Graham is here!

We are overjoyed to introduce the newest member of our family Graham Eric Johnson, born October 20th at 6:40 a.m. weighing in at 9 pounds 2 ounces and measuring 21.5 inches long.

Having had a fairly rough delivery with Grady there were so many friends and family and coworkers who tried to comfort me by telling me that the second time around is so much easier. Even my doctors reiterated that typically the second baby is much easier. Then there were those few kindred spirits who admitted that if their second child had come first, they may have just had one child.  I fall in the latter category.  Not really, but it was quite the eventful birth, but of course it was all worth it in the end.  Although I don't really want to remember all the details, I do want to remember most of them. This is one of three of the most memorable and special days in my life so here goes the long story. . . for me and my little Graham's sake mostly so that I can remind him that he owes me later on in life :)

I had a Dr. appointment the day before my due date.  The physician practice that my doctor is a part of is a group of doctors and they are on a rotating call for delivery so towards the end of the pregnancy they suggest that it may be good to meet some of the other doctors in the group.  Chris and I both waited together to meet Dr. Uranga at my last doctor appointment, and in walked the same doctor that we saw the appointment before Grady was born. I didn't' recognize her name, but I sure recognized her face and she remembered us as well. She was so kind and spent time discussing options with us including inducing labor given my bone structure and that I'd successfully delivered with an unplanned induction with Grady before (after my water broke and I didn't go into labor).  She said I was a good candidate for an induction and that she was on call over the weekend and would be happy to help us with bring our baby into the world.

We left the doctor's office wondering what on earth we'd do.  I didn't expect to have the option to induce before I hit 41 weeks.  Nobody really wants to induce in any event so I really struggled with the decision. We talked about it at length, I did my diligence, talked to my primary doctor, and debated and debated.  Since Grady barely squeaked through, I decided that it was better to go ahead with an induction than wait for what could be another week to have this baby.  I called to go ahead and book the induction and was told they don't do inductions on the weekend.  After agonizing over the decision it was disappointing when I was told it was no longer an option.  However, a few hours later they called back and said that Dr. Uranga was willing to take us in so we booked it for Sunday.

Sunday morning came and we were up at the crack of dawn to go have a baby.  Needless to say we were disappointed when they called at 6:00 a.m. to tell us that they were so busy they couldn't take an induction that morning.  So we sat and waited to call back at noon.  We called back and they were still busy.  So we went for a walk, talked through our options, and agonized some more.  We got a call at 3:30 in the afternoon saying that they'd take us if we wanted to go.  Not sure why we felt this way, but we both felt like it was time to get Graham out so we bit the bullet knowing we'd be in labor through the night.

My mom came to watch Grady and I was SO happy he woke up from his nap before we left so that we could say goodbye.  The feeling of leaving my baby at home knowing he'd no longer be my "baby" when we got home was emotional.  We took one last photo as a family of three and shared hugs and kisses and headed out.  When we arrived to the hospital, an adorable little family with grandparents a little blond toddler and an infant were in the waiting room.  I was watching the little boy play thinking how much he reminded me of Grady when out came Dr. Uranga greeting her family and telling us "better late than never".  I had no idea that she herself had just returned from maternity leave.  It is strange, but just seeing her cute little family gave me so much comfort that we'd made a good decision.

So in we went to have a baby.  They start by monitoring the baby to establish a baseline heart rate. Not surprisingly, they had a really hard time doing this for Graham because he was so active.  They couldn't figure out why his heart rate fluctuated so much until they ultimately determined that he was just a very active baby.  I was then hooked up to the Pitocin and we were ready to go.  It was close to 7:00 p.m. at this point.

Like with Grady, contractions started almost immediately and intensified very quickly.  I had been assured that if I didn't fall into a good labor pattern I could unhook and go home.  I know it sounds crazy to think anyone would do that, but somehow having the option made me comfortable.   However, as my contractions got stronger my water broke on its own.  It was then that we  were absolutely certain that we were going to be having a baby that day and I was comforted by the fact that my body was in fact ready to have a baby, or as ready as it could be.  Four painful hours later, I told them that I was ready to be checked again.  The nurse was shocked to discover that I was at an eight explaining that she figured I was at a three or so by the way I was acting.  I felt pleased that I progressed so quickly, but knew that this was only half the story.  She told me that if I wanted an epidural, now would be the time.  I told her absolutely.  She said, "are you sure?  You are progressing so quickly and it may not actually kick in before you have him."  Knowing how my delivery went with Grady I told her that I absolutely wanted one.

So I got my epidural and felt pain relief immediately.  I was at a nine by the time I got the epidural and at a 10 within half an hour after that, and I think the nurse was convinced we'd have a baby within an hour or two.  However, the baby was still pretty high.  They had me push a little to see how quickly he'd move down so I pushed for an hour with not much progress.  What we knew from our delivery with Grady and from what the doctors told us, the shape of my pelvis makes it very hard for a baby to move through.  So after an hour of pushing, I was put into the butterfly position to see if my body could naturally push the baby through a bit.  My epidural was still hooked up, but this was intensely painful for me.  It felt like bone was just pressing on bone, which I presume was the baby's head trying to work through my pelvis.  After not much progress there, it was time to push on my own again.  Three hours later, the baby had made progress, but the progress was really slow.  I was disappointed, exhausted, and scared.  In came Dr. Uranga and she said we were going to have this baby.  I was happy to see her and was reinvigorated by her positive outlook and excitement.   I made some additional progress pushing and again, like with Grady, in came the NICU team because they wanted to monitor the baby's breathing after delivery.  It was then that I knew were really were close to delivering.

I pushed some more before it was determined that a vacuum assist would likely be needed.  I was prepared for this option and less scared than I was with Grady since he appears to be fine after having been delivered in this manner.  By this point I was just desperate to get the baby out.  Within a few minutes I was crying for mercy and Graham was on his way out.  I am pretty sure that I waived the surrender flag saying "I give up, I am done!" when Graham was halfway out.  I was embarrassed, but couldn't help it.  I'd hit my limit at precisely the wrong time.  I was in intense pain and questioned the point of an epidural (I cannot imagine what it would have been like without one).  The doctor looked at me, gave me a pep talk and convinced me that I could do this.  I was almost there.  She coached me through the last few minutes with such calmness and confidence and soon enough Graham was out.  I was so relieved to say the least.  For being a 12 hour labor, it was sure an eventful 12 hours.

Graham was quickly rushed over to the NICU nurses in the room for monitoring and they announced that he was 9 pounds 2 ounces.   I was shocked.  Chris weighed about six pounds when he was born and Grady and I were both 7 pounds 7 ounces so a nine pound baby was not even in the realm of possibilities in my mind.  No wonder the little stinker was so hard to deliver.  Dr. Uranga told me that I should be very proud and to me, that meant the world.  I was proud.  I wish it had been easier for me, I wish I didn't need a vacuum assist, I wish I didn't tell them that I gave up, but in the end I am so proud that I delivered our little Graham.

The drama didn't quite end there.  Graham was not doing as well as they'd like so he was whisked off to the NICU to monitor his breathing after a quick kiss from me.  Chris followed Graham while the doctors and nurses dealt with issues of my own.  I started hemorrhaging after delivery and could tell it was not "normal".  The doctor was working quickly and was fast to order the necessary medications.  I received shots of one medication meant to stop the bleeding, then another, then another.  They had my blood worked up for a transfusion and I remember just feeling very light headed and extremely fatigued as my blood pressure continued to drop.  Here I was having just given birth and I could barely keep my eyes open.  Soon enough the medications kicked in.  I didn't end up getting a transfusion and slowly began improving.  I was monitored for the next 4 hours in the labor and delivery room with Chris popping in to check on me between his time in the NICU with Graham. It was so weird to not have my baby with me, but I was in no position to be able to hold a baby.  I wasn't necessarily sad, I was just overwhelmingly exhausted and light headed and just felt the desperate need for him to improve and for me to improve so that we could be reunited and have our moment together.

After they felt comfortable that I had stabilized and reviewed my blood work, I was transferred down to a recovery room. I was transferred from bed to bed and wheeled down to the room where I waited for another hour to see my baby.  Graham was delivered to our room with the good news that he was doing just great now.  Once Graham came in, all was perfect in the world.  The drama and the trauma of the last 24 hours were all worth it.  I got to peak under his hat to see his brown hair (yes, this one has some hair and it is brown!), feel what it feels like to hold a nine pound newborn, look at his huge feet and long fingers, kiss his full cheeks, and tell him his name.

We struggled to pick a name for a second son.  We chose a name that stuck for several weeks, but moved off it at about 30 weeks.  We then had a short list, but couldn't narrow it down to one.  We both loved the name Graham before we were even pregnant with him, but worried that Grady and Graham were too close and that Grady, Graham and Cam (cousin) would be confusing.  And Chris reminded me that we didn't want to be like the Duggars (those crazy folks on TV that have 19 kids whose names all start with the letter J).  Ultimately, we decided that Graham will stand on his own two feet one day, that Grady and Graham were cute little brotherly names, that parents mix up their own kids names anyway, and that Grady, Graham and Cam can just be the three musketeers. So Graham it was.  The middle name of Eric is in honor of Graham's papa, a man that we both admire greatly.  Now that I know him, he is a Graham for sure.

During the whole ordeal, Chris was remarkably calm and immensely supportive.  I could not ask for a better husband, father and partner. 

Graham Eric Johnson, you sure know how to make a notable entrance.  We love you and we are SO happy that you are here and are healthy and are such an amazing part of our little family.

Last picture before leaving for the hospital.

  Last pregnant picture with a little deer in the headlights going on. 

He is here!

I may hang this one next to my diplomas as one of my biggest accomplishments.  I shudder to think what he would have weighed had we waited another week. I now feel more confident than ever that we made the right choice to induce.

Cheeks for days.

At this hospital Grady was far more interested in all the buttons on the machinery than his little brother.  It was a very quick first visit.  On the cute side, when he was first shown a picture of his baby brother his response was, "but he doesn't have any clothes on."

We are so lucky that 4 of five grandparents were able to visit and hold Graham.  What a lucky boy who is so loved already.

Auntie E and Uncle D made a visit too.   So grateful to have them here to share these special times.

All dressed up and ready to go home.  We were warned that with my problems, we'd likely need to stay an extra day or two in the hospital.  Luckily, although my blood levels dropped a bit more, I recovered relatively quickly and was able to go home on the 21st.  We arrived home just as the World Series was starting, good timing buddy, good timing. 

I swear he looks like Grady did when he was a month old.

Home at last with Graham.  Couldn't be happier with my sweet family.