Dear Sweet Boy,
On December 28th, 2010, I had to go to my weekly doctors appointment. My regular doc, Dr. P., was on vacation, so I was trying to hold you in for dear life. I instead had an appointment with Lori. I walked into this appointment alone, your daddy was at work and your Honey was watching your sister. I really did not think that this appointment would be such a big deal, seeing as how you were not supposed to be here for another 4/5 weeks. Little did we all know, God had different plans for you! After updating the doc on the pains and uncomfortable things going on, I was checked out, and was dilated to a 3 (3 CM, yikes)! I laid on the table hooked up to a monitor that would check my contractions and your heart rate! I laid and listened to your heart beating and then decided, it might be a good time to call your daddy! Obviously, this phone call made him a mess (I think he was not fully prepared for another child that day!)ha ha! The doc let me leave the office (since I live close, my contractions were not regular). I promised I would go home and lay down (but honestly, who can do that with your sister in the house!?) I was thinking about all of the things I needed to do! (We were out of apple juice, I needed to return some shoes and get a 7 1/2, I did not have any nursing bras (yikes), and your room oh your room was not even close to being finished, and then my bag was not even packed! Needless to say, I did not rest for the rest of the day, I did laundry and packed my bag (and made a quick trip to Target (and purchased the wrong size bra (really Caryn you are not a 34D, your bubbies are humongo with this baby!)
That evening was a little emotionally overwhelming. I hugged your sister a little bit longer and held her until she went to sleep, for some reason, I just knew this would be the last time we would sit on the couch as a family of 3!
I went to bed with major contractions that night. I tried to time them, but as you will find out, I have a very short attention span. Around 11:45, I started to take things more seriously. I timed contractions for an hour, they were 3 minutes apart! BINGO! You are coming soon! I rolled over, and told your Daddy, "it is time, we have to go!" You could tell we were both nervous, are we ready for another baby? Hope so! We were so excited! I called your Honey and Granddaddy and told them it was time, we were on our way. So they came and picked up your sister, she stayed with them while we were at the hospital!
Well, we arrived at Mercy around 1am, got checked it (like it is the Embassy Suites or something), were escorted to our room. We had the most precious nurse, Lauren helping us out. I was given the o so flattering open in the back gown, given a cup to pee in, and hooked up to a monitor! O-what a night! After 4 hours of laying in the bed the contractions were not so close, but I had dilated to a 4! The doctor would not give me anything to hurry my labor (since I was so early, but they were not going to do anything to stop it). They did say, if I dilated to a 5, they would let me have an epidural! After a very long morning, I finally got to a 5! Cha-ching! Bring on the pain relievers!
After a long morning of excitement and no sleep for me or your daddy, your Honey and Granddaddy arrived, as well as your Aunt LeAnne. This was right as I was getting an epidural. O-gez! Well, after epi 1- a pain went down my right leg, almost an electric shock. Next epi 2 try, uhm----hello, after the epi was in place could still feel all sorts of touching on my back as well as a cold rush up my back (this is not a good thing) which leads me to epi 3 try- as soon as it was done I was holding onto your daddy (he always makes things better), but then I got an unbelievable pressure in between my ears (it felt like I was in a fishbowl, really messed with my hearing), then the pain in my head immediately started, I just knew for sure that this was not a good thing, I honestly thought that I was dying. I just looked at your daddy and said, please tell them to get Brayden out and take care of him. I also told your daddy that I loved him. He could tell I was very scared. I had horrible thoughts going through my head and was thinking of episodes of Greys Anatomy and other dr shows that freaked me out. The anesthesiologist and nurse told me to lay down and I would feel better. After a few minutes the pressure started to leave my head, but I was so worried I would not see your precious face.
Your Granddaddy and Honey came in and I would not let them leave my side. You always feel more safe when your Mommy and Daddy are with you (I hope that one day we make you feel this way). Within the hour, the epidural was working so well that it traveled up to my face. I could not feel my feet, legs. tummy, you moving, my chest, my arms, and now the lower part of my face. I panicked! I held onto your daddy and my daddy's hand. The epidural was turned off immediately. I just prayed that all would be okay. I would come out of this alive with you in my arms. Just prayed that God would let me live.
He did. God is so good.
Brayden Samuel Foresee, you are named after your precious PapPaw, Samuel Dewey Crawford. He passed away just a few days after you were born.
You were born on December 29, 2010 at 7:11p.m.
Thank you to all of the people at the hospital that we came in contact with. The on-call doctor, which was just amazing, Dr. Pickhardt, and all of the nurses (Lauren, Bailey, Laura, ect. (I wish I could remember all of their names.)
You weighed 5 pounds and 13 ounces and were 19 inches long. Your toes and fingers are so unbelievably long. You are sure to be an amazing baseball player like your daddy.
You have so much hair. It looks light brown in some light and in other light it looks red.
You are so beautiful. My heart just melted when I finally held you.
Your Daddy just beams when he sees your face. He is the proudest man in the world. You have made him complete.
We are so blessed that God has given us your sister and now you. You are both miracles. There was a time when we tried so hard to have children and did not think that it would happen. I prayed so hard that he would give me a baby, and now I have 2 little ones. I could not be happier.
We love you so much Brayden Samuel
Love you so much,
Your Mommy