Turner's Birth Day

I am currently calling my sister about every 3 and a half minutes with questions about the baby. Anyone that knows us would think she is the big sister, because she knows way more about this than I do. Our doctor (Dr. Adcock) even told her she was doing a great job as the little sis! Mom commented that Lindsey was the first to ride her bike down a hill when we were little, and I was too cautious/careful to do it until she did. Who knew that would be so foreshadowing??
Anyway, I say that to say that I even need to call her to figure out how to put pictures on this blog. So, I am sure I will talk to her tonight and get some up!
I wanted to document the night/day that I went into labor with Turner (I will definitely skip some specifics - I am amazed/fascinated when people are so graphic on their blogs - not me!). First of all, we went to the doctor 2 days before Thanksgiving, and he told us we were fine to travel to Andalusia, because I was 0 cm dilated and 40 percent effaced. The check that told us that was not very fun, but again, trying to keep it pretty general! Then, we went to the doctor 8 days later - on December 3rd - to get checked again. I assumed I would not have made any progress, because our doctor kept saying Lindsey and I were so similar in carrying children, and she was dilated/effaced for weeks!! Anyway, in the meantime, Tuberville's drama happened at exactly the minute that we were called back into the room. Well, some people assume that Heath works for Auburn (because he would love you to assume that) and his phone was BLOWING UP!! As the doctor is checking me, I am mouthing over his shoulder "Put down the blackberry!!" In his defense, he was only silencing it, because I think he literally had 17 phone calls in the 6 minutes the doctor was with us! Anyway, the doctor says "Good progress." I say, "No?!" thinking he was asking me. No, he was telling me I had dilated 1-2 centimeters and was 80 percent effaced. Wow! He said, I will see you next Wednesday. Then, I tried ever so casually to say "Can we induce?" Because our due date was exactly Christmas Day! He started laughing at me. Then, he looked at the calendar on the door and said "How about the 18th?" Just like that. So calmly! Then, he wrote it on our chart and bid us farewell. I was ecstatic!! I am thinking - yes, I can do Christmas this year!! We were leaving, and they had us go back to schedule our induction. Heath was thrilled to do this, but I think so that he could get back in on the drama of the Tuberville situation. I am not saying he was more into that than the birth of our child, but it was a toss-up. Just kidding.
All right, so we are both on the phone telling people that we were going to have a baby on the 18th. I was so excited!! But, my back started hurting. Just like a cramp at the bottom of my back, and I didn't think anything of it. However, it hurt all night and into the next day. On Thursday as I am happily running around the school telling people he would let us induce, they kept saying "You are not going to make it that far!" On a side note, I had gone to my grandparents' house Wednesday night, because Dink has been sick and he has been very interested in when Lindsey and I were going to have our babies. He had a countdown of sorts, so I was going to update him. Nanny said, "Kelly, there is no way you are going to make it until then!" I told her I was fine with that!
Remember what I said about streams of consciousness?? So I was at school on Thursday. Back still hurting, so I took 2 Tylenol. My mom laughed later that I took Tylenol for labor pains - didn't know they were labor pains!! All my friends/mommies at school were asking how I was feeling. A few people said "You could be in back labor." I just laughed! Then, my friend Rebekah said "Hey, you are 37 weeks today. That is technically full-term. Let's have this baby." I agreed, but little did I know how serious that was. Finally, a kindergarten teacher friend of mine said, "What did the doctor say?" I told her, and she laughed and said, "When that happened to me, I had a baby 2 days later." Then she asked if I was having back pain. I told her yes, and she laughed, and told me to start looking at my watch for contractions.
Fast forward to later that afternoon when I went to my parents' house. Lindsey, mom and I went to Target and Kohl's. I did start feeling contractions - but they didn't hurt, I just figured that was what they were. I didn't think they were very regular, and didn't say anything, because I had to get Gordon's Christmas card outfit. (Gordon is our pug - later I will write about him). Meanwhile, the back was still hurting - and did all night. But, it didn't feel worse than a cramp.
Okay, so that night Heath and I went to dinner. When I got home, I followed the advice of school friends and started packing a bag, thinking I could add to it over the next few days/weeks. The nesting in me (which is no joke!) packed the bag, and had a list next to it of things to put in that I would need on a day-to-day basis until we went to the hospital. Then, I began packing Turner's bag. Then, I thought "Well, I could just go ahead and pre-register at the hospital." Not having any idea how soon we would need it. Heath thought it was a little crazy, I guess I did, too, but I thought why not? Then, we took Gordon's picture for the Christmas card, and I ordered them on Snapfish. Walgreen's confirmed the order, and I was going to pick them up Friday morning.
We went to bed. At 3 a.m. I woke up. I thought my water was breaking, but couldn't tell. So, I tiptoed into the nursery and called guess who - that's right, Lindsey. I described what was going on (thinking Heath would think I was insane!), and she said to call the doctor. Duh. So I did. Dr. McKenzie was on call, and he was so calm with me. He told me he was going to call the labor and delivery nurses and tell them I was going to "swing on by". I asked him if I could take a shower, and he said he didn't mind, but then I started thinking we better go on. In the meantime, I had woken Heath up, and he was packing. God had given me such a peace, it was no big deal - we were very calm.
So, we head to the hospital. Heath called his parents, who were in North Carolina on a business trip, and told them what was going on. They immediately started finding flights home. I called my parents, too, and began texting a few people. We got to the hospital and unloaded - they had just told us the day or so before where we would need to park. As we walked to the door, they buzzed and asked us how they could help us. I was oddly calm - only from the Lord - and Heath was pretty calm, too. I could only tell he was a little jittery when they called over the intercom about opening the door, and he couldn't say anything. They said, "Can we help you?" And he said, "Uh..uh...uhhh..." I laughed and we told them we thought I was in labor.
So, Heath prayed for us and we walked in - wondering what was going to happen. The nurses had already been called and showed us where to go. All the while, I thought one of the nurses looked like a mom from school. Well, it was. Her name was Lila, and I was so comforted that I recognized someone. She didn't have a child in my class, but had a friend of mine last year. Looking back, there was God calming us again. So, they tell me my water had definitely broken. At that point I said, "So I won't be going to work today, right?" They laughed and said there was no turning back. I called my principal at 4:55 a.m. and talked to her husband.
They hooked me up to monitors and said they didn't know who the doctor on call would be. By 6:00, I had a new nurse. In God's sovereignty, it was Katie, who had delivered Kate with Lindsey. She was wonderful, and we were instant friends! Then, they said the doctor on call was on his way. In walked Dr. Adcock!!! I was thrilled. There was God again - keeping me so peaceful. I fist pumped the air (which Derek continued to make fun of). Then, all of the family walked in except Brandon, who was taking care of baby Kate. Looking back, Dr. Adcock said he had called in an hour and a half before and heard that I was in there. Side note - he had been handling me so carefully as a patient, because I have been told before I tend to be emotional, especially when it comes to change. Ha! He had told me a couple of weeks before that he had some nurses in mind for when the big day came. I don't think it was a coincidence that I had such a wonderful, laid back nurse in Katie.
He told me we were going to start pitosin and progress through dilation. Then, he left. The nurses said, "It looks like you are going to have a lot of family here. Would you like a birthing suite?" Of course! So we wheeled down the hallway. Then, Lindsey made a phone call. She used to work at the hospital, and they secured her a suite for after the baby was born. Look how smoothly everything was going, thank you Lord!!
I got the epidural, and it was no big deal. I did feel one real contraction, and it was enough to make me want to kiss the anaesthesiologist when he gave me that beautiful shot. All of a sudden, the back pain was gone!! It felt so good when it was gone, that I didn't realize how badly it had been hurting. It had been so constant!
At this point, it was almost 8 in the morning. The family came into the room, and Derek ran into our pastor at Starbuck's. He has been our pastor my whole life, and he came to the room to visit and pray over me. God is so faithful! It was amazing to have the man who baptized and marry me be there to pray for such a big event!
Then, sister-in-law Kate came. At this time, the medicine was hitting me and I was a little woozy. I told the nurse "I am seeing..." I couldn't finish, and she knew I was seeing stars. My blood pressure had gone up, so they gave me something to make it come down. I semi-consciously motioned Kate to come to the bed so I could see her better. The family laughed - I guess I sounded kind of crazy. Then, Kate and Lindsey held my hair back as I threw up. I haven't thrown up since college, but I felt so much better.
Then, Jay (Heath's brother) got there, and Brandon brought baby Kate up. I was progressing and text messaging school friends, etc. and posting on facebook from my phone. About an hour later, they told us we could start pushing. However, Dr. Adcock was in surgery. So, Derek and Jay went and got everyone lunch and we just waited.
Then, the time came - about 12:15. Everyone had eaten lunch (except me, but it was the last thing on my mind!), and were in the waiting room. My dear friend Jane Ann came in and we prayed and then the nurses got me all set up. I will try to be vague. Heath wanted to stay at my head (good call), so Lindsey was at my legs. She has been in so many deliveries, she didn't care, and Heath and I were just glad to have her in there with the nurses and doctor!
We started pushing for about an hour. Then, Dr. A said "Are you a competitor? Room 1 is also in labor, and I can't be in 2 places at once." Well, this got me more serious with everything. I had to win! He had to stay in my room!! We kept pushing, and Heath and Lindsey were wonderful cheerleaders. I was exhausted and threw up one more time - sorry, a lot of info - but was determined to keep the doctor in there! Eventually, Dr. A said, in one more push you will have a son! There we went. He said, "Free up your hands" and I helped pull him up to my chest. It was so surreal. Heath and I just started crying. Lindsey then became our photographer, and I was so glad. The time was 1:54 p.m. They came in to bathe him and weigh him. It was truly a miracle. I have heard that said so many times, it is almost a cliche. However, when it happens to you, you are so thankful to be a child of such a wonderful and giving God. We couldn't believe how far little Turner had come, and it was just his first minute of life! Amazing - I highly recommend it!!
Okay, I will end this post here for now, if people are even still reading. Sorry so long, but it was one of the best days of our lives, and I don't want to forget even the smallest detail.