A&W with baby make 3: Colton's Birth Story

The anticipation was building as we neared Colton's (scheduled c-section) due date of February 15th. My to-do list was long, but I thought I had plenty of time since we had scheduled the arrival of our first baby. Little did I know that he'd surprise us all and come on his time, not ours.

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Colton's due date given by the doctor when we learned we were expecting a baby was February 21st which was exciting since this was my dad's birthday. However, I had a myomectomy in 2004 (surgery to remove a fibroid from my uterus that was the size of a grapefruit) and the doctor had told me all along that I'd need to have a c-section due to the possibility of a weakened uterine wall. Thanks to the addition of more fibroid friends that showed up and grew during pregnancy (the largest was the size of an orange when it was removed after Colton was born) we had tons of extra sneak peeks of our baby via ultrasound. I loved that.

Thus the scheduled due date of our son: February 15th.

Two weeks prior to the c-section date I worked double time to get things at school organized, planned, and prepared for when my long-term substitute would take over my class for twelve weeks. I don't know where this sudden surge of energy came from (because I was extremely exhausted) but I got so much done that I had great peace about walking away for such an extended period of time. Maybe this is where my nesting desires landed since they didn't quite make it to the to-do list for home.

So, at this point our baby is due in about 10 days and I still haven't washed all his baby clothes in Dreft, packed a hospital bag for the baby, packed a hospital bag for Wes and me, or done my final cleaning of the house. One would think, "Gee, baby is coming soon. Better get on that." But, nope. Not me. I had a schedule. The 'baby date' was February 15th. Period. I had plenty of time.
*Enter our son who's schedule is so not our own.*

It was SuperBowl Sunday and I started to have this funky pain on my lower left side that would come and go. I didn't think anything of it. Then the pain intensified the next day as it came and went, but it stayed in that one spot. I also kinda just felt icky. Again, I thought "Well, my entire pregnancy has rocked, I've been very healthy, and I've felt wonderful. Some of my friends have felt miserable during their pregnancies. If I have to endure pain for the next week then so be it."

The next day (Tuesday, February 8th) came and I felt great. I got ready for work and just as I was leaving the pain returned. Only this time it didn't come and go. It stayed and was intense. Wes called as he was leaving racquetball and I mentioned my discomfort. He said I should take a half day and this sounded like a great plan to me. My plan was to get through the morning then come home at lunch and sleep in the afternoon.

Every Tuesday there is a staff meeting at work. I sat through about 20 minutes of it--sweating, shifting in my seat trying to get comfortable, and trying not to cry from the pain. Finally I walked over to my principal and asked to speak to her. The minute we walked into the teacher's lounge she asked me what was wrong. I started bawling and said that it hurt so bad (as I pointed to the point of pain on my lower side below the baby). To which she answered, "I think you're in labor, honey." Which sent me into more tears with the answer of, "I can't be in labor!!" I had in my mind that once a c-section is scheduled, that is when the baby arrives. Not earlier.

My principal rushes me down the hallway and we got the doctor's office on the phone. I explain my pain and the nurse didn't seem too excited since it wasn't like typical labor pains. My doctor has all his scheduled c-sections and surgeries on Tuesdays, so he wasn't in the office and there was nothing they could do for me if I came in. Then I mentioned to the nurse the scheduled c-section in a week, explained about the myomectomy, and that the pain was so intense that I was crying. Then she told me to go to labor and delivery at the hospital, that they'd get hooked up to the monitor, and the doctor would make a decision.

While I was on the phone with the doctor, the office manager was talking to Wes. Tuesdays are his day off of work and he had a full day planned: meetings for the summer camp he's planning, moving furniture, and he was currently 30+ minutes away. While he turned the car around to come and get me, he made phone calls to cancel his day all the while thinking that it'd be a false alarm. (I believe a friend even teased him that he was using this as an excuse to not move furniture...)

It seemed to take Wes forever to get to work. I think my principal thought I would have the baby on her very pretty rug--that I am sure was expensive. Finally, my knight arrived and we were on our way to the hospital.

The hospital monitors said that I was having contractions every minute. Ohhh, so this is where the pain is coming from. Odd that it was only in one place, but that probably had something to do with the fibroid. The doctor decided to move up the 'baby date' one week and that "We're having a baby today!"

At this news Wes and I just stared at each other in disbelief. I'm pretty sure we both thought this would be a false alarm and that we'd be sent home. And now, we're having a baby. Today. Then the excitement bubbled to the surface. Everything from here on out happened so quickly. We were having a baby at 3:00 p.m. today!! We had about 4 1/2 hours to wait. Wes wanted to go home and get the camera, so I made a packing list of items I thought I needed from home (mind you I used maybe one-fourth of those items). And off he went--he was a bundle of excitement and pride.

After being admitted and everyone was done poking and prodding me, I had a few moments to myself. As I sat in the quiet of the hospital room I was over come with emotion.

Nervous for the surgery.

Surprise that our baby was coming today.

Wonderment that I'd be holding my baby by 3:00 p.m.

Peace knowing God had me wrapped in His hand of love and protection and that everything would be okay.

Love for the son I was about to meet.

Thanksgiving for the blessing of becoming a mommy.

And then I prayed.
For my unborn son.
For God's timing, not my own which is perfect.
For our family that was about to grow to 3.

It was a sweet time of solitude with my Savior. One that blanketed me in peace and comfort for the upcoming arrival of a baby that God had given us. Then suddenly, I was ready. So very ready. Time seemed to stand still. All I could think about was: Let's meet our son!

Kristi arrived and was an excellent distraction to the ticking hands of the clock that seemed to slow down. The best part of her being there: she prayed over us right before we went to the operating room. God's peace was cascading over us now.

We donned our fancy blue hats and Wes put on the sexiest blue scrubs, booties, and face mask. Off we went to meet our son. I was shaking...I was so excited and so ready. Everyone said that the maternal instinct will just kick in. I wasn't so sure because I hadn't felt it yet. But as we walked down the hallway, I felt it. I was born to do this. Born to be a mom. Colton's mommy.

When I heard the first cries of our son, the tears started to flow. That's our son. Our baby. The one that God so intricately formed in my womb for 38 weeks and 2 days. The one God specifically to us. The one we prayed for. The one we will love with all our hearts forever.