The day our lives changed FOREVER...and then some.

This post today is a very emotional one for me. This is a long post with many pictures, but that is because I have all these memories that fill my heart and my head that I never want to forget.
I am new to the blogging world and I am thankful for such a world. I am going to take this moment to put down my memories so that one day, Bayleigh will be able to look back and enjoy the events leading to her life. :)

It was November 12th, 2004 and I had ANOTHER stress test that day at Dr. Stiller's office. I could tell, by him coming into the stress test room that something wasn't right, but me, being new to everything and just finding out a couple months prior that I was going to have a baby didn't know what to say or do. Dr. Stiller came in and informed me that he needed me to go home that night and lay in bed and count everytime I felt her move. Ok, Not a problem. By this point I had what I imagined as 600 arms and legs shoving into my ribs and bladder constantly, so easy task. Except it really wasn't. I did as I was told. Not much movement. Huh, that was weird. Next thing you know, Larry is bringing me the phone and it's about 7pm and tells me I needed to take the call. Boy did I ever! It was Dr. Stiller calling from his home. Yikes, this can't be good. He was very kind as usual and informed me that he had been thinking all evening about my stress test and asked that I meet him at the hospital at 7 am for another stress test and ultrasound, just to be sure everything was ok. NOW, I was scared. SCARED!

We woke at 6 am and went to eat at McDonald's for breakfast, I mean seriously, If I am out of bed that early on a Saturday--I NEED a bacon bisquit with cheese. :) We go to the hospital and I have my ultrasound first. Then I head over to OB for my stress test. Here comes Dr. Stiller, dun dun duuuuuuh! LOL! (That was me being dramatic right there). He informs us that he is going to go a head and induce my labor. I reply, ok, when do you want me to come back? He was like oh no, we are doing this now. I said, well, I have stuff to do. He said, like what? I said, I have to pay my truck payment, get my bags and camera, shave my legs, and it was the 13th and I was NOT having a baby on the 13th because she could have a Friday the 13th birthday.! LOL! He gently put his hand on my shoulder and looked me square in the eyes and informed me--someone else can make your truck payment, someone else can go get your bags and cameras, I don't care if your legs are shaved or not, and you better hope for a LONG labor then. LOL! Ok, he got me. He won.

We start the process. After 4 hours, all busted veins, and and my epidural lady coming in to get my I.V. started we were on it. Labor wasn't what I expected it to be. With me having Polycystic Ovaries this pain was very "tolerable". It just felt like menstral cramps really. I was a wreck though. I was just terrifed. I was ready for her. I wanted to see her and hold her and love her completely, but I was so scared of not knowing what to expect. Just as a note to people who have not gone through it. It is so exaggerated on movies and t.v. it's not even funny.

So, to shorten my story. I ask for more Nubain (sp?) to take the edge off the pain. The nurse comes back and tells me that Dr. Stiller wants me to go ahead and have my epidural because the Nubain had too much of an effect on Bayleigh. NOPE!!! Not happening. I'll deal with the pain. See, I went into this KNOWING I was NOT having an epidural because I was terrified of it too. Next thing you know, it's 3 am on November 14th, and Dr. Stiller is walking into the room. He explains that I must have the epidural because he needed to do a C-Section. NOW, remember KNOWING I wasn't having an epidural?? I also KNEW I was NOT having a C-Section. So much so, I refused to read both sections in my "What to Epect When You're Expecting" book. Yeah. TEARS AGAIN! More scared, let me tell you!

ANYWAYS I go back to the surgery room and they get me on the table and all that and finally, at 5:45 am Dr. Stiller pulls the most wonderful, amazing, perfect little person out of my belly. Bayleigh LizMarie Rutherford weighed in at 6 pounds 14.9 ounces and was 19 inches long. At 6:30 am Dr. Stiller was done putting me back together and I finally got my hands on this beautiful child.
I was exhausted. Larry was exhausted. I felt so bad for him because WE told the nurses that we were to hold her first before anyone else and they saved that moment for me while I was being put back together. I got to hold her while they wheeled me in my bed back to my room. Larry went out to tell our families and then joined me in the room. Then, Dr. Stiller came in and shook our hands and they took her. WHAT?! Yeah! They took her, her body temperature had dropped and she needed to be warmed back up. SO, I sent everyone to the window and sent Larry to the nursery to take the pictures and I wait. For the record. I sat in my room alone for what felt like an eternity. I just wanted to see her and touch her and hold her and admire her, but I just waited. :)

I remember when I finally got her to myself without the hoopla of the newness, I just keep looking at Larry and saying, "We made a person. We created this human being." It was the proudest moment and most emotional moment of my life. I was so far in love with her I knew I was never coming back. :)
After my epidural wore off I was in SOME PAIN! I had Demorall (sp?) on a button to push as needed, but it KILLED my arm to do so, so I had asked for pills or something to ease the pain of the c-section. Of course they were like, push your button. I said, it doesn't help and it hurts. So EVENTUALLY, they bring me in shots for my hips that they informed me would be very painful. Not, I was dying and I felt like someone was holding a torch to my gut. So, then the nurse comes in and I just want to brush my teeth and go to the bathroom. Well, I explained that I was in SO much pain and she before thinking pushes my button. I start to tear up and my arm swells and burns AGAIN and she is finally there to see it and she says, Oh, that's not right. We need to get that out of there. NO CRAP. Needless to say, I think they thought I was looking for a high on pain killers, when in fact I had just had a c-section with at one point NO pain killers at all. NOT RECOMMENDED. So, then they get me on pain pills and I am better.

We didn't get to go home until Tuesday, November 16th. They got Bayleigh released from the hospital quickly that morning, but I didn't finally get released until 1ish that afternoon.

So, I am going to stop this blog at this point. Only because it is already so long and well, we all know the pictures are the best part anyways.

I just wanted to blog these memories for Bayleigh to read later. I hope that if and when she reads this, she knows how much her daddy and I love her. Bayleigh, you are the best gift God could ever give us and we LOVE you SO much!


November 14th, almost 4 hours after she was born.

Our first picture together.

Oh my goodness, I couldn't kiss her enough!

This was Monday, November 15th.

And this was November 16th while waiting for me to get released. We also did her hospital pictures this day too.

This is either the 18th or 19th I can't tell by the date on the picture. But Larry couldn't kiss her enough either. :)

She looks so small her in bouncy seat and slippers.

November 21st. I remember for a LONG time, Bayleigh couldn't fall asleep unless she had my pinkie finger in her hand. I LOVED that!

This was Thanksgiving Day, November 25th, 2004. This is one of my all time favorit pictures of her.

She is so tiny!

Her little piggies! I used to kiss her feet all the time. :)

November 29th. Her cord FINALLY fell off and she was able to get in the actual tub. She hated it at first!

But then was ok with it.

I love how she is looking at me here.

They talk. LOL!

He kisses!

And kisses some more!

This is December 11th, 2004. Bayleigh in her 1st Christmas dress. A gift from Amy Oliver.

It's funny because looking back I see so much of Larry in her and even has a tint of red to her hair, but now that she is going to be 5 years old tomorrow, I think she looks so much like me when I was younger. FIVE YEARS OLD! I can't believe I just said that! One thing is for sure. I fall more and more in love with this person, this human being that we created everyday. She is honestly my best friend and I am a very blessed woman to have her and Larry both in my life. I always tell her. Bayleigh, you know how I know God loves me? Because he gave me you! I must have done something right at some point. :) Thank you God!

Thanks for reading. Until next time!

Jennifer