Enduring to the End

Well, I'm at home for a brief moment, and I thought I might tell the quick story of Christy and Little Riley 14 hour trip coming into this world. (I just finished at the hospital with this though).

Well, Saturday, I went to work like normal and thought that I might get a call from Christy allowing me to skip out on the rest of my shift, but I never got that call, I even called home just to check. I got home and she was playing games with her little sis, and just finished tying my shoes to go for a run, when Christy was starting to get up to go, well to the little girls room. As she was getting up, the look on her face said something was a bit different, her water broke. Once she confirmed it, I was like a classic dad, running around, heart pumping, trying to gather last minute stuff and shortly after that, we were on our way to the hospital. We got checked in and they looked her over and confirmed everything we already knew, and so it began. We enjoyed the sunset between the contractions in a nice, but small corner Labor/Delivery room. The nurses were super nice and helpful, including helping stick up to our doctor when the doc wanted to start a med to get contractions going, and the nurse told her it was not needed. And so it went smoothly, Christy enjoyed a nice deep jacuzzi tub that helped, watched (sort of watched anyway) a movie, and I even enjoyed a little football between contractions.
Time got close, and after 2 or 3 hours of keeping little Riley inside Christy (Christy said that was really the worst part) the nurses finally gave the ok for her, and so she pushed for two and a half hours, and poor thing was loosing all her energy, despite not even taking any medications through the entire labor. Finally the doctor checked again, and figured that Riley must be turned wrong to finish his journey, and it was suggested that a Caesarean birth be done. We took a moment (that was really the one thing Christy really wanted to avoid like most women) and with a quick blessing, the decision was made. She still had a half an hour to wait for the surgeons and other doctors could get ready and prepped before she could get the epidural for the surgery.
She made it to the surgeon's table, and when I was finally able to go in, I can't tell you how nice it was to see her comfortable. But it was still a good trip for Riley, I watched as the doctors tried to get him out, but after 3 hours of Christy pushing, he was stuck good! The reasons he was stuck was mainly that he was turned face up and his head was turned a little keeping him from coming out. Plus they mentioned he had a large head and broad shoulders that didn't help either. Well the doctor had a tough time getting him out, I was kinda watching her really push him back up towards the opening, and she was having a tough time with it. But he finally was born!!! They cleaned him up, and I was able to cut the little bit of extra umbilical cord they left, and a they gave gave Christy and me a few minutes to see each other, and then they sent Riley and me off to get cleaned up and ready, and Christy sewn up and cleaned. All went well, thank goodness, and mom and baby are doing well, though right now little Riley is being treated for jaundice in the nursery, and if he does well we should be going home early!!!!! Thank you all for the prayers and thoughts, they are much appreciated by all three of us! and pics to come soon!!!!