What is a mommy? My mom is someone who cares for me, laughs with me, cries with me, someone I want to call and tell every single thing to, shares all my secrets, and above all, unconditionally loves me. The day that changed my life forever is the day I became a mommy.
I'll try not to share all the gory details - but I want to remember this day forever!
This is my last "good" picture pregnant. I think I was actually 39 weeks here - on my way to church.
I didn't take a picture on the way to the hospital because I was so afraid I would be sent home!
On April 21st, 2012, I woke up at 3am feeling what I thought were contractions, but I was able to go back to sleep. The "contractions" woke me up again about 6:30 so I decided to get up and go for a walk. I called my mom shortly after and she was ready to jump in the car! I told her to wait and sadly, the contractions started to fade. Jared was being such a great support that day because I was SO disappointed! He tried to keep me entertained with movies, trips to the mall and Hobby Lobby! Sunday morning, April 22nd (my due date), I woke up feeling the contractions again. But today, they were "stronger." So again, I went for a walk, even jogged a little! I was ready to meet our little girl. I took a shower and was feeling some pretty good ones. I told Jared I wasn't sure I could go to church! But, I toughed it out. I called my mom and she was pretty sure I was going to be having her soon, so my mom and dad decided to get in the car and come. Jared and I went to church and lunch and then came home. We already had our bags packed and even packed our toiletries that morning and put them in the car. We wanted to be prepared! I tried to take a nap that afternoon and was still feeling contractions but they were very sporadic. Jared had a meeting at the church and I was planning to stay home - and he MADE me go. He didn't want to be far away if we needed to get to the hospital. I wasn't very happy but I decided that it would be good to stay on my feet and active. So, we went to his meeting and church that night and even out to eat with friends after! At dinner, I was starting to get pretty uncomfortable. My parents got here about 9pm. Mom and Dad walked in the door and I told Mom to put her tennis shoes on - and off we went. My contractions were getting closer together and my little sister Brennan pulled in our driveway about 11:15pm. She walked in and we told her to go to the bathroom and grab her purse and we headed out the door for the hospital! The whole way there I was SO nervous they were going to send me home. We go to the hospital and we were sent to a room where they would check me. She told me I wasn't far enough along, but they would let me walk for an hour to see if I progressed any. Needless to say, Jared and I got a serious workout in and can walk Memorial Hermann with our eyes closed now! We came back an hour later, I had progressed so she admitted me! Now is where all the fun begins!
It was about 1:30am by the time I was admitted. I was trying to not get an epidural so I knew that I wanted to be up and moving. Once I got settled and the doctor checked me, off my mom and I went to walk again while Jared and Brennan tried to sleep for a little bit. (PS - my Mom is such a trooper - I think all of our feet were swollen from all the walking!) Sometime later they wanted me back in my room to check me and monitor the baby again. They convinced me to start potosin and then I was tied to my room. I still tried to stay "up" as much as possible. The hours between 3 and & 7am are pretty much a blur now - I was in alot of pain. This picture above was taken at some point that morning - my dad doing what he does best - being my biggest support through the contractions.
Brennan and my mom - they were so tired but they stayed up the whole night. I will never be able to repay them! My doctor came in about 7:30am to break my water. I had progressed pretty far and he even said we would probably have a baby by lunch time. That news gave me a boost - I knew I could hang in there. The nurse said to call her if I was ready to push. I called her a couple times thinking I was ready - only to be disappointed. The nurse finally pulled my mom aside and encouraged her to encourage me to get an epidural. She thought my body was too tense through the contractions for the baby to drop. After a little convincing, I agreed - anything to get the baby here!
I was able to get a little nap in. (This picture was after the epidural - can you tell?) At some point that afternoon was when they realized that Lucy was face up - that was why she wasn't dropping! My doctor put me in a super weird position and said to not move for an hour. He had seen a baby turn back that way. So, we tried it. He came back an hour later to tell me the baby hadn't turned. He said it was going to be difficult to get her out, but we could do it - and you better believe I was so determined! So, I started pushing. (I won't go into too many details about that!) After about an hour and a half, I was sick and exhausted - but still determined. The nurse decided at some point to take my temperature. The doctor had walked out of the room but I was still pushing. He came back about 5 minutes later with the disappointing news. He looked at me and said my temperature had spiked to 103, the babies heart rate was going up, and we needed to get her out - by C-Section. I looked up at my mom and Jared and started to cry - and so did they! My mom looked at me through teary eyes and assured me I had done everything I could to get her here on my own. We needed to think about Lucy and what was best for her. We agreed and it became a madhouse in my room. They kicked everyone out and there were doctors and nurses everywhere. I was scared and afraid with no one there with me. They had taken Jared to get him changed and prepped. I rolled down the long hallway crying with my doctor telling me everything was going to be ok. Apparantly from the minute we agreed to the c-section to the minute she was born was 12 minutes. Pretty Crazy!
The c-section was VERY painful because there wasn't alot of time to get the meds back in my system. But, I heard the nurses say "WHOA - she's a BIG baby" and heard her sweet cry, I knew everything was going to be fine. And it was, she was PERFECT!
This was our first family picture!
Look at those bright eyes! I still had kleenex in my hand from crying about the c-section. HA!
Daddy with his sweet baby girl - he got to carry her out and show her off to the family!
The family who was there to support us - Brennan (my sister), Cathy (Jared's mom), Jared and Lucy, David, and Andrea (my parents).
Our sweet 8lb 8oz baby girl right after her first bath. She was born at 6:04pm.
Finally getting to admire her. I was smitten and so in love. She was everything I had ever dreamed or hoped for!
Lucy, you made this day one that changed my life forever. You made me a mommy. And like my mom, I promise to laugh and cry with you, share secrets with you, and love you with all that I am.
