Baby Ryan is here, baby Ryan is here, baby Ryan is HERE!!!

Okay, so it’s been a bit since I’ve posted and I do have a very, very, very good reason for why I haven't been able to post. What is that reason you ask? Like you haven't already guessed, but that reason is because baby Ryan is HERE! Look at the little guy, isn't he cute:

Ryan's going home from the hospital outfit! Nike all the way1

Ryan Charles Lee was born on Sunday, July 8^th at 2:26 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. I experienced the first stages of labor for about a week prior to his birth and was actually at the hospital on two different occasions before I “officially” went into hard labor on Sunday morning around 3:04 am. If you’re wondering why I remember the time, well, it’s due to the fact that the pain I was having completely woke me up and the last time we went into the hospital the doctor told us to time everything out to the second to make sure I was really going into labor. So, I wanted to know exactly when the pain started and after three hours of constant intense contractions, we made our way over to Aurora and eight or so hours later, Ryan finally made his way into this world!

I’m not going to lie; labor was tough and something that is very difficult to describe. It was gross, it was uncomfortable, it was intense and painful, and it was at times completely unbearable, so much so that I didn’t think I was going to make it through it. I even got all the drugs that were available to help with the pain, yet that only took the edge off and what really was unpleasant was how the epidural they gave me didn’t quite work like it should have. Not sure if that was the anesthesiologist’s mistake or what, but half of my lower body was well aware of what was going on and at one point, I was in total agony and the nurse actually brought the anesthesiologist back into the room to give me another dose. That helped a little and every 15 minutes; I was able to press a button to give myself a little more pain medication. Let’s just say, I kept pressing that button even when 15 minutes hadn’t passed. To the women who did, and are planning do this, without those pain medications, I salute you! I couldn’t even imagine what it would have felt like without getting those drugs!

When it was time to finally push, I was totally ready for everything to be over and I went into full blown athlete mode, forcing myself to give it everything that I had. I wanted Ryan to be here, so, I dug deep and pushed with all the energy I had left. After 20-25 minutes of pushing, Ryan was on the verge of being born. However, my body wasn’t quite cooperating and we needed some help from the delivery doctor who used a vacuum and an incision to basically get Ryan out. As soon as the incision was made, which Dave told me about later, Ryan was born. It was a moment in my life that I will never forget. Seeing him there, in the doctor’s hands was so surreal. In seconds, Ryan was whisked away by the on-call NICU doctor for a quick check-up since the umbilical cord was actually wrapped around his neck. The check-up took like two seconds though given that Ryan was fine and a few moments later, he was in our arms. His eyes were wide open and the little guy didn’t even cry. What a trooper. He went through a lot too ya know! Being able to hold him and love him for the first time was, again, another moment in my life that I will never forget and I’m getting choked up writing about it. Ryan is a little me and a little Dave all wrapped up into one. Man, life is so precious and beautiful. All the pain and the labor and the entire pregnancy was worth it when we got to hold him. :)

Ryan will be a week old tomorrow and there is so much more I want to write about, but with a newborn commanding my full attention, my schedule has been a little filled up at the moment. :) Before I go, I do want to thank the staff at Aurora. All the doctors were completely awesome and the nurse, Lisa, who guided me through labor process was completely amazing. There were a lot of other caring nurses who helped me recover as well and only one that I wasn’t all that thrilled with. Aside from that, my labor experience was an all-around good one, especially with my husband by my side. 

Dave and Ryan taking a little nap yesterday.

Thank you dear for your support and for helping me through it all. Your coaching during the delivery of our child and everything that you have done since then has been so wonderful that I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to thanking you. I love you so much dear. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you! I also want to thank my parents, my brother, Dave’s kids, and all our friends for their support as well.

With that said, I’m going to have to shut off the computer for the day. Ryan is due for a bottle any minute, but check back soon because I there are some fun posts coming up about a whole bunch of interesting stuff that I want to pass along! So until next time, it’s Carla the tomboy, and the new mom, signing off.