...

Well, he did and they came, and kept coming...and then I was really feeling them and sort of panicked because we needed to go to the hospital, but we had Kennedy. I called my ever supportive father and he said, just bring her over...at the time I was like okay - they live about 30 minutes from us...but then as the contractions got stronger...I was doubting my willingness to drop her off...Kenny called back and my father agreed to come where we were to get Kennedy.

We headed to the hospital around 6:45 - we only live 2 minutes from the hospital, but I was so afraid they would tell us to go back home...that I still was hesitant to leave. I got checked in and headed to triage again...all along, I was "leaking" a little bit with every contraction. They tested the fluid and sure enough it was amniotic fluid (they have these little strips that turn blue when the liquid is amniotic fluid). They also said I was 3cm dilated (on Friday, I was 2cm). So, they finally admitted me and we headed to our room around 7:30am. By the time they were wheeling me to my room, my contractions were pretty strong and I was having a hard time.

They got me in the bed and strapped up to the monitors and asked if I wanted to wait to have my epidural...I said no, I want it now...well, now to them meant 1.5 later. I was dying!!! The nurse (she was very nice), had started putting pytocin in my IV before (well before) the epidural arrived. I was pissed...the contractions came in waves of THREE~!!!! and then about a 2 minute break and they would start again. I literally thought I would pass out. When she asked my pain level I told her a 9...and should have said 12!!! At 9am, my epidural was administered and it was so hard to stay still while a contraction was going on. I was praying he would be able to finish before another came. He finished and they laid me down and said it would take about 10 minutes to kick in...well I had a few more and then must have gone to sleep. When I woke up it was close to 11:15 and I was feeling high as a kite...I was saying goofy stuff to Kenny and we were having a good time. I felt NOTHING...but a little pressure - which wasn't bad at all.

Around 11:30 the nurse came in and said Avery's heart beat was going down with each contraction...and bounced back afterwards. I guess her heart beat was going lower than they like...anyway, at that point she decided to check on my progress. My cervix hadn't been checked since I got the epidural and at that time it was 4cm. She checked me and I was at 9.5...she was like..."oh! that's why." She phoned my doctor and she said she would be there shortly. The doctor came in around 11:50 and she asked how I felt and my reply was "excellent." I asked Kenny to tape the birth because I've never seen it...and he was getting the camera ready.

During my first push, Kenny began to tape and the doctor said "this will probably take a while" and told Kenny to get the camera out when she started to put her "delivery" gear on. Well, I pushed a second time and she then said..."I think she's about to make my a liar" and began to put her gear on. By the time I had pushed through the second time, I could feel where I needed to focus my pushes because I felt Avery's head - and so when I pushed the third time I focused my push and I was instructed to stop pushing while they cleared out her nose/mouth, etc and I pushed one more time to get her body out...and that was that!

They immediately put Avery on my chest and I was thinking...what do I do...help them wipe her off?! Kenny followed her to get cleaned up a bit more and weighed and measured with the camera...I stayed (of course) and got one stitch and pushed out the afterbirth...the doctor and I were having casual conversations...I really couldn't feel anything...and if I did, it certainly didn't hurt.

Avery arrived at on Saturday, August 29th @12:04 and weighed 6lbs 7.1oz and was 17 inches long. About 2 lbs heavier than Kennedy and an inch longer. ***Side bar...so when I first announced I was pregnant to the blogging world, I mentioned that my maternal grandmother had asked who was pregnant and me, before I knew said no just like my other sisters. Well, she passed without me having told her in February...well, guess who has her birthday? Ironic isn't it? My mom told me when I talked to her after Avery's arrival...

We stayed in the birthing room for about 2 hours and then we moved up to another room. I was still flying high from the epidural and was in for a real treat when everything wore off...apparently, good pushing means a lot of hurting later...and folks that's leads us up to today!

We came home around 1:30 - unloaded the car and Kenny headed back to work...so, it's just me and Avery. Kennedy is with Pop Pop and having a great time. They met us here and then quickly left. She has orientation for school tomorrow...I hope my mom does her hair!

...and that's Avery's birthing story. Sorry so long...and extra detailed. Here are a few pictures...


Kennedy meeting Avery for the first time. She wanted to hold her.


apparently they have gotten all sophisicated with the newborn pictures in the hospital - this is the lady setting Kenny up for a shot.




...and these are from today - sitting in her boppy...I love that thing!