Happy Birthday Little Joy!

Hello World!

I'd like to introduce you to our new baby girl! She was was born July 22nd at 9:54 am weighing 9lbs 8oz & 20.5 inches long. She is a beautiful site to our eyes. We are all doing well now. The kids are in awe about her all the time. They are great helpers and I'm so thankful to have them. They love their little sister. God has really blessed me with a great family.

Life after a Cesarean can be a bit tough on the body. I'm not over doing it and I'm not under doing it either. Unfortunately our home has stairs that I have to climb daily. I try not to so much but sometimes I forget things on either floor. We were going to set up on one floor but it just didn't seem to work out that way. The stair climbing isn't too bad now but I hated it when I just arrived home. Each day is getting better. I would have loved to be in the new house where I'd only go up a few stairs to get to our room, but it didn't workout that way. Friends and family keep telling me not to but hey, with 3 other children and life going on, it's not like I have a choice. So I try to limit the times I need to go up and down stairs. It's been 2 weeks so hopefully I'll continue to heal well.

So the birth story isn't a scary one. In fact I don't have a scary birth story with any of my children. This was the first Cesarean I've had. I had a Cesarean because of her weight. The morning started out with me getting the epidural. I know some people are for going all natural and thing medication is bad and I respect that but that's not the choice we made. I was a bit anxious about it and I don't know why. I had epidurals with the girls and my son and it didn't hurt but this time I was worried that it would. Guess what, it did! The lady ended up having to put the it in twice because she hit a vein with the first attempt. Yeah that's not what I wanted to feel at all. They gave me numbing medication but this one felt really weird. I felt a lot of pressure. My poor husband's fingers were squeezed so hard. I suspect it wasn't as easy this time because of the position I was in. With the other two pregnancies I was lying on my side, this time I was leaning forward.

After it was in and started to take effect like it was supposed to, I panicked about not being able to feel my legs. I knew in my mind that I wasn't supposed to feel my legs but I couldn't emotionally make myself comfortable with it. I had the urge to move my legs but I couldn't. I panicked and asked my husband to just move them or tap them to have me feel something. I felt nothing! That was a good thing as far as the cesarean procedure is concerned but I wasn't good with it. I felt like I wasn't going to be able to breath. The nurse told me If I could talk I could breath. So as they were wheeling me to the Operating Room I was praying and talking to myself repeating if I can talk I can breath.

Once we got to the OR they began to prep me. They transferred the 204lb me to the other table to get started. The moment they transferred me to the table, I freaked out once again on the nurses. I just remember using the hand rails to pull myself up and grabbing at a nurse. My husband told me I said, "Guys you don't understand I need to walk like NOW!" I guess I was trying to get up off the table and walk so I can feel my legs. The whole leg thing wasn't going over well with me. The nurses said it's ok these things happen we will give you something to relax you. I replied Ok O... and I was out. What ever sedative I was given worked in a matter of seconds. I guess they had to put the wild woman down! It puts me in mind of the tranquil darts they shoot at animals to get them to calm down. I was in and out through the whole thing. Whatever my husband said to me was like "Wha wha wa wa wa." and I'd reply with a dazed "Ohh." I do remember in the relaxed state praying too. I did see her go up above the curtain and off to my right. She came out crying and healthy. I really didn't get to see her much since I was out on the table and they were sewing me back up. She was being cleaned and held by her daddy! The staff was wondering when she was pulled out if she was going to hit that 10lb mark but she almost did.

After all my drama I have to say I didn't feel a thing. Not even my legs lol! I did feel some tugging but it didn't not hurt at all. In fact none of it really "hurt" except for the epidural was quite uncomfortable. They wheeled me to recovery and I felt a lot better even though my legs were still numb. I knew it was wearing off because I could wiggle my toes I was fine after it all wore off. My incision was really sore and I needed a higher dose of pain medication to get me through the first day. After that I was fine. I was so glad in the days after to be free of the IV's and all the things hooked up to me. Ahhh freedom! I was and am still very limited in activity.

As far as my brand new little one, oh we adore her! We can't get enough of this wonderful miracle that has come into our lives. I can't believe I have four children now. Each time God has blessed me greatly. Our new baby gets a lot of love and snuggles and cuddles. She's a good cuddly size. She only lost 4 ounces when we were discharged from the hospital. She's gained it right back and then some. We have a perfectly healthy beautiful baby girl. She's my biggest and longest baby I've had and she is so precious!