On January 20, 2015 we welcomed our precious baby girl, Peighton Louise {Royal Warrior}, into the world.
And what a whirlwind it was. Leading up to delivery day, while at the doctor for my 35 week appointment, my blood pressure was a bit higher than normal but not alarmingly so. I went about life as usual and returned to the doctor a week later. This time, with much higher blood pressure. We were immediately sent across the street, to the hospital, for observation and testing. I laid in a bed with a blood pressure cuff, fetal monitor, and contraction monitor on for about 4 hours. We were sent home and told to take it easy.
Another week goes by, and we're back to the doctor...with high blood pressure. We go through the same scenario, except this time with an exam and an offer to be induced. {WHAT?! I'm not ready for this!!! The car seat hasn't been delivered yet, I'm not due for another 3 weeks, this isn't how this is supposed to go!}. We decided against the induction and had two appointments a week scheduled from then until my due date. Tyler and I had also decided to let our mom's know (who were planning to come up at the end of January for the birth) that in all reality, it could happen after the next appointment and if they didn't want to miss it, they needed to come immediately.
So, at this point, I have been diagnosed with gestational hypertension and was being closely monitored for preeclampsia. I have been told to not work, relax, and when possible, lay on my left side. {This made nesting near impossible!} The "cure" for my high blood pressure...delivery.
A few days later (Friday), I return to the doctor for an ultrasound to make sure Baby Girl Stowell was still growing and getting proper nutrients, despite my high blood pressure. By this time, our mom's had arrived and were serving us well--cleaning, prepping crockpot freezer meals, running errands I can't, etc. And since I wasn't able to work, I decided to just go on maternity leave Monday January 19. Tyler, however, returned to work that day. I spent the day at home with my mom, resting per doctor's orders. She made me lunch, we watched some HGTV...I then noticed that my stomach started to feel funny. And then my water broke at 3:40pm. {Wait, this is happening NOW?!} Tyler was in a meeting with two wrestlers on campus, and I was home with my mom and mother-in-law. In labor. So clearly this was the time to shower, do my hair and make-up, and add the final necessities to my hospital bag ;-)
We caravaned to the hospital after Tyler came home, only to find that valet was closed. {How convenient. Oh and THIS is a contraction. Good timing.} We made our way up to the labor and delivery floor--which we are, by this point, well acquainted with having spent several hours in outpatient care there. It's now about 5:30pm and I hear the nurse prepping our mom's for a long wait..."this could take anywhere up to 18 hours; hope you are ready for a long night!" {Eighteen hours? So when can I get that epidural??} My favorite recommendation from the nurse was NOT to watch Food Network...since all I was eating was ice chips. Upon my first exam, I was only 1cm dilated. This was looking like a long night, for sure. I requested an epidural as soon as we arrived...I had decided long before then that I wanted to enjoy the benefits of modern medicine--after all, I knew there wasn't a trophy or bigger reward waiting for me on the other side if I opted against it. My contractions were picking up in intensity and I was not-so-patiently wondering where on earth the anesthesiologist was. Well, she finally arrived and administered the drugs {sweet glory!}. In the midst of all of this, Tyler and I had spent time praying, reading Psalm 23, and a reading story from the Jesus Storybook Bible to our little girl. My heart was ready. I was just waiting for my body to catch up. At my next exam, around 10pm, I was 8cm dilated {well THAT was a quick progression!}. Between then and the time Peighton arrived, I spent just over an hour or so pushing {and wondering why we weren't adopting...}.
Our healthy girl took her first breath at 12:44am Tuesday morning and I cried tears of joy!! Never in my life have I felt such immediate love for someone. She was everything I could've hoped for. She was what we had prayed for. God sure is good.
My favorite memories from that first hour or so in the labor room are having my snuggly girl lay on my chest, watching my husband swoon over his new baby girl, taking our first family selfie, and introducing Peighton to her Grammy and Mimi.
Since then, we have been adjusting well to being a family of three and caring for our sweet Peighton Girl. Already, she has brought us so much joy! And God is using her to teach us lots =)
