marc and michelle

Baby Bennett...OVERLOAD

I've really been needing to blog everything, but life really hasn't slowed down since bringing Bennett home from the hospital (and I have a feeling its not going to slow down anytime soon, so I am just going to start writing this and write whenever I have a chance, so I can get it posted). I can't believe Bennett will be two weeks old on Monday. Time has really flown...in someways.

I have definitely been a lot more relaxed this time around and really trying to enjoy every moment. I think with Jackson I was so nervous and anxious that I didn't enjoy all the little stages with him. As much as I don't care to be savoring all the nursing woes or staying up for several hours in the middle of the night (some nights), I sure am loving the warmth and snuggliness of our little guy.

Overall Bennett has been a very good baby and I actually haven't had much to struggle with. He must still be in his newborn sleepy stage, because that's all he does and I haven't had to get up with him more than once most nights. Just keep your fingers crossed for me. :)

Anyway, let me back up a little and write about Labor and Delivery...

Waiting for Bennett

Holding Bennett for the first time

Starting about a week before Bennett was born I started having contractions. They would come and go, but would mostly come at night and last through the night and get as close as 4 minutes apart some days, but then every time I would think, "this could be it", maybe I better start getting ready to go to the hospital the contractions would just stop. This left both Marc and I with very little sleep and with Marc's need to study this was not a great combo.

With little sleep and contractions at 5 minutes apart on Sunday we decided to go in and have things checked. Just to see where I was at and if I was even close to getting the baby out of me. :) When I got the Hospital my contractions had become more sporadic and crazy, but I decided to just go in and have things checked anyway. The hooked me up and said my contractions were just jumping all around...12 minutes, then 5, then 7. But nothing consistent. They checked me and said I was dilated to a 6!!!

Jackson meeting Bennett for the first time

So they told me to take a walk around Westwood for an hour and then come back and have things checked. We took a little walk and when I came back my contractions were about 7 minutes apart. They had me take another walk around and when I came back my contractions were 5 minutes apart, but I wasn't dilating anymore. So they broke my water and watched me for a few more hours.

I STILL didn't progress anymore, so they gave me pitocin. About 45 minutes into the pitocin I felt like I was going to die. The contractions were SO hard. I started to have the need to push (I've always wondered what that felt like, since I've had other Friends have their children naturally and talk about it). It was then that my body completely took over and just started pushing. I honestly couldn't control it. My contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart at this point. They checked me and said I was only at a 7 and that I couldn't push yet.You can't tell by his face here, but he loved this shirt
and had been waiting for days to wear it.

They said that if I wanted an epidural this was the time to get one. Since I wasn't being allowed to push and I seriously couldn't stop my body from pushing, I told them to bring her in. The doctor stepped out into the hall and was gone maybe 30 seconds. When she came back in and saw how much pain I was in, she said she wanted to check me again. When she checked me she was shocked and said the baby's head was crowning!

She told me to try not to push so she could get things set up for labor (yeah right...I'll do my best). :) A room full of 10-15 people (lots of student doctors a "true OBGYN" and Residents filled the room) about 1 minute and 3 pushes later Bennett arrived.

Jackson laid down by Bennett and just soaked him up.
The day we were leaving the hospital.

So yes I had him natural, but would I do it again...probably not. Yes, some things have been nice. Like my recovery. I think since he was in the birth canal for all of 30 seconds, things have recovered easier than the first time. I am glad I didn't have to get an epidural after all the horror stories that I had heard from people that had to get one from a resident student doctors. It was such a relief. I feel blessed that things went so smoothly and I was able to do it without having the epidural.

I spent Monday in the Hospital and then came home on Tuesday. Tuesday morning Marc took a final and then he headed over to the hospital where we sat for 2 hours trying to come up with a name. We had SUCH a hard time naming him. The Birth Certificate lady kept coming in to ask if we had a name yet. Finally we sent the Birth Certificate out with the name Oliver on it. About 3 minutes after it left the room, I made Marc chase the lady down so we could change the name to Bennett. :) We really have a hard time naming out boys. :)

My parents brought Jackson to the hospital and met Bennett. They drove all night Monday night to get here to help. Since Marc was in the middle of finals it was a crazy week for him and it helped SO much to have them around.

First Family Photo

One of the days while my parents were here we drove down to Hemet and visited with my grandparents. It was so great to see them and have them meet Bennett. Plus, Jackson got to pick oranges off of their trees and then go through their storage closet, where they have TONS of candy. Jackson was definitely in Heaven.

First Bath at home

My parents were here for a full week and then Marc had a week off of school, so it was really nice to have him around. We were able to get to organizing the boys room (crazy that I can now put an "s" on the end of boy) and to get things a little more settled before he had to hit the books again. I know it wasn't his most relaxing break, but I sure was glad that we were able to get things feeling more settled.

I am now facing the reality of having two kids and a husband at school all day. How has it been? Well, I am surviving. Jackson might be watching a little too much TV right now and I might be falling asleep sitting up, at times, but we are surviving (I just keep telling myself that a little too much TV for a few weeks can't hurt him, and I need a break/nap sometimes).

Well, yea for you, if you made it this far down. I'm impressed. You deserve a pat on the back or something for reading this far.