I know that this post is long over due, but I am so happy to announce that our second baby boy, Cohen Connor Elliott was welcomed into the world on April 24th, 2013!
Waking up on April 23rd I knew our lives were about to change for the better. Mark and I got up, grabbed our bags and headed to the IWK to be induced! Around 9 am I received my first dose of gel, which is how they induced me for my first pregnancy and then the waiting began! We stayed there for about an hour to be monitored and my contractions started rather quickly though they were not strong enough to make anything start that fast. We went home around lunch time and were due back around 3 pm, hopefully for a second dose or a baby! I had been feeling some contractions the whole time leading up to going back to the hospital so we were pretty excited that something was moving along. When we got back to the hospital the nurse informed us that my contractions were about five minutes apart and I was about three centimeters, I was moving along fast enough that they couldn't give me another dose, but they also couldn't admit me because I wasn't far enough along. Crap. We were headed back home again.
After arriving back home around supper time we knew we were in for a long night. Our nurse told us before leaving the hospital to come back the next day for 9 am again, but she had a feeling she wouldn't see us because she figured we would be back in later that night to have a baby, we had our fingers crossed that she was right!
Around 7 pm Mark and I piled back into the car and headed back to the IWK, I thought for sure this was it.Wrong. Turns out I was still only three centimeters and my contractions were now four minutes apart. The nurses told us to go walk around for two hours and then head back to be checked again. So we walked and stopped for contractions then we walked and we would stop then I was hot so we would walk outside, then I was cold so we would walk inside. Finally two hours had passed and we headed back upstairs to be checked again but unfortunately, still nothing! Again, we made the trip back home. I rolled and rolled around on the couch once we were back home. Mark decided he needed to try and sleep and so I rolled and rolled around some more falling asleep for about four minutes at a time, or at least I think I was falling asleep. At 2 am I wondered down to our bedroom and crawled in bed with Mark, I felt like I was being tough when I was upstairs by myself but once I started talking to Mark, that's when I melted and started crying in so much pain! Mark was very prepared. Lights were on, keys on the night stand and he was sleeping fully dressed so he could just jump up and go and that is exactly what he did. Me on the other hand, I felt like I couldn't move. He stood in the door way waiting for me telling me to breathe but let me tell you, breathing is not an option for some reason when you are having contractions. I don't know why but it is like all sense of breathing goes out the door!
Finally we made it back upstairs and Mark was waiting by the door, two towels in hand in case my water broke on the way and a bucket because I didn't think I was going to make it the whole way there without being sick! Good thing it was the early hours of the morning and there was no traffic but it was foggy and the rain was really starting to come down, I still don't know how Mark made it the whole way to the hospital with me hanging off his arm while he was driving. The whole time he was completely calm, holding my hand and just reminding me to breathe. When we arrived, we were four centimeters and we were able to be admitted! The walk from one room to the other was almost unbearable. Mark and I didn't have much of a birth plan, after all, with everything that had happened with Connor we knew just about anything could happen regardless of how we wanted it to. Leading up to the big day I did want to try and experience as much of my labor as possible before I got an epidural, that plan however went right out the door. As soon as they offered me pain relief I was very quick to take it! I told Mark that if I ever say again that I don't want an epidural that he should slap me five times and shake my head for me!
Once I was comfortable I called my parents and told them I was four centimeters and that they should wait a bit longer before they headed over. Mark then made his phone call and then everyone was in baby mode! I got checked again soon after we hung up the phone and I was at six centimeters, things seemed to be moving very fast so I text my sister and they were getting ready to head over. Once I was comfortable Mark went to move the car and grab our bags, while he was gone the nurse explained to me that while I was being monitored she noticed that with each contraction the baby's heart rate was dropping most likely because the cord was wrapped around his neck but at that time, was coming right back up after each one and that we shouldn't worry because she was keeping a close eye on it. I explained this to Mark once he got back and then our families showed up and we waited! Everyone got there fast and even my Nan and Aunt showed up after saying that they wouldn't be there until after the baby was born! Eventually, everyone went down to the waiting room to give Mark and I some rest. Except my sister, she was going to be in the delivery room with us, just like she was supposed to for Connor. After watching the monitor, which I couldn't see, my nurse said she was going to get a doctor to get a second opinion on the heart rate because with each contraction it was now taking longer and longer for the heart rate to come back up. My nurse and two other doctors came back and were watching the monitor and decided to hook up a different kind of monitor into the top of his head to get a better read on his heart rate and they gave me an oxygen mask to try and help the baby as well. After what felt like hours of watching them watch a monitor they made the decision that I needed an emergency c-section. A c-section was the last thing I wanted and I started to panic. All of a sudden Mark was in scrubs and I was 8 centimeters dilated as they were rushing us to the OR. My sister was sent to the waiting room with instructions to tell the family what was going on, a job that I am sure was very hard with the all to familiar scary feelings creeping back from what happened when we lost Connor.
I was terrified when we got to the OR. Was this really happening right now? Was my baby really in jeopardy? Was it really as bad as I thought? I couldn't move my body from the epidural so I was moved from my bed onto a much, MUCH smaller table and pumped full of more drugs to make me even more numb. I was shaking, crying and so overwhelmed. Looking to my right there was a man waiting to preform my c-section, above me the anesthesiologist, to the right a team from the NICU waiting for the baby and between my legs two doctors and two nurses. I really felt like I could push this baby out, I knew I could get this baby here safely and I was determined. My nurse, who was amazing, checked me one last time and I was 10 centimeters! Before preforming the c-section they gave me the option to push and I wasn't messing around. While everyone was getting ready my nurse told me to try pushing and that I did. With one push, his head was nearly out and everyone began cheering and rushing to get prepared. I never had so many people cheering me on, another push and his head was out and they cut the umbilical cord away from his neck and one last push he was out. I caught a quick glimpse of him before they took him to the table and he was blue. Now I was even more afraid. It felt like an eternity but just as Mark and I looked at each other we heard the sound we had been waiting to hear for two years. Cohen Connor Elliott finally cried. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. I did it. We did it. After 37 long weeks, 8 ultrasounds and lots of appointments our baby boy was finally here. My body did its job, it kept our baby safe and now he was here in our arms. Mark didn't know what to do. He wanted to be by my side but he wanted to be by Cohens. I remember telling him to go make sure he was OK, and from the sound of his lungs he was very OK! I heard the nurse ask Mark if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, something he has been waiting to do!
After what felt like an eternity I got what I had been waiting for, Cohen was finally in my arms. I thought I had cried many tears before, but these tears were a whole new level. Finally we were crying happy tears, tears of extreme joy, a feeling that I could experience over and over again! Mark text his mom from the OR and finally they could all experience the joy of knowing he was finally here safe and sound and that all was good. We got wheeled back to our room and we just sat there, the three of us. Well I guess you should say four of us, because I know deep in my heart Connor was there keeping us all safe and sound. I couldn't stop looking at Mark. I couldn't believe it. Right here in our arms was a little piece of each of us. As much as we miss Connor, it was because of him that we were holding our new baby in our arms. Already we couldn't imagine life any other way.
After we got all our snuggles and love in, Mark went to the waiting room and got our families. There I was sitting in our room just me and my son. That's right, we had another son. He was all ours and he wasn't going anywhere. I suddenly could hear footsteps, heavy ones, getting closer and closer and then in came flying my mom! She ran the whole way to our room and it couldn't have been a more amazing feeling to see her face coming through the door, at that moment I needed my mom. Mark was absolutely amazing through everything, my pregnancy, the scariness of our delivery and taking care of me. But at that moment, when all was said and done and I could take off my "brave" panties and put on my "I have never been so scared in my life" panties, I just wanted a big bear hug from my mom, and that is what I got!
I am only 22 years old, Mark 25 and already we have learned so much from our children. We have dealt with things that we should never had to deal with. We have found a new strength in each other and we continue to everyday. I never would have guessed that at this age we would have buried one son and welcomed a second one so soon after but I wouldn't change it for the world. It is such an amazing feeling to wake up everyday to the life that we have built with each other. Finally, after all of the rain, we have our rainbow!
Waking up on April 23rd I knew our lives were about to change for the better. Mark and I got up, grabbed our bags and headed to the IWK to be induced! Around 9 am I received my first dose of gel, which is how they induced me for my first pregnancy and then the waiting began! We stayed there for about an hour to be monitored and my contractions started rather quickly though they were not strong enough to make anything start that fast. We went home around lunch time and were due back around 3 pm, hopefully for a second dose or a baby! I had been feeling some contractions the whole time leading up to going back to the hospital so we were pretty excited that something was moving along. When we got back to the hospital the nurse informed us that my contractions were about five minutes apart and I was about three centimeters, I was moving along fast enough that they couldn't give me another dose, but they also couldn't admit me because I wasn't far enough along. Crap. We were headed back home again.
After arriving back home around supper time we knew we were in for a long night. Our nurse told us before leaving the hospital to come back the next day for 9 am again, but she had a feeling she wouldn't see us because she figured we would be back in later that night to have a baby, we had our fingers crossed that she was right!
Around 7 pm Mark and I piled back into the car and headed back to the IWK, I thought for sure this was it.Wrong. Turns out I was still only three centimeters and my contractions were now four minutes apart. The nurses told us to go walk around for two hours and then head back to be checked again. So we walked and stopped for contractions then we walked and we would stop then I was hot so we would walk outside, then I was cold so we would walk inside. Finally two hours had passed and we headed back upstairs to be checked again but unfortunately, still nothing! Again, we made the trip back home. I rolled and rolled around on the couch once we were back home. Mark decided he needed to try and sleep and so I rolled and rolled around some more falling asleep for about four minutes at a time, or at least I think I was falling asleep. At 2 am I wondered down to our bedroom and crawled in bed with Mark, I felt like I was being tough when I was upstairs by myself but once I started talking to Mark, that's when I melted and started crying in so much pain! Mark was very prepared. Lights were on, keys on the night stand and he was sleeping fully dressed so he could just jump up and go and that is exactly what he did. Me on the other hand, I felt like I couldn't move. He stood in the door way waiting for me telling me to breathe but let me tell you, breathing is not an option for some reason when you are having contractions. I don't know why but it is like all sense of breathing goes out the door!
Finally we made it back upstairs and Mark was waiting by the door, two towels in hand in case my water broke on the way and a bucket because I didn't think I was going to make it the whole way there without being sick! Good thing it was the early hours of the morning and there was no traffic but it was foggy and the rain was really starting to come down, I still don't know how Mark made it the whole way to the hospital with me hanging off his arm while he was driving. The whole time he was completely calm, holding my hand and just reminding me to breathe. When we arrived, we were four centimeters and we were able to be admitted! The walk from one room to the other was almost unbearable. Mark and I didn't have much of a birth plan, after all, with everything that had happened with Connor we knew just about anything could happen regardless of how we wanted it to. Leading up to the big day I did want to try and experience as much of my labor as possible before I got an epidural, that plan however went right out the door. As soon as they offered me pain relief I was very quick to take it! I told Mark that if I ever say again that I don't want an epidural that he should slap me five times and shake my head for me!
Once I was comfortable I called my parents and told them I was four centimeters and that they should wait a bit longer before they headed over. Mark then made his phone call and then everyone was in baby mode! I got checked again soon after we hung up the phone and I was at six centimeters, things seemed to be moving very fast so I text my sister and they were getting ready to head over. Once I was comfortable Mark went to move the car and grab our bags, while he was gone the nurse explained to me that while I was being monitored she noticed that with each contraction the baby's heart rate was dropping most likely because the cord was wrapped around his neck but at that time, was coming right back up after each one and that we shouldn't worry because she was keeping a close eye on it. I explained this to Mark once he got back and then our families showed up and we waited! Everyone got there fast and even my Nan and Aunt showed up after saying that they wouldn't be there until after the baby was born! Eventually, everyone went down to the waiting room to give Mark and I some rest. Except my sister, she was going to be in the delivery room with us, just like she was supposed to for Connor. After watching the monitor, which I couldn't see, my nurse said she was going to get a doctor to get a second opinion on the heart rate because with each contraction it was now taking longer and longer for the heart rate to come back up. My nurse and two other doctors came back and were watching the monitor and decided to hook up a different kind of monitor into the top of his head to get a better read on his heart rate and they gave me an oxygen mask to try and help the baby as well. After what felt like hours of watching them watch a monitor they made the decision that I needed an emergency c-section. A c-section was the last thing I wanted and I started to panic. All of a sudden Mark was in scrubs and I was 8 centimeters dilated as they were rushing us to the OR. My sister was sent to the waiting room with instructions to tell the family what was going on, a job that I am sure was very hard with the all to familiar scary feelings creeping back from what happened when we lost Connor.
I was terrified when we got to the OR. Was this really happening right now? Was my baby really in jeopardy? Was it really as bad as I thought? I couldn't move my body from the epidural so I was moved from my bed onto a much, MUCH smaller table and pumped full of more drugs to make me even more numb. I was shaking, crying and so overwhelmed. Looking to my right there was a man waiting to preform my c-section, above me the anesthesiologist, to the right a team from the NICU waiting for the baby and between my legs two doctors and two nurses. I really felt like I could push this baby out, I knew I could get this baby here safely and I was determined. My nurse, who was amazing, checked me one last time and I was 10 centimeters! Before preforming the c-section they gave me the option to push and I wasn't messing around. While everyone was getting ready my nurse told me to try pushing and that I did. With one push, his head was nearly out and everyone began cheering and rushing to get prepared. I never had so many people cheering me on, another push and his head was out and they cut the umbilical cord away from his neck and one last push he was out. I caught a quick glimpse of him before they took him to the table and he was blue. Now I was even more afraid. It felt like an eternity but just as Mark and I looked at each other we heard the sound we had been waiting to hear for two years. Cohen Connor Elliott finally cried. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. I did it. We did it. After 37 long weeks, 8 ultrasounds and lots of appointments our baby boy was finally here. My body did its job, it kept our baby safe and now he was here in our arms. Mark didn't know what to do. He wanted to be by my side but he wanted to be by Cohens. I remember telling him to go make sure he was OK, and from the sound of his lungs he was very OK! I heard the nurse ask Mark if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, something he has been waiting to do!
After what felt like an eternity I got what I had been waiting for, Cohen was finally in my arms. I thought I had cried many tears before, but these tears were a whole new level. Finally we were crying happy tears, tears of extreme joy, a feeling that I could experience over and over again! Mark text his mom from the OR and finally they could all experience the joy of knowing he was finally here safe and sound and that all was good. We got wheeled back to our room and we just sat there, the three of us. Well I guess you should say four of us, because I know deep in my heart Connor was there keeping us all safe and sound. I couldn't stop looking at Mark. I couldn't believe it. Right here in our arms was a little piece of each of us. As much as we miss Connor, it was because of him that we were holding our new baby in our arms. Already we couldn't imagine life any other way.
After we got all our snuggles and love in, Mark went to the waiting room and got our families. There I was sitting in our room just me and my son. That's right, we had another son. He was all ours and he wasn't going anywhere. I suddenly could hear footsteps, heavy ones, getting closer and closer and then in came flying my mom! She ran the whole way to our room and it couldn't have been a more amazing feeling to see her face coming through the door, at that moment I needed my mom. Mark was absolutely amazing through everything, my pregnancy, the scariness of our delivery and taking care of me. But at that moment, when all was said and done and I could take off my "brave" panties and put on my "I have never been so scared in my life" panties, I just wanted a big bear hug from my mom, and that is what I got!
I am only 22 years old, Mark 25 and already we have learned so much from our children. We have dealt with things that we should never had to deal with. We have found a new strength in each other and we continue to everyday. I never would have guessed that at this age we would have buried one son and welcomed a second one so soon after but I wouldn't change it for the world. It is such an amazing feeling to wake up everyday to the life that we have built with each other. Finally, after all of the rain, we have our rainbow!
RSS Feed