I will start at the beginning. :)
Back in early May, Adam had just graduated and was in the midst of an extensive job search in his new field as a mechanical engineer. Life was pretty unpredictable as to where we would wind up and we were just excited for the next chapter. I started feeling off and wouldn't you know, I was expecting! Talk about crazy timing! Being that I was "advanced maternal age," I had blood work early in my pregnancy to check for genetic abnormalities. As a bonus, we got to find out the gender very early on. When the Dr called to tell me the results were all low risk and that we were having a boy I was over the moon! I could not wait to tell Adam he would finally get his son. I had our very good friends James and Megan help me tell Adam. I had a onesie made with his name and James and Megan pretended they had a belated graduation gift for him. It was such a cool moment. Some history on the name: John is Adam's 1st name and he is the 4th. Dalton is of course my late brother's name and paternal grandpa's name. Super special.
In August and September we finally announced to our families and a few friends.
Adam had gotten a job in Fort Worth and we were prepping the house to sell. It went on the market in September and sold in ONE day. By October we had to be out and had not yet found the right place in the metroplex. We got creative while we waited for the right home and Adam stayed with his aunts for a bit, then his best friend while the girls and I went to stay with Adam's sister in Austin. Not ideal to be apart, but we made lemonade out of lemons and enjoyed being close to family. We found the "right for right now" house in North Fort Worth, but also learned that it would not be finished until right around the time I was due.
We found a lovely VRBO in Weatherford, Texas. It was a little garage apartment attached to a main house of the sweetest family. We stayed the entire month of December and it could not have been a better place for us. Our builder told us the house was going to be done December 28th. This surprised us when we did the walkthrough as it appeared there was still much to be done. We were correct to be skeptical. It was not done. Luckily we were able to stay longer in the apartment!
This brings me to the week of Dalton's birth. As usual, my blood pressure started to spike in the last weeks of pregnancy. It was New Year's Day and I did not feel well. I took my blood pressure and it was so high that it wouldn't even register even while laying on my left side. Not a good sign. This time I was hoping very much to avoid major surgery so found a wonderful Dr in Dallas that is pro VBAC even after 2 prior c-sections. I also hired a doula (a person who helps support you in labor). I called my Dr and he said I should go ahead and come to the hospital. We had already sent Sadie down with Adam's parents the week prior so called Auntie Dory to come stay with Isla. She got to the apartment at about 8:30pm. It was about 17 degrees so Adam and I bundled up and headed out to the hospital. We called the doula and our birth photographer. We told the birth photographer to hang tight but just to be ready.
We arrived at Baylor Dallas and were sent to a regular labor and delivery room, something I have never gotten to do before. It was quite large. I changed into my gown and started going through all the questions. The staff were fantastic and very respectful of my wishes. My Dr was in another delivery so a resident came to talk with me about my options. They gave me the choice of a gentle induction or going straight to a repeat c-section. I was really dreading having major abdominal surgery with a 2 year old who very much still needs me and moving into a new house later that week so it was not an easy decision. By this point we had called the doula in the room and she was very helpful in going through my options with me. I went ahead and had the resident check me to see if I was favorable for an induction. She did, and I was not at all. That made the decision a little easier and I said to go ahead with a c-section. I asked if they could wait long enough for my birth photographer to arrive and they said no problem. We did not know if they would let her in the OR, as it depends more on the anesthesiologist than the OB, but were hopeful!
Our birth photographer arrived around midnight, I believe. We still had plenty of time as they were just starting my IV. This proved to be the worst part, once again. The first try, my vein blew up. That was AWWWWWFUL. The next try she almost got it, but not quite. She went and found another
nurse to try. He tried the right arm in one more spot (since I am left handed) but it did not take either. At this point we tried the left hand and he finally got it. They gave me the fluids that you get before a c-section and the anesthesiologist came to talk to me. He was so nice and had NO problem letting my photographer in the OR! Yay! This is the first time I have brought a birth plan with me and the nurse took the time to read over it and was very set on honoring my plans as closely as possible. What a difference from the one mean nurse we had at Mother Frances when we had Isla!At 2:38am on January 2nd, I walked into the OR. They initiated the spinal (this time a spinal epidural which is a combination of both and has less side effects from what they tell me). At one point my left leg shook as it activates, but he warned me this would happen. At least it did not hurt this time. They layed me down on the operating table and brought Adam and Kali (photog) in. It was a very relaxed environment and everyone went around introducing themselves before the surgery began.
It seemed like it took forever for them to get to him. I love this photo of when they started to let him gently emerge.
At 3:20am our little John Dalton was born! He cried right away-what a wonderful sound! They took him to get cleaned up a little and the Dr started putting me back together. The Dr told me mid surgery it was a VERY good thing I did not labor as my uterus was paper thin and would have most certainly ruptured. VERY SCARY! The blood pressure may have been a blessing in disguise as had it not spiked again I would have waited for labor to start on its own. He also said the cord was wrapped around his neck. So thankful that he made it here safely.
They brought him over to do skin to skin with me. So sweet and so challenging to do laying flat on your back! We just did it for a few minutes then I had Adam take him. I LOVED that they never took him out of the OR. That was really refreshing. Getting to watch Adam hold his son for the first time was so special. For sure one of those moments in life we did not know if would ever happen or not. Such joy!
They finished getting me stitched up and then we went to recovery where he immediately was ready to nurse! We stayed there for about 2 hours then finally headed up to my room. Kali continued snapping the most special photos.
Kali headed home and since it was 6:30am we figured we could start calling family. We facetime'd Adam's parents before his dad left for work and had them wake up Sadie. She was too out of it to really realize what was going on. :) We called the rest of the family over the next couple of hours then rested as much as was possible for the rest of the day. Dory brought Isla up in the afternoon and she was verrrry uncertain about everything, to say the least! This made it easier for her to leave without me haha!
The next day we closed on our house, so they sent a mobile notary to the hospital to do the closing. Crazy.
Dalton was a little star on the mama/baby floor as he had no jaundice and was the best nurser they had seen in ages. He already gained back the 4 percent weight that he had lost by the time we were leaving! I always somewhat enjoy the time in the hospital inspite of the constant in and out of staff. It's such a special time to bond with your baby.
My blood pressure seemed to be stabilizing this time so Friday it was time to go home without blood pressure meds-a first!
The blood pressure did not last, however, and I got to go back to visit my friends in labor and delivery Saturday night. Went home on meds and it is finally stabilizing. Inspite of the blood pressure, this has been by far my easiest recovery in terms of pain. I have only had a couple of set back days where I have overdone it so then I start hurting.
I took his newborn photos last week and this past Saturday we had a few family photos taken. I can't wait to get those back. Here are a few of his newborns.
JOHN DALTON CAREY
JANUARY 2, 2018
3:20 AM
7 POUNDS, 7 OUNCES
20 INCHES LONG
