2 Day Checkup

Here we are our first real check up by Dr. Benak.  Charlie was a sweet baby and didn't cry at all!  He weighed 6lbs 13 oz, just a few ounces off from his birth weight.  Dr. Benak said he looked perfect and is color is great!

 

 

 He doesn't look too happy!

 

 

 Mom and I perfecting the "selfie"

Coming Home

Going home!  On Friday...game day!  We checked out about 11:30 am.  Josh came home from school and his busy day to pack us up and go home.  He was SO busy...on the phone and taking care of things for tonight's game.

His going home outfit made by KK and also worn by Colt...and all the other grandboys:)

Excited is an understatement when we rounded the corner of our neighborhood and Addie saw us!

Getting cuddles at home.  The house was SO clean thanks to Nana!  My mom said she worked very hard trying to get everything washed, clean and straightened up.  So sweet:)

Beautiful flowers:)

Here we go!

Charlie And Hospital Stay

I love the hospital...mainly because they take such good care of you and at night they take the baby and bring them in only when it's time to feed them.  Since I had on and off sleep Tuesday night AND I knew that I was about to get sleepless nights for the next two months, I needed all the sleep I could get.  I was pretty sore after getting stitched up but this sweet face made it all better:) 

Nana checked Colt out of school early that afternoon and went to get Addie also.  Seeing them meet Charlie for the first time was absolutely priceless...I wanted to cry...happy tears!  SO sweet!  Addie was ecstatic and Colt was quietly sweet (as usual).  There were lots of kisses and passing Charlie around.  Addie even wore a dress for the occasion:) 

We got a few visitors but not too overwhelming.  Here is Lance who works at Flowers Hospital.

The Pauleys came by (Anna, Mandy and Kimber)

Aunt Becca!  She brought a basket of FUN stuff.

Poor Daddy has been SO busy with Football...he was there when he could be...this was the first week of football season.  They have a game against Charles Henderson on Friday!

She's in LOVE!

I love this picture...selfie...haha

Visit from Leah, Collins and Wynn

Leah brought cupcakes for the kids and a Chicken for Addie.  Addie has called/named Charlie, Eggin from almost day 1...SO Eggin has hatched!!

Kathy and Melodye gave us a visit.

Saying a little prayer...in the meanwhile I'm saying a little prayer for this baby to be a good sleeper:)

I love him!

Our first night was pretty good.  I know when I was alone I slept like a log.  The nurses would take Charlie around 10pm for bath and sleep, the nurse came in to check my vitals around 11:15pm, they brought Charlie in around 12:40pm and 3:30am for feeding, nurses came in to check my vitals at 5am and 5:30am for labs and basically woke up by our LOUD neighbors at 6:30am...I mean loud!  So not much sleep:(  But it's still nice having everyone take care of you:)

Charlie Gaines is Here! Birth Story

He's here!!  Charlie Gaines, born August 26, 2015 at 10:10 am weighing 7 pounds and 20.5" long.

He came FAST!  The plan was to be induced, so I was admitted into the Labor and Delivery at 5pm on Tuesday, August 25th (my due date).  My friend Lindsey was by my side since this IS football season and he initially couldn't come with me at that time.  I honestly cannot believe I made it to 40 weeks!  But here we are...when I finally got situated in L&D, they checked me and I was 2.5 cm.  The original plan was to start cervidil that night to get my body ready for pitocin the next morning.  But since I was already 2.5 cm, I didn't need it.  Yay!  I have been pretty nervous about the whole induction process, so this was good news!  I was already having contractions, so we really all thought I wasn't even going to make it through the night.  My mom decided to go ahead and come down also just in case.  So, the night went on and nothing happened except a sleepless/restless night.  Who sleeps well in the hospital??  My mom stayed the night with me and Josh went home to stay with the kiddos (along with Nana:).

The next morning, they started a low dose of pitocin at 6 am and I was still at 2.5 cm...no progress.  I started feeling a few mild contractions.  Dr. Mullins came in at 7 am and said he was going into a C-section for someone else so he went ahead and broke my water to "get things started."  After that the nurse increased the pitocin level to a 6, then to 8 at 8 am.  The contractions started getting stronger and closer together, but something I could still handle.  At 8:50 am the nurse came back and bumped up the pitocin to 10 and discussed maybe ordering the epidural.  She checked me and I was only 3.5 cm at that time.  I literally told her I didn't want to be a wimp and with an early epidural I knew it would slow down the process, but I also knew it would be a while before the anesthesiologist would be in.  So, she ended up ordering it and soon after that I was SO glad we did...little did I know the contractions started becoming painful....and before I knew it they were almost unbearable!  My mom was trying so hard to help.  She suggested focusing on an item in the room and taking short breaths instead of trying to breathe deep.  Other than that NO one could help...my gosh the pain!  All I could think was where the anesthesiologist was and making it through each contraction.  BUT after every major contraction, the pain was never really gone.  He finally came in around 9:30 am, I was SO relieved.  I could barely sit up because of the pain, I worked through one more contraction then sat up for him to start the epidural.  As he was working, I was working also...making it through the oh so painful contractions and waiting...waiting to feel the relief!  He finally got done around 9:57 am (per Josh because he texted someone as soon as the anesthesiologist left the room), but I didn't feel any relief...in fact, I felt the sudden urge to push!  I told the nurses, got checked and was fully dilated on one side and she couldn't tell on the other....ahhhhh!  I was like "what!!"  Dr. Mullins came in at that time, the neonatal nurses and they all started getting ready!  Within minutes...or seconds I needed to PUSH!  Dr. Mullins said go ahead...haha...so I did and felt so much better not "holding back."  All gear was finally on...Dr. Mullins sat down and next contraction I pushed with all my might and BAM!...welcome baby Charlie!  The umbilical cord was around Charlie's neck TWICE and Dr. Mullins and my mom said that Charlie grabbed on to the heart monitor tube...haha.  Already drama:)  Dr. Mullins mentioned getting the epidural in time for after Charlie was already here...ha!

I honestly was so proud of myself for going through all that with basically nothing.  And seeing that sweet boy, I was overcome with such joy.  He came out crying and very alert!  The lactation nurse told me that babies that are born very quick and don't go through a lot during the birth tend to be very alert and Charlie was!  I did tear (2 degree) so while I was getting sewn up they cleaned Charlie and started passing him around.

Here is our sweet boy!  Hello!

We are so glad he's finally here and HEALTHY and that he came SO fast!~:)  He also had an Apgar score of between 8 and 9...awesome!