Introducing Jonah Rockwell

Two and a half weeks ago, on a Sunday and at church, I sat in Sunday School and felt...

different than I had the day before.  The baby pushed and stretched inside me to where I felt like he would pop out of my skin.  I was having lots of contractions, I felt slower, I couldn't get comfortable in my chair, and even my voice sounded different to me.  I had a hard time listening to the lesson because I was thinking, 'If my water broke right now, what would I do?'   

  

After church we went home.  I took this picture in the mirror above the piano.  36 weeks and 5 days along.

And then we went to my in-law's for Sunday supper; my dear sweet mother-in-law knew how I was feeling and invited us over.  My father-in-law said I should come and sit and they would watch the kids.  They are so good to me!

That week things were pretty normal.

Pole climbing to touch your head on the ceiling:

Homeschooling Spencer, Jiles and Zoe:

Liberty Scholars with Spencer:

Lucky the duck hanging with the chickens:

 Back-to-back reading with Zoe and Oliver:

Wrapping children in toilet paper to learn about Egyptian mummies for history:

On Friday we welcomed a new piece of furniture found on Craigslist:

And gave Ollie a kitchen sink bath after spaghetti lunch:

Then that night was Friday night movie night.  We watched a nature show about wolves.  I curled up with Oliver on the floor watching it until he fell asleep.  At about 9:00 I had a really strong contraction, and thought that I'd get up and put the baby clothes in the hospital bag.  I was still 2 1/2 weeks from my due date.  Weston came in to go to bed as I was doing that and I said to him, "Maybe you should get your things in the hospital bag."  He said, "Oh, I can do it really fast."  As in he'd put them in the bag whenever we would be leaving for the hospital.  

We went to bed about 10.  Weston was on his tablet and I suggested that he maybe go to sleep right away since he had been up since 4:15 that morning (to take his parents to the airport), and "what if we have to go to the hospital tonight?"  

Just as I was entering dreamland, I woke up to a pop/squish/wush sound with a simultaneous weird feeling on my pelvic bone.  I was so sleepy and thought that it was weird, and the baby must've turned or kicked or something.  I fell back asleep, but woke up shortly after and thought, 'Am I wet?  I went to the bathroom 3 times before bed!'  Just for the record, this is not normal; I can never remember a time I have ever wet the bed, even as a kid!  I got up to go change.  When I changed though, I realized I was wet again like right away.  I felt a constant uncontrollable trickle.  Had my water broke???!!!  That had never happened to me before like that, 7th pregnancy though it is!  I immediately started to panic, thinking that my baby was going to be coming before we could make it the hour and 20 minutes to the hospital.  I went in to Weston and shook his foot.  He wearily opened his eyes, and I nervously sputtered, "Idontknow Idontknow," (yes, twice and that fast) "but I think that my water just broke.  We need to go!  Like, NOW!"  

He jumped up and was gathering his things and calling our friends Jason and Anna who live 5 minutes away to come over to be with our kids (it was like 10:40 at this point).  I told him to grab the bag, "And a towel!!" and went out to the car.  I sat for probably 3 minutes, grew impatient and went back inside.  He was taking longer than I wanted and I yelled upstairs sort of frantically, "Let's go!!"  It is funny to me, in hindsight, that I was so frantic.  But, really, I was really scared that I would have to deliver the baby in the car.  I grabbed Jiles's clean blanket from the top of the dryer, thinking I could wrap the baby in that if I had him in the car.

We left at 10:50 and passed Jason at the end of our road.  We stopped long enough to tell him that we were going to call my friend JaNae to come over on our way down.  Weston drove fast, and I jittered, and then made a few calls once we were in cell service - my mom, my midwife.  That calmed me down.  I couldn't get JaNae, but called another good friend, Becky, as we were passing her house with all the lights on.  She went to our house and relieved Jason and stayed the night with our kids.  Bless her!

We hurried to the hospital, only for things to really slow down.  They finally gave me some pitocin to make things go a little quicker.  

Then at 8:08 on Saturday morning, November 7th, and 2 1/2 weeks early, our little guy was born!

Jonah Rockwell

6 pounds and 10 ounces

18 1/2 inches long

So sweet and cute and tiny.

Early afternoon Weston went home to be with our kids, and so Becky could go home.  But first, Becky and JaNae had cleaned and organized at my house!  Such great friends!!

That evening my mom came up to be with me.  She was already half way to us anyway - she had planned weeks before on being at the Twin Falls Temple that day with her sisters.  I was surprised, however, by 2 other visitors that came with her!

My dad and sister Julie drove an extra 2 hours this way (they were at the temple that day too) to spend only about 45 minutes with me and Jonah, and then drove 6 hours back home, getting back home at 1:30 am!  I love them, and was sooo happy to be with them, even for a short time! 

My brother David asked if he had sideburns like his dad yet:

Yup! Looks like he does!

He is so "peace"-ful!

Ready to go home, Jonah?  It won't be as peaceful there.  There are 6 children so anxious for  your arrival!

On our way home, my brother Brian sent me this text:

I love it!

And then at home...

First family of 9 picture, a little blurry, "flashy", and a couple with eyes closed/half way closed, but still happy (and the only one we got).

And then everyone wanted to hold him.

It is always soooo wonderful having a newborn in your home.  Things are a little more heavenly, and we (try to) stay a little calmer.

My bigs ask to hold him.  I love that.

And, of course, I have to be vigilant about the "just was the baby" child getting too "love-y" with Jonah.  And try to keep things as normal for him as possible.

4 days old:

I had one 4-hour chunk on Sunday when everyone went off to church to have absolutely stillness and quiet.  That was wonderful. 

And now he is 13 days old.  His umbilical cord fell off 6 days ago, on his 1 week old birthday.

I love my babies!  These two (23 1/2 months apart),

and my older 5 babies, too!