Birthday!

So this post is not for the faint. I am giving you fair warning so don't say I didn't tell you so.

I didn't post on James' one month milestone so I will post about his birthday.

We went in for a scheduled C-section at about 9:30 on Wed. morning the 24th of June (his b-day). This is our last family photo as a family of 4. Grandma Greene took it right before we left. I don't think the boys knew what was going on but they did not like Mommy leaving which lead to tears from me also. I think there is that part of me that felt bad because their life was about to change and they had no idea what was going on. I still don't think they completely understand because they always ask if the baby is going with us. They still don't really call him by name, but occasionally we have a breakthrough.

We arrived at the hospital around 10 by the time we found the birthing floor and found our chart we checked in and prepped for the surgery. My doctor does not usually deliver at this hospital but does have rights to do so. So when we got there we found out that he thought it was 12:30 not noon like we had thought. We also found out that it must have been multiples month because there were twins born the previous day and a set of twins and triplets born that day as well. Anyway, of course I was starving and anxious which led to an eventful time of getting my IV in. What is a little sweat and light headed when they can't find a vein-there had to be a little drama. Poor Andrew, he wiped my brow and face and neck as the sweat poured out and I struggled as they tried to find a vein. So they took blood and it stopped and finally they called the nurse anaesthetist in to poke me in another spot. So we finally get into the room and the epidural was much easier this time-no pain. I forgot to mention an important facet. I wished for natural childbirth and some contractions and I got that-be careful what you wish for. Andrew really thought we were going to have to go the night before and have him but I slept like a baby (well as good as a woman who is 39 1/2 weeks pregnant can sleep) once I fell asleep. So by this time of the day the contractions were about 15 to 20 minutes apart and pretty painful. So the whole almost fainting thing and poking around in my veins was not enjoyable.

Anyway, we get to the OR and I get my epidural and Andrew got suited up. Then I look up and the nurse anesthetist looks just like my future brother in law. It was really creepy how much he looked like Will. Andrew said the same thing later so it wasn't just the drugs. Again I just wanted to sleep so Andrew tried to keep me awake. The doctor rolled in at about 12:45 and he got cleaned up and suited up. James Miller Greene came into the world at a little after 1. They had to do quite a bit of pushing this time because he was head down and there was not as much fluid as with the twins. So here is the picture. Isn't that amazing. This was right before they suctioned him.

It was nice to see later because of course I can't see anything that is going on. This was my first glimpse of him and the first thing I said was look at those long fingers and toes-just like daddy!

This was the view that I got when they were cleaning him up and weighing him. I did not get to see that with the boys, Andrew got some great pictures but it was neat to see for myself. Isn't Andrew a great photographer?

The Will look-a-like was also a great photographer, you could tell he had some practice.

So Andrew went with the James back to our room while they stapled me up. Then they wheeled me back, which I don't remember and I got to hold our little guy for the first time.

We took a little cat nap and then he was ready to eat. He looked at me with his head raised for a little and then he was all business. He latched right on and nursed like every hour for the first 10 hours or so. Anyway, I can't believe that was just a month ago.

He is now smiling and I even heard a chuckle the other day. I know people are down on Babywise but he is sleeping around 7 hours consistently- from 10 or so to 5. We are still working on the awake time-he is a drowsy little boy. He had gained back to his birth weight in less than a week. -He also managed to pee and poop all over the scales and wall at the Dr. Andrew said he would have been way over his birth weight if the weighed him before the blowout! Anyway, we are all adjusting to the new addition. We are just the 5 of us this week and surviving. Let me leave you with a picture of James taken last night right before his first bath. His belly button just fell off yesterday, I don't remember the boys' taking that long. Hope to get announcement pictures done soon, this month has slipped away!

Happy one month Baby J!