Story of Jude: Part 3

We were suppose to be at the hospital at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday June 26th. That morning was quiet again around the Kajewski house. I got up, showered, and even curled my hair. I figured the one upside to knowing when you're having a baby, was that I could make myself look the best I could! We had already gone through this routine on Saturday, but we both pretty much knew we were coming home with a baby. 

We got to the hospital and this time they checked us in like we were staying. I started the monitoring and tests again. My fluid had gone up a little bit, but not much. From Friday to Saturday morning I got it to go from a 5 to a 7, and from Saturday to Tuesday I only got it to go to a 7.9. Totally discouraging. Dr. Hogue did an ultrasound again just to check the position and to see if we could still try to flip baby K. He advised against it, and called it the "My Daughter Rule." He didn't like where the cord was at on the baby, and he wouldn't try version on his daughter if her baby was breech and in the position baby K was in. Matt and I agreed and they started to prepare us both for a C-section. This is where we both started to freak a little bit. I snapped the picture below on my phone of Matt once they started prepping me for a C-Section. Papa Matt started to get a little nervous.

Before I knew it, I was all prepped and waiting to be taken to the OR. I was deathly afraid at this point. I got all ready, and then I had to wait for an emergency C that had to go before me. So we sat around some more, and then we got ready again.

Here is the picture Matt took of me at about 12:35 right before I put my hair in my matching hairnet,  walked into the OR, and tried not to vomit. I was sickly nervous, excited, and really just wanted the C- section to be over so I could hold my baby, and have the worst part behind me. 

So Dr. Hogue came and walked us to the ER. Having a C-Section is really weird. They told me they were ready for me, I walked in to the OR and sat down on the table. Matt had to wait outside until they were ready for him. That part really sucked. I could have really used my husband right then, but I just didn't talk and did what I was told. I sat there and watched nurses, doctors, techs get organized, and next thing I know they are numbing me, the anesthesiologist is putting in the spinal block, and I laid down, and started to numb out. I was terrified the whole time. They try to make small talk with you, ask ?, but I was just silent. That is the only way I could keep my cool and not freak out, and scream "I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS! JUST GIVE ME MY BABY!" Ugh I just hated the whole process. Finally Matt was allowed in, all dressed up in his hazmat suit. Matt was trying to calm me and talk to me, and was freaked out that I wouldn't open my eyes or talk, but I told him it was the only way I could do this without going into cardiac arrest. They start the process and Matt kind of stood up once and looked, and his face said, "That shit is disgusting, I don't need to see that." But really all he said was, "You okay, Mo?  hang in there." I said yes and just continued to keep my eyes shut and pretended I wasn't going through a C-Section.

 It all goes pretty fast, and before I knew it, Dr. Hogue told us, the baby was going to be out in a second. At 1:12 p.m  baby k was born, and Dr. Hogue told Matt to stand up to see the baby and to tell me what it is. Matt stood up and all I can see is the look on his face. A look I will describe as fear, awe, excitement, confusion, and pure love. I am laying there looking at Matt, like well, we have waited 9 months for this, what is it? Dr. Hogue finally tries to snap Matt out of it and goes, "Matt, what do we have?" and Matt, apparently completely out of it, says, " I can't tell." All my joy, nerves, fear, and excitement turned to annoyed wife. What the hell do you mean you can't tell? Look again, we have been waiting 9 GOD DAMN MONTHS FOR THIS! I hear Dr. Hogue say, "Matt, look at my hand, what is that." Matt finally seems to recall the difference in male and female genitalia, and goes, "Oh it's a Boy!"

A Boy. A handsome, snugly bug, boy. I don't know how to describe what I felt. Relief he was out, joy in having a son, thanking god this procedure was about over, and excitement to see and hold my little man. It was really hard to hear him cry and not get to see him right away. I could hear the nurses and Matt ooing and awing over him, and the nurses kept telling me he looked great, and told me I was doing good and it was almost over. Matt kept running back and forth between me and Baby Boy Kajewski like a puppy, trying to update me on everything. I finally told him to just stay with him, I would be alright. 

Baby Boy, few minutes old

Matt cutting the umbilical cord

Baby Boy

 They cleaned up my boy, finished their job, and wheeled me back to our room, and following was Matt with Baby boy. Dr. Hogue was adamant we needed a first family picture, and he asked for our camera so he could take one of us.

First Family Pic!

I was so happy when I got to hold him. He was such a little peanut, weighing in at 6 lbs 6 oz and 19.5 inches. Who would have thought, that these two larger than average people would have such a peanut little boy. Dr. Hogue did tell us that a lot of that was due to his position and the cord was over his shoulder a bit, so he didn't get to pack it on as much at the end. So a C-section was best for all of us in the end. 

He was just adorable. All snugly, and he loved his hands on his face, in his mouth, and still does. Whenever we got an ultrasound and could see the baby's face, the face was always covered up by little hands, and we never got a clear picture. It is funny how these little people act similarly in the womb and out. 

He was nameless for about an hour. We had boys names picked out, but we felt we had to get to know this little guy a bit. He just looked like a Jude to me. We had one other boy name we really liked, but from the moment I looked at him, he was a Jude. Jude Francis Kajewski. When Matt and I discussed names, I have always loved the name Jude. Matt was okay with it, but liked our other name better. But he agreed when we met him that he was a Jude. We had a couple hours alone as a fam, and then the visitors started. Jude was a star and everyone wanted to meet him.

So after 39 weeks, and a whirlwind couple of days, we had a baby boy. Matt and I both agreed that not knowing the sex was too much fun, and it was so exciting to find out if it was a girl or boy, even if it took Matt a second to realize it. We will probably keep it a surprise when we decide to give Jude a sibling (and no, NOT soon! give me a break peeps!). He has been a pretty good boy. Eating and sleeping on a 3 hour schedule. We have had a few time periods shorter and longer, and we have had words at 3 a.m., but I will keep him. This Tuesday he is 4 weeks old, and as of Thursday it has been a month since Jude entered our lives. I am recovering decently, and feeling I am close to being able to doing more activity than just a little walking. He has changed so much in the last month, and I can't even imagine how much different he will look in another month. I have had tons of motherhood observations and experiences over the last month in Mo style, but I will save my take on those for another blog. I will say that I am breastfeeding, and I don't care what people say it is hard and I am not the biggest fan, but I am hanging in there. As much as I love the little guy, and know breast milk is good for him, I feel like my breast are about to go all Norma Ray and demand better pay, benefits, and treatment for all the work they do! My girls keep working, and I keep carrying on sleep deprived. The worst part has been the heat. We have been locked inside for almost 4 weeks due to the 100+ degree heat. I can't wait for when it is nicer and we can go for a walk or even sit outside. In the meantime we try to shower before noon and we try to keep our poop from getting everywhere. It really is quite the ride!

When we were in the OR, after Jude was born and Matt was running back and forth, he came back to me and said, "I don't know what this is that I am feeling, but it is the best feeling in the world." That pretty much sums it up. It was the best feeling in the world.