Introducing Griffin Bailey Harbor

On November 24th at 12:26pm, we welcomed the newest member into our family - Griffin Bailey Harbor.  The labor wasn't quite what I was expecting.  I had to wait over 1.5 hours to get my epidural after asking for it, and after the first attempt he had to re-do it (he hit a blood vessel).  The second one only worked on half of my body, so my contractions stayed the same in intensity/pain (at least they didn't get worse right?!)  The anesthesiologist left to give 4 other ladies their epidural, so by the time he got back to trying again on my, I was already at a 10 and the doctor was ready to go.  So needless to say, it wasn't all roses like Avery's labor and delivery was!  After 10 or so minutes of painful pushing, we met our sweet little man.  He weighed 8lbs 2 oz and was 21".  I was able to meet him as soon as he came out which was special.  After about 3 minutes, they took him to get weighed/cleaned up.  That is when my placenta wouldn't come out, and after the doctor tried to deliver it, it came out in pieces ... so I was headed straight to the Operating room for a D&C - boo.  After waking up, the doctor said she still isn't sure she was able to get all of the retained placenta (it was really embedded in the uterine wall). I am just kind of in a waiting game now - I hope nothing happens and that everything will be fine, but it is still possible I will have to go in for surgery again.  Any prayers are appreciated! 

 Our favorite picture taken of Griffin right after he was born.

 I love hoe his ears tip out slightly on the end!

 The kids were so excited to come and meet him! Avery was so cute, she was saying things like "Oh that's our baby! He's mine! That's my Momma!"

Proud and excited siblings

 Proud Daddy!

The kids were pretty excited about the popsicles they ate while visiting my hospital room the day after Griffin was born.

 Proud Grandparents

 Avery was so excited to meet Griffin!

 Popsicle face!

 They wanted to see his tiny feet

 After the kids/grandparents left and after Ryan got back from taking them out for lunch, we were just relaxing in the room.  Griffin was scheduled to eat (he was in the nursery for an hour while I was showering) and the nurses didn't bring him into me - which was weird because they are usually on schedule.  After 20 minutes of waiting, I told Ryan to go see what was going on.  Ryan saw several nurses around Griffin.  The RN came and told us Griffin had turned colors (blue), briefly stopped breathing, and his oxygen levels kept dropping.  Apparently this happened more than once.  The admitted him to the NICU for watchful care. I was scared for Griffin and had a hard time knowing my little guy was having a rough time.  We definitely weren't planning on going to the NICU.  I am so grateful I decided to stay until Wednesday at the hospital. My doctor told me I could go home Tuesday if I wanted, but I decided to stay the 2nd day. This whole episode happened Tuesday late afternoon ... which would have been around the time we would have been going home.  I don't know what I would have done if Griffin stopped breathing at the house.  So after Griffin was in the NICU, our "stork meal" came - it was a fancy dinner brought to us with a table cloth and all :)  We wanted to go see our little man, so we quickly ate our food and went up to find the nurses working on getting an IV in Griffin.  The nurses in the NICU were so great and kind to us - we felt like he was in great care up there.

 Cute little guy with his IV in the NICU.  

 Even though I was discharged on Wednesday, I stayed at the hospital in my room because I was feeding Griffin every 3 hours in the NICU.  I am grateful they weren't overly busy and that was an option for me.  I did sneak home for about 1.5 hours on Thanksgiving day to eat dinner with my family.

 Guh Goh and Papa - so grateful you guys were able to be here helping us in our time of need!

 Griffin had to pass a car seat test lasting 90 minutes.  He needed to prove that his oxygen saturation levels wouldn't drop again.  He failed the first time :(  The nurses said it was probably because he was just circumcised a couple hours before ... understandable!!

 He passed the car seat test a few hours later - yay!

 About to leave his bed in the NICU.  I am grateful he was able to be monitored so closely and the doctors are confident he will be happy and healthy at home.  It was so nice to come home to my family.

 I never worried about my kids while I was in the hospital though - Guh Goh was taking good care of them!  I was sent this photo one day while while I was at the hospital .. the kids were loving it!

 Finally on his way home!  Welcome Baby Griffin!!