Another Unpublished Post

5/30/13

1.  The Big E rolled over on Saturday for the first time.  He kept doing it over and over. It seems too early.  I would have preferred him not do that for a few more months...  He also discovered his toes a few weeks ago which he loves.  He has also decided that sleeping is overrated!  What?!?!?!?  He's like, "Who has time to sleep when I can roll over, put my thumb in my mouth, talk a lot, or nurse from mom?!?  I don't have time for sleep!"  John laughs and says, "I wonder where he gets that from?"  Guilty, I guess.  Let's just hope E reverts back to his old ways soon...   Homeboy has gone from nursing for 5-8 minutes to me cutting him off when it's been close to a half hour!  That is not how I roll.   He just wants to snuggle and not snuggle with a paci in his mouth, no thank you.  I'm not sure when he turned over this new leaf, but he just needs to turn it right back over. 

2.  Last night I asked John what was something that bothers him about me.  He thought for a moment, and said, "that you have to try a new recipe for dinner every night."  I mean, don't get me wrong I know I'm pretty spoiled to eat a different country every night, but I think you should just stick to a rotation of some sorts where we have baked ziti one night, chicken another night, etc.  He's so weird.

3.  John came home from scouts the other night with a can of Spam.  "This is Trevan's," he said.  He tried it tonight and liked it.  "WHAT????" Shouldn't parents have to sign some kind of waiver or consent forms for their children to eat that stuff?  Trevan came home from school the next day and had more of the Spam for his after school snack.  I almost threw up.  It smells like pet food.  Also, a reason we have no pets.  I had cooked Spam in Hawaii and swallowed it down, but in my own house?  Trevan then informed me that he also tried potted meat and liked that too! (Vomit)  Says the boy who won't eat ketchup... 

When all else fails...go shopping?

I think I'll be taking deep breaths a lot today...

- Since drop down sided cribs were outlawed what's a mom to do to put down her sleeping baby???? Drop them in the crib, you say?  That's right, DROP them in the crib.  Then they wake up and rarely go back to sleep!  (Who's child is this anyway?!?!)  It's ridiculous, and I can't stand it.  What are all you shorter people doing???!??!?  I keep saying I'm going to get a stool, but I haven't yet... 

- Jonah is hungry ALL DAY LONG.  It's getting on my nerves. 

"I'm hungry...  I'm hungry... I'm hungry... I'm hungry." 

He had a banana about thirty minutes ago.  He told me ten minutes ago he was hungry and wanted another banana....

AHHHHHH!!!!!

Not even kidding, he just said it again and my head almost exploded.

More protein for breakfast you say?  Doesn't work.  The boy has like five breakfasts.  I feel like I am feeding him all day long or telling him, "No, you just ate!"  

- Try letting a baby cry it out in their crib only to have your three year old go open the door constantly, because "He's crying.  Mom, he wants you!" Or putting your baby down for a nap only to have your three year old start banging buses together as loud as he possibly can.  I tried doing puzzles to keep him quiet, tried to turn on a movie he would like to watch.  You're guessing those must not have worked because I'm here venting on my blog.

- All my kitchen utensils are in the living room... I confiscated the rolling pin when Jonah was swinging it too close to Everett's head.  I also confiscated the cheese slicer... for obvious reasons...  I choose my battles and all the other battles today seem much greater.  However, I hate that I have to wash (or John or Trevan has to) wash all those extra things on days like this. 

- Also, Jonah seems to need to flush the toilet 500 times after he uses the bathroom.  And, I'm not talking about the double flush that my husband preaches about to help keep the stink out of the bathroom... My water bill has got to go up for all of these flushes.  So, now after every flush I hear my spare change swirling down the toilet. 

- Have I finally gotten the child that my mother said I was???  She said I never (or rarely) took naps.  Everett is my first child to wake up at the slightest noises, not transfer well, doesn't sleep in church, take cat naps.  I mean, he's still pleasant and not whiny (unless I put him in his crib when he doesn't want to take a nap), but oh my word go to sleep little stinker - mama's got stuff she wants to get done!

- Bonus! I just pulled a Lego out of Everett's mouth... 

My friends, I believe today is going to be a long day... 

Actually, I think I'm going to go shopping...  

Recently...

Trevan - I love this kid and he boggles my mind at the same time.  I love (or am I embarrassed?) that I never check his homework.  Someone asked me how much homework he has a night, and I couldn't tell them.  I was like, "Well, he reads for at least 20 minutes every night..."  I guess I know he will ask for help if he has a question, because he did that for the first time last Thursday.  I have glanced over his shoulder a few times and told him he would have to rewrite whatever it was he was writing because his handwriting was too sloppy.  I was getting tired of having to remind him to put away his shoes/lunchbox/backpack every day after school, so I made a chart for him to check after he does it and I haven't had to remind him once since them.  Realizing what helps make him tick is one less weight on my shoulder.  I'm a chart person too, so I get it.  He has been helping me do the dishwasher almost everyday without complaining and without payment.  I love him for that!!!!

Mallary - This girl is going to give us a run for our money... At back to school night you would have thought she was running for student body president running from kid to kid, not wanting to sit with us because she was too busy talking to everyone or saying hi to everyone.  She was the queen of the carpet while I sat in  her class and I overheard her telling kids what to do and where to go. Hmmm.... I wonder where she got that from??  Her teacher stopped me when I ate lunch with her last week and raved about how much she loved Mallary, what a good listener, helper and wonderful she was, and how she could go on forever talking about her.  Not even ten minutes later, the TA in Mallary's class stopped by and said, "I just want you to know I have to refrain from taking your daughter home with me everyday, she is so adorable."  She went on and on about her, while I listened dumbfounded.  Apparently, she could see it on my face, and said "Well, just be thankful that is how she is at school!" 

Jonah - I love having him home without the two oldest during the day.  He loves to tell me not to feed Everett when I'm feeding him.  He loves his reading time with Mom everyday.  He is potty trained and was a super fast about it.  At the beginning of August one day, I literally had no diapers left for him and decided I wouldn't buy anymore either.  He had one accident everyday for four days in a row.  He pooped in his pants two times. He hasn't peed in his bed once, I thought he had, but he made it out of bed just in time to pee in his pants!! So we had him potty trained with a total of about 8 accidents (to date...), and that included a lot of long drives!  Go Jonah!!  I never even bought a single pull-up!  He was 3 yrs. 4 months!  I'm a firm believer in waiting until your kid is ready then you don't have to worry about cleaning up messes.  For real, I'm just really lazy and don't want to clean up any messes!  We didn't use a little potty or do the let him go naked thing all day.  I gave him chocolate chips for peeing (and cheered really REALLY loud - to the point that he started doing it as soon as he got on the potty for a few days) and told him he could play on the DS when he pooped in the potty - and it worked!!  But, that first day I had to listen to him whining for me to let him wear a diaper because he just wanted to poop in his diaper.  He finally couldn't hold it anymore and the DS was calling his name I guess!!  Yay Jonah!!!  and thank you for making something in my life easy.

Everett - Homeboy is 9 months now and about 23 lbs.  He has only gained three pounds since he was four months!!  He is definitely thinning out.  He now has his first tooth (the earliest of any of my kids), and just started cruising (a few side steps holding on to the edge of something) this weekend.  We just can't keep that baby down.  Unfortunately, all of our traveling and him being sick has now made him think that it is always okay to sleep with mama.  So, now we have to work on training him back to sleeping in his crib all night again.  He started feeding himself Cheerios (broken in half) last week (AND they were FROSTED!)  That just goes to show how much you change as a parent.  I would have NEVER given Trevan frosted Cheerios.  He probably had them for the first time as a five year old or something (IF THAT!)  HA!  He also recently started not liking baby food that he has always eaten and then we started giving him a banana in tiny pieces instead and he was down with that.  So, our baby is growing up!  Fast!  Stop it!  He is so super smiley and during the day loves to follow Jonah around.  He gives you hugs and likes to scratch your arms and his face with his sharp nails!! 

Pink is the color of the day

Pink - The color of body wash I used at four this morning to wash off the contents of Everett's stomach that ended up soaking me and my clothes.  He gagged on his mucous - and let me tell you how nice it was to be covered in snot and milk...

Pink - The color of the Amoxicillan that I knocked over and spilled in my kitchen.  With four kids this is the first time I have had to call to request a refill of a perscription that was filled less than 24 hours ago.  Everett has an ear infection...

Pink - The color of the day in Mallary's class.  Her shoes are Converse style covered in pink glitter!

Pink - The color of the marshmallow pop corn balls I made this morning for Mallary's snack today.   Someday, Mallary, you will do something a little special for your daughter, she will look not excited and unimpressed and you will think to yourself, "Why do I even bother?!?"  Then, you will know how I felt this morning. 

Pink - The color of Ibuprofen Everett gets to enjoy every now and then these past few days.  I usually get the dye free stuff, but this was on sale.  Everett loves it!  He sucks down some and then opens his mouth like a little bird waiting for the next drops!  I love it because he is close to being back to his normal happy self 45 minutes after sucking it down! 

Pink - The color of my sister's 40th birthday party I'm planning.  Pink is her happy color.  I'd say a good 80% of her wardrobe is a shade of bright pink.  (I'd really say 90%, but I'm being generous)  Who said pink parties were just for one year old girls?!?!  But, I will say the majority of stuff out there is geared towards those one year old girls.  Do you think my sister would wear a pink tutu to her 40th birthday party????

Lately....

1.  Everett is crawling!  8 months.  He is also aware that barricades are being built around him to keep him from things like train tracks, and other toys.  He is not happy about it.

2.  My mother in law during her recent visit gave Jonah an appropriate nickname, "Blast."  Hmmm... It should be written like this I think, "BLAST!!"  Fitting for his one speed (full speed ahead) and his loud volume! 

3.  Mallary has started school.  Apparently, she won't sit next to Trevan on the bus.  She's too cool for that I guess.  I told her if she doesn't sit next to him she won't be riding the bus.  Guess where I saw her sit this morning???  Maybe I should compromise and say across the aisle from him...  She is such a stinker and she's only in Kindergarten! 

4. I've decided I need to put some locks on Mallary's dresser.  I have organized her drawers SOOOO many times - only to find that her drawers threw up a few hours later all over her room!  What is with that?!?!?!?! 

5.  I have yet to figure out what motivates my oldest.  He is a real piece of work.  Obviously, I count my blessings because he is the sweetest of boys.  He loves his little Everett and his teacher even gave me an A++++++ as a mom (after I gave myself an F because I didn't know his bus number) because he was such a good helper and nice kid and student on the first day of school.  I wish I could take the credit, but he is an A+ all of his own making.  I just can't figure out how to make him want to do his best in all he does.  AGH!  He is payback I guess for John and I not always doing our best growing up...  Why put forth effort when you can get by and do well with barely any?!?!?  Curses to the payback karma! 

6.  Four kids is...  that's right, it leaves me speechless.  Some people say three drove them over the edge, but four is mine.  I can't even explain... The lady in the check out line the other day was like, "I have four kids too...."  I responded, "Do ever feel crazy?"  She immediately smiled and seemed to look more relaxed knowing she was in the presence of a mother that understood a feeling she probably never could have imagined she'd ever feel!  We bonded in those few seconds. 

7.  Summer is gone.  It always makes me sad. 

8.  I cleaned my work room earlier this summer, it needs to be cleaned again...

9.  The past few weeks have been sprinkled with sleepless nights and nights going to bed at 2, 3, and 4 in the morning...  They are catching up to me.... Yawn!!!

10.  I'm hoping to get caught up on blogging and get some of my blog books printed off!!!!  One can dream, right????

Everett

Yesterday I packed up most of the 3-6 month baby clothes. I kept a few 3-6 month things out thinking he might be able to wear them one more time....  (That's what I thought about half the stuff I just packed away the last time I packed away his 0-3 month stuff...)

He's exactly three months, this big boy...  this big boy is now wearing 6-12 months!  What???
 

Wearing his first complete 6-12 month outfit... sniff.. sniff...

Below written on 3/8/13:

At two months old, Everett weighed 16 lbs 3 oz. Still in the 100% in height and weight since birth, except his head is in the 80th somewhere. I told John that's how I know he got more of his features, because all of our other babies heads have been in the 50th percentile. Big babies with small heads!!

Last night he slept for 6.5 hours straight. John woke him up when we went to bed so he wouldn't have to wake up again in the night to get him. So, who knows how long he would have slept... But not only had he slept, he hadn't eaten in 8 hours!

Everett is definitely my son and very efficient. He eats on one side per feeding, maybe 10 minutes (I just timed him at 8 minutes), and still goes three hours in between feedings. (sometimes two and a half and sometimes four!) It actually doesn't make very much sense... But, I guess he's getting more hind milk just eating on one side, getting all the fatty stuff. When I told the Dr. how long he nursed for, I said 10 - 15 minutes (adding the 15 to not sound so crazy). The Dr. said, "I'll write down 20 minutes." I thought to myself, "Whatever makes you feel better, but I don't ever feed him for 20 minutes..." The Dr. also said, "If you were bottle feeding him we'd tell you to cut back, but since you are breastfeeding, we just tell you, you make good milk."

He graduated to size 3 diapers this week... I've packed up lots of clothes...  

Time is flying!

He has such a happy disposition. All of our babies have been great babies, easy going, good natured, etc. but Everett even has happy eyes. It seems like he started smiling before my other babies, and when he's not smiling his eyes are. He is most definitely related to his daddy in that way.

My Romeo

John called from work on Monday and said, "I just wanted to know if I am allowed to get something for you for Valentine's Day."  (We discuss expenditures) 

I reply that, no, he cannot. 

He replied with his laughter, "Why can't I be like a normal husband and get you flowers or something like most husbands can do?" 

So, if you've been around this blog for a while you know I don't like for him to get me flowers.  I mean, I love flowers, but to spend money on something that I'm going to throw away in a few days seems so wasteful.  If he wants to spend money on something he could bring me a bouquet of the expensive shampoo that does miracles for my hair but I can't bring myself to buy.   I would melt over that.  Or, my other gifts of preference - fix something around the house!  Those shelves that are falling down in the garage?  He could fix those, and that would really rock my world! 

Don't worry, I did remind him of those options.  I told him that someday when we have so much money we aren't counting it, he can spend whatever he wants.

So, remember I made these?  Well, John just hung them up on our kitchen chairs on Monday night.  (I'm a little behind I know!!)  He also has been stuffing them.  (He's Romeo the elf, remember?) 

Yesterday, Everett had a little note left for him in my envelope (I forgot I have to make him an envelope!!),



Everett - You poop and pee and toot a lot.  You also burp and spit-up too much.  Despite these shortcomings, when I look into your eyes I just melt.  Love Romeo xox

 Then, this morning I opened the fridge and I found these:

Later I looked in my envelope, and he had a note with a clue of a drawing of the fridge to look there. 

See?  He doesn't need to buy me presents.  He usually knows the way to my heart, (except when he thinks it's through a saxaphone concert...)

My first week flying solo with four

Resentful is not the word I would use to describe my feelings as my husband left for work on Monday, but how I felt might be related to the word resentful.

I mean, I know he needs to go back to work every now and then through his paternity leave, but I don't think I was ready for him to go back just yet...

Monday had some successes and plenty of fails...

FAIL:  Everett barely slept at all...  WHAT????  He would fall asleep, I would lay him down and five minutes later he would be crying.  First day of his life so far where he was fussy and I couldn't really put him down.  Trust me when I say I wasn't liking the future I envisioned for myself dealing with that on a daily basis...

SUCCESS:  My kids were playing so nicely downstairs while I took care of Everett upstairs...

FAIL:  Then I go downstairs and Mallary had climbed up on the washing machine to retrieve her markers from where they are stored...  Jonah got some markers and had decorated himself and the kitchen with his artwork; wall, floor, doors, chairs, table...

FAIL:  I tried putting Jonah down for a nap and with Everett it just couldn't and didn't happen.

FAIL:  I needed to call the Doctor for an infection Trevan has that wasn't clearing up, and could not seem to find 5 minutes to do it... 

SUCCESS:  I finally called at 3pm...

PARTIAL SUCCESS:  Jonah fell asleep on the couch, but at 5pm.

Notice his colored toenails with markers

 

FAIL:  I realized at 6:45 I hadn't fed the kids dinner yet.  Double fail:  someone had even brought me dinner to feed my family that night I just couldn't seem to get it on the table...

 

SUCCESS: My kids were fed dinner.



 

FAIL:  The result of Jonah not taking a nap, and then falling asleep at 5pm only to be woken up by his siblings...



FAIL: I may or may not have given him a brownie to make him stop crying...

SUCCESS:  I pulled out the big guns (baby bjiorn) because I needed hands and Everett was occupying them... It worked like a charm.  He eventually fell asleep in it, and I was able to be somewhat productive.  I have never had to use the bjiorn for a little baby like that...





FAIL:  I got nothing done.

SUCCESS:  I didn't raise my voice at my kids or lose my temper. 

SUCCESS:  Since my kids didn't ever put on real clothes that day they were already dressed in their jammies for bed!

So... Tuesday was so much better thank goodness.  My baby slept and ate when he was supposed to.  Mallary snuggled with Jonah on the couch, and he took a nap there!  I'm not sure what I accomplished that day, but I'm sure I did something...

Wednesday morning I sat on my bed and had a little talk with myself in my head....

"You can do this..."  "You excel at organized chaos."  "You can do this."  "I excel at organized chaos, I can do this!"

And, boy did I ever do it!!! 

 I washed and put away 11 loads of laundry, made cookies (from a mix), put dinner in the crock pot (from a freezer meal my sister made), and even read Southern Living magazine that I got in the mail that day.  Jonah took a nap.  Everett was perfect.  Mallary was helpful.  I was able to give out positive reinforcement.  Other than the fact my kids had to go to bed early because they didn't clean up their messes, it was a great day!  It's good for a mother's morale to feel like superwoman every now and then - even a superwoman with a very sore body...  

Thursday was good (ish) - Everett is so good.  Mallary could have been a way better listener.  This week Jonah learned how to open the dishwasher and was finally strong enough to open the fridge.  I now have to tie the fridge shut...  I remember those days with Mallary...  Basically today was Enforcer day.  I had to follow through with my threats and lay down the law.  Days like this when my kids test me make me tired. 

Friday - SNOW DAY!!  I think my friend must have been inspired that my patience was waning, and picked my kids up for a playdate in the afternoon.  I was able to undecorate the Christmas tree and get all the ornaments put away.  I had been trying to do that for about a week now...  Finally success!!

Every night I have had big plans to get a lot done when John has gotten home, but I have literally collapsed on the couch and fallen asleep there. 

I'm still wishing John could take off all next week... but no, he has training he has to do.  I just have to remind myself it takes a little while to get in the groove of things after having a new baby. I guess I'll just need to give myself that pep talk every morning, "you excel at organized chaos, you excel at organized chaos, you excel at organized chaos..."

Our Christmas Miracle

My Doctor and the nurse left my delivery room.  The room was silent except the beeping and faint noise from the fetal heart rate monitor.

John stood in the same place, not moving.  I stared straight ahead at the wall from the hospital bed, and then for some reason glanced at the clock.  I’m not sure what hour it was, but I turned to John and said, “Time to get on the phone, we need a miracle.”

December 21, 2012 started with me finishing making and wrapping last minute Christmas presents. At one in the morning, I started breaking up the toffee I had just made and packing it up to give to Trevan’s teachers, a friend, and my dad.  John went to bed around one thirty that morning, while I stayed up and finished some laundry, presents, and a little bit of cleaning.  At two thirty I had some toffee and a glass of water, little did I know that I wouldn’t eat again until ten fifteen that night.  Though I went to bed around three AM, I hopped out of bed at six and took a shower.  It was the beginning of the big day!

The hospital I deliver at will not induce anyone before 39 weeks, however my baby was already showing on an ultrasound that he was large (8lbs at 36 weeks), and my Dr. and I were not excited about being in the hospital over Christmas.  So, the instructions were given to check myself into the hospital on Friday morning and tell them I was having regular contractions.  That wouldn’t be a lie because I had been having contractions for well over a month.

As we got the kids ready to go that morning and while driving over to the hospital my contractions were ranging from 3-8 minutes apart, and I was feeling a little pressure…  So, it was all working out perfectly. 

We arrived at the hospital a little before 9 AM, and I stood up while I registered due to the discomfort of my contractions.  While waiting to be admitted to triage, the girl who registered me started chit chatting and asked if this was my first.  I laughed and replied, “Nope, my fourth.” 

“Oh, well you’re a pro!” she said. 

Being a “pro” did not leave me any more prepared for the day ahead. 

Triage was boring, and I was able to finish looking through a few of my neglected magazines.  The nurse checked me, and I was barely dilated to a four.  I should also note that when she checked me, my baby’s head was down, which it had been my whole pregnancy… 

My contractions began being farther apart, and honestly, I was getting a tad bit worried that they were going to send me home, even with knowing it was the Doctors plan to keep me.  So, I didn’t have to act too surprised when the nurse said that the Doctor wanted to go ahead and keep me, to keep an eye on things.   She gave me a horrible IV, and then I was taken to my delivery room. 

For starters, from the time I was checked in at Triage, our baby was moving around like crazy.  He had no desire to hear his heart rate on any monitor.  They would get a good heart rate, and then he would move.  This actually continued all day, and it was very hard to get a good reading of his heart rate.  I had nurse after nurse say they have never had such a hard time monitoring a baby.   The sounds coming from my uterus via the monitor were insane – he was doing some serious moving and swimming in there!

My contractions continued to slow down, and I was basically just hanging out at the hospital having a contraction every now and then. 

The doctor came in and checked me, and I could instantly tell by the puzzled look on his face that something was wrong.  He said he couldn’t feel the baby’s head.  “I know he was head down yesterday!”  This same doctor had checked me the day before in the office.   He ordered for the small portable ultrasound machine…  My baby was transverse! (Lying parallel to the ground.)  My doctor then ordered for the huge portable ultrasound and asked for a complete reading by the technician.

That was a horribly painful ultrasound.  Due to how my baby was positioned forced her to have to really push at funny angles.  She was super apologetic when she told us that our baby was breech.  Breech!  He went from transverse to breech within five minutes!

My doctor came back a little bit after that, and could not believe that the baby moved from transverse to breech within merely a few minutes.  A baby that was supposedly going to be very large should not have extra room to be doing gymnastics in there…   Not only was my baby breech, but now my placenta was also low lying.  I had placenta previa with Mallary so I was already familiar with that and the risks involved. 

The Doctor gave me my options:

1.        C-section.  At that point, the safest and only option for the baby being breech.

2.       Try doing version, which is where they give you a shot to make contractions stop, and try to move your baby by manipulating him and your uterus while pushing on your belly.  It works sometimes, but also is very painful, and can cause distress to your baby which can also lead to a C-section.

3.       I could go home and try to see if the baby would move on his own, and schedule a time to come back in for an induction if he moved or a C-section if he didn’t.  Though, if my water broke while I was at home we would have to worry about cord prolapse, placenta previa, him being breech, etc. etc.

We discussed the options with the Doctor and Labor and Delivery nurse, Lindsay.  Lindsay was very apologetic and sorry we had to consider three not so great options. 

The Doctor wanted a good solid hour or two of good readings on the baby’s heart rate, to even consider option three, sending us home.  That, in and of itself, worried me because my baby wouldn’t hold still long enough to get a good reading anyway.  Lindsay played with the monitor until she got a good reading, and then they left. 

I had choked out the words telling John to get on the phone.  John called his mom and one of his brothers to ask the family to pray.  I called my sister because it was my brother in law’s college graduation that day and I knew my dad was with her, and that my other sister might be too, and if not she could get in contact with most everyone by the family iPhone network…  I had already been saying silent prayers over and over once the Doctor told me the baby was transverse. 

While John was on the phone, I had a flashback to when I was in labor with Trevan and things weren’t progressing, my Doctor said if I wasn’t dilated to a certain point at a certain time they were going to prep me for a C-section.  My mom was in the delivery room with me, and got on the phone and called my dad and asked him to pray and call the family to pray.  “We need a miracle,” she said. My thought was, ‘it worked then, it could work again.’ 

I was hoping and praying for a miracle, if not that, some kind of inspiration about which choice I should make.  After John made the phone calls, we sat in silence for a little bit thinking and then we discussed the options.  Honestly I think we both felt a little defeated.  I did not want a C-section for a lot of reasons, but I knew that if I had a C-section, that this would probably be our last child, because I wouldn’t risk carrying another large baby in a future pregnancy and increase my chances of a uterine rupture due to past C-section and a large baby among other things.  I asked John for a blessing, and then asked him to go into my bathroom and get on his knees in prayer where he wouldn’t be interrupted if a nurse walked in. 

There have been a few times in my life where a hospital room has felt like a sacred, holy place; when my mom was dying, and that day in the hospital pleading for help from my Heavenly Father. 

After John came out of the bathroom, we discussed our feelings, impressions, thoughts.  I didn’t feel like any of the three options were okay, but if I had to choose I would choose the third.  That was John’s least favorite choice, because it involved a greater risk to my life as well.  But, John felt impressed that it was up to me and he would support what I chose.  He said he felt impressed that no matter what we chose, everything was going to be okay.

All of a sudden, Lindsay came back in and asked what we had decided.  That hour and a half had passed very quickly!!!  She was on the phone with the Doctor and he was wondering what we had decided.  I stumbled over my words saying we weren’t sure, we thought the Doctor was going to come back in, etc.  I must have looked panicked, because she was very kind and said she was going to go talk to him and be right back. 

John got up, came to me, and said, “Why don’t you stand up and see if we can get gravity to work in our favor?”  He reached out his hand, and as I leaned up to reach for his hand, I had this crazy pain and froze in the position I was in.  I told him to hold on while the pain passed, it did, and before I could even get up, the nurse came back in.  I told her of the pain I just had, and said very hopefully that maybe the baby moved…  The Doctor sauntered in at that moment, hopped up to sit on a table, and said, “What have we decided?” 

I asked him if he could check me again to see if the baby had moved, before we make any decisions.  He may have hesitated for a second, then said, “Sure,” and hopped down off the table.  He grabbed the mini ultrasound machine and pulled it over, squirted the stuff on my belly, put the wand on, and said, “I can’t believe it, but that is a head.”

At that moment I could have dissolved in tears, I was so overcome with gratitude and thankfulness.  Our prayers were answered.  The Doctor was in a brief state of disbelief, and then went to action.  He quickly broke my water before the baby decided to move again and we were going to get this show on the road.  That was at 3:45 PM. 

Around a half an hour later, the nurse, and another nurse came back with the Pitocin.  One started to hook up the Pitocin, while the other tried to move the baby’s heart rate monitor to get a good reading.  She couldn’t get a reading.  The nurses exchanged concerned glances.  Lindsay said, “Okay, because we haven’t got the Pitocin hooked up within 30 minutes of breaking your water, we have to check you and make sure he is still head down.  And since we can’t get a good reading on him, it concerns me he might have moved again.”  They pull the ultrasound thingy over again, and they look at it and both of them are like, it looks like the head, but since I’m not technically trained to read this and I can’t find a good place for the monitor, I’m going to check you.”  I started praying silently again, and luckily when she checked, he was still head down.  So, my Pitocin was started about 4:30 PM. 

The Doctor didn’t want me to move much except to go to the bathroom so he could monitor the baby.  Because the baby had been doing all that flipping and moving, he wanted to keep a close eye (ear?) on him because the umbilical cord could have been anywhere…

Once my contractions really picked up I asked the nurse if I could stand up and if she would fix the monitor so I could stand up from then on, because I can’t handle the contractions without standing up.  So we did that.  Lindsay said she wanted to meet the little trouble maker before her shift ended.

She then checked on her computer and told me that there were only four of us in labor that hadn’t had epidurals yet that had planned on getting one.  I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have to wait long when I requested my epidural, because I like to labor for as long as I can without it. 

My contractions started getting a lot more intense and I requested my epidural.  I thought I was going to die.  I hold on to John during my contractions, and at one point I wanted to let go and drop to the ground not caring if I ever got up again.  Someone, had requested an epidural right before me, so I had to wait in line!!!  Out of all four of my labors, this was the longest I had to wait for an epidural.  In between contractions I was telling John, “If I ever do this again, do not let me wait to request my epidural.”  My nurse even said, “I was going to try and talk you into getting one sooner, but you said you liked to wait…”

I guess I was becoming so restless, and intense the nurse said she should check me, and I was still only at a FOUR!  What good were those contractions anyway!!  It felt like I had to wait forever…  I was totally moaning and “oh” ing in pain. 

So, I like to stand up and hold on to John in front of me during a contraction, or as my Doctor called it, “dancing,” and there were many times I was resting my head on his shoulder, and I was in so much pain I wanted to bite down on something, and it took all the self control I had not to bite John’s shoulder.  I have never felt like that before! Now I get all those old western movies where they have the person getting operated on bite down on a piece of wood or leather or something.  I told John he was very lucky he doesn’t have a chunk missing out of his shoulder. 

Finally, the anesthesiologist came, and I wanted to scream at him, “HURRY UP!!!”  But, it seems like they take their time, and they have to explain every little thing to you, and I wanted to be like, “Umm, yeah this is my fourth one, so I don’t really need the review, I just need that needle in my back delivering my drugs!”  (Though I use exclamation marks making me sound like an angry woman in labor, I’m actually very polite and nice while I’m in labor, and often making jokes.  But, in my head at that time waiting for an epidural I was using exclamation marks…)

I got my epidural right before 7pm.  The nurse checked me right after the epidural at the request of the anesthesiologist because my contractions had been so intense, and I was dilated to an 8!  So, I labored from a 4 to an 8 while waiting for my epidural!!  Oh boy – how do women without epidurals do it?! I will never know!!

Shift change – I got a new nurse Leigh Anne.  She checked me, and I was at a 10!

The Doctor came and checked me and got a funny look on his face again.  My baby was sunny side up! 

Are you even kidding me?!?!?!?!?  Was what I screamed in my head, and then I started praying again. 

“Isn’t there a way you can turn him?” I asked the Doctor. 

“There are a few things I can do,” he replied, “I’ve got skills.”  (John compared the attitude/character of my Dr. to the main guy on House… just to give you an idea of him…)

We were going to try to push and hopefully he would turn in the process…  He had me push lying on my side, because that helps to turn babies apparently.

I pushed the first time at exactly 8pm. 

I made the comment, “Wow, I’ve never labored with so few people in the room.”  There was only the Doctor, my nurse, and John.  Everyone gave me funny looks, “Usually, there’s like a whole army in here with me,” I added.  

Then, I pushed again. 

I felt absolutely helpless pushing on my side, I felt like we weren’t getting anywhere at all.  My epidural left me number than my last delivery with Jonah, and I felt like I couldn’t feel as much to push as well. 

The nurse asked if I was willing to try some crazy things to try and get him to turn, and I was. 

That involved getting on my knees and pushing like that and then while holding on to the back of my hospital bed.  Both ways I didn’t even know you could push if you had an epidural, but I did… 

So, babies can totally be delivered sunny side up.  It’s just a lot harder for their necks to bend backwards to fit under the pubic bone, versus their heads ducking under it normally when they are facing down.  I knew the Doctor would let me keep trying to push him out as long as the baby’s heart rate was looking good, etc.  But, I knew that if it started getting iffy that I was looking at a C-section. 

I was totally praying for him to turn.  Leigh Anne, my nurse, told me later that she was praying too.  “For you to go through that all day, and he turn, and then for you to have to get a C-section anyway would have been crazy,” she said. 

So, eventually the Doctor got him to turn face down, and I was just pushing along, and they were saying stuff like, “Oh you’re so close!”  I had my eyes closed and just kept pushing, then taking a breath and pushing, and it seemed like everyone was yelling a lot more, and I opened my eyes for a second, and all of a sudden there were a ton of people in there!  I knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what it was.  Just that there were nurses pushing on my belly, and people yelling (encouraging loudly) at me to keep pushing, etc.  I think that mentally, I had checked out some time before that or something…

Then, there is that huge release feeling, and he was out.  9:22 PM.

“It’s a toddler!” the Doctor said when my baby was delivered. 

Another Doctor in scrubs had come into the room and had asked what he had been summoned for, I remember my Doctor saying “Shoulder Dystocia for about one and a half minutes.”

He had gotten stuck!   I had another shoulder dystocia delivery. 

I watched that Doctor check over my little (big) baby. 

His little bruised face is so sad!  Especially because I know it's my fault for pushing while he was face up...

Even though I heard my baby cry almost immediately when he came out, I kept asking if he was okay. 

Everyone assured me he was fine.  I watched that Doctor check him out and other nurses attend to him while he squawked every now and then.  I could only see him from far away, but I kept saying, “I can’t believe he’s so big!”  We didn’t even know how much he weighed yet… 

When he was weighed, I feel like the room erupted with laughter and comments about how big he was;   Ten pounds 9 ounces, 21 ½ inches long. I could have sworn this was going to be my smallest baby yet…

I think I must have been in my own little world, because I feel like I was oblivious to what had been going on around me.  While typing this, I realized I didn’t even know if John had cut the umbilical cord and had to ask him because there were so many people all around me I couldn’t even see if he had been able to do that.  He said he hadn’t, because our baby came out blue (but not as bad as Trevan) and had been rushed over to the baby station to be checked out. 

I hadn’t even realized what was going on.  I was in my own little world praying and pushing, I didn’t even realize they had pulled the emergency cord sending an army of nurses in to my delivery room, until one of the times I opened my eyes in between pushes and all the voices telling me to push!

They eventually bought me my sweet baby with a bruised face.

“Did we get enough people in here for you?” Leigh Anne asked, referring to my comment a little earlier.  She laughed. 

I heard the other Doctor say, “Luckily you didn’t need me.”  

My Doctor had finished up with me and I heard him telling the other Doctor, “You wouldn’t believe it… he was transverse…then…”  Shop talk…

I tuned them out - I was already very familiar with that story…

I snuggled with my new baby.

Someone noted that my baby had a huge bowel movement all over the table as soon as he was delivered.  I looked at my new baby and said, “Awww… you must be related to your daddy!”  Everyone in the room laughed. 

Though, I like to tease John, if I have another baby, I may hire a photographer to be in the room with us, because the look on John’s face when we have a baby is so priceless.  Even though we have had other children he has had this look on his face when every one of our children has been born.  I absolutely love it.  He always has the biggest smile on his face and is half laughing - half chuckling.  He has this look of pure joy, delight, and amazement.  He looks amazed, grateful, and joyful witnessing our miracles. Though, they have all been miracles – this year, Everett was our Christmas miracle.

 

Here’s the thing.  Looking back, the miracle isn’t JUST that my baby was over 10lbs and still able to do all that flipping and went back to being head and face down, and I didn’t have to have a C-section, and he was safely born etc.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, that’s the miracle I’m most grateful for.  But, the miracle continued after he was born… This was my fourth child… my biggest child… the longest I have ever had to push in any of my labors – and the other miracle? Even with the previous factors listed; this was the ONLY time I have ever been taken to my recovery room in a wheelchair – and not on a stretcher.    I was also able to get up and walk sooner than normal, and use the bathroom and shower sooner than normal and overall feel pretty good.  Those prayers helped to deliver a healthy baby safely and naturally.  But, looking back, I realize those prayers helped strengthen me as well and gave me a much speedier recovery than my normal recoveries.  I’ll have to make sure to have an army praying for me again if I decide to have another child…

Though, in all seriousness, I was and am truly humbled and grateful as I picture our families praying for me, and for Everett to turn and be delivered safely.  At New Year’s, my sister told me about receiving the text from my other sister to pray for us, and how she gathered her family for a prayer.  I still get choked up as I picture her and her family kneeling in prayer on my behalf, and I am grateful for her faith to do so.  One of my brothers missed the text somehow, but accidentally got a strange email from my niece that made him call my sister at that same time, and my sister then told him the situation and asked him to pray for us too.  I am grateful that my sister and my dad prayed together for us in her car, and that my mother-in-law put got my name on the prayer list in the Houston temple, and for all the prayers offered up for us by other family members and friends.  I surely felt God’s hand in my life on that day.   

The whole month of December was a month of Christmas miracles for us.  There were a few little “miracles”  like ordering Christmas gifts online at Toys R Us, and it not working for some reason, and then checking out again ten minutes later, and two of the items I was ordering had gone on sale in that ten minutes and saved me almost twenty bucks.  “It’s a Christmas miracle!” I claimed. 

I also joke that I only go to the hospital to have babies so I can eat the hospital’s sugar cookies.  Twice I ordered the sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies were put on my tray.  The second time I sent John running after the food guy to get my sugar cookie.  They didn’t have anymore.  John told them I really liked them and hadn’t been able to get any yet, and they said they would cook some and bring a few to my room. Early that evening, there was a knock on my door, and a lady from the cafeteria bought me up a tray full of sugar cookies.  All for me!  They were even better freshly baked than I had had before!! That was so super nice of them.  I know it seems silly, but I kind of wanted to cry then too, I just felt so lucky!!

There were other answers to prayers that were major deals to my little family; moments that I will never ever forget, that I am absolutely grateful for, and am so humbled to have been blessed with.  

What a wonderful month December was for my family and I.  I was reminded of the goodness in people, the power of prayer, and that miracles happen.  I have felt loved, lucky, and very blessed.  I love that my little Everett is my souvenir of sorts from December 2012, a reminder to me of all the goodness, and that miracles can happen.