Happy Birthday Baby

Surprise!   Peter Temes Clifton joined our family "outside" on Friday August 3rd, 2012 at 10:14am.  He was 3 weeks early.  He weighed in at 6lbs 12oz and was 19in. long.  As a 37 week babe he was in the 50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for length.

For the last two weeks I had been thinking about the fact that he could come anytime and was quite nervous about it.  I was doing serious planning at work to prepare for the scenario that I wouldn't return the next day.  But come Thursday afternoon, I was starting to feel like my worry and obsessive pre planning was really over done and that I should just chill out.  That night I laid in bed and felt like my tummy was "nervous".  In all reality, I probably WAS having some mild contractions but didn't realize it.  That's what I'm guessing.

At 3am I woke up and thought - hmmmm, I think this "nervous tummy" is coming and going - like contractions. I got up to pee, went back and laid in bed for another hour.....then started timing them.  I think they were probably already a lot closer to being every 5min then I gave them credit for.  I found myself thinking - well, it was only for 50sec and it was ever 5min 50sec - so I should probably start over again.  For those of you that don't know, if they last for 1min, every 5min, for an hour, you are supposed to call your MD or go into the office/hospital.  So I let that go on for about 2-2.5hours, then called my MD and she said - "well, how bad are they discomfort wise?"  I rated it a 5-6/10 but wasn't sure what I should really expect.  She told me to come in to the office at 9:30 (it was now 7am) to be checked.  Of course as soon as I hung up with her and went on a walk, they started feeling a lot closer - maybe every 3-5min.  So finally - after we were walking and I thought - dang, these are definitely getting uncomfortable.  I told Jake - let's just go to the doctor's office early, maybe someone else can check me.  We got there and no sooner had we arrived that I started to be in a LOT of discomfort.  I thought - hmmm, let's get out of here and to the hospital.  The triage RN agreed and sent us on our way.  Of course - en route, in the car, my water feels like it is breaking (so glad I threw that towel and plastic bag on the car seat!!) and I am dreaming of my epidural.  Wishing I had gotten it an hour earlier.  We checked in at the hospital at 9:20am, went up to the triage L&D room and things started to get REAL.  It hurt so bad - I found massage and the typical "positions" I had learned to be of no help.  I think I found myself pushing down on Jake's forearms, gripping his elbows and bearing my head in his stomach (bull style).   That seemed to help a little.  No sooner had those started though, that I was starting to feel like I needed to push this little guy out.  What a crazy feeling.  It was almost relieving to have those.  Although I was really freaked out - I hadn't really planned on it happening so fast.  Jake and I had brought cards, magazines and were ready for the "experience".  The RN checked my cervix and told me I was 9cm dilated.  WHAT??!!!  I was feeling really freaked out.  Wait - how does this happen again?  How is he actually going to get out of my body?  Oh yeah - that urge to push.  Hmmmmm.  So we got to the delivery room, my OB was there.  They had me sit on this birthing ball so they could get an IV in and take my BP.  I was feeling like I needed to push really bad and it was all I could to avoid doing just that.  It's so amazing that your body just knows what to do - there was no active decision on my part to want to push - it was just happening.  Like the contractions and this other force took over my body.  Incredible.  My friend Amelia had told me about this - and I only now really understand what she meant.  When I stood up post getting my BP/IV done, my OB checked and said - ok!  He's crowning, time to push.  Talk about feeling overwhelmed.  But I knew at that moment - no turning back.  There are no choices right now.  No time for that.

I had 4 rounds of pushing - about 3 pushes each round.  I wasn't sure how much progress I was really making.  I got a bloody nose after the second push - I can't ever remember getting one before, not even as a kid.  But then after the third round my OB said - if you can push him around your pubic bone, he will come out a lot easier.  "Try this next time, ok?"  Still seemed crazy and unimaginable to me.  But sure enough - I closed my eyes and gave it my all.  And then all of sudden, Peter was lying on my stomach - I could hardly believe what had just happened.  I was totally shell shocked.

Here's the photo shoot.  Don't worry - it's all PG.

37 weeks and 1 day (right before we left for the MD office).  Not sure how I was smiling so much right here b/c those contractions were starting to get pretty strong at this point

Are you ready to come out and play?  I think I was thinking more along the lines of - "really?  Is this really possible?  Is he really going to get out of here?"

Welcome Peter!!

6lbs 12oz

Hi daddy

First bath!

Digging the faux hawk

In heaven

Daddy and Peter's feet - I think he has Jake's long toes.  

Going home!

He actually conked out in the car - like mother, like son

In the new crib

Baby birthday dinner at Clifton's 

After our first night at home.  Jake is a rockstar and has been up for every feeding with me.

So that's my story.  It was crazy.  Faster that I ever anticipated.  But either way - I'm relieved to have him with us - he is so perfect.  I love EVERY thing about him.