Happy Birthday JMS

***Warning - this is the longest post ever - and probably contains TMI - but this is for me to remember - pictures at the end***

I woke up Tuesday, May 12, 2009, thinking that I had 2 more days until JM's scheduled debut. I slept in, picked up around the house before the maid arrived- and then set off on a day of errands and things to cross off of my "Things To Do Before John Marshall" list. I had a manicure and pedicure, Chick Fil A, ran some errands, and even had a "vegan" air brush tan. I came home tired and nasty from the tan (since you have to leave it on for 12 hours without showering for it to work). Justin got home from work a little early - and we sat on the couch and discussed how both of us were scared to have a baby. How would we know how to take care of him? How would we know what to do? We both agreed: (a) thank goodness that my Mom was staying with us and (b) thank goodness that we had until Thursday to meet him - and that we would get one "last supper" together. I picked up the phone to call my Mom to make sure that she knew how to take care of a baby (just kidding - Mom) - and THAT IS WHEN MY WATER BROKE at 5:30PM on May 12th. Oh. My. Word. After calling Regan, and several other people to confirm that what I thought was my water breaking was indeed my water breaking (it's not like the movies) I hopped in the shower and sadly rubbed off that $35.00 airbrush tan. I took my time getting ready - J and I both showered and loaded up the car. Our neighbors were outside and got one last picture of us as a family of two.

We got to the hospital around 7:30PM and settled in. I didn't think that I was having contractions - apparently I was - they just weren't uncomfortable enough for me to feel yet. Because of my high blood pressure I wasn't allowed to get up and walk around the hospital. I was confined to the bed, on my back. That was annoying. My doctor was at the hospital finishing up a c-section, but wasn't on call - which was disappointing - as she was going to leave after she finished the c-section. The nurses kept saying that it didn't matter, because I probably wouldn't have John Marshall until 6:00 or 7:00AM the next morning, and that she would be back in time to deliver him. The plan was for me to hang out - and they would start the Pitocin at 1:00AM if I hadn't progressed enough by then. My Mom had hopped on the next available SW flight from Houston to Dallas - so she would make it in time to see our little man make his debut.

Everything was going smoothly (other than my blood pressure and me having to lay down) and I wasn't in pain or too uncomfortable. Regan came to visit and brought Sonic ice. Justin's Aunt and Uncle stopped by, my Aunt, my cousin, her fiancee - seriously it was like a mini-party at times. I had planned on going into the hospital with an open mind regarding an epidural. Mainly I wanted to have him natural because my Mom did it that way - and if she could do - why couldn't I? Also - I am scared of needles, and the idea of someone messing with my spine - but I was DEFINITELY planning on getting one if I needed it. Around 9:30 the nurse came in and checked me, and I had progressed to a 6 - which surprised all of them - including me - especially since I didn't feel bad, or like I needed or wanted pain meds. Right after she checked me I started gushing blood (literally) and JM's precious heart rate dropped between 70 and 80. That's when it got scary. She immediately punched buttons on the wall, and called for my doctor and the anesthesiologist. She flipped me over on my side, and slapped on oxygen mask on me. Dr. K came in and said, "You were going to get an epidural any way, right? Because if you don't get one now, and this doesn't stop within a minute, you won't be awake during the c-section." Ugh. I was scared - and of course took the epidural. After making me flip around several times - his heart rate came back up, and I stopped bleeding. I was told if his heart rate went down one more time, or if the bleeding resumed, then it was a c-section for me.

Soooo a note about the epidural. WHAT epidural?!?! I would like to take a poll of everyone who has had an epidural to know if you: (a) could move your legs into any position you wanted; (b) wiggle your toes; (c) feel people pinching your toes/legs; (d) pull/hold your own legs back to push through contractions; (e) feel them squirt you with cold Betadine before you delivered; and (f) feel the baby being born? I won't even talk about what I felt afterwards. It's just that if I had to have an epidural, I would have liked it to work?!?

Thankfully - John Marshall and his heart rate cooperated, and I had no more bleeding. My Mom had made it to the hospital and we sat around and discussed how weird it was that I could feel contractions, feel my legs, move them, etc. Around 11:45 the nurse came in to check on me. By that point, I DID feel uncomfortable. We were all SUPER surprised after she checked me when she said, "You are ready to start pushing!" Really!?!? What happened to not having him until 6:00 or 7:00AM?!?! After magically transforming the room, pulling out trays, pulling down lights, etc. - by 12:00AM I started pushing. I need to mention that after my bleeding and JM's heartrate - my FABULOUS doctor decided to stay at the hospital until JM was born - even though she wasn't on call - her partner was! She is AMAZING!!!

Our lives were changed forever at 1:12AM on May 13, 2009 when God blessed us with a beautiful baby boy - John Marshall Sparks, 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and 22 inches long. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!!!

I got to hold our precious one for about 10 minutes, before the nurse took him away from me and announced that his breathing rate was too high, and that she would be taking him to the NICU. I was so overwhelmed, I didn't have time to think, cry, or say anything about the situation. Around 3:30AM the NICU called our room and announced that not only was his breathing rate too high, but that his blood sugar level was too low - and they would be inserting a feeding tube to feed him. At that point I lost it. I lost it again at 5:00AM when they called and said that his breathing was better and he could be moved to the regular nursery but NOT our room as his blood sugar level was too low, and his pedi wanted him to be monitored for a few more hours. At 7:00AM after crying to my nurse, she called the nursery and they let us have him in our room for 15 minutes. We finally got him back in our room for good at 10:30 that morning - and we couldn't take our eyes off of him!

One last shot of The Sparks family in front of our house. I was HUGE.

Regan visiting at the hospital before JM's debut.
Our first look at John Marshall and first photo as a family of three!Wide Awake!
All cleaned up!