"It's today, It's today"

As Nae and I sat down that Wednesday morning eatting our Honey Nut Cheerios watching "Shturat" (Stuart Little) and we heard George say: "It's today, it's today!" ,  "it's always today" said mama Little...."no but today is the day I get my little my brother", neither of us thought it was the day she was going to get her little brother.  It was business as usual at the Rapp house, we were just doing our normal morning routine until Dada got home so I could go and get my first non-stress test to make sure I wasn't contracting.  Cody got home so I told the two of them that I was just going to run into town, have my test done, stop for a few errands then I'd be home, smooched them both and away I went.

I didn't schedule my test, so I did end up waiting for a bit in out-patient until they could get me up to L&D and I remember thinking, man those cheerios didn't last too long.  Eh, I brushed of f the "hunger pains" and promised to treat myself to a little Tim Horton's after I was done.  I finally got up there around noonish, got all strapped in and when the nurse came back in to check on me she told me I was contracting....impossible I thought.....I don't feel anything but a bit hungry.  Well, about 10 minutes later I started to feel them, nothing too bad but Heck in the world...this was not our plan, what is going on in there!  They called the Dr's to see what they wanted them to do, and they started an IV and gave me something to try to stop labor.  I remember asking  if should I call my hubby..."no no" they said- lets just see what happens.  Needless to say, in the middle of Days when things weren't getting any better I made the phone call to Code.

Cody was just as shocked as I was....I told him that they did a test to see the likelihood of me going into labor in the next 2 weeks, and that it came back positive....and his response was "so we have 2 weeks?!"....um well, not really.  He was able to call his mama to come watch Nae, and he backed a few bags because we had a feeling we were well on our way to Buffalo for the night.  By the time he got there, I was on my second dose and it still wasn't working.  At this point we were kind of getting antsy since we were in Jamestown and knew we needed to be in Buffalo just in case.  We ended up calling Dr. Mann to let her know what was going on, and to probably expect us at some point....and she pretty much said that she wanted us up there right away.  So that was it...it was time to get transported.

By the time the ambulance team got there, and all of the paperwork was done it was about 5pm.....and at this point it was a blizzard.  I had no idea the weather was so bad until they said they weren't flying and that I'd have to go by "bus".  Holy Moley...is this really happening I thought.  I have to say the ride up wasn't that bad- the L&D nurse that went with us was really nice, and so were the 2 EMT's...the one was expecting and we all chatted about how we loved to watch Discovery Health....now mind you during all of this I was still having contractions...not bad though..... looking back they were frequent but really not bad.  The baby's heartrate was perfect, and I just kept telling myself that they would be able to stop this.  After 4 doses of the medicine and really no relief I should've realized, but the nurse said that there were other options once we got there.  The overall trip took just over 2 hours, and the poor driver was petrified by the time we got there- but what an amazing job driving she did.  I waited until we pulled in to ask if they had 4wd, and I'm glad I waited until we got there because indeed ambulances do not have 4WD (just a little FYI)

It's now just a little after 7p and the nurses at Childrens are kind of lax...although so was I.  Just asking questions, filling out paperwork. My mom was texting me that she was on her way...I assured her that they would be able to stop it, and that there was no way that I would have Easton that night, and told her to take her time and drive slow.  Then I started to feel the contractions coming on a little more, a little stronger, but really nothing to really complain about.  No one asked how far apart they were, and looking back they were closer than I thought they were.  The nurse asked if i could give her a urine sample, and i said of course so I walked on down the hallway to the bathroom...I washed my faced and was really just taking my sweet old time, thinking to myself well this really isn't really that bad at all, they would stop labor, I could get a good night sleep and we could have Easton tomorrow, after the second steroid shot for his lungs....perfect I thought.  Then when I got back was when things started to get a little crazy

They finally examined me, and I just remember the nurses jaw dropped....."you're 7-8cm" and I just looked at Cody.....What the heck....the contractions don't even hurt yet, they are there but not bad enough to be that far in labor!?  I was just thinking back to Caidence, and how I was in pretty bad pain and 3-4cm's.... There must be a mistake I thought....but Oh no... no mistake, Baby Easton was well on his way...he decided it was his time.  She said you are about to have about 20 people in here because we need to move.  I have no idea how, but the first thing that popped into my head was the cord blood kit that was out in the car.  (of all times to actually have a brain, I'm glad I did then)  The nurse looked and Cody and told him to run, and so he did.  By the time he got back I was capped and being wheeled out to the OR. 

What seemed to take the longest was getting the spinal, I remember just sitting there, waiting for him to do it...I was shaking like a leaf...and the nurse just sat there and held my hand.  I could not believe that he was really on his way.  I was still dumbfounded how I had no idea that I could possibly be that far along (looking back Caidence was posterior which meant back labor, and this lil guy was frank breech which is still not ideal, but obviously a much less painful position for the mama).  They laid me down and it was only a matter of time.  When Cody came in he just held my one hand....and tried to stop me from trembling but I couldn't ( I was told it was very normal) but then we heard it.... the tiniest little whimper I have every heard.  Just one whimper was all we got at first until after the Dr's and Nurses helped him along a little.  I'm sure it was only a couple minutes (if that)  that they had to work on him, but it felt like an eternity....and then we heard it again....they were the smallest little most perfect cries that I have ever heard....they were beautiful.  They finished getting him all cleaned up and then they brought him over.  There he was, our little miracle.  He was just amazing, just as we imagined.

The bells rang through Childrens hospital for Easton Kent Rapp on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 9:16p, he was 4lbs 9oz, 17 3/4" long, and his gestational age  was 33w5d.  He was here....he was really, really here.

Recovery was miserable....k that's a bit of an exaggeration but really all I wanted to do was go and see our baby and finally it was time for us to go and really see our babes...and there he was, just as I pictured him... on his lil tummy with his lil rump in the air-he was beautiful.  Our hearts melted for our little son....  There was no holding him, or embracing him, but we got to touch his tiny body and just let him knowjust how much we loved him. Our first visit with him was short, but certainly sweet.  I wanted to stay with him forever but they still had a little more work to do to get him settled in his new "temporary" home away from home.So upstairs we went.

Looking back I don't think that the day could have been any more perfect.  No, it wasn't ideal, it certainly wasn't our plan, and at times it was a little scary, but really I know that the day went exactly as it was supposed to....now it wasn't the plan that the Dr's came up with, it wasn't the plan that we came up with... it was the plan that Easton came up with.  Easton knew what was going to best for him... he knew he was strong enough to be brought into this world early, he knew he was doing his mom-mom a favor by not letting her stress out about trying to plan every little detail.  I do think it's really something though because I didn't have to go in for my non-stress test at noon like I did.  I think it was a mixture of everything.....luck, fate,baby E taking things into his own hands, and my body knowing that it would be okay for Easton.....I don't think it was just a coincidence that I chose Wednesday to have my test done.... Baby E and I were in the right place at the right time, and everything worked out beautifully.  I couldn't say enough about everyone who helped us along our way that amazing day.  We were exactly where we needed to be, when we needed to be there, every step of the way.  We look back and we count our blessings.....everything went perfectly, just as it was "planned".  Cody and I have our son, and Caidence has her little brother....and he is as healthy and happy as we could have hoped for. <3

more to come very soon!