So here's how it all went down - Sunday afternoon I went to a baby shower for my sweet friend Tara where I saw my friend Hannah. Hannah and I met in college but we never really got to know each other that well so this shower was especially fun b/c we got to talk a lot, and we talked a lot about babies! We both have one already and we were both due around the same time. Anyhow she had told me about her water braking with her daughter and I asked what it was like. By the grace of God we had this conversation. She explained it perfectly and the next morning I literally awoke to that feeling! Haha God has a great sense of humor and is so kind to allow me to not only enjoy a good time with a friend but also learn something that was pretty dang important! In all seriousness I never would have even questioned if my water was broken had she not told me what it was like. So around 7:00 AM on the 21st I woke up and told Kyle, "I think my water broke?!" I was really confused and didn't expect this to happen. Needless to say after being up for about 15 minutes I realized my water was in fact leaking. Sorry if that sounds gross, it just wasn't a big event like I had somewhat expected. So Kyle went back to bed, thinking we'd wait until my contractions got close together to go to the hospital, but the doctor said we had to go to the hospital right away. Side note - I would have been 39 weeks the next day, May 22nd, so we were safe to have the baby. So Kyle got up and started getting ready and I did the same. Even though our bags were packed, Tommy's wasn't and there a few last minute things to throw in. I was running around like a mad woman. I wanted to wake Tommy up before we left b/c I wanted to tell him goodbye and hold him before we met his new sibling. We ended up taking him with us to the hospital and my parents met us there to help take care of him and then my sister Jennifer watched him the rest of the day.
We ended up getting to the hospital around 8:45. They confirmed that my water broke, hooked me up to all the machines, and told me they'd give me 6 hours for my contractions to start making a pattern and if they weren't at that point then they'd start pitocin. Well 6 hours went by and I wasn't really progressing. I was completely comfortable, I had some contractions, but they weren't regular or hard contractions. So around 1:00 in the afternoon they started the pitocin. I hate pitocin. My body reacts very strongly to it. But since it took a little bit for my body to show it reacted strongly they kept increasing the amount every 30 minutes to get my contractions going. I think it was around 3 or 4 in the afternoon when I got my epidural, I could be completely wrong on that! Anyway I went in at 3cm and when I got my epidural I was 6cm. And then at 6:00 it was time for baby Silas to come! Delivery was a bajillion times easier this time around, all except for the fact that I forgot the right way to breath when pushing! Haha I felt like an idiot! Silas was out by the third contraction, but if I had been breathing/pushing right I think he would have been out the first contraction! I had absolutely wonderful nurses and a great doctor, even though she wasn't my regular OB. Oh and our mom's (my mom and Kyle's mom) cut the cord! Kyle and I both think it's gross and our mom's thought it was great that they got to cut it!
This time around was a lot different than our experience with Tommy. I got to hold Silas right away and do skin to skin time. It was awesome! He nursed right away and then after a long time of snuggling with his mama, Kyle got to hold him! When Tommy was born, Kyle didn't get to hold him until around 10:00 at night and he was born at 6:06. So this was amazing for both of us! And I feel a little sad for Tommy that he didn't get that same experience but I know he was well taken care of and it was necessary for him not to do that b/c he needed medical attention.
Silas is now 3 weeks old. He is a handsome little guy, with very chubby cheeks! He's very fuzzy and looks a lot like me when I was a baby, but he has some Marlette qualities as well. We are working on a schedule, just when I think we're on a pretty good one he likes to throw me off and get really hungry out of no where! Oh well he's 3 weeks old, we'll get there. Right now I'm just trying to keep him awake for a little while after he eats and we work on the schedule every day. He usually eats every 3 hours, but the past couple of days he's done every 2-3 hours, but I've heard growth spurts come with the 3's and he just turned 3 weeks old and he definitely looks bigger to me! Tommy is doing awesome! I seriously have cried the past couple of nights thanking the Lord for how well Tommy has been behaving for the past several days. He is learning to be more patient and to play more by himself and to be loving to his sweet baby brother. Tommy does get jealous at times, but it is not aimed at Silas, he doesn't act angry towards him or like he doesn't like him. He just wants some attention too. And Kyle and I are both being intentional about trying to spend special time with Tommy and that really helps. Tommy does struggle with being gentle, he has semi-tackled Silas twice in the past week and smacked him in the head with a toy. But in general Tommy doesn't like to pay attention to where he's walking or looking behind him to see what's there, he just goes for it. So that's something new we're working on.
It is definitely a lot, lot, lot, lot harder having two kids than I thought it would be. I'm not a huge lover of the infant stage and I'm trying to savor it b/c I know it's temporary, but that's also what gives me hope. I know now with Silas being our second that it won't always be this hard, or it at least won't be hard in the same way. Tommy is very mobile now so that throws some extra challenges into the mix. He started taking off walking a week or two before Silas was born. And the first few days at home Tommy was super whiney and had some adjusting to do with all the new changes happening. But it is getting better and I am so thankful that Tommy and Silas have each other to grow with!
(Tommy kissing his baby brother Silas)
And by the way I realize it's Tuesday when I'm writing this! haha! Oh well happy whatever day of the week it is, I know I can't keep track of the days any more!
Thanks for sharing about your growing family!
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