The Labor Story.

I went to the Dr. on Tuesday the 24th, exactly one week after my due date. They did an NST and found that the baby was fine, but my mid-wife knew that I was done and so scheduled me for an induction that night at 7:30p.m.
We got everything all ready, took a walk, and finished packing our bag. By the evening I was having very mild contractions. We headed to the hospital, got hooked up to the monitors for another NST and waited for them to see accelerations in the baby's heartbeat. Eventually they got the info they needed and at 9:00 p.m. they inserted a gel called Cervidil that is usually left in for 12 hours to help soften and open the cervix. So we settled in for the night, thinking we wouldn't see any progress until the next morning.

Around 10:15 p.m. I started getting more intense contractions. At midnight Randon got the nurse because my contractions were really intense. They gave me an IV in my left hand (after blowing the vein in my right hand and sticking me in my left wrist) with the intention to start me on pain meds, but then the nurse checked me and I was at a 5! So they removed the cervidil and brought in the anesthesiologist, who gave me an epidural around 12:45. HEAVEN.

After they made sure the epidural was working and did a few tests, they inserted a catheter. Just after inserting the catheter, I told the nurse I felt wet and so she checked and my water had broken! By this time it was about 1:15 a.m. I tried to get some sleep amid all the monitoring and beeping going on in the hospital...but I didn't get much. Maybe about two hours total.

The next morning at 5:40 a.m. the nurse came in to check me and I was dilated to a 9 and 100% effaced. This is when they started telling me lies like, "You are making great progress!", "It's going to be really soon." etc, etc, etc, lies. My mom was on her way and we called her thinking she was going to miss it. However, at around 9:00 a.m. I still wasn't progressing so they put me on petosin trying to increase my contractions to help with the last centimeter.

My mom arrived at 10 a.m. and I was still the same. At 10:45 I was almost fully dilated and the baby was at a +1. When the Dr. came in to check she said there was still a little sliver of cervix on the right and she could feel a little pocket of fluid left over from when my water broke, covering up the baby's head. So she broke it. For a while now I had been feeling the urge to push but they told me to hold off.

You can tell in this picture I haven't slept in a while. The blue thing I am holding is a barf bag because I was feeling pretty nauseated.

Around noon I began pushing. Around 1:15 I had to stop because they said there was still a sliver of cervix that wasn't thinning. (So why the heck did they have me push for an hour and fifteen minutes you might ask? I wondered the same thing!)

About this time my epidural was wearing off and I was getting severe back pain. They discovered that the back pain was being caused by the positioning of the baby. She was in the OP position, which means, she was facing up towards my pubic bone causing the harder part of her skull to rest on the bony part of my spine. No good.

I got another dose of epidural (called something else that I can't remember...bolis or something) at about 1:45. We started pushing again on one side and then the other and then on my back and then one side and then the other, trying to get the baby to re-position herself. My epidural wore off again around 4:00. So they gave me another dose, and we started pushing again around 4:15.

Around 5:15 the medicine and completely worn off again! I was still pushing, I had a temperature, and the baby's heart rate was too high and holding, so they put me on oxygen. Also by this time I was completely exhausted because I hadn't slept or eaten in a really long time. I felt like I was having a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. The Dr. was starting to get concerned because of my temperature and the baby's heart rate, and said that basically my body and the baby would not withstand another two hours of this. They wanted to look at other options (aka- a c-section). Pretty much at this point I was SO DONE and so annoyed, I was like, "Do it now!" The Dr. said, "we'll see" and headed off to do a C-section for someone else.

After she left, the other Dr. kept wanting me to push. Why? The baby wasn't moving and I was in so much pain I thought I might die. So I told my mom and my nurse that I would not push one more time. That I wanted a c-section because I just couldn't do it anymore. So my sweet nurse said she was going to go ahead and prep me as if the Dr. had given the go-ahead. Throughout all of this I was so grateful I had my mom and Randon with me. When the Dr. came back in around 6:00 she was very sympathetic and kind and they all got me in as quickly as possible. Then my Dad and Randon gave me a quick blessing. I'm so grateful for the priesthood.

I was given another dose of some sort of anesthetic and off we went to the OR. All I really remember is that my teeth were chattering and I was shaking so bad it hurt. I just wanted to stop shaking and go to sleep. Also, my shoulder hurt but I couldn't make it stop. It was really weird. During the c-section, the baby was crammed so far down in my pelvic bone they had to use the vacuum to get her out. I saw her for a second when she was first born at 6:23 and then they wisked her away. She had pooped while still inside me and had swallowed some, so they had to pump her stomach. After they got her cleaned up the nurse brought her closer to me so I could get a better look. She leaned her down close so I could give her a very weak kiss and then she was gone again.
When we got back to the recovery room I just slept. I remember voices swimming in and out and people's blurry faces appearing occasionally but mostly, I slept. I was still shaking and had chattery teeth, and my shoulder still hurt, but I was so exhausted I could hardly open my eyes. Randon was there with the baby while they did the different things you do just after delivery; eye drops, B12 shot, etc.
I finally made myself wake up and sit up around 7:45, which is the first time I actually got to hold Kenlee. They showed me the little ridge on her head where she had continuously bumped into my pelvic bone while I was pushing. Her head was so red and the ridge was so deep, it hurt my heart. I had been having a difficult time, but so had she. But I thought she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.

Then both my parents got to come back to see the baby for a minute.

After getting cleaned up, they wheeled us to our room, introduced us to our nurse and not us all set up for the next few days. Again sleep was not so much an option because I was hooked up to just about every machine in the whole hospital, and the baby and I were closely monitored all night long.

The next day in the afternoon they removed my catheter and let me walk a bit. I was also allowed to take a shower the minute my 24 hours of post op was over. I don't think I have ever been so glad to take a shower in all my life.

The whole time we were in the hospital I just couldn't believe she was finally here. Getting her here had been such a nightmare, I thought it would never happen. But we had great staff while we were there who helped us out immensely.

I realize that it looks like I have been repeatedly punched in the face....it felt like that too.

Randon has been amazing. He has been up and down and all over for me at the hospital and here at home. I don't know what I would do without him. It's been so sweet to watch him become a Daddy. He is the most tender Father and he lovingly calls Kenlee, "Dolly".

We finally got to come home Saturday afternoon. My Mom and Dad and Lela have been here helping since Saturday and it has been wonderful! My mom cooks the most delicious, amazing meals, and stays up with the baby when I need to sleep. I am so grateful for her! They have to leave tomorrow because she and Lela have Girl's Camp. I can't really think about them leaving, it breaks my heart. But Randon's Mom get's to come tomorrow for a whole week and we are really looking forward to having her here!

I'm recovering well but I'm pretty sore and it's hard to get up and down my stairs. In fact, the Dr. at the hospital told me not to do it very many times a day. I'm also not allowed to drive for awhile. Thank goodness for wonderful people who are helping me recover. And for letting me enjoy time with my sweet little Kenlee who is beautiful, and wonderful! I just adore her to pieces.

Thank you all for your prayers.

She's FINALLY here!

Kenlee Kay made her debut Wednesday, May 25th, 2011 at 6:23 p.m. She weighed 7lbs 11oz, measured 19 1/2 in long! We had to do a C-section due to some complications, but I will tell you the whole messy story later when I'm not in the hospital. Just know that we are all doing great and healing nicely. Here are some pictures of this beautiful little girl who looks like her DADDY!

41 Weeks....

So I am officially one week over due! My friend Monica (from NAU school of photography) asked if she could take some belly pictures before the big day. So we did a photoshoot yesterday! So here are my 3 favorite 40 week prego pics for your enjoyment. We'll keep you posted on when this baby comes!

40+3 (As they say at the Dr.'s office).

Well here I am 3 days past D day and not a sign of labor in sight. Apparently my family tends to run over, which I was aware of, but slightly hoping I might be the one to break the mold. No luck. Randon was called two weeks ago with an opportunity to interview with a company in Ohio. They wanted him to go...well yesterday. He said no, of course, because surely I would have or be having the baby by then so how about the next week? They called him back and had scheduled his flight for Sunday (as in the day after tomorrow) and his interview for Monday. Well...crap. We went to my appointment Tuesday (my actual due date) and asked the Dr. if we should just induce so there was no possibility he would miss it. After being checked, the answer was a definite no. But she felt bad for me so she set me up to see the Dr. on call at the hospital this week to see what he thought. We went in yesterday to see him. He checked me, and the answer was still a definite no. He said I was a one "at best" and the head wasn't low enough. Bummer. So much for breaking the mold in my family. :)

So here we are getting Randon ready for an interview, playing a very dangerous waiting game, and feeling just fine about it all. Maybe this interview will pan out well and lead to a job! After the Dr. said we shouldn't induce we both felt good about it. I mean, who wants to force a long and painful labor if they don't have to? Not me. So I will lay on the couch the two days Randon is gone and not make any sudden moves. And I'm sure you will be hearing from me after he get's back and I have my next appointment...and there still won't be a baby. So there.

5 Years Ago Today...

I married my BEST FRIEND and the LOVE of my LIFE... I found this text message Randon sent me while we were engaged, "Hola, la chica de mis suenos! Tu sabes que pienso eres mas chica Hermosa en todo el mundo?" It translates to..."Hello girl of my dreams! Did you know I think you are the most beautiful girl in the whole world?" (Remember this was just after we had met in a Spanish class so we frequently sent texts in Spanish). Isn't that so sweet? He has always made me feel so beautiful! I'm so grateful that five years ago I happened to take that Spanish class and so did he!

Here's to the rest of our lives and all eternity together! I love you more than you'll ever know!

My Mama

A few weeks ago Randon was gathering some things online for my Mom for a slideshow she was putting together for girls camp. Their theme is "Focus" and he found a really cool picture of words in focus through glasses that he thought would be nice to send to her but it had a watermark on it. So he suggested I try to recreate it with my own camera. So I did. The focus through the glasses in my picture was their camp scripture. I thought, "I hope she likes this". And of course, when I called to tell her it had been sent and she opened it, she ooood and awwwwd appropriately and made me feel very good about myself. And I realized that my Mother has always done that. No matter what I am doing in life; a play, a sport, a craft, singing, directing....etc., my Mom has always made me feel like I am the most amazing, the most talented, the most crafty...the BEST of the bunch. It's like that country song, "I am Rosemary's Granddaughter, the spitting image of my Father, and when the day is done my Mama's still my biggest fan." So on days when I don't feel I measure up, or I'm doubting my abilities, I just have to remember that my Mama thinks I'm wonderful. And I really appreciate that. I can only hope that when this little girl comes, I can be half the Mom my Mom is and I'll be doing good. Of course, my Mom will make me feel like the best, even if I'm not. So here's to my Mama! One of the best in the world! I love you and I appreciate your love and support and encouragement. Thank you.

38 Weeks Today!

I'm 38 weeks today! Woo Hoo! I'm getting really done being pregnant and really ready to just meet our little sweetie! So here is a little catch-up (since I haven't posted about the pregnancy in a while).
My friend Janina Jones took some pictures in the studio for one of her class assignments. So here is 35 weeks.
Then my friend Sarah Niles took some in the studio for one of her class assignments. So here is 37 weeks.

They both did a great job. I will try to take at least one more before delivery. So here is the update: A couple of weeks ago Randon and I got to go to the Hospital for pre-registration and a tour of the Labor and Delivery facility. And we were both SO GLAD we did! It was really great to see where everything is and what the rooms look like and know where to park...just everything! It was nice to get a feel for what is going to happen in a few weeks. At my 36 week appointment I was dilated to 1cm and 50% effaced. My Doctor said that if I continue that way there will be no problems as far as my cervix is concerned when delivery time comes. I have a 38 week check this Friday and we'll see if I'm continuing to progress. So there you go. I'll keep you posted. :)