Well it's been FOREVER since I've updated the blog... and 2013 has been a HUGE year for us...
we hit san diego for a family vacation for my 29th birthday... the zoo, animal park and beach were a hit! Then shortly after the trip we found out our landlord wanted to sell... well in february we had an offer in on ONE house we loved and the SAME DAY we heard news he wanted to sell... we found out our offer was accepted!! (short sales take FOREVER! but it was worth it!) during the loan application time, Ryan went to scout camp (and LOVED it!) and I was dealing with the paperwork of getting approved (not fun!) all this while packing up and pregnant. We had to close on our house in 30 days, so pressure was ON! THEN we finally closed... and the renovations began. We had about 2 weeks before the end of august to tear out old carpet, install new carpet, tile, mask and tape the house, and install baseboards and patch a dog door- AND pack and move all of our things... oh and I was about 25 weeks pregnant too :) I was also promoting twice with my company so I had an August 31st deadline to get a $10,000 bonus so it was a tad crazy! THEN we also had Ryan's captain's wedding in California so we moved our stuff, cleaned the old house, did the inspection and left for a seven hour drive for three days. Over labor day- we were EXHAUSTED after renovating and moving and cleaning and driving and traveling and promoting and being pregnant. It's been a few months... we had hailyn's fifth birthday (post coming soon) and halloween and Thanksgiving in Flagstaff. Then Christmas and a baby... but for now we will focus on the baby... because it is fresh in my mind and I'm trying to be better about family history and updating ect. SO here it is...
I had been having contractions since 35 weeks... but nothing major- I started the red raspberry tea leaf caspules and those are AWESOME (started at 34 weeks) on our drive to California, Ryan and I settled on a name for baby boy... Everett... we felt it was 'right' but the middle name was up for debate... I worried on our Flagstaff trip I would have the baby my contractions were so intense at night... but they didn't last long. So I had been contracting all through thanksgiving and Christmas (Christmas came a week early at our house.. santa made an exception;) I was dialating and that was exciting since with hailyn I was at a zero at induction! Then at my last drs appt on dec 19 they said i was still a 2-3. I was crushed. I had been there for a while. So they told me to get things going and I forced them to schedule an induction date (so I wouldn't have to go back on the 23 a monday and be induced on Christmas day or Christmas Eve) well they set the day for the 23 (my due date) 730. Ryan was working the sunday before so he raced from work to come meet me at the hospital (poor tired man) and Brandon came and picked me and kids up at 630am to drop me off and the kids to ryan's mom. Well hospital called on our way and pushed me back to 9am- so Brandon drove straight to Ryan's mom and Ryan met us there. (thanks Brandon!)
Then we left kiddos and walked around walmart, (near Christmas! yikes! it wasn't too bad still early in morning) and then went to fry's, went to the outlet mall, called at nine and they pushed me back to noon. So we ate lunch at chillis and I could barely touch my spicy chicken I was contracting hard.
At noon we went in, they pushed me back to 700pm. I was crushed. I felt I was putting everyone out, everyone and Ryan was tired and I was having contractions. I was so sad. Everyone was so supportive though. Ryan and I drive home, I slammed castor oil (after Hailyn I swore I would never again) but I did it with 32 ounces of OJ and it wasn't bad. Then we napped and when I woke up my contractions were 4 minutes apart! We went to the hospital picking up KFC on the way (since I learned my lesson about not eating- I need food to push people!) and the charge nurse tried to say the dr doesn't want you to deliver at 3 or 4 am- I said well tough my contractions are four minutes apart now soooo... they admitted me.:) I was at a four- YES! most I have ever been on my own (thanks red raspberry!)
They got me going and had to break my water (but luckily it wasn't as bad as with Silas) FUN FACT: I delivered Silas and Everett in the same hospital room :) 269!!
Ok tangents...
So then th contractions came hard and fast... They finally gave me an epidural and had to go back and give me the real good drugs :) then I slept and so did Ryan. They had to wake me at midnight and tell me it was time to push. NEVER had that happen I knew with both kiddos and I certainly didn't SLEEP in labor! I asked them... PLEASE let me sleep another hour? they laughed. So we started pushing. My nurse Chrissi was awesome and gave me BEST push advice EVER and after nine pushes he was here. No screaming, no scaring other hospital patrons. I pushed 25 minutes- that's it. AWESOME SAUCE! I remember saying to Dr. Pack- that's it? He was there maybe an hour start to finish. They let him stay on my chest for a while and he latched on right away- easiest delivery, latching to date!
Here I am on the 22, the day before induction (SO glad I went on my own!) getting ready to chase two babies at church 40 weeks preggo :) Christmas program!
Welcome to the world Everett Van Paul Tidwell! Born 12/24/13 at 12:49am. 8lbs 14 ounces and 20.5 inches long. 5.5 hours of labor at hospital- easy peasy!
Here is Ryan feeding him. Because he was big they needed to do some sugar level testing. I knew he was fine I have big babies but after his levels dropped a little after breastfeeding they encouraged us to flush out anything with some formula so Ryan got to feed him quickly after birth too (he's such a good daddy:)
Here he is snuggling me in the middle of the night- I just held him.... he could hear my heart beat- it was heaven!
Morning loves... My view Christmas eve morning... smitten
I know it's a long post but I wanted to document the story... a few other FUN FACTS:
My discharge nurse Jodi was my labor nurse with Silas and a dear friend of our best friends mom Cathy York (Brandon's mom!) and was our nurse with Hailyn. So that was tender. She remembered me too :)
Our hearing test with Everett the first time did NOT go well- he made it 80% of the way and ripped the cords out- then he got another one- the gal who did it is the daughter in law of Ryan's mom's best friend. And this is why I love delivering at San Martin :)
Ryan left on Christmas Eve night to have dinner with his family and play with our other babies :) My sister Mel came to the hospital (no pics) and then Christmas morning we were discharged. We left, found the only open CVS on Christmas day, filled prescriptions and then went to his mom's for breakfast and to pick up the babies. It was quite a sight to see all three kiddos packed into our little Saturn :) We came home, slept, woke up and ate a casserole (thanks frozen meals!) the kids had presents from awesome friends for being a good big brother and big sister- so we opened those. I will also post about the kiddos Christmas Eve fun with the grandparents and our own Christmas day we did- it was the best Christmas ever. I loved being pregnant during this time, I thought a lot about Mary and how she must have felt carrying our Savior and I reflected a lot on the kind of woman, wife, and mother I want to be. I also felt slightly connected to her as they kept turning me away from the hospital... nothing in comparison to Mary but just the tiredness she must have felt and how Joseph made her as comfortable as possible- that was my Ryan :)
UPDATE: we've been home a few days... we took down Christmas on the 26 and that night I think I over did it- woke up with severe chills and aches and could barely walk. We packed kids and took them to grandmas in morning and took Everett to his first check up hoping I could see the dr after. The Drs was closed they were at henderson office so we drove there. With my milk coming in and my four hours TOTAL of sleep my body didn't respond well. We went to get kids from his moms and Silas was sleeping so with no supplies or diapers for Everett, I took a nap, and we finally got home at 3pm. It was a long long day. Ryan forced me to rest and I am doing much better- my labs came back ok (they rushed them to make sure it wasn't an infection like with Hailyn). So Ryan has been taking GOOD care of us all :) and I'm trying to not do TOO much and rest.
