Zachary: Day 1

As I use this blog as a document to our lives, I want to make sure we get Zachary's arrival in here!  And for all the curious… here's the story.  =)

June 1, 2014: Jeff's Hume San Diego staff arrived here at Hume for orientation.  I had been joking all day that today would be a good day to have a baby.  We went to church that morning, lunch at the dining hall, chapel for orientation, and then had his staff over that night for dessert.  I laid down quite a bit in between (and sometimes during) all these events.  I just kept getting heavier and was having contractions, just like I had been for the last month.  Nothing was painful and it didn't seem consistent.  If I laid down, then it would calm down.  So laid down I did.

Anyways….

After his staff left that night, a couple who is on full-time staff (Nathan & Jocey) stayed and we chatted for quite a while (I was laying on the couch the whole time).  They left around 11:40pm.  After they walked out the door, I stood up and my water broke.  This happened with the boys too; however, my water doesn't break like a gush, it's a leak that is very evidently amniotic fluid coming out.  Once I convinced Jeff I wasn't joking, he ran to his office to grab his laptop and a few other things.  I called our neighbors, with whom we had set up a plan in case something like this happened in the middle of the night.  They were going to come over and sleep at our house with the boys.  However, they didn't hear the phone ring.  So, knowing that Nathan and Jocey had just left our house, I knew they were awake.  I gave them a call, informed them of what happened (to which they were very surprised), and asked if they would spend the night over here with Samuel and Ethan.  Graciously, they packed a few things and came right over.  While I waited for Jeff to come back and Nathan and Jocey to arrive, I also called the doctor-on-call.  Being that we live an hour and a half from the hospital, I didn't want to get there and then wait more until the doc got there (which we did anyways).  After everyone arrived, we snapped a few pics, grabbed our bags that were already packed, gave some instructions, and left.

Big belly!

Nathan & Jocey saving the day!

The ride down the hill wasn't bad.  I had been so uncomfortable the last few months that the ride down wasn't much different.  When we got to the hospital, we had to enter through the ER because it was so late that the front doors were locked.  After registering, they wheeled me right to Labor and Delivery.  We got into a room, confirmed that indeed my water did break (duh), got all hooked up, and waited.  It was 2:00am.  We waited.  And waited some more.  Apparently, there was an emergency c-section at another hospital that the doctor went to perform.  As we waited, the contractions got stronger and more painful…to the point where I couldn't talk anymore during them.  Finally, the doctor showed up.  And at this point, it was becoming daytime so my regular OB also was able to come to the c-section.

At the hospital.  At that point, we still thought we would have Zachary soon.  We eventually gave into the fact that he probably wasn't coming until the morning.

Read to roll!

And then there was the c-section….

It wasn't painful or bad or anything.  But I kinda freaked out.  Afterwards I tried to figure out why and I think (this may sound weird), I was a bit claustrophobic.  During this pregnancy, I had restless leg syndrome at night.  Some nights I literally could not stay in bed….it was almost painful to keep still.  So, when they numbed my legs for the surgery, I desperately wanted to move them (though moving them meant I could feel things, which I didn't want either).  And the sheet they put in front of you was up high and was really close to my face.  Plus, let's be honest, I was having intensive surgery while being awake.  It's kinda creepy.  Anywho… not to freak anyone out or anything, but that's why I think this time around was a bit harder than last time.

So, after Zachary came out and I heard him crying and saw his sweet little goopy face, I felt better and was able to concentrate on him.  Unlike last time, Zachary and Jeff got to stay in the room with me, which was so fun!  I couldn't see anything, but I heard it all.  And Jeff faithfully documented it with our camera.

Goopy baby Zachary

After the surgery was over, I was wheeled to recovery, where they bathed Zachary for the first time right in front of me.  It was awesome being a part of this this time around.  Once in our room, it was still too early for visitors, so we got some time by ourselves.  It was great.  My cousin's wife was the lactation specialist on duty that day, so she got to be the first one to see baby Zachary!

The "bath"

From the very beginning, he's had this raspy, smokers cry.  It's so cute and not very ear-piercing or loud.  Which is a good thing because we already have a Piccolo Pete in the house.  

He's also had this thing with his tongue since he was born.  He sticks it out all the time and it's a pretty long tongue!

Cousin Jill

All this time, we were also coordinating who had our boys and how they were going to get down the hill to Fresno.  Apparently, once they woke up and were informed that Mommy had gone to the hospital to have a baby, our neighbor, Miss Bunnie, came over and took care of them.  She even offered to drive them down the hill for us!  So, we worked out a plan where she would drive them down the hill and drop them off with Jeff's parents.  Their visit and seeing their faces as they laid eyes on their little brother for the first time was so fun!  But, that doesn't come for a few more hours.  =)

Once the visiting hours opened that morning, our families came to visit and hold the newest addition to the family.  It was fun introducing our son to everyone!  And Miss Bunnie got to come and hold him too!

Grandma Dorothy

Papa Brian

Ron Papa

Nana

Auntie Ashley

The Greatest Man Ever

Uncle Mark and Auntie Cara

And my big boys arrive!!  Yeah!!

Here he is!

Mom, what's this?

They kept handing him his stuffed animals.

S kisses

E kisses

Curiosity 

How cute is this bunch?!?

First family picture

He has a Superman hat!

E loves holding him.  Even still, he likes having him sleep on his pillow pet.

Sam started this thing with Zachary where they rub their nose on his and say, "Cutty cutty cutty!"  Not sure where that came from, but it's pretty darn cute.  (This is E)

Our fearless and faithful Miss Bunnie!  Her daughter Hannah also came, but kids under a certain age can't visit the newborns (unless they are siblings).