| Born: May 3rd, 2006 @ 7:44 AM| Weight: 9 lbs., 1 oz.| Length: 21.5 in.4:15 AM. Probably the earliest I've ever gotten up. It wasn't that hard since I had only fallen asleep a few hours ago. We had to be at the hospital by 5:30 to register Linz and fill out paperwork. Nerves were up as we went upstairs and they began to prep my beautiful wife for surgery.
Riley and Lindsey had gestational diabetes which typically makes one heck of a baby in the womb. Doctors weren't sure if his size was the reason he hadn't dropped yet or if it was the cause of something else. After hearing the risks of inducing a child of that size (ie: him getting stuck during birth which may result in brain damage and having to break his shoulders in order to get him out), the wife and I had both decided to suck it up and go with the caesarian. It would be quick and most likely the best for both Riley and Lindsey.
After I got into my scrubs I went into the prep room with Linz to try and help calm her down. There were 3 nurses that were all extremely talkative that pretty much just rushed her at once while I had been putting scrubs on. This frightened my poor wife a little bit, making her feel like she was guest starring on ER or Grey's Anatomy as the hot new medical case. In afterthought it probably was best because as they had said to us "There, look at that. Done in only 15 minutes. It would have taken most nurses half an hour to do all we just did!"
They wheeled Lindsey down the hall and at a certain point asked me to sit in a chair at a station in the hallway while they gave her the epidoral. I think my last words to her were "Everything's going to be fine, I'll see you in a few!" A doctor told me it'd take about 5 minutes to administer the shot, at which point he would come get me and we'd go into the O.R.. 10 minutes later, he came out saying it'd be another 5 - 10 minutes and that everything was going fine. About 25 minutes (and countless prayers) later, a nurse came out and told me that she got a page from the doctor who said that the epidoral wasn't effective enough so they would be putting her under local anesthesia and she'd wheel the baby out to me once he was delivered and wiped down.
Wait, wait, wait...Did you just tell me that I can't be there for the birth of my first child?!?! Thoughts of protest that had manifested in my head to this situation before began to come up. Right before I said something about how I really needed to be in there I thought "Why DO I need to be in there anyway? Not for Lindsey, she's gonna be asleep. Not for the baby, or to take gross pictures. And certainly not to see first hand the cut and stitching." So I just asked her a bunch of nervous brand new father questions like "When will I get to see HER again?" and "Where do the baby and I go after you bring him out?"
It wasn't long after that until my soft spoken prayers were interrupted by an "Aaaaaa AAAAAHHHH" and I KNEW that it was Riley - my baby's, cry. Another nurse peeked out from a doorway and said "You hear that?" And I probably lit up like time square on new years and replied "That's my baby!". Then our pediatrician sped down the hall and said with a big smile "Mr. Sammons, your baby looks great, he's screaming and crying, we'll bring him right out to you ok?!" A wave of relief swept over me and a new wave of worry for Lindsey came just as fast. I hope she's doing ok....one down, one to go. Still praying I anxiously awaited the little medical cart with my baby on it to roll around that corner.
Finally! He wasn't really making any noise at this point, just a very small whimpering sound. I couldn't really get a good look at him because he was wrapped up so very tightly. He even had a beanie on his head! His face was flawless. A perfect little nose, little squinty eyes and momma's cute soft cheeks! I had the camera ready and waiting for half an hour, so of course I snapped a few shots as soon as I could.
I asked the nurse how my wife was doing and she spat out a quick "Fine" without looking at me then bolted off to the nursery to clean up Riley and do a bunch of other fascinating things that I'd get to watch her do through the window. Her short, concise answer to the most important question I ever had asked made two things flash through my mind. Either 1.) She didn't really know what was going on, or 2.) She was trying to get my mind off it because maybe they WERE having problems. I quickly decided not to think about it since there was nothing I could do but pray, so that's what I did.
We walked through the big double doors, Riley leading, and right into the presence of an anxiously waiting Grandma (my mother). Just as we came out, my father walked up and said "Oh, you had a mummy!" We laughed and took a few pictures with our phones and then off to the clean up nursery room they went. It seemed like they were in there for a long time. Stamping the footprints onto little cards, weighing and measuring, bathing, eye drops, and as Morpheus would say, getting ready for "the real world."
I had to step away during the bath and use the restroom. When I came out the Dr. Berlin found me and told me all about the birth. He further explained why Lindsey had to go under local anesthesia and told me that the umbilical cord had been wrapped around Riley's head twice! Since it was a caesarian, it was no problem because the cord is loose enough in the womb. But had we tried to induce and been successful with that method (as was our other option the previous day) it could have been real bad. Lindsey was in recovery and doing fine, it would be an hour or two before she was conscience enough to come into the room and interact with everyone. A few more minutes watching through the window at the nursery and they wheeled him down the hall to our room. At this point Mark & Nicole (Lindsey's Dad & Mom) and Bill and Bonny (my Dad & Mom) were all in the room taking pictures and stepping in line to hold the new addition to the fam.
Two hours later they wheeled Lindsey and her bed into the room and my last statement I had said to her finally came true. That's the point where I almost lost it. I don't remember what I said, but between me holding our firstborn and seeing her lay there still groggy from the drugs I began talking to her telling her everything I knew about Riley so far. I let the nurses hook her up and plug stuff in and then I was right in there showing her what she had accomplished. "He's beautiful" I heard her say with a breathy, sleepy voice. She woke up more every minute and once the visitors all left it was just us again. Our new family of three.
Dad asked me the yesterday how it felt when I first saw him, a question I had asked him numerous times before. He felt enormous responsibility. For me it was like a piece to my life's puzzle was snapping perfectly into place. I feel that every time I look into his eyes or smell his sweet smelling hair. A lot of things changed instantly the moment I saw him for the first time. For instance. Poop? No problem. Peeing on my hand? I don't even care. Little screams coming from the cradle in the room at 2 AM? Who cares! It seems to be the the way that I live life. I just go with the flow and deal with things when they get here. But this particular instance I think it's more magnified.
Anyway, here are a few pictures that I was surprised turned out so professional-looking. He really is so much better looking in real life (believe it or not!).
Im a Dad!!!
