On June 27, 2011 @ 6:53am, Chris, Christian and I received the greatest gift. He weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 19.75" long. He has reddish brown hair and the brightest blue eyes (that I hope he keeps!). His skin is as soft as silk and he has the cutest little lips - Brody Fredrick has arrived!
I was admitted into the hospital at 1am with contractions 3 minutes apart. After an hour in triage, I was transferred to the Labor and Delivery wing in preperation for his arrival. On the way to the hospital we called our family to tell them that it was time (stopping off at the Metro station to hand Christian off to my Mom on our way).
After getting settled into our room, we patiently sat and waited to meet our little guy. With Christian I was in labor for 38 hours, so we figured this would take awhile. I had been dialated at 1cm for over a week, and with the complications with Christian, we were anticipated on a very long wait.
My Mom, Nik, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Viv and Erica had gotten there in the mean time. I, of course, was in alot of pain so I wasn't very personable to say the least :)
The hospital would only allow 4 people in my room at a time, so they alternated passes and switch spots so I could see everyone.
At around 6:30am, Mom and Nik went to the cafeteria to get something to eat so Uncle Jeff and Aunt Viv came in. I opened a present they had brought for Brody and chatted a bit (at this point, I had had the epidural, so I was good to go!) At about 6:40, they came into check my dialation and to all of our suprise I was fully dialated and ready to go. I told Chris to call Mom and Nik and tell them to hurry up.
Chris and Erica looked as if they didn't know what to do, and at that point everything just happened really quick. Uncle Jeff and Aunt Viv gave me a kiss, wished me luck and left. Dr. Kates came in and changed into scrubs as the nurses broke the bed down. Chris was on the phone trying to tell my Mother to hurry up and that he was serious (she thought he was joking). It is 6:43am (there is a clock right in front of me and it kept my focus). I said to Dr. Kates "You think this will take long?" she smiled and said "Nah, I'll be out of here by 7." So with that, I was getting ready to push. Finally, My Mom and Nik walk in, both with coffee in their hands and some sort of pastry in their mouth. My Mom's eyes widen as she came through the curtain and she said "Oh my gosh" and Chris said to her "I told you I wasn't joking." It was 6:44am and I was started to push. I forgot how hard this process was and already began to lose steam, but luckily with three hard pushes, Brody was here @ 6:53 am. I had felt him come out and was waiting to here a cry but didn't. The cord was wrapped around his neck, but Dr. Kates was quick, cut the cord and I finally heard his cry (his little feet and hands were blue, but I didn't have time to react). I got to hold him very briefly but, then he was taken. He had some things that needed to be attended to and his temperture wasn't regulating so I didn't get to see him right away. I reassured Chris I was fine and to go to Brody. He came back over and told me how perfect he was and that I could hold him soon.
What felt like an eternity, I finally got to hold my new Baby Boy and kiss those perfect little lips. I'm not sure how long I held him, but I knew I didn't want to let him go. They had to take him to the nursery. I told Chris to go with him so he did along with my Mom.
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| Erica, my cousin and Brody's God Mother |
When Dr. Kates got finished and changed, she walked over and shook my hand and congratulated me, I looked at the clock. It was exactly 7:00am. I thanked her and said "It's 7am". She just smiled and nodded, then left. After an hour or so, everyone had gone and it was just me alone in the room, waiting to be transferred. So, I grabbed the menu and ordered food (if you have followed my pregnancy, you would know I only gained 14lbs because I was so sick, I literally couldn't eat anything besides grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup, and even then that would sometimes come up.) Once I ordered my "brunch", I sat around in silence and looked at the cradle that held him. After 9 1/2 months of waiting, our baby boy had finally arrived. It almost didn't seem real.
Two days in the hospital and I was released. We got home that afternoon to a decorated house, thanks to my Sister and her fiance, Greg. It was good to be home, I couldn't wait to get home. It was a warm, sunny day and Brody was a sleeping Angel.
Christian was at daycare and didn't have to be picked up for another 3 hours. I was excited for him to meet his baby brother, but also very nervous at his reaction - in which, I have now come to realize why I was so nervous. The extreme jealousy that has developed was worse then I had expected (naive me!), but have been reassured that it is normal. Normal or not, it is almost unbearable at times....
At about 3:30am, that morning I had realized.... this is VERY real and it was only the beginning of a roller coaster ride that will (and still) takes me my way up and way down and everything in between. It is still a major adjustment and Christian hasn't yet mellowed out. He loves Brody and tells him so, but for now the jealousy seems to be exceeding the love. With time and patience, I know in the back (waaaay back) of my mind, his love for his new baby brother will grow and begin to fade that jealousy out, maybe not completely but enough to bring my loving baby boy back that isn't so angry with me all the time. Until then, I will have to suck it up and continue to retaliate his angry actions (and words) with reassurance and love, even if I have to dig deep (and sometimes I do mean deep!) to find them :)
Brody is going on 5 weeks. He has gained three pounds and has grown 2.5" inches. He is still up every 3 hours and doesn't always sleep as soundly as I would ideally like to think he would. With one more week off from work, I'm hoping to establish a schedule or at least get him into his crib so I can sleep in my bed again :)
Christian is doing really well at his school. He has since been moved to the "Four Year Old" room and learning so much! He has even began writing his name (and all his classmates too!). He is still doing Tumble Bus which he loves, and loves his teachers. He can't wait to go to see Ms. Leslie (does my heart good!). We haven't had much snow, but when it does, we try and get out to play before it melts. We took Brody out for his first snow, which he didn't love so much, haha! 
Brody is 8 months already! I can't believe it. He is one big "little" man. He is weighing in at a whopping 19 pounds, and is almost 30" long. He is going to be my "big dog". He, too, is just the happiest baby. Even when he is not feeling so great, he just laughs and smiles at everyone and everything. He is such a different baby then he was 4 months ago (praise Jesus for that!!). He is sitting up and starting to pull up on things. He can stand by himself for a short time and even longer when he is "crusing". He has learned that he can shriek and boy, does he practice!!! He just babbles all the time - I didn't realize how much I missed it :)
