the 3rd time's a charm...

...or not.

i've gotten many requests for details and pictures, so here you go. you may want to grab a bag of popcorn. or a beer.

the last weekend in june, i told chase that i wanted to go get an ultrasound to see where this new kid was positioned. all the kicks and jabs just didn't feel right to me. the other two always nailed me in the ribs, but that wasn't happening with this one. i kept feeling most everything way down low. so, he gave in to the crazy, hormonal pregnant wife and took me up to the hospital late that sunday.

as soon as the probe touched my belly, we could tell that he was breech. to say that i was not happy would be the understatement of the year. i kept it together through the halls of the hospital until we made it to the car. then, i fell apart...for 3 days. morning...middle of the night...it didn't matter. there were tears.

i did NOT want a c-section. i don't think there's a thing wrong with them, but i just didn't want one and the recovery that goes along with it. plus, after having 2 the other way...that's what i knew, and that's what i wanted.

so, my unbelievably, awesome doctor (kristen, i know you read this blog...) told me that we could try a version to get him into the head down position. (if this is something that you are about to have done, please do not google it or watch it on you tube!) so this past wednesday morning, we went up to the hospital for my mauling...ahem, procedure. i got my epidural (the 5th time i've been stuck in the spine, by the way...and this is only the 3rd kid), and then we waited around for an hour or so for it to kick in. i don't know why, but i have the most routine, mundane pregnancies until it's time for them to get out. anyway, after loading me up with enough lidocaine for a 500lb man, and me blowing their mind that i could still move my legs, the stuff finally kicked in. then i was flat on my back with a whole lot of pushing, pulling and twisting going on. i don't know how long it took to get him flipped because, ya know, with a bp of 90/47, i was pretty nauseated and out of it. BUT...my unbelievably, awesome doctor got him head down (despite him pushing and kicking back) and ready to come out. only it was just over 2 weeks early, so i had to be observed all day to make sure he was ok, and then we came home.

can you say sore? i felt like i'd been beat up from the neck down by a skinny, 5'3", 100lb chick, but i've never been so glad to be so sore!!

anyway, we came home ready to wait it out for reed to make his entrance into this world. but, apparently he was afraid of what else was going to happen to him if he stayed in there!

i was woken up around 530am with some crampy stuff going on. but, i thought nothing of it. after what all went on just 24 hours prior, i figured that was part of the deal. they kept coming about 3-5 minutes apart, so i got up and got dressed. no sense in staying in the bed if i can't sleep. i told chase, and he thought nothing of it either. you'd think by the 3rd one, we'd have some sense. but obviously, we're idiots.

chase's work schedule saved me. he was supposed to drive to starkville to work that day. and since he'd be over an hour away, he told me to contact unbelievably, awesome doctor to see what she said. after a few texts, i met her up at the hospital. yes...i drove myself to the hospital, and chase headed out on his way to starkvegas. so i walked in the doors of the hospital fully expecting to walk right back out of them. in fact, i told william when i left that i'd be right back. poor kid...mama straight up lied to him.

after a brief moment with unbelievably, awesome doctor, all she said was "call chase and tell him to turn around. you're at 5cm." say what? i'm supposed to be going swimming with the little people in a little bit. but, then some lady came in and slapped a bracelet on my arm, took me to a room in L&D, and squashed the swimming plans for the day.

here's the fun part. knowing that i have some sort of immunity to anesthesia, they got a hold of them and told them to do the epidural before we got things going because, hello....it might take a while. i say them, because both days there were anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists (did i even come close to spelling that right?) in the room trying to hook me up. they got there and did the epidural flawlessly, or so i thought. my toes started getting tingly, so i thought we were on our way. chase decided to go for a walk, and while he was gone i could swear i felt something dripping down my back. the last time i felt something dripping down my back, i ended up with a blood patch and lying flat on my back for days. so yeah, bp went up. my sweet nurse came in verified the drip, then called the anesthesia boys back to my room. i'm sure they were glad to see me! the news...it fell out! it FELL OUT, people! i had not moved an inch so as not to disturb that thing, but somehow it slipped out. i didn't know whether to laugh or cry. soooo...that one got discarded, and we went for yet another one. this is #7 for those of y'all keeping score. it went in great again, and they taped my back up like they were trying to hold back the hoover dam. there was no way this one was coming loose. my legs were getting numb, but i could still feel those contractions. and they were getting worse. but, it did take an hour for the epidural to kick in yesterday, so i just had to wait it out.

so, friends and family came in and out, and my legs were getting heavier, so i figured we were on our way. but i could still feel the dang contractions. but only on my left side. it would be just like me to get an epidural that worked only on one side. and that's exactly what happened. unbelievably, awesome doctor came in, and it was about then that i decided that my husband will sleep in another room for the rest of his life. or maybe i just put my pillow over my face and cried until i was given the go ahead to push. i've always wondered what i'd be like if i actually had to feel labor. i didn't think i'd be a screamer or one that cursed my husband like a sailor. i had to focus on the ability to breathe, so i guess my sailor-like tendencies had to take a back seat. instead, i just cried my way through it until reed finally made his way out into the world. and, i'm oh-so-glad he did. i was almost to the point of telling her to shove him back up in there, and tell him just to stay put. i'd be a pregnant person forever. but, unbelievably, awesome doctor held him up, announced that he looked like wes, got him to cry, and then i took a nap. or something. i don't really remember much until chase handed him to me all wrapped up. this perfect, little, baby burrito.

a few minutes old...


daddy and reed...


mama and reed...


meeting the 2 new big brothers...


family pic...


tired after the last 2 days...


i got moved into a room shortly after all that, and i had the cutest door on the hall. thanks, sarah!


reed pretty much ate and slept for the duration of our hospital stay. he did wake up a time or two for a photo op...


when we were finally able to come home, the crew was out in full force to welcome the new guy home...


they even made signs...

and although he was a completely, stubborn little thing when it came to him getting out, he's been a super, sweet little thing since he's been here. i guess he figured after all that he put me through, he'd better be nice for a few days. and i do appreciate it.

and now, i think i'll head up to the hospital to get a few more epidurals just for fun. because surely i'm close to some sort of record.