(Right as we checked into the hospital! We were so excited to meet our baby!)
Well, where do I begin? Our delectable Everest Bear came into the world last Friday, October 24th, at 5:20 AM. He weighed a whopping 8 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 21 inches long. He came quick and fast. Thursday night, the 23rd, we went to dinner with my family. At dinner I told them that I was pretty sure tonight was the night. I'd thought that for over a week and a half though, so really couldn't be sure at this point. After dinner, we walked around Walmart, getting some last minute supplies to help aid me in my hopes of getting the baby here with no epidural. As we walked, I felt a super light contraction. Wren felt my stomach and was like, "Woah, yep that's one. Your stomach is rock hard and doing that thing where it turns into a square." Interesting analogy, I thought. But he was right! I knew it was one. But then I really didn't feel much after that.
We headed home, put Radcliff to bed and I showered my four day old hair and shaved. You know, all the things I'd neglected to do and knew I wouldn't get around to doing, for at least another four more days, if baby was coming that night. We packed a couple more things just in case and headed downstairs to watch a show (why on earth we didn't choose to utilize those couple hours to sleep is beyond me, but you live and learn I guess.) Right as the show ended, around midnight, I felt a super strong contraction. It caught me off guard because with Radcliff, they started out so gradual and slowly became more and more intense over the course of like ten hours, before I was even dilated to a three and admitted to the hospital.
After just a couple more strong contractions, I started timing them and they were already less than five minutes apart and longer than a minute. I thought, "Oh shoot. He's coming quick!" I called my Dad who rushed right over to sleepover with Rad. As soon as he got there we headed for the hospital. As agonizing as it is driving while you're having contractions, it's so fun knowing your lives about to change for the BIG TIME better! We were so excited!
Right when we pulled up, I felt another horrible contraction so Wren just left the car at the curb and helped me in. As we checked in with the front desk girl, I was literally having an out of body experience they were starting to hurt so bad. She was asking me questions that I literally couldn't comprehend and half the time didn't even hear. By the time we got to the room they were so close together, it didn't feel like I had any sort of break between them. I was writhing on the bed, the floor, Wren and my midwife were pushing my knees up towards my chest. Nothing was giving me any sort of relief.
We'd been there about a half an hour, I was dilated to a five or six, and they were about to start filling up the bathtub for me to give birth in. Wren was pumping up my work out ball so I could lean over it, and something in me just snapped. I looked at Wren and said, "Get me the epidural... NOW!" He kept pumping up the ball and asked, "Are you sure? I know you can do it Sav, and I know you really want to, are you sure?" I cried, "Yes I'm sure! Stop pumping up the ball, we're not going to need it! Get the anesthesiologist!" A couple minutes later my midwife walked in and I pleaded, "Pleeeeease! Get the epidural! I need it. NOW!" You could tell she was like, woah, that's changing gears awfully quick. She paged the anesthesiologist and told him we needed him in room six. He asked, "Which room should I go to first? Room number one or room number six?" I gave my midwife the death stare, like if you even dare send him to the other room first, I will hunt you down and kill you. She looked at me, and said, "I-I-I think you better get to room number six first." I thought, "Good girl. She done right."
The next twenty minutes were the most excruciating twenty minutes of my life! When he finally showed up, I thought, "I can do this. I'm almost there." He shot me up with drugs and I thought I just might die and go to heaven. Until the shakes started and that was kind of miserable, but nothing, I mean nothing, compared to the death ridden contractions I'd just faced. Wren and his mom kept bringing me warm blankets and Wren would lean over my whole body and that was the only thing that helped. I swear I shook, like seizing shook, for an entire hour.
Around 5:00 AM, my midwife came in and said, "You're ready!" I was in shock at how quick it all went. My sister called my mom and said, "She's going to start pushing!" My mom, who was on her way to the hospital, said, "Put me on speaker, I'm almost there! I'm on 72nd south and the freeway!" That is actually just one exit away from where she needed to get off, but the nurses looked at my sister, looked at the baby's head coming out, and shook their heads like, she's not going to make it. So with my mom on speaker phone, my mother-in-law, sister, and of course, Wren there, little Everest came into the world with what felt like just a couple pushes. As he was coming out, Wren started laughing and said, "Sav, he has so much dark hair!" We laughed because Rad had zilch.
As they pulled him out and set him on top of my chest, I immediately fell in love all over again. It was really hard for me to fathom loving another baby as much as Radcliff, but now I can't fathom how I even thought that! There's so much love to go around! I stared at his perfect little face, and couldn't believe he was mine! Right as they set him on my chest, my mom came busting through the doors and got to see Wren cut the umbilical cord. It was really funny!
My little piggy went straight for the boob within minutes of being born and latched like it was no one's business. We all laughed and he hasn't looked back since, and in fact, weighed more at his two day check up than he did at birth, which my pediatrician says, never happens. What's with my boys and nursing? They're obsessed. But I was so thankful! They cleaned him all up and the Grandmas held him. I still feel really bad that my sister didn't get to hold him that night, especially after, I'm sure the traumatizing scene, she'd just witnessed,
Just look at his squishy little self!
He has the biggest hands and feet just like Radcliff did and does.
At first I thought he looked just like Raddy, but now I'm not so sure. Everest has a lot more hair than Rad did and is much darker. He also has two of the cutest dimples ever in both of his cheeks. I seriously kiss them all day long!
Daddy and his boy!
Cha Cha and Hoo Hoo holding the newest addition! My boys sure do have cute Grandmas!
The best Daddy ever.
The next couple days in the hospital were a dream! I got to spend lots of time bonding with Everest. My parents and Wren's parents were awesome about taking Radcliff but Wren and I both wanted Wren to be there lots for Radcliff too. I'm sure it's such a strange time for him having a new brother come into the world, and we've never even left Radcliff overnight, so having both of us gone the entire two days would have been sad I think. The second night in the hospital, Wren went and slept at home, and although I missed him like crazy, it was nice to be able to cuddle my new guy with just the two of us alone together in the quiet hospital room.
Oh my gosh, he's so squishy! I just love!
I was so terribly excited, as well as nervous, to have Radcliff meet Everest. I was just praying Radcliff wouldn't get his feelings hurt or feel left out and that he'd just love Everest as much as we did! And guess what? He did. It truly was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Radcliff walked quietly into the room, peeking around the curtain saying softly, "New baby???" I immediately started crying. I had missed him so much! He hopped right up on my bed, and was so excited to hold him. He did such a good job of being soft and gentle, and kept calling him 'sweetie'. I was fighting back tears the entire time. In fact, every time Radcliff came to visit at the hospital I'd lose it. I missed him so so much the entire time.
Here's a sweet little video of when the two of them first met. I can't even handle it!
Look what a good big brother he is!?
These pictures also illustrate what large hands they both have. I can just picture all of the good their big strong hands are going to do throughout their lives!
We have been home for a week and I really couldn't have expected things to go much better. Radcliff has really stepped up as big brother. I hope they can always be the best of friends!
Those little lips, they kill me! We spent most our time in the hospital just doing this!
My Dad brought me these cupcakes and I almost died. And am I the only one that loves the hospital cup? I love it.
Wren is seriously the best Dad ever. Seeing him become a Dad of two just made him that much sexier. He does so much, all of the time, for all of us. I love him!
I would look forward to seeing Radcliff all day everyday while I was there. Vroom, vroom!
Cute Hoo Hoos with her grandsons!
Everest's first bath! He hated it. What's new? So did Rad.
My boys!
Daddy and Ev!
As much as I enjoyed the hospital stay, I couldn't wait another second to get home to be with all three of my guys.
Everest in his little crib. Home sweet, home!
