I've finally found the motivation (and time) to post some pictures...

First, here is the exciting story of Avery's birth. It all started last Tuesday the 22nd. I woke up not feeling too well and as the day progressed it just got worse. I had a headache, shivers, a fever. Naturally, I thought I just had the flu or something. I read somewhere that if my fever rose above 100.4 I should call the Dr or go to the ER. I finally found a thermometer around 5pm and my temperature was almost 102. I finally decided it was best to go to the emergency room to get checked out. We signed in a little after 7pm and it was decided that since I wasn't having any "baby" problems I would have to wait to be seen in the ER rather than going up to the labor and delivery triage. After about 30 minutes of waiting I was called back for blood work and a urine test. It was just a matter of waiting at that point. Finally, around 11pm we were called in and taken to our own little curtained off room. I was given an IV for some fluids and a dose of morphine to help my headache. A nurse from the labor and delivery floor was sent down to monitor the baby and finally around midnight the Dr came in and told me I had a kidney infection and would need to be admitted. The labor and delivery floor was full so I was sent to another floor to get some antibiotics and to be monitored. We arrived in our room at 130am. The nurse checked on me periodically throughout the night and at 6am I was taken to the labor and delivery floor so the baby could be monitored again. At that point I found out my blood pressure had been elevated most of the night and they were going to keep me for another 24 hours to check for protein in my urine. I was taken to my new room on the labor and delivery floor. From that point on I was on bedrest with bathroom privileges only. A Dr came in to see me that night (Wednesday) and told me she thought my blood pressure was just elevated from the infection and that I would most likely be able to go home in the morning after my 24 hour urine collection (assuming there was no protein found). Thursday morning the nurse came in and mentioned the urine test came back with no protein. I was elated! I had been in bed at that point for almost 48 hours and was ready to just go home. But...it didn't happen.... The Dr came in a little before noon and told me I actually did have protein in my urine. She said that since my blood pressure was still elevated and since I had a kidney infection she thought it would be best to deliver the baby. She called my OB to let her know what was going on and my OB said she would come to the hospital to check on me during her lunch. So we had to wait for her to get there to know what the plan was going to be. Was I going home or was I going to have a baby at only 36 weeks? My OB arrived and she said it was decided that it would be best to deliver the baby because of my pre-eclampsia and infection. WOW! Here I thought I was just going to the hospital to get my fever under control with maybe some fluids and now I was going to be induced. I was totally overwhelmed, but everything was happening so fast I really didn't have time to internalize what was going on. I was given cervadil at 1pm on Thursday and had to put on these leg things to prevent any clots since a blood clotting disorder runs in my family. I was checked at 1am and I was dilated to 1 cm! It was working...slowly. I was allowed to get up and shower at that point and it was amazing. I never thought a shower could feel so nice. Haha. I had to get back in bed and another cervadil was placed. This is where everything becomes very unclear.... At some point in the night I started having really painful contractions and after three different doses of pain meds the nurse couldn't give me anything else. I wasn't dilated enough for an epidural so I just had to wait it out in pain. At one point I just had the urge to push and when I did my water broke (I thought I went pee..haha!). The nurse wasn't in the room so I called over to Josh that I went pee and needed a towel. He brought me one and a few minutes later the nurse came in and I told her I accidently went pee. I felt so bad. She checked and told me it was actually my water that had broken. I felt slightly less embarassed. I think that was around 8am or so. They checked me again at some point and I was dilated enough to get my epidural. I still was having the biggest urges to push, but it wasn't time yet. The epidural was a miracle! While Josh went to make a phone call I was checked again and I was dilated to 9cm. I told him the good news when he got back and before I knew it it was time push. The nurse had me push during a contraction and said it was time for the Dr to come in. She came in around 11am and after a few pushes Avery Jane Mitton was born. They put her on my stomach and I was in awe. She was so little! She was so cute! It was one of the best moments of my life. They took her, cleaned her up and measured her. I didn't expect that she would only weigh 5 lbs 2 oz, but we were just happy she had arrived and was healthy. After some time the nurse came in to check on me before I was moved to my post partum room and when she pushed on my stomach I hemorrhaged. It felt like I went pee again, but instead of it being my water breaking it was a huge gush of blood. The nurse joked that at least it didn't happen in my new bed. After getting all cleaned up I was moved to my new room to recover. I was put on pitocin to help my uterus contract and stop from bleeding again, magnesium for my preeclampsia, and more antibiotics periodically for my infection. My blood was tested and they found I was anemic so the Dr said if it didn't get better I would need a blood transfusion--luckily the iron pills they gave me helped. Overall, I had 4 successful IV's and 7 attempts to put them in. The magnesium that I was put on was the worst! It made me super swollen and I just felt horrible on it. After a total of 5 days in the hospital we were discharged. We left the hospital Sunday afternoon to come home. My family had decorated the front yard and gave us the best welcome home ever.

Well, I think that pretty much covers everything. We are just so lucky to have a healthy baby girl. She continues to amaze me and it is still so surreal that she is here already. My family has been a big help through this all...we are so lucky to have them so close!

Now on to the good part...PICTURES! They are kind of backwards, so the newest ones come first...

Wednesday September 30, 2009

Tuesday September 29, 2009
She always has her feet crossed like this...it's so cute!

getting ready for bed

Monday September 28, 2009

Sunday September 27, 2009

My nieces: Adyson and Ainsleigh

Saturday September 26, 2009