Chris, Nikki & Rhylee: Welcome Rhylee Kai

Well Novemeber 25th started just like any other day... oh wait, no it didn't. That was the day that Dr. Alejo was set to induce me. The morning right after Thanksgiving. I went to his office, that was closed, with excited daddy-to-be and my sister-in-law Anne. Dr. Alejo was going to insert a cathetor into my uterus and see if he could inflat it to try and naturally induce me. But after a good long time of pain and trying, that didn't work. So we were set to check into the hospital at 7pm. We spent the day running last minute errands, and I did a lot of walking hoping to start myself into labor. We packed our bags and went to wait for our lives to change.

After we checked into the hospital, They got me all hooked up to the machines, and IV's. I was only dialted to a 1 when we checked in. They started my induction with citosen, which is a pill that dissolves on your uterus and starts contractions. Let me tell you I was contracting pretty hard too. Mindy, Alex and Chris's dad Sam came and were hanging out. I labored pretty uncomfortably for quite a few hours. I couldn't lay on my back and the only way I was comfortable was leaning forward with Chris or mindy rubbing my back, since I was having back labor. But if I did that Rhylee would fall off the fetal monitors so I had to lay on either side which was super uncomfortable. After about 10 hours of labor, it was around 5am, I decided to get the epidural. Not becuase I couldn't handle the contractions any more, but mostly because I was only dialeted to a 2.5 after all that time and it hurt so bad when the nurses would check to see how dialted I was. I couldn't handle one more check. So I got my epidural. Right after that Dr. Alejo came in and started me on pitosen which goes through your IV and he broke my water to try to speed things up. I was so tired, I hadn't slept for about 2 nights before we checked in, due to anxiety about impending labor and baby, and obviously hadn't slept during labor. Mindy and Chris were taking turns being awake with me. After the epidural I was shaking quite a bit from the drugs but with Chris's help was able to calm down and try to sleep. only slept a few minutes though before I was woke up for more checks.

Then around 7am Carla showed up and was able to let Chris and Mindy both rest for a little bit. We all talked and hung out, and honestly though I was pretty delirious from sleep deprivation, I had the most fun with Carla, Chris and Mindy. We were laughing and joking though its a little fuzzy to me, I remember it was actually the most fun I had had in a long time. We were laughing till we cried. We had the "what happens in the delivery room stays in the delivery room" attitude. LOL. Finally around 9 or 10 am I was debating whether or not to get a C section because I was so tired and didn't want to be in labor for another day, and was waiting to see if I was progressing or not, and when they checked me I was at a 6. We were so surprised because that had actually gone pretty fast. So I decided to wait it out. Then around 2pm they said I was at a 9.75 and would be ready to start pushing soon. Once I started pushing I was on a mission to get that baby out. I was a pushing machine, so much so in fact they had to stop me and have me wait for the Dr to get back there, he had to run to his office for a appointment. But he got back in time for the last 3 pushes. I told everyone ahead of time the first thing I want after I have her is a Coke with lots of ice. Hospitals have the best ice and coke. I had had nothing during my 20 hours of labor except ice chips, a little water and the occasional lick of a lolipop, to keep my blood sugar from dropping. My first words after having her though were "oh wow I can breathe" Strangest feeling ever suddenly all that pressure is gone and I could take a deep breathe. Then there was Carla standing there with a coke and a straw. Best friend ever right there.

Chris then had to call Grandma Margie and tell her Rhylee was finally here. Chris's family was already in the waiting room, or actually Anne and Judy were listening at the door. LOL. Then I got to hold my little punkin for the first time and have some skin to skin time while they sewed me up. I will say my labor and delivery was actuallly not bad and pretty easy, although long. But the recovery was brutal. I tore really bad and had to have about 19 stiches inside and out. It was a long road to recovery on that one. You know its going to be bad when you look down and the Dr, your BFF, and your husband all have mortified looked on their faces as they stare at the gaping hole that used to be you. But she was worth every painful stitch.

Here is our first family photo