Well, Blake's due date was the 27th of March and I was scheduled for a c-section on the 20th. On the 17th of March, which was Monday night we had a family bday party to celebrate Ethan, our nephew. We had a great time that evening and then we got home...
around 930pm I started having contractions and figured they would eventually stop. I did end up falling asleep and slept until about 130am and then realized that the contractions were not stopping. But..when the kids and Spence woke up the next morning, he asked if we should just go in and I said, "no, I'm sure they'll stop."
Well...they didn't. Not all day! They were about 5, 7 and 10 minutes apart all day but they only lasted about 15-20 seconds every time so I knew that if I went in, I probably wasn't dilated that far and they may send me home and I didn't want to mess with getting a sitter and being gone and then coming back and confusing the kids so I decided to suck it up and deal with it until Thursday when I was scheduled, hoping that they would stop.
Around 4pm on Tuesday, I called Spence and said, "I'm done. It hurts too bad." But then of course they started to only be about every 20-25 minutes so I called him back and said "nevermind, I can wait it out." Well, after we ate and got the kids in bed that night they were slower and not very hard but still there. By then, I was nervous that my doctor wouldn't be around to do my c-section if I went in now anyway so I'd have to wait it out. HOWEVER...at 3am on Wednesday morning, I had had it! They were between 3 and 5 minutes apart and I couldn't take it. I went and told Spence and he called his mom and by 350am we were off to the hospital.
Of course, I had to get a quick pic in before we left of the big bare belly. It's so sad...my poor tummy just looks horrible! So many stretch marks :( Worth it for sure, but man, I miss my pre-triplets belly at times.
We made it to the hospital around 415am and by then, I started throwing up and shaking. It was getting close for sure.
Spence loves to take pics of me having contractions - not funny at the time but good to have memories of later on
Obviously not having a contraction now :) But monitors were on watching Blake and watching my contractions
The two of us pre-5th baby :)
Spence was ready for the OR - we got the word at 6am that my doctor was there and ready to do my c-section. Thank goodness! He is such a great doctor and I'm so so grateful he was able to make it and sacrificed his early morning to be there.
We moved on into the OR after blowing two of my veins in my hand trying to get the IV in. UGH! Happens every, single time! The anesthesiologist was getting ready to give me my spinal. And no. It was not at all comfortable lying on my side having contractions.
Oh how lovely I look - BOO. But it shows that I was rather relaxed at that point with my spinal and morphine drip
For the squeamish, you may not want to look but I love that Spence was able to capture some good pics. No wonder my stomach looks like hamburger and resembles Santa's bowl full of jelly right?
Look how they put that pink bowl-like thing inside and opened up my stomach with vice grips pretty much to make it stay put while they got ready to pull Blake out.
Here he is! Baby Blake - 7 lbs 10 oz and 21 inches long. Born at 6:28am on 3/19/14.
Welcome to the world cutie pie, okay not so cute at the moment covered in stuff but cute nonetheless.
Getting all suctioned out
Aw...so sweet.
He cried right away but he sounded kind of funky I thought. Well, come to find out he had swallowed quite a bit of amniotic fluid.
This much in fact! Poor little guy.
Rio had done the same thing but hers was much worse! Thank goodness Blake's experience was not like hers. But, he did have to be admitted to the NICU right away for oxygen monitoring.
They cleaned him all off first...
...put the weird eye ointment on his eyes and then...
was taken to the NICU. These great nurses watched over him for the 4 hours that he was in there and made sure that his oxygen was okay before he could come up to my room.
What a sweet little boy - holding in his binky with his little cannula in. Already so tough!
Daddy took such great care of you while you were in the NICU - he never left your side and made sure you were okay.
He ended up being there for 4 hours on oxygen and then monitored for 2 more without to make sure he was stable and then he was up to my room! What an amazing little guy he is - he already had beaten the odds even getting here without using IVF and then he fought hard to get off that oxygen. He is one strong little guy!
I don't think I ever mentioned that at my 20 week ultrasound, they found calcifications in his abdomen near his liver. The doctors were worried about him because those are typically markers for Downs, Trisomy's and a major infection called CMV. I was terrified when they told me this and during the entire second half of my pregnancy. In fact, I went to the MFM doctors and was given the sad look and comment of "now you know why you're here right?" Shortly after, the genetic counselor came in and gave me the word about doing all the testing to see what might be wrong with him and why he has these. I was completely taken off guard and was so incredibly sad and scared I couldn't talk. This was two days before we had to be out of our home by the way...so just one more major thing to think about.
LONG story short, I had blood work that showed that with between 90-97% accuracy, Blake didn't have those things and there was no real explanation why he had these calcifications and I would need to be monitored regularly by MFM and have routine usounds and NST's. So yes, I was quite paranoid the ENTIRE pregnancy. I was praying for this little miracle of ours and Spence was the calm, amazing voice that simply said, "Summer, he came to us on his own, so no matter what, he is ours and the way he should be." That reminder kept me a little more calm on my most paranoid of days but until he came out, I was never completely calm. So to have him in the NICU and then out of there so quick just reminded me how incredible this little boy is. He has beaten all the odds so far - what a miracle you are Blake.
Before I was able to go back to my room, I was wheeled into the NICU to see Blake and was so excited to meet him. He was just perfect!
My parents came to meet him a few hours later. Grandma Marsha with new, little Blake
Papa Dougie and Blake - his 11th grandchild!
Grandma and Grandpa Morris came up too and Grandma was even able to feed Blake. He is a great little eater. I wasn't able to feed him until late that evening. I could not keep any food or water or even ice down until 5pm that night so I kept throwing up.
Grandma and Grandpa Morris - their 12th grandchild and all under the age of 7!
Uncle Marc
Love this picture - so cute!
The following day my cute kiddies came up to meet Blake and I was dying to see them!
Rio walked in and wanted to hold Blake immediately! It was so sweet. She already loves him so much
Austin was a sweetie pie too - he was so excited to hold him and meet him
Three of my adorable boys
This little cutie shocked me a little bit when he wanted to hold Blake - he isn't a huge fan of babies "because they don't talk" he once told me but he was more than willing to let that go and hold his newest little brother.
My 5 kiddies - although you can't see all their faces, I love it!
First family photo! What a great family I have and I am so super lucky and blessed!
Logan was not such a fan of meeting Blake. He was much more interested in looking out my window at the cars driving by. Ha-ha - don't worry Blake. You two will be great buddies :)
Two of my greatest friends Roxy and Angie came up to meet Blake. I was so happy to see them - they are always so super supportive of all that I do.
Love the binky pic - they're always so big at first
Grandpa with Blake - you'll be so loved by him sweetie
My parents and I - so grateful for them and their support and love
When I hold him, I honestly have to hold back the tears each time because I really can't believe he came and joined our family. He is a complete miracle and huge blessing to us.
What a joy you already are Blake. We love you so much and are so incredibly grateful for you and we know you'll bring us much joy. Welcome to our family sweetie pie
Little cutie kids
For as much "naughty" as this boy brings to our home, he brings 5X the smiles to our faces :)
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