The Oliver Story

Oliver is 5 days old today.

I am so glad that I documented Jiles's and Zoe's births, and want to do the same for Oliver.  Too bad I didn't blog in the days of the older 3.

So, as I wrote in a previous post, I wasn't sure whether or not to be induced.  The more I thought about being induced, the better it sounded.  I wouldn't let myself think about anything to do with labor and delivery.  I knew that I knew what to do in labor and delivery and just wanted to wait to think about it  when it was happening.  (Which reminds me that last Saturday night Weston wanted me to watch Man of Steel - the superman movie - with him.  It starts out with his mom giving birth to him and I got up and went to bed.  Didn't want to see that!)

I called the doctor Monday morning and we planned on 10 a.m. the next day.  I felt calm.  Weston had given me a blessing that I would be and that I could just enjoy the experience.

Here is how the day went:

8:30 a.m.-  I got up.  Zoe had joined us at about 6 and Weston let me sleep in with her while he got the big kids off to school.  I had a good cuddle with her.  I was thinking about her not being the youngest anymore, wondered how she would take to that, and how she had no idea what was coming.

8:40 - Showered, got ready - including putting on makeup and earrings, ate breakfast.

9:20 - Left cousin Whitney in charge and made our way to the hospital in the rain.

10:10 - To the hospital room where they drew my blood and then we waited for the results.

12ish - Weston went to the store to get some lunch and while he was gone the doctor came.  He said that he woke up in the night worried that I was in labor in my front yard or something.  I was dilated to a 5 (woohoo!!  I prayed that I would be a 5.) and we decided to break my water, but to wait for Weston, so the doc left again.

1 something - Got the epidural.

 2:15 - Dr. comes back.  I am dilated to a 6 (all on my own, mind you).  The doctor breaks my water.  Weston said, "Hey I'd like to announce if it's a boy or a girl."  The doctor said, "You can deliver the baby if you want."  And then to a nurse he said, "Go get Weston some scrubs."

5:00 - I feel like I'm going through transitioning.  Nurses come in and check me and I'm complete and ready to go.  There is lots of busyness with getting everything ready including getting Weston the right sized gloves.

5:05ish - The doctor comes.

5:15 - I feel the need to push, and I do - for an HOUR.  He was a little stuck.

6:14 p.m. - A nurse takes these photos of our little one coming into the world.  The doctor is coaching Weston in what to do.  I was enjoying the experience of watching Weston.  (Don't worry, the pictures are rated G):

(These are the rare photos that I was talking about in my last post.  I like to call them "Weston Delivers".)

When he first came out, in my shock of him being a boy and while Weston was still concentrating on not dropping the baby, I said, "It's a BOY!"  Whoops.  I stole his thunder on that one.  

Weston cut the umbilical cord and I nursed him right away.  He had zero problems with that.  

Yay, he's here!  We didn't finalize the name until the next morning.

Our doctor is a total stud.  He is super laid back, but really good at what he does.  He bought us dinner that night.  He took our order for the Chinese Cafe and then went and picked it up and brought it back for us.  He has a super cool name, too.  There is a really hot band with the same name, & sons.  In fact, I had one of their songs stuck in my head the whole time that went, "You are the mother, the mother of your baby child, the one to whom you gave life..."

 We Skyped with Weston's parents the night he was born.  They are in Colombia which is 2 hours ahead of us.  My parents are in Poland and are 8 hours ahead, so we couldn't Skype with them until the next morning.  It was so fun introducing all these grandparents to their newest grandbaby.  It is #19 for Weston's parents and #33 for mine.

We also got visits from our buddy Bolt Turner, my sister Holly and her youngest, Olivia, and our friend Kyle.

Oliv kids - Olivia and Oliver:

Olivia helped me pick which of the 2 boy outfits I brought to take him home in.  Who thought a collar on baby clothes was a good idea?  They're ridiculous.  Babies have no necks. 

The kids were able to hear him cry on the phone the night he was born, and we told them over speaker phone that they had a new baby brother.  There was a loud "Awwwwww!" of excitement.  When we called on our way home the next day, Whitney said they were all plastered to the window watching for us.  By the time we pulled in the driveway Wednesday afternoon, the oldest 3 had run clear up the driveway barefoot or in socks.  We gathered them into the living room for the big reveal.  It was the cutest thing watching them coo over their newest sibling.

Zoe was in baby heaven.  She is still doing really well with him.

My oldest niece, Whitney, came to our house last Sunday night and helped me with the littles and to keep things clean and make meals and whatever else.  She is awesome!  The kids adore her.  It was so nice to just leave Tuesday morning knowing the kids were in good hands and still at home.  She did it all: morning & bedtime routines; pack lunches; change diapers; make dinner; help with homework; etc. She stayed until Thursday afternoon to help out.  Awesome.

It did it again; my heart grew again.  Oliver is so loved.  I love ALL my babies so much!  All SIX!!

NiNe MoNthS!

I am there.  Pretty much anyway.  I am just about 39 weeks along.  At my baby appointment today the doctor suggested a possible induction.  Really?  Am I that close?  Oh boy.  He didn't realize exactly how far out I live and voiced concerns about me not getting to the hospital in time.  He thought maybe it be best to schedule it, if that is what we want to do.  I think that that may sound good.  I get sooo nervous thinking that I might not make it to the hospital.  I had a dream a few weeks ago that the baby was coming, but I was so concerned about where Jiles was going to be, and then the baby was there and in a stroller and I told Weston to call the doctor because the baby was already here.  Today, our doctor was telling me that he has had experiences of delivering babies in cars and at people's houses that woke up in the middle of the night feeling the need to push.  But they lived a lot closer (one being his backyard neighbor where he just ran across the yard).

We switched from the midwife that I had with Zoe to our family doctor, whom we have had as a family doc since we've lived in Idaho and who has delivered well over 1000 babies, just a few weeks ago, at, oh, 35 weeks along.  Last minute, I know, kind of like we did in Zoe's pregnancy, at 30 weeks, from a different midwife.  I didn't go anywhere from 21 weeks until 35 weeks because we were trying to decide what to do.  I really liked the midwife that I had with Zoe, but she switched hospitals and it was going to be so expensive there.  I also like the drive way better to our family doctor; it's all country roads, whereas to the midwife was downtown Boise.  The midwife is also twice as far (an hour and a half away) as our family doctor.  I can't imagine racing to the hospital in labor through an hour of traffic.  Blah.  But mainly I feel like our family doctor does a great job, and will do a great job in delivery, and I really like his style.  He is laid back yet very competent and confident, you never feel rushed  (which probably explains why one has to sit in the waiting room for so long), and, as my friend who is a doula says, is basically like a man midwife.

I have had 3 appointments with him.  First, at 35 almost 36 weeks, I was measuring right on at 35 and had just broke a new weight!  Never had I seen that number on a scale for me.  But, ah well.  It is all good as long as my baby is healthy.  (Goodness know I haven't been skimping on the ice cream.)  At my 2nd appointment, last week, I was measuring 2 weeks behind - still measuring 35 at almost 38 weeks and was 2 pounds lighter than 2 weeks before.  I was worried, thinking about Zoe's pregnancy and her intrauterine growth restriction issues and was thinking that an ultrasound sounded good to make sure.  I got an ultrasound (2nd for this pregnancy - with Zoe I had like 13) just after that appointment and everything looked fine.  At my appointment today I was still measuring 35.  I think that my baby has dropped, though, and I am carrying differently.  Doc thinks the same.

So, back to the big question brought up in the first paragraph:

To be induced, or not???

That is now the question.

I like doing things as naturally as possible, and like when things happen when the baby and my body are really ready, but at the same time, knowing I'm going to make it (and in time for an epidural, because I would reeeallly like one) and having things all set and ready to go with the other kids (instead of waiting for someone to come over in the middle of the night, or dragging them out of bed, or whathaveyou) would be quite nice and comforting and I wouldn't get so nervous with the anxiety of the unknown.

We talked about possibly inducing on Friday or Monday, if that is, in fact, the route that we want to go.  Eek!
I need to talk to Weston and make a decision and a plan.

I have been contracting a ton lately.  On the drive home today, where I could actually watch the clock while sitting for 45 minutes, I was having them every 6 minutes.  Hmmm.

Before I sign off, here are a couple of pictures to compare 10 days before my due date with little growth restriction Zoe, who had to come that day because she was getting smaller (picture on the left), and me yesterday 10 days before my due date with this little one.  I don't think I've actually ever compared prego pix like this before.  Kind of cool.

Oh yeah, I was eating on Sunday evening and part of a filling in my tooth came out and I accidentally swallowed it.  And then yesterday, eating again, the rest came out.  I was able to get it, and sure enough it was a piece of amalgam filling.  I went to the dentist this afternoon and got a new composite filling.  I was having contractions while they were working, and during one strong one, the doctor said, "Keep your mouth open wide."  Hahaha.  Not too fun, but I'm glad that it is filled and done.

37 Weeks

it's november!

we're adding a new member to our family this month.

exciting!

i've been drinking herbal red raspberry tea everyday for the last 3 weeks,
hoping to help me have an easy easier delivery.
i think that it really helped with ezra's birth.
he was the only one that i drank it with.
and he was born 100% natural, without any meds,
in a sweet little home-like birthing center where meds are not an option.
it really was a great experience.
he came so quickly and relatively easily.
Probably my best and easiest delivery.
I forgot about red raspberry with Jiles and Zoe.

i will continue to drink it everyday until this baby is born.
i love it.

the crib is up.

nesting's been going on here and there.
i've been halted in my efforts a little, though,
with a head cold, queasiness, and busyness of life.

i opened my scriptures this morning right to the verse,
"Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come..."
i thought of our babe and my hospital bag that has yet to be packed.
and the newborn girl clothes that i need to ask weston to get down from the loft.

now for the anticipation.

boy? girl?

when will he or she come?
and in what fashion?
and what time of the day?
(please be a morning after i've had a good night sleep.) 

oh the fun of adding a new little one.

30/40 Week Prego Bump

30 weeks down

10 to go

.....

little one in my tummy moves light ker-azy.

but i wouldn't expect it to be different.

i have braxton-hicks contractions a lot and they are getting stronger and stronger.

i'm tired and thirsty the majority of the time, and get out of breath walking up stairs, 

or sometimes just bending over to pick something up.

 all totally normal.

jiles has started calling my tummy "baby boy".  weston and i both feel like this might be a boy.  however, 2 little girls in a row would be so fun.

but, of course, a baby boy would be so fun, too.

time will tell about that one.

i have my favorite name for a boy.  it's been a favorite, and was a candidate for both ezra and jiles.

i think that weston like it, too.  it's growing on him, he says.  

girl names are harder for us.  there are 2 that we both like and are in the running.  we'll just hold them both until the baby's born and we know the gender for sure.

i had the cutest conversation with jiles yesterday as we watched my stomach move all around.  that's when he told me that it was a boy.  i can't remember what else he said (should've written it down right away, darn it), but his blue eyes, kewpie doll face, and soooo sweet disposition had me down right smitten. 

last night i got home from a meeting after all the kids were asleep.  before i turned in i peeked in on all of them.  i look at them and i always wonder if i'm giving them enough.  am i giving them enough time, eye contact, love, patience, spiritual food, good example, understanding, nutritious physical food, all of it?

then i kneel by my bed and thank the Lord for allowing me to raise them, to be their mother.  and i ask Him to help me be an instrument in His hands to help me mold them to how He wants them.  because how He wants them is how it needs to be, and that's how i want them, too.

25/40 and Some Name Suggestions Please

I was 25 weeks along last Thursday.

We are having a hard time picking/agreeing on a name.  And not just one gender name, may I remind you; we are searching through both boy names and girl names.  I stay up way too late at night searching through baby name sites.  My favorite girl name, Weston really doesn't like, and his favorite boy name, I really don't like.  What to do?  We are taking suggestions, if anyone has any.  

number 6

19 weeks and counting.
Just about half way.

And totally excited.

And growing larger by the second.

I'm number 6 of 7 kids.  It's a good place to be.
This little number 6 will be welcomed by 5 very excited siblings.
We've unanimously decided that the gender shall be unknown until arrival.
EDD = 11-20-13

WooHoo!

The Zoe Story

If you don't want to read this whole thing, for it is long, at least go here (someone let me know if you need the password to get in) to look at the pictures of Zoe that someone took in the hospital (at the foot of my bed).  They turned out great.  I love them.  I listened to that song that plays on the site at least 30x in the hosptial while taking turns staring at the pictures and Miss Zoe herself.  It will forever remind me of Zoe's birth days.   (I added a playlist with it.)

Sweet, sweet baby Zoe Charlotte and I are chillin' on my big unmade bed this Sabbath morning while Daddy and the 4 oldest are at church.  I love these quiet Sundays that I can just love on my new baby with nobody else around.   I love her sleepy little soft self.   She is teeny.  She was 6 lb. 1 oz. when she was born, but has lost 3 oz., which is normal, and is now 5 lb. 14 oz.   I know that a lot of babies have been/are smaller, but I've never had one this small.  Her head in the pictures looks twice as big on the screen as it does in real life.  Well, maybe like 1 1/2x bigger.

So, do you want the rest of the story?  I'll try to make it not so wordy (yeah, for me, not so easy).

Monday night, as I finished up the post that included that pathetic and hilarious picture of the 3 oldest all allergic-fied, I was starting to feel some strong contractions.  I finished up quickly and got into bed, praying that it wasn't going to happen that night.  I was too tired.  Contractions kept coming strong and close together and I started to get extremely nervous and jittery and shaky all over.  I thought of all the things that I needed to do and get together before I was ready (are you ever really ready?) to go into labor.  I should have acted on those thoughts by getting all that stuff ready, right then.   Instead I focused on trying to calm down and thankfully I was able to calm down and go to sleep.

I woke up Tuesday morning thinking, I'm still here.  I had to wake everyone up and get them ready to head out the door at 8:30 (totally early for us these days) for my appointment with the maternal fetal medicine place.  Kate was going with Weston so that I could buy her birthday things after my appointment.  Plus we couldn't all fit in the little car since Grandma and Grandpa had taken the 'burb to drop it off at the repair place that morning on their way into town.

(Side note because I think it is funny: As we were loading into the car, Kate loaded onto the 4-wheeler with Weston.  She had major bed head, so I suggested, "Wes, there is a brush in the top drawer of the bathroom that you can fix her hair with."  Weston turned to look at Kate and asked her, "Do you want your hair fixed?"  She shook her head quickly, and they drove away.  Oh well.)

The boys and I got to my appt. a few minutes late, and as we climbed the stairs (they were bummed we didn't take the elevator) to the 2nd floor, I bribed them with ice cream cones to be good and help with Jiles.  An ultrasound technician did the ultrasound, measuring her, and then left.  I was concentrating on my boys, especially Jiles.  They were being very good, but Jiles was getting a little restless, and Spencer was trying so hard to keep him busy.  

A few minutes later they came back in and said that they were trying to get ahold of my midwife.  

"Why? What's wrong?" I wondered.  

"Your baby's abdomen is actually measuring smaller than it was two weeks ago," the tech said. "The doctor said that you need to have your baby today."

"Today."

"Yes, today."

I felt surprisingly calm.  

We went over to my midwife's office to make a plan, which was to go into the hospital as soon as possible to get started.  Induced!  Nasty word, so I thought before, but I was okay with it now.  I called Weston at home and left a message, but knew that he was out in the tractor in the field, so I called a neighbor to go find him and tell him.  I guess the message came off a little more urgent than needed, and Weston almost skipped going home to get all of our stuff, thinking that he was going to miss the birth.  

The boys and I went to my sister Holly's house where Weston and I were going to meet and leave the kids to stay (between her house and my parents' house 3 miles away).  The rest of the day went like this (I want to hurry and finish this because I reeeeally want to take a nap before everyone gets home from church):

2:00 PM - Weston and Kate get to Holly's house with all of our things (except for Jiles's clothes and diapers -whoops, small detail)

2:15 - On our way to the hospital. Calm.

2:50  - Pull up to the hospital.  For real? Are we really doing this?

3:00 - Check into labor and delivery.  Put on the awesomely flattering hospital gown.

Am I really putting this picture on the www?  Apparently I am.

4:30 ish - Start pitocin.

4:45 - Anesthesiologist lady administers the epidural!  She's my new best friend.  I got the epidural before I felt any contractions, just like I wanted.  Yippy.  Happy. 

8:15 - Things are not going very fast, so my midwife breaks my water.

10:36 - Can't feel or move my left leg, but feel the need to push.  And I do.

10:46 - Zoe Charlotte presents her cute little self.  LOVE! 

And YAY! She came on the 21st and not the 22nd, Kate's 7th birthday.  They missed sharing a birthday by 1 hour and 14 minutes.

Easy peasy delivery?  Well not quite; it is still labor.  But no feeling the painful contractions and no ring of fire!!  PHEW!!!! Totally what I ordered.   

The 2-night-stay in the hospital was wonderful.  My parents brought the kids on Wednesday.  And on Thursday Weston's cousin, Trent, and his wife, Katie, who works at the hospital and was in between surgeries in scrubs and hair cover thing (she's a radiology tech), stopped in to see us.  

Here are some pix of the kids seeing their newest clan member for the first time:

Kate's best birthday gift ever.

So I left home Tuesday morning not knowing that I wasn't going to be home until Friday (I stayed one night with my parents because Zoe had a dr. appt. the next morning to check her bilirubin level), leaving the kitchen a mess (which someone came in and cleaned!  And Grandma and Great-Grandma cleaned our laundry room - MAJOR project - matching a basket full of socks included!) and not bringing anything with us.

But it's all good.  Really good.  Because we brought home with us the most awesome thing - a baby girl.

My heart is so full.  I love the feeling in our home that a new sweet spirit straight from Heaven brings.

Five sweet babes to love.

Sweet and loverly.

Driving to Town & What I Said When I Left the Doctor's Office

blind shot / hold-the-camera-and-push-the-button while driving pix on the way to my parents' house

The kids and I drove southwest to my ma's and pa's place on Tuesday night.  It was a gorgeous evening and sunset.  We had the windows down and OMD singing to us (raise your hand if you know who they are).  It was nice.  We spent the night at my mom and dad's and I left Wednesday morning for my doctor/midwife appointments while my mom watched the kids and took them to my sister's house alllll day (you are a saint, Sary Mue!).  I had 3 appointments and would be gone from 8:30-5:30.  Long day.  For everyone.

My first appointment was my checkup with my midwife.  It was routine, except that I was measuring really behind again, which got us thinking that she had not grown, which got us talking about having the baby on Friday.  As she started explaining the various induction methods - "there's the pitocin method, and then there is the mmrrmrrwwrrmerr...." - things started to blur.  I fanned my face with my hands and told her that I needed to lay down.  I felt like I was going to faint.  With a few minutes laying down to get my blood pressure stabilized and a cup of water I felt well enough to walk out of the office.  I just wanted fresh air.  I had 45 minutes until the appointment with the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor, so I went and bought a berry smoothie drink and a Kellogg's breakfast bar at the gas station to stabilize my blood sugar.  I felt better.  (Oh yeah, I am 2 cm dilated.)

Next appointment - MatFetMed.  This was the important one which determined my fate - well at least maybe baby girl's birthday and my plans for the weekend.  They weighed me.  I was +3 pounds since last Wednesday.  I have eaten so much since last Wednesday trying to fatten this baby up.  The week before I had lost a 1/2 pound.  Now I'm really fattening this baby (me) up for shores, but what about the littlest Miss?

They started doing the ultrasound, and even though I was laying down I started getting woozy and light-headed and hot and faint and nervous.  It was not fun.  They gave me a cold washcloth and I just tried to take deep breaths and not faint as they continued on with the ultrasound.

Measure, squirt more gel, probe this way and that.  Deep breaths.   Don't pass out.

"Your fluid looks good.  It is about 12 cm."  Okay, good.  "Let's do the weight."

"Oh, baby is measuring 5.11.  That's about the 25th percentile.  She looks good."
Deeeeep breath/sigh!  Thank heavens!  5 pounds 11 ounces!

"So you mean I don't need to be induced on Friday?"
"No, you don't."
I all of a sudden felt stable and not faint.
"And we don't need to see you for 2 weeks."

I went down the stair well (not a huge fan of taking the elevator by myself) and said out loud, "Hallelujah!"  I opened the door to the fresh air outside and said it again.  Weston called right then and I told him everything and he said, "So this is like a normal pregnancy now?"  "Yeah, I think so."  Sweet!

So now to chill and let her cook longer.  To my due date?  Or probably a week over and she'll be like 8 pounds by then.  And I'll be like 250.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and concerns and thoughts and everything.  We're very grateful to you and to our Father in Heaven.  We are blessed.