Babies!

With this little guy almost here....and with a new niece/cousin being born yesterday-- little Emery.  I am almost out of mind excited for our little guy to make his arrival.  I got to looking through the kids baby books and pics - It has been so fun to compare each labor to each other... I love how their labor and delivery show a little bit of each one of their personalities and then of course to compare pics is nothing less then interesting...actually I cannot believe I am going to show you some of these lovelies...but as I have been looking my kids have LOVED looking with me and picking out who is who.  (Zack just thinks they are all him)-- I wish wish wish there were more pics and details from all my moms labors so I could compare.  

The best part about a long induction for dad was the Redskins were on Monday Night Football...plenty of time to watch the game!

Samantha Grace- 7lbs 14oz.  - 20" long

 Born: Sept 17 at 6:04pm (due Sept. 25)

Induced Sept. 16- morning of Sept 17  the dr. broke my water at 9:30; epidural at 12:00 - 3:30 I was ready to push. I didn't have her until 6:04 pm- I remember after 2 1/2 hrs of pushing I wanted to cry.  The dr. started to get the forceps out and it was enough motivation to get her out because I was scared of the forceps.

I was induced because of High Blood Pressure- hence the reason I look this way even AFTER delivery.  I was on a IV Magnesium drip for over 24 hours and retained a lot of fluid.  My dr. came in and asked if I was my evil twin---I laughed not really knowing what I looked like.  Holy cow evil twin. Looking back now I was very large with Sam- My ankles were soooo swollen.  I was a sight to see.

Isn't she the most adorable thing ever! We did take her home with some hiccups- a heart murmur was discovered just before we left the hospital & she had to be on lights for jaundice. As a first time momma those two things were a little hard to digest but in hindsight they were nothing! The nurses could not get enough of her they thought she was cutest baby ever.

Can you believe how different my girls look? She quickly made up for a bald head in adding on the rolls. By two months she doubled her birth weight and had the cutest fat rolls.

Sydney Lynne- 7lbs. 4oz.- 20" long

Born:  Feb. 17 (due Feb. 25th)

My Dr. offered to induce me at 39 weeks if I wanted to- no medical reason necessary. I had a really hard time deciding but in the end chose to because 1) the hospital was almost 25 mins away and I was so scared to get their too late for an epidural and 2) we had Samantha and had no one close to leave her with if it was a middle of the night labor- so we scheduled an induction and had Aunt Nicole come watch.

We went to the hospital at 7:00 am - dr. broke my water at 9:30- I got my epidural at 10:30 and by 12:15 I had her. I progressed so fast the dr. barely made it to deliver her.   She has been my best labor and I was even induced.  I have always said she was ready to come into this world and take on anything that comes her way. 

When she was born she cried and cried and cried for at least the first 1/2 an hour.  They gave her a binky and she sucked on that at the hospital...we went home and she never touched it again.

I was so nervous to have a second- I mean really nervous because I loved Sammy soooo much and I could not imagine having enough love for another.  It was instant...the minute she came my heart grew.  And I have never worried about it again because it instantly happens.  ( I have always thought I have not aged....but really look how young I look --WOW have I aged!) Sammy is 17 months old almost exactly.

Dad was so excited to get his boy...little did he know there were three more to follow :)

Tyson LaMar: 6 lbs. 15 oz. - 20" long

Born: April 6  (due April 16)

First baby for me to go into labor on my own.  I was nervous to know if I was in labor or not.  My biggest fear was going to the hospital tooo early and not be in labor. 

Hardest part with Tys was I labored all night.   Finally after contractions being 5 mins apart and 60 seconds long I went into the hospital at 1:30 am - I was dilated to a 6 + - I got my epidural at 2:00 am

My water would not break on its own and the Dr. made me wait for him ( I don't think he wanted to come in--in the middle of the night) he came and broke my water at 6:30 am and at 6:54 am after three pushes we had a new little guy.  Tyson had a knot in his cord but was fine.

                                 Can you tell I am exhausted in the pic?  All night labor does you no good. 

Cooper Todd: 7lbs. 4oz - 19 1/2 " long

 Born: Feb. 3  (Due Feb. 12)

We went to the hospital at 8:00 am- epidural at 9:15 am- 10:15 the Dr. broke my water and we had you 11:32am.  Couple of things about Cooper- he dropped low early --he sat low for so long he looked so beat up coming out.  His little mouth was a little swollen and his head was shaped a little funny. This was the most uncomfortable pregnancy at least toward the end.  My back hurt bad.- We tried to have him a week earlier Jan 27 but I wasn't progressing enough and only 37 weeks and 6 days so they wouldn't help me progress.  They sent me home.  Boy was I discouraged.  Coop has always been my go getter and it shows in this labor.  He was born with a knot in his cord and the cord wrapped around his neck...he was crazy in my stomach...he flopped and flipped all the time. He gave us a bit of a scare at first because he wasn't breathing and just as the NICU team was gonna whisk him away he let out a cry-
                                                                      

Coop was born on Super Bowl Sunday.  When we had gone in the week earlier thinking I was in labor and they sent me home it was the same day Pres. Hinckley died..I have always said the angels were busy and Coop had to wait a little longer to come. 

I had to add this pic because this was such a true glimpse of our life.  And yes I am holding coop in that little blue blanket...squished already.

Zackary Robert: 6lbs. 15 oz. -- 20"long

  Born: June 20 (due July 4)

We went into the hospital at 5:00 am I was dilated to a 5- I got my epidural at 6:40 am

Dr. broke my water at 8:45 am and 9:30 am we had him.

No knot in the cord like his brothers-  he did however take a little longer to push out.  In fact I remember really thinking why is this taking so long- I think he was enjoying his last minutes of peace before the craziness began.

             

 I shared the two pics of the kids holding Zack because they all seem so little.  I almost died when I opened the pic of Coop sitting there he is only 17 months old....how I survived I do not know. But isn't cooper so cute with those curls.   I remember after a week being home Coop carried Zack from the swing in the Family Room to my bedroom...I guess I should ask how did Zack survive?

My hardest adjustments have been baby #2 (syd) & baby #5 (zack)- I think its because both times I had a 17 month old to take care of too and it was overwhelming.  My emotions were all over the place with these two-

We (I) can't wait to see how this one will go.  Zack is almost three and this is our biggest gap between babies- I also have some older helpers - Sammy & Sydney- and they are sooooo excited.

I am ready to have a baby but I am also a little nostalgic--which is weird to me- I am really trying to soak up all the details because its our last time to do this and I don't want to miss a thing.

 So after comparing them all- I have about the same size babies- at least 7-10 days early... with a couple hours of labor. do you think this little guy will be different or close to the same?

CANNOT wait to find out!!