Welcome Miss Rachel

Well we are officially a family of 4!  Rachel Elizabeth-Marie Pelon joined our family on May 19th at 7:50 am.  She is the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen, I can't get over it (and yes I know I'm biased).

(c)kellyroyPHOTOGRAPHY

(c)kellyroyPHOTOGRAPHY

I know a lot of people really enjoy birth stories so here is Rachel's.

We knew going into this pregnancy that we would be doing a second C-section.  After everything that went on with DJ we went over the risks of a VBAC or a second surgery and decided that a repeat C-section was the best choice for us.  And when I developed gestational diabetes during the third trimester we knew we had made the right decision.  Since we knew that Rachel would be born on the 19th (exactly 39 weeks of gestation) my mom was able to schedule her flight out to us on the 16th knowing that she would be here to help with DJ.  My last appointment was Wednesday and everything looked good.  As I was walking out my Dr jokingly said "Now doing go putting yourself into labor this weekend, I want this to be a straight forward surgery to start my week with."  "Don't worry," I said, "my son was 2 days late there is no way I'm going into labor a week early."  I had no idea that would be a hard promise to keep.

Before my mom got into town some friends were cleaning out their storage unit and David went to help them.  They had a huge stack of the floor mats we use to try and soften DJs footsteps for our neighbors, and were kind enough to pass them along to us.  Since the had been in the storage unit for a while they were on the dusty side.  I laid them out on the floor in the living room (which now looks like a kids bouncy gym) and started scrubbing them.  So Wednesday night I stayed up super late on hands and knees scrubbing, I thought I was doing fine till I tried to stand up... HA!  Nine months pregnant is not the time to spend 4 hours on the floor scrubbing rubber mats.  My hips stopped functioning right and I started having contractions.  After sleeping most of the day (besides work) the contractions stopped just as I was about to make David take me to the hospital.

See what I mean about the kiddie gym?  The things I do to keep the peace.

 Late Thursday night we drove down to Boston to pick mom up from the airport and got home around 4 am Friday.  At 7:30 am Friday I was at the hospital doing pre-surgery blood work and paperwork.  Everyone was so tired that I was gone and back before any one else woke up, so I went back to bed.  We spent the day hanging out with mom and letting DJ get reacquainted with her, it only took him about 5 minutes to decide she was the coolest person in the world!!  I started having more contractions but nothing major.

Saturday Mom and I went to Walmart for groceries for the next week and we ended up in the ribbon aisle, apparently my hair bow problem has infected my mother.  We got some super cute ribbon and buttons but had to go to Micheal's to see if they had fish buttons for the "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" ribbon.  They didn't really have anything perfect but we found some fun stuff.  While we were at Walmart my contractions started getting worse and more consistent and my feet blew up like a balloon for the first time in my pregnancy.  Thank goodness for my Mom, I was able to go home and lay down for a few hours stopping the contractions.  I was breathing a sigh of relief until I lost my mucus plug, which happened about 24 hours before labor started with DJ, it was time to cross my legs.

Sunday we went to church and the contractions kept going about twice an hour.  To be on the safe side I started my liquid only diet at noon, that way we wouldn't have to worry about going into surgery early if we had to.

Luckily Rachel was willing to wait till Monday morning.  When we checked into the hospital Monday morning they did a quick check and I was dilated to a 4, so one way or another little girl was on her way.  The nurses were getting me all ready and had David suited up when they started trying to get my IV in.

Now I have never done well with blood draws.  When I donate blood it takes almost an hour to fill a bag and it takes them forever to stick me and it hurts the whole time.  Plus when they pull out the needle I throw up... EVERY TIME!  When I do my three hour glucose test (which is suppose to take 4 pokes) it usually takes 10 or 12.  I have made 30 year veterans swear and new interns cry.  The most recent noteworthy quote from a 20 phlebotomist is "You have baby veins from hell".  So you can imagine how the IV experience went.  Two nurses each tried three time before giving up and sending me down to the OR prep area and calling ahead to have the anesthesiologist who would be doing my spinal tap that it was up to him.  When I rolled into my stall to wait for surgery I could see the nurses looking at me, eyeing me, and I knew "they are bored and I'm a challenge, oh dear."  My nurse hurried over so she could get first dibs at trying to get my IV in before the anesthesiologist or any other nurses tried.  Gratefully she was kind enough to use Novocaine on me before going for my vein as both my hands were already blooming with bruises.  Just as she got the IV in and did a little jig of triumph the anesthesiologist arrived.  He was a little disappointed that she had got me even saying "Dang it, I wanted to see if she was as hard as everyone was saying."  I told him he would have to be satisfied proving his skill on my spine, and he said no problem.  We got all set up and they sent David off to scrub in while they rolled me into the OR and put my epidural in.  With DJ they also gave me morphine so I was super loopy and don't remember many details of the surgery itself but this time they just did the tap so I was actually aware of what was going on.  It was really nice actually.  They had a nurse, Pam, assigned just to talk me through and make sure I was doing okay.  She was wonderful!  They had almost forgotten to go get David and had started my incision when she told them all to "Hold your horses everyone!  We are missing Daddy!"  She then sent the resident out to get him.  I was very grateful to her.  She also had David show her how to use the camera so that he could focus on me and the baby and not worry about getting good pictures, I thought that was very kind of her.  David was a little disappointed because unlike in Utah they had the surgical curtain so high he couldn't watch the surgery, he thought it was really cool last time and had been looking forward to watching it again.

Waiting for a baby

He got over it though.  I didn't feel anything with DJ when they pulled him out of me but this time I felt the pressure as both Doctors pushed on my ribs and pulled Rachel out.  And she entered the world telling us all just how unhappy she was about being man handled like that.  

Rachel's first picture seconds after birth being held by Dr. Manning

I had been so worried that Rachel would inhale fluid and get sick like DJ that her screaming so quickly, on her own, and for the first 15 minutes of her life non-stop made me so happy I wanted to cry!

Being looked over. 

Can you see from her face how not happy she was?

Instead I got all hot and queasy and they had to give me meds to calm it down.  Once Rachel was given the all clear and cleaned up a little David brought her over to me.

Meeting my girl

Because she was doing so well we got to spend my entire recovery with her and when it was time to go back to the room David was able to carry her up with us.  It was such a different experience than with DJ who had to spend his first 3 hours getting worked on in the nursery while David bounced back and forth between the two of us.  Being able to spend those precious first hours with Rachel and David instead of nurses or by myself was so special!  I loved the staff at our hospital and the recovery suit in the maternity ward was beautiful!  

With Daddy

Beautiful baby

Daddy's girl

See what I mean... he is already wrapped around her finger.

Watching Mommy while she sleeps

First Hair bow

Going home outfit

My doctor has been nervous about the state of my uterus and scar tissue from my previous surgery.  There was some pretty strong evidence that I had some really bad scaring and I had been warned that it was possible I would be told not risk having more children after this surgery, I was even warned that there was a chance that there would not be enough uterus left and they would have to tie my tubes to be safe.  I felt so a peace and wasn't worried, whatever happened I would be blessed enough to carry two children to term and have a boy and a girl.  I could be okay with that.  I was surprised and grateful when my Dr came in after the surgery and told me that he had been able to clear everything out and that (as long as I wait a few years to give my body time to recover and talk to a Dr before hand) more children are a possibility for us.  Who knows what the future will bring and it will be a few years before we do this again but I am grateful for the possibility and a Dr who was so willing to take the extra time and to make that a possibility instead of just tying my tubes.  Yay Dr. Manning!

Over all the whole experience was wonderful!  Rachel did wonderfully and I have bounced back super fast (yet again... I guess I'm lucky that way).  

DJ has done really well with having a new sister. He took a few days to warm up.  

Who the heck is that person my mommy is holding?

The funniest moment was the first time David held her in front of him.  DJ saw David holding Rachel, stuck his head in the air, put his had over his eyes and walked past David to hid behind the curtain. 

Hiding from the sight of Daddy holding Rachel

After a while though he started circling and finally checked her out.

Touching the baby for the first time, he is very good about being gentle

She is pretty daddy. 

Keeping watch over the sleeping baby, making sure she keeps her hat and blanket on

First family photo

My mom has been so helpful through the transition and I'm terrified of her leaving!

Grandma with her Pelon grandkids

Meeting Grandma

We have her for another month and my Dad gets in this week, but I go back to work on Monday.  I wish I could take longer but having another child who needs diapers means money is that much more important.  Ah well *first world problems*.  At least I get to work from home and have a job to go back to.  David is kicking rear at his pharmacy rotation and is halfway done.  We are hoping he can find a tech job once he is done and has had some experience in a actual pharmacy.  We have been so blessed this past year and especially the past few months, God is good and has showered down tender mercies upon us.