Collin's Entry

It was June 7th 2010, and I was 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant. Trevor and I were at the Dr.'s office hoping he'd just send us right over to the hospital to get this show on the road. I was tired, physically, mentally and emotionally and I was ready to be done being pregnant. (I really struggled having to listen to everyone's comments about my body, like "you look huge" or "you're still here" all things I'm sure are meant with good intentions, but I just found annoying and discouraging. I have to say, my friend Jessica always had uplifting things to say, like "you are so cute!" or "I'm so excited for you!" much better route to take with a grumpy pregnant woman, but I digress...Our Dr. informed us that Logan Regional Hospital has a policy, no inductions for first time pregnancy's before 41 weeks without a medical reason. I tried my best to have high blood pressure, or something but alas I was fit as a fiddle and we would simply have to wait until this baby was ready to come. so we scheduled an induction for a week later and set out to wait...

After work I came home and settled on the couch, like normal and waited for Trevor while I rested. At about 7:30 I figured Trevor was close to home and I should get some dinner started, so I got my large body off the couch and headed for a quick trip to the bathroom. Just before I got there, my water broke. It took me a few minutes to realize what had happened. The nurse told us, very few women actually have the water break on their own so I was a little shocked. Once I convinced myself that was indeed my water, I got to my phone and called Trevor. Fortunately he was close, just coming through the canyon, I think my exact words were, "You might want to hurry, I think my water just broke." To which he replied "...are you serious? OK, I'll be there in a minute."

I felt calm. I think I was still in shock, or maybe just preparing myself for the unknown. I gathered the last few items we need for our bag and waited for Trevor to come get me. Thirty minutes later we were on our way to the hospital. My friend Lacy, who was due less than a week after me sent me a text asking how my Dr. appointment that morning had gone, I told her it went well, but we were on our way to the hospital right now. My sister-in-law called me and told me she had been thinking about me and just wanted to see how I was doing. I love that they were both so on the ball and knew I was going to have that baby soon!

I wasn't having contractions, so the started me on Pitocin a few hours after we got all checked in and hooked up. Around 11:3o or 12 I started to feel them, but they weren't too bad. We had to turn the Pitocin up quite a bit before they got good and hard and by 2 am I was ready for my epidural. In my opinion the labor part wasn't too bad, because I didn't have to deal with it for that long. We watched a movie, Trevor caught a few zzz, but I didn't because the nurses were coming in a lot to check on me.

I wasn't progressing very quickly so it took until 11:45 the next morning before we were ready to start pushing. At 2:30 we were still pushing. I was exhausted, I hadn't slept in over 24 hours. Collin was posterior (facing up), but not even totally straight up. He never got very low, he just wasn't making it down through my hips. Finally Dr. Fowers came in and we talked about our options. He said we could try a forceps delivery but because Collin was still so high it was kind of risky and would probably do a lot of damage to my body and a c-section would probably be better. I was so ready to be done, and quickly agreed to the last option.

I can't believe how quickly the room filled with people once Dr. Fowers said c-section. Extra Dr's and nurses. My epidural was cranked up and I was numb from my arms down, but 30 mins later Collin was out.

A c-section is a strange sensation. Collin was wedged in my hips so there was a lot of tugging and pulling and then a wonderful lack of pressure. I could hear Collin squawking is the best word for it, I remember thinking, there's a baby over there. When the Dr. showed him to me I thought "That's a monster" I was really out of it for the next day or so. I'm sure it was complete exhaustion and an overdose of medication and who knows what else. I kept throwing up, and I couldn't sleep...it was a long couple of days, but I got better and Collin did well, and a few days later, the Dr.'s let us come home where my mom was waiting to take care of us. We miss you mom!

We are still doing well, settling into a routine and just enjoying being parents.

He's here!

Collin Wayne Thomas9lbs 6 oz

21 inches
born by c-section after 3 hours of pushing!
He's perfectly healthy, happy and large!
I'm doing really well, healing quickly, and learning the ins and outs of motherhood. Trevor is a pure natural. He stepped up and took great care of Collin while I was out of it and unable to get out of bed.

Whats in a name?

I'm sure many of you have been patiently waiting for me to announce our little bundle has arrived, but alas, we are still waiting, but not so patiently. As the day seems to move farther and farther away and my tummy makes the same move outward, I find myself thinking a lot about his name to be.

1. are people going to hate it? This is part of the reason I've rarely mentioned the name to people and I'm still hesitant to say it out loud even as close as we are, what if people give me that look like "Oh dear, that's an awful name, but I can't let my face show it!" no matter how good you are, you cannot hide that split second of dread that crosses your face when a name is announced. Hopefully all growing up he won't get that look that says "your parents named you what?"

2.How much I hate hearing to the comment "Oh like... Or "That reminds me of..." One person I told even said, "a spoiled rich kid" All things I'm sure I am SO guilty of.

3. I hope he doesn't hate it

4. the biggest of them all, the spelling. I know several people who have had to deal with unique spellings or a name that has a million spellings such as my own. My parents named me Ashlee, with two e's and no y. Which I have always liked not having a y in my name, it felt unique, like my own name and not just a name for the masses, (which of course Ashlee is, its rare that there isn't a co-worker, friend or ward member with my same name) but I cannot tell you how much of my life I've spent saying, "I'm Ashlee a-s-h-l-e-e" even then I still get Ashley, Ashele, Ashlie, Ashleigh, Ashli...the list goes on and on. who knew one name could be spelled so many ways. Its awkward sometimes to correct people, so I often don't say anything, especially when its not a legal/important document, but when I see Ashley Thomas I always think...who is that? I'm Ashlee Thomas. So that is the last thing I want my children to have to deal with.

Trevor has had the same name in mind since before we were expecting. He ran across it in the temple when his sister Randi got married and it's stuck to him like glue. Over time I've grown used to it, and it feels like his name, and I'm so excited to meet him, sooner rather than later I hope.

Stay tuned, the next time you hear from me, it will be with pictures of our baby.