Introducing: John Steven III

On May 28, 2014, we welcomed the newest addition to our family.....John Steven III!!! These are the events leading up to his grand entrance! 

Tuesday May 27 I had a dr appointment for a blood pressure check. My pressures were not good (like 160/80), so the dr suggested an induction for the next day. We had an idea that this would be the case as my pressures had been gradually increasing over the previous few weeks, but until the dr says "go" you are kind of in this world of "if". Once he says "go".....it becomes a reality....a very exciting reality!!

So, at 7am on Wednesday May 28 Johnny and I left Miss. Mellany sleeping in our bed (somehow she had to know what was going to happen, because she ended up in our bed around 3am and she never sleeps in our bed) with Nana and headed for the hospital. Of course we had to make a stop at McDonalds and a gas station along the way for food....what pregnant woman, going in to deliver, forgets to eat breakfast?! This one does! Once at the hospital, we were checked in and given our room. The nurse asked several questions then proceeded to hook me up to all my "lines". Dr. Sinnott came in around 8:00 to check in with us and gave the go ahead for pitocin to start the labor process. 

The labor could not have gone more smooth. My blood pressures kept reading high but not alarming to where I would need medication for it. Around lunch time, Dr. Sinnott came back in and broke my waters. (Johnny was actually around this time! He was heading out the door to get something to eat when Dr. Sinnott walked in, so he was saved by the doc. With Mellany's delivery, he was gone getting lunch and a haircut when the dr came in to break my water.) Once that happened the contractions REALLY began. I would say within an hour I was ordering my epidural. As I was sitting up for the epidural on the edge of the bed, leaning over Johnny and grimacing with the poke of the needle, the nurses began covering Johnny's shoes with towels.....yep, I had amniotic fluid leaking out onto his shoes. :) He didn't really seem to notice though because he was too busy getting lightheaded and pale with cold sweats....poor guy just can't stand needles being put into me. After the water breaking and epidural Johnny was finally able to go get some lunch but as soon as he walked back into the room, I began to feel very lightheaded and nauseaus. He grabbed me some cold towels and I called the nurse. Because of the epidural, my blood pressure had dropped too low. All I needed were some more IV fluids and I was good to go.  

After the epidural took effect, I was back in relaxed mode. My mom had arrived at the hospital so we got to visit with her for a while. Then about 5:00, our AMAZING nurse checked me and I was complete and ready to push. We called Virginia to have her and Mellany head to the hospital. Dr. S was taking some sort of staff picture so the nurse called for him and he literally ran to the room and was completely out of breath once he arrived.  About 30 minutes later our sweet little man entered the world with no delivery complications whatsoever. (The nurses and Dr. Sinnott were so encouraging and supportive through the entire delivery process.) It was pretty much the easiest delivery I could imagine. 

Our John Steven Barrett III weighed in at 7# 13oz and was 20 inches long. He had a full head of brown hair (which explains all the heartburn I had) and a nice set of lungs too! He was absolutely perfect and we are so in love!!! 

The first night in the hospital was fantastic (my lines were removed, I could get up and walk and I even got to shower the next day and didn't need any help doing it) but the second night was a little bit more tough. I guess on the second night, babies realize they are no longer in the comforts of the womb and basically freak. And freak he did. He did not want to be put down at all and we had run out of ideas on how to calm him. The hospital has a very strict policy on not sleeping with your infant, so that definitely wasn't an option. Needless to say, it was a long night. We spent Wednesday night and Thursday night in the hospital and were released on Friday to go home. 

The transition home was fantastic. Virginia had already left to go home but my mom was around to help with the chaos of bringing home a baby. Baby Johnny was eating great, sleeping great and we couldn't ask for a better transition. I am recovering very well with a few minor aches and pains here and there....oh and exhaustion due to being woke up throughout the night. 

His first dr visit went really well. He had gained about an ounce or two since being discharged from the hospital and the pediatrician had a great report for us. When we went back the following week, he still had not gained but an ounce and for the pediatrician, this was cause for a little concern. I told her about his eating habits (every 3 hours), wet and dirty diapers (lots!), his spitting up and she suggested that he might have a condition called pyloric stenosis and in order to check for it, we would have to get an ultrasound at the hospital. The ultrasound came back normal (thank goodness!) so she recommended that I visit the lactation consultants for the hospital. After that visit, we made some eating/nursing adjustments and hoped for a few ounces of weight gain. I made a second visit to the LC's a couple of days later, hoping for a little bit of weight gain to no avail. Talk about a slap in the face. So we made a few more adjustments which resulted in a 5oz weight gain. We have another appointment for a weight check tomorrow and I am hopeful for even more gain!! This little man is gonna give me a head of gray hair before I even turn 30!  

{I had a follow up dr appointment for blood pressure 2 weeks after delivery and everything checked out great....blood pressure was back to normal and I'm even down 25 pounds! I go back for my 6 week postpartum appointment in mid-July and will hopefully be able to resume exercise at that point!}

A few randoms about Baby Johnny: 

     -Diapers are messy and high maintenance! Between the circumcision, the umbilical cord and having to go very quickly so you don't get peed on, diapers definitely exhaust a mama! 

     -He is a great sleeper. Almost too great. Just like his daddy, he enjoys sleeping a lot! I have to wake him often to eat which is a challenge, but keeping him awake is an even bigger challenge. 

     -He has the sweetest facial expressions already! 

     -He has gas and burps constantly. 

     -When you lay him down, he automatically rolls to his side.

     -The guy loves to snuggle on your chest.

     -He hates to be burped during a feeding. 

As for Mellany's reaction to becoming a big sister.....I don't think she really liked it at first. She threw a lot of tantrums when we got home and didn't really want anytihng to do with him. She now is tolerating him pretty well but doesn't like when he cries (she likes to scream at the top of her lungs when he cries) or when drs mess with him. She has asked to hold him twice and even gives him kisses at night, so progress is definitely being made. 

Here are the snapshots we've taken so far! 

Just waiting for little man to make his arrival...mama and daddy resting for the last time for a few months. 

And heeeeeeere's Johnny!!! We are so in love!

First bath! Not really a fan at all. 

Proud parents!

While in the waiting room, Mellany's main form of entertainment was the Bible. :) 

One of my favorites! 

Gammy and her grandbabies! (Somehow, we ended up with no pictures of Nana and her grandbabies.... :( ) 

Mellany wanted to be held like brother. 

So, so, so proud!

Checking out brother...

FAVORITE!

The beautiful flowers we received for his birth. 

Sleeping so sound

Wanting to be held like brother, again. :) 

Kisses!

Daddy just sleeping on a boppy...no big deal. 

2 men, a recliner and a remote.....livin the life! 

Family of 4!!!

Just snoozin....

Mellany just hanging out.

Super excited to go home! 

Leaving the hospital.....1st car (truck) ride

First day home...snuggles with mama and a picture with sister. This was about as close as she would get in the first few days of him being home. 

All in all, we could not be more thankful for an easy pregnancy, smooth labor and delivery and successful transition home with our Baby Johnny. God has blessed us with 2 amazing, healthy children and for that, we are forever grateful!