Elena Joy April 2, 2013

 

I know, I know! I’ve gotten a million and ten text messages inquiring about my blog update. Here you have it people. We will start at the beginning of the week last week. Here we are Easter Morning. Cody and I both had to speak in church, so naturally, we were up and going early so we could be early to church. A 30ish minute drive to church has been a wake up call. Luckily, church does not start until ten.

And one of the belly. We couldn’t get Lacey to look because all day long she stands at my feet pleading, “Hold you, hold you!”

**DISCLAIMER** This is now a birthing story. feel free to skim the pictures if you’d rather not know!*** Monday we went in for the amniocentesis. Elena was a wild child and as soon as they were ready to poke that huge needle in her foot would pop up at the injection site. It took awhile longer, but things went very smoothly, and we received a call that night confirming we were set to go first thing on Tuesday morning. After a very nice priesthood blessing from Cody,  A very kind guy from our branch, Brother Temple, picked me up at 6:00 AM and drove me to the hospital so that we could let the kids sleep in and not be at the babysitters (also the Temple’s) house all day long.

I got checked in and started in fluids and Cody got to the hospital about 8:30. I was dilated to a six, thinking this would be a breeze and all would be well. In order to prevent hemorrhaging, which I had with Kevin and Julia. The Doctor started me on pitocin at 9:00 a.m. wanting me to contract on my own for awhile before he broke my water, which would help lessen the bleeding afterwards. After having Lacey naturally, I was determined to sit back and enjoy this delivery with a nice epidural placed in my back. Little did I know the heck that was to begin. The Epidural process was started at 11:00 am. since my water had yet to break, contracts were painless and I sat nice and still for a very smooth placement of the epidural. Upon insertion, the anesthesiologist puts a test dose through the line to make sure placement is correct. The test dose is not supposed to do anything to the patient, but by the time I had laid down my legs were completely numb and within minutes I was numb just past my chest. (Keep in mind, the epidural line has never been turned on.) After 4 or 5 doses of adrenaline, because my blood pressure kept diving and an hour or more of time passing, my midsection was still numb, but I was moving my legs again. Our first anesthesiologist had gone into surgery and so his partner came in and said, that maybe the line had nicked my spinal fluid line, and although that would work for pain, it only takes one tenth of the dosage that an epidural takes. He decided it would be best to move it. After the 2nd epidural placement, only a half of a test dose was inserted through the line by the time I laid down my legs were numb again and this time I only numbed up through my midsection. It was then decided that no matter how hard I cried the baby was coming naturally, and a big TAG was taped over the top of the epidural line saying, NO WAY, NO HOW!!!  And CRY I DID. I was SO DANG MAD!!  I had a plan and I REALLY wanted to stick to said plan!!!  My water was broke at 3:43 p.m. and I was dilated to a seven, after several hard contractions, me being mad, and letting Cody know it, and Cody being oh so supportive and encouraging it was time to push. I had to push three times and Elena was born at 4:12 p.m. I then bawled like a baby because I was so happy, and it went from happy crying to super mad crying, because I wanted to enjoy this babies birth, just like I had enjoyed Julia’s birth so long ago. Anyway… Elena Joy is here, happy and healthy at 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 19 inches long. She has had slight jaundice, but nothing compared to the other kids and has only required window treatments, which today her number was the same as yesterday, we are praying it has peaked and is on it’s way down.

About an hour after Elena was born, I got up and showered and ordered dinner. I felt SO MUCH BETTER than I did with her inside of me. Cody left to get the kids. They were so excited and SO tired when they got there. Lacey ran right up yelling, “baby!” and was full of hugs and kisses.

Julia inspected every square inch of her body, “oohing, and ahhhing!”

Kevin compared his fingers to her fingers and his toes to her toes and then enjoyed exploring my room.

And since then, my Mom flew in two days later, I’ve napped several times. The kids have played hard inside and outside with Dad and Granny. And yesterday my Mom took me shopping. We went to Kohl’s, saving 850.00 and only spending 86.00  out of pocket when it was all said and done. Woohoo for gift cards, kohls cash, and coupons. I’m now rocking TONS of new clothes. Thanks Mom and Dad and Cody! You know how to make a girl feel better.

Sunday morning we finally got to some real baby pictures. Elena did not make a squeak. I’m sure it is because Cody said, “if you’re taking pictures, I’m leaving. I’m not watching you torture another one of our kids!”

This first picture in the purple hat looks just like my Dad did when he was a baby. Minus the purple hat of course.

And I’ve been asked for pictures of my Mom, to which I’ve replied,
“My Dad has enough pictures of her cooking and cleaning, I haven’t taken anymore.” And I’m serious. She has waited on us hand and foot. We did go to lunch and the lake yesterday and we did get some pictures, That will be for another post.

I’m so grateful to have my Mom here. We are truly blessed to have her.

(This picture is of her facetiming with Jordin. A daily, sometimes 10 times daily occurrence. Jordin sometimes gets side tracked by her own image on the screen and gets caught making funny faces at herself. My Mom was mid making fun. Too bad I missed my Mom’s funny faces…

We are blessed and we know it!!!!