It was a beautiful Monday morning...

Thanks to a Great Grandma who is spending the day with us, I have had some time today to do some of the important things- update Facebook and write out Jake's birth story on the blog. :-)

It's a weird feeling going to bed one night, knowing that when you wake up in the morning you are going to "get" your baby. I imagine it's how adoptive parents feel...knowing that they are headed to the hospital or the orphanage or somewhere similar...and then arriving to pick up the best present ever. Because of our scheduled c-section, I felt very similar to this. I had told people that if Jake decided to come early "on this own" I would attempt a vaginal delivery again, but knowing that because Brooklyn ended up in a c-section, this would not be a guarantee. BUT, as is customary, we went ahead and scheduled a repeat c-section at 39 weeks for 10/26/09 at 9:00am. He stayed put (as I suspected he would) and so, on Monday, October 26th, we headed to Women's Hospital at 7:30am.

Because with Brooklyn a c-section was a quick last resort after 24 hours of laboring in the hospital, I do not recall a whole lot about that experience. So, it is nice to still have all these memories of Jake's birth still fresh in my head. (*Hence why I am trying to get it all down now so that I won't forget it in my sleepiness.)

Women's Hospital has their act together...though I have not given birth anywhere else, I do have to say that Women's Hospital is the BEST place I have ever seen for mothers and babies. For a place where I am sure the unexpected is the expected, they run like clockwork. We arrived in the door at 7:32am, and I sat down and completed the check in process (pre-registering is a definite advantage to speeding up the process). Then, they took me back to get gowned and ready to go via an IV. After about an hour of receiving the IV's, giving answers to several questions, watching Chad get in his paper gown (so flattering!), using the bathroom on my own for the last time for 24 hours, etc...we were ready to go...it was about 8:55am at this point.


I was wheeled into the OR at 9:02am (it's nice that the nurses have to announce the times for everything...helps for journaling purposes). Dr. Jackson (the same epidural guy as with Brooklyn- I actually recognized him from her scrapbook!) and another anesthesiologist, Dr. O- something, started with the spinal anesthesia and got me laid out on the table. Once that was working and I could feel "pressure, not pain", Chad was brought in and sat at my head. The nurse monitoring the anesthesia asked me if I wanted a mirror to see the birth and I thought "where else would I get the chance to see this? heck yes!" Dr. Cousins and Tanya (the office's midwife) started the surgery, and Jake came into the world with the sweetest cry ever (nurses' words, not mine, but I agree!) at 9:25am. That headful of hair was definitely the culprit of months of nausea and heartburn!


Jake was brought over to be checked out by the team of nurses and Chad snapped a few pics. He was cleaned up, swaddled up, and brought back over to me.

I am glad that I enjoyed those few moments because the next hour and a half were not so pleasant. My wonderful nurse had the unfortunate task of dealing with my nausea, dry heaving, and throw up, while also trying to keep me still and calm as they sewed me back up. It seemed to be somewhat of a "motion sickness" issue that made me so sick. Everytime someone messed with my belly, I got so sick...so, I just had to woman-up and let them do their job, using the sick spit dish, as needed.

Chad, on the other hand, accompanied our little peanut to the nursery where he was cleaned up and checked out.

The (again, so wonderful!) nurses called to the nursery to get an update on Jake for me and a weight check. They were so impressed with 8 pounds 12 ounces, but I thought, "man, that's nothing compared to some of the other Johnson men!" I was told that Chad and Jake could join me in the Recovery Room, but I was still so sick, I opted to let them stay in the nursery and finish cleaning him and checking him out. It was nice to have the option this time (with Brooklyn I felt so alone and far away...thank goodness they let my mom back then!) but I knew that Jake was in good hands with Chad and I needed to work on getting coherent again.

At approximately 11:45am I was taken to my "home" for the next two days- Room 127. Jake and Chad were there immediately, and I got to nurse him at 12:00pm. He was a great latcher, and did a great job nursing for the first time. I felt so much more comfortable this time around, and so much more "at ease" with everything.

Recovery went well at the hospital...sure it was a constant open door of nurses for both me and him, but things went very well overall. I asked to be discharged a day early if we both checked out OK because I missed Brooklyn so much! (side note: Because of the H1N1 virus, visitors must be over age 18 at any Moses Cone hospital. So, besides a few Skype conversations and some phone calls, I had not seen or talked to Brooklyn since Sunday night.) Jake and I both passed all our "tests", and on Wednesday, October 28th, we were sent home to be a family.

I am so thankful to all the wonderful doctors and nurses who helped both me and Jake have a great first few days together. But, more than anything, I am so thankful to a wonderful husband who has taken great care of me and our beautiful children. Chad has been wonderful, and God has blessed me so richly with this family. I thank Him so much for all he has given to me...and I promise to be the best wife and mom they could ever ask for.