So I had a baby the other day...

Tuesday I went to the Dr. Shanbour who predicted he'd see me for my regular appointment the following Tuesday.  He informed that he'd be out of town Thursday-Saturday (I should've known then that I was going to have my baby!  Just my luck!) and again beginning August 10th (my due date).  So we decided that the next appointment we'd set up an induction date so that he'd be able to deliver me.

Wednesday after my workout at Body and Soul I did this (planking):

Thursday after the kids' naps we packed a supper and drove to Arbuckle Wilderness, an exotic animal theme park, about 1 1/2 hours from our house.  We had planned on doing this on Monday afternoon, but Luke threw up Monday right before Body and Soul so we had to rearrange our plans.  Once there, Luke and Leta got to get out of their car seats and ride in our laps and we drove through the park.  Most of the animals roam free and believe me, they know the drill.  They come right up to your car window and will stick their heads right in begging to be fed some of the feed you can buy there at the park.  Luke thought this was great, Leta mostly liked to see them from a distance.  We kept our window up when the animals were near.

The kids really enjoyed it and I'm really glad we managed to get that little outing in...as it turned out, our last as a family of four.  In the middle of the night that night (1:45am Friday morning) my water broke.  We called our good friend Shanna to come over.  Kyle packed up, helped me finish packing and getting things together etc.  I've learned a thing or two since having Luke so I was sure to grab a shower before we left for the hospital.  We arrived around 3am, wishing we'd got to bed earlier than we had =).

At 7:00am they decided that at the rate my (non) labor was progressing I might never have a baby, so they went ahead an induced me me.  I got my epidural at 10:30, and was soon feeling fine.   A little after 11:30 I sent Kyle off to have lunch knowing that it was probably now or never for him and eating.  5 minutes after he walked out the door, Max's heart rate dropped below 90 bpm.  He sure had me worried, but nothing was going to phase my veteran nurse (whom we had when I delivered Luke) and she was not worried since he was recovering nicely.  Dr. Goff (who was pinch hitting for Shanbour since he was gone) got to my room at 12:10 and Max was born at 12:30pm July 22, 2011.  He was 37 weeks 2 days along, so almost 3 weeks early.  He weighed 6lbs 8oz and was 19 1/2" long.  We noticed the nurses all clustering around Max's umbilical cord and then even measuring it.  Turns out, a normal umbilical cord is 28-30" long.  Max's was the longest that any of them had ever seen measuring in at 40".  When I take Max to the Dr. next week I hope to remember to ask him if he knows what determines cord length etc.  Max is completely healthy and doing great.  He's got a very high pitches cry and looks more like Kyle than the other two, I think.  He has less hair than Luke had, but more than Leta.

Leta's a big sister!

Big Brother!

Leta is pretty possessive of me and doesn't like it when I hold Luke (which isn't much of a problem since Luke isn't snugly with me at all.  But when he does let me hold him, she has to be held too and will hit him and try to push him off my lap.  I was VERY nervous as to how Leta would adjust.  So far, it seems I had nothing to worry about.  Leta is simply glad I had her baby for her.  She has to check on "BABY!" all the time and is very attentive when I change his diapers and will hand me a clean one to use.  She is very observant while he's eating and spends a great deal of time kissing his head.  Nothing will be able to distract this child from eating with all Leta's training!  We're doing well, but the true test will be when mom goes home and I don't have full-time, live-in help.