Welcome Tyler Jay!

We are so happy to introduce our new little mister, Tyler Jay McKinnon born July 9.  Here's the story!

Heading to the hospital!

"See you soon, buddy!"

We arrived at the hospital at 9:30 only for the nurses to tell us that we had been bumped a couple hours for delivery!  What a bummer! Right when we were psyched up for getting the baby out and we were sent home!  So we returned to our house for 2 hours and at 11:00 we got the call to come to the hospital!  So we headed back and they were very accommodating and got us right in.  They got me in the labor/delivery room and started getting my vitals and hooking me up to monitors and doing the “paperwork”.  Then I met the doctor, Dr. Dabling, who was delivering the baby and then the anesthesiologist, Dr. Martin.  Kathy (a friend, parent of old students, and a Labor/Delivery teacher at the hospital) came in and was there until I headed in to the OR.  She’s a big deal at the hospital so I got treated like a VIP!  So Dr Martin came in and explained all that he was going to do once in the OR.  This time I was getting a spinal instead of an epidural.  I was able to walk myself into the OR and then I sat on the table and he gave the shot.  It hurt! But I started getting numb pretty quickly and so I laid down and started to get ready for delivery.  Because the baby was breech I was interested in seeing the delivery.  The doctor said they could set up a mirror but they couldn’t really let us video tape the delivery until he came out. So I thought I’d just watch as the baby came out (I wanted to see them pull him out legs first).  But once they started the c-section I was so curious that after the initial cut I watched the rest of the operation.  It was so fascinating. Dr. Martin was amazing and sat by my head and explained everything that they were doing.  He was AWESOME! I saw them cut into my muscle and then into my uterus and saw the fluid empty.  I didn’t have the same relief feeling as Riley’s birth, but I think it was because I was so occupied with watching the birth.  Then the doctors (Dr. Jacob was there helping out) pulled open the uterus and got little Tyler out!  He was covered in the white stuff and was very purple.  

Sorry for those of you who don't want to see this, but I think it's cool!  Umbilical cord is still attached here.

It turned out the chord was wrapped around his neck twice, which is another reason it was good to have the c-section. It was cool seeing him come out backwards.  They cut the chord and lifted him up and the doctors said he was pretty big and needed to hold him up with two hands again.  So I was thinking he was going to be in the 9 lbs range.  They swooped him away to clean him up (Denise (another nurse and parent of past students and also helped deliver Riley) was there to take care of the baby, which I’m sure she pulled some strings to do).  He was crying so well with no fluid in his lungs, which meant he didn’t have to go to the NICU!  While they were cleaning him up I watched them get out the placenta and then pull out the uterus!  The put a rag on the uterus and cleaned it out!  Then they started stitching it up OUTSIDE of me.  After it was stitched they put it back in!  Then they sewed the muscle and then they stapled the top layer shut.  I counted the staples while they did it…16.  And they had to redo one like 3 times.  I knew that would hurt eventually since there were a few extra holes!  But it was seriously awesome.  At some point in the stitching process they brought in little Ty-guy and said he was only 8lbs 1 oz.  Whoa!  He was small (comparatively speaking). It was fun having him so ready because I was able to have him close to me and they did a little skin on skin and Dr. Martin got pictures of us there and I got to see him longer than I did with Riley!  It was such a special moment.  He looked so much like Riley at first except that he had a bunch of brown hair! 

Then they moved me back to the labor/delivery/recovery room.  My mom was able to be there while Bryan was with the baby.  I was able to tell her (and Kathy who came back) the whole story.  I was also starting the get some feeling back in my legs!  Right before they moved me to the mother/baby floor and where I’d stay the next 4 days they brought Tyler in to me and I was able to hold him!  I got to hold him while they took me down which was wonderful!  He is beautiful!   It was such a special experience!

First time holding the baby!  Just about to move from the recovery room!

Daddy!

Riley wasn't so sure but he did pretty well meeting his brother!

This was not the first day but it's the first picture of us both with Ty.