Well, I thought it was time to shake the cobwebs off and take this ole girl out for a spin.
Nothing like the birth of your fourth child that encourages you to go back to documenting for the world wide web!
Everyone loves a birth story.
Not sure why, since all of us who have been born...has one. But, i find that i love hearing other peoples recounting of the birth of their children, and i know i'm not alone.
so here is one for you.
Our little Truett Grant Taylor made his earth-side debut on Tuesday June 9th at 11:45 am.
a short 30 minutes after I put my body on that labor and delivery bed.
He is a dream.
His birth was almost the opposite.
I consider myself a tough girl, aside from labor pains. I blame Eve. WHY?!?!?
I have zero toughness when it comes to birthing children. I am a huge fan of the modern medicine and the pain relief it brings.
so, here is how our Tru made his entrance...
I started to feel contractions on Saturday.
nothing consistent and nothing too uncomfortable
just a tightness every 30 minutes or so.
i'd drink water, lay down and they would ease up
Grant and the boys were in Lafayette for a baseball tournament so i was in no hurry to have a baby without them here.
also, I was only 38 weeks a few days and have never gone into labor that early.
I slept terribly all weekend. I was uncomfortable and just had the strong urge to clean the house- even at 4am.
Sunday, the contractions continued.
Grant made it home!!!!
We hosted teen church with 30+ teenagers and I really did feel ok that afternoon and evening, just had the irregular contracting and insomnia.
Monday mid-morning, i was like- Ouch! they started getting pretty uncomfortable.
Grants parents and brother were at our house and i finally said something.
I didn't tell GT or my mom (who had stayed home with me over the weekend) about the contractions on Saturday or Sunday morning because what good would that do?
except have someone asking me how i was constantly (no thank you).
anyway....Monday, they continued and became uncomfortable enough that i'd have to stop what i was doing and breathe through them. but there was no increase in frequency.
Monday night, i was having to get up from our Scrabble game to walk around during the contractions, but felt fine otherwise.
Before we went to bed, we made sure our bags were packed and ready to go. my mom was on standby for the kids.
i slept very little, but got a few hours in.
Tuesday i finally got up at 6 and took a shower.
GT woke up and was like "do what?". i rarely shower in the morning and rarely get up before him.
so he knew something was going on.
contractions picked up on the pain scale, but still no increase in frequency. maybe every 10-30 minutes. and my back was aching consistently.
I finally had enough! I said somethings go to happen...this is getting old.
but, i did not want to labor at the hospital and be stuck to a monitor and bed.
been there, done that.
no fun sir.
GT encouraged me to walk the drive way.
so i did.
he sat on the front porch and filmed me.
i did not have the extra energy to tell him how i felt about that decision.
after a few laps up and down the driveway, pulling the trash can in, i decided to do some laundry.
well, i had one contraction that never seemed to end and put me on the floor.
i told GT, "i don't know if this is it, but i can't sit here at home hurting when i know theres an epidural across the river at that hospital"
so, he called my mom and we told the kids bye.
Townes was making pancakes and giddy with excitement.
He asked, "are they going to cut the baby out of your stomach?"
I told him no and that i thought we had already talked about this (?)
He then asked, "will it come out of your mouth?"
I replied, "i'll tell you when i get home"
Judson needs a little more time to process things and to prepare.
He was a little less happy about our quick departure and needed a little reassurance. Sweet boy.
Kirby Jane cried.
luckily, my mom had it totally all under control so we loaded up and headed to Monroe.
as we pull out of the driveway, GT gets on a work call (do what?!?)
He said it was already scheduled for 10:30, then told the party on the other line that he had about 15 minutes before he got to the hospital with his laboring wife.
i had no comment (well, one that would be nice anyways)
We get about halfway there and my discomfort with a contraction becomes clearly audible and his call ends.
He clicks on the flashers and starts speeding down the road.
i reach over and turn them off, not wanting all the extra flare and drama.
he tells me, "you handle the passenger side, i've got the drivers side"
it was a pleasant drive.
once we get to the hospital, i tell him that i want to walk in from the parking garage, thinking i need the extra walking to just make sure i was in labor (ha!)
i did NOT want to get to L&D and be dilated a 1cm.
in fact, after we got our temperature taken, masks donned, checked in and made our way up the elevator i told him that if i wasn't dilated to at least a 4 when they checked me, someone was getting punched in the face.
so sweet and precious.
i just wasn't in the mood to be sent home or told this wasn't it.
well, they usher us into a room after seeing my discomfort and start the whole process.
after voicing my concern over my progress, our sweet nurse checks and declares i'm at a 6!
hallelujah!
i think this was around 11:15
then i promptly and excessively discuss my desire for an epidural...STAT!
our nurse was awesome and started making some swift moves to make that happen.
unfortunately, my labor progressed rapidly.
by the time Anesthesia showed up, i was in so much discomfort i had zero regard for all the rambling he was doing and either needed him to pop needle in my back or to make his exit.
right after he left to go see if my lab work was back, i started making it known (apparently to multiple rooms around me) that i was progressing very quickly and someone needed to help.a.girl.out.
somehow a couple of other nurses appeared (GT said he has never heard that level of screaming or noise from me before) after i continued to let them all know that the baby was coming and that i was sure i could not do this.
at this point i was on my side gripping the side rail, but really knew i needed to push. also i knew that i did not want to.
so i told everyone present.
they encouraged me to "just breath"
ha!
i rolled on to my back and was told that the baby was just low.
i said, nah sir, he is coming. but also, i may pass out and couldn't do it (so much extra drama at this point).
they told me that if i would just push, i would deliver him.
so after a pause and considering my options, i decided to believe them.
i pushed once and there he was!
and the immediate physical relief.
it took me minute to want to look at him because i was overwhelmed with it all. in shock basically.
when i did, i saw our sweet, tiny, little baby and praised God that he wasn't any bigger than he was (given the lack of epidural).
oh yeah, and my Doctor didn't make it in time.
the nurses were there and they were amazing!!!
so prepared, professional and reassuring.
they complimented the umbilical cord over and over again saying how beautiful it was.
GT said, "is that a thing? a pretty cord?"
i said, "i'll take it!"
my doctor arrived probably 10 minutes later and said that wasn't much warning!
to which i agreed.
after some time with just me, GT and our baby boy, then nursery nurse came in and weighed him.
5 pounds 14 ounces.
y'all. he is the sweetest, little love bug.
he is our smallest baby by far, but his feet are super long and quite impressive.
i have no doubt he will grow into them quickly.
we had to stay an extra night in the hospital because his bilirubin level was slightly elevated.
we were more than ready to come home on Thursday, since we weren't allowed any visitors and i was missing our other 3! (thanks, no thanks, COVID)
It was rather strange being in the hospital with no visitors. Just me and GT.
we didn't get to go on our 10th anniversary trip to New York, as planned.
So, we counted this little 48 hours with 1 child as a little celebration... jk.
we'll go on that trip eventually (surely it'll be easier to plan with 4 kids, ha!)
we did manage to watch the 4-hour, with commercials, showing of Saving Private Ryan.
so, theres that.
When we were finally released, we were welcomed home by the best welcoming committee ever!
balloons, cookie cake and grand parents galore!
proud and eager big brothers.
happy and slightly confused big sister.
we are settling in to the routine of more children nicely.
i feel (relatively) great, aside from some postpartum Hypertension and a persistent headache until i got some meds.
currently, i'm taking a multivitamin, Ibuprofen, blood pressure meds and a stool softener.
can't decide if i'm an old man or just a postpartum mid-30's mama.
Here goes life with little Truett!
(had some difficulty getting photos in their correct spot. so, here is a smattering of photographic documentation from our hospital stay)
thanks for hanging in there with me...
until next time, i'll be snuggling this precious babe
Nothing like the birth of your fourth child that encourages you to go back to documenting for the world wide web!
Everyone loves a birth story.
Not sure why, since all of us who have been born...has one. But, i find that i love hearing other peoples recounting of the birth of their children, and i know i'm not alone.
so here is one for you.
Our little Truett Grant Taylor made his earth-side debut on Tuesday June 9th at 11:45 am.
a short 30 minutes after I put my body on that labor and delivery bed.
He is a dream.
His birth was almost the opposite.
I consider myself a tough girl, aside from labor pains. I blame Eve. WHY?!?!?
I have zero toughness when it comes to birthing children. I am a huge fan of the modern medicine and the pain relief it brings.
so, here is how our Tru made his entrance...
I started to feel contractions on Saturday.
nothing consistent and nothing too uncomfortable
just a tightness every 30 minutes or so.
i'd drink water, lay down and they would ease up
Grant and the boys were in Lafayette for a baseball tournament so i was in no hurry to have a baby without them here.
also, I was only 38 weeks a few days and have never gone into labor that early.
I slept terribly all weekend. I was uncomfortable and just had the strong urge to clean the house- even at 4am.
Sunday, the contractions continued.
Grant made it home!!!!
We hosted teen church with 30+ teenagers and I really did feel ok that afternoon and evening, just had the irregular contracting and insomnia.
Monday mid-morning, i was like- Ouch! they started getting pretty uncomfortable.
Grants parents and brother were at our house and i finally said something.
I didn't tell GT or my mom (who had stayed home with me over the weekend) about the contractions on Saturday or Sunday morning because what good would that do?
except have someone asking me how i was constantly (no thank you).
anyway....Monday, they continued and became uncomfortable enough that i'd have to stop what i was doing and breathe through them. but there was no increase in frequency.
Monday night, i was having to get up from our Scrabble game to walk around during the contractions, but felt fine otherwise.
Before we went to bed, we made sure our bags were packed and ready to go. my mom was on standby for the kids.
i slept very little, but got a few hours in.
Tuesday i finally got up at 6 and took a shower.
GT woke up and was like "do what?". i rarely shower in the morning and rarely get up before him.
so he knew something was going on.
contractions picked up on the pain scale, but still no increase in frequency. maybe every 10-30 minutes. and my back was aching consistently.
I finally had enough! I said somethings go to happen...this is getting old.
but, i did not want to labor at the hospital and be stuck to a monitor and bed.
been there, done that.
no fun sir.
GT encouraged me to walk the drive way.
so i did.
he sat on the front porch and filmed me.
i did not have the extra energy to tell him how i felt about that decision.
(mid trashcan pull contraction photo. thanks honey)
after a few laps up and down the driveway, pulling the trash can in, i decided to do some laundry.
well, i had one contraction that never seemed to end and put me on the floor.
i told GT, "i don't know if this is it, but i can't sit here at home hurting when i know theres an epidural across the river at that hospital"
so, he called my mom and we told the kids bye.
Townes was making pancakes and giddy with excitement.
He asked, "are they going to cut the baby out of your stomach?"
I told him no and that i thought we had already talked about this (?)
He then asked, "will it come out of your mouth?"
I replied, "i'll tell you when i get home"
Judson needs a little more time to process things and to prepare.
He was a little less happy about our quick departure and needed a little reassurance. Sweet boy.
Kirby Jane cried.
luckily, my mom had it totally all under control so we loaded up and headed to Monroe.
as we pull out of the driveway, GT gets on a work call (do what?!?)
He said it was already scheduled for 10:30, then told the party on the other line that he had about 15 minutes before he got to the hospital with his laboring wife.
i had no comment (well, one that would be nice anyways)
We get about halfway there and my discomfort with a contraction becomes clearly audible and his call ends.
He clicks on the flashers and starts speeding down the road.
i reach over and turn them off, not wanting all the extra flare and drama.
he tells me, "you handle the passenger side, i've got the drivers side"
it was a pleasant drive.
once we get to the hospital, i tell him that i want to walk in from the parking garage, thinking i need the extra walking to just make sure i was in labor (ha!)
i did NOT want to get to L&D and be dilated a 1cm.
in fact, after we got our temperature taken, masks donned, checked in and made our way up the elevator i told him that if i wasn't dilated to at least a 4 when they checked me, someone was getting punched in the face.
so sweet and precious.
i just wasn't in the mood to be sent home or told this wasn't it.
well, they usher us into a room after seeing my discomfort and start the whole process.
after voicing my concern over my progress, our sweet nurse checks and declares i'm at a 6!
hallelujah!
i think this was around 11:15
then i promptly and excessively discuss my desire for an epidural...STAT!
our nurse was awesome and started making some swift moves to make that happen.
unfortunately, my labor progressed rapidly.
by the time Anesthesia showed up, i was in so much discomfort i had zero regard for all the rambling he was doing and either needed him to pop needle in my back or to make his exit.
right after he left to go see if my lab work was back, i started making it known (apparently to multiple rooms around me) that i was progressing very quickly and someone needed to help.a.girl.out.
somehow a couple of other nurses appeared (GT said he has never heard that level of screaming or noise from me before) after i continued to let them all know that the baby was coming and that i was sure i could not do this.
at this point i was on my side gripping the side rail, but really knew i needed to push. also i knew that i did not want to.
so i told everyone present.
they encouraged me to "just breath"
ha!
i rolled on to my back and was told that the baby was just low.
i said, nah sir, he is coming. but also, i may pass out and couldn't do it (so much extra drama at this point).
they told me that if i would just push, i would deliver him.
so after a pause and considering my options, i decided to believe them.
i pushed once and there he was!
and the immediate physical relief.
it took me minute to want to look at him because i was overwhelmed with it all. in shock basically.
when i did, i saw our sweet, tiny, little baby and praised God that he wasn't any bigger than he was (given the lack of epidural).
oh yeah, and my Doctor didn't make it in time.
the nurses were there and they were amazing!!!
so prepared, professional and reassuring.
they complimented the umbilical cord over and over again saying how beautiful it was.
GT said, "is that a thing? a pretty cord?"
i said, "i'll take it!"
my doctor arrived probably 10 minutes later and said that wasn't much warning!
to which i agreed.
after some time with just me, GT and our baby boy, then nursery nurse came in and weighed him.
5 pounds 14 ounces.
he is our smallest baby by far, but his feet are super long and quite impressive.
i have no doubt he will grow into them quickly.
we had to stay an extra night in the hospital because his bilirubin level was slightly elevated.
we were more than ready to come home on Thursday, since we weren't allowed any visitors and i was missing our other 3! (thanks, no thanks, COVID)
It was rather strange being in the hospital with no visitors. Just me and GT.
we didn't get to go on our 10th anniversary trip to New York, as planned.
So, we counted this little 48 hours with 1 child as a little celebration... jk.
we'll go on that trip eventually (surely it'll be easier to plan with 4 kids, ha!)
we did manage to watch the 4-hour, with commercials, showing of Saving Private Ryan.
so, theres that.
When we were finally released, we were welcomed home by the best welcoming committee ever!
proud and eager big brothers.
happy and slightly confused big sister.
we are settling in to the routine of more children nicely.
i feel (relatively) great, aside from some postpartum Hypertension and a persistent headache until i got some meds.
currently, i'm taking a multivitamin, Ibuprofen, blood pressure meds and a stool softener.
can't decide if i'm an old man or just a postpartum mid-30's mama.
Here goes life with little Truett!
(had some difficulty getting photos in their correct spot. so, here is a smattering of photographic documentation from our hospital stay)
GT can not get enough of this kids feet.
they are quite impressive.
i think i'll call him "skis"
long, lanky fella
always take your pack-mule
until next time, i'll be snuggling this precious babe
