Rex's Birth Day

Rex is quickly coming up on four months, and I find myself completely amazed at how fast the time is going.  He's still very much a baby, and definitely the baby of our house, but he already seems so big.

And before time gets away from me, I just want to make sure I record what the day of his arrival was like...

So far, the theme of Rex's existence has been... SURPRISE!  We knew we wanted more kids, but weren't sure if we were ready...and then SURPRISE, ready or not!  I just knew (and I mean I was completely certain) that the baby was a girl...and then SURPRISE, we were selected for team Blue.  And Rex was scheduled to be delivered on November 29...and then SURPRISE, it was the 26th (the day after Thanksgiving) and my water broke.

It was around 5ish and Rodney was trying to put up the Christmas lights outside, I was watching a football game on TV, the kids were running around the back yard, and Rodney's uncle was getting the grill ready.  When it happened I wasn't really sure that's what had happened.  My other kids were induced, so I had no experience with breaking waters....and may I say...it's gross.  Really gross.

Still not really believing it, I went to tell Rodney...who didn't really believe it.  We then told his uncle...who didn't really believe it.  We were all just standing there looking at each other not really believing it. That's when a voice went off in my head...."Uh, Courtney??  One word.  Epidural."  

Well, that lit a fire under me.  I started barking orders.  I told Rodney to go pack his bag.  I had his uncle round up the kids.  I packed a bag for them, loaded them in the car, took them to my friend Jessica's house, and came back for Rodney.  While I waited on him, I loaded my bag in the car and started firing off text messages.  And I may have honked the horn a time or two.

There are two things you should know about my husband.

1.  While he is capable in almost every situation, calm is rarely a word you would use to describe him.

2.  He drives like an Earnhardt unless we're running late to church, then he suddenly becomes Grandpa Joe.

So....needless to say, I got the full Nascar experience on the way to the hospital.  I also got the full broken water experience.  Did I mention that?  Yeah...totally gross.

We pull up to the ER, Rodney runs in and gets a wheelchair.  He wheels me up to the admissions desk and I inform them that my water broke, this is my third baby, my last baby came in five hours, and I want to make sure I. GET. MY. EPIDURAL.  They seemed to lack the level of concern I felt they needed.  If I hadn't been in labor, I may have gotten up and hurt someone.

Finally a sweet talking, slow-as-Christmas nurse came down to get me.  She asked how I was doing and I responded with, "I'd really like to get my epidural."  Once again, concern levels lacking.  If I'm not mistaken, she even chuckled a little bit.  I soon realized that's because we were coming up on shift change...so she wasn't just lacking concern about my situation, she didn't have any to speak of.  In fact, she was probably planning what she was going to make for dinner...or what show she was going to watch that night...or something else completely unrelated to me getting an epidural.

This is me...trying to figure out who I could call about me getting an epidural...stat!  Or maybe I was just texting my mother.

Shift change came and went, and my new nurse arrived.  I informed her I was most concerned about my epidural.  She said I couldn't have it until I was checked in and had my blood work done.  Oh, for the love of Pete!!

So everyone who came in, was instructed to hurry it up so I could get....you guessed it, my epidural.  I can't even tell you how many times I sent Rodney to the hallway to look for the next person who stood between me and my drugs.

Finally, I was checked in, my IV was in  (after 4...FOUR!...tries), and my blood work was back.  I think the nurse who came back with my results was a bit nervous because her voice cracked a bit as shared this... "It seems your platelet levels are a bit low."  "So?  What does that mean?"  "When your platelet levels are too low, we cannot administer an epidural."  This was the point when you could hear nothing but my jaw hitting the floor....and I could not utter a word for at least 20 seconds.  And I'm pretty sure out of the corner of my eye I saw Rodney duck, as if I were going to start throwing things across the room.

I didn't even have time to verbalize my panic, but the anesthesiologist who came in shortly after seemed to see it on my face.  "Don't worry.  Your platelet levels are low, but they're just on the cusp and we've decided we can go ahead and proceed with the epidural."  And exhale...

Once the epidural was in, I was back to being my normal, laid back self.  Until my blood pressure started dropping...and while the sweating, nausea, chills, etc. are all terrible, I'll take them over contractions any day.  I just had Rodney take our visitors back to the waiting room, and he and I continued the journey on our own.

After eight hours, it was time to push.  Two pushes later, we were staring at a beautiful little boy that I haven't been able to take my eyes off of.  He looked nothing like our other two.  It was amazing...just as it had been with the other two...to just take him all in.  To look at everything about him, and fall completely in love.

He was so tiny.  He was so quiet.  He was so perfect.

...and he was all mine (and Rodney's).

Bebe came by for some lovin'.

Nana came by for some huggin'.

Rex passed all his tests.

And they let us take him home.

He has been the most perfect addition to this family.  All of my babies have been good, but he is especially good.  He's happy...he loves to talk to people and just smiles and laughs.  He's content...unless he's hungry, you don't hear much from him.  And knock on wood, he sleeps all night.  Can I get a Hallelujah, Amen?

While he looked nothing like the other two in the beginning, he is now nearly identical to them at this age.  I can't believe how much they all favor each other.  There is no mistaking these kids belong together!

I still can't believe I have three kids.  And at the same time, I wonder how I even felt whole without all three of them.  Kids have an amazing way of changing how you see life, and I am so thankful to be blessed with this life-changing perspective.

Yes, my blogging has slowed.  But believe me, the adventures in this house have not.  As we get closer to truly being adjusted, I hope to get back to my regular updates.

'Til next time...