Baby Jackson is HERE!!! (Aug. 23, 2011)

The Short Story of Jackson’s Birth:

6:30 am took castor oil shake & went back to sleep

9:00 am castor oil started working but no contractions or at least I didn’t realize they were contractions

10:20 am have to breathe through contractions

11:30 am my water breaks & we head to the birthing center

11:55 am we arrive at the birthing center

12:19 pm Jackson is born in the tub at the birthing center

2:35 pm Jon picks up Andrew from school & gets me food

4:30 pm Mimi (my mom) arrives at the birthing center

6 pm we go home with our new little angel, baby Jackson

The VERY LONG detailed story of Jackson’s birth: 

So I woke up this morning & Jon had made my castor oil shake for me to take but when I tried to take it at 5:30 am like Jean told me to I just wasn’t emotionally able to make myself do it b/c I had heard castor oil was YUCKY & I also was just worried that it wasn’t going to work & then I would just have an upset stomach for nothing & be even more emotionally exhausted. Jon was so sweet & just was patient & loving with me so after talking for an hour I finally decided to drink the stupid shake & hope for the best but try not to be disappointed when noon came & nothing had changed.

So I gulped down the shake, which actually ended up not tasting that horrible, at 6:30 am & went back to bed. I slept until about 9 am & then had some Gatorade just so I didn’t get dehydrated & some toast. A friend of mine called & asked how I was feeling after taking the castor oil shake & if I was having any contractions or anything, which I wasn’t at least not until I got off the phone with her then it hit & man did it hit me when it did. I ran to the bathroom & pooped my brains out. After I was done with that I drank some more Gatorade & also pumped to try & get the contractions to start. Since I thought nothing was really going on Jon jumped in the shower & got ready for work so after our appointment at the birth center at noon he could go to work. While he was in the shower all of the sudden what I thought were just cramps turned very powerful & painful & I actually had to breathe through them so then I figured I was in real labor. That was about 10:20 am. Jon helped me breathe through a couple more powerful contractions & then all of the sudden at 11:30 am my water broke. I was just sitting on the couch & felt this gush but wasn’t quite sure if it was poop from taking the castor oil or if I had just peed my pants or what, but then Jon said, “Hun, that is clear…I think your water just broke.” I don’t know why but I started freaking out & ran into the bathroom to shower but he said we should probably just go to the birthing center right now so I didn’t have time to shower but just changed my clothes & grabbed a towel for the car ride there. I felt disgusting but something was telling me that either way this baby was coming so in the end I would just get more disgusting.

Jon called the birthing center & they said they would be ready for us. Jon grabbed our bags & some food & then he realized we didn’t have his adjusting stuff so we ran by the office. On the way there the contractions got so powerful that I really had to concentrate to breathe through & not tense up. When we got to Jon’s office I was in the middle of a contraction so he was just going to sit in the car with me until it got over but at that time I just yelled at him, “Just HURRY UP!!!” Poor guy! Well, we finally were on our way to the birthing center so Jon called my mom & told her everything so she jumped in the car & was on her way. (Come to find out later that right before we called my mom she had just finished quilting baby Jackson’s quilt.)

The ride to the birthing center seemed like FOREVER long! In fact I finally just closed my eyes b/c every time I opened them & saw we weren’t there yet I would get scared & worried we weren’t going to make it. I remember when we crossed the railroad tracks though b/c that was VERY hard on me but I also knew we had arrived at the birthing center so that was great news too.

When we arrived at about 11:55 am I told Jon, “Hurry, I think he is coming!” Well, honestly I think I yelled that part at him. He really did put up with A LOT from me during the labor & was the best, calm husband during it too. When he opened my door to have me get out I just felt like I couldn’t move so he calmly saw a lady in the parking lot & asked her to go get someone b/c his wife was in labor. I am so PROUD of how he handled it all!!! Well, right at that moment the contractions let up for just a second so I used all my strength to get up out of the car & walk in.

The midwives, Jean & Lenora, had a room all ready for us & also had the tub filled with warm water too just in case I wanted to use it to help me relax through the contractions. As soon as we got in the room a VERY powerful contraction came on & Jon was still putting our bags down so I just grabbed on to Jean, who was the closest one to me, but also during that contraction I just told her how sorry I was for getting so upset & she also apologized to me so that was good b/c we both needed to work together to get Jackson here so I felt so much better after that other than the CRAZY POWERFUL contractions going on.

I quickly stripped down to nothing & jumped in the warm water. It felt so good & helped immensely with being able to totally relax through the next couple contractions.  Then all of the sudden after about 3 contractions I felt like I needed to push but thought it was WAY to early for that stage of labor. I just voiced how I felt so Lenora checked how dilated I was but when she went to check she all of the sudden SMILED & said, “That is all baby head, he is right there, do you want to feel him?” Which of course I did b/c I remembered that giving me so much strength during Andrew’s labor when I could feel him right there. Then she said I had a tiny lip of cervix still so if I could just give one good push it would move out of the way & baby Jackson could come. So even though it hurt A LOT I did it & felt some relief so it worked, the cervix was totally out of the way. I couldn’t believe it but I was pushing already, WOW this was going fast, but with Andrew I remembered pushing what seemed like forever before he was really born so I still thought we had a long time to go until we would meet our little angel boy, Jackson! BOY, was I WRONG!!! I guess my pushes were really powerful b/c I think I only pushed about 5-8 times, granted that 5-8 times almost killed me b/c of the RING OF FIRE feeling but then all of the sudden he was out & they were putting him up on my chest. Now, I hadn’t planned on having a water birth so I didn’t know that babies don’t cry right away when they come out so when they put him up on my chest & he hadn’t cried I freaked out & even said, “He’s not crying, is he dead?” Then all of the sudden a second later he let out a healthy cry & opened his eyes & looked up at Jon & I & all the world stopped. EVERYTHING was right in the world & this moment I would remember FOREVER just like when I held Andrew for the first time.

We just LOVED on Jackson & marveled at how lucky we were to have this sweet little boy sent to us from Heavenly Father. During this time the midwives were taking care of the placenta, which I had delivered without even knowing it, & then after a while they had Jon cut the cord. They had Jon take Jackson over to weigh him while they helped me get out of the tub & into the bed. When we found out he weighed 10.5 lbs. or they rounded it up so 10 lbs. 1 oz. everyone was SHOCKED except for Jon & I b/c we knew we make BIG BABIES!!!

Then Jackson was put in my arms again & we(Jon, Jackson & I) just basked in the bliss we were feeling & loved on each other. Then I started to try to nurse Jackson which wasn’t working very well at first but then he latched on & started getting the hang of it a little bit. After knowing that Jackson was even bigger than Andrew, who weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz., I just knew I was in for some big time stiches b/c I had to have torn, but they said I only tore a tiny bit so they really only needed to put in one stich but b/c I have another child they were going to put in two just to make sure I healed well. WOW, I was so happy I didn’t have to have tons of stiches. After they stitched me up we again just had bonding time, Jackson pooped on me for the first time just like Andrew did when he was born & we called mom to let her know she wasn’t coming for a birth, she was coming to see her grandson b/c he was HERE! Jon was the one that called my mom b/c I was still bonding with Jackson but he said she was so happy & sounded like she might cry. It was so nice to be in the birthing center where it felt more like home & we could really cuddle & just enjoy each other.

Since Jackson was born at 12:19 pm we had plenty of time to cuddle & bond before Andrew needed to be picked up from school at 2:35 pm so Jon decided to just go pick him up himself & also get me some yummy lunch from La Madeline’s too. It was nice to just have that alone time with Jackson & to work on nursing him & just enjoying every moment with him. I called my mom & talked to her & then started texting everyone to let them know Jackson had arrived. While Jon was gone they also did the vitamin K shot & measured how long Jackson was, which he was 22 inches, one inch more than Andrew.

I couldn’t wait for Andrew to get back so he could meet his baby brother for the first time. When he came in Andrew was very curious as to why I was in bed & then he saw I had Jackson in my arms & came over & gave him a kiss on the head.

Then the picture taking began…first I took a picture of Andrew, Jackson & daddy together!

We also had to get a picture of our sons together so we had Andrew sit down in the chair & hold Jackson. He smiled for the picture & then said, “Okay you can take him now, he’s heavy!” Jon & I both just laughed & laughed!!!

Then Andrew decided he wanted to take some pictures too so he took one of Jackson…

he took one of daddy & Jackson together…

& he took one of the tub I had Jackson in!!!

He was SO EXCITED to have baby Jackson here finally but then the newness of the baby wore off real quickly & he just wanted Mimi to get there b/c she is more fun than a baby & always brings gifts & fun things.

I just ate my food from La Madeline while we waited for Mimi (my mom) to get there. She finally did arrive about 4:30 pm & couldn’t wait to get her hands on Jackson but Andrew couldn’t wait to get loves from Mimi so she loved on Andrew first & then loved on Jackson for the first of MANY times!!!

Then we just HAD to get a picture of beautiful Mimi with both her handsome grandsons!

The rest of the time at the birthing center I got cleaned up, which felt SO GOOD, Mimi spoiled Andrew with new Spiderman sandals, new church shoes, & of course Spiderman toys & we just loved on baby Jackson. Then around 6 pm we got told TONS of at home care information, got Jackson dressed in of course a LONGHORN  outfit & then we headed home.

I was SO GRATEFUL to come home with our sweet little addition to our family & that all of us were safe & happy! We truly were VERY BLESSED!!!

Since it was late when we got home we decided to just order some Vietnamese food from King Noodle & Jon went & picked it up. I was SO HUNGRY & that food was SO GOOD!!!

WOW, we had a BIG DAY today & I am so GRATEFUL to be home & have baby Jackson here with us!

Mimi was so sweet & I am SO GRATEFUL to have her here to help me! Even though I was still in some pain, I actually was feeling really good & excited to be a new mom again!

Thank you EVERYONE for your prayers & thoughts on our behalf…baby Jackson’s birth is proof that Heavenly Father really does hear & answer prayers!