Wecomed to the World on 12/3/09...Mr. Clay Briley Lance!!!

Weclome Clay Briley Lance!!!!!

Daddy was the 1st to hold him

Now Mommy's turn in recovery

Poor little guy was having a hard time breathing

My new love :-)

Even though he didn't like all those wires...we still got smiles out of him :-)

Some Kangaroo time w/mommy...I loved this time w/him

Mr. Bright eyes!!!!!

Finally going home :-)

Crystal's 1st time to hold Clay...she loves him to pieces and is such a great big sister...and sooooo proud too!!!!

As you can tell...I've been VERY busy this past month...for a good reason too :-) Our little boy was finally born on 12/3/2009 @ 736am. Boy was that a time and a half to get him here. Here's how it all went down.

On Wed. 12/2 I had a dr. app. As you all know Clay turned breech and had been that way. My dr. said that if by some chance he had flipped to head down during any on my apps. then she wanted to admit me and get labor going asap. I was ok w/that after I had reached 37 1/2 wks. So w/my app on the 2nd I had an ultrasound and couldn't believe my eyes...he was head down!!!!! So the tech finished my BPP (which he passed w/flying colors) and we rushed over to the dr's office. When she found out he was head down she was soooooo excited and told me to get down to triage asap. So I hurried down there and was trying to text/call Jeremy (he was @ work) to let him know we were going to have a baby soon!!!

So I got down there and they got things started up really fast and hard. In like 30 mins. of being admitted I was having contractions that were uncomfortable...that's how much they had the pitocin going...lol! So the rest of the day/night went kind of slow. Clay kept moving away from the monitor and they kept coming in and waking us up to find him and then on top of that I was dilating...but not thinning out...so I couldn't have my epidural just yet. They were giving me pain meds that would last 1 1/2 hrs but that started not being enough.

Finally I had dilated to 5 cm and was 80% thinned...so I could get my epidural. Relief!!!!! Shortly after that the nurse went to check me and my water broke. I started getting excited because now things were starting to happen and I knew it wouldn't be long before he got here!! At 7am Dr. Ramsey came in to check me and showed a little concern. I knew his heart was ok because I could hear it on the monitor...but she wanted US to come down and do a scan. They scanned me and would you believe that little booger somehow managed to FLIP TO HEAD UP!!!!! Because my water had already broke they couldn't turn him...it was time for a csection. Luckily they had a time slot open right then. So in 5 mins I was prepped and being wheeled back to OR. I started getting sick when they were prepping me...I don't know if it was from nerves or what...but I felt really sorry for the anetheslogist...he kept on having to give me my puck bucket :-( Jeremy was trying to get ready and calling our parents so he couldn't help me.

They got me really numb and I didn't feel a thing. They surgery started @ 730am and Clay was born @ 736am. That 1st cry melted my heart and I'm pretty sure everybody in IN could have heard it :-) He weighed 6 lbs. 11oz and was 19 1/2 in. long. Jeremy got to hold him 1st and I got to touch and kiss him. I couldn't believe our little guy was here...I cried and was still getting sick...it was making for the perfect Kodak moment :-)

I finally got to hold Clay in recovery. I could not begin to tell you the feeling that came over me when they put him on my check and I could feel him breathing and moving and crying. I didn't want to ever let go ;-) I tried nursing a little and he wasn't interested just yet. Because of the wonderful drugs they had given me I couldn't keep my eyes open plus they were getting ready to take me to my room. So they took Clay to the nursery to get him all cleaned up.

I don't know @ what point it was but somebody told me they had to take Clay to NICU because he was having probs. breathing. I was in Lala land...so I wasn't 100% concerned but did want to know when I would get to see him and if Crystal got to see him yet. Our family did get to see him through the glass of the regular nursery.

Then the next thing I remember was the NICU dr. coming in telling us why Clay was in there. At that time they thought he either had an infection in his lungs or they were still too premature because he was having a hard time breathing on his own. They had done an xray and it showed some haze in his lungs. The dr. kept telling us to expect him to be in there 7-10 days. My heart broke when I heard that because I had waited 2 yrs. for a little boy and now there's a huge chance he won't come home w/us. I kept asking the dr. when I could come down and see him and he said probably around supper time (this was lunch when he was talking to us). There was noooooo way I was waiting that long to see my little guy again so when I left I called for my nurse and told her to get my a wheelchair...I wanted to go see my baby. I didn't care how much it was going to physically hurt me...I was going to do whatever it took to be by his side. They got me the wheelchair and Jeremy pushed me down there.

That same dr. was checking on Clay when we came in and was shocked to see me out of bed just 5 hrs. after a csection. He told me that if Clay is as strong as his mommy...he'll recover fast :-) We couldn't hold him just yet...but we could touch him. He was sooooo tiny and just a miracle in my eyes! I was still getting sick but was determined to stay down there as long as I could. I think they finally had to "nicely kick us out" but they had a web cam on him and they gave me a computer to watch him.

My poor little guy had a nasal cannula w/room air, umbilical IV for antibiotics, and lots of other wires hooked up to him. It broke my heart to see all that...but I knew it would make him better and he needed it. The next time we went down I got to do the "kangaroo care". That was the greatest feeling getting to hold him skin to skin. I could tell he was calm and he'd breathe a lot easier when I did that. After a couple of days he finally got to start feeding what I was pumping for him. He liked his food too :-) Clay had to be in the NICU for 5 days and come to find out there was no infection...just irritation from swallowing fluid and being born via csection @ 37wks. 6 days. And the good news was we didn't have to leave him down there by himself. The day I was discharged we did the parent room that night and got to go home the next day. I was still a lil sad because Crystal still hadn't got to hold Clay...but she was waiting @ home for him.

It was such a great feeling to finally be home...w/both my kiddos and I thank God everyday not only for Crystal but for Clay too. I feel like the next chapter in my life has started. It took sooooo much work and patience to get this little guy here that I will be up front...he will be spoiled.

I'll reflect on this past month at a later date...just had to get started here first. Jeremy & I along w/our family can't thank people enough for all the prayers & thoughts...God has truely blessed us w/Clay and we are sooooo thankful he's here alive, safe, happy, & healthy :-)