Going Home from the Hospital

Tuesday morning, we woke up bright & early at 5:00. . . like I normally do & I spent more alone time with my new little guy. The doctors came in to check on us & told us that we could go home today if we wanted to. I was SO READY to be home again (even though it hadn't even been a full 24 hours since birth.) They took Craiger in & did his circumcision (which he slept through!!!!) & then brought him back to me. I can't believe he slept through that. He's such a mild mannered baby. Then they did his PKU test (2 sharp thumbtacks to the heel) & he slept through that as well. After that they watched him for 2 hours to make sure there weren't any problems with the circumcision, & they they let us go home.

I had fun dressing him up in his "going home" outfit (aka the only preemie outfit I have) & then got him all comfortable in his new carseat.

The hospital insists that new mom's be taken to their cars via wheelchair (so lame) so they put me in a chair & started to wheel me out. The look on Bladen's face was priceless. He looked confused & then full on concerned. He started to cry & reached his arms out for his mommy. He thought they were taking me away from him. It melted my entire being to see him like this. I reached out & snatched him up into my arms immediately & he got to "ride" in the wheelchair with me to the car. Daddy carried Craiger. It was heaven to have Bladen that loving. . . he's usually more of a daddy's boy. We hopped into the car & went home right around noon. It was good to be home.

Craiger Boone Potter

We were SO shooting for a March baby. Every single one of our kids have been born in the month before their due date month. I thought for sure we'd make it this time. Plus we already have 3 birthdays right in a row in February. . . well. . . now we have 4. This little stinker couldn't wait one more second to come into the world.

Sunday night I was feeling my contractions. They weren't painful at all, but I could feel them which made me happy since I've always been oblivious to them. Since they didn't hurt, I didn't want to go to the hospital, but after a prayer I was prompted to go. We packed up the kiddos & got them to their friends' houses & situated in case this really was it. Then we drove to the hospital wondering what was going to happen.

We explained my history & they already had my file out & ready to go. They had been "warned" about me. ha ha ha. They hooked me up to monitors & watched my labor for about an hour. I was only dilated to 4 cm & my contractions weren't very big so I thought for SURE they were going to send me home after the hour. But the nurse came in & told me they were putting in my IV. I was totally confused & asked why & she told me she called my doctor & he told her not to let me leave that hospital without a baby in my arms. (I love my doctor!)

So they drew blood, put in the IV, & started me on antibiotics for my heart. They made up a bed for Trek & we started a VERY LONG NIGHT that I will remember for a while. I was up all night as the contractions got to 2 minutes apart. Though they still weren't "painful" by 7 am the next morning, they were definitely annoying. I didn't sleep AT ALL that night & since I had gotten up at 3 am the day before because of being uncomfortable I was now pulling 28 hours without sleep. I was exhausted already. The nurse checked me again & I was now at 6 cm. She called Dr. Walker & he came in to see how I was doing. He took one look at me & said, "Let's have a baby!" He popped my water at 7:30. And then it hit me. . .

"PAIN!"

It was that same pain that got me going to the hospital with both Taya & Bladen. . . the pain you feel when you know the baby is going to pop out any second. But NO, I was like that for 2 1/2 hours as it got worse & worse & worse. I was SO chicken about getting an epidurral because I'm so scared of needles, but the nurse could see I was passing out during every contraction because I was past the point of exhaustion. I needed the epidurral so I could push the baby out. So the anesthesiologist came in & put in the epidurral. It wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be, but it also didn't take away the pain like I thought it was supposed to. Yes, it took the "edge" off (so I wouldn't pass out), but I could still feel PAIN! Less than 20 minutes after getting the epidurral I could feel the baby in the birth canal & my body wanted to push. (I thought you weren't supposed to be able to feel all that with an epidurral!) The doctor ran in & within 2 minutes I was holding my little guy. It was the most painful delivery I've ever had, which is strange to me since I did have the epidurral, but none of that matters now. I had my new little man & he was healthy & that's all that mattered.

I always love it when they first give you your baby. . . all sticky & gooey. You don't even care; all you can think about is hugging & kissing his face off. I had so much joy in my heart as I pulled him up close to me.

Craiger Boone Potter - February 28th, 2011 - 7 pounds - 20 1/2 inches long

Craiger was a skinny little guy, but very tall. He looks an awful lot like his big brother Bladen, but he has a different look about him too. He is a little different than the rest of my kids. I might actually have a kid that looks like me. HOORAY!

I love holding my new little ones as they try to see the new world around them. I just hope I make them feel safe & warm in their new environment.

Craiger has such wrinkly red skin & looks like an old bald man. He's so cute!! I have to kiss him all day long because he's just that cute.

Trek went & picked up all the girls after school got out so they could come & meet their new little brother. Taya was an "insta-mommy." She couldn't wait to hold her new baby brother. She was SO sweet with him.

Bladen had a harder time. When he saw that baby in my arms, he turned around & wouldn't look at me or the baby for the rest of his visit. I know it has to be hard for such young kiddos to understand. To him, he just lost his "girlfriend" so I'm sure after a week or two, he'll warm up to his new play buddy & all will be well in the world again.

Lorien couldn't wait to meet her brother. She is such a loving little girl. What a sweetheart.

Poor Trekkie is sick right now, so we didn't get a lot of pics of him holding his new little guy. He is more focused on not getting him sick which I know is SO HARD for him because he just wants to hug & cuddle him as much as I do.

Cadence is a pro when it comes to playing "mommy" to new baby siblings. After all, she's had the most experience so far. She is so sweet to Craiger. I love how my kids already love the new addition to the family.

Once daddy picked up the baby, Bladen couldn't run to me fast enough. I guess he just needs to know that his "girlfriend" is still there for him. We had some mommy son time & things started to be "okay" in the world again.

The kids bought Craiger a monkey toy in the gift shop. Now we're all calling Craiger "Monkey" because of it. I think they might get the credit for the little guy's nickname.

I still can't believe I am the mother of five kids. Four didn't sound so big, but five sounds enormous. Yup, I've got 5 kids.

I love how I have 2 boys now. I never thought I'd ever get boys after 3 girls. I love my little men.

Trek took the kids home & I got to spend my first night as mommy to Craiger all alone with him which I LOVED!! I was up all night kissing & cuddling my new little guy. Life doesn't get much better than that.

Tuesday morning, daddy brought Taya & Bladen over to hang out until I got discharged from the hospital. Bladen loved on me all morning (while Craiger was getting circumcised).

Taya basically sat around & waited for the nurses to bring me juice. . . then she'd drink it all gone. She is HILARIOUS!

Finally, at noon. . . . it was time to go home with our new bundle of joy!

Flying Kites

Auntie Triskin brought kites to each of the kids when she came to visit, so Saturday night the wind was perfect & we took the kids to the park by our house to fly them. Lorien opted to go to her friend's house, but Taya & Cadence were on a roll. Taya was AMAZING! Cadence figured it out pretty fast too.

It was a beautiful day here in Monterey.

Taya got to the point where she had all her string unwound & she was literally playing on the playground, playing on slides as she held on to the base. And the kite still flew. It was so funny.

They love their kites Auntie Triskin & Uncle Phil. Thank you for getting them for them.