Introducing our caboose- Taysom!

 Although I don't really use the blog much anymore, it only seems right that I write his birth story on the blog, where all the others can be found!

Taysom was due Aug 7, I was dying at like 32 weeks! Ha, being pregnant all of a hot Arizona summer while following around, entertaining, and helping 5 young children did not make pregnancy enjoyable, but I survived! I was fully mentally prepared to go the full 40 weeks but cross my fingers to be induced during that 39 week at some point, although everything I had heard about this east valley area is that being  electively induced is not easy and you almost never get called in until 40 weeks- they don't let you set up an appointment, it's all based on the availability of beds and staff. This was my first pregnancy that I can remember having painful cramps for long periods of time before having baby, I'd always had braxton hick contractions but nothing painful, interesting.

At my 38 week appointment I had high blood pressure- 136/87- the cut off line for it not to be "good" anymore is 140-90. It had been up high at my 36 week appt, but was down enough by the end of my appointment and then a few days later it was just low and good again. But at this 38 week appt the doctor walked in and almost immediately asked "ok, do you want to have this baby early?" I was shocked but with a huge smile immediately replied "absolutely!" His reply was "I thought so, I'll go call the hospital and make a case for you"

He left real quick to call the hospital and I texted Casey what was going on.

Dr. Layton came back with a post it- a time and a phone number. 3 am the next day, Tuesday! I told him I felt like I was a kid at the orthodontist and the ortho just told me I was getting my braces off early, ha! He checked me and I was a 1 at 40%.

Came home and started getting all the last minute stuff ready the best I could, although I lost so much steam quickly to actually be productive- pregnancy. Decluttering a few last areas, baby stuff out, hospital bag packed. Casey had his work cancel all his Tuesday patients. Casey actually took the boys on the Hieroglyphic hike hoping for amazing waterfalls after the monsoon we had, they were blah. I went and got a pedicure and manicure for my last "gift to me" things I had been doing all the last weeks of pregnancy, I originally had it planned for the next day but luckily had time to get it done Monday night before they closed! My mom came over that night and helped me cross more stuff off my list- like cleaning out the kids plate/bowl drawer, little things I just wanted done! Felt much better prepared! She slept at our house in anticipation of us leaving in the night.

Before bed I was to call the hospital to ask if I was still on for 3 am- they said no :( They'll call me and if I haven't heard from them by 7:30 am to give them a call but focus on getting a good night's rest.

 I woke up a lot that night, of course, checking what time it was, ancy for something. Before we had gone to bed I had Casey call my phone to check that it was working just to triple check, ha.

Well we woke up at 7 am with no phone call, Casey was frustrated since he had cancelled all his patients but nothing had actually happened. So he called his office to start setting up patients for the day and was going to go to work. I on the other hand felt like I was cheating the system in the first place getting to be induced at all, especially at 38 week and 3 days, so waiting wasn't a big deal at all to me. All the kids one by one walked into our room that morning confused where the baby was or why I was still at home. Maxson specifically asked "where's the baby?" haha. When I called at 7:30 they told me no room right now, they'd call at some point but no clue when that some point was going to be. (Casey did end up calling the hospital around 9 playing the doctor card of "yes, but WHEN could it possibly be! I have patients!" they said maybe afternoon or evening but that's only a guess. I was third in line for inductions waiting).

I went about the day normal, getting as many things done as I could like normal, my cleaning ladies had already been scheduled that day so the house was getting cleaned- perfect timing. The kids learned to make rubber band bracelets. Every time I got a phone call I was so excited but then disappointed to see it was Casey or someone else, ha. Finally went upstairs to take a nap. Not more than 10-15 min after laying down, I got a call, it was the hospital! YIPPEE!!!!!! They asked if I could be there in an hour- OF COURSE! Made some phone calls and gathered all my last thing. my niece came over to watch the kids and i was out of there by 2:00. Stopped at CVS to pick up mascara because that's important y'all.

Once to the hospital around 2:15, filled out paperwork, got checked in my room and just started going through the whole process. Nichole was my nurse, so fun and sassy, I wish she could have stayed until the laboring portion! I've always gotten so lucky with such amazing labor and delivery nurses. Casey eventually got to the room probably around 3:30. When she asked my birth plan I joked that I forgot my typed and laminated paper that said "epidural", always.

It took FOREVER to get my IV in, kind of like it always has-I warned them I'm a hard poke, I just don't have good veins in my arms for it. Dug around in my hand awhile, didn't work, hurt a ton. Another nurse tried my wrist- no luck. They finally brought in an ultrasound machine to find my vein and get it in more easily in my forearm. Finally able to start pitocin about 4:30 and the antibiotics for the positive thing (GBS or something), checked me and I was at a 2 and 70% so definitely progress overnight, and she stripped my membranes, whew, that was uncomfy. Apparently the doctor told my nurse to be aggressive and not hold back, ha, I loved it. The antibiotics in my arm HURT though, kept having to massage my arm.

I truly had been so hot the 4 previous months of my life and somehow the room we were in did not have great AC, they gave me my own personal fan which helped a ton.

We watched olympics and just started playing the waiting game. Doctor came in at 6:20 to break my water- I always warn them that I usually have a ton of fluid and to be prepared, they're always surprised how much actually comes out and that it keep coming and coming and coming. Funny how 5th time giving birth I actually know my body pretty well. And to be noted- apparently there's a special name in the hospital for moms who's deliveries are their 4+ : a grand-mal-tip. All I heard was grandma pregnancy. Definitely a young 31 year old, thanks, guys.

Contractions began building from there on out, at 7:45ish was my first long intense one that was the point ok I can do those for a little while but I don't want to for too long telling the nurses that likely in 30 min I'd ask for an epidural. I like the contractions to be hard enough that the epidural isn't bad at all in comparison to the pain of contractions. after 5-6 more long intense painful ones I asked for that epidural around 8:15, just like I had supposed. I had them check me and was at a 6, yay!

Epidural came rather quickly but man those contractions were getting super hard, just trying so hard to breathe through them. Casey came in front of me during the epidural and i just pushed into his shoulder with that intensely rounded/slouched back, I had him push my shoulders together during contractions and just got through them one a a time. Hollar to all those moms who give birth without epidurals- I applaud you!

By 9:00 I didn't feel the contractions any longer, yayyyyyyyy. But after that I could not keep my eyes open, I was so tired. I almost immediately got shakes/shivers and was so cold the next long while- a first for being cold for me in MONTHS! The shaking was intense, the worst was my teeth chattering, biting a wash cloth helped with that problem.

They brought out the peanut ball and after 15 minutes with the peanut ball I was feeling the pressure down there- that means I'm ready I think that was about 10:15. I was a 10 and something else not quite ready, so they called the doctor and he said he'd be on his way, maybe 15-20 min. Thank goodness I had that epidural because I sat there with that pressure for awhile, but it didn't bother me much. Seem like baby boy worked himself down pretty far during all that waiting!

He finally got there and the party got started- he got all gowned up, a stirrup didn't work so a different nurse came in to be that stirrup ha.

Dr Layton sat there at the edge and said "ok whenever you feel a contraction push, you can usually get 3 good pushes out of each contraction." I laughed and said "I just go?" because, ya know, you can't feel those contractions much, ha. But I went ahead and pushed almost immediately thinking it was a contraction, with a 1/2 a push he plopped that baby on my stomach! 10:48 pm- It was so much quicker than i anticipated, easy breezy! I told the nurses I was banking on a 1, 2 push max baby, so a half a push had me surprised. Just like that my baby was there! Just laying on my tummy- a short chord so I couldn't bring him up to my chest, but just crouched as much as I could to see him and say hi over and over and over. "hi baby" is usually all that comes out for awhile from me. So elated that it all went so easy!

Casey cut the chord while the doctor joked "wait don't cut that part off" referring to the penis, ha.

He didn't cry much, just a little squeak and then just happy to be there wrapped in a blanket. He was so sweet and so perfect we kept rubbing him but he was totally perfect and happy. He nursed for I swear 1.5-2 hours straight, as soon as I took him off he just kept rooting around on me or when Casey held him so we just kept letting him nurse. Sometime within that first hour or two we agreed to name him Taysom, the only name we both were agreeing and loving during pregnancy.

7 lb 8 oz, 20.5 inches long- he would have been a big boy had I had to go to 40weeks+! Thank goodness I got him out early. I gained 55 lbs this pregnancy -usually I gain 60, so totally normal for me! and only 7 lbs of that was baby love lol, and that's ok!

Placenta was delivered unbeknownst to me, the smallest superficial tear that he repaired quickly and the doctor was OUT! ha. Dr Layton is super chatty in regular appointments but at delivery he is all business and no chit chat. 

I had to finish 2 bags of pitocin, boo, which meant my IV was in forever it felt like- maybe until 5 am. Casey ordered hamburgers for us from the kitchen and we ate them at 1 am, he fed me every bite while I just sat there so tired and nursing. This was the first time I wasn't able to get up and walk immediately, my right leg was fine but my left leg stayed asleep for HOURS. I was finally able to get up at 3 am and walk to the bathroom. The rest of my hospital stay I was kind of cold! And I hadn't brought warm enough clothes for me or baby I felt, ha, I was just assuming we'd both forever be hot the rest of our lives. Luckily I brought a sweet blanket a friend made specially for me and baby to take to the hospital, kept us warm and cozy, I wasn't warm again until we walked outside the hospital.

The rest of the hospital stay that day was easy, I felt great, baby did great nursing, nurses took the baby from about 2-5 am and I got a good chunk of sleep in to recover from the previous night. I had an epidural so it wasn't painful but it went to show me that the whole time my body was working SO HARD because I was EXHAUSTED. the whole day was pure heaven just holding my sweet new baby boy.

Casey left in the early morning to go be with the children. Sometime in the afternoon he brought them back to see the baby. Unfortunately due to stupid covid, they could only look through the window but they were all still so cute and so excited to see him. It was a sight I'll remember forever. My mom came in after and got to meet baby boy too!

After watching some Olympics, trying to sleep but constantly having staff come in for various reasons I was ready to get home! Baby boy was doing great, I was doing great, When the doctor came and checked on me in the afternoon he asked "wanna go home early? Great, you can leave tonight!" So we prepared for an 11:00 pm departure! Plus I was honestly so bored in the hospital, you can only watch shows or olympics in a bed for so long, I couldn't even cuddle and snuggle the baby on my bed like I love to, it was time to go home!

Casey came and got me and we were home by 11:45 pm, just 25 hours after he was born. 

So nice to be in my own bed, baby boy was up every hour that night, I supplemented with a little bit of formula after a couple feedings which made him much more content. But after an hour of trying to sleep  I just told Casey to go sleep downstairs, no reason he should get crappy sleep ha, we actually had him go to work the next day around 10 am to get in a few more patients he had shuffled around before he was off for his 3 day weekend.

The kids were SO excited to meet baby in the morning! I came downstairs and they were just all so so excited to see the baby in my arms and gather around me and admire and look at all his tiny details. We passed him around to everyone and they all cried for longer turns but it was so sweet to see them all together! So happy to have my 6 kids all together with me at home.

That is the birth story of our sweet little caboose boy, Taysom! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love all the birthing days of birthdays for my babies! The excitement, the anticipation, the support, the help from others on you, you're pretty vulnerable there in bed relying on everyone around you for help in every way. I love it all. So grateful for the doctor- the first few appointments it's just with a stranger not very often 6ish weeks apart, and by the end it's nearly every week and you're friends and he's very aware of your needs. 

That's our Taysom boy's big debut story!

PS- if you click the label/link below that says "birth story" you can read the other kids too

Our Summer girl is here

I scheduled an induction date for as early as possible because a) I was huge and miserable b) I could c) all my other inductions- especially Easton's which was completely elective- all went great, specifically the twins and Easton (max was awful ha). So at promptly 39 weeks on the dot, April 19, we scheduled it, yahoo!

April 18
The night before was hectic, it was the first day of soccer for everyone, dinner plans kind of fell through so we scrambled to pick up some pizza on the way to soccer. After soccer at 7:30 we still had to pack all the kids stuff. After packing up I drove them to Casey's parents house in Green River for them to spend the next couple days over there. Casey stayed home and cleaned up our crazy messy house so it would be ready for showings potentially if we were gone. Making the house perfect is EXHAUSTING, bless his heart for doing that. I stopped at the grocery store to pick up last minute Easter stuff and milk and hospital treats. We were both dog tired by the end of the night and didn't go to bed until about 11 or later, whew.

April 19
5:45 am- bright and early wake up call to get ready to leave for the hospital. Casey gave me a blessing- we packed the car with our 2 bags (WAY less crap than we had with Maxson haha)

6:20 am- leave the house for the hospital that is about an hour and 15 minutes away

6:35 am- stop at an exit in Green River to hide a grocery bag of shoes for Easton since we forgot to send him to Grammie's house with shoes, ha

Casey and I had great conversations the whole way to Evanston, talked about the baby, the house, work, the kids, dreams, concerns. It was nice way to start the day together like that. We listened to Florida Georgia Line just about the whole way there and we loved it

7:45 arrive at the hospital- we were supposed to be there at 7:30, oh well. Then we had to fill out paperwork which took until 8:15, goodness. So finally walked over to labor and delivery at 8:15 and started getting the whole process going! Changed into my gown, more paperwork, chatting with nurses.

I was the only patient in their area all day long, it was so nice and quiet, ha. My nurses were Chelsea and Megan and they were both fantastic. I sufficiently scared them and told them how difficult I was to stick for an IV. Of the past 3 deliveries, no nurse has been able to get the IV in my arm, only in my hand which is way uncomfortable to then try to use for the next 24 hoursish. Each time they've poked me between 2-6times to get the IV in and it's awful. So after that whole story she closely examined my arms and hands and veins and pushing and checking for about 20 minutes- she tried once in my arm and got it! I was so proud of her and happy for me! So we definitely started the morning off well!!!!!

8:45 we got me on antibiotics since I tested positive for strep B and also started pitocin. All day long my blood pressure was high, which is normal for the end of my pregnancies, hanging in the 140-150/90 range.

 9:15 Dr Hansen came in, checked me, I was still at a 2+ a little from my appointment with him on Monday but he couldn't feel her head at all like he had on Monday, worried that she may have flipped he got the ultrasound machine out, checked only to find I had a full bladder. So after peeing, and getting checked again, her head was indeed down low enough and he could confidently break my water. Again, from warning them that I have a had a TON of fluid in the past they were better prepared for it with multiple towels and kept changing them out quite often. From there on we started watching Friends and it was just a waiting game! We started with the "Pivot" episode and laughed so much.

Casey and I have watched Friends during every hospital delivery. We've watched the whole thing before so know what's going on however much we (I) are or are not paying close attention. It's light hearted and funny and a great way for us to pass the time since they're small episodes.

12:45 2nd round of antibiotics is given and now I'm safe to deliver, they were  giving me pitocin very slowly before this time so I wouldn't risk delivering too early. The nurse checks me and I'm at a 5. Dr Hansen suggests you get to a 4 before your epidural to not slow down the process. And now that contractions are getting more frequent and intense, not awful yet, I opt in for the epidural, because, hey why not! It just makes the process easier for me ha. That needle sure stings and gives you a big tinge of pain but you know it's worth it. No drop in blood pressure afterwards and a very smooth epidural process.

1:45 the epidural is done and I'm laying back in my bed pretty flat- ZERO pain in my back and feet and rest of my body which is far from what I've experienced the last 5 months. I quickly and easily shut my eyes and rest- not fully asleep but definitely happily tired for the next 3 hours. This was the first epidural that for majority of the beginning of it and then after I had the baby I was shaking a lot from being cold and the adrenaline of it all pumping through my body, lots of shaking haha.

2:45 dilated to a 8

3:45 still an 8, 90% effaced, and -1. She then brings out this large peanut ball- it's a large exercise ball shaped like a peanut- put it between my knees and says it will help

4:08- checks me and I'm at a 9 and +1

4:15 I'm feeling all the pressure I'm familiar with to call in the nurses and tell them I'm ready to go. Over the next 15+ minutes they get everything moving and grooving and set up to deliver. At this point I'm so freaking grateful for that epidural. Still feeling all the pressure but I'm more than happy for the contractions to continue pushing baby girl down further and further to make my pushing that much easier. We laugh about figuring out some background music but couldn't quite put our fingers on it. Playing Push It by Salt and pepper appeared once as a joke though, ha.

Dr Hansen comes in so chill, seats himself sideways at the edge of my bed, and says "let's make this birthday party happen". With one light push out comes her head, he tells me to stop, turns her a little, and the second push (again, I really didn't even have to push at all) out comes her shoulders and rest of her body, easy peasy!

4:38 Baby girl Cutler has officially been born! They lay her straight on my chest and I hold and gush over her for the next long while! (Re-watching a small video of her immediately on my chest you can hear the doctor say "You could have 5 or 6 more of those, she almost pushed herself out" ha, no thank you!) Casey cuts the chord- the placenta takes a little longer to deliver but still comes out easily just not as easy as her. 1 small stitch is put in and I'm good to go! They clean her up just a little bit more, we start skin to skin and nursing right away, she wasn't the quickest latch but still got going and figured it out. It was just nice and quiet and easy and a wonderful anticipated birth. I just kept saying "hi baby" over and over again. Small tears in my eyes realizing she was finally here and safe in my arms. So freaking happy.

5:30 they take her to the warming station, clean her off more, weigh her coming in at 7 lbs 5 oz- far off from the 12 lb baby Dr Hansen joked I'd have because I had gained so much weight (60 lbs!) and my uterus was always measuring larger than I was in weeks (41 cm when I was 38 weeks). She was 20.5 inches long and I have no clue on the head, ha. She was absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way! Dr Alan Brown came in as the pediatrician to look at her. His wife, Kate, is one of my most best friends and they moved away from RS to Evanston about a year ago so it was so fun to have him come in and look Summer over. And then at night Kate came and visited me for over and hour which was oh so fun! During this time I ate dinner too which although I wasn't hungry I knew I should eat and it was a good things because I kept eating and eating and eating, ha. Once she was all cleaned up and given back to us we decided on her name- Summer Cutler.

We face-timed the boys and they were over the moon happy to  see her and hear she was here finally and learn what her name was. I nursed her once more and then from 6-7:30 I slept. Man I was so exhausted! I didn't personally work hard but apparently my body had, ha, and my want to sleep showed it.

Also to be remembered- this was the first warm day Wyoming has had in 6+ months- everyone said it finally felt like summer outside! Getting up towards 70, I had multiple friends get sunburnt from the time they spent outside. So it seems like our little Summer brought some summer with her :)

7:50 I call in the nurses and tell them I'd like to try and get up- shuffled my way to the bathroom with their help and got all cleaned up. It was so nice to be standing again, I hadn't in hours! We moved to the post partum rooms and it was lots of sleeping and resting and nursing, and holding the baby from there.

April 20
12:00 Brad and Nan brought the boys over to Evanston to meet their new baby sister! And man they were so all so freaking cute about it. I relished in watching themHe videos we have of them all are just so darling.

5:30 we ate a quick dinner and drove home from there! Bada boom! I remember being so scared on the drive home with Maxson, a whole 12 minutes. I cried while sitting in the back seat of the car with him worrying about if we got in a car accident if we'd be safe, making sure he was happy on the ride home, just WORRYING! Baby girl got the 5th child treatment: carseat in the back, me in the front, and for the long hour plus drive she happily slept and I happily and not a bit worried sat in the front and talked with Casey. I think I only checked on her once or twice. Truly, I become a better parent in so many ways each time I have a baby.

We are over the moon excited she is here. Yes it is fun and a tiny different to have a baby girl in the family but it's the same over abundance of love I've experienced each time before. I love her deeply and am so excited for the girl she will grow and become.

Side note- I LOVED delivering in Evanston, not only because I feel like I received really awesome care from my Dr and nurses but because it was really nice being the ONLY labor and delivery patient, ha! It was really nice to be so well cared for and all the attention on me, as vain as that sounds. I was my Dr's main priority that day as well as all the staff (meaning all 2 nurses) but it was just a quaint little birth and I loved it. If I have another baby I would want to drive to Evanston to deliver again it was such a great experience ( not like I'd actually do that but that's how much I loved it)

Also reflecting back on all my birth stories, Ive decided that I really love giving birth, like the birthdays of all my kids are some of the best days of my life. Everyone cheering for you to have a baby, caring about you and your new baby, attentive to how you're feeling, taking care of all your needs so you can focus on baby or getting through whatever pain you're dealing with during labor. It feels like you finally become great friends with your Dr that you've been seeing over all the past 6+ months. I love baby delivery days, I know, I'm weird. Through all the pain I've experienced on those days, I'd live them over again easily...Ok maybe except Max, that one not so easily

PS- if you click the label/link below that says "birth story" you can read the other kids too😊

The birth of baby Easton

I was quite eager to get our new baby boy in this world! Not because it was a terrible pregnancy but just excited for another little baby. With a due date of Dec 20, I was perfectly ok with being induced early to help his birthday be a little further away from Christmas and to plan for Casey and time off work. Dec 16 was the day that happened to work for us and my doctor. I was 39 weeks 3 days.

Night before snuggles. Lots of "hold you's from these two. They had no clue what was going on but on the other hand they were overly clingy that night, ha.

The morning of the 16th, Casey's mom met us at our house to watch the kids. I was so thankful I got a really good night's sleep that night knowing, "hello tired hours/days/weeks/months coming up!" We left around 6:45, Casey needed to stop at McDonald's for his hearty breakfast to get him through his exhausting day 😏. We arrived at the hospital around 7, did I mention how icy it was outside? So much ice! The car was sliding everywhere and even we doubled on some of our steps due to slipping a little on the ice. But we made it into the hospital safe and timely.

I actually love being induced, you can be totally ready with your belongings, household, child care, mental status, it's a fun, calm, exciting experience! Because my other 2 pregnancies have been inductions due to high blood pressure and they turned out just fine, I knew this electively induced delivery would go just fine too. I'd been having tons of good contractions in the previous weeks and days and knew my body would be ready for it.

We did paperwork, got the IV in (only 1 poke! and it was technically in my arm, but super close by my wrist, not as bad as it being in my hand but seriously no complaints, first try and she got it not in my hand, bless that nurse. If you remember from the twins birth they had the hardest time getting it anywhere and end up in my right hand, made life not enjoyable). We met our nurse, Amelia, who we were so lucky to have, she was my delivery nurse the whole day and postpartum nurse the next 2 days, it was so great having the same gal who knew me and everything that was going on, that is definitely a pro to a small town hospital. She asked about my birth plan and I pulled out my typed and laminated paper which read:

EPIDURAL

We were quick friends after that.

Around 8:15 my doctor, Dr Kattan, came in to break my water. Now that is not the normal series of events. Usually they start pitocin and then break the water awhile later. I asked him if we could break the water first to see if my body went anywhere by itself, I was just curious knowing I'd been showing a lot of signs before. It was funny, Dr Kattan came in all negative Nancy like doubting telling me all the worst case scenarios blah blah blah and all I could do was laugh at him a little and roll my eyes with the nurse. I'd knew it'd be fine so we all just ignored his pessimism. Don't get me wrong super nice guy and he was a great doctor for me, but come on, ha!

After my water broke I had to stay in bed to monitor baby's heart rate for awhile so during this time Casey and I did some name searching and talking back and forth since we still hadn't decided on a name and we started watching Friends, it's now become tradition watching Friends at the hospital. I think it's a funny show with laughter that's good relief but you can also stop paying attention to it and not miss anything. After almost 2 hours time, about 1 hour of actual moving on the birthing ball or walking around and having decent contractions while walking around I was still where I had started off that day, dilated to 3 effaced to 50%, so pitocin we went which I was a-ok with with.

I think around 11 they got pitocin going, by 1 they were hard enough often enough where I knew I'd like my epidural knowing it may take time to come to me. Unfortunately it did take an hour for the Dr to get to me, and unfortunately the nurse turned down the pitocin so my contractions lessened in intensity and got further apart which, for me, makes the epidural harder to get. I say that because I'd personally like my contractions to be hard enough and difficult enough in which it makes getting the epidural a breeze in comparison so because that was not the case it made the epidural seem terribly painful, ha. And getting the epidural in did take longer than I'd had in the past. I don't know what it all was but it wasn't quick and easy. BUT it worked perfectly and beautifully once it was in and set up and there were no complications with it afterwards except a sore back so I really can't complain too much!

By 2:15 the epidural began working and I then got immediately sleepy, and maybe dizzy but I couldn't pin point it to that word necessarily and then I told her I could potentially throw up soon, well that darn blood pressure of mine suddenly lowered A TON, thus all those weird feelings. The nurse laid my bed back a little, and my blood pressure went back to normal right before they were about to give me some medicine to make it go back up. I guess it's sometimes normal for blood pressure to suddenly  lower after an epidural, I'm glad they quickly knew what to do to attend to my needs and I'm also really glad I can give birth to a baby without feeling a ton of pain, ha.

Soon after my epidural she checked me to say I was only at a 4, and I was like for real?! After almost 3 hours on pitocin and only dilated to a 4!? This better not take all day, I was hoping for a baby 2 hours ago! So I was a tiny bit deflated where things were going. I knew it would still be fine I just wanted to hold my little baby already, I was not planning on this laboring process being long for baby number 4! So I went ahead and went to sleep to pass the time, ha.

I woke up around 4, the nurse checked me at 4:30 and I was a 6 so that made me happy but still thinking man I must have like 3+ hours left at this slow rate I'm going. At 5:10 she checked again and I was a 9, yay! Very soon after that I told her I was feeling a lot of pressure down there knowing that was the sign that I'm ready! So she began getting everything ready, I also mentioned I'm ok with waiting for baby to keep dropping by himself before I begin pushing because the last thing I wanted was a long pushing process, been there done that (with Max) and NOOOOOOO thank you. At 5:30 she checked me told me to do a little practice push with the next contraction, as I did so she quickly said "Oh no, stop, don't do that again until the Dr gets here" ha, so yay another great sign! Dr Kattan came in quickly after that got his gloves and coat thing on and first thing he said "Oh wow, that's his head right there." He directed me to do a little push to get his head out and then stop, seriously, smallest push of my life, so wonderful, he cleaned out baby's nose and mouth, one more small push and at 5:38 the rest of baby was out and put immediately on my chest!

That is the best feeling ever, so much immediate joy and happiness knowing your baby is finally here! Meeting someone you already love so much for the first time, the love and joy in your heart is just exploding and all you can do is just look at him and hold and sit there in awe that he's yours. The room was so calm during it all, just Casey, the Dr, and 2 nurses, all seemed so sweet and serene. Baby was healthy I was happy and not exhausted, Casey right there close by at my side just loving to finally hold my sweet baby boy. Small tears came out of my eyes with a big huge smile on my face just staring at this baby, I was just elated he was here!

Placenta was delivered, a small tear was repaired quickly and what seemed effortlessly, and we were soon left alone about 20 min after he was born! The whole time baby boy was trying his hardest to get something in his mouth, ha, rooting around with all his might. Once I could sit up he latched on perfectly right away and seriously nursed for like an hour and a half it seemed like as we were waiting for my legs to be strong enough for me to walk.

Casey's mom came with the kids around 7:15 to meet baby brother! They walked in and it was just adorable. Everyone asking for the baby with their very wide open eyes looking for him. The excitement on Maxson's face was insanely adorably, he was bursting at the seams. Max was the first to hold him and his smile could not be wiped away. He was so gentle and sweet and kept telling me how cute the baby was. When he was done we asked the twins if they wanted a turn and they were both immediately scared/turned off and just wanted Casey or Grammie to hold them, lol. Bryson finally got the courage to hold the baby after a little while and did great. A little after that Quinn said he was ready on the couch that was not by me and after that everyone wanted to keep holding them.

After about 10-15 min of them being there they all started touching things and getting wild so it was definitely time to go, ha. They were all so sweet saying bye to the baby. The birth of a new baby just makes your heart want to explode beyond belief and then when you see your kids meet that baby and hold him and love that just makes you want to die of happiness, seriously, so so so adorable.

After they left I was ready to try to walk and it was surprisingly easy and not painful, seriously, every birth and recovery just keeps getting easier and easier, my goodness. Once in our recovery room we went back to the drawing board on names. I had one I was SUPER leaning toward, and Casey had one he was super leaning toward but neither of us totally LOVED each other's name. I was starting to get a little deflated again thinking one of us would have to settle on a name we didn't absolutely love which made me sad because I LOVE our other little boys' names. We took out our computers/phones and went back to lots of intense searching. We'd call out names to each other that we either seriously liked personally or crazy names that were too hilarious not to share. But if someone said a name and the other kinda liked it we'd voice that opinion but mostly kept going on searching. Finally Casey came across Easton, which we had mentioned in name talking months ago but completely forgot about it! After a few more minutes we were both settled that Easton was our new little boys name. FINALLY about 5 hours after the little babe was born he was given a name:

EASTON WOODRUFF CUTLER. 

And that is the wonderful birth story of our little Easton :)

The rest of our stay there was so wonderful, remember, I had the same delivery nurse for my post partum care which was so wonderful to have the same sweet gal, Amelia look after us. And same with the night nurse, same great gal each night.

The children came to visit once more and were adorable bringing Easton a little car. I wasn't as scary to them this time around being in normal clothes and I could actually get up from my bed. And then after 5 minutes the twins began being hoodlums like normal even climbing into the baby's rolling crib😳 oh brother. Soon after they left, ha.

The hospital stay is like a mini vacation for a mom with kids. Someone is there to take care of your every need at your beckon call (more water please!), meals with no prep or clean up, quietness, naps pretty much whenever you want, peace, a new sweet baby, lounging in PJ's and cozy socks all day. Seriously, I personally rather enjoyed my hospital stay lol. Casey was there a ton with me the first full day and also stayed with me the first night after he was born (bless my amazing mother in law!) and the 2nd night he was with kids and in the late morning came to pick up Easton and myself to go home!

 The Christmas lights and abundance of snow (and ice!) were a fun scene from my window.

The day we left the hospital the weather was FREEZING! Do you see that part below where it says "Feels like -16?!"

And that is Easton's birth story :) and our practically perfect hospital stay!

Recovery with this one has been a breeze. I could barely walk it seemed like with Maxson's. The twins' birth was easier but still pretty sore and walking was still kind of a burden even after day 3. And this one, it was more like send me on a mile fun run the day after! It's been breezy easy!

Thank you everyone for well wishes support and love! surprisingly it's kind of what they say it is, after 3 kids, anymore than that is the same, it's already more chaos than you can handle so why not add another to love and smother! By all means, I'm up for the task!

For fun:
HERE is Maxon's birth story
HERE is Bryson and Quinn's birth story

PS- I just read through both of those birth stories. 3rd/4th time go around birthing a child is like 1 million percent better than that first time. Oh my heck, I sound like a loofy sentimental hippie with Maxson's birth. Nope, I'm smarter now, never do I ever need an unmedicated child birth. You go through enough pain with the after birth cramps as it is that are horrifically painful! Get the epidural, have low expectations for recovery and birth and just everything and then you will be happy with your experience :)