King Kohls: Our Little Miracle

So I know this is a little late, but our latest addition has finally arrived!

Sophia was due on July 13th, but my doctor noticed that I wasn't dilating when I had started seeing her weekly around the middle of June. My last doctor's visit was July 19th (41 weeks) and I still had not dilated...at all. It was then we decided to have me induced the following morning. (Luckily, Paul's mom was in town and able to stay with our older four kids.) By this point, I'm pretty sure I had only had very, very slight braxton hicks contractions.

That Wednesday, July 20th, Paul and I woke up at 4:00am and made the "long" journey from Nampa to Boise to get ready to meet our little girl. We arrived, checked in and got settled in our room. Then the "issues" started. I've told Paul before how much I absolutely hate needles...even with that knowledge, I don't think he was prepared for my reaction to the pokes. This being an induction, they needed to get me hooked to an I.V. Well, they couldn't get the dang i.v. to stay in any of the first 5 veins. Every time they'd try, my vein would "explode" and thus be useless. So much tenseness, so many tears (and I'm not a cryer)...I was pretty much just short of punching the 3 different nurses that were trying to get this stupid i.v. to stay in. Success finally came after the 6th poke, when the nurses had to call someone from the anesthesia...thank God!

We finally had the drip going to force my body to go into labor. I was determined to go through without an epidural--I mean, I'm pretty tough, right? WRONG! The first hour and a half went by just dandy and I would only feel slight contractions. I thought: "geez, this is easy. why do so many women complain about labor?" So naive. Then the next hour and half absolutely sucked! I was in pain like no other...thinking at one point: "this is it, I'm going to die and Paul will just have to raise all 5 kids by himself." (Looking back, I've learned that I get pretty dramatic when I'm in pain.) I kept throwing up and of course, more tears. My doctor finally came in to check my progress: I had dilated a total of 0 cm. That's right - nothing! So, do we want to continue with the induction (after throwing up at least 4 times and the worst 3 hours of my life) or do we want to do a c-section? Can you believe I actually chose to continue with the induction? Ugh! Well, that decision lasted a total of 30 seconds after the doctor left...then I came to my senses and sent Paul down to chase the nurse so she could tell the doctor that I changed my mind...just cut me open! Best.Decision.Ever.

She could do the c-section, but we'd have to wait until 2:30 when the operating room would be available. Fine with me...just make this labor stop. (We also learned I have a VERY LOW tolerance to real pain...obviously.) I remember the anesthesiologist coming in for the spinal tap--great, more needles--here come the tears again. Surprisingly, though, the spinal tap needle was barely even felt (probably because of the morphine they had to give me for my pain from the induction). Then they allowed Paul to come into the room and began to cut me open. I kept telling the doctor: "make sure you don't cut the baby". Yeah, let the doped-up, emotional mom-to-be tell the educated, experienced doctor how to do her job. I'm sure they just loved me in there. None of our other children were born via c-section, so this was a first for Paul and a bit scary. Relief came when our doctor told him to "get the camera ready, here comes Sophia" and I was still talking away not feeling a thing except a slight tug. (I'll spare those pics.)

Paul was still able to "cut the chord"...well

at least from her.

Trying to adjust to her new surroundings.

Sophia Josephine Reyes Kohl

July 20th, 2011 @ 3:03pm

8 pounds, 1 ounce

20" long

I still can't believe she's here and sometimes miss her kicks from within my tummy. We've had many discussions about the timing of her arrival and I truly believe God planned for her to arrive exactly four days after losing my beloved father. As truly bittersweet this summer has been, I'm grateful to have spent time with my dad during his last days, glad that he is at peace and excited to share so many stories of Sophia's Poppi with her.

Sophia is now 1 month and 1 day old. She has changed so much and some days I want my new newborn back. She will be the only child I will ever carry and deliver and I miss certain parts of pregnancy and her birth. [Side Note: C-Sections are the only way to go...definitely for me anyway since we learned that my body just refuses to dilate--at all.] A little about miss Sophie: when she was born, she was (of course) crying but immediately stopped as soon as Paul spoke. She is truly another Daddy's Girl and he is usually the only one to get her to stop crying when she is in a "mood". She is surely loved by each of her siblings, but is most protected and doted on by Jacob. She currently favors her left hand and I am secretly hoping she is left-handed (she has greater than a 26% chance since I am a lefty). Although she still wakes up once through the night (usually midnight or 1am), she is a pretty sound sleeper. She has the longest fingers and toes I have ever seen on a baby...definitely not from me.