2 Weeks

Johnson is now 2 weeks old! (Almost 3)  He is changing SO much that I really wanted to get some pictures of him when he still kind of looks like a newborn.  My photographer sister/brother in law went out of town today so I attempted to take a few of my own.  Little J was only slightly cooperative :) (the ones where he looks like he is trying to escape are actually my favorites)

We sure love our little stinker.  He definitely sleeps better during the day than at night, but luckily I'm not working yet so we have a few weeks to help him straighten out his schedule.  He LOVES his binky with attached monkey and to be held in the burping position. He is spending more time awake each day which we are loving.  When he is awake he likes to wiggle or lay on his playmat (Luna loves this too).  He has now met ALL of his Ballam aunts and uncles, but so far only his Aunt Bridget has made it up for a visit on the Blair side.  It was fun for all 3 of us to have her!  Every night he starts off in his bassinet but ends up with Mom and Dad by about 6 AM (Anything to make him stop crying at that point!)

One Week!

Yesterday Johnson turned one week old! Where did the time go?! We are so in love with this baby boy!  He is a great eater and sleeper during the day and only gives us a little run for our money at night. He started rolling from his back to his side on day 5 and the first time we tried tummy time on day 6 he rolled straight onto his back!  He is super strong and it is hard to hold him when he is squirmy! We love this little bub!

The first days

After delivery came recovery and getting to know our little boy!  Wrapping our heads around being parents was insane.  John's emotions stayed in check through the whole delivery and that whole first night.  He had a sweet tender moment as I held the baby the next morning in the NICU and we decided on a name.

The names we had discussed were Johnson Lyle, Johnson Keith, Stewart John or Walter John.  Both of us were leaning toward Johnson and Stewart flew out the window as soon as we saw him.  That night right before I fell asleep, (John was already asleep) I thought "It needs to be Johnson Michael".  My dad has always been there for me and been one of the greatest influences in my life, but having him stay through a long and gruesome delivery made my love for him grow even stronger.  My baby needed his name!  The next morning when we were alone in the NICU I said to John "How about Johnson Michael".  He smiled and said "Ok let's try it out".  I snuggled my sweet baby and said "Johnson?" and he made the sweetest little squeaking sound!  Our hearts melted and it was a done deal.  After that, each time John or I would say "Johnson" he would let out the squeak. :)

Baby J had to stay in the NICU for the first day and a half so they could track his glucose and stabilize it.  It was hard having him in there but the nurses were awesome and we could spend as much time with him as we wanted.  We learned to feed him and John gave him his first bath, which both daddy and baby loved!

I was so pumped full of fluids that every inch of my body was swollen tight, but holding that little guy was the most amazing feeling!

John picked out his "going home outfit".  A little onsie with whales that said "Little Squirt" on it :)

Going home was scary but exciting.  Starting a life as a family of 3!

Birth Story

I am not one of those people who loves to read things like this, but for some reason, when it happens to you, you feel like you have to write it down.  So here it is; the craziest, most beautiful, scary day of my life!

July 7th, 2015.  My doctor had planned this as day one of my two step induction.  I was supposed to call Labor and Delivery at 6 to find out what time to come in and get started.  I was so nervous to call!  At 6:00 I called and they said it wasn't looking good.  They were jam packed with women in labor and hadn't even started some of their daytime inductions.  They said they would call back later if I could come in, otherwise call back around 10.  I was so disappointed.  John and I had already packed our bags, packed the car, taken the dogs to my mom's and were ready to go.  We decided to go on about our evening and went out to dinner at Costa Vida with my family.  At 10 I called L&D for an update.  The nurse, once again, said it doesn't look promising at all and to go to bed.  I said I would come in at any hour and to call me ASAP.  John and I decided to go to a movie because there was NO WAY I was going to sleep anyway!  We went to a late showing of San Andreas and I could not settle down.  About 45 min through the movie I received a text from my cousin Kristi saying "I came in so you can have your baby!  Call!"  So I called L&D and sure enough, a few extra nurses had come in so they were ready for me.  John and I ran out of the movie and headed up.

That night was one of the longest of my whole life! They started me on a round of something called cytotec that was supposed to help thin my cervix. They also gave me an Ambien to help me sleep.  I didn't sleep a wink.  It was awful.  I was so nervous! They came in four hours later to see if there was any change and gave me another dose of the pill. The first one I took orally, but the second needed to be placed in my cervix.  Lucky for me, the nurse who came in to do it was in training and couldn't find the spot.  Let the pain begin!  After round two of the medication my contractions started in hard. 

When they came in to check four hours later, at 9 am, I was dilated to a 4 so they started pitocin!  It only took a few minutes before my contractions became unbearable in my back.  Around that time, Dr. Kirkman showed up to check in on me.  He said I should get the epidural and he would be back shortly to break my water.  In came the anesthesiologist.  By this time I was SO ready for that needle in my back! (Who'd have thought!)  As soon as I sat up I knew something had happened.  I told the nurse "Either my water just broke or I peed the bed".  Luckily it was my water breaking.  So by the time the epidural was in and Dr. K came back I was in labor.  At this point I was comfortable enough to sleep.  My nurse, Janice, checked me every hour and each time I was 1 cm more dilated!  Things looked great.  

Finally Dr. K came back in and I was dilated to a ten.  Time to start pushing!  My mom, Ester, Vanessa, Dad and Ben were there at this point.  Forrest was also there, but waiting in the lobby. My mom asked how long they thought I would be pushing and he said 1-2 hours.  1-2 hours?!?!  I thought "There is NO way it will take that long!".  Around that time I started feeling pain between my shoulders and in my neck.  It got worse and worse until finally I couldn't handle it anymore and I sent everyone out of the room but my mom, John, Ester and the nurse.  They helped me sit up and rubbed my neck and shoulders til I could stand it.  Vaness came back in when I was ready to "practice" push.  Panic attack #1!  "Grab your leg", Janice said.  I reached down and grabbed my leg, but it wasn't my leg...but it was...but not really.  Not only were my legs totally numb and it felt like I was grabbing a corpse, but they were also so full of fluid that they were tight and solid like a rock!  It took a few tries before I could even bring myself to touch it!  AGH!  Anyway, I started pushing, and pushing, and pushing, for about an hour and a half.  Not too bad.  I only had to stop a few times to get my neck rubbed.  Dad came back in at some point which shocked us all.  The epidural was working great and I felt great!  Janice checked to see what was going on and realized that the baby's head was hitting my pubic bone.  Not to worry, we'll just keep pushing!  Suddenly I felt like the epidural wasn't working. I had pushed the button the allotted amount of times but was in serious pain. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me a big dose of litacane to help.  It made my whole body feel like it was on fire!  So crazy!  After a few seconds of burning it kicked in and I continued pushing.  Around 8:30 Dr. Kirkman came back in to help.  I pushed some more and he felt like the baby would be able to come with a little more time.  A little while later he laid out options for John and I.  We could try a vacuum or use forceps.  At this point it was too late to do a Csection.  We told him we trusted him and to do what he felt was best.  I pushed a few more times until he announced it was time. 

(A more realistic picture)

TIME?!  Suddenly the room transformed into what felt like an operating room. Dr. K suited up, tables started rolling in, the room filled with nurses and I was about ready to panic again!  Even John's mom showed up!  I'm not really sure about the timeline on what happened next.  All I know is I was in so much pain and pushing SO hard for what seemed like forever.  Dr. Kirkman was telling my family some funny story about Donny Osmond in Joseph and making everyone laugh.  They tried the vacuum with no luck and I kept pushing.  In came the forceps and everyone started yelling at me!  So crazy.  I was hyperventilating I guess so they didn't want me to pass out.  "OLIVIA! Come on!" Is mostly what I remember Dr. K shouting.  "One more contraction and he'll be out!" Everyone was cheering and excited and it felt like an eternity for that last contraction to come! 

(Suitin' up) Dr. K and Janice

(I hate to think what he was trying to demonstrate here)

Finally he was here; 9:16 pm, 8 lbs 3 oz, 19.5 inches long.  He came out not looking too great.  I was still in shock at this point and nurses were rushing around to help the baby.  He was having a hard time breathing so they took him down to the NICU while I was stitched up.  This last part was one of the worst parts.  No one had warned me that what happens after the baby comes out is so awful.  But he was here!  I couldn't believe it!  I had to recover for about an hour in the delivery room before I was able to go to the NICU and see him.  John was already there.  The little guy was hooked up to all kinds of monitors and tubes but they let me hold him for a few minutes.  What a feeling.  I was still in shock and so overwhelmed, but that little guy was mine!  I had done it! 

(NICU nurses)

 

 My favorite moment of the night.  Dad missed opening night of the 2015 UFOMT season to be there.  He wore his tux hoping, as we all did, that I would have the baby before curtain.  

I met my family upstairs in Mother Baby while John stayed with the little one a little longer.  I called and talked to Chris and Jen while the nurses checked on me.  The 15 minute "massage" checks were awful.  Finally those were done, I had eaten a turkey sandwich, John was back and it was time to sleep.  Honestly, I can't believe I slept.  I was so overwhelmed with love for my new baby and my husband.  John immediately fell asleep but I sent him a little text to say thank you and I love you.  It was such a perfect night of sleep, even though they kept waking me up to check on me.  I still couldn't believe I had a baby.  Before drifting off I said a prayer of thank you to my Heavenly Father who had blessed me with the ability to carry that little life and the strength to bring him into the world safely.  I thanked him for my family, for John and for my life.  It was the hardest, most intense, but rewarding experience I've ever been through and I went to sleep with a heart full of love for my loving family who sat through a whole day of labor with me, and my new little family and my wonderful, calm husband.

Sweet flowers and baby toy from Forrest who sat in the waiting room ALL day waiting for baby to come!  What a champ!