Nixon James

Sorry to everyone for such a late post! We have had company at our house since July 4th and so I haven't had much time to update. This is going to be a long post because I want it for my journal, so if you don't want to read it, I don't blame you. Otherwise, I hope this gives you the details you have been wanting. So here's the story along with some pics of our little sweety. From the beginning, the docs office told me I was due with Nixon on July 11th. When I went in for my twenty week appointment, I was measuring earlier and so they told me I would be due on the 9th. From that day on, I planned on him being due on the 9th so that date was set in my head. I have to say, I had VERY HIGH hopes (not a good idea in pregnancy) that I would have him two weeks early. Both my sisters had their babies early and my mom did too. So in my head of course, I thought for some ODD reason I would be just like them. Boy was I wrong. My mom, thinking the same thing, decided to come out on the 4th of July just in case he was early. By the time she came out, I hadn't dilated at all and was showing no signs of progression. I was starting to get really worried that she wasn't going to be able to be here for his birth because she would be leaving on the 14th. I kept thinking "what if this baby comes late?" While she was here, the pregnancy turned for the worst in my eyes. I was getting bigger and bigger by the moment. I litterally looked like my normal self from behind, and then when I turned to the side, I looked like someone shoved a large beach ball up my shirt. Obviously I was quite uncomfortable like all pregnant women and on top of that I developed a major rash on my stomach called PUPP. Only 1% of women get this and it happens in your first and only first pregnancy and usually if you are pregnant with a boy. This rash was HORENDOUS!!!!! (however you spell that) I seriously wanted to cut off my stomach just so the itching would stop. I was told by the doc that the only way the rash would go away, was to give birth...OF COURSE!! That was the last thing on earth I wanted to hear considering I was not progressing AT ALL. Well, we decided to make the best of the situation, and enjoy the time we were able to spend with my mom here. She and I did a lot of swimming and she taught me a lot about different kind of meals I could freeze. It was nice spending time with her and I was grateful for her knowledge and grateful to have here there to help stop me from going insane. As the week went on, we decided that he was going to come on the due date that I had been told, JULY 9th. July 9th came and went. So then I thought, ok July 10th. That's the day I thought before the docs office ever told me a date. I woke up the morning of July 10th and was as emotional and discouraged as could be. I couldn't bare the thought of another day of being pregnant and rashy. I told Andy and my mom that I was going to get in the shower to get ready for the day. While I was in the shower, I kept praying that he would come soon, but thought Heavenly Father's wishes and my wishes were a little different. Right as I turned off the shower, I felt a weird sensation. I thought "did my water just break?" Obviously that was a little hard to tell considering the fact that I was in the shower. So I stood there quietly thinking maybe I'll feel it again, I did. I then got out of the shower and opened the door to ask my mom what your water breaking feels like. As she was telling me, it happened again. So we decided to take off to the hospital. I didn't want to get my hopes up or anyone elses, so I kept telling them not to get too excited, it may be a false alarm. Once we checked into the hospital, they checked me and the fluid was coming out negative (not amniotic fluid). Everyone was quite confused, because it kept coming out of me. They were about to send me home, when the nurse said she wanted the doc to come and do a different test. The doc came in and they concluded that part of my water had broken. Just the top part. Really weird. Because that had happened, I was going to be admitted to the hospital and would have to have the baby within 24 hours because of risk of infection. I wasn't contracting much and was only dilated to a 1 so they started me on pitocin. The doc told me I was quite narrow down there, so the possibilty of a c-section, was higher. She then asked me what I wanted to do now that labor was going to be starting. I then called a labor and delivery nurse in my ward and asked her what she thought I should do. She told me that since the possibility of a c-section was so high, I shouldn't go through all the pain of labor and get the ephideral as soon as possible. I told the doc that was what I wanted to do and she said ok. Once the contractions started getting pretty painful, I asked for the ephideral. Once that was given to me, I felt like a million bucks. I was able to sleep through the night and woke up in the morning feeling pretty good. I dilated only to a 6 by the time morning came and the progression was going very slowly. The nurses then came in to tell me that every time I would have a contraction, the baby's heartrate would go down. They said it was possible the cord was around his neck and it was pulling on him everytime I would have a contraction. They said many babies are born like this, but if I don't start dilating faster, then it will become a risk to the baby. They monitored me for a few more hours and still no progression. The doctor then came in and said, " it is looking more and more like you will have to have a c-section, you are not progressing fast enough and the baby is getting stressed. What do you want to do?" I said " how much time will you give me before you decide to do that?" She said " 40 minutes. If you have not progressed to a 9 or 10 by then, then we will need to do a c-section" I really didn't want to have a c-section! I was so sad, because all of my expectations and hopes of this pregnancy were not working out the way I was hoping. I wanted to scream! I then asked Andy to come say a prayer with me. I said the prayer and while saying it, felt very overwhelmed with the spirit of the Holy Ghost. I felt comfort and peace. Once I had stopped praying, I knew that everything was going to be ok and that whatever happened would be for the best. The doc came back in and there was no progression, so we decided to go into c-section. The few exciting things about that moment was knowing that we would get to meet our little guy at any moment, He was going to be born on July 11th afterall 7/11 what a cool birthday, free slurpees for life, and he was also going to be here in time to meet my mom. How grateful I was for that. The c-section went smoothly and Andy even watched and recorded the whole thing. It was a weird feeling. I could feel them tugging on me, but that was it. Once they pulled Nixon out, they found that the cord was around his neck and that he was facing the wrong direction (face up) so I would of had to have a c-section anyway. They stuck him over the curtain that was covering my view from the surgeryand it was so surreal. I couldn't believe that he was here. Hearing his little cry was so sad and yet exciting. They then handed him to Andy, I was so happy to have him out of me and in that moment in Andy's arms. We didn't have a name yet, but both Andy and I liked Nixon, so after being in the hospital for two days with no name, we decided to name him Nixon James Philipp. We have found that people either love that name or hate it, but either way we love and think it fits him. Ever since the moment of him entering this world, we have been crazy busy and full of love, concern, stress, emotions, nursing, nursing and more nursing. This really is a roller coaster ride, but I am so happy to have him here. We've had so much help from everyone!!! Andy's mom came and stayed with us for a bit. She was so helpful and SO generous to us. It was fun to see her with Nixon and we are so glad he was able to meet her. The ward has also been extremely helpful, with all the meals and visits. We have really appreciated it. My sis and her kids were the last to come and just left on Wednesday. She was also very helpful and it was a lot of fun to get out of the house and enjoy some time with them. We miss everyone already. Thank you to everyone for all your prayers, love and support. We couldn't be more blessed to have such amazing family and friends. We love you all!!!!

Beach Ball

Andy in the hospital waiting for me to get through labor

A moment of pain

First family photo

Momma and Nixon

Nixon James

Grammy & Nixon

Who is more tired?








Look at my Mohawk

Out at the pool