Introducing our new baby!

Dallen Andrew is here! We are so happy to have him with us. I can't believe how early he showed up-I wasn't even quite 37 weeks yet so that was a little unexpected but here he is and we just love him. I am suprised how well the boys are doing with their new little brother-particularly Jack. We didn't think Jack would be too impressed but he just LOVES Dallen! I am going to post a few pictures and the big, long birth story for anyone who is interested. I can't believe how long I was in labor! But so worth it to have this precious angel in our family. As I type this he is laying on my chest snoozing and I am kissing him and loving it!

Here is how it happened:

I was sort of sick on Friday with stomach flu like symptoms. I am still not positive if I was sick or if they were pre-labor signs. Saturday morning I woke up feeling better but about 8 or 9 in the morning I realized I was having some "painful" contractions. Not painful really but certainly not braxton hicks either. I told Josh and he started timing them and they were something like 8-10 minutes apart consistently.

We just went about the house getting things done (well, mostly he did and I laid on the couch and watched him and timed contractions). This lasted all day long. Literally-all day long with nothing more than contractions coming fairly regularly, not hurting a ton but certainly enough that it made me think it was probably labor.

Finally, about 11:15 that night I woke Josh up (we had gone to bed early just in case) and said maybe we ought to just head in. The contractions were getting a little stronger and were coming about 6 minutes apart, so just to be on the safe side I thought we maybe should get started since we had to get the boys to a friend's house and then get to the hospital about 20 minutes away. So, we woke the boys, got them settled at the friends house and headed in.

We got the hospital around 1 in the morning. They put me in triage, hooked up the monitors and checked me. Said I was about 3.5 cm and 50% effaced. They said they would monitor me for an hour and if there was any change they would admit me. But when the realized I was not quite 37 weeks yet, they didn't want to do anything to make the contractions come any faster like having me walk.

So, I laid in the triage bed for about 2 hours waiting. I was still having contractions but they had slowed to about 10 minutes again! They still hurt pretty good, enough that I was uncomfortable laying there. But, when they came in the check me there was no change and they said they were sending me home. They figured I was just dehydrated from being sick on Friday and said if I could hydrate myself they contractions would stop. So, they gave me some jello and juice for the ride home and I drank and drank.

We got home at about 4:30-left the boys at the friend's house so we wouldn't have to disturb them again-and went to bed. Sure enough, the contractions stopped! I was able to sleep pretty soundly from 4:30 till 7:30 which felt great!

Then, Josh got up and went and got the boys and took them to church but left me to sleep. The contractions started in again around 8 or so and kept coming every 10 minutes again! So, I dozed off and on clear till like 12:30 that day. When my boys all got home from church we just hung out at home and still, contraction after contraction but never closer than about 8 minutes. I was getting so very sore and tired by this point though!

Around 6:15 the contractions picked up and started hurting more and coming closer together! Finally! I told Josh and he moved into high gear getting the boy ready to go again and stuff. I told him to wait because I didn't want to get sent home again and wanted to make sure we gave it enough time to be sure it was real. Well, within 30 minutes they had gone back to 10 minutes apart again. I was frustrated and the boys were mad that we weren't taking them to their friend's house!

We put the boys to bed around 8. I was STILL having contractions and they were pretty painful by this point. Enough that I couldn't sit through them (they actually had been this painful most of the afternoon). But I was determined we weren't going back in till I was sure. Josh went to bed around 9 and I sort of did too. I kept having to get up every 10 minutes (yes, STILL consistently 10 minutes apart) for a contraction and didn't want to keep bugging him so I came down to the couch. This went on until 11-every ten minutes, lots of pain.

I kept debating-every time a contraction came I was sure it was time because they hurt so bad and then it would go away and I would rethink it. Finally about 11 I decided we better just go because I was going to play this debating game all night. So again we packed up they boys and took them to the same friend's house.

As we were driving there the contractions got really intense-painful and every 2-3 minutes. So we raced them to the door of the friend's house and took off for the hospital. Luckily there wasn't much traffic and Josh drove fast! I couldn't believe that all of a sudden it was happening after all that time! He got us there in just about 10 minutes which is really fast. We went through the ER which was paradise instead of walking! They wheel chaired me to the labor in delivery within seconds and they moved me immediately to triage. We were there about 12:20 a.m.

I told the nurses that the contractions were coming hard and fast and I thought it was going to happen soon so they moved pretty fast. I had the best nurse ever in triage! I loved her! She called the resident in right away who checked me and said I was 6.5 centimeters and fully effaced. I was thrilled! They started all the necessary procedures right away-put an IV in for fluids so I could get an epidural, did a quick ultrasound to make sure he was head down, called my doctor, that sort of thing. Then they moved me to labor and delivery. I don't even remember what time I got there-maybe 1:15 or 1:30?

They gave me some neumorphan for the pain which worked SO well. I felt really pretty good at that point. Still breathing through some of the contrations but they were bearable. Doctor showed up and was oking the epidural but wanted to check me first. She did and said I was complete and ready! No epidural for me but that was fine because I was ready!

So, the doctor broke me water and that is when the real pain started. I guess I had forgotten how incredibly painful it is! I had one contraction and then felt the urge to push so I pushed. I think I only pushed for about 15 minutes or so but I was shocked by how badly that hurt! I don't remember it being that bad with either of the other boys!

Dallen Andrew was born at 2:05 and I was so thrilled to see him! He is teeny tiny at only 6 lbs even and 17 inches (4 inches shorter than Nathan was!). I fell in love instantly. He is a perfect doll and I just want to eat him! They cleaned me and him up and kept us in the labor and delivery room for about 2 hours. I nursed him there and he did well. I was bleeding more than normal so I got to have 2 wonderful doses of pitocin but that was ok and I am fine.

What more is there to say? I love him, love him, love him! There is nothing I like better in this world than spending those days in the hospital with my brand new baby so those 2 days were absolute paradise to me. Now he is just laying on my chest snuggling and I love it. He is SO cute and tiny and just perfect!