He is here! Here is here! Emery is here!!!

Spread the word! Make known to all! Emery is finally here!

Four sweet years of marriage, and nine LOOOOOOOOOONG months of pregancy, and he is finally here!

Friday, september 16th, at 4:00am Beka woke up to contractions. This was not uncommon, so she went back to sleep. Her plan for that day was to sleep as long as she could and take it easy all day so that in the afternoon she could start walking as much as her legs would let her, in hopes of having the baby on her (and her Dad's) birthday, which is saturday, the 17th. But Emery had different plans for the day. At 4:15 she woke up to yet another contraction. She usually could sleep through them, but this morning they were waking her up. Every time she would wake up she would look at the clock. Each contraction was about 15 mins apart. At 6:00 am, after two hours of waking up to contractions, she woke Michael up and told him about them. He started timing them on an app. on Beka's iphone (which was super helpful during the labor). We both would sleep, then Beka would wake Michael up and he would time the contraction. After 4 hours of contractions, Beka decided to get out of bed and take a shower to see if that calmed the contractions down. Michael, not wanting to fully wake up yet, took all the covers and pillows off the bed to sleep on the bathroom floor so that he could still time the contractions. After a long soothing shower, the contractions were still there. They were getting quicker, and more painful, but they were still tolerable. After almost 5 hours of labor, we finally were getting excited that this could be the real thing; we may really be having the baby soon!

Beka took her time after the shower and got ready slowly to go check in with her doctor. She would do her hair, then breathe through a contraction. Then her makeup, then breathe through a contraction. She was very deliberate and focused, not trying get too anxious or too overwhelmed. Once she was dressed, had her hair and make up done, and the bags were packed, she asked Michael how far apart the contractions were, and he said three mins.....THREE MINS! That was the time we decided we needed to get to the hospital!

Michael threw a towel on the passenger seat in case Beka's water broke, and we calmly made our way to the hospital. Half way there, Michael realized that this may be the only chance that he is able to drive like a maniac without reprecussion. So, even though it was not needed, Michael turned on the hazard lights, hit 90 miles an hour, and laid on the horn! He had so much fun, and we got to the hospital very quickly. When we pulled in to park, Michael said "I suddenly feel very unprepared". Though it was too late to turn back :)

We parked and walked (in between contractions) to the ER entrance, and checked in by Michael loudly exclaiming "we are having a baby!". We had pre-registered so the check in process went by smoothly. In no time Beka was in a wheel chair and on her way to the Labor and Delivery floor. The nurses did not want to admit Beka until her doctor confirmed it was actual labor. She changed into a gown and got hooked up to the monators and waited for her doc to come in. She  was VERY Focused and in the zone during contractions. She was closing her eyes and breathing through one when her doctor came in. He had the nurses start admitting her before he even checked her because of how hard the contraction was. Once he did check her, he said she was 2cms, but 100% effaced. She got admitted, and he said we would have the baby today! We were SO excited to finally meet our little guy, but a little bit sad that he would be born the day BEFORE Beka's birthday. But overall, the happy won, and we got settled in and excited at what the next few hours would bring!

We had previously decided to not get an epidural because Beka has this wierd fear of not being able to move her limbs (kinda like being claustrophobic). So the thought of not being able to move her legs really scared her. The next few hours of labor were full of breathing, counting, getting through contractions, and being really focused. After an hour in the hospital she got checked again, and she was at 3 cms, then 4, then 6.......then she was stuck at 6 cms for a few hours. In the meantime, Michael's Mom and Dad had come to wait in the waiting room for the new arrival, and there were more family on the way. At 5pm, 13 hours into labor our doctor recommended breaking the water to get us to the 'transition' stage of labor. We talked about it, and though Michael wanted to wait so that there was a chance of the baby coming on the big birthday, we overall thought it better to move things along. So the doctor broke Beka's water, and said the contractions would be getting worse soon, and he was right! They were already pretty bad, but she was able to brethe through them. But with her water broken, it was a whole different monster! The pain came quick, and intense! It got to a point where Beka would have a contraction, then when it was done she would have to throw up, then go right back into a contraction, then she would throw up again....it was not fun. After a while of that she told Michael that maybe an Epidural was not such a scary idea. We talked it over and finally decided to get one. Beka was so exausted from the almost 14 hours of labor and not eating that lying in a bed did not seem so bad. Beka had no life left in her at that point, and if an Epidural could bring some energy back, she was willing to do that.

So we called in the doctor to do it, but before that could happen they needed to get the vomitting under control (you cannot be throwing up when they are sticking the needle in your back).  So after some anti-nausea meds in the IV, the Epidural got started. In no time Beka was able to relax and start enjoying the birthing process again. Michael was also able to take some time to eat and relax as well. It was an overall good decision for Team Oakley.

We labored with the Epidural for about five hours (10pm, 18 hours into labor). The medicine had started to wear off when our doctor (who was still there for us!) checked and told us we were at 10cms! It was push time! Beka knew it was because as the meds were wearing off she could feel the baby really low. The room was prepped in and in mins we were ready to start pushing! Right before that the doctor who gave us the epidural came back in to up to dose, because it would soon be out of Beka's system. Beka, however, being so excited and ready for labor, turned down the meds for the chance to fully feel the labor, and know when and when to not push. She had no idea what was in store for her as far as pain goes, but that was the decision she made, and there was no turning back; she would push and deliver the baby without the meds. It was go time.... and we were even more bummed out about the baby coming so close to the birthday! We thought for sure we would not push for more than two hours.....we thought...

at 10:15 pm the pushing started. The nurse that was coaching us was wonderful, and so kind and supportive. Also in the room was Michael, of corse, and Emery's Godmamma (one of Beka's closest friends), Kristen, to help with the labor. At first there was a big teaching and learning time of how and when to push. Deep breath in, then out, then in and hold it. Push for ten, then breathe out. Repeat two more times, then relax until the next contraction. Beka got into a zone and was a pushing machine. She would breathe as best as she could, and push as hard as she could. Over and over again she pushed and pushed and pushed. It seemed like it was taking forever! The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt, but according to Michael, she was being a professional! Her eyes were closed the whole pushing time so that she could stay focused, and not succumb to the pain and give up (which she wanted to!!!). Michael was calculating how far apart the contractions were, and how long Beka was pushing for. He saw that it was taking way longer than anyone thought it would, and the hope of Emery coming on her and her Dad's birthday was looking more and more possible! Minute after minute, and push after push, Michael was glued to the clock, hoping for Beka that it lasted a bit longer, and at the same time, hoping it would be over soon!

Finally, after two hours, at midnight, in the height of her pain, Michael was able to whisper in her ear "happy birthday honey!". It was such wonderful feeling knowing that on her 25th birthday, and her Dad's 50th birthday, her son would be born.....but we were not in the clear yet. Right around midnight the nurse called the doctor in because the baby was getting close. Michael said he could see the hair on little Emery's head! It was all so exciting, but at this point, 20 hours in labor, and 2 hours into pushing, Beka had no energy left. Pushing for even one more min seemed impossible. But at that point, there is no where to go but forward, so she continued on. Her doc stepped up to the plate, and she knew it would be over soon. Push after push, And Beka going in and out of a dream like, exhausted state, she heard the doc say, "open your eyes! you are going to want to see this!" and she opened her eyes just in time to see sweet Emery enter the world! The doctor laid him on her chest, and his bright, beautiful eyes stared right at her.....That moment will forever be stamped on her heart. It was the most brilliant and special moment she will ever have. It was precious. Totally, utterly, precious.

As she was holding the baby, she realized that Michael was not at her side anymore.....apparently, during the last few pushes, or what is known as "the ring of fire" Michael got dizzy and almost fainted. The nurses made him sit down quickly to avoid him hitting the ground. It was not the blood or anything like that making him so woozy. He said it was the fact that Beka was in so much intense pain, and he could do nothing about it. So he was in the chair beside her bed, head between his knees, when he heard his precious boy let out the sweetest cry he had ever heard. It was defiantly enough to snap him back into reality, and he was able to get up and cut the cord, and be with Beka and Emery again. We were finally a sweet, and complete family.

After warming and cleaning Emery on Beka's stomach, the nurses took him to the warming lamp to get him fully cleaned while Beka was attended to by her doctor. To be honest, the details after this were a blur, and we have to rely on the photos we took. We were both dead tired, emotionally drained, and in a dream like state of bliss.

After Emery was swaddled, Beka was cleaned up, and Michael was fully recovered, we invited the family that had been in the waiting room for almost all day to come in and see our precious guy. There were tears, birthday wishes, and lots of staring. We had a miracle in our midst, and his name is Emery.

Emery Allister Oakley

Born September 17th, 2011 at 12:32 am

7lbs 13 oz. and 21 inches long

Everything about him is so perfect and beautiful. We stared at every inch of him for hours and hours in the hospital, and we still do today. 

From the moment he arrived his eyes were bright, blue, and ready to see the whole world. He did not want to miss anything!

We are in love with him. We can try to explain it, but it is impossible. It really is. There are no words to ever describe how deep we love him, and how amazing being his mom and dad is. The only way you can know is to be a parent. 

The Rest of the say in the hospital was a blur of snuggles, kisses, diapers, short naps, doctors, and getting used to our new crazy lives. 

We cannot believe that we are a family!

After a few days recovering in the hospital, Team Oakley (all three of us!) Were ready to go home and start our new lives. Dad worked on getting the car sear ready while Mom snuggled Emery. We could not believe that we were going home....the three of us....a family. As we were walking to our car Michael kept saying, "really, no one is going to stop us...he is ours....we can take him home?...." It was surreal. 

This photo is why Emery got the nick name "squishy face" from his family in San Diego. 

So here we are! The new and improved Team Oakley. Better than we could have ever hoped for, and filled with more love than we could ever describe. All the years we waited and prayed, all the pain and trials we went though, all that came before Emery was worth every second. He is our little miracle, and the best adventure we will ever have.

We cannot wait to share his live and stories with you all. Stay tuned!

Love,
Team Oakley