As you know by now, I was having a scheduled c-section. Which was so strange. On so many levels.
The one nice thing about it was that we could coordinate babysitting for the other kids and have family in town without the midnight drives and risk of missing the birth (all of our family lives 3+ hours away).
I asked to have my little (way taller than me) sister in the room with us.
She’s studying to be a nurse, so she was super excited to be there and made sure to have someone take a picture of her in her “cute scrubs”…even if she had to witness it all from behind my camera lens.
Having a scheduled c-section is SOOOOO weird.
They didn’t have Andy and Marcia come in until I was completely prepped and ready for surgery to begin. (Did you know they cut you open with a laser?!?! Crazy!) So I was alone in the room (okay, with five other medical folks).
At one point, before they turned on the big overhead surgery lights, I could see my own reflection in them…it was like a weird out of body experience.
I mean, that was MY body. I recognized it. And people were taping me up, rubbing Betadine all over me, and who knows what else…yet…I couldn’t feel a THING. And it was so odd to be lying on a table in an operating room understanding that in just a few moments, someone would be cutting all the way through my skin/muscle/uterus…and I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel bad. I wasn’t exhausted from hours of marathon labor pains. I felt FINE. So it didn’t seem like I had any business whatsoever being cut open. I felt like it was all some awful mistake. And all I could think of was how much a paper cut hurts and how much worse this must feel…minus the crazy anaesthetics they pump you with. It was all overwhelming and felt so…unnatural. I can’t explain it, but it was just surreal and felt wrong.
So I cried. Because I’m weird like that. And I’m sure being pumped with drugs didn’t help my emotions.
Andy and Marcia came in, and within 15 minutes, I could see a bitty baby bottom being lifted away from the blue curtain.
During the surgery, the doctor announced that the cord was wrapped around his neck…twice…AND THEN wrapped around his leg…twice. So even had I tried to deliver naturally, he likely wouldn’t have descended (or worse) because the cord would have been too short.
That helped ease my mind about the whole “I feel perfectly fine but I’m having surgery” thing.
Andy made it a point to request cutting the cord this time.
With the trauma and chaos of the other kids’ births, he had actually never had that Dad Experience and he really wanted to make sure he would be able to do it by the fourth kid. I don’t know why it matters, but it makes me happy that he cared and wanted to do it…and that he was finally able to.
Again, because there were no blue babies or heart conditions or other assorted weirdness, I was able to hold him immediately.
It was at this point that Andy leaned over and whispered…”So, what’s his name?”
“Owen.”
“Okay, Owen Paul it is. What’s up Owen? Welcome to the world.”
And it was about this time that Marcia exclaimed “I can see your ovaries and your fallopian tubes Jeannett! It’s so cool! It looks just like the pictures in the books!!!”
“What are you doing talking about it????!!! TAKE PICTURES!!!!”
“You want pictures of your ovaries?”
“Yeah! When else am I ever gonna see them? I’m not gonna frame them for my mantle or anything but that would be so cool to see!”
And so, I have a ton of really cool pictures of my innards. Which is nauseatingly fun.
Owen was pink, screaming and about as happy as a new baby can be with Apgar scores of 8 and 10.
And I was relieved and tired.
A proud Papa showed off his new boy to very excited grandmas while Humpty Dumpty was being put back together again.
I love this picture.
Just an hour or two after his grand entrance into the world, Owen was greeted by his siblings.
Henry and Lucy were chomping at the bit to hold him.
Sweetness.
Jill had no interest in her new brother…she just wanted mama.
I couldn’t hold her or let her crawl on me, but she found a way to lean in for a kiss.
She likes me.
Which is good because I like her a lot too.
And the next day was the girls’ third birthday.
(My kids all had the same due date remember?)
Since I was still in the hospital (obviously) my mom bought some cupcakes and we sang to my twin girlies while I held my fresh from the belly one day old boy and sat next to my just turned five year old.
It was crazy. It was hectic. It was overwhelming.
But it was sweet. It was fun. It was precious.
And it is my life.
Our family of 6.
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So very very excited for you! What a surreal experience, and it seems that all went as well as anyone could hope!
Love the photos of Henry & Lucy and Owen – and the fact that Jilly only wanted Mama!
Crying. And laughing. I love how your sister was all excited about your ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Owen is a picture of adorable perfection. The photo with his big brother and sister is priceless. But I absolutely ADORE the picture with Jilly. Oh, even their hair is different! Happy birthdays, Henry, Jilly, Lucy and Owen!!
kimber´s last blog post ..Dare to Bloom
Crazyness – and all so sweet! So happy for all you Gibson’s :)
i totally agree, going in for a planned c-section is such a surreal and weird feeling! so calm, no chaos, no not natural… 38 more days for me :)
Trish´s last blog post ..it’s been awhile!
Your sister is a hoot! Congrats to your party of 6, glad to hear that you have a healthy baby – that’s all that matters in the end.
Emily´s last blog post ..Remembering Fallen Marine Nicholas Xiahros
So wonderful, Thanks for sharing! I love hearing birth stories. So good that your honey could cut the cord and that you could hold him right away. I loved seeing your photos. (Will you ever post photos of your innards? That’d be kinda cool, in a weird, interesting way. Love that your sister got so excited. That’s funny.) Your kids are precious.
Anne @ anne b. good´s last blog post ..Letters from Roy
Aaawww. Congratulations, Jeannett and family!!! What a beautiful family you have.
Funny that you have pics of your innards. I do, too. With the first birth, my husband snapped away like a madman. It was so cool to see. I have to say that not many people took me up on my offer to see them, though. Huh. I would have if it was reversed.
Congrats again!
Karri´s last blog post ..Warby Parker {at home}
OK, there are several things I want to comment about this post. And if I don’t list them, I’ll forget.
1) I totally get your planned c-section feelings. Even though my second one was planned, but didn’t go as planned. My son decided to show up 3 weeks earlier than the planned c-section date. But I get that feeling of laying there and not feeling anything. It really is weird and surreal. I couldn’t look at myself in the reflection of the lights. A little too weird for me.
2) This may be even weirder, but when I was reading the conversation between you and your sister about your innards, I was thinking, “I wonder if she posted the pics?” lol That would be pretty awesome to see, but maybe a little gross too.
3) I love your husband’s arm band, “Man of God”. Awesome.
4) I love Lucy’s look when she’s seeing her brother for the first time. “Wait. That’s not what I was expecting.” lol
5) I love, love Owen’s name. Truly a great name.
6) And finally, I thought it was crazy having my 2 boys birthdays 4 days apart. But I can not imagine having 4 kids that close. Whew, you got your hands full, but it’s a good hand. ;o)
Aw, so sweet…thank you for sharing!! your daughter’s face on the one photo where they are showing the kids the baby is priceless! lol!
I love the name Owen!
What a beautiful birth story. Thank you for sharing! Congratulations on being a family of 6! Wow!
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I can imagine that a planned C-Section is a bit weird. Just knowing that you’re about to be sawed open and meet your baby without the drama of being in labor. This baby is breech and even though it’s early and there’s still a good chance he will flip, the talk of C-Section “just in case” has already come up. It’ll be interesting if it plays out that way. Hope you are recovering quickly! :)
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Awesome! I’m thinking maybe it’s good you didn’t post your innards?? I dunno – maybe we’d enjoy that!!?? ;)
Congrats again. So happy for your fam. Wild about all the birthdays!
Kerry @ Made For Real´s last blog post ..Tea Popsicles
totally had a scheduled c section with my second. Its still hard to describe how strange,scary,wrong it felt. I know exactly what you mean. and being so completely aware of all of it was terrifying, as opposed to being 9cm and in labor pain and just wanting to get her out, like it was with my first… I actually had some pretty gnarly irrational fears leading up to the scheduled c, too. not fun at all. anyway, I get it! for me, the nice part was that I felt like I recovered faster though, since I didn’t have any labor. hopefully you’re feeling the same! your family is so beautiful :) congrats friend!
PS I kinda want to see ovary pictures. like I do but I don’t. (but I do). how cool is that?!
Yay!! I love birth stories–especially ones with happy, happy endings! So glad Owen arrived safe and sound! Enjoy this very special time with all your kiddos!
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Oh my goodness, I’ve been so busy this summer and somehow managed to miss that Owen was here! WHAT? Congratulations! I’ve gone back over your posts; he is SO gorgeous! YAY!!!
Jennifer´s last blog post ..Summer Fun, A Giveaway, and a New Sign!
My first baby was a scheduled c-section and I never experienced a single labor pain. While it was weird and I’m beyond grateful that my doctor insisted on it (same thing as Owen, cord wrapped around her neck twice), I have a constant nagging that the next one should be natural. So glad you go to enjoy the beauty that is a scheduled c-section for you last baby!
jeannett it was all very sweet and tender . . .your husband is incredible . . and you have a fantastic family. . .
and IJill so in need of you . . . . . she just wanted her mother . . .
Congratulations……
p.s. I just would like to have your tenderness and your balance . . not be always so hungry with my two little girls . .. but have the courage to go beyond everithing through God and fith.
I just love your talent for telling stories. This one is particularly wonderful, of course.
Congratulations to you and the rest of your family (of 6)!
Sarah Koller (@SarahYFB)´s last blog post ..An Interesting Story
I so want pictures of my innards. I saw my placenta with Evan and it was disgustingly cool! (Note to everybody, if you’re pregnant and eating tomato soup for dinner, don’t watch X Files. Just don’t. You’ll thank me later.) I can watch E.R., Grays Anatomy and all those other medical shows just fine and having been an ER patient twice now with disastrous births, I’m more fascinated than ever.
BTW, loving the name Owen Paul Gibson. Makes me think of Gibson guitars. ;)
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Congratulations to you and Andy and the kids. So glad it turned out so well with the C-section with the news about the cord around Owen’s neck and leg. Praise the Lord! What a special time for you and the family and I just ADORE the pic of Jillie kissing you. So sweet! Hope you have lots of help as you recuperate. Hope to someday see the whole family. The only thing now is when we come up, we have to leave Saturday night or early Sunday since Dan has to be at work by 2pm. If he takes the day off, we’ll stay for church, but that doesn’t happen a lot. Anyway, I haven’t been on blogs or FB as much, so sort of miss seeing all these stories and giveaways. But glad to be able to catch up when I can. love you all…hugs
Robbin´s last blog post ..Sunday Hope
Love your story! So real and heartfelt. I also would live to see the innards pics lol!
Guess it’s time to change your description to Mom to 4 littles! and a great one at that :) Hugs!
My twins were an emergency C-section. The scheduled section idea scares me, but your post seems to make it a little less scary. Thanks.
Love the name Owen. Can’t wait to see the little guy. Does he look like any of the siblings? Feel better and please let me know if Karlee and I can bring over some food or some yummy desserts.
You are an amazing woman Jeanette and I know the Lord is going to do great things with your family.
1. Major congrats!
2. Major teaser – WHERE ARE THE INNARD PICS?
Congratulations! Welcome to the world Owen!