12.09.2012

12.09.2012 is my oldest sister's, Amber, birthday.

and I gave her the best birthday present ever!

A new nephew!!

Lyle Devin Bartholomew was born December 9th 2012 at 2:31 pm.

He was 20in long and weighed a whopping 8lbs 4oz!

My jaw literally dropped when they said 8lbs...

Here is the story

Devin and I woke up at 7 to get ready for Chloe's baby blessing in Brigham City

Chloe is the gorgeous 3 month old of our friends Chase and Emily.

I went pee and brushed my teeth before I went to get my hair done and makeup on.

I sat down on the floor to start getting ready and it felt like I peed my pants.

I stood up to go back upstairs because maybe I didn't get it all out the first time.

When I stood up, more fluid came out.

I wasn't sure but "I think my water just broke"

I walked upstairs to the bathroom where Dee was shaving and told him

"Umm...We might be going to the hospital instead...I think my water just broke"

The look on his face was priceless.

His face was halfway shaved and he was in the process of stroking down.

He stopped and looked at me with a little panic in his eyes.

I told him that I wasn't having any contractions and that we should just continue to get ready.

I went back downstairs, finished my hair and makeup.

Changed out of my dress that I was already in and put on some pjs.

Dee called Emily and told her that we wouldn't be able to make it and that Chloe's boyfriend was going to be born instead.

Before we left the house, I decided I should try and go to the bathroom again.

I sat down, took care of business and as I was standing up to put my pants on, mid stand, more fluid came out and went down the leg of my pants.

I started laughing so hard and called Dee in to clean up the floor while I ran downstairs to change into some other pjs.

We left the house around 8 and got to the hospital around 8:30.

Still no contractions and the whole car ride we were laughing. 

We called my Mom when we got in the car to tell her that I think my water broke and that she should start to get ready.

We next called Dee's Mom but she wouldn't answer.

Both of us started calling her on our phones and finally after 5 minutes of trying she answered.

They got me into my room around 9, got me hooked up to the monitors, and we sent out the texts.

The nurse told me that I was having contractions about every 9 minutes.

I looked at her like "really?"

I honestly couldn't feel them.

My sister's were so excited and were getting ready as fast as they could to make it to the hospital.

April was the first one there and all we did was laugh.

They got me hooked up to the pitocin to start my contractions. 

I finally started feeling them and all I did was laugh through them.

April had to keep telling me to breath but I couldn't because I was laughing so hard.

Amber showed up next, then Mandee and my Mom.

Mandee and Matt never responded to our texts to I told Dee that he better call them.

We were lucky we called when we did because they were walking into stake conference.

The party was officially started!

Ginger had a cough and we don't want to risk anything so she stayed home.

And Lindy is living in Cali...so we had to do everything via text at first.

The contractions started getting harder and I had to stop talking for a minute and concentrate on my breathing.

Dee was amazing!

He held my hand through every contraction.

I didn't cry and the pain was PAIN but I could handle it.

As the contractions got harder and harder I had to close my eyes, breath, and all I could say was "owe" and "ouch".

I didn't cry at all over the pain.

During one contraction, Peggy(my nurse) felt my tummy and said, "wow! that's a hard contraction"

She was so surprised that I didn't have the epidural yet.

She asked if I wanted it yet and I said no.

My sisters were all so sweet.

Amber would come over to the other side that Dee wasn't on and would rub my legs and hold my other hand.

I LOVE having so many sisters! 

I couldn't have asked for better ones!

I think Mandee was wanting me to go natural because she kept saying that I should wait longer to get the epidural but if I did wait, I definitely would have gone natural.

Maybe next time I'll try it if it is as easy as it was this time.

The next time Peggy came in we ordered the epidural.

I am afraid of needles....

I absolutely HATE them!

So I was really nervous about the epidural.

The guy that did it was Kirk, or Peggy likes to call him Captain Kirk.

He did amazing!

I felt the first needle and jumped a little but the second one I didn't feel at all.

Dee was right there in front of me holding my hand and being amazing.

I laid back down and could feel the drugs working their magic.

The contractions were less and less painful after that.

Dee got a little bored then because I wasn't in pain anymore.

So he watched some netflix while I went back to talking with my sisters and of course, laughing.

When I got to the hospital I was dilated to a 3.

Peggy checked me after we got the epidural in and I was at a 5.

The last time she checked me, which was about 20 - 30 minutes later, I was at an 8.

Woohoo!!
She had me do some practice pushes and I was ready!

His head was down and Dee was actually able to see his hair!

I got a little teary eyed then because everything was finally happening and also because Dee was able to see/do a little more with this.

I get the joy of having the baby grow inside me and feel the kicks, hiccups, punches, etc. night and day.

Dee was able to put his head on my belly and hear the baby's heart beat and then he gets to actually see his son born while I do the work.

I loved that Dee was able to have that.

We got the Dr there and the fun began.

What was really cool, my sisters all came and stood behind Dee and were on the side of my bed.

Usually we all just sit on the couch and watch quietly.

They were all around my bed. 

Oh, right before I started pushing, we snuck Tara into the room.

The max number of people I could have was 5 and I was already at that limit.

Peggy was really cool and didn't send Tara out when she got there.

We were just missing Ginger and Lindy.

I love technology!

They were both able to be there virtually!

Amber and April both brought their Ipads so we were able to video chat with them and they got to see the birth of their new nephew as well!
I pushed through 4 or 5 contractions and my gorgeous baby boy was here.

I remember thinking after the Dr. held him up, "is that really mine?"

It was all surreal and I couldn't wrap my mind around the idea that this was my baby and I was his Mom.

They got him cleaned up and the nurses were guessing his weight.

They were thinking 7lbs 15oz and then they put him on the scale.

8lbs 4oz...

All I heard was 8 and my jaw literally dropped.

I can't believe that I had an 8lb baby!

My sister said, "I should have had my camera on you instead of the baby when they said 8lbs"

I was shocked!

All my sisters and Mom were shocked.

We all kept saying 8 lbs!!

I was all baby that's for sure!

He was clean, I was clean and I got to hold my baby boy.

He was so chunky and adorable!

He had the biggest cheeks!

He still does but they were swollen so they were so much bigger.

Pictures were taken and hugs and kisses were given.

My Mom said that I had a "text book" delivery.

Everything was perfect.

Something that I really liked, the epidural didn't completely numb me.

I could still move my feet, my toes, my legs.

I had full control still.

I could feel the tightening of the contractions but couldn't feel the pain.

I could feel when I needed to push so the nurse didn't have to tell me.

It was awesome!

He has been so alert since he was born.

He kept looking around at all of us and was awake for quite some time after.

He is still so alert and loves looking around at everything.

And he actually will look you right in the eyes.

I love it!

We are taking everything day by day and honestly nights are the easiest.

He is eating great but at nights he sleeps for three hours, wakes up to eat, then is back out for another three hours.

During the day he is more awake so he thinks he needs to eat and gets frustrated when he doesn't. 

So the binky has been a life saver during the day to hold him over until it is actually time to eat.

It's also hard during the day because I want to go out with my Mom and go somewhere at a certain time but this little boy has his own schedule.

I'll get him ready and dressed and he'll poop and I'll have to take off his pants and change him.

And then we'll get ready to walk out the door and he'll get hungry.

So I have to feed him.

All this is going on while I still need to eat and get myself ready to go out.

It's crazy how your life changes!

You have to take care of your baby and also take care of yourself at the same time.

Plus, you have to do all your house work and get dinner ready and things like that.

Day by Day...

It'll get better.

Today we are taking it easy and just chilling so I can have a relaxed day and maybe catch up on some sleep.

I love being a Mom and couldn't have asked for a better more sweet angel.

He doesn't cry that much.

He get upset and lets you know but not by crying.
It's hard to explain a noise but he's so cute.

When he does get really upset he gets this really cute high whine.

No screaming, nothing.

He really is an angel.

Here are some pictures until we get more from my sisters :)

 Mom, Amber(birthday girl), April and Mandee

 Holding my chunky angel

I absolutely love these two boys!

Dee is an amazing Dad and loves little man so much!

They are so cute together and the way he talks to him is so sweet!

I have the two best, most sweetest boys in the entire world!

Happy Friday!!!