It's been a very hectic month since our little baby girl entered the world. We've been very busy adjusting to life with TWO little ones, as well as enjoying the holiday season AND Gunner's 1st birthday. So even though this is a belated blog, it's still one for the books (or blog) ;)
McKenzie Aurora Ornelas entered the world on Friday, November 1st at 2:32 PM. Weighing 7 lbs. 9 oz. and measuring at 19 and 1/2 inches long of pure perfection.
Days leading up to your birth:
My due date was Halloween. In the weeks leading up to your birth, I must have went into Labor & Delivery 5-6 times with "false labor" pains & contractions. I have severe pelvis pain and contractions for a long time before you decided to make your grand entrance. It got to the point that I couldn't walk at all, sleep for more than a couple hours or stand up on my own. It was torturous. Your daddy was a true hero. He, not only, took care of your brother, the house, the dishes, the laundry - he also took care of me. I was more needy than your brother because I was completely useless. Everything hurt me and every move I'd make would make my pelvis or hip bones crack, pop or lock up for long periods of time. Then the contractions were so bad, but they weren't helping me progress so the doctors couldn't admit me. Your poor grandma Patty and auntie Karin would get a call from me every week crying in pain and saying I need to go to the hospital. They'd rush over every time though and meet me there, then wait for hours to run tests and labs to end up just sending us home. We were told every time we went in that it'd be "just another day or so" and that I was dilated and effaced, but not enough to admit me.
Then, October 30 came. I was having horrible contractions for hours and hours. I was so scared to go into the hospital just to be sent home, so I waited it out for about 6 hours before your dad told me I need to go in. I knew for sure that I was having "labor contractions". They were incredibly painful, sharp, close together and long. I knew that it was time. We packed up the car with my bags and your grandma came and picked me up to take me in while your dad stayed behind to pack up Gunner and get him ready to go.
As soon as I got to L&D they started monitoring me. A couple different nurses told me just by monitoring me that it looked like I was in labor this time for real. The contractions were a couple minutes apart and topping the charts. It was the real deal. Then, about an hour after monitoring me and close to admitting me - they had to check my cervix to see if I had progressed from the last time I came in (I had been stuck at 1-2 cm and 80% effaced for 3 weeks now). They checked me... and nothing. I had somehow dilated another 1/2 cm but my cervix wasn't opening up. At Mercy, they won't admit you until you're at least 3cm... so the nurse told me she was really sorry, but she couldn't admit me yet. She told me to go home and that (again) you would be coming in the next few days.
I instantly started crying. Karin & your grandma Patty tried to make me feel better, but we all knew it was not the news we wanted. I was in full blown "labor" with contractions every 2-5 minutes, but it was not doing anything to my cervix, therefor - I'd have to tough it out until my water broke or the dr would induce me (since I had been stuck for weeks already it was obvious one of the two things would be the only way you would be coming).
Halloween, one day after "labor" contractions had started:
It was Halloween day. I got home from the hospital around 2am and they gave me medicine to help with the pain of the contractions. I spent most the day breathing through the contractions as they came and bouncing on the yoga ball in hopes it would magically help you come down more. It was Halloween though and your dad and I had plans to take Gunner out trick or treating for his first Halloween. It was important to me NOT to miss your first Halloween (since I wasn't at the hospital).
We dressed up your brother in his costume and I put on my "costume". I was going as a sock monkey to match your brother. I happened to have an adult onesie from last christmas with sock monkeys on it - so I pulled it out and it magically zipped up over my 40 week pregnant belly. We packed up the car and hit the road. We were taking your brother to visit all our family and surprise them by trick or treating at their houses. Since I clearly couldn't walk very much at all, driving you around to family houses seemed like the next best thing :)
We went to your great grandma & grandpa's house, then uncle Bob's house, then we went to your grandma Leslie & grandpa Mike's house. I was having the worst contractions and my stomach was constantly tightening up - but even though your dad wanted to call it a night, I wanted to keep taking you around for Halloween. I knew I'd be in pain at home, so at least this way everyone was getting good surprises and you were having fun on your first halloween.
We were getting ready to leave grandma leslie & grandpa mikes house around 9pm when I suddenly had a HUGE gush of water start pouring down my legs. I was taking pictures of you in your costume when it happened and I instantly screamed at what happened. I thought I maybe peed myself! I ran to the bathroom and yelled to everyone what had happened. After cleaning myself up I thought that was the end of it. Then seconds later - it happened again! Water just kept coming down my legs and I couldn't stop it! Your grandparents and dad were freaking out too and after soaking through my entire adult onesie and my little footed pajamas being soaked - it was obvious that I did not pee myself, but MY WATER BROKE!! I could NOT believe it. It was like a movie! (With your brother I had a slow leak for over 24 hours until the rest broke at the hospital during labor) - so this was a huge shock!
We grabbed a bunch of towels and grandma Leslie rushed me to the hospital. You were FINALLY on your way!! Your dad got ran home to grab our bags and your brothers bag (since we planned for him to stay with your grandparents).
By the time we got to the hospital it was 10:30pm and I was still leaking pretty strongly and I had to waddle all the way to L&D in my onesie with my huge belly and wet sock monkey feet. It was quite the look let me tell ya! (lol)
After checking me, they said that I was now at 3 cm and my water had completely ruptured. They admitted me and we called the family to let everyone know! Dads cousin Dennis and his wife Jamie (who are your Godparents) met us at the hospital as soon as we called them. Even though we knew it was going to be a very long night - they stayed with us. Your dad and them both shared the couches and chairs and spent the night with me. It was the sweetest thing.
By morning there wasn't much progress with my cervix (only about 1/2 cm in 10 hours) so around 11am since I was only at 4 cm, they made the call to start pitocin and the epidural (thank goodness because I was beyond ready to get the show on the road)
My contractions were really bad so they gave me the epidural first to help with the pain. That was around 11am. Then about 30 minutes later they gave me the pitocin to help speed up the process.
I instantly felt relief from the pain and couldn't feel the contractions. The pitocin was working really well because on the monitor you could see my contractions a lot closer and stronger and constant.
I kept feeling the catheter they inserted and it was hurting. I also could feel everything in my left leg (which was weird since I had the epidural by then) I paiged the nurses a few times to let them know, and they told me just to wait it out and it was just "kicking in" still.
Things started feeling really weird. I couldn't pin-point it, but between the pain from the catheter and some pressure I was feeling - it just didn't seem right. I called your dad (who had ran home to let grizzly out and grab my makeup bag he forgot) and told him to come back right away. The doctors told us it would be at least 5 more hours since I was progressing so slowly... but I just didn't feel right and wanted your dad with me right away.
Your dad got to the hospital about 25 minutes later, at 2pm exactly. He gave me my makeup bag and I started putting on my makeup and freshening up. About 3 minutes into my makeup I felt an incredibly sharp and painful load of pressure in my "bottom". I screamed a little and jumped because it hurt so bad. I waited for it to pass, and it didn't. I had your aunt call the nurse right away to come in. It passed though within a couple minutes and I continued with my makeup.. then less than a minute later - BOOM it happened again, but this time a lot stronger. I yelled for the nurse to come in and when she did I was in tears telling her something was wrong. She instantly checked me and (to ALL of our surprise) I had somehow gotten to 9.5 cm and 100% effaced!
To sum it up - I had gone from 3-4 cm and 80% to COMPLETELY dilated and effaced, in under 3 hours.
I. Was. Shocked.
But what was even more shocking and offputting, was that I was feeling that pressure in my bottom. I was the one that alerted the nurse - so that meant... I could feel the pain? It was confusing but I didn't think too much of it at that point.
Until the nurse left.. Then I started feeling TONS and TONS of sharp pains and pressure in my bottom - I started yelling for the nurse and my mom and Karin and Rick telling them that you were coming out.. right then and there.
The nurse didn't even get a chance to call the doctor yet when I started yelling. You were trying to come out right then and the nurse ran in and told us she'd have to start labor until the doctor got there. I couldn't hold you in, you were literally trying to get out and there was no stopping you!
After a few minutes I started realizing my biggest fear: that the feelings I was having were not going to pass, and that I was going to feel the whole labor, not just this pressure. I felt you drop, I felt the contractions and I felt you coming out. The doctor rushed in along with other nurses and they quickly caught onto what had happened: the epidural didn't work. That is why I felt the catheter and my left leg, and that is why I was screaming in pain at this point in time. I felt it all.
I could write a whole novel on the next 12 minutes of torturous pain, but I'll spare everyone the details. Let's just say, your grandma, your aunt and your daddy - all seen a side of me that even I didn't know existed. I usually am a very strong person with a really high pain tolerance, but it wasn't the case with this. What felt like an hour of pushing was the most pain I've ever felt in my life. I cried, I yelled, I pushed you out and felt every single part of it.
That "ring of fire" they talk about - is 100% real. I felt your head come out and then the weirdest part was feeling your whole body come out every inch at a time - while also feeling your body leave my belly and slide down and out - at the same time. It was unreal. Then the other parts of delivery were just as painful but they put you on my chest to help me stay focused while I finished the pushing and the stitching.
Every part of your delivery was memorable McKenzie. With your brother, it was an easy 20 minutes of pushing but I didn't feel a thing. A walk in the park. With you, well - it was just as fast but not at all the same. As painful as it was though, the moment they picked you up and put you on my chest - the pain faded and you were all I seen. I grew you in my belly for nine months and I felt you come out and enter the world. It was so surreal and emotional and I never ever will forget a single part of it.
Once you were here we were visited by family and friends all day. Your brother came and visited us and met you that same day too. I don't think I've ever felt so much love in my heart than holding you both in my arms. Our family is finally complete and ever since that day - my heart continues to fill up. Nothing is more beautiful than watching your kids come into the world and take their first breaths - I have had the pleasure of experiencing motherhood twice now, and it's just as sweet as it was the first time.
Here are some photos from the hospital during my labor with you. Welcome to the world little girl, we waited a very long time to meet you and it has been nothing but a pleasure spending our days with you since
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