Our Saving GRACyn ❤️

April 27th: my last day of work before maternity leave; my last evening spending time with the girls at my parents while my husband so graciously stayed home to clean and straighten the house before we brought home our third, and final, baby girl. That day I was a mess. I was scheduled to be induced the following morning. Not knowing what to expect, coupled with the horror stories people were SO kind to share with me (insert eye roll), I was a blubbering, sobbing, hot mess. I barely slept that night, thinking of the “what if’s” that could happen in the few short hours to come.

April 28th: Bags packed, clean and tidy house, girls with Grandma, Matt and I set off to WMHS Hospital to be induced at 8:00am. We arrived at 7, like we were told, got settled into our room and nervously waited for Dr. E to pop in and tell us how the day would go. 

8:00am - Tablet inserted

8:00-10:00am - hanging out, watching some TV, filling out more paperwork, starting to get a few pains here and there.

10a-12:00p - our wonderful nurse, who’s name I can’t remenber right now but can picture, suggested getting up and walking around to get things moving. Matt and I walked the halls of labor and delivery for quite sometime. At first, we could make it up and back down the hall before a contraction hit. Around 11:30, I was having steady contractions at one end, the middle, and the other end of the hall. Making my nurse aware, she decided to check how things were progressing. By now, I was in tears and more than ready for my epidural! With a quick check, I was able to get my epidural at 12:00pm. SIDE NOTE: My wonderful, supportive husband, being the medical geek he is, literally held my pinky from a distance, as he watched them insert my epidural. That wonderful nurse I mentioned before, SHE was the one comforting me,  holding me, talking me through  as  I was hunched over, having contractions, while the anesthesiologist stabbed my spine placed my epidural. 

12:10pm - Tears were gone, belly was full of popsicles, and it was suggested I try to rest. But how is that possible when you’re shivering!? I asked the nurse for extra blankets. She brought several from the warmer. I still shivered. At first I thought it was from the popsicle, but was then told sometimes an epidural has that effect. So I sat, and shivered, for about an hour until Dr. E came in at 1:00.

1:10pm - I had progressed so much that Pitocin wasn’t needed and the nurses asked if I could be considerate and have this baby before their shift was over. : )  My stomach consistently tighteneted and relaxed....and I didn’t feel a darn thing!

1:55pm - My nurse came to check our progress and decided that they should probably place a catheter. The facial expressions she had while inserting the catheter was priceless. She started emptying my bladder and immediately the baby’s head moved down. “Your bladder was acting as an airbag, he heads down and you’re ready to push!” She then called to Dr. E, who had just stepped out into the hall, not to go too far.

2:05pm and three pushes later, I was holding one slippery, beautiful little baby in my arms!

Sounds easy, huh? Well...it was. And almost a year later, she continues to be the easiest, most laid back, perfect baby to date. Miss Gracyn Lillyann Gibson, is my saving grace. God knew I needed her....

Gracyn Lillyan Gibson
4/28/17
2:05pm
7 lbs 5.4oz
18 3/4”

Bases are Offically Loaded

Bases are loaded. Our third baby is due to arrive at the end of April or the beginning of May. Another baby, another miracle. Each pregnancy has been slightly different than the last. This time around, I have been extra blessed to hardly have any nausea. Instead of the nausea, I have extra tears. And by extra,  I mean that I tear up over the littlest things; like for instance, dances on Dancing with the Stars, watching Grey's Anatomy, listening to a priceless and heartwarming conversation between Mady and her friend, Ella, and we can't forget those ultrasounds and monthly OB checkups.

Every pregnancy, I am always amazed at the miracle of a child. I thought that since this was our third round, that the excitement and amazement wouldn't be as strong. But I was wrong. Each ultrasound has left me in tears.  As early as 7 weeks we saw a heartbeat flicker. At 10 weeks we saw a perfectly formed, wiggly, baby. At our (almost)12 week appointment, the Doctor wasn't able to pick up a heartbeat on the Doppler so he did a quick scan. The ultrasound showed that "Georgie" (nickname courtesy of big sister Mady) was wiggling and bouncing all around. But at 12 weeks, there were tiny, perfectly formed hands that were waving around and tiny legs and feet that just couldn't hold still. Simply amazing.

Maybe it's because I am feeling so good this time around , or that I'm extra emotional, or perhaps because I know this will be my last pregnancy (and yes, I did say that with Elly, but God trumped our plans with HIS plans) but I am soaking in and enjoying this pregnancy more than I have the last two.

Although I wasn't quite ready for this pregnancy, but after seeing the little miracle growing inside, I can't help but feel EXTRA blessed to be loading the bases with a third Gibson baby.