Brooks's Birth Day

...11 months later...

I had the flu in January, I was in bed for 8 days. After this, and since then, my asthma got really bad. Like, needing to use my inhaler more than I ever had in my life bad. So, about a trimester into my pregnancy with Brooks, I had to go see my family doctor about my asthma. It was getting really bad and I didn't have a working inhaler. So I got a new inhaler (EXPENSIVE). And started using it. But like I said, it was bad. There were some days that I had to use my inhaler multiple times. Like as often as I was allowed to use it.

When I went and saw my lady doctor at the next visit, I told her how bad my asthma had been and that I now have a new inhaler to address it. Then we talked about my lack of oxygen those days that my asthma had been severe could hurt baby's growth - so we scheduled an ultrasound to check on his growth.

The first ultrasound showed that baby was not measuring where he was supposed to be. Like only 60% of what he should be. So I started having an ultrasound at each appointment to check on his growth.

On the second or third ultrasound like this, baby had flipped and was breech. And had decided to actually grow. Like a lot. No issues with his growth anymore, we continued the extra ultrasounds to see if he would flip again.

He did not.

So a few weeks before he was due, we discussed our options:

We can try to turn him, but with having already had a c-section, there is danger of rupture and hemorrhaging of my uterus

Or

We can schedule a c-section

We opted for a c-section without the added danger of trying to turn a giant baby. My doctor looks at her calendar, "How about the 22nd?"

"Can we do any day other than the 22nd? That's my other son's birthday."

"How about the 23rd?"

"Yes!"

1 and 2 slept at grandma's house the night before, cause we have to head in early.

Everything went as planned. No hidden head or cord wrapped around his shoulders. When he came out I cried. And when he came out, he was angry. Screaming baby. I'll take it!

A white blond, blue eyed, CHONK.

My body freaked out coming off of the c-section again. But I told my nurses what had happened before with Grayson, so they were keeping close and monitoring so they were prepared.

Bear Hug blanket.

And Brooks was having trouble managing his blood sugar, so he got to spend a day and a half in the NICU. We each had lots of cords and tubes for a while.

Eventually his body decided to keep up and he learned to eat good too. So we got to hang out on the same floor again until we went home.

But then his bilirubin levels kept climbing. He had LOTS of heel pricks his first couple weeks of life.

When they called me and told me that someone was bringing the bili lights I felt like I failed. It was rough. But just a couple days later his numbers went back down so we got to get rid of the lights!

And then reflux set in.

Life is a roller coaster friends.

Now we are just over a month away from his first birthday, and he is a dream.