Birth Story ~ Part 2

After Owen was born, the anesthesiologist told me that I needed to lie flat on my back for at least two hours after the c-section because I lost a lot of spinal fluid.  (This is called a wet-tap.  Read more about that here and here.) This was to hopefully prevent spinal headaches, which may require a blood patch.  While I was laying down, my moms (all three of them!) were able to come back and see Owen.  I was also able to nurse him (a bit awkwardly, of course).  After the two hours in recovery, I was moved to my room, where the motion made me SICK.  I don't remember much about who was able to hold Owen during this time because I was terribly ill.  However, I do remember most of the people who visited, and I remember holding my dad's hand as I got sick (love my daddy ~ he's always there...no matter what).  I also remember the staff from our church coming to visit, and Nathan praying over Owen and me.

Owen William

Grandad Terry

Big Brother Jonathan and Owen

Grandma Thomas

Grandma Beck

Grandma Jeank

Grandpa Thomas

First family picture.  (Please excuse my grin...I was on a lot of drugs.)

Tinisi and Quincy

Owen and me

Daddy changing a diaper (hasn't happened since week one)

Aunt Amanda

Uncle Tom

Aunt JuJu

Happy Easter from Good Samaritan Hospital!

Love.

The worst part (at that point!) was the incessant itching.  I think I almost scratched my face off.  Literally.  I did not allow many pictures to be taken of me in the hospital (or after, for that matter) because my face was so scratched and ugly.  Blah. 

No headaches day one, but then they started creeping up on me; slowly, at first, and then with more intensity.  The nurses had me drink a lot of Pepsi, hoping that the caffeine would make the headaches go away.  Fat chance.  I couldn't sleep because the pain was so intense (and because of the obnoxiously loud clock on the wall).  Unfortunately, Owen spent a lot of time in the nursery so that I could rest and try to get rid of the headaches (which had escalated to migraine status).

The time in the hospital went by ever so slowly, and the anesthesiologist checked in daily to see how I was doing.  He suggested that maybe once I got home, I would feel better.  I hoped he was right!  (Please don't think my entire birthing experience was terrible, or that our hospital stay was terrible.  We had WONDERFUL nurses that took great care of Owen and me, and of course, I got the best present of all...my sweet baby.  Every second of pain was worth it.)

We got to the hospital at 7:30 am on Friday, March 29th, and left around 6:00 pm on Monday, April 1st.

Going home!!!

That night, my migraine got worse.  When I tried to lay down to sleep, my entire upper body went stiff and I could barely move.  My head felt like it was going to explode.  I wasn't quite sure what was happening, but I thought maybe I had a blood clot that was resulting in a stroke, I could be dying, etc.  All I know was that I was in the worst pain of my life, and I couldn't sleep at all.  The next day, my migraine continued to get worse, so we called my physician.  He suggested going to the ER because of the intense pain, despite the medication I was taking.  At the ER, I was immediately taken to triage, where I was told that my migraines were a result of losing too much spinal fluid during the epidurals.  I was hoping to avoid having the blood patch, but the anesthesiologist said that my migraines could continue for two weeks or longer if I did not receive it.  VERY reluctantly, I consented to have the blood patch.  (You can read about that here.)  It hurt worse than anything, but as soon as it was finished my migraine was gone...like magic!  I remember telling Darin that we would not be having any more biological children during this procedure...and I meant it! 

At nearly six weeks after Owen's birth, I am still having headaches on an almost daily basis.  I had one migraine when Owen was 4 1/2 weeks old.  I feel like the first two weeks of his life were a blur, as I was limited in what I could do to care for him.  I am so grateful that the Lord has healed me.  I continue to feel better each day, and am so glad that I can now spend more time with Jonathan.  I missed him terribly while I was recovering those first few weeks, and the poor guy missed having his "normal" Mama, too!

Thanks for all those who prayed for us, brought us meals, visited us, and helped us around the house.  We are truly grateful for your love and care. 

Birth Story ~ Part 1

The night before our scheduled c-section, my MIL and FIL came into town from Indy.  We enjoyed a yummy "dinner" at IHOP, and then we took Jonathan over to my friend Kim's house to spend the night.  It was so hard to leave my little guy, especially knowing that our lives were about to change forever.  Jonathan was a little sad because he was convinced that I was going to the hospital forever and would never be coming home again.

Fast forward to the next morning.  We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 and I got prepped for surgery.  The nurse was so good that the IV only hurt a bit.  Everyone told me that a planned c-section was more relaxing, but I think that I preferred the unplanned c-section that I had with Jonathan.  Everything happened so quickly with his delivery that I didn't have time to think about what was actually happening.  (Below is a picture of me pretending not to be nervous.  Ha.)

My sis surprised me by coming early to help me relax.  Love.

My c-section was scheduled for 9:30, but the doctor came to get me at 8:50 to get the party started.  Darin stayed behind while I had my epidural done, and he rather enjoyed taking pictures of himself in his scrubs.  I, on the other hand, was experiencing an incredible amount of pain while I was given my epidural.  (Just for the record, the IV hurt worse than the epidural when I had Jonathan.) 

I was well-prepared for the epidural, knowing that it really did feel like a "bee sting".  Something went wrong; I knew immediately when I the anesthesiologist asked, "How tall are you?"  I replied, "5'4", and he said, "Oh, I thought you told me that you were 5'5"."  I heard some mumbling and grumbling, and then it was announced that I would need a second epidural because they had my height wrong the first time, and therefore the epidural was too high in my spine.  Great.  The first epidural hurt like crazy, so why not experience the fun of another one?  And here's the kicker...the second one didn't work, either.  SOOOOOO, I had the wonderful pleasure of having not one, not two, but THREE epidurals.  I cried.  My blood pressure dropped.  I almost fainted (the nurse caught me).  Then the anesthesiologist had to do the "dull/sharp" test in which he lightly poked me with some kind of needle thing all over my body to determine whether or not I was getting numb.  It hurt every single time.  This is when I found out that the anesthesiologist was a student because the person "coaching" him finally took over and told him that he was doing it all wrong.  I sure wish she would have stepped in after the failed attempt at epidural #1!!!

All that was (temporarily) forgotten as Owen William made his way into the world.  This part of the c-section was MUCH better than Jonathan's because it wasn't so rushed.  We were able to get more pictures and (gasp) spend time as a family as I got stitched up.  Darin prayed for our family as we sat together, and I'll never forget it.

Very first picture.  Look at that face!

Holding tightly to Daddy's finger.

All cleaned up and peaceful.

Footprints!  And the hospital didn't lose them this time!

Love. 

The AMAZING Dr. Choi.

Bonding.

Found those fingers!

That is one proud Daddy.

 Stay tuned for the second installment!

He's Here!

Owen William joined our family and captured our hearts at 9:38 am on March 29, 2013.  He weighed in at 7 lbs., 4 oz. and is  19.75 inches in length.  He has strawberry-blond hair and is an absolute joy!  So far, he loves sucking on his fingers and sleeping.  He latched on pretty quickly, but it's difficult to keep the little guy awake long enough to nurse!

Almost There!

This pregnancy is quickly coming to an end, as baby Owen will make his grand entrance into the world in two more days!  This is a very bittersweet time for me.  I love feeling all the baby kicks and punches and I know that I will miss that feeling.  Even though I am looking forward to Owen's arrival, I will miss being the mommy of one precious little boy, and I wonder how I will manage my time with two sweet boys.  I must admit that I feel a bit guilty that I will have to share my "Jonathan" time with Owen.  I think Jonathan's been feeling this, too, because he has been extra clingy lately.  We enjoyed a "Mommy-Son" date night last night at IHOP.  He said that when he gets big and can drive, he'll take me to "HI-HOP", too. 

When I was tucking Jonathan in last night, we were talking about Owen's upcoming arrival, and who will be taking care of him while Darin and I are in the hospital.  He mentioned that he was sad because I was not going to come home from the hospital; that I would be staying there forever.  Poor little guy broke my heart! I tried to reassure him to the best of my ability.  I know that he will be well taken care of by my friends and family.

I'll share pictures when we come home and I'm feeling up to it.  Here's what I have for now...

38 weeks

Church Easter party

4 More Days

1 More Day!

Countdown to Baby Day!

We are sitting at 6 days away from our scheduled c-section on March 29th, which is Good Friday!  So excited to meet my new little man.  Here's what's been happening around the house to prepare for Baby Day!

Home (Check!):

• Refrigerator countdown was hung for Jonathan (really, it's just post-it notes...but it's the perfect way to help Jonathan keep track of the days since he does not yet have a concept of time)
• Floors swept and mopped
• Bathroom toilets are sparkling
• Dust is nearly gone (I stood on a chair to dust our pendant lighting, but got too tired)
• Laundry is currently being tackled (it's never-ending, no matter how hard I try)
• Immunization record for Jonathan
• Haircuts all around (only one of us shed tears)
• Manicure and pedicure (yes I treated myself, and it felt good!)
• Easter Basket ready for Jonathan (we'll give it to him at the hospital)
• Big brother gift from Owen is packed (Jonathan is wondering what it could be...he thinks it will be a pig of some sort, since Owen's a pig)
• Nursery is complete

Still to Do:

• Organize the pantry (I'm obsessed with this)
• Vacuum (Darin's job)
• Get the office/guest room ready for Grandma Jeank!
• Pack Darin's bag for the hospital
• Double-check Owen's bag and my bag
• Pack Jonathan's bag
• Change the sheets on our beds
• Clean the showers/sinks

School (Check!):

• Lesson plans
• Copies of handouts organized and ready to go
• Progress Reports
• Report Cards

Still to Do:

• 2 more IEPs
• 1 ETR
• 2 reading goals
• Parent letter
• IEP amendment 

 

The Pink Pig

One afternoon, we were talking about the baby in my belly.  Jonathan said that it's not a baby, it's a pig!  I asked him why he thought it was a pig, and he said, "Because his name is Owen, like the Owen in my book."  Truthfully, Darin and I had a VERY hard time picking out another boy name.  Girl names were easy, but boy names were difficult.

My Picks:

• Grayson
• Jameson

Darin's Pick:

• River (Seriously?  Our last name is Hudson!)

We could not agree on any of those names.  As we were reading to Jonathan at bedtime one evening, we came across the name Owen in one of Jonathan's favorite books, "I Love You All Day Long" (check it out here).  The characters in the book are pigs, and they are quite adorable.

Now that Jonathan knows the baby's name is Owen, he thinks that Owen is really a pink pig.  (You could seriously see the wheels turning in his mind when we told him the baby's name.)   He even told our doctor that the baby is a pig! 

In a conversation with Darin the other day, Jonathan said, "You know, there's not a baby in Mommy's tummy.  She's having a pig.  And pigs eat A LOT." 

I'm thinking Jonathan's in for a big surprise when this baby comes!

3rd Trimester

I had my 28 1/2 week appt. yesterday, which included a glucose test (for gestational diabetes) and a Rhogam shot (due to my blood type) in my rear.  I passed my glucose test (I'm shocked because I pee constantly), but my iron levels are low, so I have to start taking an iron supplement in addition to my prenatal vitamins.  We discussed the delivery plan, and my doctor suggested another c-section.  I'm not strongly opposed, but it does feel weird to schedule a birthday for my baby.  I'm getting a second opinion on February 11th, just in case.  I'd really rather not have major surgery with an extremely wild (and adorable) toddler at home.

At this point, I have gained 18 pounds, which is in the average range.  I only slightly freaked out when the nurse mentioned that I gained 7 lbs. in the last month.  Then I remembered that my weight gain was low for much of the pregnancy (11 lbs. at 24 weeks), so I felt a little better.

Baby Hudson is quite active!  It's fun to watch my belly take on contorted shapes...my students get a kick out of it!  I love snuggling with Jonathan and feeling the baby kick at the same time.  So sweet to be with my little boys.

Jonathan is getting more and more excited about the baby.  He even told us that when the baby comes out, he can play "Chutes and Ladders", too.  I can't wait to see him with his little brother.  We keep telling him that he's going to be the "big" brother, so he thinks that brings all sorts of extra privileges.  He said, "When the baby comes, I will be big.  So I can drive you and the baby and chew gum."  He recently added, "Go to the movie theater" to that list, as well.  He wants to be a big helper, so he will be sure to get "water for Mommy" and "milk for the baby."

Sorry there's not a picture to post.  I'll try to take one soon!

What Will It Bee?

We are very excited to announce the gender of our baby!  A special thanks to all of our family members who helped us find out the baby's gender in such a fun way.  We loved sharing the news with all of you!

Love this banner!

"Voting Table" - Complete with ballots and invitation. 

Another view.

Food!

Reveal cake!

Cutting the cake!

What color is that?

That is definitely blue icing!

Jonathan wasn't so sure about the blue icing.  He was team pink.

Darin was team blue, can you tell?

I made a pink cupcake and a blue cupcake just for Jonathan.  He had his heart set on the pink one.

Two peas in a pod.

Liam, ballot counter extraordinaire.

Jonathan was pretty satisfied with the bee.