Your birth story is quite exciting...
I had the best pregnancy and carried you full term without major complications. You arrived one day before your actual due date of 6/27/12. I absolutely loved our doctor, Dr. Brock. He's an older man and incredible. Very calm all the time and easy going. I felt like you and I were in great hands.
Towards the end of my pregnancy my blood pressure started rising. I worked full-time until two days before you were born. My job was incredibly stressful. Lots of responsibility and pressure every day. Momma needed to take it easier on herself and you...
I went to my very last appointment at 39 weeks. It was Friday, June 22nd. Mims flew in the night before and went with me to see Dr. Brock. Daddy headed to work. I was already starting to dilate and go into labor all on my own (2cm dilated and 50% effaced). When we got to the appointment that morning they took my blood pressure and it was sky high. Dr. Brock wanted me to walk over to labor and delivery at the hospital next door so they could run tests on you and I to make sure everything was okay. It scared me. I definitely didn't feel ready to have you quite yet! You still needed to grow a few more days!
Labor and Delivery got me settled into an observation room, your Dad arrived and all of the tests came out perfect! We stayed most of the day. What they didn't tell me that day was that my platelets were too low and Dr. Brock decided to go ahead and induce me the following Tuesday.
Soooo, I knew that you were going to absolutely arrive on Tuesday, June 26th unless something happened over the weekend. I'm going to be honest. The weekend was not fun. Your Momma is a planner and I completely stressed out thinking about everything that was going to go down on Tuesday. You are my first baby and I didn't know what to expect! Not ideal. Basically, I freaked myself out!
We arrived at the hospital right at 6am (we would have been early but your Pops HAD to have a Venti Iced Coffee from Starbucks on the way. Of course!) on Tuesday morning. They took your Dad and I into a labor and delivery room and asked me to get undressed and into that beauuutiful hospital gown.
The fun began...
They hooked me up to lots of machines, started an IV, broke my water and started medicine that would make Momma have you! Wellllllll, guess what Jonah boy....you just weren't ready to come out yet!! Momma's body didn't do exactly what they planned! From 6am until about 2pm I curled into a ball trying to rest through the cramps. They HURT!! Each time they came in to check me (about every 2 hours) nothing was going on. Nada. What they didn't tell me until about 3pm was that my blood pressure was still too high and my platelets were dropping lower making it more dangerous for you and I...
Around 3pm Dr. Brock came into the room and talked to your Dad and I. He told us what was going on with my body and how he needed to take you out of Momma's stomach pretty quickly! Talk about unexpected!! Around 4pm they started prepping me for surgery. Yikes! They put the cutest (NOT) stockings on your Momma that made your Dad laugh. I wasn't too happy about him laughing at me! But he was so sweet to me. He held my hand during the scary parts and kept me company the entire day. Your Mims and Ammy also came in before I went into surgery to make sure I was okay. Honestly, your Mims was more scared than I was (not really), I tried to stay calm on the outside, but on the inside I was so scared! I did not know what was about to happen...
I had never been in a hospital before that day. Never ever. I've never broken a bone in my body or had any issues so this was a big deal to me!...
When they rolled my bed down the hall I saw your Bacca, Ammy and Mims looking through the door down the looooong hall. They waved and were looking very worried. Daddy wasn't able to go with me yet, he had to change into the blue hospital scrubs they provided him with so he would be nice and clean in the operating room.
Once we arrived in the operating room they transferred me from the hospital bed to the operating table. I thought I was going to fall off because I couldn't feel my legs! I started shaking uncontrollably. A combination of the medicine, how icy cold it was in the room and shock to my system. I felt like I was in a scene from a movie. When I looked up I could see these HUGE lights shining down on me. There were about 8 people already in the room. A team of people all doing different jobs. My body went into fight or flight and I kept shaking. The sweet anaesthesiologist got a warm blanket for my upper body.
Dr. Brock arrived and held my hand for awhile. He was very sweet to me. He told me that before I could even blink I would be a Momma. They put a sheet up so I couldn't see below my chest and your Daddy arrived in the room to sit by me. The team of doctors said, "Ladies and Gentleman this is Lindsay Strickland we will be delivering her baby today. Let's GO"...(I think they said some more medical stuff but it's all blurry to me now)...
Not more than three minutes passed and I started feeling something I will never forget for as long as I live. Pressure. Moving around. I felt them make the incision in my belly, but there was no pain. Someone said "he doesn't want to come out" (talking about you, lodged high up in my belly). They they said, "on the count of three" and told me I was going to feel a LOT of weird pressure.
OH BOY. OH BOY. OHHHHH BOOOOYYY.
It felt like someone jumped on my stomach. More pressure. I couldn't breath. I felt like I was about to be sick. It felt awful. And then it was over and I heard the sweetest sound I've ever heard...
You took your first breath and then you started crying. A deep gurgling cry. It made me start crying!! The sweetest sound I've ever heard in my entire life!
My favorite photo from the hundreds (yes, your Momma is picture crazy) that we took at the hospital is this one, your very first photo. You're fresh from my tummy and just took your first few gasps of air. You are so precious to me...
After they cleaned you up in the operating room they took you and your Daddy to the nursery. While you were being weighed and taken care of they sewed Momma back up and took me to a recovery room. Your Mims visited you and then came back down to take care of me. I was very groggy and in lots of pain! Very glad she came back to me.
Then, before I knew it your sweet Dad brought you down to see me! I got to hold, feed and snuggle you. It was the sweetest moment! Your Daddy didn't want anyone to hold you until I first had a chance to. That meant so much to me!! I carried you in my belly for nine months and was worried I wouldn't be able to snuggle you because of the surgery.
After they made sure I was okay from the surgery they took us up to our room where Ammy and Bacca were waiting. Our first evening with you was so special. Your Daddy did most of the work that night because I was so tired from getting you here! I laid in bed and watched him cuddle you close, rock you and change your first diaper. I cherish the memories we made your first night on earth...
The next day your Papa and Auntie Bell arrived from Texas! We were so excited to see them!! Everyone took turns cuddling you, changing your diapers and loving on you. We didn't want to put you down for a single moment....
Your Dad needed coffee that afternoon (he's kind of addicted!) and wanted to take a moment to catch his breath so he made a quick Starbucks run. He loves us more than life, Jonah boy. Look what he surprised me with..
My very first "Mom" frappuccino. Love it!!
The rest of the time we spent in the hospital holds the very best memories for us. Lots of love and cuddles. We kept unwrapping you and looking at your tiny fingers and toes. So precious. Everyone thinks you're the most beautiful baby boy. I have to agree!...
You were born on Tuesday night and we got to go home on Friday afternoon. We took our time and got you all ready to hit the road. Friday, the 29th was your Pops THIRTIETH BIRTHDAY!! He told me it was his best birthday since his first! You were the best birthday present that he could ever, ever ask for sweet boy!!
Now that we're home we are getting into a routine of feeding and taking care of you. You're already changing every single day. We LOVE being a family of three now and can't imagine life before you came. Did it exist?!...
Jonah, you are the most precious gift your Pops and I have ever been blessed with! We cherish you so much and can't wait to see the little man you develop into. Our life was forever changed on Tuesday, June 26th and the love we feel for you is so incredible. You are worth every bit of pain that I felt and now I don't even remember it. You are our heart!!
Love,
Momma
