K&S and I have welcomed their sweet lil boys!!! Before I give you all the story, here's what I know you're waiting for.
Babies were born at 36 weeks 3 days on September 18th 2012 via cesarean section; Ryan Brady entered the world at 5:38 AM weighing 5lbs 6oz and was 18 inches long. He was followed just two minutes later by Mason Andrew, who was 5lbs 12oz and 19 1/4 inches long.
The contractions I posted about on Monday evening weren't backing off so at 10 PM I made the decision to come into the hospital to be monitored. We played the 20 questions game with the nurse, working on getting all my info in the computer, while getting me situated on the monitors. Both babies were looking great and I was most definitely having contractions. I was checked and she noted being at 2cm which wasn't a whole lotta progress - an hour later still more contractions and maybe 3cm according to the on-call doctor.
The logistics of how it would all happen had been weighing heavily on all our minds the last couple of weeks. If you remember I was most likely going to have a c-section due to Baby B being breech and I'd been warned that if my water broke we'd be headed straight back to the OR, with or without K&S. We decided it would be best to get them out here, just in case, so they jumped in the car just before midnight to make the 2 hour trip. Nice thing was, no real traffic to contend with at this time of night. Thankfully they got here in what would be plenty of time which was a huge relief. I was checked again - maybe the slightest bit of change but contractions continued so the nurse was off to touch base with the on-call doctor to make a plan of what was next. The first couple of moments all together were just kinda surreal, wow could it be the real deal? Then as K&S settled into the little tiny triage room with us we began to chat, relax and just wait. At this point I'm still doing ok, contractions are moderate intensity and a lil more spread out but I was pretty certain this was active labor. The worst part up until this point was that I hadn't eaten all day and that was causing me some wicked acid reflux. Thankfully I was being allowed small sips of water and the nurse had brought in a roll of Tums. Not knowing what the game plan was yet,
S began checking area hotels for vacancies thinking they'd just spend the rest of the night here in the area if they kept me for observation or sent me on my way.
Moments later the nurse comes in, "We're taking you back for a c-section". Wait what? How soon? We were told it would be just a matter of prepping us all and the show would begin. AHHH!! We'll turns out an emergency case came in and stole our spot away but, it was actually nice to have the extra couple hours to process it all. My contractions were still there but mild, or at least they seemed that way now that my mind was elsewhere and I wasn't focusing on them anymore. I was concentrating on this new development and they idea of everything happening so quickly. So we hung out for a bit and stood our place in line for an operating room.
I was taken back and prepped about 5:00 AM. I wasn't nervous about the surgery at all but major congestion had settled in and I was super anxious about not being able to breath during the procedure. The experience was quite different than anything I'd been through before. The spinal just felt bizarre, the people, the lights, the noise ... Then K&S were brought in to take a seat near my head. Kristine took my hand and we shared a smile. Next thing we heard was "Rupture". HOLY CRAP they'd already made an incision - babies are coming!
First was little Ryan Brady at 5:38 AM. He wasn't making much of a fuss, no loud sequels just some "kitten" noises as they wisked him over to the incubator. Just two minutes later a huge amount of pressure was released from my chest and out came Mason Andrew making plenty of noise as he entered the lights and drama of the operating room. Both boys were cleaned up and roughed up, IM gave my hand a squeeze and tears of happiness began to well up. K&S were invited over by the NICU team to meet their boys for the very first time. The next several minutes were the best moments of the journey as far as I'm concerned - witnessing two awesome people who've dreamed of a family for what has been years now experience those first moments of parenthood is absolutely priceless. I was smiling ear to ear just watching them fall in love with their sons.
From there the boys were taken to the nursery to be weighed, measured and cleaned up. I was finished up in the OR another 20 minutes later and moved to recovery where I spent two hours regaining feeling of my legs and being monitored. Not long after I was sent off to the Mother & Baby unit where K&S and I have side by side rooms. We spent the day resting, admiring the babies and soaking in all that had happened.
Mason (Baby B) was eventually moved to the NICU due to some rapid breathing episodes. He's the bigger of the two babies but has always been the more active busy one so I'm not surprised he's the one that's a bit feisty and needed the extra attention really. Ryan (Baby A) was also being monitored for breathing but got to stay with mom and dad in their room. They've come over to visit several times, Ryan's even spent some time with his favorite babysitter - Me!!! - while K&S have either been visiting Mason together or catching a bite to eat. Grandparents from both sides have stopped in to give their congratulations and seal of approval. After getting the A-OK to be up and moving I got to take a lil trip to the NICU last night to see Mason too. He's off all breathing treatments and just being monitored but still in a closed isolete to block out light and noise so he doesn't get over-stimulated. They really are the cutest lil guys - such tiny noses and lips, round noggins with some black hair on top. They are precious. Two perfect lil miracles.
