It was one of the warmest Summer's on record in Texas when our boy was born. He was due July 31st, but after being told I needed to schedule a c-section due to an inferior pelvic arch opening my husband I scheduled the procedure for the morning of July 26th. I carried my baby boy to term and had him just a 5 days before his due date during the hottest Summer on record beating the Dust bowl days and also the Oklahoma heat wave of previous years. I was actually gardening 9 months pregnant.
The evening before we brought our baby into the world we decided on a name. It took us forever! We wrote names down on whiteboard as was suggested, and grappled over which ones we liked best. When it came to finally picking a name for our little man it was midnight of the morning we were to go in for surgery and the name we chose was not even on the board! I had my husband take the obligatory photos with colorful wooden block letters spelling out his name over my swollen baby-full belly. We finally crashed around 12:30AM with a lot on our minds and the knowledge that our lives would never be the same again.
The alarm clock went off some time around 3:30AM and we called to make sure we were on the schedule and were to arrive at 5:30AM for prepping. We were a little late, but not so bad. After filling out tons of paperwork we were put in a room where I got naked and ready which sounds much more glamorous and risque than it really was. I had a monitor on my belly that showed the babe and I was instructed to drink some kind of liquid that was supposed to ward against getting nauseous and, but in truth the little cup o' liquid almost made me sick itself!
I met my nurse anesthetist and immediately fell in love; she was fantastic! She had great energy and I immediately felt at ease and knew everything was going to be just fine. While they were getting me ready and for my epidural they talked to me about football (another love of mine) and I realized that the lockout was lifted! Talk about a lucky day to be born---on the day the NFL lockout ended! Yet another good luck sign. Being the NFL nut that I am I took this as a HUGE positive!
During the epidural they have you scoot as far forward off the table as you possibly can without falling off of the damn thing and then they have you arch curl your back in like you are giving yourself a hug. This was quite possibly the most difficult "yogoesq" move I have ever attempted and I was afraid I would get it wrong and be paralyzed for life. Thankfully, I was not.
Epidural done, they laid me down which was no small feat being that I outweighed both nurses by at least 100 pounds being that I was 245lbs approximately at the time. Then I heard my doctor come in and say "Good morning, Micayla!" I knew we were ready to go. I was nervous but ready for anything and certainly ready to meet the little bugger that was making me fat and pissy for the past 9 mo.
We had a scheduled c-section so all tools were there, hubby was by my side and the sheet was up so I could see nothing that was going on. Now, I wanted to see the procedure because I am a science teacher and loved anatomy in college, but did not have the opportunity, for obvious reasons they do not want you watching when you are getting your body cut open and a baby pulled out.
Doctor called out that he was "opening" at around 7:15am or so and then six minutes later our baby boy was born 7:21am! I will never forget the doctor lifting my little man up over the sheet and looking at his precious smooshy slightly gray and very wet face for the first time. I fell in love instantly and would relieve that day over and over if it were a possibility.
They whisked him away to clean, print, and weigh him and then he was swaddled and put in my husband's arms. He was also placed on my chest, but hubby had to help me hold him since I was tapped down in my Jesus Christ pose. If you have ever had a c-section you understand why I call it that, it's not just because I am a huge Soundgarden fan.
After all of the pomp and circumstance we were put in our suite and the little one was brought in so that he could stay with us in his see-through plastic bassinet. I am so thankful that our hospital allowed us to have him with us and never leave. We have been together since that day, every day. I have had him out of my sight for a few hours, but other than that we have been inseparable.
The day after he was born he was found to be jaundice which was harrowing for me. My boy was put under light therapy the same day he had his circumcision so for this Mommy it was very rough, but in the end it all worked out my boy is healthy and strong now.
Since the day he was born I have firmly believed in miracles and that they do come true. God is good and listens to our prayers. For those of you struggling to build your family, please believe that it can and will happen. Whether you build your family through nature, science, donor gift, or adoption...you must keep believing in miracles.
Happy Birthday Little One!
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