Cooper's Birthday!!!!!!

He is here! I still can not believe he is actually here. He is perfect. Get ready, cause this post is long... so many details I don't want to forget!

First of all I want to start out by saying: God was looking out for our little family. I look back on these events and see how truly blessed we are. God was so a part of Cooper's arrival that I will be referring to "The List" throughout this post. "The List" is my way of noting all the wonderful ways we were blessed during Cooper's labor and delivery. It's a long List :)

Saturday September 15, 2012

Chris and I had been doing everything in our power to stay busy and distracted. At my appointment on Tuesday the 11th I was 3 cm dilated, 80% effaced and he was at 0 station. Dr. Hurley kept assuring us it would be any day and to call when I started to feel contractions or if my water broke. We kept waiting. Nothing.

So on this Saturday morning we planned on hitting up Safeway for another weeks worth of groceries. I showered, washed my hair, DRIED it (this never happens...add it to The List), and got ready to go to the store. While I was waiting for Chris to shower and get ready, I started to feel AWFUL. Super nauseous. I noticed my feet and ankles were swollen, like a lot. I also had a decent amount of bright red blood discharge (sorry for the details, don't worry, I won't share TOO many :) ). Chris got out of the shower and I was non-verbal on the couch. Miserable. I told him what was going on, and he refused to go to Safeway, unless I called my doctor. I REALLY did not want to call. I felt stupid. I was not feeling contractions, my water was still in tact, there was no way I was in labor. I did not want to be that first time mom who was sent home because she was just being paranoid. Chris didn't care. He made me call. (add that to The List).

I knew my doctor was on-call this Saturday, so at least I had that going for me (THIS IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST!) I talked to Dr. Hurley and she said, "Just come in. You sound miserable. Worst case scenario I will send you home with anti-nausea meds." Okay, so in my head we are going in just to get medicine so I feel better. I don't feel like I am in labor, so there is no way we are staying. I will be coming home in a few hours feeling better. Chris on the other hand, was not so sure. He grabs the overnight bags, starts picking things up around the house, and getting things ready for our family and friends who will be helping out with the dogs while we are at the hospital. I keep telling him, "We will be back. If I am in labor I would know it. Let's just go and we will be back sooner." He doesn't agree, and even offers to swifter before we go. He knows Sadie's hair on the hardwoods makes me crazy. I have never been so glad that he refused to listen to me (add to The List). He tried to get me to eat (he remembered from our birthing class! But I refused because I was SO sure we were coming home... sometimes I hate how stubborn I can be!)

We end up sitting in traffic on the way into the hospital. It was not too bad. But people were heading to Century Link for the Husky Football game. They were playing Portland State at 1:00. We had just decided not to go to the game earlier that week, and given our tickets to some friends (add to The List).   While we were staring at the gridlock, Chris commented on how lucky we were that I was not feeling contractions on our way into the hospital, "It would be much worst if were going in because you were having contractions. Instead we are going in to make sure everything is okay, and you are not dealing with painful contractions." (The List).

At the hospital we were greeted by the sweetest triage nurse. She had my info all ready, my doctor had her all filled in on my symptoms. She had me hooked up to a monitor in no time. Dr. Hurley came in, checked me, looked at the monitor and said, "You're staying." WHAT?!?! No way. I was dilated to 5 cm and I was contracting regularly, every 2-4 minutes. Excuse me, what? I don't feel anything. And by anything I mean nada. nothing. not a thing. I just felt like puking. (not feeling contractions may be close to #1 on The List)

Stone and Dawn showed up shortly after we were in our room. Having Chris, Stone, and Dawn there to chat and laugh with all day was perfect! Not to mention we had college football on all day to keep us  entertained. My nurse was amused by our random discussions as well. We even introduced her to Gangnam Style.

Stone enjoying some Gangnam style. 

Chris was very interested in knowing how the monitors worked. He requested a tutorial from the nurse.  Papa Bear making sure mom and baby were all good :) (The List)

Our family made it over from Spokane well before he arrived. It was nice to know they were all there to support me. Chris's sister and her husband were there, as well as Kyle (my brother-in-law). Everyone was so excited! It is so special that we have such a  great support system (The List).

Here I am at almost 5:00 pm sitting on a yoga ball, no epidural and not feeling a thing. I was around 6 cm here. Seriously.

At about 7pm Dr. Hurley let me know I was almost to 7 cm and almost completely effaced. She decided that at 8 pm she would break my water and I would likely start to feel contractions then. So I requested my epidural BEFORE she broke my water...even though I was not in pain. The anesthesiologist showed up within 5 minutes. She said, "Now when you start to feel a contraction just hold still, I am just going to keep working." I let her know I do not feel my contractions, so I will hold very still. She looked at me in disbelief, then looked over at the nurse. The nurse confirmed that I would not move. Epidural before feeling contractions and dilated to 7 cm definitely on The List.

Sidebar: The horror stories of the epidural being painful and scary, did NOT match my experience (The List). It was not bad. I will definitely be taking advantage of modern medicine in the future.

At this point it was just a waiting game. I needed to dilate a few more centimeters before I could push. We tried to convince friends and family to go home, but most of them refused to leave. My friends were a HUGE help and went to our house to take care of the dogs. But our family sat in the waiting room all. night. long.

I started pushing close to 5:00 am. Dr. Hurley was still on-call! She came in and checked on my progress. I was super nauseous again, but refused anti-nausea meds because I was afraid they would make me drowsy...which is what happens under normal circumstances. I should have taken the meds. I ended up getting sick about and hour and half into pushing...but I felt loads better afterwards! They gave me a little 20 minute rest and then I started pushing again.

Chris was an absolute ROCK throughout this whole experience. He made me feel safe and confident. He was willing to do anything. He was patient. He was strong. He even asked to look at the placenta (I passed on that). He also cut the cord. I didn't think I could love him anymore, but somehow this experience proved me wrong. He is the absolute best. (The List)

When he was almost out, the night nurse called for an extra set of hands and guess who showed up!? Our nurse from the day before! She walked in and said, "Oh I saw your name on the board still, and I was so glad that you waited for me!" So my OB, the day and night nurse delivered our little guy at 7:02 am on Sunday September 16, 2012. We had the best team ever welcome our baby into this world (The List).

Dr. Hurley (closest to me), night nurse - Trish, and day nurse- ...I am so bummed I have forgotten her name!

Cooper's stats: 7 pounds 14 ounces. 19.5 inches long. Perfect. 

Finally, our family (who had been waiting ALL NIGHT LONG) came in to meet our Cooper.

Grandma Mel 

Nana

Papa

Uncle Peter & Aunt Keri

Uncle Kris & Aunt Janie

Cooper's Aunties: Dawn, Stone and Fuller

Our family's first day together

Cooper, we love you more than you will ever, ever know. Of course you are #1 on The List. 

Daddy gave Coop his first bath! Both of them did a great job :)

Ready to go home!

And our life as a family of three begins...