Flashback Friday - Labor Edition

It's hard to believe that one way or another this time next week Noah will be here...we'll be a family of four...Connor will have a little brother...our little family will be complete. It's shocking to think about, but we've got to think about it because it's literally right around the corner. Whether Noah waits until Friday at 7am or comes on his own terms he'll be here a week from today. Holy moly, right?!!? The undeniable timeframe really has me remembering what it was like when Connor was born just over three years ago so I thought it would be fitting to post a few stories and pics of his arrival. Not the actual arrival...though I do have a few c-section pics for anyone interested :) but pics from right before and right after. They are way, way down at the bottom of this post.

My first contractions occured on Friday the 13th of April, 2007. I kept a baby blog during my pregnancy with Connor and this is the entry about that evening:

After weeks of wondering what contractions would feel like I got my answer! Friday night I started having mild contractions that felt like my tummy was in knots and that Connor was moving around like crazy. Not so much pain as tightening and discomfort-enough to catch my breath, but that's really about it.

We called the nurse at my doctor's office who told me that these are early labor contractions and to be sure that we had our hospital bag packed! That caused both excitement (Linds) and a bit of panic (Jeffrey)! She made sure to follow that up with a warning that I could head to the hospital that night or it could still be a week, so...four days later I'm still having the contractions and still waiting for them to get to the point that we make that trip to labor and delivery!

Well, those contractions continued for several more days. Seriously...they got more and more painful as the days went on and I still find it completely rediculous that I had contractions for 6 days. Of course-the contractions Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday were Nothing compared to what I got hit with on Tuesday and Wednesday...the day Connor arrived...at 11pm! From Connor's baby blog again here's a posting from after his arrival:

Hooray-the day we've been waiting for finally arrived! Connor Keith Barnes made his debut this past Wednesday, April 18, 2007. He arrived by c-section at 11:08 pm, weighing 6 lbs 2 ounces and 19 1/4 inches long...a tiny little guy! Such a relief given how huge Jeffrey was at birth!

I'd been having some pretty horrible contractions all Tuesday and Wednesday and Wednesday night around 7, they were about 2 minutes apart and mom and I made that long-awaited drive to the hospital. Jeffrey met us there and serious labor came fast. For those of you who want the details, let me know so we'll spare those who do not! I will say that I went from 1 centimeter to 6 centemeters in about 20 minutes so it was quite intense and the epidural that came was a welcome relief about 5 days in the making!

My doctor did come and talk to us and said that because of several factors, they needed to go ahead and get me to the OR for a c-section. I think I surprised them when I said, No problem, sounds good, let's go! We didn't care how he got here, we just wanted him here and safe! So, about 45 minutes later Connor was here and our little family was started!

Since I'd had a c-section which is considered pretty serious surgery, we got to stay extra time in the hospital to heal and rest before going home. It was great to be able to have the nurses there to prepare us for what we were about to do! They helped us learn about nursing Connor, and all about how to take care of our new pride & joy!

On Thursday night, one of the nurses told us that Connor's bilirubin count was at a point where he was considered jaundiced and needed to spend 24 hours in the nursery under the lights to be sure it kicked it out of his system. This was pretty tough having him away for an entire day when he was still so new, but we knew that he needed to do it to get better. We were able to go down and visit him while he spent time in his little "tanning bed". After the 24 hours, he was all better and able to come right back to the room with us. This only lasted a short time though, and he was back to the nursery for his circumcision. I'll spare everyone the details, but just know that Connor handled it like a champ and slept through the entire procedure!

It's absolutely amazing that Connor already has such a personality and clearly knows his likes and dislikes already. He likes laying on mommy's chest after he eats and will gladly spend hours and hours sleeping there. He does not like being swaddled and having his arms tucked inside the blanket-he's been able to break free from every swaddle he's been put into so far! He's great at making eye contact and will just stare at Jeffrey and I forever and we just can't tear ourselves away from those big, dark blue eyes-he's just beautiful! Just like mom and dad he's got tons of hair-he's already in need of a haircut! He loves sleeping and eating. Even though he's so tiny, he's putting away between 40 and 50 mL of food at every feeding and will surely catch up to other infants soon. He lost about 4 ounces before he left the hospital, but we're told that's normal and we are sure he'll gain in back super quick given his love of food:)

It was absolutely amazing to be able to hold this little boy that we'd both been waiting so long for. He's beautiful and if you haven't had a chance to visit him, please do! Jeffrey is taking this next week off from work so we can help each other adjust to this new, wonderful phase of life:) We have our follow up appointment with Connor's pediatrician tomorrow and are looking forward to that. I have posted a few photos on here of Connor's first few days and there will be many, many more to follow. We're still trying to settle back in at home and will be sure to continue to add photos as we are able to.

Thank you so much to our friends and family who were there through the entire experience this past week and weekend. This was so special because you were there to share it with us. Connor will know how blessed he was to have all of you visit him on his first few days of life-thank you again!


Strangely, I cannot help but notice here how much my blog is different than it was three years ago...I would have totally, totally, 100% given way more details than I did then. Maybe because it was our first, maybe because I was super new to blogging, who knows. I barely talked about labor, or the epidural, or the sleeping pills I was prescribed...and I didn't even delve into how much the c-section effin hurt or the reasons they decided to section me. lol. no fear friends...this time will be different! :) As an FYI, anyone who wants to read the old blog can find it HERE. I stopped doing it when I started up with this one and am still deciding if I should import them over to this blog or what...well, that's a decision for another day.

Here are some pics of the day Connor Keith arrived:

i think we took this before we were told that I needed to have the section. not a stellar photo, but probably our last pic taken as just a "married couple"...not yet "parents" :)

this is when i was being wheeled into the OR. Ironically, probably the best pic I've taken in my life.

jeffrey right before we went in for Connor's delivery. He still has these scrubs and will be wearing them when Noah arrives as well. Hopefully...unless they won't let him wear them because they aren't sterile. damn. wrench in the plan. fail.

this is immediately after Connor was born. you can tell because he'll still all gooey and bloody. i have minimal recollection of this moment, seriously.

love this pic. looking thrilled with being out in the crazy bright lights!

when i first saw this pic i was like...when was this taken? it didn't even occur to me that everyone was gathered outside taking pics when i was still in surgery. I love, love this photo. proud dada with the thrilled grandparents!

I think he's a day or two old here...so flippin teeny

hanging out in his plastic crib, chillin with Pepper and his iPod.

You can see the little velcro tabs on his head from his sunglasses he had to wear under the billi lights for his jaundice. I think he stayed in the NICU-type nursery for a couple days.

Heading home from the hospital!