December 28, 2016
Everyone was right.
They were all right.
Babies grow up too fast. It happens so fast.
Luke is only 2 weeks old, and it almost brings tears to my eyes thinking of all that’s happened these past couple weeks and how he’s grown. He’s already gained 9 oz since he was born, and it’s the weirdest thing for mama to be proud about, but I am! They seriously do grow so quickly that it’s almost hard to wrap your mind around it.
And believe me: I’ve been trying! I’ve been trying to be so present and take in all the “firsts”, sweet moments feeding him and many, many facial expressions of this little guy (he has the most serious little frown!).
Man, I know I’ve been so sappy throughout these past few blog posts, but I just don’t know how not to be. Bringing a life into the world is absolutely the most incredible thing I’ve ever been able to witness or do. God has truly blessed us, and I have been trying to comprehend this blessing for the past two weeks. Maybe it’s hormones, or maybe it’s just the incredible realization of what these past 10 months held. But wow, this little life is the most precious thing. And such an adventure.
Birth Story Recap
I wrote a long, more detailed version of Luke’s birth story for myself, because knowing me and how these past days have felt, I’m going to forget such sweet little details about the 26 hours of labor we were in. Little details that I remembered this past week, like: 1. we had Shane & Shane’s new Christmas album on repeat at the head of the hospital bed while we labored and pushed; 2. we watched Fixer Upper at the beginning part of labor; 3. Jordan brought me Pei Wei before midnight when I couldn’t have anything by mouth. I’m pretty sure I even slammed down some pop tarts with a lemonade before the clock struck midnight too! 4. Jordan gave me drinks of apple juice through a straw in between pushes, because I was so hungry by the end of the day that I needed some bursts of sugar–it did the trick! 🙂
Jordan and I went in to be induced Tuesday, December 13th, and almost immediately after the first round of medicine that evening, we were faced with some minor complications. Luke’s heart rate would decelerate at the end of my contractions, which is something they look for while laboring. Due to this, they had me constantly shifting positions, supplementing oxygen through a mask and pumping liters and liters of fluid in me for the next 26 hours (hello, puffiness!). Nobody was ever too concerned, and I honestly felt very well taken care of during our stay at Methodist Richardson. Regardless, this still left me with worry!
We (okay, just Jordan) slept that Tuesday night, and Wednesday morning, my water was broken, and the games began. However, they didn’t quite begin for me. When they tried to give me Pitocin to accelerate labor and contractions, they were halted, because Luke’s heart rate began to decelerate again. I spent the better part of Tuesday morning and afternoon only at level 2 of Pitocin, which was very minimal, because that’s all Luke could handle. I had had my epidural and wasn’t in any pain, but things just weren’t progressing.
We had already talked with the anesthesiologist about a potential C-section in a couple hours, because my body just wasn’t progressing. Meanwhile, our sweet nurse Ashley and Jordan and I began swapping our fixer upper stories that we have both been tackling. We probably talked for a solid hour, showing each other pictures and exchanging ideas and such. During that time, I was starting to feel my contractions again and thinking that they were starting to become pretty intense and pretty frequent–also meaning that my epidural had worn off. I could move my legs and feet again!
I was getting pretty excited, because I really wanted to experience contractions and working through them with Jordan. However, I fell right in the middle on this controversial issue: I wanted my epidural, dangit, but I also wanted to feel labor. And I sure got just that! 🙂 The tricky thing was that if I still needed to go in for a C-section later that evening, which was still a real possibility, I would need a working epidural or else they would have to give me general anesthesia and I wouldn’t be conscious for our son’s birth…no thank you!
I asked Ashley if she could tell that I was having contractions, and when she looked at the graph, she exclaimed, “yes, and they’re stronger and more regular!”. We were all pretty surprised. And the best part: Luke’s heart rate was PERFECT. With these stronger, more intense contractions, the ones that were the most important it seemed like: his heart rate was good. She checked my progress just for kicks and giggles to see that I had dilated from a 1 to a 6, and things were looking good.
The contractions continued, and Jordan and I were able to labor together (for the second time since before my first epidural). So obviously, I received a second epidural (HA!), and within an hour and a half, I was completely dilated and pushing. Our end-all goal was, of course, healthy mama and healthy baby, regardless of how he entered the world. What we thought would be a C-section took a turn, and we had a healthy delivery, quicker than we’d imagined.
Mind blown. Nobody would have predicted this is how Lucas Brent would be delivered on 12-14-16 at 8:28 p.m. He was 7 pounds and 0 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long.
God’s Grace & My Desires
We welcomed Luke by hearing his cry, mama’s cry that matched it, and mom, dad and babe crying together as they placed him on my chest. Healthy mama and healthy baby.
I seriously sometimes wish I could be teleported back to that moment, because I just never want to forget it. Even all the nerves I felt with concerns of his heart rate or my lack of progression or the terrible recovery process, I wouldn’t trade it.
It’s Luke’s story, and we are so thankful for this precious, dark-headed, often-frowning, wrinkled forehead, cutest sneezer, blue-eyed sweetie.
Something else that gets the tears flowing every time, and I think of it as God’s grace to me: Lucas has some strong Dungan genes in him, which I think we’re all pretty surprised about, seeing how strong the Davenport genes typically are! You see, ever since I was a little girl, I’ve so strongly desired to see some of myself in my baby. I can’t pinpoint when this desire started, but being an only child, I never got to see a sibling who had my eyes, chin, similar features, etc. To most out there, it’s not something that probably would ever cross their minds, but for me it did and has. God’s first grace to me was allowing me to carry this child of my own, and the second is that He smiled down on me knowing that he created Luke uniquely and perfectly with his mama’s chin, nose and some other Dungan genes. He answered my heart’s desire; He sure did.
You’re the Best Song
I’m almost done with the sappy stuff, but I couldn’t pass up sharing this song with you all, because it just stirs my affection for the Lord so much. I think the song below sums it up for me. It’s sure to make all mamas shed a tear or 2049. I haven’t made it through this song without crying yet, and these lyrics couldn’t be more perfect. They summarize my heart’s desires for Lucas Brent, without me being able to articulate it.
“Every prayer for you is like a seed in the ground. Every tear I cry is like rain. And in it’s due season, I pray a harvest will be found. Your heart and mouth confessing Jesus’ name. You’re the best song I’ll ever write. ”
Thanks again to Lauren Guy Photography for our newborn pictures!
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