My Axton

I just wanted to share the story of the arrival of my son Axton Nathaniel..for it is something that will resound in my heart forever, and I will never forget any of it.

It all started on Tuesday morning when I was having really weird crampy feelings. It was very odd because I was having Braxton Hicks..but very regularly. I had them every 5 minutes, for about a minute each. They weren't like the regular Braxton Hicks that I had been feeling, they were much stronger..but still didn't hurt. I had my doctors appointment on Thursday so I was just going to wait it out to see what would happen. The regular braxton hicks never went away and continued for a couple days. I went to the doctor on Thursday and he said that I was still 80% effaced but I was 4cm dilated. 4 cm dilated!?! I was like..what the heck isn't this when some people get epidurals!? I was just so antsy for him to come but it seemed like he was taking his jolly ole good time...I was just happy that I was making progress. Thursday night I still had the regular braxton hicks and later in the evening they turned into heavy crampy feelings. The heavy crampy feelings only lasted a couple hours..but the doctor wanted me to come in on Friday morning and get checked again. Friday morning I was still at 4cm, but he doctor told me I was definitely in labor. Early labor. The regular braxton hicks continued and I was just so ready to meet him! Saturday Cody and I just had a very relaxed day. Later in the afternoon we went over to Jessie and Max's house and played Wii. My regular braxton hicks still continued and I just wanted them to start hurting..I prayed for them to start hurting. Saturday night they got a little more intense..and when I say that I mean...my stomach would get ROCK hard..not just hard..but they still didn't hurt. Cody and I watched a couple DVD's of planet earth. He was dead tired but I just didn't feel right and I just didn't want to go to bed quite yet. At 11 o clock the braxton hicks started getting period crampy like..and I was just praying they would continue to get worse. They did. It was about 12:30 and I called my mom and told her what was going on, and called my sister and told her. I told them that I was just going to hang out to see what was happening and see if they got any worse. They did. They say that sometimes you can go into false labor, and if you lay down you can tell the difference. If you are in true labor, the contractions do not go away, if you are in false labor, they will. I layed down and the next contraction I had was SO much worse than the others. I got up walked down the stairs, had another contraction 4 minutes later in which really caught me off guard. I called the hospital to ask them if I should come in since they were about 3 to 4 minutes apart and lasting from 50 to 60 seconds. She asked if I could talk through my contractions....and I said..well yes...and she said..well you can come in and get checked if you want and we'll just go from there. So my mom came to pick Cody and I up and off we went to the hospital. We got there at 3am, the nurse checked me and I was at 5cm. She called Dr. Sorenson to seek advice as to what to do with the situation. He said that he didn't want to admit me just yet..and to monitor me for 3 to 4 hours and check me again at that point. I walked the halls and still had the contractions in which were getting stronger. I took a bath in the amazing whirlpool tub..but I was much more fond of standing during contractions instead of laying. At 6am, the nurse checked me again and I was at 6cm. She said that when she was checking me she felt something weird. She could definitely feel Axton's head, but there was something else that she didn't know what it was. She called the doctor again and he said he would come in and check me. He came in at 7am, and I was 8cm dilated!!!!! (the little thing she was feeling was his finger by his head I guess? But it wasn't there anymore when the doctor checked. Anyways, I was 8cm dilated and was soooo happy that I had made that much progess in such little time. I was very adament about going all natural...and I was just so happy that I had made it that far already. The contractions at 8cm were way more intense than the ones in the beginning, but the time inbetween contractions I was dancing and singing in the halls..and I'm sure no one would have guessed I was in labor. An hour later the nurse
came to check me and I was 9cm. During this whole process I was dealing with my contractions standing up, walking around that kind of thing. When the nurse had to check me, I had to lay down and the contractions during that time made me wish I was dead. Laying down during contraction + me = wanting to die. At that
point the contractions were getting prrrrreeetty unbearable. My water still had not broken..so I was just waiting for that to happen as well. My mom, sister, Cody and Cody's mom,Missy were all there with me to help me through everything. The contractions were getting REALLY REALLY absolutely disturbingly horrible
and at that point I was thinking in my head that going all natural was the stupidest idea I have ever had in my life. Unbearable. I knew that to make it through I had to be really mind strong and just focus and get in the zone. And that is what I did. I thought that maybe the whirlpool in the last stretch would feel nice so the nurse filled the tub. I got in and was out within 15 seconds. Not for me that is FOR SURE. It was about 10am, the doctor came in and said he was going to start to get set up. He wanted to break my water since it hadn't yet. I had to lay on the bed to do this. This means that I REALLY wanted to die. After he had broken my water...I felt like my life was ending. Literally. I was SO exhausted and I literally did not think my body could handle one more contraction. The nurse needed to take my blood pressure and I could not even lift my arm, I was BEAT. I was not even getting breaks inbetween my contractions. They would last 45 seconds or so..but they were back to back on top of each other with MAYBE a 10 second break before the next one began. The doctor told me that I had to lay down to deliver. I begged and pleaded with everything in me to let me deliver standing up cuz laying down was SO unbearable..but I knew that was rather unrealistic and if he felt more comfortable delivering with me laying down then I would much rather do it that way. I had a little tiny bit left to dilate before I could start pushing. These last moments of my labor before I could start pushing were actually very special to me. Granted..I wanted to die..and I thought I was dying. Everyone in the room new that I had hit my wall long before then, and were just giving me silence before I could begin to push. I had a couple of the worst contractions I had felt yet...and after that it was showtime. I started pushing at 10:25am. I was actually VERY relieved when I could start to push. I would feel a contraction come on, then start pushing. While I was pushing I didn't feel the contraction anymore because I was so focused on pushing. It felt SO relieving not to feel those dumb things..not saying that pushing felt like nothing because that definitely was not the case. Everyone got so excited when they saw Axton's full head of hair! They kept telling me, OH MY GOSH CAITLIN HE HAS SOOOO MUCH HAIR! Everyone else got to see his hair but me! It was such an unreal feeling to know that I was going to meet my son any second. His head came out and I got to see him for the first time. My stomach filled with butterflies and soon enough he was on my belly and I was holding my pride and joy. The child that I had been growing for 9 months..and what seemed like the whole reason for my existence on earth. I was instantly in love. I was so exhausted and so glad everything was over with, and SO glad that I finally had my son in my arms.
Cody cut his umbilical cord and it was just such an emotional time for everyone there. I couldn't believe it. Axton was FINALLY here! I loved watching everyone meet him for the first time. I just couldn't get over that HE was inside me that WHOLE time. Duh there was a baby in there..but it just was sooooo crazy to think about once he was out. Axton was 7 pounds 6 oz and 19 inches long. My labor in total was only 12 hours, and I pushed for 35 minutes. My contractions started at 11pm Saturday night, and he came into the world at exactly 11:00am the next morning. Cody and I enjoyed every second we got to bond with him at the hospital. They kept encouraging me to sleep and take advantage of the nurses ability to watch him while I sleep. Excuse me, if you could please tell me how to shut my brain off...have someone watch my son that I had been waiting 9 months to
meet, and not cry at the thought of him leaving my arms..then maybe I would have considered. We came home Tuesday night and I have been loving every second of being a mommy! Being Axton's mommy! I love seeing all the silly faces he makes, hearing
the ridiculously loud farts this little man has coming out of him, just EVERYTHING. I am so blessed in the fact that everything went so smoothly. I followed my birthing plan..and made it all natural. He is as healthy as can be, and I just can NOT get enough of him. I love with with allllll my heart and cannot wait to watch him grow.

Meet the love of my life :)

Doctors Apt. 1/14/2010

Well this morning I had an appointment at 9:45. It was my second weekly appointment. Last week when I went to my appointment, he did a cervical exam and my cervix was "mid consistency." Before you can start to dilate, your cervix has to soften. My cervix was halfway softened at that point. This morning my doctor told me that I didn't need a cervical exam since last week my cervix wasn't even fully softened, but he would give me one if I was curious as to my progress. Well DUH I wanted to know my progress!!!! Last week my cervix was high up, closed and halfway softened. This week my cervix is fully softened, 80% effaced, and I am 2cm dilated!!!! Before you go into labor, your cervix is really thick. As you go through the process, it thins out, which is called effacing. 100% effaced is paper thin..and thats eventually where you need to be. I cannot believe that in 6 days I effaced 80% already..leaving me with only 20% left to go! And 2cm dilated!!!! Oh my gosh. I know that people can be dilated up to a 2 or 3 for awhile with nothing happening..so I didn't wanna get my hopes up..but the doctor said that if I progressed THAT much in just 6 days..he would not be surprised at all if I didn't make it to my next appointment. HECK YES! Lucky doctor got to feel Axton's head, but soon I will be able to hold my little man and love him up every day!

FOR SALE

For Sale:

What: 2 Spare Tires
Where: Around each of my ankles
Why: Not wanted, really ugly
When: ASAP
How Much: Fricken Free
Your use for them: Who gives just make them disappear.

Pumpin Gas

Yesterday evening after work I went to the gas station. My low fuel light was on..so it was a must. I HATE getting gas when it is so stinking cold outside. It is honestly one of my least favorite things to do. Besides folding laundry..which used to be one of my favorite things to do. Regardless, this is how the pumping gas situation unfolded to make my experience even better.

I am standing there freezing cold waiting for my tank to fill. I can feel my snot freezing, and I can feel my back start to throb even worse from shivering. I notice a man next to me pumping gas as well. He is staring at me. He is staring at me and won't stop. He is continuing to stare at me and I don't understand why. I make direct eye contact with him conveying the look of death and why the hell are you looking at me. He smiles and says, "did you uh, did you uh...ummm....smuggle a basketball under your coat this evening? bahaha"

Yes idiot. I smuggled a basketball under my coat. Thanks for asking.

For Real!?!??!

30 Days until stinkin delivery! I can't believe it! I reeeeeeeeally hope he comes early because I cannot handle this madness. I feel as if he is suffocating in there because there is NO room for him to move. I feel like he is already 10 pounds. Obviously..he probably isn't..but it REALLY feels like he is.

I'M READY AXTON!!!!!! COME ON OUT!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!

Whadda ya do?

***Lets just say that I wear my slippers at work. Yes, why yes I do. Why can't I? I mean, I work for my Dad, and its quite the casual setting, I wear Cody's clothes everyday due to mine not fitting..wearing slippers won't hurt anybody! It was approaching 5pm and I went to change out of my slippers into my sneakers. Let me just say that my sneakers are from my freshman year in highschool (due to the fact that my chucks just do not cut it being 35 weeks pregnant) and are very large for my feet. I never wore them because they are floppy and make my socks go under my feet when I walk which I HATE! Well, surprise surprise I couldn't get my effing foot even IN these "too big" shoes. I left work yesterday at 5pm and was having the worst WORST WOOORST shocking pains down my leg. Just my right leg, not my left leg. What the h. This is bogus. I get home and all I wanted to do was to take a shower and go. to. bed. I couldn't help but notice my massive feet..wait let me rephrase that..massively swollen PURPLE feet..and ankles no where to be found. SEXY.

***I woke up earlier than usual this morning. My alarm clock goes off at 7:30am and I push snooze every 10 minutes until 8:20. Cody LOOOOOOOOVES this. I can't help it. Honestly....there isn't anything I can do about it. Sometimes I'll push snooze for 3 hours if I can put off plans for the day. Regardless, Cody had to work this morning at 9, so he had to leave for work at 7:45. He woke up late and was in a big rush. So being the nice girlfriend that I am, I woke up with him and got his lunch together and made him breakfast while he showered and got ready. This may seem overly nice, but in all actuality...Cody usually works at 11, so he gets up EVERY morning with me early, even on his days off. He gets my lunch together, makes me breakfast, starts my car to have it nice and toasty before I leave, and sometimes even gets my stinkin outfit for the day put together (considering they are HIS clothes). I was just returning the favor :) That is one time for me to 500 for him. Anyhow, I was having a good morning up until my drive to work. I'm cruisin on the road and this truck starts swerving over to my side of the lane up ahead. Ummm...WHAT THE! There was no where for me to go? I got super scared. THEN as this vehicle gets closer I realize that this human (couldn't actually even see if it was a man or woman or alien) didn't take the time to scrape off their car. Okay, been there done that YES, but this was extreme. This vehicle was COMPLETELY covered, and it looked as if this person took their coffee mug, stuck it to the windshield on the drivers side for about 2 seconds to make a peep hole, and took off on their destination. HELLO PEOPLE! THIS IS NUTS! I was irritated. And glad I survived the 2 second passing of this truck.



Okay, obviously this is like waaaaay more extreme than the truck that I saw this morning, but honestly..not much different. JERK!

I AM EXHAUSTED

Can the next 5 weeks PLEASE consist of napping? I beg of you. It hurts to be not asleep.