Here is Seiden's Birth Story:
On Thursday, October 17th, we had our last doctor's appointment with Dr. Tabor. It was a normal appointment where he was just going to check everything and talk about Tuesday, October 22nd. Which was when the c-section was scheduled. Before he did the sonogram, I had to do another check-up where I was hooked up to the heart rate monitor for 20 minutes. Seiden passed all her tests again with flying colors...DUH! And the nurse said that I had had a few contractions during that 20 minutes. But, I had no idea I was having contractions...I couldn't feel them at all. Which, they said was perfectly normal and fine. As long as I couldn't feel them, labor was, more than likely, far off. In between the nurse hooking me up to the heart rate monitor and Dr. Tabor doing the sonogram, I went to the restroom. When I went to the restroom, I realized I was starting to lose my mucus plug. Which, I also told them and they were not the least bit concerned. So, after the appointment, off we went to have lunch and run some errands. We spent the rest of the day piddling and relaxing and going about business as usual.
On Friday, I woke up and went to the gym, just like always. I did only walk on the treadmill this time. I asked Dr. Tabor if I could still work out like I always have after the appointment on Thursday. He said just take it easy and walk if I was going to do anything at all. So, that's exactly what I did. I got on the treadmill and just walked at a pretty steady pace for 2.5 miles, then went home. When I got home, everything was just how it always was. I took a shower, made coffee, had breakfast, then Cody got up. When he got up, we watched a few shows, then went downtown to eat at Chimy's and run a couple of errands. All morning, I had been having some aching below my tummy. I figured it was extra pressure because I assumed Seiden had probably really dropped and was just really heavy and it was causing me to ache. I knew I had lost my mucus plug, so I also thought that it could just be some early labor pains...maybe contractions. I had no idea! I did some searing on good ole Google and most blog posts on Baby Center and What to Expect said that most contractions started in your back and then wrapped around across your belly...like around your belly button. Well...my achiness was underneath my belly and felt more like the beginning of starting my period. So, I just brushed it off and told Cody that we just needed to get some Tylenol while we were out and about because it was just uncomfortable enough that I wanted something to take the majority of the pain away. We continued to go on about our day, enjoying each other's company and just hanging out. I decided to cook us dinner that night, so we ran to Kroger on the way home and picked up a few things that I needed to cook. We rented two movies while we were there and watched them and Shark Tank that night. I had taken the Tylenol around 3ish that afternoon and about 10:30, I started feeling really bad. It was like a stomach ache/period cramps that just wouldn't go away. I knew I couldn't take anymore Tylenol...you have to wait 6 hours before the next does...so I just decided that the best way to shake the yucky feeling was to just go to bed. I told Cody goodnight and headed upstairs to see if I could sleep off whatever it was I was feeling. All night long, I was waking up with "cramps" that lasted for a few seconds and then went away. Every time, I would wake up, lay there, wait for the "cramps" to go away, get up and go to the restroom, and then head back to bed. It was more annoying than anything because I just wanted to sleep and being woken up by "cramps" was not making me happy!
I did this all night long until 6:00 am on Saturday, October 19th when I finally just decided to get up. I had also noticed that I was bleeding a little bit every time I got up to go to the bathroom, and it scared me a little. So, I told Cody I was going to call the hospital just to make sure that we didn't need to go in. Before I called the hospital, I took a bath, shaved my legs and arms, and got semi-ready for the day. I walked downstairs, started the coffee pot, got Piper out of her little sleep spot, then called the hospital. I told them that I was bleeding a little and was "cramping", but that other than that, I really felt normal. I asked if I should come in and be checked, and they asked if I was having contractions, I said no, I'm just uncomfortable. So, they said just keep an eye on everything and either call back or come in if something changes. I went back upstairs and told Cody what they had said and that I was going to run to Kroger to get some panty liners because I was leaking fluid everywhere (how did I not know I was in labor?!?!?) and I didn't want to ruin my undies! I got back to the house (still in my pjs), made my cup of coffee, and sat down to watch a few shows On Demand. This was all happening around 7ish and in between then and when Cody got up, I started feeling worse and worse and my "cramping" was starting to get closer together and hurt unbelievably bad. I went back to my good friend Google and was reading more blog posts about labor pains and contractions. I was still thinking that if we went into the hospital, they would send me home because I was having this "cramping" about 5-7, maybe 5-10 minutes apart. So, I just proceeded to drink my coffee, snuggle with Piper, and watch On Demand all the while feeling more and more pain. Cody woke up about 9:00 and came right over to me, kneeled down by my chair and asked if I was ok. I said no, I'm just hurting so bad and it won't go away! He asked what we should do and I said I'm not sure we can do anything, if we go to the hospital, they'll probably just send us home. So, he gave me a hug, kissed me, and got up to make some oatmeal. While he was making his oatmeal and eating, I proceeded to have "cramps" more and more close together and way more painful each time. He was watching the clock and finally told me, babe, you're having contractions and they are really close together. I finally just said, ok, let's just go to the hospital. So, I cleaned up the coffee pot, grabbed a granola bar to eat in the car on the way to the hospital, and headed upstairs. I changed clothes and put on some mascara and then went to the bedroom to make sure we had everything gathered up. We were moving pretty quick at this point because I could hardly stand up straight when I had a contraction. Thankfully, I had already packed my bag full of pjs and sweatsuits for the hospital earlier in the week. All I had to do was put a few toiletries back in my toiletries bag and we were ready to go. On the way to the hospital, I was having contractions closer and closer together. I was trying to eat my granola bar and would literally take one bite, chew it, and another contraction would be starting. And...I was in complete denial that I was in labor. I kept telling Cody, I don't know how people do this without medicine, this is the worst pain I've ever been in and this is just the first part of labor!
We got to the hospital around 9:30. Cody dropped me off at the front entrance while he want to go park and I walked as fast I could up to the first floor. I walked through the doors and the two ladies sitting in the office asked if they could help me. I told them I thought I was in labor and then told them the situation. I was scheduled for a c-section on the 22nd and Seiden had a cyst and who my doctor was and what the plan was since she had this cyst. I went into the restroom and had to give them a urine sample, then got back to the room they had taken me to to change clothes. When I got out of the restroom, Cody was already sitting there waiting. One of the girls took my temperature and then was trying to check my heart rate, but I was having contractions so close together, it was hard for her to get my heart rate in between them. She touched my stomach one time and was like, oh my gosh, your stomach is hard as a rock. You're definitely having contractions and are in full blown labor. Then, the other lady came in to check me and see just exactly what was going on. I was in so much pain and there was so much pressure, I could hardly lay flat on the bed. When she checked me, he eyes got as big as saucers and she said, I don't feel a cervix. I was so confused. I asked her what that meant and she said it means you're fully dilated sweetie. WHAT?!?!?!?!? How in the world did I not know that I was in labor??? And...not that I was just in labor...but that I was ready to push! I seriously had absolutely no idea. And what's so crazy is that all those "cramps" that I had been feeling all night long were contractions. Seiden Grace was going to be here...and she was coming any minute!!!
I can't even tell you how much of a blur the next hour was. As soon as the nurse checked me and told me I was dilated, I was immediately wheeled into labor and delivery where a team was already getting ready to do an emergency c-section. Cody was having to fill everyone in on our situation as well as call our family so that they could start making their way to Ft. Worth. Thankfully, the doctor on call was one of Dr. Tabor's partners and knew pretty much all about what was going on. I have never in my life seen so many people moving around so fast. I had 15-20 people moving all around me, putting in IV's, asking me if I was allergic to anything, signing papers, taking my vitals, and doing all kinds of other things so that they could get me back to the OR as soon as possible. Because I was already dilated to a 10, we had no time to do a spinal so that I could be awake and Cody could be in the room. I had to be under full anesthesia because it was the fastest and safest way to get Seiden here. They got ready to wheel me off into surgery and Cody and I kissed each other for the last time before we would be parents to our precious Seiden Grace. All I remember thinking the whole time was that I was so ready to see her and I was so ready to not be having contractions anymore! In the OR, it was insane...what I remember of it anyways. There were still tons of people moving around doing a million different things. I was being introduced to the anesthesiologist, the neonatologist, the pediatric surgeon, and my doctor came in right at the end before starting everything. The last two things I remember were the two contractions I had before I was under, I wanted to push so bad. It was all I could do to not bear down and just relieve the pain. And, then the anesthesiologist told me that he was going to start the medicine and when I woke up I would be a mom!
When I woke up, I remember hearing Cody and the nurse talking. She was so sweet, and was asking Cody if he realized how strong I was. Which I was confused about at the time, but now I realize that being completely dilated to a 10 and not really even knowing what was going on was what she was talking about. I was just in complete denial that I was in labor the whole time, until the nurse told me that I was fully dilated! Our family wasn't there to be here when Seiden came like we had "planned" and all the doctors that were supposed to be there were all different than the doctors that were there when everything went down. Even though this wasn't the "plan," one of the best parts about Seiden coming on October 19th is that it was also my Mimi's 90th birthday! So...Seiden was born on her Great Mimi's birthday...how special is that?!? I had always secretly thought if we could schedule her delivery on that day, it would just be so awesome. And thankfully, Seiden just decided she was ready to grace the world with her beautiful presence and give her Great Mimi the best birthday present ever! When I really was awake enough to talk, the first thing I said (after I said hi to Cody) was what does she look like?!? Cody came right over to me and showed me pictures of our beautiful baby girl who was absolutely perfect in every way. I just couldn't believe that she was here, she was perfect, she was healthy, and she is ours.
I couldn't thank God more for what He has blessed our lives with through her. She has made our faith grow by leaps and bounds, both individually and as a couple. Our entire family has grown stronger and we have seen God move mountains through our tiny 6 pound 11 ounce 20.5 inch long miracle. We are just so unbelievably honored and in absolute awe that He chose us to be her parents. She is a living, breathing testimony to God's living Word. Thousands of people have been prayer warriors for us and for her ever since she was conceived and have continued to grow as we have gone through this journey with her having this cyst. She just continues to amaze us each and everyday and we just see God all over her. She is going to be such a strong force for His Kingdom. Her testimony will touch the lives of many and I know that He has just got the biggest plans for her. I can't wait to see how her relationship with our awesome God grows and develops and how she brings glory to Him through the things that she does for Him. We just are so in love with this precious angel. I can't even put into words how our love for her continues to grow each and everyday. It is an absolute unconditional love that we could never explain or describe, and the only other person that can truly understand is our awesome God who is her creator. Sweet Princess...you are going to do awesome things for our awesome God! You are an absolute angel and we are just so in love with you. You don't even know how much you have changed our lives and blessed us in more ways than we will ever know. We love you so,so much precious Seiden Grace!
Happy Birthday Seiden Grace Kelley!!!
This touches my heart. Congratulations and welcome to the world sweet Seiden Grace!
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