Brooklyn Raye Riley!!!

August 31, 2013 was a day that our lives changed forever. Brooklyn arrived bright and early. Since I haven't blogged at all about my pregnancy I am going to write it all down now so that I can remember.

PREGNANCY!!
I found out I was pregnant on December 29, 2012. I was so excited but I didn't know if I should believe the pregnancy test so I had Mike go to the store and buy some more for me to take. Sure enough they came back positive. We were so excited! Although we were so excited we wanted to wait until I was farther along to tell people. So for awhile it was our little secret. This was so hard because I was super sick. I was throwing up 2-3 times a day. Everyday at work I would sneak out to the public bathroom so that people at work wouldn't suspect anything. :) Mike was so patient with me and my sickness. He was so helpful and made sure that I was taken care of. I had my first appointment with Dr. Sharp in February. We found out that I was due September 6, 2013! Since I had previously miscarried they did an ultra sound to make sure everything was alright. It was so fun to see the little baby and see the heart beat! It all became more real at that time. However, we (well I) didn't want to tell anyone until I was through my first trimester. So my first appointment went great which was a relief.

I finally made it to my second trimester so we decided to tell our families. I wanted to let Stacy and Cameron know first and I wanted to tell them in person so I waited until we were over there one night and I told them. Then I text a little poem to my parents and sisters! They were all so excited and couldn't believe it. Mike called his family and told them over the phone and they were super excited as well. It was so fun to tell people and finally have it out there for everyone to know!

When I was finally 19 weeks we had our ultrasound to find out whether or not it was a boy or a girl. I had a feeling the whole time that it was a girl but Mike thought it was a boy. So we went up to the hospital and they started the ultrasound and right away it was obvious that it was a girl. We were so excited! We were going to have a little girl. The ultra sound went great and they said that everything looked great and that she was healthy. After we found out that we were having a girl we were able to start to get things for her. It was so fun to shop for a little girl and go and buy all the essentials for her nursery etc. I had three showers. My first one my ward threw and it was great. Then my sisters and mom threw me a family shower up at Katie's which was so fun! Then last my work threw me one. She got so many great things which was so nice and helpful. Pregnancy was hard for me. I was nauseous the entire time. They couldn't get my thyroid level where they wanted it so I had to get my blood drawn at almost every appointment. The nauseousness was worth it though because I had a healthy baby.

Labor and Delivery
At my 37 week appointment they checked to see if I had made any progress. I was effaced 50% and dilated to .5 cm. I was excited that I was making a little progress. Then at my next appointment they didn't check me but I was having a few braxton hick contractions so I figured I was making a little progress. Then at my 38 week appointment they checked me again and I was at a 1. Not as much progress as I was expecting but that was fine. Since this was my first pregnancy Dr. Sharp said it is best if I can let my body do all the work and go on its own and not induce me. Which I was fine with. Then it was August 30th and I had my 39 week appointment. They checked me and I was only at a 1.5 cm. I thought for sure I was going to go over my due date. The nurse practitioner told me that some people can go from a 0 to 100 in no time so you just never know. I went back to work that day and was feeling fine. We had a Barton family party that night so we headed over to that and I was still feeling fine. Then toward the end of the party I started to have some painful contractions. Although they were pretty far apart and not very consistent. We got home around 9:30 and I was still having some painful contractions but I didn't think too much about it. I just figured that this was good because it was hopefully helping me progress a little. I got in the shower and laid in bed around 10:30. The contractions started getting more painful and closer together so I started to track them. By 11:00 they were 3-4 minutes apart. I had Mike call the hospital and let them know what was going on. They said that I had to have consistent contractions for two hours before we could come up. So I sat there for the next hour still tracking them. I had Mike call Jana to put her on alert so that she could get ready to head up. Mike also called my parents to put them on alert as well. Finally after two hours Mike called the hospital  back and they said to head up! I was so relieved because I was in pain!

We pulled into the hospital around 1:30 and of course right when we get there I throw up! I wasn't surprised since I had been nauseous the entire pregnancy. So we headed into the hospital and they took me to the labor and delivery triage. They started monitoring my contractions and checked me and I was at a 4.5!!! I was so excited because this meant that we were staying and we were going to have a baby!! We called everyone and let them know that they were keeping me and they all headed up to the hospital! At the same time that I got there they had just had 3 ladies come up from the ER so I had to wait in the triage room for awhile until they could get me room. I told them that I wanted an epidural but they couldn't give me one until I was in the labor and delivery room. So I sat there squeezing Mike's hand and the edge of the bed. Finally they came in and took me to my room.

I had the best nurse named Holly! She was so wonderful and explained everything that was going on. She told me what I needed to do when they were placing the epidural and finally the anesthesiologist came in and started the epidural. It was the best thing ever! Finally I could relax. Shortly after I had the epidural my mom and dad, Stacy and Katie arrived at the hospital. We were all just talking and patiently waiting and all of a sudden I felt a gush of water. I told my family that I either just peed my pants or my water broke. :) So we called the nurse and sure enough my water had broke!! I was so glad that it broke on its own. My body was doing what it was suppose to do. Shortly there after I started to feel a lot of pressure. Since this was my first time I didn't know what I was suppose to be feeling so I said something to my family and they said that we need to call the nurse and have her check me. So we called her in and she checked me and she couldn't believe it but I was at a 10! I was ready to go!! She started to get the room ready and the resident that works with Dr. Sharp came in and talked to me for a minute then said that she was going to go call Dr. Sharp and let him know! It was all becoming more and more real that our baby was coming and she was coming soon! Dr. Sharp finally got there and started to get everything ready that he needed. All I remember thinking was they are moving really slow. Haha. He even got on the phone and made a phone call. Come to find out he was talking to someone at the hospital letting them know that I was getting ready to have the baby.

My nurse walked me through what I was going to do and shortly after 6:00 am I started pushing. Once again my nurse was the best. She kept talking me through everything and counted for me and kept encouraging me. I was so grateful for her. Mike was also by my side helping me along the way as well! I pushed for my maybe 15 minutes and at 6:30 am she was born! She was 7 lbs 11 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. It was the best feeling in the world to hear her cry for the first time. It is such an emotional experience. They quickly put her on my chest and I couldn't believe that I was holding my baby! It was such an amazing experience. I just held her while Dr. Sharp finished everything that he needed to do. I seriously have the best OB. He was so wonderful throughout the entire process. I couldn't have asked for a better doctor! Both Dr. Sharp and my nurse could not believe how fast and how smoothly everything went. Especially for my first time giving birth. Dr. Sharp said that I need to be careful because I will probably go even faster my next time. It was an experience that I will never forget. It is hard to put into words what it is like. It truly is a miracle!

They finally got me all stitched up and my family was able to come in and see her for the first time! She came out and was already sucking her thumb and her fingers. It was so cute! We stayed in the labor and delivery room for awhile to make sure my bleeding was ok and then we headed over to the mom/baby unit! The next couple days were filled with new experiences and lots of family and friends coming and visiting. We have the best family in the world! Dr. Sharp came in and checked on me everyday and made sure that things were still going well! We came home on Monday September 2nd!

Being a mom is the best! I am so lucky. Mike was able to take 2 weeks off work which has been so nice. We have loved having him home all day with us! I will never forget the past nine months. They have been hard but worth every second. Brooklyn is the greatest blessing and we are so glad that she is here with us!!