I Have a New Name

Since August 10, 2010, (yes, it has been that long since I blogged)  my world has changed.  The last time we spoke I was six months pregnant.  Well, the last three months of pregnancy were great.  Yes, I was going to the restroom all the time, and I was huge but I felt great. I even wore heels to work almost everyday.  As the days went on, I became more and more anxious to meet my sweet daughter (who at the moment is asleep in her crib and looks like an angel). 

On November 17, Eric and I went to my weekly check up with Dr. Roberts.  For the couple of weeks preceding, I had been 3cm dilated and 70% effaced.  I knew it wouldn't be long.  Because Adeline was due around Thanksgiving, Dr. Roberts was actually going to be out of town visiting family the couple of days before and after my due date.  This made me nervous.  On top of that, my dad was scheduled to have major back surgery the day before Thanksgiving.  I expressed my concerns to Dr. Roberts.  Her response was, "Well, do you want to have the baby in the next 48 hours.  Because, I can make you go into labor."  The rest of the conversation went as follows....

Me:  "How can you do that?"
Dr:  "I can strip your membrane."
Me:  What is that?
Dr:  I am going to edit this part because you really don't want to hear it.  But, the short explanation is that it released the hormone that puts a woman into labor.  There wasn't any medicine involved.
Me:  Will it hurt?
Dr:  It's not going to feel good.
Me:  Look of fear spreads across my face.  Eric, what do you think?
Eric:  Fine with me.
Me:  Let me think about it.
Dr:  If you think about it, you won't let me.
Me:  Okay.  I then proceed to hold my breath and squeeze the heck out of my husband's hand.
Dr:  Done.
Me:  So, is this 100%?
Dr:  No, but I'm pretty sure it will work.

Eric and I then leave her office around 4:30 and head to meet my mom for some early dinner at We're Cooking ( a new restaurant near Dick's Sporting Goods that I highly recommend).  Over a very delicious chili dog, I tell my mom about the doctor visit.  You can see her getting excited at the thought of having a granddaughter within the next 48 hours.  At about 5:30, we leave and head to Best Buy.  My back is also starting to hurt.  I tell my mom and she gets this look on her face like, "Oh, no."  I check out the new Kindles and hint to my mom that I would like one for Christmas.  My back begins to hurt worse and now have pains that seem to have a pattern.  They are about 12 minutes apart at this point.  I ask my mom to come stay with me at the house.
 

Last picture of me before Adeline was born. 
I was sitting in triage when this pic was taken



Once we get home, the get-ready-for-baby scampering begins.  Mom helps me clean the house.  I shave my legs and shower.  Let the labor timeline begin...

10:30pm:  I try to lie down but the contractions hurt too much.

12:30am:  I wake Eric up because the contractions are 5 minutes apart.  I also call the doctor on call, and she tells me to head on to the hospital.  Eric takes a shower and my mom helps me gather the last few items.



12:45am:  Leave for the hospital but only after a pit stop at Eric's work (we had to get his cell phone charger).

1:30am:  We arrive at the hospital and have to wait in triage to see if I'm really in labor.

2:30am:  They decide yes.  You are in labor.  They admit me, and I get a room.

4:00am:  Get an epidural.  Which, for the record, wasn't that bad.  It just felt REALLY weird.

4:00am - 12:30pm:  Waiting.  Unfortunately, my epidural wasn't that effective.  It would work a couple of hours then wear off.  They tried a couple of different meds but no luck.  I would just have to suck it up.  Now, I do want to stress that the epidural wasn't a complete dud.  Basically, I felt ALL the contractions, had the epidural shakes, had a lot of back pain, could move my legs on my own, but was numb in the most important part of my body. 

12:30pm:  I started pushing.  This part was exhausting.  I was tired, hungry, and wanted to meet my daughter.  On top of that, I was running a fever of around 101 and throwing up between pushes.  She also got stuck on my pelvic bone.  So, progresse was slowed.  But, my mom and Eric were there to help me through it.

2:04pm:  Adeline Caragh Watts came into the world. She was 7lbs 4ozs and 20in long. I am on the verge of tears right now just thinking about it.  Eric kissed me, and they handed me my daughter.  Unfortunately, she wasn't crying loud enough so they took her to the nursery to be observed.  They kept her away from me for over an hour.

Adeline Caragh Watts shortly after birth.

Eric and I in awe of our new daughter.

Enjoying time with my daughter the morning after she was born.

Overall, this is how I would describe labor.  Not something I would call fun but not horrible.

From that moment on, we got to love on our daughter and show her off to all the wonderful family and friends that came by to visit.  Just in case I forget (which I will) here is the list of all the people that came to see my sweet daughter:

Mike and Melissa*
Donna and Dave*
Helen Stirewalt*
Jane Watts*
Amanda and Matt Lay
Troy Suggs
Amy Seymore
Doug and Sherry Manning
Dave and Jackie Oehlson
Troy Fussell
Andrea Coomer
Courtnery Horner
Jeremy Payne
Devin Amans
Miriam Milsaps
Christie Roberson
Amy Williams
*Were at the hospital the whole time I was in labor.

Eric and I brought our daughter home on Saturday, November 20.



Our first family picture.  Thank you Sarah with Sarah C. Photography.

As I reflect on the past couple of months, here is the prayer for my daughter.

Dear Father God,

Thank you for this most amazing gift.  Your love is truly amazing.  I thank you for allowing me to be Adeline's mother.  The few parts of me that are good are only that way because of you.  Adeline is just another one of those good parts.  I pray that I turn to you for all parenting advice.  I pray that I am  an example of Christ for my daughter.  My number one desire is not that she becomes rich or famous but only that she comes to know you at an early age.  I pray she surrenders to you and turns to you for everything.  If she must know pain, I pray she turns to you for comfort and healing.  If she must know sorrow, I pray she turns to you for condolence.  If she must know heartache, I pray she is reminded that you have held her heart since the beginning of time.  I pray that you are shaping a man of God for her to meet and fall in love with one day.  I desire that this man will love only you more than her.  I pray for her health and happiness.  But above all, I praise you for saving me with the death and resurrection of your son and allowing me to share this promise and gift with the tiny miracle you gave me on November 18.

Amen.

Through out my life I have been called a lot of things: daughter, sister, friend, wife, annoying, a bad speller and clueless. But now I have a new name:  mother.