Jacob Daniel Bess

Warning: We had a long day, so this is a long post, but totally worth the read!

Here's how our day started off: Jake had been super busy last week (and for a couple weeks prior) so he decided to take Monday off to spend with the family. We were going to go cherry picking out in Brentwood and then Jake was going to BBQ dinner. So off to Brentwood we go a-cherry-pickin'.

We went with the intention of just picking cherries, but decided to throw in some berries along the way. We picked Olalaberries, Loganberries, and Blackberries. Then we moved on to the cherry orchard.

The first type of tree we stopped at turned out to be our favorite one. I thought I was going to like Bing cherries the best, but it turns out I like jubilee cherries much better. The fun part about picking cherries is you get to eat them as you pick them!

We had lots of fun spending time together. Shyla was a wonderful help! (I don't look like I'm going to deliver a baby later on, do I?)

After this we decided to head home for some lunch and naps. I was feeling tired, but nothing more than usual. Before laying down we took some 38 week pregnancy pictures. I wanted to take them "just in case" and I'm GLAD we did. A few hours after taking the pictures... we got to meet our son.

After taking pictures, we ate some lunch and layed down for a nap. A little later Jake went downstairs but I stayed in bed sleeping. When I woke up, here's how it all went down:

6:00pm I woke up and was feeling contractions. They weren't too strong and since I had Braxton Hicks contractions since I was 4 months pregnant I figured it was just those getting stronger, which is what happens as the pregnancy gets closer to the end.

7:00pm I went downstairs and told Jake that I wasn't feeling too well and that the contractions we getting stronger and that it's possible I was in labor. Jake got out the paper and started writing down the time of each contration.

7:20ish Called Labor and Delivery and asked what we should do. At this point the contrations were 6-12 minutes apart. Actually, they were only 12 minutes apart once and after that they were averaging about 4-7 minutes apart. I was instructed to drink water and rest and if the contractions don't let up to call them back and go to the hospital. Since I didn't think it was actually labor, I took their advice and drank the water.

(All the while Jake had been BBQing chicken for dinner, yum! He wanted to eat dinner and see how I felt after that. During one contraction I looked at him and said we weren't going to be eating dinner and should probably just go to the hospital.)

7:50pm Called Labor and Delivery back and said we're coming in. We called ours friends who were going to be watching Shyla while we were in the hospital and said we were bringing her over. We had just notified them a short while before that I might be in labor so stand by. Jake and I had only enough time to make sure we had all that we needed, pack up Shyla's stuff, make sure the dogs had food, closed up the house, and left. We dropped off Shyla and headed to the hospital.

9:00pm We arrive at the hospital and park in Stork parking. We never received our stork pass since our doctor appointment was the next day. We didn't know how long it would be until Jake could move our car so we looked for paper to put in the window. No paper, but we did have a MAG-NA-DOO-DLE! We put a note in the windshield and took off. As we're walking up to the hospital Jake says he's going to get a wheelchair. Me, being me, said I didn't need one. CONTRACTION! Yeah, I needed one. Off we go. Whoever designed the hospital didn't do a good job. They put Labor & Delivery on the 3rd floor ALLLL the way at the other end of the floor from where the elevators are... hello? Pregnant women in labor can't walk that far!

9:10pm We are checked into Triage and I'm already at 8cm! Here I am being wheeled into the delivery room, 8cm dilated and smiling???

9:37pm The doctor breaks my water. This part is important. When I was in labor with Shyla I didn't wake up until my water broke. Then everything got really painful. However, her head was wedged in my cervix so the water didn't actually come out right away. When it did finally come out... the rest went by VERY fast (and PAINful!). Back to this labor, I was told that once my water was broken I could push with the next contraction and the baby was going to come fast. And he did... 6 minutes later to be exact. Had my water broken any other time other than in the hospital, there would've been a SLIM chance we'd have made it there in time.

9:38pm Pushing begins and 6 minutes later...

9:44pm Jacob Daniel Bess Jr. arrives! He weighed in at 6lbs, 4.7oz. His length was 19 1/4".

While I was holding Jacob immediately after delivery there were lots of things I was feeling: pain, lidocane shots, a cold IV, blood pressure cuff, and the little guy peeing on my arm twice! I know it won't be the last time it happens.

Interesting story about the next picture. You're probably wondering why I have included a picture of the bathroom in my room. With in an hour after delivery I wanted to take a shower. I asked when it was OK and the nurse told me I could take one at that time. I took my shower and as I got out I started to get lightheaded. There are 2 cords in the bathroom that you can pull when you need someone but I couldn't see straight at the time to pull one of them. I knew I was going to pass out so I reached for my towel but it was happening so fast that as I passed out I hit my face on the partition between the shower and the sink. (It's been a week now and my brow bone and cheek bone still hurt, though the black eye is better.) As I hit the floor I hit the garbage can under the sink and that made a loud noise that signaled everyone still in the room to come in to see what happened. Everyone that was there for the delivery came rushing in to help me. Leave it to me to "go out with a bang".

My blood count had to be done to make sure I hadn't lost too much blood during delivery and the nurse that did it left me with a HUGE bruise on my arm. I'll spare you the picture but 7 days later there is still a 4" long bruise on my arm! I don't bruise when blood is drawn but I guess this nurse was "talented" enough to make it happen. Jake cutting the cord.

Tipping the scales at 6lb, 4.7oz.

All cleaned up.

My parents had been put on alert when I woke up from my nap so they had an idea of what was going to happen that night. They came out to meet little Jacob.

Shyla meeting her new baby brother. She can say his name really well. She's a proud big sister and I know she will be a great help at home.

Our celebration dinner the hospital gives to the parents for new arrivals.

First family photo.

Ready to go home!

And with that our day was over as fast as it began. It's funny to think back to 6 days ago and how everything happened. I don't think we could've had better timing getting to the hospital.

I'm excited for this next phase of our family. I enjoy getting to see how loving Shyla is towards her brother. She loves to hug and kiss him all the time and always wants to hold him. We include Shyla in everything we have to do with Jacob and she loves getting to be a part of it.

Welcome to the family Jacob!