Adventure #36: The Day We Became Parents!!!

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, a home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten and the future worth living for." - Unknown 

July 2015

It was Friday morning and our induction was scheduled for 7:30am. We were both so giddy while we were getting ready and heading out the door. Today was the day! We arrived at the hospital and thanks to the stress test we had a few weeks ago, they had all of our info ready to go. The nurses took their time getting me all settled in for the long day ahead. I am terrible with needles and blood, so I wasn't thrilled about the IV. I let the nurse know, but sure enough, I nearly passed out as they were putting the IV in. By the time they hooked me up with Petocin it was 8:30. They started me off with a very, very low dosage, and it didn't do anything. At least, I couldn't feel anything. The nurse assigned to us was so kind and helpful.

At 9:30 my doctor came in and broke my water. That was when the contractions really started! Jordan read to me "The Lost World" by Michael Crichton. We had already finished "Jurassic Park" during the last few months. While dinosaurs were a good choice for distracting me from the pain, after a couple hours I decided it was time to get an epidural. I couldn't concentrate on anything when the contractions came and they were coming every couple of minutes. I had progressed enough so the nurse called for the anesthesiologist. 

Jordan had already helped me come up with my coping mechanism for the day: singing "The Lord is my Light" in my head. The anesthesiologist came in and nurse had me lean over and relax. Jordan started humming the hymn and the nurse let me lean my head on her shoulder. The anesthesiologist told me that it would just take a minute. I was so focused on trying to relax and singing the hymn in my head, that I never felt a thing! The anesthesiologist said he was done and I couldn't believe it. Then I felt sheepish that the IV was more traumatizing than the epidural...

The next 5 or so hours were total bliss. I couldn't feel any pain at all. Jordan continued to read to me, we talked about our baby girl who would be here soon, and Jordan ate some snacks since he hadn't eaten for almost 8 hours. I was feeling great just having water. I progressed from a dilation of 5 to a 9 within an hour. And then a 9 to a 10 the next hour. Once I reached a 10 we were told that we were going to do a "rest and descend" method. Basically you just let your body do most of the work instead of you trying to push for hours and hours.

The nurse had told me that she thought my pelvic bone may be an issue (not large enough for the baby to pass through), but she wasn't sure. After waiting for my body to push the baby down, I started to feel the baby pushing on me down there. The nurse came in and had me start doing "practice pushing" and said she would call the doctor soon. Unfortunately it was during our practice pushing that the nurse had to leave and we got another nurse assigned to us. 

The new nurse was a little annoying, but we could deal with it. She just kept talking about her x-husband the whole time. After pushing for nearly an hour, the nurse said she could see the baby's head! She said we had to keep pushing until we could see the baby's head to the size of a quarter. I started to bleed a little, but the nurse said it was normal. Jordan was anxiously watching everything.

 I kept pushing and then the nurse suddenly started swearing and said there was too much blood now. She couldn't tell where it was coming from either. She told me to stop pushing immediately. She kept cursing and asked us how to call for assistance. That was when I really started to worry. How does a nurse not know how to call for assistance?!?! Does she really know how to help me?!?! It also didn't help that the baby's heart monitor slipped off at the same time. This nurse handed the monitor to Jordan and told him to find the heartbeat. He was also really nervous at this point, but he found the heartbeat and the baby was just fine. As a matter of fact, her heartbeat was not elevated at all, it was as if she was sleeping! Such a good girl.

So the nurse was finally able to call for assistance and some other nurses came in. Our nurse kept saying things like, "I've got a really bad feeling about this." I knew that for the baby's sake, I needed to stay calm. By now there were five or six nurses in the room and they had just heard from our Doctor that he was on his way. With all the chaos in the room, I shut my eyes and sang the hymn in my head. 

The Lord is my light, then why should I fear? 

By day and by night his presence is near. 

He is my salvation from sorrow and sin;

 this blessed assurance the Spirit doth bring.

I repeated it over and over again in my head until the doctor finally arrived. He looked at me and showed the nurse where the bleeding was coming from and told her she should have gotten the baby out a long time ago. He looked at me and told me to push with the next contraction. After two pushes I finally felt relief and I looked down and saw our beautiful baby girl for the first time. Jordan and I looked at each other and saw the tears of joy in each other's eyes. It was a magical and miraculous moment. For that short moment, I felt no pain. Just overwhelming joy. 

The pain returned, so as they took our baby to be checked, I laid back and closed my eyes, just so grateful our baby made it here safely. I could hear her sweet cry, but it lasted less than a minute so I looked over towards our baby. She was fine and Jordan was waiting right next to her, ready to hold her for the first time.

The doctor told me I had the worst second degree tear he had ever seen, and that it would take a while to stitch up. The stitching was painful as well, but I thought that I just needed to grin and bear it. The doctor saw my white knuckles clinging onto the bed and told me I could get more pain medication if I wanted. I didn't know it was an option, so I was happy I could have more. The anesthesiologist was already there waiting and after the extra dosage I was finally able to concentrate on our baby girl. 

Jordan was standing next to me, holding our sweet girl. Her eyes were wide open and staring at me. Staring back at her dulled the pain even more than all of the pain medication. The doctor even stopped stitching to watch our alert baby girl. It took about an hour to an hour and a half for the doc to finish stitching, but when he did he said I looked better than he thought I would after the tear I had. He said it was some of the best stitching he had ever done. Our baby girl was wide awake and content the whole time I was being stitched up. Seriously, nothing could upset this baby! 

I was so grateful for the doctor's hard work and patience. And more than that, I was grateful I was finally able to hold our baby. I had some much needed skin to skin and fed her for the first time. She was just perfect in every way. 

I was also feeling a lot better, so we invited my family in to come visit. Everyone got a chance to hold her and we took lots of pictures. It was my parents first grandchild and my brothers' first niece or nephew, so it was a new experience for all of us. 

           

 

Our angel Maria weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 20" long. She was a tiny little bundle sent from heaven and we couldn't be happier. :)

Adventure #35: Final Days of Pregnancy!

"You do a lot of growing up when you’re pregnant. It’s suddenly like, 'Yikes. Here it is, folks. Playtime is over.'” – Connie Fioretto

June - July, 2015

After we came home from Hawaii, things we pretty calm. I stopped working because I was getting exhausted running after elementary school kiddos all the time. I was able to relax and get everything ready for the baby and for the move. We knew that we would need to move during the last week of July, and with the baby due July 9th, we knew it would be cutting it close. So once I hit 36 weeks and started to dilate, Jordan and I started walking like crazy. I think we averaged about 17 miles a week. And on top of that I was also using a birthing ball and just trying everything to get that baby in birthing position.

It was about the same time we started doing this that I started to have contractions. And one night at about midnight, they got pretty strong. It was great! We were excited that we were moving things along! But I also got pretty nervous because I couldn't feel the baby move for at least an hour after the contractions. I tried so many different things to try to get the baby to move, but I got nothing. So we decided to go to the hospital for a stress test just to be safe.

We walked in and signed in at the front desk, and then we were greeted with a blood-curdling scream. There was a family waiting in the lobby and the nurses told us a mother had just come in minutes before us. As we walked towards the L&D rooms, the horror movie screams continued. The nurse started to take us to a room on the opposite end, but another nurse came and insisted that we come to the room next to the screaming mother. The first nurse said no way, but the second nurse said that the mother had just delivered the baby seconds ago so it would be fine. Sure enough as we walked by, the only screaming we could hear was from a sweet, tiny baby. 

Talk about a great first welcome to the hospital! Jordan and I looked at each other like, "Are we really ready for THAT?" haha  But our desire to see how our baby was doing overruled any other anxieties. By the time they got me hooked up, it had been almost two hours from the last time I had felt the baby move. But of course, as soon as they turned on the monitor, we could hear the baby's heartbeat. They performed the stress test and at the end, they asked if I had felt all of those contractions. I asked, "What contractions?" The nurse told me that I had been having contractions during the entire stress test. It was great news because I had only felt the stronger ones earlier that night.

It was a great adventure and it was a nice practice round, getting our hospital bags and such all out the door. I had promised myself that we would NEVER be one of those couples that goes to the hospital with a false alarm, but I guess that's just the way things go.

On a different note, Jordan had been on a city league soccer team during the spring and they ended up winning the championship! I went to almost every game and had the best time watching Jordan playing soccer with his Latin buddies. All of the games were located at the elementary school I attended for K-2nd grade, so I got a little nostalgic every week, too.

Like I said earlier, Jordan and I walked and walked and walked for weeks! As far as dilation, I had only progressed slightly after a couple of weeks, which was a bummer. But we pressed on and continued to walk and walk and walk. One day Jordan chose a route that would take us past two of my childhood homes in Provo. It was awesome. So many memories came back as we passed by.

The second house we walked by was the house I lived in when I was a baby and toddler. The porch is where I used to scream and cry frequently, so I decided to recreate the memory. ;)

July 3rd came, and still no baby despite our best efforts. But we were able to go to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point with Jordan's parents and little brother. We had a blast! And if you couldn't tell from the posts from Hawaii, WE LOVE DINOSAURS!!! In fact, I forgot to mention that we went to see Jurassic World on the opening day and LOVED it! So here we are, feeling like kids on Christmas morning at the dinosaur museum.  :)

Can you see Jordan on the stairs underneath the U.S. flag? That's how huge that thing is! It made Jurassic World that much scarier, if you remember the scene I'm talking about.

Good old Megaladon... Jordan also loves sharks, so ancient sharks are amazing to him.

Happy as can be while two T-rexes are dueling behind us.  :)

Our due date finally came and we had a doctor's appointment that day! Our doc told us to bring our bags just in case, but after various tests, they told us that we wouldn't have the baby today. But because my fluids were so low, the doc ordered for me to be induced the next day. So here's a picture of me on my last full day being pregnant. Notice how I don't care at all about my appearance? Ya, I'm ready for that baby to come. Then I really won't care about appearances. lol

Adventure #34: Kauai Part 4

"A'ohe hana nui ka alu'ia." - Hawaiian Proverb that means "No task is too big when done together."

May 9-12, 2015

**I apologize for some weird formatting. It won't save my changes for some reason.

May 9

On Saturday morning, we woke up, packed lunches, got dressed, and then we headed out for our hike at Waimea Canyon. Before our hike we stopped at a lookout point that gave a stunning view of the canyon. There were so many colors to see! There were red and orange hues in the rocks. And then contrasting greens in the foliage with a waterfall and the blue ocean still in view. I've never been to the Grand Canyon before, but this view is going to be hard to beat.

After a few pictures we were finally ready for our hike. But because we had rental cars, we had to park by the highway and then hike to the hike. 

These boys were monkeying around the whole hike.

We found another lookout point along the way.

Also, my mom and Jordan thought it would be fun to take these photos:

You see what I mean about monkeying around?

Jordan and James thought that these sugar canes looked like raptor hunting grounds. Lol I'd have to agree with them. 

Jordan stayed with me at the rear of the pack. It wasn't always easy keeping up with the nonpregnant folks, especially when I had to take bathroom breaks. Haha

Again, more monkeying around.

Here's a quick video of our hike. It was so strange to me to be walking through this forrest and then suddenly we're standing on the edge of the desert looking canyon.

 

My dad ain't afraid of no cliffs!

This is the view towards the end of our hike. On the opposite side of our first lookout.

This hike was way too easy for these boys, but they were good sports for me and my slow self.

It's amazing he can still lift me, huh?

Haha this pictures makes me laugh every time.

Jordan tried to run down this hill as fast as he could... Maybe a little too fast. Lol

 

We were pretty famished after our hike, but we decided to stop by one more spot before we got dinner. The Spouting Horn was definitely worth putting off dinner. And it looked even more beautiful because we were there during sunset.

Here's a video of the Spouting Horn. If you'll notice, there's a man standing right next to it just a little up and to the left of the Spouting Horn. He looks incredibly tiny compared to the spouting water.

To top off the night, we drove through this Eucalyptus tunnel on our way to dinner. I can't explain to you how much I love this island. It doesn't matter where you are, what time it is, or what the weather is like, every piece of this island is a work of art.

May 10

Our last full day in Kauai was Mother's Day! Jordan got me and my mom roses, and then we got more roses at church! We went to the LDS branch in Hanalei Bay. We were only able to stay for sacrament, but it was a great meeting.

We had to switch hotels because Sunday night we were staying at a hotel closer to the resort. So we decided to make a few stops along the way to our new hotel. The first stop was supposed to be a botanical garden, but because it was Sunday it was closed. MAJOR BUMMER. :( The next stop was the lighthouse. Again, because it was Sunday, it was closed. I felt terrible because it was me who planned for us to do those things.

My parents weren't too bummed out though. They were just happy to be in paradise.

We stopped to eat at this char-burger place which was pretty good. They didn't have a bathroom though, so my mom and I asked around until we found out there was a Baptist church just up the road with a bathroom. So my mom, Jordan and I went and met these super sweet women. They let us use their bathroom and then they gave me and my mom candy necklaces for Mother's Day!

Here are our gifts from Mother's Day:

After we left we finally got to visit a place that was open on Sunday. Wailua Falls. It's difficult to describe how large and beautiful these waterfalls are. And when the sun hit them directly, you could see a rainbow in the spray of the falls. You can see it very faintly in this picture.

Our new hotel for our last night in Kauai was not as accommodating as our resort. Poor James had to sleep on the floor on the couch cushions. He's always good about sacrificing his own comfort so that everyone else can be comfortable.

I forgot that we stopped by a little store and found this cute onesie for our baby girl. :)

May 11

Unfortunately we couldn't stay in paradise forever, so we woke up early and headed for the airport. My parents of course always kept a good attitude.

But I can't say the same for my brothers. They were more bummed to leave.

We made it safely home to California and ate some delicious Mexican food. I knew we might not be in California for a while because we would be moving to New Jersey, so I insisted on eating some real Mexican food, even if it was 10pm.

May 12

The next day Jordan and I had to take our long trek back to Utah. James dropped us off at the airport and Jordan and I tried to figure out how to travel with two large suitcases, a carry on, a stroller, and a car seat! After our flight back to Salt Lake, we hopped on the Trac to get to Provo. Of course it broke down in Orem so then we had to ask a friend to pick us up there. Thank goodness Austin is so sweet!