It's been a year since this happened... but is not soon forgotten! So before it starts to fade it's time to reminisce.
Birth. A true miracle. This little life grows inside of you for (usually) 9 months. It develops intricately. It is so carefully and purposefully woven together by it's maker. Little arms sprout little hands that sprout little fingers and little feet sprout little toes. What beauty, what incredible artistry, what a miracle to think on how this little tiny thing grows into a fully developed baby.
What start's out as a little pea, then an avocado... and an assortment of other small fruits or vegetables....
 |
| My 15 week avocado! |
Grows into a friggin watermelon.
 |
| Fast forward to my 39 week watermelon |
Don't believe me? Try it for yourself.
I've heard it said that pregnancy lasts 9 months (instead of less) so that by that 9th month that mother is completely ready to get that thing out, no matter the pain! I was that mom... I was DONE being pregnant. GET IT OUT! My best friend Gretchen (if you remember we were pregnant together) was hoping her sweet girly would come late - she wasn't ready to not be pregnant. I on the other hand prayed for an early arrival!
My pants didn't fit, my maternity clothes were maxed out (for real... see photo above to understand!) I had hobbit feet, I couldn't bend over, lean over, stand up, or sleep in any position but that of a lay-z-boy recliner! (Which I don't own and had to fashion out of pillows) I had heartburn, indigestion, reflux, cramps, back pain, charlie horses and other fun feelings!
I WAS READY.
so yes, that saying was true to me - the 9th month was me just PRAYING for the pain of child birth so I no longer had to be pregnant. (Famous last words)
Then I actually FELT the pain of child birth.
Speaking of things no one REALLY describes well... childbirth.
Remember that watermelon? Yup... it has to come out... and out she came. All 9 lbs 2 oz. So since no one accurately describes the experience of childbirth; between those who romanticize it and those who don't dare tell the horror for fear women will stop populating the earth, here it is, folks. The timeline of Lucy's arrival in all it's insanity. (Don't worry... it's not TOO detailed!)
Due Date: April 6.
Let's start on Saturday, April 5th.
9:00 am - My Dr, who I love, texts me to have me come in "real quick" to have my membranes stripped to try and hurry things along. In my INSANE desire to get the baby out I LEAP to my feet (well... I guess better said would be rolled to my side and kind of flopped onto my hobbit feet) to get over to the hospital for her to you know, quickly separate this massive bag of water from my uterus. (Really!? I mean... really!?) But yup... the things we do.
10:00 am - Contractions start. (WHAT!?) I didn't know what it was... heavy cramping? Left over pain from the glorious membrane stripping. Greg and I go to breakfast and then we go yard-saling. (Cause why not!?) We were cutely picking out baby girl clothes from the heeps of left-over baby clothing littered on people's yards... while I stop and pause every so often to allow these "cramps" to stop.
Moments like this:
Me: "hey Hunny this is.... OUUUUUCCCCH... cute"
11:00 am - we stop in to see our dear friends the Lees and their 2 week old baby girl Elsie. I keep having these cramps... everyone seems to THINK they are contractions, but who knows! It could just be bad cramps, right!?
12:00 pm - I start timing them... 1 minute long, 5 minutes apart, for one whole hour. That's my cue - Call mom! (My mom's a retired Labor and Delivery nurse... which came in super handy!)
1:00 pm - Mom is called - she assumes labor, she's on her way out... I start to sweat.
(Side note: we decided to sell our house during my pregnancy... brilliant ideas abound)
So naturally we had scheduled a house viewing on my due date. SURELY she won't come on her due date. Only crazy people do these things... and even crazier people don't cancel those house viewings while in active labor.
Hello from the crazies!
2:00 pm- Complete strangers arrive at our door to see our home... while I am sitting, or standing, or bending over to breathe through contractions. Thankfully Greg gave the tour because ya know... I really wasn't up for it.
(Side note: they ended up buying the house! I guess it was worth it)
3:00 pm- still contracting... "these aren't so bad" (foolishness.) I shower and get myself all clean and pretty to have a baby! (Cause that'll last!) Greg packs the car and to the hospital we go!
4:00 pm - Back home - I guess I looked too pretty to have a baby. They said I needed to be a little further along. aka... uglier and less put together.
Me: "It's false labor they sent me home"
Mom: "We're going back. You're in labor. Just wait. They are delivering that baby today!
My mom knows things - and she is hard core about it! Go mom!
5:30 pm - Dinner! Well... everyone else ate... I was too busy leaning over any piece of furniture I could find to pound on it every couple minutes. (Beating on things helps, trust me - couches, counter-tops, tables, your husband)
"How's that sandwich? Good? I hope so... because I just broke this chair"
6:30 pm - Mom checks my cervix to make sure I'm dilated more so I don't get sent home AGAIN.
Can we please talk about how all inhibitions and embarrassment and privacy goes OUT THE WINDOW when you are in labor... and I wasn't even at the hospital yet! (If I had an emoji this is where it would go!)
7:00 pm - I'm admitted!
7:30pm - 12:00 am is kind of a blur... I know Greg took a nap (poor guy, I did beat him a lot) But it basically consisted of contractions, ice chips, more contractions, cold compresses, nurses, doctors, personal-space invasion... ya know.
The pain was really rough... I mean... it sucked. I remember they gave me that bouncy ball and I'm just bouncing away breathing through those contractions... thinking (in between) Hey... maybe I could do this all natural, no drugs... then I got another contraction. NEVERMIND.
This conversation was fun:
Nurse: On a scale of 1-10 how's your pain?
Me: (the crazy me mid contraction) Really? You want me to rate this? Well... compared to any other pain I've felt it's a 10, compared to what I'm probably about to feel in a few hours maybe a 4.... I'm the ANGRY FACE ON THAT CHART OF YOURS.
Nurse: (quietly turns around to write something)
Yeah... time for that epidural.
It took a few hours of pushing ... here are the highlights:
- I knocked my mother over when she tried to hold my hand as I pushed
- Labor gives you superhuman strength
- I all but ripped the clothing off of my husband trying to get some leverage (again... superhuman!)
- that baby was stuck half out for what felt like an eternity
- they kept telling me I was doing "great" but I still had a baby inside me so the only reasonable conclusion is that they lie to you in the delivery room so you don't kill them amidst the struggle.
 |
"It's like there was a battle... and everyone died"
WORD.
Then they put that new, little thing on your chest and you think... seriously? This is for real? This is mine to keep?
 |
| She was cute but... seriously, who entrusted this to me!? |
What do I do with this!!!!!?????
It's a mix of emotions... and I'm gonna say something that might be a bit controversial:
If you don't absolutely fall in love with that bundle the moment you meet them... that's okay! The two of you JUST met for crying out loud (no pun intended).
You will feel protective, you will feel excited, in awe and very emotional - but that deep love that mom's go on and on about can sometimes take a little time as you spend moments with the precious babe.
But it WILL come - like a flood, washing over you! And all those pregnancy hormones that you thought would go away will return in all their mascara-dripping crying glory and you will weep constantly because you love your baby so much and because you couldn't get the lid off the peanut butter and also because that baby on that commercial couldn't find it's mom for a few fake TV seconds and because your emotions are a friggin' roller coaster ride.
But seriously at first... just try and survive, and don't beat yourself up about some silly emotion!
Mmmm kay?
Now : Photo dump of our time in the hospital.
We limited our visitors to just family.
 |
| Opa and his newest granddaughter (and Lucy peeking to see what all the commotion is) |
 |
| Grammy and Aunt Kate swooning over this new precious bundle |
 |
| Oma who was our wonderful help during delivery! |
 |
| Pap and his first grand-baby |
Daddy and Lucy has some very special first moments together
 |
| These two. I just can't |
 |
| Head bands are just essential after giving birth. |
We did allow one other group of visitors. Our dear friends Gretchen and Clayton! They had their baby girl Elsie just 2 weeks before Lucy AND Gretchen and Lucy are now birthday buddies!
Birthday celebrations in the hospital!
After 2 long days in the hospital it was time to go home.
I was ready.
I was gonna miss them bringing me all my meals and my coffee to me in bed.
I was not gonna miss them waking me up at all hours to poke and prod!
I feel ya, Lu! This business is exhausting!
And home she came. Over the next few weeks we had many more visitors of more family and more friends.
We felt so loved.
And we are so thankful this sweet girl is so loved too!!
Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
No comments:
Post a Comment