Benson Bradley

February 6th was my due date.  Ben and I had been talking the night before about when we wanted to get induced and we decided that the weekend would be best.  Well that morning I had an appointment with my midwives.  They checked me and I was still dilated at a very tight three.  I had been at a very tight three for three weeks now.  My midwife asked me how patient I was and I told her I wasn't patient at all.  I was ready for this baby boy to come.  She told me that Karen {the midwife that I wanted to deliver my baby} was scheduled for Wednesday and asked if that was a good day for us.  I told her yes and she went to call the hospital.  A few minutes later the midwife came in and asked, "how about tomorrow".  I couldn't believe it and totally got caught up in the moment and told her yes that I would take it!  So we were scheduled to be induced on the 7th of February.  After we got home I realized that I hadn't asked Ben whether this would be a good day for him.  He told me that it would be fine and that it would work out perfectly because his mom could be here with Reese.

Well we got home and we started cleaning like crazy.  I did laundry all day long.  That night for family night we went out to dinner at Costa Vida.  When we got home we had a little bit of time with just the three of us.  As we were putting Reese to bed I got a little teary eyed because everything was changing.  It would no longer be just the three of us.  We were adding another little person to our family and I was afraid of how we would all adjust.  I worried about not loving this little boy the same way that I love Reese.  I was afraid Reese would feel neglected.  My emotions were everywhere that night.

I did not get much sleep that night.  It was like Christmas Eve when I was little.  I would get a few hours of sleep and then I would wake up and just think about what was coming in the morning.  We got up at 6 and got ready.  We had one last breakfast together and then we headed to the hospital.  We got to the hospital about 7:45 a.m.  We filled out paperwork forever, I got changed, they hooked me up to an IV, and then Karen {the midwife} came in and broke my water at about nine.  She told me that they were going to wait and see if breaking my water would make my body start laboring on my own, if not they would start the pitocin at noon.  So for three hours Ben and I hung out.  We tried taking a nap but we couldn't, so we ended up watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

 
At noon the nurse told us that not enough was happening so they were going to start me on pitocin.  Then Karen came in again and checked me, I was dilated to a four.  Not much going on.  So at 12:25 they upped the pitocin to 2.  They asked me how my pain was and I told then I was at about a 3.

Then at 1:15 they upped the pitocin to 3 and then I really started to feel things.  At about 1:25 I told them I had had enough and I was DEFINITELY ready for the epidural.  I should have ordered it earlier because by then I was REALLY hurting.  They had to put a whole bag of saline into me before I could get my epidural and thet made me start trembling like crazy.  The anesthesiologist finally got there and I was beyond ready for my epidural.  The nurse I had was AMAZING.  I seriously could not have asked for a better nurse.  While the anesthesiologist was "harpooning me" as Ben calls it, she held my hand and helped me to concentrate on breathing and getting me through each contraction.

The epidural was finally in and going but it was only working on my right side.  The anesthesiologist said he had another epidural to do and then he would be back to check on me.  It was about 2:45 by then.  The nurse decided to check me and I was dilated to a 6.  That was good news!  Well I continued to feel everything on my left side for the next 20 minutes.  It was HORRIBLE!  The anesthesiologist came back in and adjusted a few things.  Now I could feel a TON of pressure all the way across by butt.  The nurse asked me how I was doing and I told her that I felt a ton of pressure and I felt like if I could just push it would feel better.  She said well I know we just checked you thirty minutes ago but let me check you again.  Sure enough I was at a ten!  She ran and called Karen and about five minutes later Karen arrived.  They had me start pushing and in a matter of ten minutes Benson Bradley Call was born.

The love I felt for him was instantaneous.  As soon as the put him on my chest I looked into his dark eyes I was in love.  I am so grateful for that.  I have been so worried about loving another child like I love Reese but I starting loving this boy as soon as I saw him.

This little boy is seriously an angel.  He is such a good baby and I couldn't ask for a better more content baby.  Recovering from this pregnancy so far has been wonderful.  I feel great already, a little tired, but seriously so great.

Reese loves her little brother so much.  She asks to hold him and then will sit and rub his head and give him kisses.  It is the sweetest thing to see.  It makes my heart so full when I see her kissing or rubbing his head.

I love my children so much and am so grateful that now we have Benson to be a part of our family.