On September 29th I woke up at 5am with a pain in my back and lower stomach, thinking nothing of it I tried to fall back to sleep. I woke up a few times through out the night with that same pain. When I woke up in the morning I told my mom that I think I was having contractions (I slept over at her house since we were going to the scrapbook expo on Saturday). She told me to call my doctor and see what he would recommend that I do. He told me not to worry about them until they are so bad that it is hard to walk. So we got ready for the expo and headed out. While at the expo I kept having these contractions about every half hour. My sister and mom were helping me to time them so we could see if they were getting closer. As the day went on they moved to 15 mins apart. There is always a dance off that I do and this year I wasn't going to since I was going into labor I didn't think that it would be good to dance. Well I changed my mind and I participated in the dance. I actually won a prize, so it was worth it! After dancing my contractions moved to about 10 mins apart. When the expo was over at 6pm we started to load up the car and I was now having them every 5 mins!! So I called Griffin and told him that he needed to come get me so we could head to the Hospital.
We made it to our house packed up our bags and headed to Timpanogas Hospital. We got there around 8pm. They checked me and I was only a 3.. but my contractions were about every 2 mins apart now. They were getting pretty painful!! So they told me in an hour they would check me again... well I didn't change. They recommend that we get up and walk around to see if I would dilate any more.
We found some stairs and walked up and down them 4 times!! I was having so many contractions during walking the stairs. It was so painful!! Griff was such a sweetheart rubbing my back during the contractions, I was having back labor!! I would not wish that kind of pain on anyone. When we got back to our room they checked me again... I hadn't moved from a 3! So they sent me home and gave me some pain meds. I cried, I was so disappointed! We headed to McDonald's because I hadn't eaten anything since lunch. While eating the contractions were coming on stronger and more painful...
When we made it home I sat in the tub for about an hour trying to relax and calm down. I finally got into bed around 1am... I was having the WORST contractions almost every minute now. I was crying with every one! Griff helped me out of bed at 2am and helped me down the stairs and we headed back to the hospital. I was checked and was dilated to a 4 1/2. They admitted me!! They hooked me up to the IV and started giving me my epidural. Since I was having back labor my back was beyond tense so he was having a hard time getting the epidural in my back... He tried 3 times and couldn't get it! Finally try number 4 was successful. Now it was a waiting game. I was checked every hour and I would dilate a little each time. Our families came around 5 and 6am to be with us. At noon I was finally a 10!! I was pushing for 2 1/2 hours and thought to myself that she was never going to be here... Half way through pushing my epidural medicine ran out and I could feel EVERYTHING!! So they called the anesthesiologist down to give me more. Thank heavens for medicine! At 2:35pm on Sunday September 30th Blakelee Marie Bland was born!
She weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces 20 inches long.
Our first family picture! Griff was amazing through it all. He was there for me helping me through the whole labor and delivery. I never thought that we would be closer then we were but going through this experience brought us closer together. It is the best feeling in the world.
He is so proud to be a daddy. He has been smiling ear to ear for days!! He loves his baby girl!
After having her and having our own family bonding time, we invited our families in to meet the newest member of the family.
During the time of everyone meeting her and holding her the nurse was checking her, giving her shots, bathing her, and getting her all ready. Blakes hated it.. She did not like being cold.
Uncle Devin
Aunt Megan
Grandpa and Grandma Anderson
Aunt Whitney, Grandpa and Grandma Bland
After getting her bathed and the medicine worn off a bit on me they moved us to our new room. I had to be wheeled in a wheel chair it is crazy how long the numbness in your legs lasts.. you think you are good because in the bed you can move your feet and legs around but when they help you off the bed to the chair you feel like your going to collapse. When we got to our new room we got settled and ate some dinner. Then we had more visitors..
Great Grandpa and Grandma Payne
Laura
Courtnie
The next day we woke up had breakfast, and I started to move around a lot more. I was walking around the room so I didn't just sit there in my bed. Griff and I watched TV and talked about so many things. We had the Bella Baby Photos come take pictures of Blakelee.. We of course bought them (pictures to come). Then we had more visitors come. I was hoping to take a shower and clean up but the day went to fast and then we had our friends and family over all night.
Sleepy baby girl.
Luke
Russ and Lisa
Aunt Lindsay
Our friends Steve and Lara brought these beautiful flowers for us!!
On Tuesday it was time to start packing everything up so we can go home. But first nap time!! They were so tired. My mom came to the hospital at 11:30am to help us get discharged. We loaded up the car and put her in her car seat and we were gone by 1:30pm.
When we were driving home it was very different leaving with a little one and being more careful as we drove knowing that we had precious cargo in the back.
It has now been a week since she was born and we both still feel like she is on loan... It hasn't hit us yet that she is ours and we are parents. It is amazing how much time and energy it takes to be a parent. You hear people telling you that it is a life changing experience and a struggle at times but you never know how hard it really is until you have your baby! It is the best feeling being a mom but it is also one of the hardest things that I have done. My time is no longer my time it is her time, when she needs to eat, when she needs to be rocked, when she needs a diaper change, and when she needs to sleep or be awake!! No more time for us to be selfish we don't get to do everything that we want anymore. As simple as taking a shower is hard to find the time! Our house is a disaster and laundry is piling up, I hope I get the hang of things and can get more things done. Griff is my hero through all this. He helps so much!!! Nights are very hard because she cries more, so one night Griff had Blakelee downstairs for 3 hours and let me head to bed early so I wouldn't be so tired. He talks to me through everything and lets me just vent to him about everything that is going on, and gives me advice on how to deal with it all. He has been so understanding about me not getting much done around the house and he has been such a big help picking up! He wakes up with me when she is up at night and helps me figure out what is wrong and what she needs. I LOVE him so much!!!!!
Blakelee has been sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed since the day we brought her home, she would cry almost all night! So last night we put her in her crib in her room, she cried at first but then calmed down. She slept almost through the night other then a feeding times and diaper changes. I think she is a light sleeper and would hear us moving and it would wake her up. We might be keeping her in her crib from here on out!!
We love her to death and can't wait till we get the hang of things!
She is so cute and is the perfect combo of us both.
Love you baby girl.
