The World got a Tiny Bit Sweeter.... Jackson Lee is here

Friday October 19, after battling high blood pressure all week, Lacey's doc decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and have baby boy, to preempt any preeclampsia thing before it happened. 

After just going through this with Kip about 6 months ago, I was all for it, because the details of Kip's ordeal were still swimming in my head.   Plus, we all thought he was about 38 almost 39 weeks, so that's a good time.   And Deaton was a warrior, and had no issues after his c-section, so we are deliriously, ignorant to any of the things that sometimes come with a c-section.

The new women's unit at the Shawnee Hospital is just amazing.  I had Lacey there 34 years ago, and I would have given my left arm for such a nice room.  Holy COW.

They took Lacey in about 11:30 and Tyler got suited up and I had to laugh because these suits are really made for a 6 foot 7 frame.  Or size 14 feet.  He still got er dun, though.

Then a wonderful magical thing happened.   The charge nurse decided I could stay in the room and wait (Instead of going to the waiting room down the hall) and so I sat on pins and needles waiting for my picture from Tyler  (still wrapped up in the memory of how Deaton worked his way out).

12:00 ---   12:30 --  And I'm starting to get somewhat alarmed.   1:00 and I'm standing at the door of the room and it swings open and a nurse whisks by with the baby, and Tyler is right behind her.  I know that Lacey had wanted to have skin on skin immediately, so I knew something was up.   Tyler immediately texts me a picture and says  6 lbs 15 oz  born at 12:55.  20 3/4 inches long. 

And then in short order... this picture...

Though Lacey looks radiant as can be, I immediately notice that our baby doesn't have the coloring that Deaton  (or Dawson for that matter) had, and as the nurse walks in to start to prepare the room for Lacey, I start asking questions. 

Jackson Lee  (Can I hear some applause for that name?) is having trouble getting his breath, and he managed to gulp half of his amniotic fluid on his way out.  (I'm exaggerating, but watching him spit and sputter all day, it felt like a gallon).  So they've taken him to the nursery to give him some oxygen and really watch him closer.

Lacey comes back in and she is calm as a cucumber.   "It's all good mom, this is sometimes what c-section babies do... very very typical".   So I calm my nuggets down, and sit in the room and run back and forth from her room to the nursery window to take pics and to give her reports (and mainly for my own piece of mind).    NOTHING at this point is status quo.    NADA.

On one of my many trips to that window, I managed to catch this picture, and if I thought I had loved my son in law to the capacity to which I could love him, it was just a starter love.  This pushed me over the edge into infinity love.  He must have stood that way for an hour rubbing that little boy's head and talking to him and holding his feet and calming him.   Just tear up looking at it now. 

Meanwhile, mom is recovering excellent and is ready to see her baby.  They wheel her in her bed on her way to her room and let her take a look at baby doll.

Once settled in the room (And WOW these rooms are nice), the pediatrician shows up and tells her that he wants to start baby on more air and get an IV started to push some fluids and man, did I experience PTSD.    Lacey is so calm, and I'm not going to lie.... I could laugh and cry in the same sentence.   A bit like this.

So I went home, and pulled myself together, and remembered how incredible our prayer team is, and how good God is, and how EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE THINGS...that EVER happen is always to our GOOD, even when it's NOT of our choosing.....I realized that the plan was already in place.  and we just had to lean into HIM and walk through it. 

Live with expectation...and faith....and knowledge that HIS WILL AND PLAN is perfect. 

I knew this.   I know this.   I understand this.... but, God... he's so small. 

"But Laura, I'm so BIG.  When will you EVER understand this??"

"I do, God, I do."

"Then trust me in all THINGS"

Pediatrician has determined he was younger than we thought.  Totally thrown off by his small hulk size  (Hello, look at his daddy and his grandpa), I believe he's more 36 weeks than 38... and the nurses say he acts and looks more like that also.

So, as Lacey likes to say, "We are on Jackson time".   And that's all right by me.   Thankfully the new wing has an 'Open door" policy, meaning even if mommy is discharged, if baby is there, mommy can stay.   Which is a blessing .... such a blessing.  He does much better when she is in there with him, and we got some SUPER cute pictures this morning, and oh my gosh, I am in LOVE with this little long sausage nugget. 

Finally brought Deaton up to meet him, and he was a bit puzzled,  "He's out, but he's not here??"  "Yep, buddy, that about sums it up."

Grammie Great drove over and peaked at him through the window.  I think #8 great grand is just as sweet as #1-7 were. 

Our funniest moment so far, was when they presented Lacey & Tyler with his footprints that they make and put on a neat little board and give to the family.   Lacey took one look and grabbed her "Belly pillow" to hold her incision and laughed and laughed and laughed.   She's all,  "I sure make extra special babies,  look at those feet, two different sizes"  and we LAUGHED so hard.  I still chuckle everytime I look at this.   And by the way,  His FEET ARE the same size.  Not sure how that worked out, but we love to laugh, so thanks for that respite.

The heart radiologist came down from OKC to take an echo of his heart, because his Saturation level isn't staying regular and they wanted to rule out anything heart related, and it all looked great.  His sats stay great when mommy is in there, they just tank out in tiny spurts and I am going to just believe that he's a tiny bit on the early side and when he is 13 and 6 foot 3 and all middle school angst and talking smack back to me about my "lame" questions, I will have forgotten all about how he began as a little bitty gum drop and I was laughing/crying/losing sleep worrying over his middle school self. 

But for now, I thank my warriors, my level headed daughter and my superb son in law.  I thank Lacey's dad and wife for tirelessly caring for the 3 year old crazy boy that wants to meet his "Bruther".   I thank all my friends that are praying, and taking Lacey food (if she sees anymore fast food, she may flip her stuff) and just holding us up in prayer.   We feel all of them.   Mainly, I praise God from whom all blessings flow, because Jackson Lee is a dream realized.   A warrior in the making.  Made in God's own image.  And I am standing in belief that he will be healed and heading home in a few days and the impression that our family made on people around us, by sharing our faith, and sharing Laynie's story again and again, and involving thousands in prayer, will change lives. 

God is good, all the time.  Because look at this little miracle. 

Jackson Lee Holt 

Hi mom.  You're my favorite.