She's Here!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 started out to be a normal day. Foxie and I spent the morning together eating breakfast, playing, getting a bath, etc. I had a doctor's appt at 11:15, and Lee came home to watch Knox while I went. As we all have learned from the blog, I have been super uncomfortable for a while now. I went to bed the night before feeling the pains that I have been feeling for a week now. My friend Cathie kept reminding me that the hospital was a mile from our house, and it wouldn't be a crime to go get checked out just in case I was in labor. I cringed at the thought of false labor and chose to keep it at the house and complain to my patient husband...

Back to the appointment. I walk in and immediately my doctor and nurses start giving me a hard time about how I am a waddling duck and they can't believe I am still carrying the baby. I told them that if I didn't hear that I was progressing to a maximum at this appt, I might hold everyone hostage until the babe came. I was really joking and honestly thought I would be the girl to go past her due date with her 2nd child. As the doc started to check me, his face immediately went straight and he stopped joking with me. He takes my hand and pulls me up and says, "Regan. Call Lee. You are over 3cm dilated and almost 100% effaced, and as I am talking to you right now, I see your stomach contracting. Why didn't you call me or come in sooner? You are in active labor and we need to get you on a monitor ASAP." I was shocked and scared at the same time. I have the smiliest, nicest, most loving OBGYN and to listen to him get short with me made me a little nervous. He told me I didn't have time to run home, that Lee was going to have to meet me at the hospital. My first thought? "When will I be able to have a baby and actually have time to prepare and look decent?" My hair was in an air dried pony tail and I threw some lipstick on before the appt. People...I told you I didn't feel well!

So he put me on the monitors to watch contractions. They were about 4 minutes apart. Within the hour they were getting closer, and MIGHTY PAINFUL! My sister had relieved Lee and took Knox, so Lee flew up to the hospital in a panic ASAP. My sweet friend Angie came up ASAP as well, and I am pretty sure I scared her with all of my teeth-grinding talk. It was pretty ouchy and I still had not had an epidural. I kept thinking in my head that I was only 36 weeks and 6 days along and that Greer's lungs weren't ready (along with anything else that could go wrong with a baby born that early), so I was a little scared. Lots pf people decided to have a baby that day, so while we were waiting for our room to get cleaned, Lee just prayed for Greer for a little while and for my pain as well. I could tell he was nervous, too, but he wasn't going to tell me that. However, if you know Lee, you can look on his face and easily tell what he is thinking. 

SO... the entire family is now at the hospital and I still had not an an epidural. I was 7 cm dilated before they gave me one. When I was at 6 cm they gave me Nubian to take the edge off, and for some reason I thought that maybe I could have the baby without the epidural since I was already so far along. Lee and my sister both practically yelled the word NO! at the same time when I mentioned the idea. I decided to get the epi, and life was very different about 2 seconds afterwards :). Love me some epidurals...

Doc broke my water and I progressed pretty quickly after that and before I knew it I was pushing. Lee was beside me and my mom and sister were on the other side of the room ready and waiting with cameras. Honest to goodness, I pushed maybe 2 or 3 times, and in between those pushes we all talked and hung out like nothing was really going on. We were ALL very curious to know 2 things...

#1...Was it really a girl ??

#2...Will she have red locks to match her brother??-The nurses died over Knox's hair when he came in earlier before I started pushing, so they were all pumped about Greer possibly having red hair. There were also many family and friends that were eagerly pulling for matching hair and awaiting the answer.

While we were all talking I could feel pressure and I looked down and Dr. Shoemaker was literally pulling her out by himself. He just twisted and turned her once or twice and - Wha-La! Instant baby. It was amazing. But...when she first came out she didn't really cry. All the nurses got quiet as well as my sister and mom. My heart stopped as they carried her over to the heating table thing. They did a few things and then we heard her cry, but it still wasn't loud. At all. I kept studying my sister's face and trying to get a read on everything and she had a worried expression. The nurse told us that she was struggling to breathe a little probably since she was early, and that she was a little blue. I honestly don't think I took a breath the whole time this was happening. You could see her little chest working so hard to get some air. They kept doing stuff to her and within a few minutes her breathing had regulated and she ended up not needing any oxygen. PRAISE GOD! I mean, seriously...Praise God! I really can't describe how scary those few minutes were. I think that it's so easy to take a healthy baby/delivery for granted. Lee and I have had that discussion about 1,000 times since Greer was born. Thanking God for giving our little daughter the strength she needed to breathe well on her own and for developing her lungs in just enough time for her early delivery. 

So...she is here! And wonderful! And healthy! And Perfect! She weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 21.5 inches long! Oh my! That is longer than Knox was at birth. If you could see these CRAZY long and skinny legs, you would be amazed. I know I am. She definitely gets that from daddy :). And the big answer to her hair...light brown. I don't think that anyone was necessarily disappointed in Greer not having red hair, but I have gotten a few comments that maybe my 3rd will have it. Haha. I'm sorry? 3rd? Maybe when Knox is 15. We are definitely going to have our hands full with a 17 month age difference for quite a while. 

Greer is eating and sleeping wonderfully, thus far. I forgot how painful nursing was in the early stages, and I feel like someone has taken my chest and run it up and down along the pavement in the streets (sorry, but it's the truth). Things are slowly starting to heal and so that part is getting less painful, thank goodness. I had no tearing from the birth (I definitely did with Knox), so I am so super thankful for that. Greer is so peaceful and wonderful and calm at this point, so we are enjoying that part. So far, she has only woken up for feedings 1 time during the night. LET THE MINUTES REFLECT that I am NOT naive enough to think that it will always be this way. We are praying hard that it will continue like this as long as possible, though :). 

Knox really hasn't paid too much attention to her. He has looked at her and pointed, but then goes along his merry way. I love that child. I can't tell you how much we missed him and were dying to get back to him while we were in the hospital. I was a little taken back by how much I missed him. I figured I would want to stay in the hospital bubble as long as possible, but I ended up wanting Foxie back ASAP. He had a grand time spending the night with Papa and playing with all the cousins and getting away with who knows what. Wish he could communicate to me and tell me all the stuff that he got to do and eat. Lord knows that it was probably like a vacation for him! He did come up to her and pat her head tonight a few times. That didn't last long, though. He has had lots of company playing with him since we have been home, so something tells me that when that all dies down he will be more curious about G-baby. 

Sorry for the length. Just wanted to get everything down for documentation. I am pretty tired and don't feel like downloading much tonight, but I promise to upload more soon. 

Oh...and just for the record...I am REALLY glad it's a girl. I mean, REALLY glad. I didn't realize how much I wanted it to be a girl until I first saw her. I cried so hard in the delivery room and kept saying "I have a daughter. I have a daughter." over and over again. It's a feeling I can't describe and had no idea that I would experience. She is even sitting in her PINK bouncy chair right now, wearing her PINK pajamas, and I love it :). Oh my how the Lord has done a work in me...and in such a short time!