I started this post on Saturday and have added a little at a time since... my blogging time has been taken up with holding a certain little someone... Since we had the laptop up at the hospital I was able to (with Chad's help) start a little journal to keep track of the timing of things. I'm not the greatest at remembering details, so I thought this would help me out. I'm putting this on here basically for me to help me remember and for whenever I get around to publishing this blog into a book. I want to remember the story. So, this may or may not interest you. Here goes...
I guess to begin at the start of the day, when I woke up I was instructed to call the hospital just to make sure that they had room for me and hadn't had a rush of pregnant women all going into labor at that exact moment. So we had the alarm set for 5:00 a.m. Got up and called the hospital and the lady who answered said she would go out to the floor and check for me. I heard lots of noise and it sounded like it was busy. I could hear her saying 13, 22, ...I was wondering if that was room numbers or if there were that many people in there. She came back on the phone and said they were a little busy, but were still going to be able to get me in that day, I just needed to come a little bit later. She told me to come a little after 7 (supposed to be 6:30 so not much later). I climbed back in bed and tried to rest for a little bit longer, but of course just laid there wide awake. Decided it was time to get up and around for the day and get the girls up too. I was told I could eat a light breakfast, so I had two pieces of toast and some milk. We left the girls in their p.j.'s and dropped them off at Chad's Mom's (daycare). Got to the hospital and checked in around 7:30. Got back to my room and hooked up to the iv's around 8. Started a little pitocin right away. I was already contracting a little, but not enough for me to really even notice.
The resident came and checked me around 10 and I was still a 2 (same from my Dr. appointment on Monday). The hospital was really busy with babies. My Dr. alone had to deliver 2 babies via emergency c-section and then 4 other babies besides mine on that day. So, I didn't even see my Dr. until close to 3. At that time she checked me and I was a 4. She broke my water at that time. (By the way, I had the same Dr. that delivered Addison and also the same delivery room nurse. Kind of a surprise thinking about how big the hospital is and also how many Dr.'s are at the practice I go to.) The Dr. guessed that I would deliver around 9 or 9:30. I didn't like that news. Chad guessed around 7. A little later the contractions started getting quite a bit stronger. I was wondering how long I would hold off on getting the epidural and my nurse just came in and said that my Dr. was taking another patient down to the OR for a c-section and I could either get it before she went or wait at least an hour for the anesthesiologist. I didn't think I could wait another hour, so luckily they got me in. That wasn't fun! With Presley my epidural was great. Addison not so great, and this one possibly even worse. Once they were done, I'm fine, it's just getting it in. So, after the epidural kicked in I was ok. I could still feel when I was having contractions, just they weren't at all bad. This was around 5. Around 6:30 I started getting the "signs" that labor would be soon. I started feeling sick to my stomach and getting the shakes. Both tell-tale signs that I was in transition and almost there. In my head I thought I would deliver soon, but I was also afraid to have them check and say that it was just in my head. Kind of afraid I wasn't getting anywhere. After getting sick to my stomach the nurse came in and was smiling saying that it looked like we were close. I had a lot of pressure and asked her to check me and sure enough I was fully dilated. She said we were ready.
They started getting the room set up and me ready. The Dr. came in around 7 and told me to push. I pushed once for about 5 seconds and she told me to stop and just breathe. Reese was in a hurry to get out. That was the only time I had to push. She pretty much just came out on her own after that initial push. She was out by 7:12. Dr. finished up and was out of the room by 7:20. It was quick! We didn't even have time to call family and tell them I was ready to start pushing. We had told them we would call when it was getting close. I didn't want anyone in the room with me except Chad before she came. It all happened so fast. As soon as she delivered they laid her right on my chest and left her there for almost an hour.
With the last two they would leave them there for 15 minutes or so and then take the baby and clean them up, weigh them, etc... but this time they did that much later. They did come during this time and weigh her real quick so we would know. She weighed in at 7 pounds 8 ounces (exactly the same as her Mommy). She was my biggest baby. Presley was 6 pounds 6 ounces and Addison was 7 pounds 6 ounces. It was really laid back, and I loved it. Reese's apgar scores were 9 and 9, so she looked great.
The first people to meet Reese were Presley and Addison.
We had hoped they could make it first, and they did. Soon after Mom and Dad B., Cindy, Ben, and Gabi were meeting her too. Right as they were leaving Mom and Dad D., Jenny and Hilary got there to meet her. By this time it was getting close to 9 and they were ready to move us over to our post partum room. We got moved, settled in and they took Reese for her first bath and her hearing test. They also measured her at this time and told us she was 20 inches long. My tallest baby yet (Presley was 19 and Addy 19 1/2).
About this time is when Chad started feeling sick. Since I wasn't allowed to eat all day, and I was STARVING, Chad tried to make it easier for me and went down to the hospital cafeteria to eat something real quick. He thinks this is what made him sick. So on Reese's first night in the world, her Daddy was in the bathroom sick. Needless to say, unfortunately Chad wasn't much help the first night. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. He tried. Good thing Reese was such a good sleeper. She made it pretty easy.
Since coming home things have been pretty good. She is still a pretty good sleeper. Only had a couple of nights where she was up for an hour or so, but besides that, not too bad. Hard to believe we now have THREE girls. It still seems kind of unreal. We are very blessed. More pictures from our hospital time
here.
Wanted to make sure and thank Mom and Dad B. and Mom and Dad D. for watching the girls for us during our hospital time. I know it's a lot of work, and even harder when they are sick. :( Poor Addison came down with a nasty cold that was coming out of her eyes like crazy! Chad had to leave the hospital on Thursday to take her to the Dr. Of course, that eventually got passed on to Presley as well. Anyways, just wanted to make sure you know how much we appreciate all you did. We love you!
I took Presley and Reese to have a picnic lunch with Chad today. His kids were at the park all day long as a celebration for their last day of school. I picked up McDonald's for us and met him there. Addison went to daycare to take a nap. She doesn't function well without it, so we decided it was best to leave her there. We got to eat lunch with Daddy and his students and then spend a little time playing at the park. It was a fun day. 
p.s. Those aern't bruises on Presley's shins, they are her stamps from gymnastics last night. For some reason she is insisting on getting her stamps on her legs now instead of her hands???
And here she is at week 4: 
It's kind of weird to look at these pictures because when I look at Reese today she still looks like that skinny little newborn, but looking at these pictures I see a little bit of "chunk" on her legs. I love chunk (on newborns that is.) ;) 
She spent a good hour tonight after her bath dressing and un-dressing, changing her outfit and then putting different shoes with each outfit. She kept asking if that looked ok, and if she had the shoes on the right feet. She even took the doll and one outfit to bed with her tonight. I had to talk her out of taking the entire wardrobe and shoes. Thanks Aunt Julie (and Uncle Rusty & Ryan too). She loves it. What a great idea!
Chad's birthday is a little over a week away and he has been talking for MONTHS about getting a PlayStation 3. Recently he's been more serious about it, talking about it every day, calling places, going places to see if them have them in stock, talking to all of his friends about buying one, talking to sales people and asking them questions, etc...
Yesterday we celebrated Presley's 3rd birthday with both of our families. I think I counted 31 of us all. It was a BEAUTIFUL day. The sun was shining and it was perfect. Started off with some snacks and opening presents. Presley got a lot of great gifts. So thankful for everything. She got LOTS of cute clothes, pajamas, swimsuit, puzzles, babies, bubbles, toys, games and even a 
She had to "test drive" it a few times around the house in her p.j.'s. She saw 
So I have tried to keep them busy by taking their sidewalk chalk out. That works great for about 3 minutes. ;)
Not sure when we will finish this project, I doubt it will be by Presley's party next weekend, we are planning on doing a little at a time. I know the rock we have, isn't enough, so we will need more. Oh well, it will be a nice touch when we are all finished.
Nope, not gonna smile. 
Ok, we'll just try one with Addison then. (She was fine as long as she had her binky.) So cute how Addy held Reese's hand. Didn't even notice that until looking at these pictures. She must have done that on her own.
And finally, agreed to sit up with the promise of playing outside... (We are not above a good bribe at this age. ;)
At least she thinks she's still cute. (We agree.) In that top picture it even looks like she has a m
I guess that's what happens when you still have a tiny head and you've had a hard day sitting in a 
She loved it (well at least didn't mind it), but not more than Presley loved "helping" give her a bath. 
The only part she didn't like was when I got her out and was attempting to get her dressed in her p.j.'s. 
We took her back to the Dr. for her check-up and she is looking great. She has grown an inch in one week. She is now 21 inches long and she now weighs 7 pounds 9 ounces. When we were discharged from the hospital she was down to 7 pounds 1 ounce (lost 7 ounces). So she was up past her birth weight. They say that babies should be back to their birth weight by two weeks and she has already passed it at one week, so you probably can guess that she is a good eater. ;) Chad and I were worried that the colds that both girls have had would get passed on to her, but so far so good. Dr. said everything looked and sounded great. We go back in a month. I forgot to ask where she is on % with other kids her age, but I assume she's right on track or above based on her measurements. The Dr. did tell me that I don't have to wake her up to feed her anymore. She was doing well enough that we can trust her to wake up when she is hungry now. So hopefully that means a little more sleep for me. 
We ordered a yummy Heath Blizzard ice cream cake from 
Mommy and Reese are both doing great. Big sisters, Presley and Addison are thrilled and can't wait until she comes home with them. Looking like we will all get to go home Friday evening.
