2 months later

Ok for documenting purposes and for those who have a little extra time to spare, here is the story of our dear Joshua's birth.

It would not be fair to tell this story without starting a month before hand. My sister, Sara, came to visit sometime the beginning of October. She was supposed to be here for just a few days but somehow I talked her into staying a couple more weeks. Then since my due date was getting so close I managed to convince her to stay a couple more weeks until the baby (still nameless at this point) came. I was sure that the baby would come early since Cam came early and I was getting pretty massive at this point. However, she was having friends arrive in San Diego on Nov. 6th so she had to leave no later than the morning of the 5th.

I had tried to get my Doc. to induce me early but he said, "no way," since I was a VBAC. So I was getting close to my due date (Nov. 9) and still not a hint of a contraction. I was sure he would come early though. Finally on Thursday, the 4th, my dr. said he would induce me. He told me it was NOT because the Utah/TCU game that was on Sat. but I still think that had something to do with it. Anyway so he got my hopes up only to be shot down because there was no OR available. There has to be an OR available for emergency c section since I am a VBAC. So he scheduled me for 6 am the following morning, the 5th. So needless to say that the very day I am to deliver Sara has to leave. Luckily, she does not hold that against me or Joshua.

So I spring (figure of speech, there was no springing but if I could've I would've) out of bed at 5am to get ready to go to the hospital. Lance's mom offered to come over to watch the kids but I thought it would be easier if Lance just got them off to school then met me at the hospital. I got all checked in and monitered and then induced. Just as a side note to anyone at all curious. Make sure to go pee before they break your water and not after. That made for a very messy trip to the bathroom.

After I got all settled in again Lance came in to stay with me. He brought in our three landscaping plans that we were trying to decide from. Also, note to the men out there; Do NOT ask your wifes opinion on landscaping plans while she is contracting. She is NOT listening. The anesthesiologist kept coming in to increase the pain meds in my epidural but it was not helping. The baby (still nameless) kept pushing against the right side of my pelvic bone and it was soooo not comfortable.

So by the time I had to start pushing around 2pm I was still very uncomfortable. The baby was turned sideways so my dr. brought in another ob to help. So in the room were my dr., another ob, Lance, the delivery nurse, two respiritory therapists waiting for baby, the anesthesiologist, (who finally paralyzed me) and me.

The OB was having a hard time turning the baby so he was opting to go with forceps. Now if you have never seen delivery forceps my first thought was that they looked like salad tongs....for a GIANT. And they were supposed to reach up and pull the baby out. This is the only delivery that I ever complained in and after seeing what I considered to be the jaws of life coming at me I asked for a c section. The Drs. had been considering it so I thought they would concede but they finally got baby out, head in tongs, and actually exclaimed, "Whoa, that is a big baby." I was so relieved when he finally was laid on my chest and heard him wailing. I can't say that I ever bond with my unborn babies. I hate every second of being pregnant. but the moment that I see and hold my little ones I instantly love them more than I can stand.

So they soon took him away to clean and examine him and I asked for something to help me sleep in the mean time. I felt so cold I was shaking uncontrollably and they awesome nurse brought me a warm blanket. I fell asleep and woke up later when they brought baby back.

Lance had to go back to work and came back later that night with the boys. Normally, my boys would have driven me crazy running around the hospital room like they did but this time I acutally enjoyed it. It helped that I knew I was the ONLY one that was on the Labor and Delivery floor and there was no one else to bother. So the boys took turns playing with the buttons on the bed and I spent the entire time they were there laying 5 feet up in the air. They each held their new brother and were surprisingly gentle with with him.

Lance got them each treats from the Drs lounge and the nurses gave them special treatment.

The next day Lance took the boys down to Provo for the BYU game. My Dr. also came in to check on me before he went to Salt Lake for the Utah game. mmhmmm. Im still surprised Lance let a Ute deliver me. (He's actually a GREAT dr.)

It was nice to spend a nice quiet day relaxing. recovering, and just enjoying quiet moments alone with my new babe. (Still no name) That night Lance's mom watched the boys and the hospital made us a special dinner for my last night there. So we had a "dinner date" in the hospital while the nurses watched the baby. That night the nurses took the baby and gave me an ambien. Never had one of those before (or since) but it was the best nights sleep I have had in a long long time. The next morning the nurses watched the baby while I showered and got ready to be picked up. I heard the tornado coming from a mile away when the boys got there. We took some pics, the nurses gave me the lessons I have heard three times before about SIDS and feeding and pooping and whatever. And then we finally turned in the papers with the name we had finally decided on. Joshua Alexander was the new babe we were taking home with us for the first time. I love him so much. I love to look at him and hold him and kiss him and take in every moment of this last little babe of mine. I don't even care that he is not the little girl I had wished for. I wouldn't trade him for all the pink bows and ruffly underwear in the world. He completes our family and I can't wait to see how his personality and traits develop. And I wish him so much luck being the youngest of these wild and crazy boys.

1 week

2 weeks

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1 1/2 months with "My Pet Monster"

2 months