...and my sister-in-law's water broke 6 weeks early.
I'm single, never had a baby, but have been beyond ECSTATIC at my chance to be a real auntie! My oldest brother lives far away and I never see his kids but my second oldest bro lives just down the road in the same tiny town in the Oregon boondocks as I do. HURRAH!
Anyway I had this great plan of starting a blog, creating great content in a super organized fashion because I am super organized and live for organized things and sharing stories. BUT that was not to be, at least for now.
Meet my precious nephew Sawyer James who just couldn't wait to get out into the world and make adventures happen!
He is only seconds old right here...I'm amazed how clean he was. As someone who grew up and currently lives on a ranch I've seen hundreds of calves be born and they are covered in slime. This guy wasn't so that was good for my queasy stomach!
We only were able to see him for a few moments before he was whisked off to the NICU and plugged into a thousand machines.
His Mama was taken immediately to surgery and his Dad wanted to be with her so I got to watch over the little man. He has a strong grip! Little fella's lungs aren't quite ready to breath on his own so he is getting mechanical help, and he's attached to many wires to ensure he does OK...but he's still perfect to me.
There you have it. It's not a tutorial on knitting or a book review but it's what is happening now and I wouldn't have it any other way.
{PS TIP}
Even if you aren't the mother, if you are part of the "going to the hospital" party then be sure to have an overnight bag that can easily stretch into a week or two bag. Here's mine.
I realize this is horrible quality photography right there but keep in mind I was throwing this together and still had a 2 hour drive to the hospital ahead of me.
Bag - I chose my REI Flash 22 pack. This pack was bigger than the handful of things I was taking...but who knew that what was meant to be an overnight would turn into a week? Having the extra space to stuff my jacket, extra shirts, extra necessaries was such a huge help! Also it being a backpack was much handier than a wheelie suitcase because it could be hung up on a hook or fit in a locker and my hands were totally free to help as we moved from room to room to room.
Things to do - Three days of labor isn't terribly exciting but when you HAVE to be there for when things do take off, it's nice to have some books to read, videos downloaded on your phone {because hospital TV is hard to get into} I took my idea journal, Bible, and a novel I had started.
Hygiene - If you stay at the hospital, a hotel, or a friend's house, there is something vastly refreshing about using your own products to get freshened up. Also hospital and hotel products dry out hair and skin so badly yet somehow after a few hours you manage to be more oily and sweaty than ever. Gross. I brought my own little face wash, moisturizer, CC cream, travel mascara {waterproof}, lip balm, toothbrush, toothpaste, face wipes {those awesome grapefruit ones}, and a shampoo. I would also add a razor...lets just say things started to prickle after awhile.
Comfort - I brought a sleep mask and earplugs so when it was my turn to sleep I would have a better chance of actually getting some rest.
Camera - Duh...don't want to miss anything!
Watch - Sometimes I couldn't find a the hospital clock quickly and my hands needed to not be wrapped around my cell phone. Having a watch to time contractions, see if it was time to get food for everyone, or when the pitocin was going to be cranked up again.
Wet Ones - because hospitals aren't always that clean
Snacks and Water - It's so easy to get dehydrated and forget to eat until all the sudden you are crashing physically. Don't be that guy. Take granola bars, pay attention to the time, and drink Drink DRINK!
As far as clothes...go with comfort. I wore sports clothes which is kind of a cardinal rule of mine NOT to do...but let's face it...these few days or weeks will be a marathon so dress accordingly!
Personal Conduct - You would not believe {or maybe you would} how selfish people can be when visiting in the hospital.
I wasn't the one in labor so to me...what I needed or wanted didn't matter. I was there to make sure my brother had everything he needed to make sure his wife had him right there to support her. Whatever had to be done for him to be able to help her...I did. Let's just say walking 2 miles with 10 boxes of IHOP food in grocery sacks isn't a piece of cake but was totally necessary.
BUT when people came in to support...it was on their terms, their schedule, they stayed as long as they wanted even if Mama was hurting or sleepy or had to pee again or whatever. How rude. If you visit someone in the hospital...don't go at your convenience. Go at theirs. Call. Ask. Find out what is best for them. If no visit is best for them then DON"T VISIT! No matter how much you want to see them, sometimes it's best to not be there. Send flowers or a basket or card.
Maybe it's because I'm an organizer but I see things in a logical chain of events based on what the person or situation requires. I've been a wedding coordinator and event planner because sometimes I see what other's don't. Anyway...don't be that person that is well intentioned but ruins a day by being blind to another's needs.