Friday March 22 was my last day of teaching. I was done early at 4:15pm and Alex and I were supposed to have a maternity photo shoot down at the beach to get some good pictures of Daddy and the belly bump. But the weather was so grey and dark our photographer friend said maybe Saturday or Sunday would be better. So we made dinner and watched GI Joe instead. That night, around 4:15am I flew out of bed with a Charlie Horse leg cramp. Alex said "Are you OK?" and I said "Yes, it's just a leg cramp". (when you jump up and straighten your calf you can get rid of the cramp right away) As I was standing there I thought to myself "Wow, I'm really sweaty! I soaked the bed!" And when I went into the bathroom I started gushing water. I shouted to Alex "My water just broke!!" and he said "Really??" and came into the bathroom. I told him to hand my phone and I dialed the labor and delivery number. Normally you wait until contractions start and are a few minutes apart before coming into the hospital, but I told them I was scheduled for a C section on Tuesday because my baby was breech. They said "Come right in". I told them we lived just a minute away.
I started rushing around the bedroom collecting our already packed suitcase. I wanted to take a quick shower as well. I told Alex I felt like I was about to throw up, and he said "It's just nerves". I had to take some big deep breathes because I was so excited and nervous! We let the dogs outside to go potty and fed them breakfast. Moki looked at us so strangely because it was 4:30am and pitch black outside.
When we went out to the car Alex opened the truck and said "What is all this stuff?" and I suddenly remember that I PACKED the car full of recycling and garbage since I wanted to go to the dump and recycling center first thing in the morning. So we drove to the hospital in a car full of trash and arrived at around 5am. I called my dad to tell him my water broke on the drive to the hospital because I thought my mom was already on the airplane headed for Seattle. Turns out he JUST dropped her off at the airport. So I called mom and she said "Jessie? I'm just about to go through security. Can I call you back?" and I said "My water just broke! When you get to Hawaii you are going to have a grandson!" She started crying.
The hospital was totally quiet and empty. I had already preregistered the week before so we went straight to the delivery wing. They showed us to our room and when we walked in I couldn't believe how nice it was! I never took a hospital maternity tour so I didn't know what to expect. The room was so big and had such nice Koa wood floors. It felt like a hotel room at a resort! They had me change into a gown and hooked me up to a monitor to hear your heart beat.
We arrived just at the tail end of night crew vs morning crew (the AM crew shows up at 7am), so they wanted to wait until 7am to really get started. Contractions started around 5:30am. Honestly, I'm not sure how long I would have lasted had I done this the natural way. That wasn't even hard labor and I was surprised at how painful they were. I felt the pain mostly in my lower back, but back labor was due to your breech position.
Daddy ran out to get something to eat for himself and when he came back they did a quick ultrasound to make sure you were still breech and in need of a C section. Sure enough, you were still breech. I knew already because I could feel your round hard head up by my ribs. At 7:15am they wheeled me into the surgery room. Normally I would be really nervous (especially at the though of a spinal going into my back), but I asked the anethesialogist if he put something in my IV to make me calm. He said "I sure did". I said "Because I'm reallllllly relaxed!" He had me lean forward and he put the spinal in. I didn't even feel it. Shortly after my legs started to get numb. Daddy came in when they were all set up. He watched the entire thing from over the privacy screen and took pictures (pretty intense!). At 8:12 am you came into the world. I could hear sucking noises followed by a short cry. They held you up over the screen so I could see you and I just couldn't believe it. Daddy went with the dr to cut your cord. I said "Is he cute??" and they said "Oh yes! Pretty cute!" The dr. thought she saw some reddish tint to your hair. Daddy got to cut the cord and then they brought you over to me and put you into my arms. I started to cry and just said "Oh my god!" Daddy was crying too. I didn't want to let you go and we convinced the team to let me hold you as they wheeled us back to the room. When we were wheeled out the doors into the hallway I saw your grandma Cathy. We had 8 hours of skin to skin time (your skin directly on my skin without any interruption). At one point you pooped all over me so they had to take you off my skin to clean us both up, but a diaper on you, and put you back on my skin. Grandma Cathy helped the nurse.
I posted your picture and information on facebook. I was so excited to tell the world.
Grandma Kristen landed in Maui at 2:45pm and called me right away. She said it was the longest 6 hour plane ride of her entire life. I told her all about the morning. She got on the next plane to the Big Island and Grandpa Mike picked her up from the airport and they arrived at the hospital around 4:30 or 5pm. The nurse swaddled you up and put you in Grandma Kristens arms first. Everyone was crying.
It was the best day of my life Alistair. I was in the hospital for 3 days and they released us on Tuesday March 26. The day of your scheduled C section!
I'm so happy you picked your own birthday. I didn't like the idea of "scheduling" your birth date. And I was sad that I wouldn't experience labor. So I'm so happy I got to experience the excitement of having my water break (only 15% of women have their water break before contractions begin!) and that I got to feel what contractions felt like. I also love your birthday numbers 03/23/13. It just seems so magical!
You are the most beautiful baby I have ever seen in my life. You have my eyes, and Daddy's nose and chin. There are days where you hardly cry and other days where you are pretty fussy. Some nights you sleep really well and others you are up often. But I feel like everyday I'm getting to know you better and better. I'm pretty great and getting you quiet and calm. I've impressed everyone with some special moves. You love the feeling of weightlessness. So I lift you up and drop you down and you just LOVE that sensation. Loud shushing in the ear does the trick too. You just LOVE being held and adored. We call you our little monkey. Our Alipillar. Our Aligator. Our little pirate cap'n winky (you wink your eyes!). I love you so much it makes me cry. I just can't believe you are here in our lives!
Click HERE to see photos from the first week! (on the left hand side you will see Alistair Charles Woo, click on that album to view photos)
