The Adventures of the Johnson Clan: ~Avery's Arrival Story~

Induction Day: What was going to be a 7am call for my induction was pushed to a "standby" status as they had a few other inductions and c-sections scheduled; so I waited. Around 1:45 I went to lay down and nap. I stirred on and off until 3:00 at which point I began timing contractions. A few reached 5 mins apart, but would then bounce back up to 10 mins apart... but they were growing more intense. I called Travis back to the room and he said maybe we should just go over; at first I refused, but then out of nowhere they just hit and I knew it was time to go!

I got to the hospital and they wheeled me up to labor and delivery where there were no rooms currently available. They also had to roll out a dinosaur of machines to hook me to to monitor my contractions, which were now 2 mins apart. But remember, my water never breaks on its own, so no one was worried that the baby would come out on her own.

Once in my room I was all hooked up to my 4 hr bag of meds (8:45pm) that I had to have before they'd break my water. Travis went to work his night shift and popped in and out of the room while I killed some time with a show and nurses coming in and out of the room. By 10:00 our good friend came in, off shift, in order to see that I had a really good epidural (because last time was awful AND didn't work). Travis forewarned him of my previous reactions to epidurals, so once again, as a precaution they pumped extra fluids through me and he even decided to start with only 1/2 of an epidural dose. But sure enough it happened again: numb lips, metallic taste in my mouth, loud ringing in my ears, the inability to breath well, and the overwhelming urge to sleep... And just like that they had to keep me from passing out as they watched my blood pressure quickly tank into the 60's! All the while, Avery handled it without any issues. I had on and off headaches and felt like vomiting, then I'd start to pass out again for a few hours after that, but eventually I stabilized and it was decided we wouldn't go past a 1/2 an epidural dosing.

Delivery Day: At 12:01am they broke my water and the waiting game continued; she didn't shoot out on her waterslide like we'd all predicted she would do. After they checked me at 2:00am and I was still a 6, they had me lay on my side and squeeze a giant peanut shaped workout ball. At 4:00am they came and checked and I was only a 7... ugh!!!! The resident that was helping us out, Sis. Malia (also an ANGEL because she stayed to work a double shift to help us deliver Avery!) decided to grab Dr. Tan and see what he thought. Dr. Tan came and worked his magic and with one push he declared, "There, you're a 9, almost a 10 now, we come back shortly and push. Travis took this opportunity to go round on his patients one last time before it was show time.

At 4:20am we began pushing; this is when we discovered she was posterior, and her head was facing up (Travis says both our girls came out with their noses stuck up to the world) instead of down and that's why, once again, she wasn't just coming out. I pushed extremely hard and just before she came out she broke my tailbone... that makes 3 of the 4 to have broken it; however, this time it wasn't a loud sound like the snapping of a broom, but more of a pop, like a broken nose or finger. After only 12 minutes of pushing, she came out at 4:52am. They placed her right on my chest, covered in blood and goop and her little cry was tender, like she really didn't want to come out of my tummy. The second I said her name her eyes flickered open and she began searching for my voice. I put my hand down and she instantly grabbed my finger with her little hand and snuggled it to her face. This is where she kept my finger until the moment they took her to be weighed and measured. She weighed 6lbs 13oz, and measured 19 3/4 inches long; our smallest baby yet. Oh and because of being face up and coming down the birth canal so quickly, she came out with this GIANT bruise across her forehead... it was huge! They said they'd have to watch her for jaundice because of it. So we were able to get cleaned up, wrap everything up, and move into my recovery room just as Travis, the nurses, and Dr. Tan were all wrapping up their night shift. The Lord really blessed us with the timing of how everything happened. From the initial going in, the breaking of my water, down to the actual delivery and wrap up, He provided for us perfectly. Travis even had a slower night and was able to attend to his patients, but by in the room with me during the scarier parts, like the epidural issues and the tailbone breaking; I'm so grateful it all worked out.

Avery and I spent all of Friday and Saturday eating, stealing short non useful naps, and visiting with the residents/nurses/Doctors that know Travis and wanted to stop by to congratulate us. The hospital was on a lockdown from visitors, due to recent flu breakouts in town. But grandparents were allowed to come visit, so each afternoon Lori came to hold baby Avery while Addie and Travis were home sleeping; she also brought me some beautiful flowers that were as un-pink as she could make them... because Maddix insisted she not buy pink flowers...? Silly goof.

Sunday they let us check out a little late so that Travis could go home and sleep after his LAST NIGHT SHIFT EVER, and the nurse even took Avery from me so I could nap because I was dozing during my discharge instructions. At 1:00pm Travis came and checked us out. We left to a beautiful sunny afternoon. At home everyone (minus a sick, napping Adeline) was anxiously awaiting Baby Avery's arrival. I came home to find a mini baby shower set up by Lori; it was so cute and sweet. Both boys clambered up to see the baby and take turns holding her. Nala took her excited turn of meeting the baby. And eventually Adeline woke up and came out, excited and confused to find this new little thing in her house. She was SOoOoOo excited, until she wasn't allowed to hold her (due to a 103 fever and head to toe rash!), then she really didn't like the thing that was on my lap, keeping HER from my lap.

And now that's where we're at.
What started out as one Travis and one Lacey falling in love, has now turned into 4 beautiful children and one old dog. We started out living in our own tiny apartment, lived with family for 4 years in a tiny bedroom. Lived in an old apartment 100 stairs up (no elevator) in Poland with our one little Maddix. We dragged around our 2 little boys for the 14 months we lived in New York. We lived apart for the majority of 2 years. We had a miscarriage. We bought a house in Iowa and brought home our first little girl, Adeline to join our family. And now as we finish up the last 2 1/2 months of this crazy 8 year medical adventure, we also close out our last addition to our family with our sweet baby Avery. It is such a weird and surreal thought/feeling that what we've been working so hard towards for the past 11 years of our marriage and schooling is finishing up at the same time. About to start his first job as a full fledged Doctor. Done adding babies to our family. We are so excited for what this next chapter in life is going to shape up to be. I know it will be amazing, and it would have to be to compare with the past decade of memories thus far.

I'm so grateful.
So grateful to my Heavenly Father for my life.
So grateful to Travis for seeing me and knowing I needed to be his partner in this adventure.
So grateful to my children for choosing us to be their parents and trusting us to guide them through this life....
... talk about pressure!!!!!! The best of its kind! I'm so grateful for the opportunity for my life and Jesus Christ for making it all possible!!