So Much To Say

Wow, how time flies! Ryan is 1 month old today!!! I can't believe how fast the time has gone, but more importantly, how much I am loving the handsome son we have welcomed into our lives. Having 2 children comes with it's challenges, especially when EVERYONE in the house is under the weather except me?? (I'm including the dog, but trust me, no one wants details!). But, I have really been surprised by how smoothly we SEEM to have made the transition. It all happened in a hurry, and thankfully because Ryan was in the NICU (not that I wanted him to be) we had a few days to get our act together.

So, Chris never really explained why Ryan came early, and many of you already know because I have talked to you personally. But, just for blog archiving of the event, I will attempt to shorten the story. On Monday, 1/26, I had a Dr. appointment, everything was great, no dilation despite my continued contractions during my pregnancy. I felt good. Charlotte also had an eye appointment that day, so we were busy. Which also means me lifting and lugging a big stroller around and strenuous activity for a Mom that already has contractions basically all day. But, we had been reassured by testing and because I wasn't dilated that I would not have preterm labor. That evening, I was sore in my lower abdomen and my back. I thought I pulled a muscle? I had contractions, (not uncommon), and they didn't seem regular so I didn't worry. I had just been to the Dr. right? The next day I was supposed to work, and was going to bring a cake into work to celebrate NOT having a baby at the same gestation as Charlotte, 34 weeks, 5 days. What a milestone it would be. The cake was made, came out of the oven and I iced it later, only to give in to my pregnancy craving and have to cut into it that night. So, Chris and I both enjoyed German Chocolate "un-birthday" cake that evening. Besides, no one knew I was going to bring the cake in at work, so they wouldn't miss it! Right?
The next day, my back and lower abdomen still hurt, Charlotte's school closed due to the impending huge snow storm, and Chris and I both decided I would go to work and he would stay home since I "work" harder at home taking care of Charlotte, and my body needed a break. The entire morning that I was at work, (The Perinatal Center) I walked around holding my lower abdomen. I was hurting still. At my appointment the previous day, the Dr. and I agreed I would start my Non Stress Tests of the baby that week or the next. Since that is what we do at my work, it was going to be very convenient for me. Because I was feeling so bad, we decided I would just do mine that day on my lunch break. And then, the Shocker... I failed within the first few minutes.... I was contracting every 2 minutes from the time they put me on the monitor. I took a dose of procardia (that I had been on to stop my contractions) and called Chris to give him a heads up. But... I told him to stay home. The weather was bad and who would watch Charlotte? Surely the contractions would stop soon. Meanwhile I kept chugging water and praying that they would go away. After being on the monitor at least an hour with no signs of my contractions stopping, the nurses had no choice but to call my Dr. They sent me to the Women's Evaluation Unit for further monitoring, and gave me a second dose of procardia. (I had never had to take 2 before). When they still weren't stopping, I called Chris again and told him to go ahead and come.... I'd probably have to stay the night, Maybe... Chris arrived somewhere around 3:00 pm and at 3:57 pm the Dr. had decided that we needed to deliver that day! (They were especially concerned because I had already had a cesarean delivery with Charlotte and I was experiencing discomfort at my old incision site). I demanded to see the Dr. before they placed the epidural just to be sure we had no other choice. He was adament about his decision and I had to give in to the fact that even though I wasn't emotionally ready for this, it was happening. The rest is history, we were prepped quickly, called as much of our family as we could with the news and were whisked off to the OR to meet our son. Ryan was born at 5:14 pm. So between 12:00 and that time, we were on quite a ride.

And that is the story...

The Hawns