NUMBERS and PORTER KEVIN NELSON

was born 8/8 at 4:56 a.m.! numbers numbers numbers----he was 7 lb 5 oz and 19 1/2".....11 days early.....

numbers numbers numbers.....270 miles in 4 1/2 hrs...with a gas stop (i drive the speed limit---most of the time....2:30 a.m.....when we arrived in houston----9:30 p.m.---when we got the call that Leah was being admitted into the hospital...1......push for Porter to enter the world!

Leah has contractions a lot at the end of her pregnancies---but they dont progress---so she was determined that with THIS baby she was NOT going to the hospital early just to be sent home....so she walked and walked and walked and rested and drank water (really? 9 months pregnant in houston in august? really?)---and contracted and contracted---but she didnt go to the hospital (well---once she went to the dr and he checked her----but NOT to the hospital).....so we anticipated that she would be induced sometime in the middle of august....

porter had other ideas.

11 a.m.i was sitting in church on Sunday, Aug 7---minding my own business---noticing no sign of ace or david on our pew---hmmm---where are  they---so, of course---i check my phone---ace texted me "turn your phone on vibrate"....so i do.
10:55 a.m.  leah had called and told david she was having different contractions and worse---so kinda pay attention today---then she went to church and then to a friends house!
8:30 pm---got a text from her---but i didnt see it "....going to the hospital"
9:30pm---joe calls and says she is being admitted---so we are on our way (we had already packed bags just in case)
10 pm---said goodbye to ace---gave him instructions---and dave & i were out the door.

porter's heart rate was high when she went to the hospital----lots of back and front contractions----dr checked her---she was at a 3---he didnt like the heart rate being so high---so he said 'THIS IS IT"

10:30PM....admitted...pitocined....epiduraled....cathetered.....water-brokened....and so it began...the slow crawl to 10.
4

5---we arrive

7---any pain dear? no!

BAM! 10---call the dr! (he's already at the hospital--just call him to the room----duh)---grandpa excuses himself to the waiting room----

dr comes in---checks her---LETS GO!

OKAY---dad---count to 10---mom---you push---then you relax...ready

1,2,3....WWWWAAAAAAIT!

dr grabs the sucker thing....sucks out grossness from porter's little face....

and SLIDE INTO HOME! safe!

literally one push.

1 hr of ooooo'ing and ahhhhhh'ing ....then an hour at the nursery for bath...

but no bath....

100----what your oxygen saturation should be..............90 what porter's is

60.....what your respiration should be......................100 what porter's is... (the 41 is wrong---the nurse was messing with him when i took the picture---DOESNT SHE KNOW I BLOG?!)

so he spends a coupla days in the NICU---cant breathe and eat----so tubes go in----

20 hrs old...out of the oxygen tent---breathing the real stuff

24 hrs----first bath---saturation is 98---YAY

30 hrs----respiration is 60-70---yay! still cant eat and breathe at the same time---so now we are working on that....

mother and child are doing well---porter has/had fluid in his lungs that his body has to absorb---so he can then breathe deeply---not shallowly---hmmmm---note to self---look up shallowly....

1 ....more beautiful baby boy---dark hair---we'll see if it stays dark

2 ....happy brothers anxious to meet "quarter"

7......grandchildren in

3 years........................

probably cant continue this rate....but its something to consider.........

ps---Leah was released 8/10----porter is doing great---eating---lungs are clear----needs one solid day in NICU to "prove himself" (so much for unconditional love at 3 days old!) and then can come home!