What I did to skive off work and watch the England game,,,,,

Do you really need a baby alert???

Last Tuesday was cool. It was a lovely warm day, I had a nice walk with Buffy, we managed to jump the queue at the hospital, I got to watch the whole of the England World Cup game and I didnt have to go to work. It was also BKKL day and as usual we went for our annual trip to Burger King to celebrate the day we became a couple, 7 years ago.

In fact if it wasn't for the 6lb 10oz untamed, non domesticated, part air-raid siren, pooping machine that fell out of Buffy at 10.28pm , it would have been a lovely relaxing day.

Its not to say that Hannah Rose ruined the day - She took over the day and made it into the best day ever (or at least equivalent to that day in September when it rained a couple of years back - you know the one, Pat fell over, Gareth got bit, drinks in a bathtub etc etc...)

It all started at 6am when Buffy got up and went to read. She hadn't slept very well and when I got up for work she told me she had leaked a little bit of water. She decided to go back to bed as this was her first real day off work.  I left and got halfway on my 4 minute drive to the office when a nuclear alarm sounded on my phone (I had changed Buffy's ring tone a few days back.) Without any fuss Buffy explained that more water had leaked and she would like me to come home and go to the Hospital. We already had an appointment booked with Dr Yu, our OBGYN, for 9.45, so thought we might as well go now, see whats happening and if need be we can wait to see Dr Yu.

On arrival at women's hospital we booked in and the Triage nurse took one look and said that as we suspected, Buffy's water had broke. So we were ushered into cubicle 5, the smallest, most cramped cubicle with the crappest view and the most uncomfortable wooden seat for me to sit in, while we waited for nature to take its course. The nurse told us to wait for an hour to see if there was any change and when there was none, she decided to start to induce labour using Cervidil and she hooked Buffy to a machine monitoring her and the baby's hearts.

We waited, nothing happened. But we were getting hungry, so I left Buffy to suffer on her own, whilst I took a walk up Notre Dame Ave, to pick up Whoppers and drinks for our yearly celebration from Burger King.

Waiting in Cubicle 5

Great view

BKKL Day 7!

The day got better when we were told to wander around to try to push things along. The time was just before 1pm. England kicked off at 1pm, so with Buffy in her hospital gown and me with phone in my hand, we walked around the roads and paths of HSC chatting, watching the game and enjoying the weather. At one point a lady went past, saw Buffy's bump, put two and two together quickly and said  'You got this girl!', It was a nice touch.

We returned to the prison cubicle and waited. Nothing had started, so for the 2nd half of the football game Buffy climbed some stairs whilst I got lazy and waited for her at the top floor. Eventually contractions started to appear and after a funny walk back from Tim Hortons with an Ice Cap, where Buffy could get no more that a few feet at a time without a contraction, and all the medical staff just wandered past with knowing smirks and absolutely not bothered looks by this half dressed, panting and groaning very pregnant woman, carrying a Tim Hortons Iced coffee through the long hot hospital tunnels, we finally made it back to the bed to wait for things to progress.

This became the most annoying part of the day as it seemed we had been forgotten. There were other women who we could hear, were getting treated, but seemed to be more 'needy' than Buffy. So we were left alone except for a popsicle that we gratefully received to cool us down in the hot room.

Nurses changed shifts at 7.30pm and I had already asked for an ice pack that had failed to materialise. So went to see the new nurse, who seemed a little put out to have to do something. But when she brought the ice pack a few minutes later and saw Buffy on her side, in obvious pain, she checked out the dilation and we were surprised, but happy, to hear that Buffy was 9cm dilated and almost ready to push. If I hadn't asked for the ice pack, we may still be in that room, with a 4 day old baby, because I don't think those damn nurses were ever coming back!

Within 1 minute a wheelchair appeared and and Buffy was whisked along the corridor to the labour ward to have a baby.

In the labour ward everyone was super great. Our Nurse Kathy laughed and joked along with the doctor and assistants who came and went over the course on the next 2 hours. Usually the Dr gets a chance to meet and chat with the patient, but because we had been forgotten about till so late, Buffy was on her knees and all ready to start pushing. A spike was pushed into the Babies head to read the heartbeat and we were all ready to go . I spent the next hour encouraging Buffy, wetting her head and back and giving her water, whilst she went through the process of giving birth. I have been in situations in the army, when people have been pushed to their physical limit and beyond, to the point of vomiting or even collapsing. But I have never seen anyone put so much physical effort into anything like Buffy did. Even with a woman screaming and swearing from a room further down the corridor, Buffy was calm, the nurses were calm we continued to chat laugh and joke.

There was a slight issue that because Hannah has a monsters head, it wouldn't fit out of Buffy's tiny body, so the Dr made an adjustment, Buffy turned over onto her back, and with a well placed push on her belly, within a couple of minutes, the head twisted around and slipped out. It was 10.28pm and me and Buffy were parents.

It was one of the best experiences of my life. Better than seeing a live volcano, better than swimming with elephants, better than flying around Everest and at least on a par with the 2 months me and Buffy spent driving across Australia 7 years ago, when this story really began. It was awesome.

Ice Cap time!

What have you done!?

Happy Family.

 
The first night was tiring. We were moved into a room to rest just after midnight and after telling all the immediate family the good news, we tried to sleep. But with the adrenalin, the baby and with Buffy in pain from the birth and the effort involved, we were still awake as the dawn arrived with a huge thunder storm outside.

Wednesday flew by. The nurses and Doctors came and went, checking on Buffy and Hannah. We had some visitors - First to arrive were Pat and Erika. Pat immediately fell head over heels in love with his new niece and we were so very proud and happy, to see him and Erika meet her and hold her for the first time. Jon and Susan arrived shortly after Pat and Erika left, with some lovely roses and shortly after were joined by Stef who also looked smitten with her. We know we are biased but everyone agrees that Hannah Rose is such a sweet, cute little girl. They all instantly fell in love. Pat put it best when he said, 'I would tell you if you had an ugly baby, but she is SOOOO cute!'.

Here's a few photos of the family....

  

After all the excitement of visitors it was time for Buffy and Hannah to finally get some rest, so they caught up on a little sleep in between nurses visits. We had hoped to come home 24 hours after birth, at 1030 Wednesday night. But when the night shift came on, they explained that there were a few more tests to be done, and they wouldn't be able to complete them till Thursday morning. I decided to head home for an hour, pick up some clean clothes (I was still in my work t shirt) and have a shower and grab Buffys favourite pillow, before returning to spend the night at the hospital as well.

We had more sleep the 2nd night and Hannah was great. Up to this point every time I picked her up she quietened down and fell asleep. I thought I was maybe some kind of super dad, but now realize that in the first day the baby doesn't really poop and doesn't eat much, so there is nothing to do but sleep. Its now 3 days later and she likes being with me, but would much prefer a nipple from her mum!

We finally came home on Thursday morning and felt really good. We had only had 6 hours sleep in 2 nights, but were happy, in fact we were really happy. It all felt so natural and so right.

We left Hannah at home with Grandma Susan for an hour whilst we went out for some essentials and headed to bed safe in the knowledge that our baby was amazing and would let us sleep as long as we wanted. Obviously we were completely wrong as now Hannah's little body was beginning to work and we slept very little as screams got louder and poops got bigger. We finally got some rest very late in the morning and stayed in bed till lunchtime, all told though we got no more than 5 hours sleep.

Th rest of Friday was busy - A visit by the Public Health nurse to check on the baby and Buffy, an ice cream from food fare while we took her out in the baby wrap, and finally a lovely invite to dinner at Pat and Erika's house, meant we had no time to feel tired, which worked out great!

Saturday was the main day of music at Winnipeg Folk Fest. We normally go every year and camp out, but because today was also the day Hannah was actually due, we didnt risk camping. But it was a nice day and we didn't want to sit around the house all day. So we packed the car, chucked the little squealer into her car seat and drove the 40 minutes out to Birds hill park.

It was a hot sunny day, so we always found some shade to keep ourselves and Hannah cool, as well as using a damp cloth to make sure she didn't overheat. We had actually planned all of this on Tuesday, whilst we waited in Triage before the birth. Even to the point of ordering noise cancelling headphones from Amazon, for the unborn infant, just in case we made it to the festival with her .

As it was it turned into a lovely family day out. At under 4 days old we believe Hannah was the youngest person at Folk Fest this year and maybe for some time. We enjoyed the music, watched the world cup games on my phone and Hannah and her mum even had a dance. I really enjoyed the day and so many people wished us well and commented on how well Hannah was doing and how lovely she is. They are lucky not to have to deal with her at 3am! Here are a selection of pics and videos of the day...         

After such a long day yesterday, we were happy that with a little effort  an organized routine and a few good ideas, we managed a decent, 6 hours sleep last night.

Today we are having a rest day and it has been lovely. We have mellowed out at home, with a visit from our good mate Hayley and our  neighbourino's Mike, Rebecca and their 1 year old son Holland, who join an ever growing list of people who have come to see her including Adam, Megan and Kreesta, Callum and Aven from across the back lane, who are the coolest kids on the block! They even brought us chocolate croissants which were delicious!

Thank you, to Callum and Aven and to everyone who has visited, messaged, sent congratulations, made us food, given us clothes, presents, toys and baby stuff. Thanks to everyone who has done anything to help. It is all really appreciated!. Please feel free to get in touch, and let us know if you want to come around to visit and see the little one before she turns into a crazy teenager.

Its definitely hard work and tiring as anyone who has had kids knows. Mike put it best - he said; 'Its the best of times and the worst of times'. A perfect quote to encompass the day-time playing and the fun, with the night-time craziness and screaming. Its been a busy few days and will continue to be busy with new appointments, visits and a new routine to get into, but, we are absolutely loving being parents. Buffy is a wonderful and a natural mum and I think I am doing OK at being a dad.

I am so happy to have these two girls in my life.