Wesley!

He must have known that I was getting uncomfortable because baby number 2 decided to make his appearance on June 16 at 12:59 am. He weighed 8 lbs and 4 oz. (exactly the same as big brother!) and was 20 1/2 inches long.

His birth story is a little more dramatic than Evan's was (thanks to Providence and their 'new computer' system!), but we are so happy he is here, we are forced to forgive the hospital. Friday started with a full day of work. Bob and Kathi had come down to watch Evan for me and I was actually getting caught up on my work and case filings. I commented to Jen that Evan was born when all my work was caught up so I could potentially go into labor at anytime. Jen had dreamt twice the night before that I would go into labor that day and we jokingly discussed how she may have had a premonition. Turns out she was right.

Bob and Kathi had offered to stay the night in order for Bob and Steve to install the new 'whisper 2000' garage door on Sat. (long story for another day) and we had all gone to the Rock for dinner and then to Baskin Robbins for 'white ice cream' as Evan calls it. We came home and I promptly got Evan ready for bed. Teeth brushed, Jammies on, good night kisses for everyone and we were off to read books. We laid in his bed and read approximately 2 books and he started dozing off. This never happens so I quietly put down the books and closed my eyes to snuggle with him.

Almost as soon as my eyes closed I heard a popping sound and sat up to find water gushing out of me. Gushing! All over Evan's new bed. I panicked, jumped up to see him sleeping soundly, experienced more gushing on the floor, then ran to the hall to let Steve in on my adventure. After this, there was more gushing in the bedroom, the bathroom, and finally the toilet. Steve had sprung into action and was gathering towels and loading the car. Could this really be happening now? One of my biggest fears was that I would go into labor in the night and poor Evan would have to be woken up, transported around, scared and then have to sleep somewhere without Steve or I. My fear about the night labor was coming true, but Bob and Kathi were safely downstairs and Evan (besides having to be moved from the water break bed) could stay sleeping peacefully without disruption.

So with a few encouraging words from Kathi about how she was a nurse and didn't mind cleaning up pools and puddles of water break mess, we headed out the door for baby #2!

(by the way, when I got the new bed for Evan I also purchased a mattress cover from Sleep Country that promised to be a waterproof protectant. I put it on Evan's bed not sure of their promise to keep things dry, but hoping it would hold back the occasional wet bed that was bound to happen with a toddler. Turns out all their promises were true... Not one drop on the mattress! No false advertising on their part and now HIGHLY recommended!)

So, Steve and I arrive at the hospital and are told by numerous hospital staff that they just went live with a new computer system and we would need to bear with them. I am also told that they need to verify that my water actually broke. While I am certain that I did not and could not have mistaken all that water as pee, I waited patiently for their new system to say it was my turn for admission. Turns out the system sucks and this takes an insane amount of time. In the meantime, my contractions start and I can feel them in my back every 5 min on the mark. Oh nurse, can we get this moving? "Oh sure dear, we just can't figure out how to do anything because the computer is not talking and we are acting like robots."

After what seems like forever the Dr. comes in and says we are not going to wait for my chocolate ice cream cone previously eaten to digest and that they were going to start getting ready for surgery. Thank heavens because these contractions hurt and I feel like I am going to pee my pants! (even though I wasn't wearing any by this time).

We get to the operating table, I am shaking all over, the 'system' cannot figure out how to say that I was actually on the operating table because it could only see the c-section scheduled for the 28th and didn't know how to override that, and Steve is quarantined to another room. The surgery starts, I am begging the nurse to please find my husband, the nurses are still talking about the phantom patient laying on the table pre-28th c-section and the anesthesiologist is discussing the fact that my vitals are not showing up in 'the system' all the while failing to notice the blood pressure machine cutting off my circulation and the oxygen tubes across my forehead and no where near my nose. Steve is finally allowed in, I feel crazy pressure to my lungs and ribs and then hear the sweet cry of little Wesley Thomas. I can barely see him through all the machinery, but am instantly in love with him!!

He has crazy blond-ish clear hair all over his head, long fingers and toes, has Evan's little pouty mouth and I adore him!

The stay in the hospital didn't get much better as the 'system' takes over and forgets to get me food, forgets to get my cathader out in a timely fashion, fails to bring me medication, and assigns me a random ultra-sound. Awesome. By Sunday, I am begging to go home and to my surprise, they agree. While they are skeptical that I really don't have much pain from the c-section, they discharge us with a few instructions. 1- Wesley is slightly jaundiced and we need a follow up on Monday. 2- Wesley's head shape is a little off and they have referred us to Seattle Children's for a follow-up. Both make me panic, but we are running out the door and away from 'the system' as fast as we can go!

Monday rolls around for what I thought would be routine blood work. Turns out little guy has all the factors contributing to jaundice levels that are not safe and we spend the next day undergoing light therapy. I cried and cried as he sat under the lights. He, however, was a trooper and wore his little tanning goggles like a star! After a lot of prayers and some fantastic nurses (including one who I thought was a nazi, but then ended up helping me figure out tricks to get my milk to come in quicker and gave Wesley some sugar thing when they pricked his foot for the hundredth time to help w the pain) we were able to go home.

First matter of business had been taken care of... Now just a consult with Children's. Easy, right?

Nope. Today was the consult. Turns out the concerns from labor and delivery were valid. My little guy has a fused suture on the top of his head. Now, these sutures are supposed to stay open to allow for brain growth. If they are fused too quickly, the result is a necessary surgery around 2 months old to reopen the suture to allow for proper growth. More tears and panic mixed with relief followed the consult. Tears of joy and relief that it can be taken care of, that we have one of the best hospitals for children in the country, that there should be no long term effects. Panic that my tiny guy has to undergo something so big while he is so small. Panic that we will have more hospital stays, and that I cannot be strong enough for me, him and Evan (who can sense something is going on, but cannot understand or voice his concerns). I cried when we got there and I cried when we left. Both for completely different reasons.

If you have made it to the end of this really long post, you are a trooper. This has been an emotional week. We are growing, sleeping (a lot!), eating, learning how to live as a family of four instead of three, and thanking our lucky stars everyday for little brothers!