These past few months have been eventful. Big event number one, on July 15th, we moved back to the U.S.A. Fortunately, the movers did the bulk of the dirty work while I spent my afternoons at the pool with the kids.
We arrived at our temporary housing in Valley Forge, bought a car (never thought I'd own a minivan, but I do and I love it) and found a home. Two weeks after we arrived, I went in for a routine ultrasound and was immediately sent upstairs to labor and delivery. Preterm labor...again. My doctor was so certain that I would deliver (I was 27 weeks) that they sent me by ambulance to a hospital with a better NICU. My contractions really picked up in the ambulance. I got REALLY nervous when the EMT pulled out the birthing kit and said to the driver, "you should probably turn on the lights and the siren now!" It didn't help that the EMT seemed just as freaked out I was. A few days he even looked me up on Facebook and send Matt a message asking if everything turned out ok.
I spent a week in the hospital and was sent home on strict bed rest where I would remain for 9 LONG weeks. Now would be an appropriate time to say how much I appreciate our wonderful families who spent a LOT of time and money to help us out during that time. My amazing husband, on top of starting a new job, enrolled the kids in school, got us moved into our new house, and waited on me hand and foot.
I hit the 36 week mark and was FINALLY taken off bed rest. My c-section was scheduled for 3 1/2 weeks later on November 1st at 12 pm. I was so happy to be out of bed!! I was able to take my kids to school, take walks in the sunshine, and shop for the baby. Sweet freedom! Yes, I enjoyed that freedom to the fullest for one full week. Then...I broke my foot. I was coming home from watching a Phillies/Giants game at the neighbors at 11pm, stepped off the curb and snapped my 5th metatarsal. Awesome. FYI, a very pregnant belly, crutches, and a three story house do NOT make the best combo.
Fast forward a couple weeks ahead to Halloween aka, the night before the scheduled delivery. The Giants were in the World Series and we stayed up late to watch the game. At midnight, I stood up to go to bed and got a horrible pain in my back. I convinced myself it was just a pregnancy induced muscle spasm and headed up to bed. At 3am, I woke up with more back pain, but attempted to get some more sleep. By 5 am, I gave up trying to sleep and got in the shower thinking the heat may help. In the meantime, Matt called my doctor. In a very groggy and VERY annoyed voice, she told us that it didn't sound like labor,"but if I REALLY want to go to the hospital and get monitored' I can. She warned me that I would probably just sit in bed all day until my scheduled section. I was now in enough pain that we decided it was worthwhile to make the 25 minute trip to the hospital.
By the time I arrived, I was in tears. I wasn't feeling typical contractions, just horrible back pain. My nurse helped me into bed, started my IV, took my blood, then, checked to see if I was dialated. Without saying anything, she picked up the phone, called my doctor, and informed her that she needed to hurry because I was already dialated 7 cm. WHAT!! Well, what do you know, I WAS in labor!! The rest is a bit of a blur. I ended up in the OR and the anesthesiologist attempted to give me a spinal to numb me from the chest down. I informed him that during my last c-section I was uncomfortable and felt way too much. After the first attempt failed, I opted to be put to sleep. Thank goodness I did! Once I was out, the doctor made the first cut into my abdomen she was surprised to say my baby boy, still fully inside the amniotic sac, right there. My uterus had completely ruptured and in the process tore a hole in my bladder. Good times.
I woke up a couple of hours later very groggy and VERY anxious to FINALY see my baby boy. He was so perfect and I fell completely in love the second I saw him!
I woke up a couple of hours later very groggy and VERY anxious to FINALY see my baby boy. He was so perfect and I fell completely in love the second I saw him!
To add to this very emotional experience, my Grandma Hodson passed away a few short hours after Ben was born. My poor parents, who had just barely flown in for the birth, had to get back on a plane and fly to Utah for the funeral. Then they came back again to help us out with the kids. After flying cross country 3 times in a week and then taking care of their grandkids for a week, I'm sure they were thrilled to go home and get some rest!
Life has settled way down these days, despite having three kids. We got through those first few crazy weeks of bringing home a new baby and settled into a new routine. Were happy that the only drama in our lives these days is Rachel:) Ben is the sweetest, happiest baby and we all adore him. Life is good.
37 weeks-Danny took this picture on my iphone the day before I broke my foot. Had I known what the next day would bring, I probably wouldn't be smiling:)
