Never in a million years....

did we think we would have a baby 3 1/2 months early! Wow! This has just been a crazy few days. On April 2nd at 4:30 Am I woke up and had to go to the bathroom. I thought "ugh this being pregnant and having to use the bathroom all the time gets old quick!" I thought maybe I could just go back to sleep but nope I REALLY had to go. So I got up to to go to the bathroom and here comes Kiara (our dog) and stands next to the toilet howling at me. She was saying "mom I need to go too!" Well I was not able to finish on the toilet... it just wouldn't stop! So here is a funny visual for you now... I look around and think o.k. I have to do this... So I get off the toilet, wrap a towel around my bottom like a diaper and run through the living room to the back door to let the dogs out. As I was running back to the bathroom I grabbed the laptop! I thought "Ok this may be my water breaking but I don't know because I haven't read that far in my book yet... I am only 26 weeks so this shouldn't happen for another 10 weeks at least!" So I googled "pregnancy water break feeling" and that's where I read that it could be a "gush" feeling or a "trickling" feeling. That's when I knew I needed to call the midwife.

When I called the midwife I told her I thought my water broke and I started to cry. She said "it's ok you don't need to cry everything will be alright." I knew that she obviously didn't have my record in front of her because it was 4:30 a.m.! So I kindly reminded her that I was only 26 weeks along. So then she told me I needed to get to the Great Falls hospital as quickly as possible. I asked her what I was looking at for the issue here. She said that I would have to get to the hospital and she would call them to let them know I would be on my way. She said that there was lots they can do to help stop the labor if it was my water that broke. It would just mean that my pregnancy would become high risk. After I get off the phone I realize ok now I need to call Mark (since he was working the night shift and I know it's not me just being crazy). So I called Mark and he was out of service. OH crud! We talked about him giving me his stations number in case of emergency (ie my water breaking) and they would be able to radio him to have him call me. OK so good thing I have the laptop on my lap on the toilet ;0 I looked up the stations number and was able to get ahold of who I needed to thankfully! They radioed Mark and told him that his wife needed a ride to the hospital.

Mark drove into a location where he finally had cell phone service. He called me and asked how serious it was and if we were just going to the Shelby hospital. "Um honey I think my water broke." That's when he knew that this wasn't a minor thing that Leah was worried about. The problem was he was 45 minutes away from our house yet and the drive from our house to the hospital was 80 miles. He said "well I have a co-worker that is closer to you than me and I will have him take you and I will be right behind him." At first I was like um well dear I don't know if I feel comfortable with all of that since I may have to wear my "towel diaper" in the truck. He of course pointed out this wasn't the time to worry about that. Ok so he was right. Well his co-workers wife is a lactose consultant so she called me while I was waiting for my ride so let me know of what I should do while I wait. She was so nice and helpful. She got me calm (which I really needed) and told me all the things that they can do to stop the labor.

Ok so now my ride was at the house. The dogs were put out in their kennel... first time for this so we were hoping it went well but couldn't worry too much about it. His friend picked me up and wanted to make sure I didn't want to go to the Shelby hospital because he was worried if I started to have the baby in the truck that it would need medical attention right away. I said no I just need to get to Great Falls. So lights and sirens on the whole 80 miles and we got to the Great Falls hospital safely. I was still so unsure as to what was going on and what to expect. I just thought I needed to stay calm because I would not be doing myself or the baby any good if I started to get stressed and upset. I changed into a robe and Mark was there right after. Oh how I was so thankful that he was there so quickly.

The nurses were checking my cervix and they all looked puzzled. Then a Dr came in who specializes in premature labor. He checked my cervix and advised us that I was having contractions (I didn't feel them) and that my water did break, my cervix was dilated to 1.5 cm, and umbilical cord was coming out of the cervix. This meant that the umbilical cord was being squeezed every time I had a contraction which was slowing the baby's heartbeat. He advised me that we would be going into the surgery room and they would be giving me a spinal injection and that there was no time to put me to sleep. So I said "O.K. so let me just make sure I am hearing you right. I am going in for a c-section and we are going to have a baby now?!?!?!?" He looked at me and said so calmly and sweetly and said "yes, we need to and we will do everything we can to keep you and the baby safe." I looked at Mark and he knew what I was thinking "this isn't how we planned it! I didn't want to have a c-section, it's only April we can't have a baby yet, we don't have the nursery ready!" He looked at me and kissed me on the forehead and assured me that everything would be ok and that I was doing great.

So as we were headed out for the surgery room I asked Mark to grab my camera. I was upset because I didn't grab my good camera when I left the house because I really didn't think I would be having a baby that night! The nurses told him he couldn't bring the camera in so I guess it didn't matter then anyway. So they had me curl up on my side while the Dr. injected the anesthesia. I didn't know what to expect for this and all of a sudden I was feeling a shooting pain through my left foot then my right foot. Then they put me on my back and I couldn't feel my belly down.... which is a good thing I guess. So they put the blue sheet up from my neck so I could see the great ceiling and lights... and of course my supportive husband that was there for me every second. He was able to stand by my head and keep me calm and talk to me but he also got to peek over and see them cut me open, my uterus, and the baby being pulled out. He loves this stuff! Thank goodness I couldn't see it because watching Grey's Anatomy makes me bawl! All of a sudden we hear a little cry! We looked at each other and I saw a twinkle in Mark's eye as he said "did you hear that?" It was our little boy! They put him on a little table to weigh him and take him where they needed to get him all hooked up to stay healthy. They did wheel him buy my head so I could take a peek at him though.

I had to stay in the recovery room for an hour and then we were off to my new room. We got to see out little Ethan early that afternoon. It was so hard to see him all hooked up to wires and tube and in an incubator but to know that he has a good fighting chance makes it ok. So many people have mentioned how strong I am. I wish that were true! I have been surprising myself actually on this though. There are many times when I just start to bawl and then my stomach starts to hurt and then my head so I have to control myself and bring it together. I know that I need to be strong and just do what I have to do to keep strong for our little guy. Mark has been unbelievable through all of this. He has been there for me every step of the way. I am so lucky to have him by my side through all of this. Not to mention his feistiness in Ethan that has him going strong too.

I plan to keep posting more about the things we have experienced... this may be long and I am sorry if you were bored with it but I know that many people are interested in the little details and how things are going and this blog is a good journal for us too. I plan to post more pictures as I will get more time to do so soon.

Thanks for everyones prayers and concerns... it is so nice to hear from all our loved ones!

These are a few pictures on the day he was born... his toes were really swollen but have gone down now....

My hand about to hold onto Ethans hand....

Mark has been taking his temperature and changing his diaper while we are seeing him...

With love,

Mark, Leah & Ethan