This is the amazing story of Payton's birth.....
Friday, September 17, 2010 started like any other morning. Got up way too early for my taste to get the girls up and moving for school. Got myself dressed for the gym and made all the kiddos breakfast. Got the girls on the bus and off the boys and I went to go walk at the gym. Got home from the gym and my friend Emilie came over to do my hair (the important things you want done before you have a baby). Jason was coming home in a few days and I wanted to look nice. We had a nice afternoon of hair coloring and chit chat. Around 1 pm she left and I went to lay down to take a nap with the boys. Up to this point a totally normal day. That would all change when I got up.
I woke up from my nap at around 3:30 pm. Fired up the flat iron to do my hair and started some house cleaning projects (that would never get finished). About 15 minutes later I start doing my hair. I have my first contraction. Wasn't too bad (still doing my hair). Then exactly 7 minutes later I have another one (weird). Still doing my hair, I have another one 7 minutes later. At this point I decide to lay down. I lay down and 11 minutes goes by with no contractions. I thought it was false labor. Get back up go to the bathroom (didn't know it at the time, but I believe this is when my water broke) and finish my hair. Just as I'm finishing my hair I have another contraction. This one is stronger than the ones before and it lasts longer. About 5 minutes later I have another one. Now one would think that after having gone through this four times before I would have known how close I was to delivering, but apparently I wasn't pay attention the last four times. I debate about what I should do, do I call everyone or not, what if it's not real labor. Needless to say I start making phone calls. So contractions are 5 minutes apart and about two minutes long. It's a little after four at the point and I know the girls are going to be home any time from school. As the girls are getting off the bus I have another contraction and can't get down the stairs to answer the door. So you want to know a way to annoy a lady in labor? Ring the door bell over and over and over. Of course the girls didn't know what was going on. Finally get downstairs and open the door for them and they are all happy to be home and are asking for snacks. So quickly dish out snacks (a mom's job is never done) and head back up stairs to finish trying to pack and make phone calls. My wonderful babysitters show up (really these girls are amazing with my children) and take over the kids for me as well as help me pack my stuff. I never realized how hard it is to concentrate on the things you need to pack while you feel like your dying, but we're getting of track. Finally get all packed and am waiting for my ride. My good friend, Jessica (well really good friend after this day) was going to take me to the hospital. I decided I wanted a comfort blessing before we left for the hospital (thought we had plenty of time). Did I mention that now my contractions are about 3 minutes apart and I'm laying on the living room sofa (just for future visitors who might want to avoid the area or take pictures of the famed spot, it's the red one in the front room of our house). She shows up and tells me her hubby is about 5 minutes away, still thinking that waiting for my blessing is a good idea. Adam (Jessica's hubby) shows up and I' m not sure how I looked to them, but I'm pretty sure I was just withering there in pain. Adam so nicely gives me my blessing. Later I would realize how much it really did help me get through everything.
After my blessing I have maybe a couple more contractions. It's at this point a little light goes on in my head and I realize we won't make it to the hospital if Jessica drives me. I did not want to give birth on the side of the I-20 on a Friday during rush hour traffic. I don't think all of Augusta wanted to see me give birth either. I tell Jessica she needs to call 911. At this point it is a little before 5 pm (I'm sure Jessica will correct my times if I'm off, I was a little busy doing other things at the time). While Jessica is on the phone with the ambulance her husband is standing by in case I might need something. Did you know pain can cause delirium? I ask him in my post pitiful voice for pain meds. Now I hear laughing in my head. My logical self was saying, "What do you think he's going to give you. Do you think he has a syringe of morphine in his pocket for instances just like this?" So obviously no pain meds coming my way. It's also at this point I feel like I have to push. I don't tell anyone at first, hoping I am wrong. I tell the babysitters that we need to get all the kids out. So Adam, the babysitters and the kids head down the street to Adam and Jessica's house to play. On the way out the door the girls come by and say goodbye. Faith was crying because she could tell I was in pain, but somehow I was able to tell her it was going to be OK and that we would have a new baby when this was all over. She put on her best brave face she could muster, gave me a hug and headed out the door. Then Emma comes up to say goodbye and she is all excited that we're going to have a baby. She wanted to not just hug me, but get up on the couch with me (I was totally not having that). She was so excited. Once all the kids are gone it's just Jessica and I......still waiting for the ambulance. Jessica says it only took them like 12 minutes to get there, but it felt so much longer for both of us.
Jessica is trying to be so helpful, but there was nothing she could do (she didn't know it, but I'm not one of those women who likes to have her hand held or back rubbed. I hate to be touched while in labor). I know Jessica felt so helpless, but she did a great job. Anyway, once the kids are gone I tell her I have to push. This is the only time I saw a hint of panic in her eyes. She looks at me and tells me, "You have to push? You can't have this baby right now, I don't know how to deliver a baby!" In my head (and maybe out loud, not sure) I say I'm sorry. I am now laying on the couch on my left side with my legs as straight as I can get them, crossed at the ankles trying to keep the baby's head from coming out while I'm panting like a dog to keep from pushing. After I tell her I have to push I tell her,"You need to cut my pants off!" She runs and gets the scissors and then asks me if I'm sure. I tell her to just cut them off. I didn't care at that point, plus I knew I couldn't move. If I did the baby would be coming out. As she is cutting my pants off she is calling 911 again to get instructions on how to deliver a baby. Just then Heavenly Father sent angels, called the EMTs. I know we were both relieved. Just at this point Jason happens to call the house (Jason got to hear him being born).
Jessica throws open the front door and tells them the baby is coming right now. I think they thought she was over reacting a little because they came in and were like OK. Let's get this yellow tarp under her (which they did somehow). As soon as I rolled on to my back they were like "Oh, there's the head." I don't know if they told me to push, but I did anyway. He was out in 2-3 pushes. He was so small looking. I couldn't believe he was here and that I had him on our couch. He was so beautiful (and I was right, it was a boy, I love being right). After a few seconds I notice there is something wrong with his hands (I couldn't see it at the time, but he had the same problem with his feet). He was born with only one digit on each of his hands and feet. We didn't know about this before hand and it was a bit of a shock. Jason heard me ask what was wrong with him. Jessica didn't know what to tell him and handed me the phone. As I was trying not to cry I told him and he broke down. It is amazing how marriage works, when one is weak the other is strong. Heavenly Father helped me to pull it together so I could be strong for him. I also realized at the same time how blessed we were. He seemed to be completely healthy and normal in every other way and we had nothing to be sad about. It could have been so much worse (this is where that comfort blessing came in handy). I couldn't talk to Jason long and it killed me to get off the phone like that. I told him I would call him as soon as I could. They handed me our beautiful little boy and I melted. I was just so in love.
They took him to the ambulance shortly afterwards so they could check his vitals and I could deliver the placenta. Once that was done they moved me to a stretcher and gave me Payton. We got to ride to the hospital in the ambulance with the sirens on. I know it sounds dorky, but I really enjoyed it, it was really cool. People move real quick when you have lights flashing, horn honking and sirens wailing. What a cool way to announce his arrival.
Once at the hospital we were both checked out and found to be doing great. Payton also received a blessing once things calmed down a bit. Listening to his blessing gave me so much hope for this little man. He is a very special spirit and we are so blessed to have him in our family. I was given another blessing which only brought more joy and comfort to me. After this they took him to be weighed and measured. He weighed in at 6 lbs 5 oz and 20 1/2 inches long.
I know that the road we face will be challenging, not just for us as parents, but for Payton and his siblings. However, knowing that God has a plan for him and for us fills my heart with joy. The feeling I get every time I am near him is amazing. For such a small, new little thing he just radiates a calmness and joy that you can't help but feel. We are truly blessed to be his parents. I know that we will probably learn more from him than he will from us. I thank Heavenly Father for him and surprisingly enough the way he came into this world (although not looking to do a repeat performance). Welcome to the world and to our family Payton. I hope that we will bring you as much joy as you bring us.
I have included some much awaited pictures for your enjoyment. We will post more after he has had his professional baby photos taken next week. Enjoy and thank you to all those who helped out during my labor and delivery. You were our angels that day. Thank you as well to everyone else for all the well wishes. Payton is loved more than he knows. Thank you again everyone.
These are the amazing EMTs who helped delivery our boy.
