We have a little boy!!

I am busy and tired and completely in love. 

Declan Elliott James L. was born on August 3rd at 10:28pm after 16 hours of labor!  He was 8 lbs even and 20 inches long. 

I was scheduled to be induced on Monday morning, but woke up Sunday at 6:30 and realized I was having contractions about 3 minutes apart.  We got to the hospital around noon and ended up reading our books most of the afternoon.  It was a slow, easy labor, but super fast and intense at the end.  He was born after only 3 pushes!  Daddy was awesome the whole time. 

Declan was fussy and whiny the first few days which was really scary for me, but the day my milk came in he settled right down.  He's apparently a lot like Daddy and was just hungry! 

He's here!

Ready to go home!

My four babies!

Sucking his thumb

My precious little guy

Fiona is here!

I posted the last blog post at 4:11am while I was awake with uncomfortable contractions.  I hit publish, did another quick read through to check for errors, stood up and my water broke!

Fiona Patricia Hazel L. was born at 5:50pm on December 26, 2012!

She weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and was 18.5 inches long.

Chubby cheeks and absolute perfection!

Mama and Fiona snuggling for the first time

We got to the hospital around 6:30am and even though my water was leaking all my contractions had practically died.  We sat around and talked and tried to relax.  Around 2pm we made the decision to start some pitocin because I wasn't progressing at all.  After that it is all a blur.  Pitocin really threw my body into high gear.  It was HARD.  I ended up getting a little demoral in the IV bag to help me relax in between contractions, but it also made me a little loopy.  She was pretty high and not moving down so I had to push her the whole way.  Lazy kid!  :)  She was born face up after some heavy duty pushing but she is totally worth it!

All three of my babies

Her siblings are totally in love with her.  Chandler says he "likes that Fiona" and that "we have a cute baby".  Let's hope he sticks with that!  Claire is trying to fight me over her.  I get lots of negotiating from her.  "Okay, mom, how about you hold her for 10 more minutes and then it will be my turn?"  She thinks I'm quite stingy.  Hey, I worked hard for that baby and I want to snuggle her!  ;) 

Proud big brother!

Sister bonding.  :)

Precious little face!

Can she be any cuter?

Big yawns ...

"Okay, mom.  We're done with the pictures now."  ;)

See?  I'm getting attitude already! 

Already?!

My precious baby boy turned 6 months old today. I can't believe it's already been half a year! I feel like just yesterday was the eventful day he was born!

A recap for those not in the know: On Thursday, February 26, 2009 I went to the hospital to start an induction after being dilated at 4cm for 4 days. It was 3 days before my due date. I was 5 cm when they checked me when we arrived. They gave me the Cytotec and we walked around the hospital with very mild easy contractions. At noon I was 6 cm and we decided to break my water. There was light merconium in the water and they started monitoring him a little closer, but he sounded fine. At 1pm the contractions really started intensifying and I got in the tub (keep in mind I had had no drugs, I didn't even have an IV in). Towards the end of pushing it suddenly got way harder. My midwife yelled, "It's shoulder dystocia!" After what seemed like an hour later (which later turned out to be almost exactly one minute) Monkey was born at 3:33pm not breathing. The nurses were running all over the place and telling my husband to talk to him. They intubed him and he started breathing, but wouldn't keep breathing on his own. His APGAR scores were 1 and 3. They called for an airlift to the nearest NICU and he had his first helicopter ride at 2 1/2 hours old. I got to hold him for a few minutes before he left - one of the hardest things I've ever done. After spending 6 days in the NICU (me sleeping on the little closet size sleep rooms they have for family) we got to bring our baby boy home!

Six months later we have a happy little boy who is sitting up well on his own and developing a little temper. His pediatrician was laughing at me today at his check up when he was screaming when laying on the table, but all smiles when I picked him up for her to listen to his back. It was like flipping a switch. Sure, she thought it was funny! She doesn't have to deal with a baby screaming on the floor who just wants to be held and a 3 year old desperate for attention who's acting out. :::sigh::: But this time will go too quickly and someday I'll miss it. Then I'll read this and smack myself! :)