Happy 3rd Birthday Dillon

On Sunday night, October 7th, 2007, Mr and I took our last photo with Dillon in my belly and then we headed to the hospital for my scheduled induction. Mr was on leave for only a week and his ship was due to leave so we had a certain time frame that Dillon needed to arrive within. We got to the hospital at 8 pm and they started the induction process using a tablet that is inserted vaginally to soften the cervix and help "kick start" dialating.

Nothing happened all night other than I was no longer allowed to eat anything after midnight except ice chips. At 7 am, they started me pitocin to get my labor to progress and help me to contract and start dialating. They wanted me to be at least 4 cm before they would break my water.

At 2 pm on October 8th, 2007 my water broke by itself. Mr had just come back from smoking and I said I think I'm leaking and I told him to get a nurse so he went to the station. After they walked in and she lifted the sheet to check the fluid with the strips, my water broke completely and Mr looked on in total shock and awe that he was really seeing that happen. I was barely 3 cm dialated when my water broke.

My contractions progressed and I started dialating slowly. At some point in the early evening I decided to get the epidural. I could have handled the pain as I was getting iv pain medication, but I had to wait another four hours for another dose in my iv and I said no way, I want to sleep. So as terrified as I am of needles, I some how managed to get through the epidural and I slept like a baby. Around 8 pm (or so) I started feeling a lot of pressure and it was quite painful and uncomfortable but I wasn't dialated enough, so they gave me a different epidural medication and I went back to sleep. Around midnight the dr and nurses came to check me and I was only dialated to 7 cm. Dillon's heart rate was starting to dip here and there and I was given oxygen to help make it more consistant. The dr said they would come back in an hour to check me and if I wasn't progressing they would need to do a c-section because his heart rate was dipping to much and they wanted to get him out. It had been quite a long time since my water broke and the more they checked me, the more they risk infection getting in from germs.

Around 1 am on October 9th, 2007, the dr came back in and checked me and I was only 7.5 cm. I had only dialated a half a cm in an hour, it wasn't enough. So they prepped me and I think I remember signing some papers about the risks of c-section, etc. They gave Mr his smurf clothes and proceeded to explain to us the procedure and what would be taking place once we left the room.

Mr went to the waiting room and called Dad and Kelly and they came right up to the hospital to be there for us when we got out.

I was wheeled on the bed through the ward and to the OR room once they were ready for me. They lifted me onto the OR table and pulled up the blue curtain infront of my chest. I was terrified because I knew it was a major surgery and I just wanted Dillon to be ok.

Once they started the surgery, they brought Mr in and he sat next to me holding my hand. It felt like an eternity had passed and I felt them tugging and pulling inside my abdomin. I was warned I'd feel a lot of pressure and then suddenly it was gone and I heard Dillon's first cries. He was born at 1:20 am on October 9, 2007 weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces and was 19 inches long. He had a cone shaped head and all from being stuck in the birth canal. He was trying to make his way out before my body was ready to let him!

I instantly started crying myself, in such awe and amazement that he was finally here and that he was crying and from the sound of it, all seemed fine. The dr held him up over the little blue curtain so I could see him and the tiniest bit of blood had dripped off of him and onto my face, but I did not even care. He was perfect. Then they took him to the table to check him and everything and then finished my surgery. He was in perfect health and passed his assessments with flying colors.

Mr went up to the nursery with Dillon while I was in the recovery room waiting for the pain medication to kick in, which it never did so they had to give me even stronger medications for the pain. Once it all kicked in I was stoned out of my mind, but I felt no more pain.

After about an hour I was able to go up to my room. Mr said that Dad and Kelly got to see Dillon in the nursery and they took photos of him while he was checked out and everything. About 20 to 30 minutes after I got to my room I finally got to see my baby, they brought him in from the nursery. He was perfect and he still is. He was a spitting image of his Daddy and the older he gets, he looks even more like him. If that is even possible!

I remember feeling such an enormous weight off of my shoulders and I had so much love in my heart, I just cried every time I looked at him because he was beautiful and I couldn't believe our love had made this perfect little baby boy. Becoming a mother is probably the highlight of my life, it is absolutely the most amazing feeling in the entire world. At least to me it is.

Now my baby is 3 years old today, he weighs about 34 pounds and is about 37.5 inches tall. He had a wonderful birthday party. I am glad he loved all of his gifts and he got to eat just about an entire piece of cake (which he fed to himself) and didn't even make a mess!! I guess it's because he's 3 now....*insert eye wink*

He was so exhausted from all of the fun, he even wanted to go to bed a little early and now he's out like a light. I wanted to share his birth story in celebration of his birthday and in celebration of his life. Once I get this posted, I'll probably have another piece or two of pizza, go lay in bed with some tv and then probably fall asleep pretty quickly. I am so thankful for those who joined us to celebrate our son's birthday and for those who sent birthday gifts, cards and wishes to him. While some of the important family members didn't say or send anything, all that matters is the ones who did.

I love you Dillon Brian, you are my everything. I hope you had the most wonderful 3rd birthday and if you remember it years from now, I hope it is filled with nothing but happiness and love.