Welcome Lydia Nicole!!!

Well, I have been meaning to do a pregnancy update post for several weeks now, but I guess that is no longer necessary because . . .

SHE'S HERE!!!

This is the last photo I have of my pregnant self, on Halloween, at 36 1/2 weeks

I hit 37 weeks on Sunday, November 4.  I was actually feeling pretty good this day, just tired and sore as usual.  I went to Sacrament meeting, then took Lucy home because I didn't want to send her to nursery with a runny nose.  It turned out to be a fairly relaxing Sunday.  That evening we had dinner with Kenny's family because his parents just got home from their mission!  Yay!!!  We are so happy to have them back!  We got home about 8:45, and went to bed about 9:30.  I had a feeling that I should just cancel drill practice the next morning, so I did - and boy was I grateful!

I woke up around 11 PM, having contractions; nothing serious, just enough to keep me awake.  With nothing else to do, I timed them, and they were consistently about 5 minutes apart.  I figured they would stop and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't.  Finally at about 4 AM I decided to get up and take a shower, just in case the contractions got more intense and I decided to go in.  When I got to the bathroom, I found that I was bleeding.  Following my doctor's orders, to come in AS SOON as I even THOUGHT I might be in labor (bleeding being one of the signs), I decided to go in.  I had Kenny stay home with the kids, and told him that I would call him with an update.  I arrived at the hospital around 4:30 AM, but by the time I got in, filled out the paperwork, and got changed and situated so that the nurse could put monitors on me and check me, it was after 5 - probably a really long 35 to 40 minutes for Kenny!

They checked me and I was dilated to a 4.  The contractions were still steady and consistent, but not too painful.  I told Kenny to go ahead and come down, since they said that at this point I was probably not going to leave the hospital without a baby, and I kind of wanted him there:)  It seemed like it took FOREVER, since my last baby was born 40 minutes after I entered the hospital - so they can't say I didn't give them enough time, I came in early!  They asked if I wanted an epidural, and I told them no.  The pain was still not too bad, and I was able to talk through the contractions.  At about 9 AM the doctor checked me again and I was dilated to an 8, so he decided to break my water.  Then things really started happening!  The contractions became more intense, and I was thinking, "the doctor better hurry and get back in here because this baby is on her way!"  I kept telling them that I felt like I needed to push, but the doctor wasn't back yet, and they hadn't even taken the bottom of the bed off.  Finally I just stopped trying so hard NOT to push, and out she came, right there on the bed, the time was 9:33 AM.  Luckily Gina Shumway, the nurse, was on hand to catch her.  She then set off the alarm, and that finally brought the doctor in . . . a little too late.  He made it in time to cut the cord and stitch me up where I had torn a little, so I was grateful for that.  Kenny came over with a big grin on his face and said, "she is very pink (meaning that she was breathing just fine - a huge relief after my last one)".  I could see her there across the room, and my first thought was that she had really big hands.  The next thing I knew she grabbed right onto the little oxygen mask they had on her and held it to her face . . . a precious moment with no camera, oh well!  The nurses said, "she looks like Kenny, and she is bald."  I didn't care, as long as she was healthy!  It turns out that she is not bald, but actually has quite a bit of white blond hair that they couldn't see until they got her all cleaned up.

About 45 minutes after she was born they brought her to me and said, she is looking for something to eat!  And she was, she latched right on like a pro - I wish my first one could have been like that!  We hadn't decided on a name yet, and still couldn't decide after seeing her.  Needless to say, her coming before everyone was ready made for a pretty big mess, and it took awhile to get it, and me, all cleaned up.  During that time Kenny held the baby, trying to get her to tell him her name, but she didn't.  When I was finally cleaned up and settled in, he handed her back to me.  "I like Lydia," I said.  "Me too," he replied, and that was it.  We had wanted to use Nicole for a middle name, since my middle name is Nicole, so there it was.  He filled out the paperwork and we gave it to the doctor.  Just a few minutes later Kenny's parents came in to see the baby.  The doctor said something to them about her name being Lydia, and they were shocked.  He apologized, thinking that maybe he wasn't supposed to say anything, but it was totally fine, we just hadn't told anyone else yet.  They got a little emotional and said to Kenny, "did you know that you have an ancestor named Lydia?"  Of course, he didn't.  They told us how they had just been studying up on her since she lived in New York, right near where they were serving their mission.  She was married to Newel Knight, bishop of the Colesville branch, and a prominent member in the early church.  We decided that we are definitely going to have to find out more about this girl!

So here she is, 

Lydia Nicole Black

5 lbs, 10 oz

18 1/4 inches long 

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She was three weeks early, but you would never know by looking at her.  Everything seems to be fully developed properly, and she has cute chubby cheeks and a double chin - what more can you ask for?

It was all worth it!!!

Lydia and her mom, both doing great!

 Since we don't have insurance, and a hospital makes for a very expensive hotel, we asked the doctor if we could leave that night.  We had to stay at least 12 hours, but he said if everything was good after that, we would be free to go.  Everything checked out, and we got home at about 10:30 PM.  Kenny's dad was there with the kids, and since they had both had naps, they were still awake - waiting to see their new little sister.

Stetson and Lydia

Lucy and Lydia

 I wasn't sure how they would respond, but they were super excited.  You could tell that they fell in love with her immediately.  Stetson is amazingly soft and gentle with her, and has turned out to be a big help.  Lucy, on the other hand has a really hard time being soft and gentle - even her kisses are a little rough!  But, she loves her, and she still loves me (some kids get angry at their moms for bringing a new baby home).

I can't believe I am the mother of three!

 And there is the proud papa!  Man, I love this guy!  I couldn't ask for a better dad for my kids, or a better husband for me.  He has been so patient and understanding through everything.  I know he loves these guys just as much as I do!

I am so blessed!!!