It's a Boy

DRAKE AUSTIN RUTLEDGE

I was scheduled to be induced on September 17, 2010 @ 5:00am.  A week before my EDD (estimated due date) so that my parents would be able to come for Drake's birth.  My parents were flying in to XNA on the 16th at 10:04pm.  Aaron and I were supposed to drop my car off at the airport for them after our last "night out" before baby.  Well... that didn't happen!

The morning of the 16th I woke up at 5:51am to go to the bathroom.  This wasn't anything out of the ordinary... The night time bathroom visits were quite frequent.  When I got back into bed, I felt my first contraction of the day.  Being so close to my due date every twinge, cramp, or pain I felt I thought "could this be it."  As I laid in bed the contractions kept coming.  I started timing them as I fell in and out of sleep. 

By the time my alarm went off for work, the contractions were just about 8 minutes apart.  I got ready for work and headed toward the office.  On the way into the office I downloaded a contraction timer on my iPhone (oh what would I do without my phone).  The app kept track of all of my contractions and told the 20 minute and hourly average.  By the time I got to work the contractions were about 6 minutes apart. 

The contractions continued at 6 minutes apart for hours!  I went ahead and continued working until 12:30pm.  The contractions weren't getting any more painful but they were definitely uncomfortable and I had to stop what I was doing during them. This did not make for a fun day at work.  I was becoming very irritable with the people on the phone and the people that were coming into the office.  I told Lynda that I was going home... and off I went.  Maternity leave was starting 4 hours early for me.

I went home and laid down in bed for a little while Aaron finished up cleaning the house and getting things ready for my parents to get in.  The contractions were getting closer together and then farther apart.  I tried taking a nap, but that was not happening.  At about 1:30pm I decided that I would try taking a bath to soothe the contractions.  The hot water helped alot.  The contractions were almost unnoticeable when I was in the bath but unfortunately the bath only lasted about 15 minutes before I was dying from the heat.  So.. I got out of the bath and went and laid in bed again.  The contractions weren't 6 minutes apart anymore... they were 3 minutes apart and lasting almost a full minute. 

I called my mom and told her that they might not make it in time if these darn contractions kept coming like they were.  I didn't really think that I was in labor but I knew that it was coming soon.  I couldn't remember if we were supposed to go to the hospital at 3 to 5 minutes apart or 2 to 3 minutes apart.  I didn't want to go in just to be sent home for false labor... especially since we were being induced the next morning. 

Mom apparently called Aunt Jessica and I got a phone call soon there after telling me to GO TO THE HOSPITAL.  Aaron and I talked about it and decided yea, we probably needed to go to the hospital.  We didn't need to be having a baby at home!  Aaron had to go get dip from macadoodles so we made the 15 minute trip to Missouri.  The drive was HORRIBLE.  On top of the contractions, I felt every bump and turn in the road. 

After we got back from macadoodles I took another bath (I couldn't go to the hospital with hairy legs) and got all ready.  Aaron finished packing our bags and we loaded everything into the car.  The ride to the hospital was worse than the ride to Missouri.  Traffic on hwy 102 was of course horrendous and people were driving as slow as they possibly could. 

We got to the hospital at about 5:15pm... I had Aaron drop me off at the emergency room entrance so I could check in while he parked the car.  The lady at the window was really nice but she knew that I was in some pain!  She politely asked me to not have my baby yet.  She did the paperwork in record time and the next thing we knew the nurse was there wheel me up to labor and delivery. 

We were taken to room 1244.  The nurse told me to change into my gown and my nurse would be in shortly.  Our nurse, Cathy came in and checked me and we were definitely not going home... We were having a baby!  I was 5 cm dilated...a flood of emotion fell over both of us as the nurse hooked me up to the fetal monitor and the blood pressure cuff.  The IV was horrible... they tried on my right hand without success.  My nurse had to go get another nurse to try on my left hand.  Apparently I didn't come with my "good veins" or so I was told.   

When the nurse left to get paperwork started and call Dr. Ford, Aaron and I started calling our families.  We called my parents first in hopes that we would catch them before they boarded their plane.  BUT we missed them!  I called Aunt Jessica as Aaron was calling his mom.  

Uncle Dusty, Aunt Jessica, and the girls were there within minutes!  They didn't waste any time!  Faith and Micayla weren't far behind them.  The contractions were still coming and were getting stronger but were bearable.  I knew that I wanted an epidural but didn't think that I was far enough along for it.  We just hung out, talking, and watching 27 dresses.  The girls were extra lovey and were patiently awaiting the arrival of their new cousin.  I wasn't allowed any food or anything to drink... but I was allowed these WONDERFUL cherry popsicles!  Before too long the contractions were getting crazy bad and my whole body was shaking.  Everyone left and went to eat dinner.    

Aaron and I waited for everyone else to get there.  I had about 3 more contractions before the anesthesiologist came in.  They were ready to go and started setting up.  For those who know me, I am not a fan of needles (strange coming from someone with so many tattoos I know).    Apparently I handled my contractions well because I didn't move or shake during them.  Everything looked great EXCEPT all my labor was in my back and she couldn't get the needle in because of the pressure.  After about 15 minutes or so it was IN and I was in heaven.  It was way worth the HUGE needle in my back.  

The nurse that we had when we came in was going home and we got a new nurse.  Priscilla would now be with us until the 6:30am.  She was great!  She was very friendly and made sure that she did any and everything to make me comfortable.  After the epi was in and she checked vitals... she checked me and I was 7 cm dilated.  Aaron called and told Jessica how things were going.  She didn't even finish her food... she headed back to the hospital.  She wasn't about to miss any of the excitement. 

The next couple of hours flew by but were pretty much a blur.  People were coming and going like it was cool.  I did surprisingly better than I thought I would with everyone in my room since I swore that I wouldn't want anyone but Aaron in there.  And without that magical drug I wouldn't have.  Poor Dillon came straight from football practice and his dad didn't even let him go home to change.  He had to stay in his football pads and cleats all night.  The kids were getting restless and hungry.  Peyton and Dillon played Yahtzee in the hallway and Micayla and Bailey made drawings for Drake.  Aaron's parents and grandmas were there too!  

Uncle Dusty and Mark went and picked my parents up at the airport.  They landed a few minutes early and were in a hurry to get to the hospital.  While we were waiting on them to get there, Priscilla checked me again.  I was 9 cm and my water FINALLY broke.  Mom and dad got to the hospital just in the nik of time.  They were in the room with us for MAYBE 15 minutes before I had Priscilla check me again because I was feeling a great deal of pressure.  I was fully dilated but baby was still up pretty high. 

Aaron and I decided to keep everyone out of the room so that I could rest for a few minutes before all of the action started.  It seemed that as soon as she left the room I had Aaron quickly go get her.  I felt sooo much pressure and the urge to push was intense.  We pushed several times and he was starting to move down.  She had to leave to call Dr. Ford and when she came back we started pushing again.  Within just a few minutes she told me that if I wanted my Dr. to deliver him I had to stop pushing.  That was NOT happening... I couldn't stop.  He didn't want to wait for the doctor either.  Drake was born at 11:34pm and Dr. Ford walked in a few minutes later.   He weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.   

Aaron and I were instantly in love!  Aaron stayed with Drake while the Dr. finished things up with me.  Our families were patiently waiting in the waiting room and in the hallway outside of our room.  While the nurses and Dr. finished what they needed to, Aaron and I spent our first minutes with our baby!  Once everything was situated in our room and all of the nurse's left we let everyone back in.  

Aaron and I weren't the only ones in love with our precious baby boy.  Everyone wanted to hold him and he was passed around for everyone to see.  

I'm sure there are WAY more details that I am forgetting but there were so many things going on and so much emotion that I have forgotten alot.