I've actually become pretty good at writing down important things on this family blog in the past year. I consider it my personal journal and our family's history. In all honesty blogging is the only form of journaling I've ever actually enjoyed.
I feel a little guilty though, because I wasn't as great at recording important things when Joey was born. With the upcoming arrival of Elizabeth Mae, I've realized that I never wrote anything down about Joey's birth. That's something I really regret, but I'd rather fix that now than try to remember the details in the years to come.
Joey, this post is for you, and I just want you to know that even though I wasn't very great at writing things down for the first half of your life I do really love you and I cherish every moment we've spent together so far.
You were born on Friday, May 4th, 2012 at 2:32 pm in Rexburg, Idaho at Madison Memorial Hospital. You weighed 7 lbs 8 oz, and were 19" long. You were delivered by Dr. Allred.
Your due date was May 2nd, 2012. When that day came and passed I was really sad that we hadn't met yet. Late in the evening on May 3rd, I could not sleep so I pulled out my laptop and started watching a completely useless TV series called "16 and Pregnant". It's about teenage girls who get pregnant and have babies-- it was the first and last time I ever watched that show. I remember just sitting there in bed next to your sleeping dad, watching "16 and Pregnant" and balling my eyes out. I remember thinking I was so mad that these teenage girls who shouldn't even be having babies were having theirs, but I hadn't had my sweet baby boy yet! I was so upset. Eventually I cried myself to sleep.
Less than an hour after falling asleep (around midnight), I felt a huge gush of fluid. My water had broken!
I woke your dad up and told him. He didn't believe me at first, but it was legit. I was still leaking amniotic fluid. He rushed to get the car and we headed to the hospital, without any bags mind you (I was very under prepared for your birth). When we got there the nurses confirmed that the fluid was indeed amniotic fluid. I threw up while they were testing the fluid with a test strip. Labor made me very nauseated.
For the first few hours of labor I was hooked up to monitors. The monitors showed that I was having contractions but they were very irregular, both in length/duration and intensity, and I couldn't feel most of them. At the time the Doctor wasn't concerned because they needed this antibiotic that was coming through my IV to be in my system for four hours before I gave birth to you. I had tested positive for Strep B.
Pretty soon after those four hours were over my contractions had lessened in strength and labor had almost completely come to a halt. The doctor counseled with me and we made the decision to give me pitocin. After that the contractions were very very strong and painful and they were all in my back. Most contractions felt like someone was stabbing me up my spine with a chef's knife.
By 9 am or so I couldn't take it anymore, it was much too painful. I got an epidural. After the epidural I slept for a couple of hours. This was good for me because I hadn't slept all night. I needed some energy.
At 11:30am I was dilated to a ten, and it was time to push. By that time the epidural had worn off to the point where I couldn't feel pain but I could feel pressure. This helped me know how and when to push. I still ended up pushing for three hours though, because of the position you were in (doctors call it "sunny side up"). The doctor had to reach in and turn you multiple times but you were very stubborn and would flip back.
Finally at 2:32 pm, after one final push, you came into the world. Hearing you cry was the most amazing sound. When we first arrived at the hospital we didn't know what we were going to name you, but after holding you for the first time, both your dad and I knew that your name was Joseph. Dad picked your middle name, David.
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| Looking at Daddy. |
