B3 is here!

As I recently discussed, I’m a planner. I like to have plans. I also like to make God laugh, and thus try to plan things that are only in his power. Such as the arrival of my children.
I never experienced labor with my first two pregnancies. Josiah was born at 39 weeks in a planned cesarean due to the fact that he was huge. 10lbs.8oz. Yup…
So then little Charlotte was a follow-up c-section at 39 weeks because that’s as early as they would let me have it. I hate being pregnant. I’m terrible at it. I’m sick forever and when I’m not sick I’m in pain. It’s not a good look on me. So yes, my little Charlotte came in at 9 pounds. No labor, no signs of labor. Just like I planned.
And then there was B3. I’d like to introduce Eli Peter.

He entered the world on December 5th. Eli came two weeks before his due date, a week before our scheduled c-section. That means I went into labor… And let me tell you folks, labor is not fun!
At 2a.m. my son woke up and climbed into bed with us. This of course made me have to pee because that’s what pregnant ladies do. When I laid back down I felt a tightening in my lower abdomen. It felt different. I’ve had braxton-hicks contractions and this wasn’t one of those. It lasted about a minute. I just laid there waiting… wondering… was this it?? About ten minutes later, another one came. I decided to get up and start keeping track. Sure enough, for the next hour and a half every 6-10 minutes I’d have a contraction last 60-90 seconds. So at 3:30 I called the hospital and they said “Come on in!” So then I called my mom. I’m sure I could have waited until a more reasonable hour, but I wasn’t thinking about that! Then, I woke up my husband. Ross gets stressed out in situations like this so I want going to wake him until I was really sure! I finally woke him up. I told him the sad news that he wasn’t going hunting that day, instead we were going to have a baby!
I had our bags pretty much packed, but yet there was still so much to gather. Plus, I had to find clothes for myself… Always a challenge for a very pregnant lady. At first, we thought we might bring the big kids with us for a while until it got a little later in the morning… like say six… But by the time we were ready to load the car it was clear that this baby was coming sooner rather than later and we better call the family who was going to watch our bigs. They were going to their daycare family, whom they LOVE and we’re totally ok with this news. Conveniently for us, and a bummer for them, their youngest had woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible ear ache. So when we called to tell them we were bringing our kids over, they were already at the emergency room and just met us there!! One less stop for us, and Ross didn’t have to leave me at all. It’s a night I’m sure they won’t be forgetting soon!! I had our friend snap this quick shot as a “last picture as a family of four!”

Ross and I then headed up to the maternity wing and prepared for baby. It was about 4:45 at this time. The doctor came and checked me to make sure I want dilating too quickly. I wasn’t. The checking for dilation thing is something they don’t warn you about… Super uncomfortable/painful!! But since I was less than two centimeters, and my body had never been through labor, the plan was to keep monitoring and go for the c-section at 7. I wasn’t able to have any pain medicine, due to the fact that I’d be having a c-section and spinal tap within a few hours. I figured I could make it through. But ya know how on TV the moms are always screaming by the end… That part actually happens!! By 7 I was hurtin’ for certain! And, to make the process more fun, my doctor was on call in the emergency room. When I came in, they had called another doctor to come take over, however, he wasn’t there yet and a car accident had come in. This meant I had to wait a little longer. (From what I know, everyone in the car accident was OK!) Finally at 7:45 I was able to head down to surgery. And then came the best part. OK, second best part, the spinal tap! Within a couple minutes the pain of the contractions were gone and I was comfortable again. Then the doctors came in and so did my husband. I was ready!!! And at 8:24 a.m. I heard the most beautiful sound a mother ever hears, the cry of her newborn child. Eli Peter entered the world looking so tiny and with so much hair. He’s our little peanut at 8 pounds 10 ounces, 20.5 inches. And he’s absolutely beautiful. Daddy was able to do skin-to-skin with him right away and feed him his first bottle. Ross had done this with each of our kids and I truly believe it has added to their unique and strong bonds.
We had a few hours with just the three of us, then my mom came followed closely by our big kids. It was such a special time. I don’t think there is a time when a person can be more proud than when sharing their child with loved ones. I love introducing my little ones to others. They are my greatest accomplishment in life!
So we are home now, adjusting. Adjusting to being family of five is much more different then any adjustments before. We’re out numbered. My pain has been great. The baby blues have set in. It’s hard. But it’s also wonderful and worth it. When ever the big kids come into the room, they check to see where Eli is first. They want to help and hold him and love on him.

We have been so blessed to have been given three beautiful, strong, healthy children. My favorite verse this season has been Isaiah 9:6, I’m sure you can see why…

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Happy Harvesting,
Leah