Thursday, March 31, 2011

Welcome Welcome Welcome!

It's a Sunday night and my family has spent it's first weekend together again after being apart for almost 3 weeks. Where did the time fly? It was just the beginning of March and our entire family was enjoying a good cold together when BAM! here I sit watching Josh change Kade's diaper, listening to him trying to coax our three week old into peeing again before he puts the clean diaper on. He's so unlucky when it comes to our children having good aim.

Let me start from the beginning.

At the end of February Sean and I were having a ordinary day at home just hanging out when Josh called from work. He sounded stressed and said he had something to ask me. Was it okay with me if he went on a trip. Now this was a difficult decision for him because in eighteen days we were due to have our second child and out of everyone he worked with he was the only one capable of going because he had his traveling papers in order. I was scared and yet thrilled at the same time. This unexpected bump in the road was a part of the life I chose when I became a military wife. I knew I could handle it alone if need be. Lucky for me I wasn't meant to have this baby alone.

Four days before Josh would leave I had a 38 week baby appointment. It was an easy enough appointment with the midwife where I found out I was dilated 1cm. That night we spent the evening playing games with the neighbors. Girls against guys and we totally smoked them. It was rather late by the time we finished and Sean was acting loopy. Time for bed. By the time I got our stuff together Sean had passed out on their couch. Time for the Newlywed Game! I'd love to say Josh and I were on the same level, but not even close. I was starting to feel really lousy and thought it was sue to getting over the cold and needing to sleep. So I called it a night.

Ever know a three year old who had his own king sized bed? The last month of my pregnancy Sean was the only one sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed because Josh had the swing shift and though I love my bed the thought of possible suffocation due to little legs pushing against my ribs caused me to exile myself to the next comfy piece of furniture in my home. The Recliner. It was just past midnight on Saturday morning when I grabbed my little leg warmer, Lily (she my miniature pinscher) fluffy OU blanket and got as relaxed as possible. Falling asleep was no problem. The pain in my side waking my just ours later was. I had never felt pain like this before. Like an ice pick was being shoved through my side and into my hipbone. That is when the chills started. In a 72 degree house the trembling in my limbs was as if I had caught hypothermia. Calling for Josh I did the only thing I could think of to stop them. I took a very, very warm shower. Ah, relief from the chills. Was it my imagination, or were those contraction I was feeling? With Josh's help we timed them and they were about 5 minutes apart. It was five in the morning by this time and I wrote them off as nothing more than false labor. How could it be anything more when there was still two weeks until the due date? We were able to get some sleep.

Sometime after noon since I wasn't feeling much better I figured we better make the 30 minute drive to the hospital to make sure I was alright. By the time we were ready and had dropped off Sean it was close to 3. We both thought it would be a quick check-up where they told us everything was going the way it should. Once we were there and I was placed in a bed we were told to get comfortable so they could monitor me. Josh decided to go make some calls so I was left all alone to flip through the tv channels. That's when I felt the gush. Pushing the call button I waited for the nurse. When she came I calmly told her my water broke. She checked me and called for the midwife. But not just one came, but two, and a whole gaggle of nurses. Things seemed to be a little more serious because I was bleeding. That's when Josh made his return. It took him a moment to understand that my water really did break. I'm a practical joker at times, and normally I might have used just that line if I wasn't just a bit worried.  

Now they rolled me to an actually delivery room to wait for the baby. Nurses coming in and out checking and then double checking me. The anesthesiologist came in with the my midwife and they began telling me of possible complication and in order to avoid them I should get the epidural so we'd be prepared for anything. Now I had planned on having this baby naturally just like Sean, but once I got a little taste of that pain medicine I was hooked. Again, Josh said he needed to make some calls and update everyone and maybe take a little bathroom break on the side. Everything goes into warp speed the moment he's out of sight. Next thing I known I feel the need to push and none of the nurses are able to find Josh. They are about to start calling him over the loudspeaker when he comes walking in. Time to push. Easiest delivery ever. Josh brought me in around 3 o'clock and at 9:16 pm we were officially introduced to Kade Marcus Bigger. 6lbs 8oz and 19in long.

And then there were four. It's as if Kade has always been here. The missing piece of our family.


Sean has been the best big brother. He wants to hold his brother and covers him back up when the blanket falls off. I have to remind my self to take every day slow because at times I think to myself that I can't wait to see what messes my two boys will get into.

The month is over and things are starting to feel a little more normal. The nights aren't so rough and  I'm finally getting a decent night's sleep. When he does wake me we cuddle together while he nurses. Our only light comes from the bathroom where I keep the door cracked so as not to wake my sleeping husband. In that muted light I hold Kade close and try to memorize everything, the way his little hand curls around my thumb as he eats to the gigantic burp to signal he's done.

I must end this for now. Sean is going crazy running around the house and he really needs to sit down for breakfast. Kade is calling me too.

1 comment:

  1. I love your writing!! Keep it up. Helps me get a glimpse through your eyes instead of what I see everyday.

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