The Day Our Preston Came

Our little boy is here! Today is actually his due date, but he surprised us by making his appearance 11 days early. Let me tell you - we couldn't be happier with the way it all transpired. Here's the story:

Friday morning, August 17th, I was awakened around 5:00 by contractions coming about every 8 minutes. They were a little painful, but I didn't want to make too much of them. My stirring awoke Andrew, so I told him what was going on, but to go back to bed, as it was likely just false labor. Unable to sleep, I went downstairs to do some uninterrupted cleaning and continued timing contractions.

They stayed between 7 and 8 minutes apart, but I was still able to talk through them, so we continued about our day. I had a planning meeting, Andrew (who was out of school until the following Wednesday) went to physical therapy for his knee. We met back up for a family trip to the library (paid for a popular children's book my son ruined gluing the pages together. Who's his mother?), and then stopped by the grocery store. In and out of the aisles we weaved, timing contractions all the way. 6 minutes now. And getting markedly more painful.

But it was all pretty exciting! The big question was, should we go to the hospital? I had this fear of finding someone to watch Asher, calling my in-laws (who had a 5-hour drive up from Kentucky), rushing to the hospital, only to be sent home from the triage in shame. Well, it was there in the Kroger parking lot, doubled over the dirty cart return that I answered the question: Yeeeeaah...we should probably go.

So we started making calls. In-laws on their way. The Dansies are good to watch Asher (We'd actually planned to go on a date that night, and they were set to watch him anyway, so it worked nicely). We put away groceries at lightening speed, and rushed around doing last minute tasks. Asher's essentials laid out, infant carrier at ready, going home outfit packed for baby. We realize we should eat a quick something and split the California roll we'd just bought. Three pieces of sushi and a vitamin water become my last supper.

3:00 - We drop Asher off and head for the hospital. I cancel our 8:00 sealing session, sad we were a day late. We make a few calls to family, get to the labor and delivery unit, only to wait 40 minutes before a triage bed became open. Busy day, apparently. By 4:00, my contractions have continued intensifying and are 5 minutes apart. But is it enough to be admitted? They check me - 4cm plus. Augh. The nurses tell us they want to see progress before we can be admitted to labor and delivery, and send us on a 45-minute walk around the hospital. 

It was fun at first. Then the fun started ending abruptly every four minutes or so in exchange for the worst pain of my life. When this happened, I became a total troll - just like in movies. Poor Andrew..."Don't talk." "Stop being weird!" "Get away from me." It was a little comical. Then 40 seconds of terrible pain passed and I once again resumed civil, human behavior. 

5:30 came, we returned to the triage to be checked. There was no question to me I was really laboring at this point, but they could still send me home. The nurse stretched me to a 5, and got permission to admit me. Hallelujah! But things were getting so painful so fast, I couldn't celebrate much. Intense contractions every 2 and a half minutes. Three bloody, failed attempts to get the IV in. Wheelchair ride to labor and delivery. Waiting for clearance on the epidural. All I can think about is women giving birth in the back of wagons, Mary riding a donkey, not finding a room (Somebody give her a room!!) then having to breathe in the stench of livestock while enduring this same pain on the ground of a stable. History has afforded so few with clean hospitals and modern medicine....HOW are there so many people in this world???

7:10 - The anesthesiologist comes and administers a very welcome epidural, and I feel the wicked contractions subside. Call the Dansies to check on Ash. Chat a few minutes. Andrew calls his parents - they are still about an hour from Columbus, planning to pick Asher up and head to the hospital. Life seems to be quieting down for a bit.

7:30 - I am informed I am completely dilated. (Wait - seriously? How did that happen so fast?) Waiting for a member of my practice to arrive so we can deliver. I start feeling a ton of pressure...wonder if the epidural is working. OUCH. Andrew runs to the car for our bags and camera. While he's gone, the doctor arrives, says dad picked a bad time to leave. What?!? Don't say that!

Andrew re-enters the room, baby's head is visible. They break my water and it's time to push! Feeling really weak, but try to do my best. Two pushes later, and I hear Andrew get choked up. Our tiny miracle has arrived, and is placed on my chest. One of the most powerful, precious moments of our lives.

Preston Andrew Steele: Born at 8:11 pm on August 17th, 2012. 6 lbs., 10 ounces, 20 inches long.

Asher meeting his baby brother for the first time

Family of four!

Three generations of Steele boys

Even though this was nothing like our experience with Asher (he was induced the day before he was due, I was in labor for 16 hours, took forever to get dilate from a 6 to a 10, he weighed 7 lbs., 8 ounces, painless delivery), we are so grateful for the way everything worked out. Andrew was out of school and able to be with us stress-free, it was a weekend, so Andrew's parents were able to stay with Asher (they wouldn't have been able to make it the following week!), we had an extra week and a half with our baby boy, but he was perfectly healthy. Preston is a wonderful baby, and we can't believe how blessed we are to have this sweet child as part of our family. So grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who gives us so much more than we could ever deserve. 

Welcome to the world, little Preston! We love you so, so very much.