#3 Has Arrived!

   Well, #3 arrived June 7, 2015 at 8:35am weighing in at 8lb and 6oz and 21in. long!  Oh, and it's another BOY!  We have 3 kids... and 2 boys!!  I still haven't grasped it all yet, not sure when I will!  I will say that I'm so glad we didn't find out this time... it was hard especially around the 20 wk ultrasound but it made it so much more exciting in delivery!  The last few weeks I was a bit anxious but the wait was worth it and I'd do it all over again (even if the baby wasn't the same season as my other ones!).  I just wish I had William telling me that it was a boy on video because he was thinking girl before so he was surprised!

The birth story:
   So after my last delivery, the one where I didn't get my epidural when I really wanted it, I was so nervous about making it to the hospital this go around.  So last week I had my sister spend a few nights with us but he didn't come.  So my mom called and offered to come stay until Monday which was my next appointment... where I was going to ask about being induced so that I didn't have to worry about how fast somebody could come watch the other two and how fast William could get me to the hospital.  I was sure if she came, the baby wouldn't.  But once again, Lovey's intuition proved to be a major blessing!
   About 1am Sunday morning I made one of my nightly potty runs and was just about back to sleep when AR came in and I let her get in bed with us.  She rarely cuddles unless you are 100 degrees and trying to sleep and then she's a magnet!  While laying with us she put her hand on the side of my belly and started patting it and then rubbing it... I couldn't help but smile at her tenderness.  I was getting rather hungry at this point and trying to let her fall asleep before getting up.  I then felt this weird "popping" sensation, much like a thick rubber band had popped inside my belly.  I got a little freaked out b/c in the middle of the night that's what you do... so I was thinking "was that the umbilical cord breaking?!!"  So I laid there until I felt the baby move and he did.  I was also feeling a little sick on my stomach so I decided I'd better get up and walk it off to make sure it wasn't anything.  Well, it wasn't long after that I figured out that "popping" was my water starting to break!
   I yelled to William to wake him up and he started changing and grabbing last minute stuff.  AR laid in our bed with a "deer in the headlights" look on her face, it was quite hilarious.  I woke Lovey and we headed out the door. 
   I was a nervous wreck on the 20-25 minute drive so scared about not making it and/or not getting my meds again.  But we made it and I got my epi, which slowed the baby down a little bit.  You best believe I told every nurse/attendant there that I didn't get my epi last time and how fast I had gone... I wanted it bad this time!  A little after 8am I knew we were getting close and ended up only having to push a couple of times.  The nurse made sure to tell the doctor we didn't know what the baby was so that William could be the one to tell me and I'm glad he was the one to tell me!  She had also told me that she saw a head of hair and I felt pretty sure at that point it was a boy b/c AR had been bald and I just assumed any other girls we had would be bald! 
  I have to say that overall, this was my easiest/best delivery and recovery combined that I have had.  The hardest parts this time were actually getting the epi (when he couldn't seem to get it to go straight down my spine) and the baby blues (which I was somewhat surprised about with #3 but they seem to be lessening a bit each day).  The bible tells us that their will be birth pains... it's just been interesting to see the forms they have come with each delivery!

   Katie and Clint got up that morning and headed to our house so that Lovey could come to the hospital and meet her 3rd grandbaby.  She arrived about 30 minutes after he was born and Grand Daddy arrived about another 30 minutes later as he was coming from their house.  Mimi and Papa had cousin AC with them so they went on to church and then came after lunch bringing Grandmama with them to meet their 6th grandchild and Grandmama's 8th great grandchild.  Baby C evened out the cousins so that there are now 3 boys and 3 girls!

AC was loving this baby... I think she needs one!

 

   Aunt Katie and Uncle Clint were also able to come visit that afternoon.  It also just happened that the Hayes crew were camping not too far away so they were also able to come meet Baby C before he was even 1/2 a day old! 

Meeting two of his cousins

   Of course, Big Sis and Big Brother had to come find out what their little sibling was.  AR was wanting a girl so I was a bit nervous about her reaction to a boy.  I was also counting on W being jealous and not wanting any baby, but I was thankfully wrong in both situations! They are absolutely in love with their new brother!

First family pic of 5!!

Playing with their new sticker books... aka, their hospital "busy" gift!

"Riding" in the hospital bed!

   We were anxiously waiting to leave Tuesday morning and take C home, especially after two horrible nights with little to no sleep.  (Make that 3 when you consider what little sleep we got Saturday night!)
   The third baby has been such a different experience!  We didn't even show up to the hospital with a car seat in the car for the child!!!  I had that sucker in and checked out by a safety expert before AR came!  Grand Daddy had to bring it to us and William got it in before we left! 

   C got to wear his daddy's coming home outfit which is also was W wore home.

It absolutely floors me how you can love each baby just as much as the one(s) you already have.  They are truly gifts from the Lord and I pray that I do all I can to point each one He's given us back to Him.  He has a plan for them and I hope I get at least a glimpse of what it is.

"You've been handed a piece of history in advance - a gracious gift you send to a time you will not see."  -Graced-Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel