Kyler's Arrival!

He finally made it!! Kyler James Johnson was born on August 17th at 6:14 pm. He weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and was 19 inches long. He is absolutely perfect!

On Wednesday the 15th I went in for a regular check up. My blood pressure had been a little high the week before but the doctor didn't seem too concerned because it was only slightly elevated. On Wednesday it was even higher and the doctor seemed a little more concerned. He asked about headaches and blurred or spotty vision, which are symptoms of preeclampsia. I hadn't had any problems with either of those. They ran some blood work and hooked me up to a fetal monitor to check the baby. My blood work came back normal and the baby was looking good. So he said he wanted me to come back on Friday to check my blood pressure again and hopefully it would go down. We laughed about how I said I wanted him to come on the 17th so maybe if my blood pressure was high they would induce me and he would actually come! But we didn't really have our hopes up too high. We even made plans to go float the river with a friend after my appointment. 

Well Friday came and my blood pressure was even higher. It was about 180/120. So now the doctor was really concerned. They ran more blood tests and hooked me up to the fetal monitor again. I'd had a headache the day before, but I just thought it was because I was tired. I had a little one at the start of my appointment and by the time I was hooked up to the monitor it was a massive migraine. The nurse said she didn't think we would be going home! Sure enough, the doctor diagnosed me with severe preeclampsia and wanted to get the baby out as soon as possible. The only problem was that I wasn't dilated at all and 0% effaced, which meant this baby was no where near close to coming on his own. The doctor said that if he induced me it would be a long, hard labor and would put a lot of stress on both me and the baby, so he wanted to do an emergency c-section. I was pretty nervous and wished I didn't have to have a c-section, but I wanted to do whatever we needed to in order to keep both the baby and me safe and healthy. So we headed straight over to the hospital to have a baby!

Waiting for baby to come!

The doctor had another c-section to do before mine, so we weren't sure what time exactly we would go in for surgery. They gave me this awful muscle relaxer which made my arm burn and the room feel like it was 1000 degrees hot. They also wouldn't give me anything for my headache, so it was a long couple of hours just waiting. Our good friend Scotty came to help Kyle give me a blessing and then we sent him to our place to get my hospital bag since we didn't have it with us!

Finally it was time for me to go in to surgery. They wouldn't let Kyle come in to the room until I was all ready to go. I was so nervous and wished so bad Kyle was with me. It seemed like forever until he came in to the room by my side. 

Kyle in his doctor gear! 

Finally Kyle came in and they were all ready to start. After only a few minutes we heard a tiny little cry and the doctor told us he was out. Kyle got to see him over the sheet and then they took him out to take care of him. His one minute APGAR score was only a 2, so it was a few minutes before they let Kyle go with him too. Then Kyle went to be with Kyler while they finished up with me. The doctor said that we made the right decision in doing a c-section. He told me something wasn't quite right with Kyler when he was first born but I was so out of it I don't remember. But after just a few minutes with the nurses he was just fine and a perfect healthy baby!

His first tiny footsteps! 

Holding Kyler for the first time!

They took me to the mom and baby unit and I had to wait a while for them to bring Kyler to me. I was so anxious to finally hold him and meet him for the first time!

My mom spent the week up in Moscow, Idaho helping Brielle and Jared move and she was driving down on Friday and made it to Rexburg right about the same time Kyler did! 

Our very first family picture!

All ready to go home! Kyler was going to miss the nurses who helped take such good care of him!

 

My mom stayed with us for a week and then Kyle's mom came for a week. They both were a HUGE help while I was still pretty wiped out from the surgery. It took all my energy just to feed Kyler, so it was so great to have help around the house and taking care of Kyler those first few days home. Since we've been home things have been a little crazy as we've adjusted to life with a newborn, as you can tell by how long it took me to finally write this post! Motherhood has definitely been an experience. I knew it would be hard, but I just never knew HOW hard. People always tell you it's hard, but I think it's just something you have to experience in order to fully grasp how hard it is. Regardless, though, of how hard it is to try to decipher what his cries mean, think clearly during a 3 AM feeding, or know whether he is getting enough to eat, we LOVE having him here and wouldn't trade him for anything! He has been such a blessing in our lives and we love the sweet spirit he has brought to our home and family.

Since it took me so long to write this post, we already had his two week check up this morning. He sure has chunked up fast! (Guess I can worry less about him getting enough to eat!) He now weighs a whopping 8 pounds 7 ounces and is now 21 inches long! He is just such a cutie. But don't just take my word for it, check him out for yourself and I'm sure your heart will just melt at how adorable this little boy is!

He loves to sleep with his arms up.

He had his first play date with Meleah...they were such party animals! My friend Kelli and I were due only one day apart and Meleah was born only two days after Kyler. I think we will have many more play dates in the future!  

Our lives have certainly been turned upside down, but we couldn't be happier to have this first little addition to our family!