Shelby Claire's Birthday

Monday, February 21st, Clay and I started our day at 3:00 in the morning. We'd scheduled a c-section for 7:00 am and were told to be at the hospital by 5:00 am. Clay didn't want to risk being late so we left our house at 4:15 for the 20 minute trip. Ha! It never hurts to be early!

39.5 weeks, on the way to the hospital to have Shelby Claire

When we arrived, we were taken to the pre-op room and there we waited. We waited for our nurse to arrive who wasn't scheduled to be there until 5:00am. Hee! When Melissa did arrive, she prepped me for surgery and was super efficient. We loved her. I was in a room with another pregnant woman and we were both being prepped. The other nurse kept poking her head into our partition and asking for our nurse's supplies. I was so glad that Melissa was my nurse and not the other one! Our nurse was from London and was here studying at UAB. She was working on her master's degree in neonatal safety and delivery or something like that. As soon as she told me that, I was more relaxed. By 5:30, she was completely done with all she had to do to me so we waited... again.

At 6:30, she walked me to the operating room and told Clay to wait outside. She said, "It won't be but just a minute.". At that point, I became very nervous. They didn't want him in there while they gave me the spinal but I would have loved to have him there. It took them awhile to get everything ready and for the anesthesiologist to arrive. During that time, I tried not to worry, but I was so nervous I began to shake. The anesthesiologist finally arrived and began cutting jokes with all the nurses and flirting up a storm. He was driving me crazy! He tried to joke with me about him being the best anesthesiologist and how lucky I was to have him but I wasn't feeling it. I did muster up a smile for him, but GEEZ, get on with it! Admittedly, he did do a great job with the spinal. I barely felt a thing-- just a little pressure and then it was over. As soon as he finished, the nurses got worked up in a frenzy and started telling me to "lie back, lie back". Apparently it only takes like 10 seconds or so for the spinal to work. My legs swiftly began to feel like jello and then I couldn't feel them at all. I was slanted slightly on the table (bed?!?) and I kept asking the nurses if I was falling off. They all responded with, "no, no, you are just fine" but I couldn't get that thought out of my head. I just KNEW I was about to fall off that table!

About this time, Clay got to come in and he was all smiles and very calming. He started talking to me and holding my hand and I wasn't nearly as scared as I had been. They had put a cover up right under my chin making it where I couldn't see anything that was going on (not that I wanted to!). I was talking to Clay and he was taking pictures and the whole time, Shelby Claire was being born and I didn't even know it. I asked Clay when were they going to get started and he said, "Oh, they already have! She's coming!". I was so surprised! The next thing I know (at 7:06), I hear the precious cry of a newborn and the tears started streaming down my face! It's such a wonderful sound!! 

They moved her over to her own little table and started cleaning her up and making her presentable. They gave her an Apgar test and she passed with flying colors. They took her foot prints and weighed her-- all this I got to see! At 8:00, I was back in my room, holding my new baby girl and showing her off to our family. It was all such a wonderful experience and I am so glad we chose to schedule a c-section this time. One day, I will write about how Audrey came into the world but for now, just know it wasn't nearly as calming, peaceful, or stress-free as Shelby Claire's entrance!

Now, we are two weeks past Shelby Claire's birthday and we are settling in nicely as a family of four. Audrey loves her little sister and has transitioned very well to not being the only child. Life is good.