One year ago today Charlie and I welcomed our third child. She was a scheduled c-section because big sister and big brother had both been c-section babies as well. The day before I took Tabytha and John to my parents house to stay with them while I was in the hospital to have Jessi.Nov. 25, 2008 Charlie and I woke up around 7am. I took a shower, got dressed and we headed out the door to have a baby. My c-section was scheduled for 11am and we needed to be at the hospital 2 hours beforehand to sign final paperwork and have blood work done.
We get settled into our room, sign paperwork, get blood drawn and get hooked up to IV's. Then we wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Time stands still when you're waiting to have a baby by scheduled c-section. I try to get some rest while we're waiting and Charlie's watching TV and relax. It's so hard knowing that in a few short hours we'll be holding our new baby girl.
The doctor comes in to say that the anesthesiologist is caught up in another surgery and we won't be going in at 11am. We have to wait until he's done with the patient he's with before we can have baby. We're disappointed and I'm at the point in my pregnancy that I REALLY want this baby OUT! So, I try to get some rest again, but the waiting is killing me!
FINALLY. The doctor comes in and says we're ready to go. I get taken into the OR to get my spinal while Charlie waits outside the door. I prep for the worst because both other times getting a spinal have been agonizingly painful. But, praise the Lord, this time he got the spinal in quickly and with minimal discomfort. I know what's coming. My body gets warm and goes numb. I'm laid back and the curtain goes up. Charlie is allowed in and comes to my side. He's giddy with excitement and I'm groggy and trying not to throw up all over the place.
This time around I actually wanted pictures of baby being born. I never wanted pictures with my other children. I had no desire to know what it looked like having a baby pulled out of my body, but this time was different. I NEEDED to see THIS child born. I had given one of the nurses my camera as I was taken into the OR and she was ready to start taking pictures once I was opened up.
I hear the suctioning and know they're close. I'm tired and numbly nauseous. The nurses know I've been through this before and don't sugar coat it when they say "You're gonna feel a 'little' pressure". I know it's coming and like each time before they press on the top of my pregnant belly to push baby toward the c-section opening and I let out a loud grunt as all the air is pushed from my lungs temporarily.
She's out! Nurses take her to the scale to clean her up and weigh her. Charlie goes with her to finish trimming up the cord. She's 8lbs 3.5oz and 20 inches. That's IT?!?! She's tiny compared to my other children at birth. I dub her my runt and the nurses whisk her off to the nursery, along with Charlie, as I get put back together and closed up. Then I'm taken back into my room and wait for Charlie and Jessi to come back from the nursery.
I'm exhausted, sore and overjoyed. Charlie brings Jessi back and I meet my little runt. She's beautiful and perfect.
Today my runt is a year old. It seems like just yesterday and at the same time it's hard to believe it's only been a year. Jessi has grown so much. She began crawling at 6 months old, sat up independently a week later. She has 8 teeth and she began walking just before 11 months old. She can be as rambunctious as big brother and laid back as big sister.
Jessi had truly blessed our lives and our family was completed when she came into the world.
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