Houston's Debut

Almost 4 weeks ago I gave birth to my sweet baby boy, Houston. It was a long Monday -- 18.5 hrs of labor. I was original due on the 11th of January. The doctors gave Houston an extra week to make his debut on his own - scheduling my induction a week after my due date to be January 18th! However, Houston did decide to come on his own... except it was Monday morning at 12:55 a.m. that I woke up with contractions 5 minutes apart!! OH, Houston... Fashionably late, but right on time! Around 2 a.m. Matt and I decided we should call the doctors to inform them that I have gone into labor on my own (mind you, my scheduled induction was that morning at 6 a.m.). However, when I did call... no one answered OR called me back. ugh. What to do? So, we called the hospital... The hospital then told me to call the doctor... ugh... tried that already! Their response: "Well, if you feel the need to come in, then come on in." -- OH REALLY! -- nice.

 

 So, Matt and I wait till 4 a.m. and then head to the hospital. At this point my contractions are now 3 minutes apart... YAY! Houston might come earlier than we thought! Sigh. Dont hold your breathe. CAUSE HE DIDNT! Although I did go into labor on my own, they did induce me and break my water to speed up the 'process'. Yea. They broke my water and started inducing labor (with Pitocin) at about 8:30 a.m. -- by the way, everyone has told me 'their' stories of labor... yea, mine was nothing like theirs.  (Note to any one who has not had a baby: DONT LISTEN TO OTHERS. NO LABOR IS THE SAME) ahem. Anyways, I had anticipated going as far as possible without an epidural. Yea. About that... Lets just say it took me FOREVER to dilate and all I kept saying was: "My butt and vag. is going to blow out!" and the OH so famous sentence of: "F***, F***, F***!"  Pardon my french. HOWEVER, the nurse who was inducing my labor had my Pitocin level up way too high, making my contractions one on top of the other with NO ROOM for a break... this lasted for about 2 hours... finally I BEGGED for an epidural!

After a nice dose of MEDS the Doc decreased my Pitocin level and it was a breeze! However, I think it was about 3 p.m. and I was only about 3 centimeters dilated... sigh. A LONG DAY. So, Brandy and Jess busted out the cards and we played 'Go Fish' and 'Smut' (Earl's famous card game).

We also had quite the crew in the waiting room...

 

Now, for those of you who dont know my family very well... we try to make light of EVERY situation... every event must involve: every family member (hence the waiting room), food, jokes (aka making fun of each other) and fun. SO... here are a few things that happened that day "Behind the Scenes" that makes for great memories and jokes... 

OH, and when you are in labor, there is no room for modesty... so pardon if some of these events are 'graphic' or just 'weird' to discuss 'in public'... (you know how some people are)

1.  When Matt and I were headed to the Hospital at 4 a.m. we had to make a 'pit stop' at the gas station  -- he needed a lift -- a coke and snacks for this long day. However, when we got to the hospital, Matt opened his debbie cake and it fell on the floor (laugh) AND his coke had leaked all in our bag and over the hospital 'tray'. Now, when Jess and Brandy set the cards up on the hospital 'tray' to play cards... it was sticky from Matts coke. So, Jess took a 'hygiene wipe' (thinking it was just a wet wipe) and 'cleaned' the tray. When the nurses came in later that day to prep for delivery, they couldn't figure out why the tray was oily and sticky... WELL, it was b.c Matt had spilled his drink and Jess cleaned it up with Vaginal wipes... OH the nurses had a great laugh at that one!!

2. My Anesthesiologist was awesome. He was a young guy who was funny. After he gave me my epidural, he was asking me questions (procedural questions) if I feel certain symptoms... yada yada... As he was giving me the epidural, I had to get him to repeat all the symptoms because I couldnt remember what I was 'looking' for or 'watching' for... Then, I asked him if he hears the 'F- bomb' a lot... he laughed and responded, "Yes. It's one of my personal favorites. I just can't use it at work." I then replied to him with, "Oh, I would say, F*** that." Oh, we kept going back and forth with our 'F-bomb' jokes that he was laughing so hard he could barely write down my info for my chart. Whoops. Sorry Anesthesiologist... I hope I didn't mess you up!

3. After my epidural, I had to pee. So, the nurse put a bed pan under me to 'urinate' -- all went well. So, later when the nurse was not present and I needed to pee again... Jess and Brandy had it all under control... Jess was 'slapping' (literally) gloves onto her hands like she was a doctor and getting the bed pan... "We got this. Lift your butt up so we can slide it under." "Have you peed yet?" Jess and Brandy thought they were quite the doctors until Jess thought I peed on her... How was I to know where my pee was going... I couldnt feel anything!!

4. During our attempt at me peeing in the bed pan, Houston's heart rate dropped... So Winter (my nurse) came in to monitor us. She lowered my Pitocin level and put me on oxygen (by the way, those things stink for it to be 'fresh air'). Well, while I had my 'mask on' - I kept saying, 'Luke, I am your father.' -- for some reason, I thought I was Darth Vadar... Dont ask. 

5. Jess and Brandy were quite excited about being in the room for delivery that when it came time for the 'show' -- Jess was asking every nurse, "What's that for?", "What's this for?", "What do you do with that?" -- that even when the nurse brought out a new trash bag, Jess said, "What's that!?" "Ugh, a trash bag."

6. Once we were prepped and ready, legs up, fixing to push... Brandy looks at Matt and says, "If you pass out, we will leave you there. Do not ruin this for me. I will take a picture of you, leave you there till the end." 

Once I had progressed to about 9.5 centimeters, Jess and Brandy RACED into the waiting room to tell everyone, 'WE SAW THE HEAD and We are going to have a baby soon!!!'  However, once they got back to the room, they realized that the Doctor was in surgery and we would have to wait till she was done to deliver... so we waited about an hour and a half before I could deliver... 

Now, I was the first one to come into the hospital that day for labor and the last one to leave!! BUT... it was so much fun! Although lots of pain for most of the day, overall it was definitely a great experience!! Now, Houston did give us a little scare. His heart rate did drop during labor and was vacuumed out. He was not breathing when he came out and they had a Neo-natal doctor come in for him. They told Brandy and Jess to step back and to stop taking photos. However, lets not talk about the scary part... lets talk about the cute baby!!

Here are a few more photos from Houston's Debut!