Only the Beginning...: It has been so long

I know, I know, it has almost been 6 months to the day of my last post and so much has happened. I will do my best to catch you all up so here we go.

My belly obviously got bigger with time and so did the number on the scale. We continued to have ultrasounds to monitor the baby's grow and my uterus. Things were looking good until my appointment the Monday before Thanksgiving. I had an ultrasound done, before I met with my Ob/Gyn, to measure the amniotic fluid level and the baby's growth. The ultrasound tech really didn't say anything to us, but asked if we had an appt with the Dr. When we said yes, she said that the Dr would discuss the ultrasounds with us. Is it me or is that not very comforting? I was starting to panic a little bit and getting a little anxious. I knew I had a high probability for complications, but things had been going so well. We finally met with my Dr and she told us that I had lost some amniotic fluid, the chord was around his neck once, and he was breech. I was only 35 weeks at the time so she wanted to monitor the baby's health a little closer. I had a nonstress test done that day to make sure his heart was functioning properly and that he was getting enough oxygen. He passed with flying colors, but she still had concerns. That day we scheduled a nonstress test to be done at the hospital on Thanksgiving morning, an ultrasound and nonstress test to be done the following Monday, and a nonstress test to be done a week from Thanksgiving. To top it all off, we scheduled a c-section 2 weeks from that day. It was tentative at the time, but in case I continued to lose amniotic fluid, she wanted the maternity OR to have me on their schedule. Fortunately the baby passed all of his nonstress tests, but I continued to lose amniotic fluid. Which meant the tentative c-section became a definite one.

So on Monday, December 6, 2010, Bill and I arrived at the hospital at 4:30AM. This was a whole new experience for me. I had never had a baby before, let alone major surgery. You could say I was scared out of my mind. I had cried every night for the past 2 weeks worrying about that morning. Now that it had come, I wasn't doing much better. I was so nervous/scared that my body was shaking and my teeth were chattering, but once they began to prep me for surgery, a calm came over me and I was ready to see my baby.

Carter was born at 6:47am, weighing 6lbs 1oz and 17 3/4 inches long.