Welcome to the World Grant Patrick

Grant is on the Left in the pants...Owen on the right.

The newest addition to our family....Grant Patrick.
Born 3/16 at 1:05pm 7 lbs 6oz, 19 1/4 in long.

His story is like non other.....maybe one other (Owen)....be will get to that.
Our story begins on Monday. I had a Dr appointment Monday morning and so did Rachel (my very pregnant BFF). We have the same OBGYN. Her car didn't start so she called me and I picked up and brought her to the Dr office and we waited for each others appointments. While there, we scheduled an inductions for the following week.
The nice lady who scheduled me told me that all the people she had scheduled, their water had broken at Walmart or Costco. So guess where I went. Yep, that evening my mom and I went to Walmart and walked around for a few hours. I had a lower back ache all day and was having contractions that afternoon and evening. I didn't think anything of it because I have had SO many contractions these past few weeks. We walked around Walmart for about 1 1/2 hours. We came home and I put Madi down to bed. I was starting to get a little snippy with Madi, because she didn't want to go to bed and I was have some painful contractions (with no rhyme or reason to them). I finally got her to bed and went to bed myself about 10:30. At 12:13 I felt/heard a "pop". My eyes flung open and I thought "what the helk was that". I waited a moment to see if anything was going to happen and....nothing. So I closed my eyes and......then I was all wet. I got up, changed my clothes and was all wet again, MORE water, running down my leg. Then it sank in...."okay, okay.....This is happening." My mind and heart started racing. "Dang....what do I do next. I am supposed to do something...just breath Mari, just breath. RIGHT, CALL JASON (he was working). I called Jason, then my mom to come be with Madi. I, then sent a text to Rachel..."My water broke."

By the time Jason and my mom arrived my contractions were getting strong and were 3-5 minutes apart. We got to the hospital and got checked in. My contractions were all in my back and the nurses believed Grant was face up which puts all the pressure on you spine. So they wanted me to walk around and with each contraction bend over into a certain position and see if we could get him to flip. For 4 hours I walked around the hospital and with each contraction resonating in my back trying to flip this little guy.

Well, in that time, I got a text from Rachel....."See you there". Yep Rachel went into labor and was coming in. Now for 9 months we have been joking that our boys might come on the same day and wouldn't you know it....they were.

Well after hours and hours of walking and breathing and this position and that position. He didn't want to flip and I was stuck at 5 cm. I threw in the towel and requested an epidural. I also learned that Rachel was in the room right next to me. Dr. Burrong came into my room and asked if Rachel I carpooled into the hospital too. All the nurses and Dr's learned that we were best friends and we were all joking that the we were super competitive and that the race was on.

With the epidural I was able to get some sleep. Grant still hadn't flipped so the nurses and tried something called "sandbagging". They brought in a sandbag and had me practically lay face down on it. THe idea is that the pressure from the sandbag makes the baby uncomfortable and want to roll away from it, consequently flipping. I felt like a rotisserie chicken, every 15 minutes they would come in and we'd roll me over to the other side. And Grant just wouldn't flip.

Upon examination the nurse felt another bag of water around 11 am. Dr. Burrong came in a bit later and broke the second bag and then we all knew things would probably progress rather quickly.......and they did. Unfortunately, so was Rachel.

About this time my epidural was wearing off, which I was glad because now I could feel the pressure and contractions and was able to help my body along. I was beginning to feel a SERIOUS need to push. They called Dr. Burrong from Rachel's room...but she was so close that he couldn't leave her. The nurses examined me and I will never forget the look on their faces. She said "his head is 2 inches away" They called in some back up fully expecting me to deliver without the Dr. Dr. Burrong had me push my epidural button to give me another dose and by some time and told me to "hold it". "Don't push".

I began to cry. The nurse looked at me and said asked if I was okay. I looked up at her and said "My friend is having her baby. Its wonderful"......for real. That's right my dear friend. I was moved that you were going to meet you son.

And being the good girl that I am and the wonderfully giving friend that I am ;-) I didn't push. How does a woman NOT push when every fiber of her being, everything that makes her a woman say "PUSHHHHHHHH".......by the sheer grace of God. After what felt like an eternity (which was really about 10 minutes) I couldn't hold it anymore - I HAD TO PUSH. I remember saying at the point.... "Damn you Rachel" :-)

So up went my legs. Jason had one leg, a nurse had another, and my mom was by my head. Then Dr Burrong's face finally appeared. He came in, told them adjust my bed that way and that, put my legs down at one point so as not to tear, "ONE MORE PUSH".....and out came his head. Grant had to cord around his neck and I remember them saying ..."Just like next door."

Dr Burrong quickly unwrapped the cord and everyone saying "One more push". Out came his shoulders and to my relief then the rest of him slid out. I got to see him come. Never would I have guessed that is something I wanted to see.....but thank you the Lord almight I got to see my son come from my body. What an emotional surge. I got to see him scream. I got to seem his open his eyes and then they placed him on my body.

Here is my son. He was calmed by my heart beat and breathing. In a room full of people and organized chaos.....But all is know is "THIS IS MY SON".

Then Dr Burrong disappeared. He went to be with Rachel. THen he came back to me. Then went to Rachel. Then back to me. The poor guy. Rachel and I sure did make him earn his wings that day. We had always joked that our boys would come on the same day. Never in a million years would we have guessed that they would be born 13 minutes apart. Owen came first then Grant. But Dr Burrong came in and said it was a tie because he told me to "Hold it".

It took me a while to get my legs about me because I had to push the epidural button so late in delivery. But that was okay with me. I just wanted to hold my son and feed him. He latched right on and that is where he prefers to be...eating. This boy is only hours old and is already eating me out of house and home.

Overall, my labor was 13 hours. I pushed for 30 minutes. I didn't tear (My Dr. was awesome and knew exactly how to position me so I didn't). I am glad he could show up. My body feels great. I feel much more "in tact" then I did with Madi. Grant and Owen have the same birthday. Rachel and I are AWESOME. We were the talk of the nurses and staff for the next few days. I think it is neat that our baby stories are so intertwined......AND Jason and I now have a son.

Grant means "great". May he grow up to be something great. May we teach Grant and Madilyn to be strong physically and mentally. May we teach them to stand up for injustices and protect those in need. May they find happiness and passion in life and always reach for the stars.