Not What I Expected

Have you ever seen the movie What To Expect When You're Expecting? Blaine and I were in Las Vegas for a dental thing when it came out and we had been trying to have a baby for a couple months at that point, so we decided to go see it. Now it's not the best movie ever, but I've seen some serious parallels recently. 

There is one character who owns a baby store and wants a baby so bad but had been struggling to get pregnant = Me

So they stop trying and wait for their miracle, and thats when she finally gets pregnant = Also me

She is asked to speak at a pregnancy convention, so she starts out talking about the miracle of life and the glow and all of that special beautiful stuff, but then calls "BS" on the whole thing and talks about how she's always sweaty and irritable and uncomfortable and can't control her bladder and just wants to punch her husband in the face = Not necessarily me, but I can relate

Actually having my baby (like labor and delivery) and after having my baby was nothing like I expected. I was in so much pain physically and felt so helpless. I got 2 infections and a fever and couldn't get dressed or leave my bed for 2 weeks. Luckily my sweet mother was here to take care of me. It was awful!

Plus, I made the huge mistake of letting someone mess up my hair right before he was born. So in all of my pictures at the hospital--the few I allowed--my hair looks white and orange. So I missed out on beautiful hospital pictures with my firstborn and do not want to look at or frame any of them. So if the typical post-delivery body image wasn't enough, the bad hair certainly was.

And I tried to take some newborn photos of Easton on my own at home since I couldn't leave the house during his first two weeks of life... let alone walk or sit up. I, of course, fed Easton, but my family and Blaine did everything else during those first two weeks.

after his first sponge bath by Blaine

So while I am a little disappointed that my experience wasn't as beautiful and glamorous as I was expecting, I am still so grateful to have my sweet baby boy here and healthy.

Here are some pictures of his first couple of weeks at home.

Easton has been the star of several snapchats

I was worried Jakey was sad or going through only child syndrome...

... so I asked our neighbors to let Jake tag along with them a couple of times

he loves wrestling with his girlfriend Roxy

Easton's Birth Story

I had my 39 week appointment on Wednesday, July 9 and his due date was 4 days later on Sunday, July 13. Ever since my mom arrived on Monday night, I felt like I was then good to go because I knew she would be there to supervise and help me take care of him. And since I knew he was already big and healthy and fully developed, I was ready for him to come and to try and get comfortable again. So we talked to my doctor at that 39 week appointment on Wednesday and decided I would come in on Friday night to be induced.

So Friday evening, my mom took us out to Outback for my final pregnancy meal, which was fitting since that was my go-to restaurant during the last 9 months to get a nice steak and sweet potato. Then we headed up to the hospital at 8:00pm. I got all checked in and hooked up to the monitors and was only dilated to a one. So they gave me some cream to help get me dilating at about 10pm and from there, the plan was to give me a hormone at about 10am to start contraction, expecting the baby to be born at 8pm the following night (Saturday).

So Blaine left to pick up some pillows and blankets and food and we went to bed at 2:00 a.m. At 3:30 I woke up with contractions. They gradually got more painful and more frequent, so the nurse kept checking on me and saw that I was dilating very quickly. I don't really know what time things happened from there, but at 7 centimeters I got an epidural, which I had been nervous about but was actually really easy. I think the anesthesiologist did a great job because I felt comfortable but could still feel pressure when I needed to and was able to move my legs quickly.

Now let us all recognize that I said 7 centimeters. Lots of people have made fun of my "low pain tolerance" but as it turns out, my pain is actually just worse than average so people can't relate ;) So I've been working my 7cm accomplishment into conversations for the past couple of weeks.

Anyways, it all moved pretty quickly. Since we basically pulled an all-nighter and I was on pain killers, I feel like I wasn't really registering how everything was happening or how long certain parts of it took. Blaine and my nurse Ivy coached me through lots of pushing until she said to stop because Easton was ready to come and my doctor wasn't there yet. I remember her calling him a couple of times to say, "We'll be ready for you in 20 minutes, head over!" and "He's ready to come, how close are you?" and they would look out the window for his truck.

So when Doctor Goff walked in, it was go time. It seemed as if in one swift move the nurses got his apron cover thing on and a glove on each hand and we got right down to business. Blaine even got to pull Easton out and cut his cord. He immediately put him on my stomach but then the nurses had to get the meconium out of his lungs and do all of his tests and cleaning and all that. He was born at 9:55am on Saturday, July 12, 2014 and weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long and was perfect in every way!

I was exhausted, though, and don't remember much beyond that. I started to breastfeed but was so tired that Blaine had to hold the baby for me. It wasn't like the movies at all. I wasn't screaming and sweating and blaming my husband. And the only time I teared up was when they gave him to me for good after he was all clean. Maybe if there had been some touching, dramatic music playing in the background. 

My mom and sisters were in town and came to the hospital as soon as he was born. Ivy moved me from my labor room to my postpartum room, where we stayed Saturday and Sunday night. My family brought Easton a bouquet and a Welcome Baby balloon, which

matched the balloons and sign waiting for us outside our house on Monday afternoon.

Easton is completely healthy and is growing and changing everyday! 

We love him so much and are so grateful he's here!