First week at home

We have truly come to love our little man more than words can describe. Mom has felt the hormones that are natural post partum with the new worries, of why this child is not waking up to eat, and why won't he latch on? What is he crying about now? It's a learning process, and we are learning it with Brody each day. Kuddos goes out to my mom right now, man...without her I could not have made it this far! She has been very respectful and totally in tune with me being the mommy and her being the grandma. She has calmed down my nerves with this new baby and I am grateful she is here. I know the days of spoiling are coming soon, but for now my mom has been a godsent.

Brody weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces when he left the hospital on Wednesday and by Friday he had maintained that weight. Yeah! After his first doctor visit Brody went with Mom, Mimi and Poppy to eat at Ruby Tuesday's his first outing at a restaurant. But of course he was so worn out from the doctor that he didn't even know he was there.

On Saturday we got a visit from Aunt Phyllis and great grandmothers Dee Dee and Mamaw. They just loved on him and enjoyed meeting him for the first time. DeeDee laid Brody on her nest (her lap's nickname I gave it when I was little). Mamaw just watched him and talked about all the movements he was making. Aunt Phyllis even help give him a bath. It was fun for everyone to love on our child like we do.

Dad was in Loudon, NH and was calling all the time. He was missing his newborn bad! How hard to bring him home from the hospital one day and leave the very next! But when Dad returned home on Sunday he just held Brody and took him all in.

I have been struggling with the breast feeding thing. I agree with all the thoughts of how it is so great for the child and how much he needs his mother's milk. But one day he latches on, and then next he won't. Then one time he eats every two hours and the next he waits about 6...giving me a heart attack. Finally after a few days of this, we are on a routine (at least as I am writing this) every three hours. He still sleeps all the time but is waiting up to eat at least! I will take what I can get and go with the flow on the rest.

Brody's Birth

Well as I sit here staring at my child and thanking the good Lord above that he is with me, I realize I am very behind on updating this blog of the past two weeks events. I was scheduled to be induced on Monday the 14th. I had a TON of reservations about it. I cried for days and days just gearing myself up for the trauma I was about to endure. I was terrified. Danny left for the race on Thursday before my induction and my mom came once again to sit with me in case I went into labor. She and I walked, cleaned closets, got the car seat put in, packed my bag and tried everything we knew to get prepared. Or course we colored my hair :) Then on Sunday night as she was starting the last supper we were calling it, the doctor called. He talked me into coming on Sunday evening to get a jump start on softening my cervix. So I yelled, stop dinner, we are going to have a baby. Then the scramble began...who had the diaper bag, where is the pillows, did you pack this or that...OMG it was hilarious. Finally we got packed and rushed to the hospital. It was the element of surprise I was hoping to have LOL.

Once we got to the hospital, I checked in and they gave me some meds to get the process rolling overnight. Everyone slept, except me and mom. We were too nervous. The next morning at 8 am the doctor came in to check things out. He said looking good, so do you want to continue to have this baby or wait it out. I asked, "What do you think I should do?" He said, "Do it." Gulping, I said ok. Immediately he broke my water and said no turning back now. OMG I was having a baby.

Well it wasn't so bad at first. I started feeling pressure and a little bit of uncomfortable here and there. I got up sat in a chair, and was able to hang in there till about 3 centimeters dialated. Then, I said I am not wanting to be a hero here...Give mama her epidural! And it came...straight down from heaven. That was the best thing since sliced bread, I swear. I don't know how anyone could have a baby without it, and if you did...God Love Your Heart...You are all Woman. Cause man you missed out on some good stuff!

So I laid in bed, and had visitors. DeLana came with her agent Josh. Then Hollie, Sheila and Billy came. Then Paige and Livy came. It became a party in room 128. Hollie massaged my feet, while mom fed me jello and Sheila fanned my hot flashes. Too funny! They brought me a boa and a tiara, and we all joked around about that.

So now it is about 7 pm. I can feel the pressure through the epidural. That must have been some pain I would say. My nurse kicked everyone out, and we started the process. Danny and mom helped me with my legs. My dad sat in a corner and cried behind me and Hollie took pictures and video to document the whole thing. All day I hade done facebook updates until now, and that party ended abruptly too.

Now push, hold for 10 seconds (my mom would could slow and I had to hold my breath) and we did that three times in a row, and then rest till the next contraction. This went on for three hours. Turns out my little man was head down, but sunny side up. Well you can't have a baby sunny side up, so little man just wouldn't turn over. So after pushing as hard as I could for about 2.5 hours, they told me to roll over. This child is stuck in my birth canal and I have to put my legs together and roll over? Are you kidding me? I cried and cried cause I could feel the pain and pressure through my epidural. They came in and brought me more meds to help the pain. Now my legs were numb.

It was the ending, we were close but still not in the right position. So the doctor brought out a vaccum to help get Brody out of my canal. I pushed and pushed and he pulled on the poor little fellas head and the vaccum came off like three times. It was excrutiating. Then finally the doctor said ok one more time and we will have to do another route. Finally it worked.

Brody Shuler Rollins was born on September 14th, 2009. He weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and was 21 3/4 inches long. He had his daddy's eyes, mommy's nose and the most precious kiss me lips you could imagine. Brody had a big strawberry on his head at first but it seems to be healing up well. We are so truly blessed at our boy and loving every minute of our time with him. What a wonderful gift we have been given.

38 week ultrasound pictures

Baby news

It's getting closer and closer for me! I went to the doctor today and he told me that he wanted to induce me on the 14th. I about threw up right then and there. I went by myself thinking nothing would be done or said (cause I am still not feeling anything). And that doctor said well you are 1 centimeter dialated and his head is definitely dropped more. So this process is starting on its own. Since Danny travels all the time we were afraid that he would be out of town when Brody decided on his own to pop out. So, the doctor agreed to induce me for daddy to be here. That's nice and all, but if this draws out mama isn't going to be so nice ha ha.

I have all the feelings that I am sure every mother to be has - excitement to hold this baby, the warm heart already thinking about him, the nerves of how labor will be and the anxious feeling of what I am about to endure. But...I am sure it will all be fine - and so totally worth it.

This has been a dream of mine my entire life to be a mom. And hey I am living proof that all dreams come true. God has made everything beautiful in HIS time, and I am sure this baby boy will be the beautiful miracle I have always wanted. That is until he says Daddy first...then I will be a little disappointed LOL.

So next week is it! I feel like I am spinning on the backstretch right now hoping my roof flaps will catch any time now!