Day II

Today was day two of being a new mom.

I woke up a few times during the night to feed him and then they would take him back to the nursery.

He is latching on soo well. He is such a good eater. Which makes me super sore. My whole body hurts and is sore from the pushing and proding from yesterday. My arms hurt from pulling myself up while pushing, my back hurts from the epidural and the contractions, my sides and stomach hurt from the contractions, and my uterus hurts for obvious reasons.

It has been a roller coaster of emotions today. I have never fell in love with something so fast after seeing it for the first time. He is so adorable and perfect. Derek thinks so too. When he cries it makes my heart just sink and makes me feel so bad for the little guy. I'm so in love with him and he doesn't even know it. I'm so lucky.

Something that I will probably laugh at later down the road was the first time I changed his diaper today. He was circumsized this morning around 7 and was doing so well after he came out of it. He was still eating really well which was a really good sign. Only bad thing is what happens when he eats....he pees. This in return makes his little weiner hurt really bad and makes him scream. Well, he started to scream today and I decided it was time that I tried to change his diaper by myself. I didn't know that he pooped himself too. Changing his diaper was so much easier said then done. I got his diaper open and started to clean him up and it just went downhill really fast from there. As soon as I was almost done getting his poop cleaned up he started peeing, which made him start screaming, which made me flustered. Then he started to poop again, then I realized he peed on his onsie, then I couldn't get him to keep his legs up so I could put the bandage on his circumsizion. At this point I was almost in tears because he was screaming and my back was hurting so bad from leaning over him. I'm so lucky I had Casey there to finish getting him cleaned up for me. She is the best sister in the world. I couldn't have asked for a better sister. She got him all cleaned up, changed, and swaddled again and was so calm and collected.

We got a few visitors today which was so nice. My friend Callie Hoffman came up early around 7 or so when she got off work. She works doing the switchboard here at the hospital. Dale, Lisa, and Seth came up before they left to go to Knoxville this morning around 9. Jim and Judy Wunderlich (Lisa's (my step-mother-in-law's) mom and dad) came up and saw me later today too.

Last night there were SOOO many people that came up to see our little boy. I was so drugged up that I don't really remember who all came up. Most everyone was gone around 9:30 so I got to go to sleep and at least get a few hours of sleep.

Casey came in this morning along with Marcus and my mom. Casey also helped me take a shower. She talked to me while I showered then blow dried my hair and styled it. Thank the Lord because I was looking a little rough. (still am actually) I'm so lucky to have such a good sister.

I'll get some more pictures up here of the little guy as soon as I can.

Thank you to everyone who sent flowers and gave gifts. Thank you also to everyone who congratulated us also. Without all your love and support Derek and I would not have been able to do all of this. You all are so great both near and far.

We can't wait to see all of you. Love you all so much!

Our Baby is FINALLY here!

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday dear MOMMY!

Happy Birthday to me!

Yesterday was the best birthday I have ever had. My baby boy is finally here and he is more beautiful and perfect than I ever imagined.

After going to the hospital on Sunday, spending the night, and being sent home Monday morning, I was pretty sure I would have to wait till I to my due date. Which I wasn't very happy about. I wanted my little guy NOW! I went to the Dr on Tuesday and got checked hoping that Dr Morton would just go ahead and tell me I could be induced that day and I would have him. But no. I was only 2cm and barely 80%. We were told we had to wait until the 7th and he would induce me that afternoon. So, there was a light at the end of the tunnel now. We could see the end. But, apparently Stratton wasn't satisfied with the 7th. He just had to share his b-day with his momma. At 12:30 in the morning on the 2nd I started having pretty bad contractions that were right around 3 minuets apart. I decided it was time to go to the hospital at around 1:30. Once we got there they monitored my heart rate and blood pressure since I had problems with it being high on Sunday. It was again VERY high and wasn't showing any sign of going down even when I would try to settled down and not be as stressed.

The nurse that helped me out that night was super nice and she helped with answering all my questions. She told me out right that I was probably not going to be sent home this time without my baby. She said I would probably be given the choice to either induce that night or wait and be monitored the next couple of days. I was nervous at first but agreed that doing it now was better than doing it later. They called Dr Morton around 5:30a.m. on Thursday (10-2-08) and asked what he thought they should do with me and he told them to go ahead and admit me. After they admitted me they did some blood work and got my I.V. going with a Pitocin drip which made me start having more regular contractions and more severe contractions. Around 7a.m. Dr Morton came in and broke my bag of waters. (which hurt SO bad) After my water was broke they gave me some meds for my blood pressure and also something for my nerves. The meds they gave me for my nerves made me super sick. I felt completely drunk. I knew the only thing that would make me feel any better was throwing up and that was the pretty much the only thing besides time that made me feel better. Soon after that they had the anesthesiologist come in and put my epidural in. (which wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be) They checked my cervix at this time too and I was only at 4 cm. Once my epidural was in I had no pain what so ever so I slept as much as I could. At around 2:30 they checked me again fully dialated to 10cm. YAY!

Lovely, I know! 10 cm is finally here. Now for the fun part!

So, this was it. It was time for me to get ready for my little guy to finally get here. Magin Chapman ( one of Casey's friends from high school) was the nurse that got all the equipment ready for Stratton to get here. She did so great.

Aunt Casey and Magin waiting for Stratton to get here.

Soon after the table was ready the nurse came in to tell me how and where to push. She also showed me how to pull up on my knees and where to bare down. At 3:10pm Dr Morton came in and that's when ALL the pain started to kick in. The contractions started out in my belly earlier and since I had the epidural I couldn't feel any of them. It was great. But as soon as they moved down into the back of my legs and my butt cheeks it really started to hurt.

Derek did so well with me being in so much pain. He rubbed my face and kept telling me all the right things that made me feel better. Again I was in a lot of pain at this point but Derek was so good about helping me out. That bedrail really helped during all the pushing. It kept me from completely breaking Derek's good hand. Hand still on the rail. Casey was AWESOME! She was such a good coach too.

It took everything in me to keep from pushing since the Doc wasn't there yet. As soon as he got there though I pushed as hard as I could. Twelve pushes and ten min later at 3:20 pm I could hear my little man crying. Derek held my back up and helped the nurses count to 10. He was such a good help. I couldn't do it without him.

His cry was seriously the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. It was amazing. All the waiting and pain that I went through was so worth that first little whimper of a cry that I heard. It was so great.

Here he is! My beautiful baby boy!His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck two times. Poor little guy.Magin did his APGAR test and he scored an 8 and then a 9 out of 10. Which is good. Still checking him out making sure he's all right. Look at all that hair!He weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz and he was 20.5 inches long.

My little Stratton Allen Williams aka Saw was finally here. Totally drugged up still but SO happy that I was finally done and my baby was here. This is my favorite picture. My two favorite boys. Derek is looking at his little boy and his little boy is looking at him. I'm such a proud momma and wife. Proud parents. Stratton's first little foot prints. I'd been waiting 9 months for this very moment. He is so beautiful.

It was worth all the blood, sweat, tears, and stitches. He's so beautiful. I'm such a proud mama.