Steph's Point of View

So I thought I would blog about the whole labor and delivery process since I'm the guinea pig for a ton of my friends on the subject...funny thing is, here we are a month later and I'm just now able to get to the task. Maybe that's my first insight: understand that after the baby comes you will be very tired and will not be able to get to normal tasks in any urgent manner. It just takes time to figure out this whole new life and that's all good.

Anyhow, Harrison celebrated being 1 month old yesterday--it's been a whirlwind. We're still getting used to it all...we know that he's ours but it still feels so surreal that we have a child. Last night he only woke us up once (versus two or three times) so I have the energy and brain power to write down my thoughts, yippee!

Ok, labor. I was really surprised. I had heard horror stories and I tried to avoid talking or asking people for any other info on the subject. All throughout my pregnancy I refused to watch any of those gross videos of other people giving birth; we didn't go to any child birthing classes for that and many other reasons. For me, the whole situation began when Dr. New told me that Harrison was getting really big and that my edema was getting really bad...and because of that we would have to induce labor. So we were scheduled to come in the next night and begin the whole process. I was given a pill to prepare my uterus, since I was only 1 cm dilated at this time, and then we just spent the night in the hospital. I was lucky enough to get a sleeping pill. Poor Mark was not. They checked on me all throughout the night (probably why Mark got no sleep) and then the next morning at 8am they broke my water to really get it all started. And no worries, when the Dr. broke my water I didn't feel a thing. It was simple and easy. One fear abated. After this they gave me the petosin so that my contractions would really start kicking in. On the note of contractions, I have to give my husband props. For about the 3 weeks prior to all this, he kept telling me that I was having contractions and I kept telling him that it was just the baby stretching....and for the first time ever, he was right! I really did not think they were contractions--I kept waiting to feel what everyone else had told me. Apparently it feels different for everyone. Mine just felt like pressure, like the baby was really stretching out inside my belly. It didn't feel like cramps and it wasn't across the whole belly, it was mostly concentrated on my right side which is where Harrison liked to camp out. So, all in all, the whole time I was having contractions and didn't know it. How did we figure it out? At the hospital when they hook you up to the machines (pain-free process), they attach a monitor for the baby's heart beat and one for your contractions. Then you can look on the screen and see when you're having one. The nurse had pointed to the screen and said, 'Wow, you're having a contraction right now' and I said, 'Huh?.' That's when we figured it all out.

Ok so back to the labor process. The contractions kept coming, no big deal. We were just waiting around for me to reach 3 cm dilated so I could get the epidural. That took pretty much all morning and some of the afternoon. Once we got right around 3 cm the Dr. came in to give me the epidural, another one of those 'horror story moments' I thought was about to happen. Also, no big deal. After all the fear that had been shoved in my brain about this process, it was pretty funny how easy it was. I barely felt anything. It was so quick and so easy I couldn't believe it. I really thought it was going to hurt--not at all! He was finished and I was asking him if that was all there was to it! Now having the epidural in, my body just started to fill with fluid. You numb up pretty quick and it's so weird not feeling your legs. They get pretty rock solid hard from all the fluid but it's amazing, it really works because the only way I knew I was having contractions was from what the computer screen said. I could not feel a thing. Nor could I move my legs, lol. On that note, don't fret about the catheter either. That was a piece of cake and it obviously makes so much sense. If you can't move your legs, you sure as heck can't go to the bathroom. Anyways, the epidural was a breeze and made the next part of it all much easier.

Waiting. That's pretty much the next part of it. To get from 3 cm to the necessary 10 cm in order to push, that took the whole rest of the day. Pushing began somewhere around 8pm. What's also strange is that when they get you ready to push it's so not a big deal to anyone else. The nurses do this every day, it's not epic to them. So, it's you, your chosen push buddy (my hubby) and a nurse. Since the nurses rotate shifts, by this time I'd met and had quite a number of nurses involved in lots of what used to be 'private moments'. You really get used to it and they make it so easy. I know it seems like it should be so weird...like 'Hi, I just met you. Sure, let me show you my entire birthday suit' but really, they are so professional and you've had so many other nurse change overs at this point, that it's so okay. So, she helped us try a push position (did you know there are tons of different positions? I sure didn't) and it all began. You still can't feel a thing because of the epidural so it's almost impossible to know if you are pushing the right way. The nurse just tells you if you did it right or not and you go with that. But really, I would much rather not be feeling any of this nonsense, I was grateful for the epidural. (I can tell you this as truth because somewhere in the midst of our two hours of pushing, my epidural bag ran out and I felt full blown labor until they could find the Dr. to get a new bag of the special stuff back on there...and it's not something I would want to feel again. I respect but totally do not understand women that do this without the epidural!). So for us, it turned out that the baby just did not want to cooperate. Apparently his head was not facing down (chin to chest) as it should have been; his head was actually turned to his right shoulder. Dr. New said that each time I pushed, the baby would start to move down the pelvic bone area and then with every 'relax' the baby would just pop right back up to where we started. So not funny Harrison.

Time for a c-section. Not emergency, just unplanned. Oh well, I'd read up on both on the odd chance that this would happen and here it was. Mark began changing into his space suit of scrubs and I was wheeled into the operating room. That was probably the freakiest part of it all. It was a lot easier than my imagination was going to let me think at the time, so no worries to any of you who have to have one some day. They transfer you from your hospital bed onto their operating table (which be prepared--your arms are straight out in a giant 'T' formation to your body. Nothing weird. Think they said it was so the IV fluids flowed in right the whole time). Then you start to numb up. I kept worrying that I wasn't going to be 'numb enough' and kept bugging the Dr. about it. He finally asked me 'Did you feel that?' and told me he had grabbed my tummy skin with big clamps...and no, I did not even know anything had happened so that helped quite a bit. After feeling like an eternity, they let Mark in to sit by my head during the procedure. All in all, it just felt like a bunch of people pushing on my stomach. A lot of pressure and random pushing. Then all of a sudden, we heard Harrison cry. It was the most incredible sound in the world. We were both so happy that he was healthy and strong. The nurses took him over to clean him off (I couldn't see any of this--the giant tarp in front of my face blocked it all). One of the nurses did lift up a corner of it so I could see him moving around as they were doing all of the necessary tests and such--all I could see where arms and legs flailing around, but it was a beautiful sight. After he was cleaned, tested (9.9 Apgar--go Harrison!) and bundled up, they let Mark bring him over to me so I could see him for the first time. He was perfect!

So, 24 hours+ and we had our precious baby boy--healthy, strong and happy. Born August 20th at 10:38pm weighing 8 lbs, 9 ounces and 21 inches long. Our amazing family had stayed all throughout the process in the waiting room. It was a beautiful moment when Mark got to wheel Harrison out to see all of them.

He's been a joy and a struggle all at the same time! We're still learning what he wants when he wants it and we are just now getting those very sweet baby smiles from him. We can't wait for his sleep schedule to balance out so we can sleep too! He's amazing--to think that this little guy popped out of my body, super crazy! The whole process is an incredible miracle and we are so blessed to have this awesome little guy in our lives. We realize life will never be the same for us and for that we are very glad. We love him to pieces and look forward to you all getting to know him too!

Baby Harrison

There are many, many more pictures. However due to space, time, and well... time, we're going to have to leave it at this for now. We'll try to add more later.

Harrison Rhys Massey

It has been nearly two weeks since little Harrison Rhys joined the land of the breathing and dry. It has been a long 2 weeks, but we're loving it.

Before the pictures, let me recap the adventure we went on here at the end of August 2010.

August 19, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. we arrive at Baylor Medical Center of Grapevine. Steph is admitted and they begin a regimen of pills that will slowly start the process of labor. She is mercifully given an Ambien, something I was not afforded as the lowly husband who seemingly doesn't exist to begin with. Instead I was given a pseudo couch and a thumbs up. Steph fell asleep and was awoken every hour or two for a check up or more medicine. I didn't sleep much that night as I was convinced that the medicine would cause her to give birth unannounced, so I was hyper alert throughout the entire night listening intently to every beep and whir in the room.

My mother appeared the next morning at 7 a.m. with 3 pigs-in-the-blanket from Cliff's Donut shop. Yum. I devoured the three that she'd gotten me and immediately started chugging coffee, something I wouldn't stop doing for about 18 hours. About the same time, Steph was given the Pitocin to start labor and get the show on the road. From that point on neither of us ate anything and Steph was only allowed ice chips. She's still irked about that.

Friends, family, and well wishers came and went throughout the day as Steph's body prepared to do the unthinkable. Finally at 8 p.m. on August 20th the nurses decide it was time to push. After 20 minutes of trying to figure out the best position we finally started really pushing. By 9:45 the doctor had determined that Harrison wouldn't scoot past the pelvic bone. Steph valiantly pushed, but every time Harrison would slide down until she stopped pushing at which point he'd go right back up the way he'd come.

By 10:00 that evening Steph had been put on the operating table for an unplanned (not emergency) C-Section. Both she and Harrison were doing fine, but this was the way it had to be. At 10:38 Harrison was brought into the world screaming bloody murder. At 10:39 he stopped screaming and just observed everything going on around him proving he was truly my son. I was allowed to take pictures and video until he was ready to be held, at which point I was allowed to bring him over for Steph to see for the first time. Magical to say the least. We had known him for mere seconds and we couldn't fathom being without him.

After the very successful C-Section, Steph was moved into the recovery room while I was allowed to take Harrison to the nursery and push him down the hall past the mass of family who had stuck it out with us. That is, without a doubt, the proudest moment of my life.

A year ago we'd lost our little baby. We were both crushed but understood it was for the best. A year later we were holding our new little miracle. These two thoughts were in my mind a lot over that weekend.

By 1 a.m. we were both exhausted. Steph was finally allowed some fluids. The family had gone home for the night and it was just us in the Post-Partum room. Steph finally got to hold her baby boy at this time. However due to extreme exhaustion, we opted to let the nursing staff keep him for us as much as possible until we left the hospital. We'd have him for our own very soon.

On Monday, August 23rd, we were allowed to come home. Its been an adventure ever since.

I'm sure this story is similar in nature to every other parents' out there. This is our story and we won't soon forget it.

I'll upload some pictures with the next post.

Nursery Time

We're getting there...little by little, we are finishing all the prep work so that Harrison has his own little space...take that back, so that he can completely overrun our house with baby stuff. We are almost completely finished with his nursery, bathroom and travel needs (strollers, bouncers, pack-n-play, etc).

Nursery Updates: The room was painted yellow to begin with...Mark would not let me repaint it. I had to work with what I was given. I figured, I made all the other decisions about what we were going to do as far as the decorations were concerned so I guess he could have his wish on the wall color. I mean after all, the monster theme kind-of just happened for me and there was no turning back after the idea took place! Our color theme is pretty much NOT pastels. We have aqua blue, bright orange, royal blue, fire engine red, many shades of bright green and pops of yellow. It's all boy and it's a fun mismatch of the colors that will hopefully stand out enough to keep our little guy occupied and interested. Wait til he sees his bathroom!!! We'll send some update pictures on that soon; Mark is almost finished in there and it's definitely all kid-inspired.

Harrison's bedding and curtains were made by a great friend of the family, Lee, who sewed every inch of the items together (what an awesome skill that I so do not have!) and they look amazing! She made the crib sheets, baby blanket, dust ruff, curtains and is currently working on the bumper pads--what a woman!

We had some great help from my Dad hanging all the shelves not only on the walls but also in the closet. So Harrison has a horde of monsters in his room and has a closet full of baby clothes that he can hopefully all wear.

We even tested out most of his stuff already (thank you all for the lovely shower gifts!) when our friends Traci and Kevin brought over their little sweetie Reagan. The monitor rocks, she loved all his toys and those glowing/musical creatures for nap time work like a charm! It's great to know that we picked out some winners for our little guy and if he's finicky, we can always give Reagan some new great gear!

As far as the rest of the baby gear goes: We installed the car seats in each car and it's truly amazing how much room they actually take up! We must both sit way back in our cars because we had to move those passenger seats up and it's now a sad situation for whoever is stuck riding along. We also put the stroller and snap-and-go together so we each have one ready. The pack-n-play is up as well as the bouncer and swing. Like I said, it's all coming along. Now we just have to wait for the baby.

Speaking of Harrison, we had our 36 week appointment today and he's doing just great. Everything looked good and we'll have another appointment next week. It's amazing to think we have somewhere around 3 weeks left before he's here! Right now he's moving all over the place and he's got me famished and parched as always...so off I go to fill up the meter.

We'll send more updates soon!

Showered with Monsters

My amazing friends at work threw an incredible party for little Harrison--it was a true monster bash! We had a giant monster cake from my fav--Delicious Cakes! And there were even craft stations so that everyone there could make their own monster...which is currently in the process of being sewn together into an awesome quilt for Harrison (thanks to Heather and Stacy's diligent work)! Thank you to my hostesses-with-the mostesses: Heather, Leah, Amanda, Delia, Ashley, Stacy and Michele!

Update on everything...

First... Harrison Rhys

Things are progressing nicely for our little boy. He still has about a month left to go before he's ready. We had a doctor's check-up yesterday and Harrison is currently at about 5 and a half pounds. That puts his due date around the 17th of August, but at this point there are so many variables that the likelyhood of that is slim. The original due date was closer to September, so we're sticking with that for now. Of course things change quickly and unexpectedly this close to the birth, especially the first time around.

Second... Steph

She seems to be doing okay. She's very uncomfortable all the time and she has aches and pains throughout her back and stomach on occasion. She's not moving very fast which isn't that bad as we should all slow down. She has the entire king sized bed to herself as I'm still camped out on the couch. Instead of feeling like I've been kicked to the curb, I instead feel like I'm simply doing my duty.

One of her favorite video games came out last week and this time we can play together. We both have Nintendo DS's and have played them countless times since we got married. However we've never before played a game together. Dragon Quest IX recently came out with the ability to play the game together via the wi-fi capability of the little console system. We also decided to both upgrade our very out dated DS's to the newer DSXL's. Its a much larger system with two much bigger systems.

I feel I've had a good influence on my wife when it comes to gaming. Before she never really cared for them. Now she's getting into RPG's and puzzle games more and more.

I'd also like to report that she's showing glimpses of interest in baseball and the Rangers! That's been a hard fought battle on my part, but through vast amounts of watching games on TV and dragging her to the ballpark, she's slowly started to get into my favorite of all sports! Its about time!

Lastly... the house

Things are nearing completion in the remodelling arena. Both bathrooms have been completely stripped of all wallpaper. They were covered with a liberal application of primer. And with the extremely generous help of our friends Kevin and Traci, they were textured to match the rest of the house. After giving them a few days to dry completely I will prime them both twice more before applying paint.

For Harrison's bathroom, we've chosen a light orange color. I'm guessing it will be overly colorful in there but who cares. Its a kids bathroom with monster crap everywhere. He will have a new light fixture, new shelves, a new mirror, and new general fixtures everywhere.

For the half bath down stairs we're going with whatever color we have left over from all of our original paint projects when we moved in 3 and a half years ago. It will probably be a light yellow. It too will get the same upgrades as Harrison's bathroom.

Over all things feel like they're coming together. The Pack-and-Play is out and ready for use. Harrison's room is essentially ready for occupation (pictures to follow), and the other odds and ends are getting stacked into place nicely. I have quite a bit more to do, but it will get done in time. Thank God the pregnancy lasts 9-10 months or none of this crap ever would have gotten done!

Maternity photo shoot

Steph and I were contacted by a teacher friend of mine who has started her own photography company while perfecting her Stay At Home Mom skills. She offered her expertise and we gladly obliged.

Dana met us at Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine, TX so we could carpool over to the Gaylord Texan for this shoot. I had proposed to Steph there nearly 6 years ago so it seemed fitting, plus the resort is simply an amazing place to visit and take pictures.

We started at about 9:15 Saturday morning and shot until noon. I was very hungry by the end of it, but we got some great photos in the process. I think Dana took something like 700+ photos in that time!

I'm attached a couple of those shots from her blog onto here (hopefully). We plan on ordering a fair few of these and you of course are welcome to do the same. Once Harrison gets here we'll be doing the same with him. I'm sure those will be even more popular than our maternity shoot!

If anyone is interested in using Dana's excellent skills at photography, just let me know and I can get you in contact with her. She doesn't stick only to baby and maternity pictures. Check out her website at http://www.onedimplephotography.com/