The Story of Cash's Arrival

Tonight I confessed to the facebook world that each year, on May 10th, I mentally relive my labor & delivery with Cash. I do it with Corrinne too, but since its Cash's birthday tomorrow, we'll let him have the limelight. Then it occurred to me that I never documented Cash's birth story since I didn't start this blog until he was about 6 months old. And since my memory is fading at a rapid rate these days I am going to take this opportunity to tell you a little tale about how Andrew Cash made his entrance into this world...

It was Saturday, May 10, 2008. I woke up completely disappointed that the contractions and spotting the previous night had led nowhere. I called my mom, cried hysterically when I told her I was still pregnant and then wished Drew a good day at work as he left later that morning. He would be working until late that night so I decided to just have a day to myself. I was scheduled to be induced the following Monday morning (my due date) so thinking that was probably my last Saturday to do whatever I wanted for awhile, I took advantage of it.

I visited with Drew's parents, who were in town for the arrival of our first baby, stopped by my parents' old house they were busy cleaning since they had just moved, and then hung out at my sister's house since she had our other sister's daughter for the weekend. I remember being in a very weird mood. I was very weepy and didn't want to be out in public but didn't want to be alone. I just felt off, emotionally.

Finally I decided to get dinner with a friend of mine. A friend who I had lived with previously so I knew she wouldn't be offended by my quietness. We chose Paradise Bakery and sat down to eat right at 8:00 PM. I remember this because that was when the first contraction came. So I sat my phone on the table and secretly timed each one during dinner. They were coming 5 minutes apart for the entire hour we were eating. I didn't tell Penny about the contractions until we were heading home and I was starting to get really uncomfortable. We stopped by Drew's work to see him and I didn't even tell Drew what was happening! Penny finally convinced me to call my doctor around 9:30 since I was starting to not be able to talk through my contractions. The doctor told me to head on in to the hospital so I started making the phone calls (first to Drew, then to our parents) and then got things together. Drew came home, showered and we were out the door by 10:30.

It took the nurses about 30 minutes to figure out I was in active labor and admit me. I was dilated to 3cm and contracting regularly, but I still felt like I was handling the contractions well. Our parents, along with 2 of my sisters showed up by midnight and we were all so excited!! Around 3:30 am the doctor on call (who happened to be the ONE doctor in the entire practice I DIDN'T want to deliver our baby) came in and broke my water, I was dilated to 5cm. Immediately after I was between 6-7cm. I was still feeling pretty good but the nurse thought the anesthesiologist would be unavailable for awhile so she encouraged me to go ahead and get my epidural. The last contraction I felt was super strong so I'm glad I listened to her!

The next 6 hours seemed to fly by as we waited.... and talked about who we thought we were meeting that day... and laughed... and as I watched everyone but me eat breakfast.

Finally around 9:30 the nurse said I just had a tiny rim of cervix left so she sent all my visitors out so I could rest before pushing. I had been up ALL night (dumb idea!) so I definitely needed it. I started pushing around 10:30 and after 45 minutes of pushing my hardest, not seeing any part of Cash's head and the doctor trying to physically turn Cash so he was facing down (worst pain of my LIFE. And I had an epidural!), the doctor told me my baby wasn't going to be born that way. He just wouldn't fit.

So off to the O.R. we went. And I was so excited!! We were finally going to meet our baby and find out whether it was Cash or Claire. At 12:07 P.M. I heard a faint little cry and then saw a bloody, purple, scrunched up little face over the curtain. It was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen! Then I heard the doctor say, "Ok, Dad. What do we have?" and after a few moments that felt like eternity Drew said, "Boy. BOY! We have A BOY!!!!" Words can't even describe what that moment felt like.

They cleaned Cash and wrapped him up then had Drew lay him face to face with me. My absolute favorite part was that when I said his name and talked to him, he instantly quieted down and was just so calm and peaceful. It was like we had known each other forever. I was instantly head over heels in love with that little man.



And oh, how our lives have never been the same...