Micah Irving (finally!)

I have heard several people talk about how going from two to three kids was the hardest. After that, it gets a little easier. I would beg to differ!!! But, we are finally settling (somewhat) into being a family of six, and I am somewhat settling into managing four boys on my own! So, maybe I'll be able to blog again from time to time...no promises. :) I'll start with Micah's birth story, for those of you who haven't heard it. And, it's nice to have it written down somewhere.

Tuesday, May 31 (4 days after my due date) I had a doctor's appointment in the morning. The night before, I woke up a few times with contractions. I had been having contractions for a few weeks, so I didn't think too much of it. Except for the fact that they had woken me up...that hadn't happen yet. I had a few more as I got up and around, so I called my mom to come drive me to my appointment. I didn't want to be having contractions while driving. At my appointment I was dilated to a 3 (I had been at about a 2 for a few weeks). My doctor said they would set an induction time and call to let me know.

Almost immediately when I got home I started having more "real" feeling contractions pretty often. My mom stayed through lunch and helped me get Reed down for his nap. The contractions got a little farther apart, but were still pretty intense as I rested through the afternoon. Chris decided to come home a little early, just to be safe since he is almost an hour away. And, my mom planned to come feed the boys dinner and stay the night.

My contractions had been consistently 7-10 minutes apart all afternoon, so Chris and I headed to the hospital at around 5:30. I'm going to blame Kalinda for not wanting to get there too late. :) (If you don't know her, click on her name and read her incredible birth story.) As soon as we got to the hospital my contractions started to back off. I had a bad feeling as they were checking me in, and deciding who was going to check me - why this was such a tough decision, I do not know. The nurse checked me and I was at a four! Labor all day long allowed me to change one centimeter...I was beginning to think this was going to be a very long process! I labored for an hour, then the resident checked me. Still at a 4. They called my doctor, I was really hoping he would let me stay, but he didn't. A different nurse came back to send us home and tell me how I could tell if I was really in labor. And, we took the walk of shame out of the birth care center.
As soon as we got in the car my contractions got more intense and started coming every 5 minutes. We stopped and got some dinner, got home in time to say goodnight to the boys, and put on a movie with my mom.

I tried to eat in between contractions, but I would almost always have a bite of food still in my mouth when a contraction hit...so I ended up just feeling sick. My contractions continued every 5 minutes, and started getting even stronger. With about 45 minutes left in the movie I said I was ready to go back. Surely THIS was real labor! :) Chris wanted to finish the movie (somewhat jokingly), but obliged me (and my mom, who was seeming to get worried about me). I had three big contractions as I made my way to the bathroom and then upstairs to the car. But, wouldn't you know it...not a single one almost all the way to the hospital! I was about to tell Chris to turn around when another big one hit, then 3 minutes later another as we pulled into the parking lot, and another 3 minutes later as I walked into the birth care center.

I got checked back in, and again they waited to decide who would check me. Because I had an epidural pretty early with Grayson, and was induced with Tate and Reed...with an epidural shortly after that nasty pitocin, I had never experienced this point in labor. My contractions were 3 minutes or less apart and crazy intense! I even did the stereotypical "don't touch me" to Chris. :) The nurse asked right away if I would want an epidural. My answer was, "most likely." They must have called someone at that point. Because...she when she checked me I was at a 7. I said I most definitely wanted the epidural and things started happening pretty quickly. The anesthesiologist was there immediately and started asking me questions in between contractions. She started as soon as she could, and gave me the best epidural I have ever had - and the fastest! I think the whole process took my mind of the pain I was in. I was more focused on answering questions and then holding still so she could place it. As soon as she placed it the nurse checked, and I was almost complete.

My doctor showed up soon after that and told me I could start pushing. I was expecting I would have a baby soon...my last two came after about 15 minutes of pushing. Micah, though, was face up and wasn't going to come that easily. After about an hour of pushing they asked me to take a break and had me shifting into different positions to get him to turn. (Chris had tried to talk me into skipping the epidural, and I had considered it. But, I'm glad I had it. I was able to take time that I wouldn't have been able to without it. I'm not sure what would have happened if I couldn't have delivered him.) This went on about an hour before the doctor came back in. I don't know if it was because I was nervous about a possible C-section, or he had just moved enough. But, it only took a few more pushes before Micah was born.

His hair is covered up here, but I was shocked when I saw how much there was! The second thing I saw was that chunky little arm and fingers...I knew he was a big boy!

Micah Irving
9 lbs. 14 oz.
20 1/2 inches
born at 2:50 a.m.
on
June 1, 2011

Look at that big boy!

My mom brought the boys up to meet Micah when he was about 6 or 7 hours old.

First family picture as a family of 6.

My brother and sister and their families were able to be there too...so this is my parents and all of their grandchildren. Six, 6 and under. And, 3 of those born within the last year.

(Nolan (Julie's 4 month old), Gracie (Jacob's 8 month old), Tate, Grayson, Micah and Reed)

We headed home Thursday around lunch time.

Micah's firs car ride.

Home, Sweet, Home.

And because I am a bit crazy...Micah, Chris and I made a 45 minute dash to the Homeschool Convention on Friday morning to pick up curriculum for Grayson and Tate in the fall!

Micah's name...
Chris and I had a bit of a difficult time coming up with Micah's name. Micah was the only first name I really like of all the ones he kept suggesting. He finally got the hint that I wasn't going to budge. :)
Irving is the name of the street my grandparents lived on in Denver for nearly 61 years. My family and I also lived there when I was a little girl. Chris and I wanted the middle name to reflect my side of the family, and this seemed to be a good fit.