La Smala de Muche: November 2013

It has now been two weeks since I finished being pregnant. I have this perfect little boy, falling asleep in his little bouncer in front of me. The kids are at school and Reed went back to work today, after a very enjoyable layed back 2 week vacation/paternal leave. My heart is so full of love for this little one, I feel so blessed beyond measures, almost unworthy to have yet another perfect being in my home. And he is absolutely gorgeous too. He sleeps like a newborn, but I did get 2 times 4 hours last night. He loves our arms best though and would rather sleep near us then in any other contraption the world has invented to sooth babies...and I don't blame him :)

So here is the story of how he decided to come into this world: after hoping I would go in labor on my own, I had to give up and go in to be induced, on the 21st. My due date was the 22, I would have waited longer, except that my babies are sumo size and I didn't dare to wait for the extra 1/2 lbs they put on per week. I walked in the hospital on Monday at 7:00am, got registered, paid in advance for my fancy hotel room (for the price, you'd think I stayed at the Ritz!).
The nurse came to get me...and my water broke a little! I had mild contractions too, but they still gave me Pitocin which brought full on labor way fast. After an hour or so of hard contractions every 2-3 minutes, I realized that my super hero moments were enough and I got an epidural at 11. I think the anesthesiologist gave me the elephant dose because I was so numb from the boobs down that my butt felt like a blimp (think of how you feel with your face after the dentist if you are unfamiliar with epidural!). I usually can still move my legs a little but they were dead this time! Which worried me a little since I didn't know if I could feel anything to push when the time would come.
Around 3, the nurse called the doctor, I was ready to have this baby. I had had my two doses of penicillin to protect baby from any potential harm from that Strep B bacteria. Dr. Seal came in, he went and changed into "his birthday suit" as he called it (scrubs, no worries, I didn't have a weird birth with everyone naked or anything). By the time he came back in, baby was beyond crowning. I was told not to sneeze, laugh, cough or push.! The doc was trying to get dressed while holding Liam's head in. I had a mirror so I saw it all, which is kinda gross and kinda amazing at the same time. It's amazing to see your child being born, but it's freaky to see HOW he comes out, ouch, hello, who's idea was it to make 'em come out from there, it doesn't stretch that way, it's not made for that, come one!!!!
When the bed was ready and the doc too, he pretty much let the baby slide out, no one needed my help. I gave half a push for the football shoulders to come out (oh yeahhhh, no episiotomy...only rip tore, ugh!!!). He came out, followed by all the amniotic fluid he was plugging (and that's why when I got there and my water broke, it wasn't a flood like on TV). And there he was, perfect.
It felt a little unreal since I really didn't have to do anything and the epidural took all of the pain away. He looked just like his other brothers, since we just clone babies. They put him on me right away, and he warmed up against me for quite a while. Then the big moment came when they have to weigh him: 9 lbs 9 oz, 21 1/2 inches, 14 inches for the head. I had done it again, I had a giant baby, but so stinkin' cute again!

Last family picture without Liam! I looked totally stoned, but really, I was excited...and I love Maddy too, even if it looks like she's just behind me like a stranger!