Well it was 3 weeks ago that I posted last! And what a great 3 weeks it has been. We went into the hospital on the morning of June 10th awaiting the arrival of our sweet little boy. Got there and checked in about 7 am.. and by 730 i was hooked up to iv's and got the party started. I was still 5 cm when i got checked that morning... and we thought it would be a quick day. After the exam and not being able to feel a head or a butt.. yes.. we had questions.. the doc came in and did an ultrasound.. thank goodness little kaden was head down! That was scary.. didnt want a c-section! Well they started the antibiotics (since i was group b strep positive) and pitocin. we just hung out waiting it out. Contractions started.. they weren't that bad. About 103o the nurses asked how i was doing.. and i was okay.. but the anestesiologist was on the floor and it was a perfect opportunity for my epidural. I wasn't sure i was gonna have one.. but I knew that once my water broke we would be in for the pain! So i decided to go for it. Well it was not a fun experience to get.. i still feel that.. eeeww. but it worked.. NO PAIN.. worked too well.. I didnt like that i had no ability to move at all. So next time.. we'll be talking about how much relief to give! Otherwise.. doc came back in finally at 1:55 pm to break my water. We had expected her about noon. I still hadnt dialated any more since the AM on maxed out pitocin. So that kinda sucked.. but it was easy to break the water.. matter of fact it happened during the exam. I had TONS of fluid.. way too much actually.. which i think stunted his growth a bit.. but we'll get to that later. She got all the fluid out.. and down Kaden came.. fast and furious. Well, about 20 minutes after they broke my water we had a scary hour. Kadens heart rate dropped way too much with each contraction and it had me terrified. I knew i was in the right place if something went wrong but it still scared me. We had to turn me side to side every 5 minutes or so... i was on oxygen.. and still it didnt improve too much. At 3:20 the doc came in to tell me that she wanted to put internal monitors in to monitor everything more closely.. she examined me at 3:29 and well.. i was completely dialated and ready to go!! .. yes.. that was 1 1/2 hours after they broke my water! Thank god it was broken in a controlled environment.. cuz otherwise we would have been pressed for time. Well needless to say we didnt have to use the internal monitors and we got in position for pushing. I started pushing and he slowly was coming down. Finally about 20 minutes in.. the doc started getting concerned about his hr.. since we couldnt monitor everything as well. And we were only at a +2 station or so. Well.. she offered assistance.. i said the vacuum. She said.. you get 3 pushes.. then we go to the OR. They called the OR to get them prepared.. and the next contraction came. Well IDK what happened.. but 2 pushes out came Kaden's head.. next push.. his body.. and we were DONE! Born at 3:59 pm . this was without the vacuum btw. Obviously you can't treaten an ANDREWS! :) I still say Kaden kicked himself out.. i didnt feel any different when i pushed.. but still out he came. WOW.. the next few minutes were awesome. First they cleaned his airway.. he cried just a little bit then up on my belly he came. OMG.. he was sooo gorgeous! perfect in every way.. wasn't ewwy and geewwy.. and had great coloring and no cone head! :) then they took him to clean him up a bit before giving him back to me. it seemed like forever! Then i got my boy for about an hour.. he fed right away and did awesome. and we just hung out and i looked him over head to toe! Then off to the nursery with daddy for all the good stuff. Thats when he got weighed and measured.. and his first bath. He weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz.. and 20 inches long. He was supposed to be his big baby.. so thats where i think the additional fluid gained in the last month stunted his growth.. but he was still a very healthy size! :) We finally got me cleaned up and moved to my room.. which trust me was a chore since i still had no feeling in one of my legs. And it seemed to be forever before Kaden joined Bill, Lynn, Ron and I in our room. But once he did we felt awesome and complete! He slept so good that first night.. too good.. wouldnt wake up to eat!! I didnt sleep.. i just looked at him all night... kept geting up to get feeling back in my lower body.. once the feeling came is sucked. between the numbness and swelling... i also had a hyperextended hip from labor. Well, that hurt more than the massive amount of stitches even! Yes, i tore nicely during this too! 2nd degree.. he came fast and there was no preparing for that!! Well we spent the next 36 hours or so in the hospital getting to know our little boy.. feeding him.. changing him.. loving on him.. but NO rest for mama.. i couldnt sleep as usual. We were released on the 12th at 3pm.. and it was awesome to come home. We did well the first few nights.. though i was still very sleep deprived. Now we are 3 weeks later.. almost. Kaden had grown so much already.. up about 12 oz to a lb.. he was up 7 oz last week at his 2 week well baby. already grew 1/2 inch too. He eats like a champ.. and though i worry alot of my production.. he seems to be thriving. He is finally on the breast 50% of the time.. which is great compared to when we got released i was just pumping. He smiles now.. is so alert.. and he melts our hearts every day.

Bill and I are completely in love with him.. and even more in love with eachother. This has been an awesome experience. Now we have so much to look forward to this month. Cousin Vicki is planning a visit.. Aunt Kristen is coming at the end of July... and Then Daddy leaves August 2nd. That will be hard.. Kaden and I will miss him so much. Thanks to technology we will have an easier time with it.. but Daddy loves giving Kaden kisses and he will miss that the most i think!!

Well thats the update. Little man is sleeping now.. so i should be too.. but i rather blog first.

15 hours to go!

Wow, 39 weeks ago... i had this thought.. why don't we try to get pregnant this month. 37 weeks ago.. Bill and I made magic happen... 35 weeks ago, we found out that Kaden was coming into our lives. In 15 hours this mommy will be going to the hospital to have her little man! I just can't believe after all this time.. after all these months of wanting and feeling him. .. that he will be here .. prolly in less than 1 day!! 20 years ago, when I met Bill, i knew he was the one for me... i was so happy when I married this man.. and the day i found out.. that after 15 years of trying and trying.. that I would be having a baby... it was the best day of my life.. up till now!! Kaden.. we love you so much.. we can not wait to meet you!! You have so many people that love you and are anxiously awaiting your arrival. Some people you'll never meet in person.. but they have become great friends.. some people you will meet hours old. I can not wait... i hope i can sleep tonight.. but if not, i am sure your daddy and I will be up all night talking about you. How we can't wait to hear that first cry.. to look in your eyes.. give you lots and lots of kisses! We wonder who you will look like.. not like it matters because you will be the most beautiful baby in the world.
Well I have cried rivers today.. in pure happiness of the journey ending in one way.. and a new journey beginning in another. We love you Kaden.. can't wait to meet you!!

another couple weeks down!

Well, we are now 10 days away from estimated due date.. wow.. i can't believe he is still in there! We went to the 36 week appt with Dr. Hurt. She measured me a 3 almost 4 and 90% effaced. Then later on we went to L&D cuz i had tons of contractions again!! They kept us over night because of Kadens Heartrate.. it was questionable. But it was fine overall.. i think it was a faulty monitor. Otherwise, that was my first non productive night at L&D where i got kept and still had no baby :(. Dr. Woessner measured me that morning at a 3 (mind you,, he's a man.. and a 4 keeps me in the hospital!). He said had i been further and 36 weeks, he'd help me along. But.. i was just 36 weeks and its not right at that point without invasive testing. We got released and I came home sore and tired from NO sleep the whole night. I had another appt the following Monday with Woessner, and he measured me an almost 4.. so progress.. didnt discuss effacement. He just said we needed to have the contractions to get us in the hospital and I will have a baby!! LOL Well i guess that scared Kaden.. because I will get the contractions long enough to get me to want to go to the hospital.. and then boom.. they will stop or slow. I am throughoughly exhausted at this point. My abs hurt non stop!! My other places don't feel all that good either. Bill and I have waged war on him by having me do tons of natural methods to get him out. Non of which work. Will have to remember this for the next one! Now tomorrow my my next appt.. 11 days after the last one. So goodness gratious.. i gotta have some mega progress. All day today i am kinda crampy, had some not so fun stools.. and tons of pressure!! Could that be a sign.. IDK? contractions still aren't as regular as they should be.. nor as strong. But i have a good feeling that this time, something is gonna happen. If i make it till tomorrow.. (i am sure i will, now that i have said that!!!) Then I will ask Dr. Hurt to strip my membranes to get things going.. that is, if she doesnt offer a one way trip right to Riverside!! I can't see how someone can be this dialated.. this effaced.. this long... and NOTHING HAPPENS!!! Kaden is certainly stubborn as all heck!! :) just like his daddy.. lol

I just can't go overdue.. at this point thats my only worry. I dont want to take away any more of this precious time away from Bill to spend with his son. He talks about Kaden every day and how much he wants him here.. how much he wants to see that little face.. and love on him and give tons of kisses and just LOOK at him. Its so sweet! I know Bill is gonna be an awesome daddy, he shows it every day.. and i hate the fact that he has to leave for the desert so soon after Kaden is born. It just sucks. I know we made this decision together.. and really it still is the right one for us. But its gonna be so hard seeing him say goodbye to his son. I know I can handle it.. but seeing him say goodbye and being upset to say goodbye not only to me but Kaden.. its gonna kill me!!Thank god for the internet!! I told Bill i am gonna send him a picture everyday of Kaden.. and maybe of his mama too. I dont want him to miss a thing!!!

Okay well now that i am a sobbing fool i will tie this post up. Hopefully I will have awesome news to post tomorrow after my appt.. or maybe I will be too busy to post at all cuz we'll be having a baby.. who knows!!