Fall Break was definitely an exciting time in our home. I had to take a big test for my teaching license re-certification on Thursday morning. I had been dreading it for over a month. It was one of those tests where they test all of this random knowledge of theory with only a few questions on practical application, but it is required so I took it! I studied and studied Wednesday night (the 14th), and felt like I had a good grasp on the concepts. Well, I got up Thursday morning - later than usual since it was Fall Break and I didn't have to teach that day - and got ready. Just as I was about to leave the house, I got a text that my sister-in-law was on her way to the hospital because her water had broken. They were only two hours away so I knew I had time. I went up to campus and took my test. Somehow I was able to focus on the test and not the fact that my new nephew would be born soon (IT WAS A MIRACLE!!)
Once I finished my test I went home, vacuumed my house (it was in dire need of a good vacuuming) and packed a bag. Then I headed down to the hospital with my parents. Since we didn't know how long it would be or when we would be back, Jeremy didn't go with us - he couldn't miss work the next day. We got to the hospital pretty quickly despite rush hour traffic, multiple accidents, and large spots of construction. When we got there, we didn't get to go in immediately as she was getting her epidural (which ended up being a really good decision). After about 45 minutes or so we got to go back and visit with her. We got there around 2pm and just hung out talking, laughing, making fun of each other (with the exception of my sister-in-law Kaitlynn. No one was making fun of her). A few hours went by, then a few more. We ate some dinner and let her rest for a while. Then we continued to wait. I always knew that labor was a long process, but I didn't realize just how long and..... laborious (groan.. I know).
As is custom, the nurses kept coming in to check on Kaitlynn's progress, which was slow. They kept turning the Petocin on and off, but noticed that the baby's heart rate would drop when she was on it in larger doses. But if she was off the Petocin she wasn't progressing as they would like. In addition, the baby was head-down, but face up. Normally the baby is face down and that keeps them from getting bruised as badly. Around 11pm they called the doctor in and decided that the best choice was to do a C-section. We went and waited in the lobby (it was my parents, myself, and Kaitlynn's family). We waited anxiously, all quite nervous. My mom watched a video on C-sections and was in the middle of telling us about them when we heard what might possibly be the most beautiful sound in the entire world - the sound of a baby's first cries. We all knew that those were the cries we had been waiting for and we all started crying, too. The receptionist at the counter told us we could go wait by the doors they will come out of for when the baby was brought out to be taken to the nursery for testing. After what seemed like FOR-E-VER, but was probably only about 10 minutes, my brother, Isaac, came out with their new son, Aiden. He told us that they had made the right decision because as soon as the doctor saw the baby he informed them that the cord was wrapped around his neck. They got him out, though, and he was as healthy as could be. He was 20.5 inches and 8 pounds, 10 ounces. Even though he was a fairly big baby, he was as sweet as could be. He barely cried while they were doing the tests (even when he got shots and blood drawn). It was amazing, though. Every time he would start to cry, Isaac would reach out and take his hand, and Aiden stopped crying almost immediately.
After the testing was done, we went back up to the room, held him, and then left so that Kaitlynn, Isaac, and Aiden could have time together as a new family, and get some rest. We went to a hotel and got a few hours of sleep before heading back to the hospital for a while. We got to just sit and hold Aiden (which was amazing!) and talk to Kaitlynn. It also allowed Isaac to go and take a test that he was walking out the door to take when Kaitlynn informed him she was in labor and they were off to the hospital. Not long after we arrived, the doctors told Kaitlynn she could eat normal food (not just IV fluids anymore.. YAY!) so we got her a milkshake. I have now gained a new respect for all of my sisters-in-law. They have all gone through labor, and put up with all of the shenanigans that their families enact when sitting in the room with them. They are amazing women. Well, eventually we had to head home and that was a painful experience.
I can't ever begin to understand in full the pain a birth mother feels when she places her child with their adoptive parents and has to leave the hospital. I imagine she feels very alone and as if something is missing. All I know is that I think I felt an umpteenth (like a millionth of a percentage) of what they feel as I left Aiden. It was like a piece of my heart was no longer where it should be. I feel that every time I leave my nieces and nephews, but with this one being so new, so vulnerable, and so small, I think it was a little different. This experience also exponentially increased my respect for those amazing birth mothers who carry that child for 9 months, experiencing a kind of hell during that time. Some of them sicker than they have ever been in their lives. Yet, they make that selfless decision to place their child. In no way am I saying that mothers who choose to parent are selfish. In both cases the parents are making the decision that they feel is best for their child, and that is what matters. But, at this point, I can only speak about birth mothers. I am so amazed at their resilience, strength, and awed by their love. They are the answer to prayer, truly. This experience also impressed upon me just how amazing it will be to expand my family, not only with a child, but with a whole group of new people. If it is what the birth parents want, we will gain more aunts, uncles, grandparents, and other family members. It will be like our family tree just sprouted more beautiful branches and became stronger. I
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