Thursday, February 25, 2010

Disney on Ice

We went to Disney on Ice for the second year in a row. We had a great time once again. Lauren kept shouting "Belle, I'm here, I'm here." As soon as it was over, she turned to me and said "Mommy, we coming back next year?"

It got a little crazy waiting for the show to begin and I remember thinking "Who had the great idea to come here with our three week old?" That was my idea of course. Ian was great. The girls thought it was great that Ian was coming to his first Disney on Ice.



Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Saturday, February 20, 2010

The only one right

Ellie loves being right and it's been wonderful for her that she's been the only one right.

She said Ian would be a boy, Bob and I said we didn't know. Lauren voted girl. Shannon said a puppy.

Ellie was the only one right. She comes up and whispers that to Ian now.

I envision her telling him that when she is 74 and he's 70.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Aren't you glad you got your boy?

I think I've heard that from just about everyone since I had Ian. I guess I'm not suprised. I was actually expecting it. I knew that no matter what I had I would be hearing comments like that. If Ian had been a girl, people would be saying "Another girl, I'm sorry". Since Ian is a boy, we hear "Well, you finally got your boy" Sadly, that's one of the nicer things we hear.

Those comments actually make me sad and disapointed. It's as if our three girls mean nothing and Ian was simply a prize to be obtained.

Snow Storm

It doesn't usually snow much in our area. Bob and I don't think that it has snowed this much since 2003. We are on our third snow day in the last two weeks. It doesn't sound bad but we've also had a day off due to President's day and a day off for confrences. I don't think they are ever going back to school.


Headed out for fun in the snow.



Three girly girls on a sled. I wonder where bonus boy will fit?

They came in exactly as I predicted. Lauren almost immediately. Shannon came in when her little toddler fingers were frozen. Ellie trailed in a long time later. She insisted on helping Bob clean off the van. Next time, he will have to hold her up to clean off all the windows.

As for me and Ian, we chilled in the house.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day!!



It's also the first picture of our four kids.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Ian's first bath



He really enjoyed his first bath.

Friday, February 12, 2010

First Boy Outfit


We've had closets full of pink since 2003. We've finally add our first boy wardrobe.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Friday, February 5, 2010

The exciting arrival of Ian Lawrence

I had previously had a C-section in 2005. I had a successful VBAC in 2007 and I was ready to have another VBAC. I had moved from the area where I had Shannon in 2007. It was much harder to have a VBAC where I live now. I lost track of doctors who wanted to do a repeat C-section despite my VBAC. I found one practice that would take me on as a patient.

I had gone to the doctor on Friday and we made a tentative plan for Wednesday to go in have my water broken as a last ditch attempt to bring on labor. No one knew if it would work but I wanted to know that I did everything I could to avoid a repeat C-section. My doctor was supportive of my plan.

I had woken up at 3:30am and was having mild contractions but I was 41 weeks pregnant and had been having contractions for weeks. I went to the doctor's at 9:30 on Monday. I was 4 cm dialated and the baby was reactive and perfect at the NST. I was also contracting about every 5 minutes. I wouldn't have known if I hadn't been on the monitors. My doctor made some comment about stirring things up my examining me and then said "I'll see you on Wednesday".

I left and went back to work after getting lunch. I got back at 11:30 and had a conversation with my supervisor about how I was going to be pregnant forever. I told her the plan for Wednesday and new I only had to work two more days.

Bob called me at 12:30 and we talked about his mom coming to watch the girls on Tuesday. I agreed to it. I tried to call some of my claimants and at 1:00 I realized I couldn't leave one a message because I was contracting so much. I called Bob at 1:15 and said that I was going to come home at 1:30 because I was having contractions. I remember telling him that I thought I was in early labor.

At 1:30, I leave. I input some leave and print off my timehseet. I'm still having contractions. My supervisor is at a meeting so I need to find a new supervisor. I reject going to some of the guys by me because I thought they would flip out and would want to call 911.

I find Beth and hand her my timesheet. I told her to tell my supervisor I was leaving and I wasn't coming back. She said "Oh, you won't be back today?" And I said "No, I don't think I'm coming back for awhile".

I couldn't find my ID. When you don't have your ID, you have to walk all around the building. I decided I couldn't do this when I came back from my appointment and I remember thinking "I dare someone to say something to me". I have to walk up front and stop in the bathroom. My mucus plug falls out. I leave the bathroom and call Bob and tell him that I don't think I can drive home, why don't you come pick me up. He asks me if I should go to the hospital and I say no.

I walk up the hallway and I'm still having contractions. I call Bob again and tell him that he should still come pick me up but I think we should go to the hospital. He later told me that he had aleady decided we were going to the hospital. He said he'd meet me there.

I go out to my car and sit there and have contractions every 4-5 minutes. I eventually see Bob show up and park behind me. He beeped and I know he might have thought that I didn't see him. I did see him but I couldn't walk out there while having a contraction.

I eventually get in the car and off we go to the hospital. He starts calling the schools telling them Natalie would pick up the girls. I'm still contracting every 4-5 minutes and moaning through them. I make some comment about wondering if they'll keep me. He says they will but I'm not so sure.

We arrive in the hospital parking lot. It is 2:09. We had never gone on the tour so we go to the ER. I was actually further away from L&D. We see his friend walking in the parking lot. He stops and gives her some directions. I take off and get in the door and start asking where L&D is. Someone tells me it is on the 2nd floor. I have to walk down a hallway. At this point, I have to stop every minute and have a contraction.

I keep passing people and Bob joins me. Everyone I pass makes it their mission in life to get me into a wheelchair. I keep declining. I get almost to the lobby and someone tells me it is hospital policy and I need to get into the wheelchair. It's a triple wide wheelchair. I think Bob and I could have ridden in it together. Bob starts pushing me and crashes me into the elevator. I get out and yell "I told you I don't need the stupid wheelchair". I push 2 and I can hear Bob yell "Kris wait" It's too late so I go off by myself.

I still don't know where I'm going so I pass triage and no one is there. I look up and see 4 nurses walking or almost running towards me. I remember one asked me what number baby this was and I said "4". I found out later that someone had called ahead for me.

I get to a room and at some point Bob shows up. I immediately start stripping off my clothes and my shoes. I get on the monitors and decide to shout out some relevant information "2003 vaginal delivery, 2005 C-section, 2007 VBAC, yes I want another VBAC" I'm now 6 cm dilated. I try to crouch down because it helped so much when I had Shannon. It didn't help that time. All I want to do is lay down and hold onto a bar.

They attempt an IV and bloodwork. It never happens. Someone asks me if I want an epidural and I say "No". Five minutes later I change my mind. I'm now 8 cm dilated. I know it's too late but I keep demanindg an epidural and then a c-section.

People keep running in and I loose track of how many people there are. A staff midwife comes in and then later an attending doctor comes in because it's a VBAC.

My doctor's partner comes in. She breaks my water and it's filled with thick meconium. People from the NICU come down for the delivery. Someone tells me what will happen when the baby is born but I can't take it in.

At some point, I'm almost complete but the baby is no longer tolerating labor well. He starts having some decels and someone tosses some oxgyen on me. I think I'm still asking about my epidural. I have to flip to my left side which seems like the hardest thing ever. I do this for about one minute and then I'm in stirrups.

I push once and the head comes out. The doctor told me later that she realized that he's a big baby. I push again and the rest of his body comes flying out. I start asking "What is it?" And I hear Bob yell "it's a boy, Oh, My it's a boy" I briefly think that he must have siad the wrong word but then realize that we had a boy.

He's taken over and assesed by the NICU. He's cleaned off and suctioned again. He never inhaled meconium.

He's weighed and he is 9lbs 12oz and is 22 inches long. He was born at 3:04pm, 55 minutes after we got to the parking lot and one hour and thirty four minutes after I left work. I think I might have set a record. He's the biggest baby born that day.

He's ours and he's beatiful.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Brand new big sister

Tiny little toes


At 9 lbs 12oz, Ian is a big guy for a newborn. He still teeny tiny to us.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The girls come to visit

Wonderfully, our hospital lifted the ban on kids visiting due to H1N1 exactly two weeks before Ian was born. I'm glad he was slow to cook




Monday, February 1, 2010

Name change is a 'coming

This can no longer be Kristin and the Girly Girls.

Ian Lawrence was born on 2/1/10 at 3:04pm weighing in at 9lbs 12oz and 22 inches long. It was a quick labor as I left work at 1:30pm.

He's definetely a cutie!