Here is the story of how this went down...since I wasn't due until the 25th but had a scheduled c-section for the 18th. If you don't want all the gory details, then scroll down to the end of this posting for Sandra's information.
On the morning of the 7th we all woke up early to head to breakfast with John's brother Mark and his family. They had a long layover in Charlotte on their way to the Bahama's. We went to this little home cookin' restaurant in Matthews and the food was really delicious. This early and big breakfast came in very handy as the day began to progress. After coming back home we visited for a little while and then I headed to my friend Sayako's house for a baby shower for another friend Charlene, who delivered her baby ten weeks early. A small brunch was served, I was too full so I just drank the delicious drink, another good thing. After the shower I headed home to take a small nap before I took the kids to the movies. I had promised them we could go and see Toy Story 3, so I knew if I was going to make it I had to take a break. I got my short break, unfortunately no nap because my kids don't understand what please be quiet means.
So we headed to the 1:30 showing of Toy Story. The kids were really good during the movie, which in itself is a total miracle. We usually make one to two trips to the restroom but none this time, it was awesome. So as the movie ends we stop at the restroom since we have a little drive before we get home. While Brooklyn is in the restroom, Josh and I are standing out in the hallway waiting for her and I feel like I just peed my pants. So I think, well maybe she is just pushing on my bladder, so I go to the restroom and feel better after that. In the back of my head I was thinking that my water broke and if it did, I am not quite prepared to head to the hospital yet. So....we head to Target to get some things that I need just in case that really was my water breaking, and also to get some more clothes for Brooklyn for back to school.
When I get home I tell John that I think my water broke and he replies with "No big deal." So again I feel a little "water" coming out and think again "bladder". I go to the bathroom and again feel better. My water never broke with my other two kids, so I wasn't really sure what to expect with all this. I decided to call my sister and ask her what it is like when your water breaks since she has a 17 month old and is pregnant with another due on the same day as me. She tells me what it is like and then basically just tells me to call my doctor and I should probably head to the hospital. I wasn't ready for all this to be happening, so do I listen to here...NO, no I don't. But as soon as I get off the phone, it happens again. And again I go to the bathroom....but this time there is blood, and I am getting nervous and tell John that it is time to go.
We drop the kids off at the bestest friend ever, Alison's, who is doing her babysitting co-op and will now have 12 kids at her house. But does she say no..absolutely not, she welcomes them to her home.
We then head to the hospital and they check me in and then do a test to see if my water really broke. When she first does the test it comes back negative. Everyone in the room stops what they are doing and just kind of waits. I tell her that if it wasn't my water breaking at least I am bleeding and that should count for something. So at this point she decides to go and check the clothes that I was just wearing to see if there is any amniotic fluid on those. She comes back from the bathroom and says, okay you are right your water did break. Let me tell you, that was a big relief, but it also made me really nervous because I know what is going to happen next. She starts asking me all the normal check in questions and asks when was the last time I ate. I did have some popcorn at the movie so we are supposed to wait 8 hours from the last time I ate to being able to perform the c-section. So that means we are looking at 10:30 but I am ready to go...and luckily so was the doctor. So we had to wait an hour, but honestly it felt like 10 minutes, because before I know the nurse turns to me and says alright lets go. So at this point there is not much to tell because I have no idea what is going on on the other side of the curtain and John is not the type of person that wants to know what is going on. But twenty minutes later out comes my beautiful little girl.
So John is doing all he can to not look at what the doctors are doing, and gets up to go and see the baby. On his way back to come be with me he said he got really grossed out, because there was a pool of blood on the floor right where he was sitting. You know it is amazing to me that these doctors can do all these types of surgeries while people are awake and you have no idea what is going on wherever they are working. I am pretty sure I would have panicked if I had seen that if they were doing a surgery on John. So I am really glad that I was the one being worked on and not observing. Everything for the c-section went wonderfully and baby and I were shortly on our way back to our room.
Sandra Paige Hullinger was born at 9:32 pm on August 7, 2010. She weighed exactly 8 lbs and was 19 3/4 inches long. She did end up going to the NICU Sunday night because of low blood sugar levels, but with the blessing that John had given her we both knew that she would be fine and we didn't need to worry about her. We both came home on the 11th and have been doing really good since then.
Doctor Sweeney showing off the product of his surgery skills.
Mommy and Baby Sandra
Having fun in the NICU, I had to wait around for the nurses so I figured now would be a good time for pictures.
Sandra has these natural blond highlights and tips. All the nurses said they had never seen anything like hers. I tried the best I could to capture her coloring and the only way to do it was for it to be dark and no flash.
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