How It All Began - Jack and Rory's Birth Story

Since the day we found out we were finally pregnant the babies have had an email address. Josh created it and began sending them emails right away (of course he was only addressing one baby at the time). A month later when I mentioned that I wanted to start an email for the babies, a millennial’s version of a baby book shall we say, he said oh yea that already exists. Before they were born their email inbox was full of life tidbits from their dad: how to eat a sandwich, what cool things start with the letter L and to never ever try to eat a spoonful of cinnamon. After they were born we each decided to send them an email about their birth story from our perspectives and this week I am going to share those with you! The following is exactly what they will read about their birth some day.

MOM’S SIDE OF THINGS

Hi my sweet angel babies!

The last several days have been an absolute whirlwind, unfortunately I am not as clever as your dad but here is your world premiere from my side of things.  

Monday March 5th:

12:29PM: I was crazy busy at work but needed to get to a meeting that I was almost late to, stood up, felt funny but carried on.

1PM: Went to talk to your dad and realized that my pants were kind of wet which was weird however, the list of weird things that went on with my body while pregnant with the two of you is really long.

2:30PM: more wetness

5PM: I told your dad about it, he said I was gross and silly but he did some Googling and decided we were a-okay.

6PM: Went to shower and more wetness but this time I could see it running down my legs.  (Gross, I know)

8PM: Your dad did more Googling and decided we needed to get to the hospital. I was in total denial at this point. I was tired and I just wanted to watch one of my stories and go to bed. I mean I had a doctors appointment in 12 hours. But alas your dad was persistent so we called the on-call doc who suggested that we come in.

8:45PM: Got to Liberty Hospital where they confirmed that what I was leaking was amniotic fluid which is not good especially at 24 weeks pregnant. So they called 911 and got an ambulance for me to get to St. Luke’s.

10PM: Left Liberty via ambulance. I hope at some point in your life we take you to a fair or something where you are able to see an ambulance up close and personal however, I hope you never have to ride in one.

10:30PM: Arrived at St Luke’s and they put me in a tiny triage closet and did a bunch of poking and prodding before they moved me to a nice big room where we chilled and slept.

Tuesday March 6th:

Not much happened this day, I got a sonogram and got to see you two cuties and then I was moved to a more permanent room.  It was decided I would not be leaving the hospital with the two of you on the inside, that was out of the question. My room was small but cozy and I settled in for my extended stay.

 Wednesday March 7th - Saturday March 10th:

I worked from my hospital room, watched some bad TV on the iPad, had lots of visitors who brought me the sweetest baskets to make me more cozy, and we were reunited with your dad. Overall it was a weird but pretty normal few days. I continued to leak but slowly and no one ever seem concerned. The plan was for me to stay pregnant in the hospital for 10 weeks and I was bound and determined to do just that.

Sunday March 11th:

Your dad was still with me and we had an awesome cuddle nap on his cot, this was the last real sleep I got for a few days, it was delightful. Your uncles Mitch and Darren came to bring us dinner and the plan was that your dad would be leaving shortly after they did. While I was devastated when your dad left for what we thought would be 4 whole days I was kind of relieved because I really had to poop. However, nothing happened. I told the doctor and they gave me an exam which showed nothing was up, my cervix was closed and no contractions were reading on the monitors. Cramps and trying to poop over and over again kept me awake most of the night.

Monday March 12th AKA the best scariest day of my entire life:

I was up early still cramping and in pain so I just got to work. I got all of my weekly emails done and made it to all of my meetings. I was still cramping a lot so I tried playing you some sleepy time music and put on your dads shirt thinking perhaps that would calm you down, spoiler, it didn’t.

4PM: I was on a conference call and writhing in pain, I couldn’t take it anymore so I called the nurse. She put the monitors on you so that we could keep an eye on you two trouble makers.

4:30PM: BIG pain, I threw myself into the fetal position which messed up the monitors so the nurse came in, saw my face and left to call the doctor.

4:45PM: Nurse came in and said they were taking me to labor and delivery, meanwhile your dad was texting me telling me about all the things he was going to get done which I promptly ruined by telling him to get to the hospital.

4:50PM: I was officially in my labor and delivery room and absolutely losing my mind. I was sobbing and telling the nurses to take me back to my room - I was not in labor and everything was going to be okay. They were so sweet to your delusional mother. I was so scared and didn’t know what was happening but I knew that it was too early for you to be here, this couldn’t be the time!

5PM: Your dad and Granny were with me and I was miserable. The cramping and pain was incredibly frequent and I was dying of thirst and couldn’t have anything to drink. Dad and Granny jumped on the delusional train with me and reassured me that this was just a case of constipation.

5-8:30PM: Crap tons of pain that was completely unbearable. Doctors came back in and found that I had dilated to 3cm so they decided to get me an epidural.

9PM: Epidural was placed and I instantly felt better however, after sitting up I was fully dilated and because of our unique circumstances I was moved to the OR.

9:45PM: Your dad swished into the OR in his dad costume which was adorable. I was feeling good, no more pain, slightly terrified but mostly just ready for the task at hand, letting the two of you do your thing and decide where you wanted to be.

10:12PM: Jack Nefton Nelson was born weighing 1lb 13.5 oz and 13.5 in long. Your dad lost it, he was full on sob crying. You know your dad by now so you know this is not a thing that he does, before this point in our lives I had seen him cry maybe 5 times and 3 of those were probably more allergy related than anything else. I could see it in his face, he was absolutely in love, like head over heels crazy love. I have never loved him more. But there was not a lot of time for that I still had another baby to get out and Jack was in the doctors’ hands now.

10:30PM: Rory Ray Nelson was born weighing 1lb 12oz and 12in long. Rory was less ready to enter the world and took much more pushing but he came eventually. Again, dad was tremendously in love.

10:40PM: the OR was like a ghost town, it was just me and two nurses. The two of you had left and your dad went with you so I was on my own. I had never felt such euphoria in my life. It was absolutely exhilarating bringing you both into the world.

Tuesday March 13th:

12AM: Your dad, uncle and Granny all came back from seeing you and they told me you were tiny but mighty and a-okay.

12:30AM: Granny and Uncle Mitch left and your dad and I were alone for the first time as parents. We were both so happy and content.

2AM: I finally got to see you! They took me to your room and I got to look at both of you. The nurses were telling me things and I was acknowledging that they were speaking but I was so mesmerized by the two of you that I really heard none of it. Your were so beautiful, literally the most beautiful things I had ever seen in my life. I have never loved something more than your father and that love is so powerful and strong that it created the two of you (and boy howdy did that love make some gorgeous babies!) the three of you are the most important things in my life and I would give my whole being just to make the three of you happy.

As I am writing this you are almost 72 hours old and I am sitting at your bedside. You are both so incredible. But now it’s on you. There is not much more Momma can give you now that you are on the outside. However, with the combination of me and your dad inside of each of you I know that you totally have this and you can get big and strong and come home to us as early as possible.

I love you both so tremendously

DAD’S TAKE

As far back as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a father. Wait... that’s Goodfellas.

Once upon a time not long ago Josh wore pajamas and lived his life slow. Nope. That’s Slick Rick.

Iiiiiiiinnnnnn West Philadelphia.....

Anyways.

Bethany was pregnant with you guys. That part ya knew. We were at work Monday March 5th. When we got in the car to leave;

Mom: uhhhhh. B T Dubs. I think I peed my pants today.

Dad: That’s gross

I did some Googling and the responses looked good. Like it was a normal kosher thing for pregnants to do at 6 months. Bethany showered first thing we got home - what with the having pee peed herself.  More liquid running down her leg. This is not urine and not normal. So off to Liberty Hospital we go.

Once at Liberty it’s obvious her water broke (ps her water broke during a meeting. Your momma has got to be the best employee ever) Y’all we’re coming way too early and Liberty couldn’t handle it so they called 911 for an ambulance to St. Luke’s.

They placed us in a terrifying tiny triage closet.  The nice doctors confirmed her water was broke. Bethany had a bunch of tubes and medicines for your brains, lungs and to get y’all to cool your jets on the whole coming out thing. Long night, but Bethany was going to stay in hospital until you guys were born.

She made it a week. I got to come visit and cuddle you 3. So many people brought baskets, food, magazines. Bethany hatched an escape plan through the window and down a roof, but you guys had a whole Andy Dufresne thing of your own in motion and broke free first.

Monday March 12th. I was on my home from work and bragging to Bethany about how I was gonna get so many duties accomplished. (Ha! Doodies) she said - Nah, I’m wicked contractin’ g.

Turns out she started having contractions immediately after I left Sunday night and they were getting out of control. (PS they decided her contractions were bad enough to go to labor and delivery while she was on a conference call. See above regarding best employee).

I tried to convince her and myself she just had the constipation. One good dumparooni was all she needed. But you jabronies were army crawling your way out and causing her agonizing pain.

We made it back to the OR around 10 PM. I thought my blue paper scrubs were the cats pajamas. It felt like my ‘Dad Uniform’ I kept doing this weird The Flash pose. It was awesome.

Your mom did a stunning job delivering you two. Like a gotdamn champion. Jack came out first at 10:12 and I completely lost it. I have never in my life even imagined that that much joy and euphoria was possible. I broke down and cried so hard I had to gasp for breath. Your arrival was literally breathtaking.

Mom: (To me) aww. You’re crying. (To the doctor) So...do I keep pushing…?

Jack came with relative ease, Rory wasn’t in as much of a rush but we got to officially meet you by 10:30

We were in complete and utter bliss for the next 6 hours. And then promptly fell asleep.

We have a long bumpy road ahead of us. But you have the most amazing human being to ever human as a mother and a righteous dude of a father. I don’t put a lot of stock in faith or destiny but I used to believe me and your mom were meant to be. It was the greatest thing in the world and the thing that I was best at. But now I see the full truth is we were meant to be your parents and being your Pops will be my legacy.

I love you three more than you could ever imagine.