The Christensen Life: Rhett is Here!!!

Well, as most of you already know Rhett is here!!!!!! He is 3 weeks 2 days old today, and my how the time has flown. So his birth story was not exactly how we had planned but its like they say if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans! God definitley had a plan for our little family and his timing is perfect. So here is how it happened...
We got out of school for Thanksgiving break on Friday Nov. 18th, and I had worked a little late after school that day to get everything ready for the week after the break. I had some paper work to finish and plans and copies that I wanted to get done before I left for the break, which turns out to be a blessing since I would not be back. So I got everything ready to go, then went home. When I got home I decided to go ahead and pack my hospital bag since it was getting close to my due date. Kody had been on me to get it packed but I thought I had time since I had not even had any braxton hicks contractions. I just knew I would make it to my due date. But I was trying to be proactive and went ahead and packed my hospital bag. Saturday was a normal day, my friend Sarah had gone into labor the night before, so all day I was thinking about her. That night we went to my parents house to celebrate my brother's 30th birthday.My whole family was their and I felt fine. When we got home that night at around 10:30 I started to feel cramps, I didn't think anything of it until it just wouldn't go away. I was up all night! The doctor had told me some things to try to see if I was in false labor, so I drank lots of water, tried walking around the house, did laundry, but nothing was helping. I didn't want to go to the hospital if I was in false labor, I didn't want to be "that" girl. Kody was timing the contractions and researching all night on the internet. The next morning I decided to go with my mom and brother to see my brother's house he has been working on. I was still having contractions and by this point they were probably about 5 minutes apart. When I got home Kody and I went on a walk around the neighborhood, and by the time we got back to the house I decided that the contractions were real and they were not going away. They were getting closer and stronger so we decided to get dressed and make our way to the hospital. It was the longest drive to Rockwall that I have ever been on, and of course we got behind an older couple out for their Sunday drive.
When we got to the hospital Kody was so great taking care of everything. There was no one at the front desk so we went on back to labor and delivery and found a nurse to help us. I was in pain but I was trying to stay strong, so when the nurse told us we had to walk back to the ER to check in I about fell out. I looked at Kody as if to say " Um, I am not walking another step further!" Kody quickly asked to get me a room. Once I was in the room they had to hook me up to machines to monitor the baby and my contractions. Kody and I wanted to keep things quiet from our family until we knew for sure that we were having the baby. Our parents knew I was having contractions but we didn't tell them we were at the hospital right away. The nurse had checked to see how far dialated I was then talked to the doctor and they decided that they wanted to obseve me for a little while before they admitted me into the hospital, I guess to make sure I was really in labor. I could have told them at that point that I was in labor!!!! While they observed me they unhooked me from the machines so I could get out of the bed, which was helpful with the contractions. I think contractions were the worst pain I have ever been in. They really hurt bad! They are no joke!! By this time my mom had already made it to the hospital, and I think both sides of the family were on baby watch. When the nurse came back to check my progress they decided to admit me which ment I could get the epidural!! Which I was sooo ready for at this point. It didn't take to long for the anesthesiologist to get there to give me the epidural. Most people say how scary the epidural is and how big the needle is, well I was not worried about the needle at all. It could not have been any more painful than the contractions. I had to sit on the side of the bed bent over. I was squeezing Kody's hand so hard, but not because of the epidural because of the contractions. They were so strong and hurt so bad. It took a while for the doctor to find the right spot but once the epidural was in I could feel a complete difference. Then the nurse helped lay me back down in the bed. Once I was laying down the nurse was glued to the little monitor and she became really quiet. It seemed like all the other nurses in Labor and Delivery were suddenlyin my room all looking at the monitor. They were moving me around. and I was trying to get them to tell me what was going on. Finally they had told me that Rhett's heart rate had dropped when I layed down. This was super scary, but they assured me that his heart rate was back up and doing good but they wanted the doctor to come look. My doctor was not on call this weekend so I had a different doctor that I didn't know, but she was really nice. She came in and looked at the monitor and then looked at us and said that Rhett was doing fine now but she would like to do a c-section and get him out to be on the safe side. This news was shocking to say the least and not at all how Kody and I had envisioned the birth of our baby boy My whole pregnancy had gone really smooth without any complications or problems so this was very unexpected for us. We didn't hesitate to tell the doctor to do whatever is best for our baby. As soon as she told us that she was going to do a c-section, everyone seemed to be in such a hurry. They gave Kody scrubs to change into and wheeled me into the operating room. The operating room was a little intimidating. Everything was all white and sterile, and it just seemed like people were moving all around me. I was numb from about the armpits down, which is a really weird feeling. Kody sat by my head as the doctors worked on delivering Rhett. Once Rhett was out I couldn't hear him cry which scared me and the ugly cry made its appearance. Kody was watching the baby and I was watching Kody to see what was going on. It was an awful feeling not knowing if my baby was ok and no one would tell us what was going on and I couldn't move. I felt a little helpless. Finally they called Kody over to see Rhett and Kody brought him over so I could see him. He was absolutely perfect, and looked just like his daddy. My heart melted when I saw him for the first time. It was truly amazing to see this tiny human that just minutes before was living inside me. It is just so miraculous to think of how this llittle guy grew from cells into this perfect little baby, all inside my body. God is very good.
After they got Rhett all ready to go to the nursery they told Kody he could go with Rhett or stay with me while they put me back together, I told him to go with Rhett! I didn't want Rhett to go somewhere all alone. I know he probably wouldn't know but I just didn't want Rhett to be alone. It took the doctors about 30-45 minutes to close me up. The anesthesiologist was talking to me the whole time and he was soo sweet to me. He was very encouraging and positive and made me feel ok. So when I got back to the recovery room I thought I would be able to hold Rhett but the doctors wanted to watch him for a little bit to make sure his heart rate was still good. It seemed like ages before I finally got to hold him. Everyone would come into the room and tell me how cute he was, and I wanted so bad to see and hold him myself. When I finally got to hold him I felt on top of the world. He is absoutely the apple of my eye! It is amazing how I can love someone so much! As I was holdng Rhett for the first time the nurses brought me all kinds of papers to sign, so no telling what I signed in that moment all I wanted to do was hold and stare at my baby boy. I signed the papers while I held Rhett, I didn't waht to let him go.
So this is where our story begins!!!
Rhett is here and Kody and I are in love!!!!!