Month: May 2013

I had an induction scheduled on the day my pregnancy reached 39 weeks (full term) not expecting to ever make it that far along. We had baby sitters on call everyday for a month ready for the moment my water would break, but that moment never happened. Ben finished a huge project for work early to be ready for the baby to come as well. We walked miles everyday trying to get my body to do what it had done twice before. I became pretty discouraged until a couple of days before my induction date when I realized that I was actually going to make it the whole way. 

I was the second person to be induced that day and was told to wait for a phone call between 6-8 am when they would tell me to come into the hospital. They called me at 7 asking if I could be there by 7:30am. I called my mom and my mother in law to meet me at the hospital. I expected this induction to be pretty quick. My other two children I was given pitocin and my body reacted very well to it. With Ciara it took 30 min and I had the baby. But with baby Curtis we had a couple of hours to wait. I waited to get my epidrual until I was dilated to a 6 and then they kicked up my pitocin. It went pretty quick after that. It took be three breaths, two contractions to push him out. And he was perfect!

His color was perfect, he cried perfect, he was just all around perfect! He weighed 7 lbs 7 ounces and 20 inches long. They put him on my chest as soon as he came out and I got to watch him take his first breaths. My mom cut the umbilical cord. They let me hold him for a while, he cried at first but quickly calmed down. It finally seemed real in that moment, that this little baby was the same baby that had been kicking my ribs, the same baby I had talked to for all these months. It was real. It was wonderful to finally see him. 

We stayed in the hospital for two days. When the kids came to meet him Ciara didnt seem interested. In fact she was very shy and wanted to be held by Grandma Payne, “Lolly” and didnt even want to really be around me. She gave me a quick hug and glanced at the baby. It wasnt until the second time she met him that she wanted to hold him and touch him. Caleb on the other hand was so excited to meet his little brother! We placed Curtis in his arms and he started to tear up when he looked up at his Daddy and said “He is just so cute!” Love at first sight. 

One thing that makes Curtis different is his baby blond hair. He has quite a bit of hair and it has almost a strawberry blond tint to it. No eye lashes or eye brows and squinty and shifty eyes makes it look like he is scheming something. He seems so long and tall for a baby. He is such a great eater! As soon as I got the chance to nurse him (about 3 in after birth) he caught on and has been eating ever since without any problem. He also tells the difference between the pacifier and eating pretty well. When the nurse brought him back from the nursery she said he is the gassiest baby she had ever seen. He is a little clone to his Daddy (exactly what I wanted!)

Our first night was kind of rough due to the fact that I didnt want to take any more pain killers due to digestive issues and I didnt want to much benedryl (to stop the bad itching from the epidural) because I was afraid it would effect my nursing. I eventually gave in and took the smallest amount of pain killers around 3 am and I finally got some rest. Baby Curtis also had a hard night and was up with lots of gas every hour. But because we spent the night being uncomfortable together we bonded pretty quickly. Ben on the other hand slept like a champ and kept the neighbors up with his musical tonsils. The next day however, he bonded with Curtis while I slept a little more. 

The second day I was feeling almost back to normal! My biggest complaint was my back, where the pain drugs were put in. I had a wicked nasty bruise but I felt super great! After we came home I was flooded with lots of emotions. Caleb and Ciara seemed like monkeys, ready to attack. I was overloaded with everything going on. With help from family I was able to get the break I needed.

It was a very different experience for Ben. When Ciara was born, he just felt like he should protect her and keep her safe. When he held Curtis for the first time, he had kind of an emotional response and teared up a little. Not that he dosnt love Ciara (and Caleb) just as much but its a very different experience for a father to hold his new son for the first time. Caleb and Ben had a very similar reaction when holding little man for the first time. 

Now I feel like everything is almost back to the way it was, but better, with our little baby cheese curd. He is such a good baby! Today he is 12 days old. Last night I only got up twice with him after midnight to feed him. He dosnt cry unless he is hungry of he is gassy but can be calmed down very quickly by the touch of my face next to his or a pacifier. Im so grateful to be a new mother again and feel lucky to have such great kids!