The journey started with James

So my baby book & scrapbooking attempts stink. I figure I will backtrack a bit and start with the story of James. It's only fair. Plus one day when technology has far advanced blogs he can look back and get some of his story. Because I probably will have tossed his baby book.

My pregnancies have all been the same. I can't complain much. Except about the lbs I gain, but that's my own fault. No morning sickness, no bed rest, nothing out of the ordinary. I do get heartburn and sciatic pain. That's not much compared to some people.

I was working as a sixth grade science teacher while pregnant with James. I even got to teach the oh so ever fun reproductive unit while pregnant. I had planned to take three weeks before my due date off so I could prepare. The Thursday before my final day working I felt really sick and I left early. I came back for my last day which was a Friday. Where my friends at work went "oh my! you dropped." Little naive me didn't really understand. That afternoon was my 37 week appointment and my first internal exam. Where the Dr. told me he probably wouldn't see me at my next appointment. I am pretty sure he stripped my membranes. At that point I started light contractions.

Jerry and I went out for what we call the last supper. Then we waddled over to circuit city to buy a camcorder. I was pretty uncomfortable but not really thinking I was in early labor. All Saturday I kept having these cramps. I still wasn't sure what was going on and we walked a bunch and just hung out. I did call all of my experienced friends and question them several times as to what was happening to me. I don't think any of us thought I was in labor yet.

My neighbors came over to ask if they could park cars in our driveway so as to throw off the looks of the surprise party they were having and we said sure. The only problem is if I went into labor. That was said as a joke and everyone including me was thinking ya right.

Jerry was signed up for an overtime day on Sunday, so I let him go to bed. Since I was uncomfortable I stayed down stairs listening to the party and trying to figure out what the heck was going on. You see, when I would have a contraction it would just hurt my hips. No tightening of the belly or any other "book" descriptions of labor.

Eventually I started to think I was in labor. So I went and soaked in the tub for awhile. I think while I was soaking I realized I was in labor. I decided to just let Jerry rest and I kind of kept track of my contractions. Around 4 in the morning I finally woke him up and told him "I think you are going to have to cancel your sod day." He helped my time the contractions and I think we were somewhere in the 5 minute apart zone. We loaded up and off we went. Considering it was early Sunday morning there was no traffic I think it took about 50 minutes for the drive from Palmdale to Mission Hills. It was the worst drive I have ever had. My hips and back were killing me with every contraction. I think Jerry was timing them and seeing as they were getting closer started driving faster. We arrived in one piece.

I had plans for a natural labor. James had other plans. He was sunny side up so the back labor was more than I could deal with. With every contraction I tensed up rather than trying to open like a flower. I had a couple of beauties for nurses. One yelled at me to remember my breathing. Another put my IV in the side of my arm just below the thumb. This tender location combined with a contraction sent my blood pressure way low. James's heart beat wasn't well at that point either. So they put me in shock position and ordered and epidural. I also tried stadol which was a mistake. I would be snoring because I was drugged then wake up for the pain.

I got my epidural and things went pretty quickly after that. I dilated and before long it was time to push. Even though James was a wee little 6.5 lbs I had trouble pushing him out because of the position he was in. The Dr. told me if he had been bigger he would have been a C section. Which bothers me now that I think of it. He was born around noon, I remember being starved and scarfing down my hospital food.

We stayed in the hospital for 2 nights. I slept the first one and Jerry stayed up all night watching & holding his newborn. The next night I couldn't sleep. We had a hard time establishing nursing and needed lots of help in the hospital. It took me about a month and a half to get it down. I envied those who it just came natural to.

James was a tiny little guy who puffed right up and became our little bubba. We had planned on calling him Jimmy, but he just never turned into a Jimmy. He was so serious. Until about 6 months then he started to become the little entertainer he is today.

It's been a journey into motherhood that my first born sweet baby James had taught me much about. As I prepare for my third I think back and try to remember all of the details of this journey that makes each child of mine so special. So stay tuned for more sappy details and memories.