She's Here!

So let me tell you about Jane's birth...Scott and I were worried about the distance between us and the impending birth of our fourth child; we wanted to be in the same city when she came ;)  We had expressed our concerns to my OB, he knew our situation, but according to set-in-stone rules, I could not be induced before 39 weeks--the caveat being that my beloved Dr. Farley was going to Hawaii with his family, he wouldn't be around to induce me if I didn't have this baby before March 30th, he asked if I went into labor on my own, I told him 'not really' and said that with our 2nd I had my membranes stripped and then went into labor (granted I had worked the night before and was at 5 centimeters when this happened) he replied that he would strip my membranes at my next appointment and we would see.  I was finally at term, and had my 37 week appointment, Scott was sure I would go into labor when he stripped my membranes and so he surprised me by coming home early to be at the appointment.  Well I was at 2 cm at the appointment and 50% effaced, but a lot of women are at that stage...we were told to "do what we could" to get her here and were sent on our way, I made the next appointment, but Dr. Farley didn't think I would be there for that one, he was sure I would have this baby before that.  Well, we went home and I am sure Scott thought we would be jetting it to the hospital that night, sadly no.  The next night started my 3-day work weekend...I got to work and was given a 'laid-back' assignment, I think the charge nurses felt sorry for me, I was ginormous! 

I worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.  I was pretty uncomfortable and didn't sit down much, I could feel contractions, but nothing was regular and nothing super painful.  Come the wee hours of Monday morning, before we got off our shift, I was asking my friends if it would be dumb to go to Davis Hospital and ask them to check me to see if anything was progressing (I didn't want to send Scott to St. George when I got home just to go into labor after he left) they told me I should do it.

I got off work at 3:30 in the morning and drove straight from McKay-Dee to Davis Hospital, I parked outside the ER entrance and went in to register myself--it was so weird to go in by myself, I am sure they were looking at me wondering where my husband/baby daddy was, I was still in my scrubs.  I told them I was having contractions and was walked up to Labor & Delivery.  I got changed into a gown and then connected to a Toco & Fetal Heart rate monitor.  It showed I was having contractions, actually pretty regularly.  The nurse checked me and said I was at a 3 and 60%, she was going to call Dr. Farley and update him and see if I could stay...Dr. Farley knew my situation and since I had progressed from my last appointment he let me stay and said to get antibiotics started (I was GBS +) and that he would come in later to break my water!  Crazy!  I was all sorts of relieved that Scott would be able to be there for her birth and it was happening that day!  I called him and told him we were having the baby today.  We called my mom and told her to come up and be with the boys, the original plan was to have Scott wait until my mom got there, but he got anxious and called Natalie to check on the boys until my mom got there.  Scott got to the hospital and brought the bag that I didn't really finish packing ;)  He brought a season of Scrubs to watch and we waited, contractions were regular, but still didn't hurt.  Dr. Farley came in at ~7'ish and broke my water, I lasted 10 minutes before I was requesting an epidural...once that kicked-in and the pain was gone I was out like a light, I had been awake since noon the previous day.  I woke up when they checked me and I was at a 6 and again when I was checked and told I had made it to a 9 and 100%.  At that point the nurse called Dr. Farley.  I could feel pressure and knew it wouldn't be long.  At 12:15 p.m., the delivery team was all set-up, but they had given me an antibiotic that was 8-hour interval dosing and so I got a dose of Ancef and had to wait until it was all the way in before I could start pushing.  I was given the 'go-ahead' and while I had to have help holding my legs (my epidural was strong and I couldn't feel my legs at all) I pushed a couple times and there she was, Dr. Farley was going to let Scott cut the cord, but she had a tight nuchal cord and he cut it and got her to the newborn nurse (Miriam Sheffield...I was so grateful to have her there to take care of our baby!) and we listened to our daughter's cries for the first time, she was here!  I was so exhausted, but relieved and grateful and amazed that everything worked out!  She is perfect...

Jane Lenore Messel

Born at 12:32 p.m.

7 pounds 11 ounces

19 1/2 inches long

She nursed great in the delivery room and we made it to our post-partum suite and began our life with four children.  My mom brought the boys when they got home from school and they were instantly amazed by their new little sister.  We stayed 2 days (I had to get my 3 doses of steroid infusions) and then we went home.  

Life is different with this new little one, life in general is crazy at our house...a new crazy ;)  

5...five, V, cinco, cinq, funf...

Garrett, Gare, Garbear, little man, buddy, the youngest of our three boys.  I simply cannot fathom that only 5 years ago my biggest baby (9lb. 5 oz.) was born!  He is super smart, knows his entire alphabet along with sounds letters make and can even 'read' The Spooky Old Tree because he memorized the story ;)  He can count beyond 30 and even count backward from 10.  He loves to be cuddled and give hugs.  And he is great at balancing while riding his Strider bike!  He is awesome and a ray of sunshine in our house!

Garrett is...
3' 4" tall
39 lb. 6 oz.
Favorite color: green
Favorite book: The Big Book of Berenstain Bears (The Spooky Old Tree),
Favorite T.V. show: Pup Named Scooby Doo
Favorite game: Sonic All Stars Racing, Nintendo Land, Poptropica
Favorite food: Macaroni & Cheese, chocolate milk,
Favorite sport: jumping, riding Stider bike
Friends: Paige, Abby, Calvin, Logan,