Kate's hospital stay

This was the picture I sent to family and friends and put on social media announcing that Kate had arrived.  We named her Kate Olivia.  I have loved the name Kate for a long time and it was one that John and I could agree on - plus I love that the name is so sweet and simple. I wanted to do Kate McKinley or Kate Harper, but John vetoed both of those.  John suggested Kate Olivia and I fell in love with it.  

I LOVE my hospital stay after having a baby.  There is never a time again when it is just me and my new sweet baby - perfect bonding/quiet time together.  Plus, I really like the hospital I delivered both Remmy and Kate because it is smaller, meaning not as many staff, so they leave you alone.  They don't keep the babies in the nursery for you either, so you have them in your room most of the time unless they are being tested for something.

Kate was born at 9:17 p.m.  My mom left a little while after to go back home and relieve my friend Alison who had been at the house with the kids.  John and I had that first hour of Kate's life together with her, just the three of us.  The doctor and nurses left and we were alone for what seemed like quite awhile.  I will never forget that time together - it was perfect.  I nursed her and then John and I took turns holding her.  After an hour or so John went with a nurse to give Kate her first bath.  I got cleaned up, used the bathroom, and was moved to my room.

Finally around 1 a.m. John left for home to get some sleep.  I slept ok that first night - I was SO hot and sweating like crazy.  I kept buzzing the nurse to turn the air up, which she did twice, and finally told me it was up all the way and that I better bundle my baby up real good because it was so cold in my room.  Hormones I guess were going crazy because I couldn't stop sweating! :)

John and my mom brought the kids the next morning to meet their new sister.  Brooklyn and Jake were SO excited.  Remmy thought Kate was cute and held her once and then was back to her busy self climbing up and down on my bed and curious about what was on my breakfast tray.

first picture of our family of SIX (sounds crazy to me still)

Brooklyn and Jake were really curious and excited about Kate.  They watched me change her diaper, I showed them her fingers and toes, and they took turns holding her.

PROUD big brother.  Jake has adored her from day one.

A very happy big sister!  Brooklyn asked me almost daily for the longest time when her new sister was coming.  I was so glad when the day was finally here for them to meet.  (Notice the white stuff on Kate's head...when she was born, that white stuff was CAKED on her head.  Tons and tons of it!  After John gave her a bath I jokingly said that he missed her head because she still had so much of that white stuff on it.  He said he scrubbed her good and there was still plenty on there.  The nurse told him to leave the rest on and it would eventually come off)

Remmy's turn...she pointed out all the features on her face..."eyes".. :) 

My friend Kayla is a photographer and came to the hospital to take some pictures.  I love how they turned out!

proud/happy/excited siblings

all ready to go home

We went home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon.  Our stay couldn't have been better...and on a side not...the hospital had THE BEST ever chicken salad sandwich.  I got it twice, both days for lunch and still think about how good it was.  

Kate's birth story

-- For My Record --

The night of February 25th, I almost went in to the hospital.  I started having contractions, but they weren't consistent and very close together.  This is how my labor started with Remmy, so I thought it might be the same thing again.  I decided to try going to bed and if I couldn't sleep then maybe we would go in.  I fell asleep though and didn't wake up until morning.

I had plans with friends Janet and Alison to meet at the train park in Scottsdale that morning (February 26th).  My mom, the kids, and I met them around 10 and had fun riding the carousel and train and playing at the park.  I was having more consistent and painful contractions by this point, but nothing too close together.  We got home and fed the kids lunch and put Remmy down for a nap.  John called me and asked if he should come home from work (meaning he wanted a reason to have to leave :))  I told him no, not yet.  I started working, but the contractions were getting a little stronger, not closer together yet, but just annoying me.  I called John back and told him to come home.

He got home around 1:30 and we headed to the hospital around 2.  I checked in and they sent us to the waiting room because triage was full.  My doctor happened to be on call that weekend (thankfully) and he saw us in the waiting room and came in to talk to us.  A room finally opened up in triage after an hour of waiting.  They checked me and I was a 3.  The nurse said in order to admit me I had to be dilated to a 5 or to progress.  So if I could get to a 4, they would keep me.  John and I walked the halls for an hour, hoping to make progress.  I saw my doctor again in the hall while we were walking (Dr. Bass) and he took me aside and reassured me he talked to the nurse and they would keep me.  But that I had to quit laughing and smiling and act more like I was in pain :)  I went back to be checked again and the nurse made sure I was a 4.  They admitted me around 5:30.  Once I got in to a labor and delivery room, I was having hard/strong contractions that were coming just a few minutes apart.  I immediately asked for the epidural but they had to get labs done before the anesthesiologist could come in.  I don't remember being in as much pain with any of my other kids, but I was hurting.  A few times I was even vocal and said John's name while I arched my back in pain.  Finally, I got the epidural and soaked up the time before Kate was born and I wasn't in pain.  They broke my water soon after I got the epidural.  The doctor that broke my water commented how high the baby still was.  I asked if I could sit up and hopefully have gravity help bring her down.  My mom had come to the hospital at this point and John went home to put the kids to bed (my friend Alison was with the kids at home).  The nurse checked me 30 minutes after my water had been broken and said to call the doctor, I was a 10!  I couldn't believe it!  I went from a 4 to a 10 in half hour.  I told my mom to quickly call John and have him get here (luckily we live 2 minutes from the hospital).  The nurse suggested I do a practice push while we waited...I started the practice push and she said never mind.  You don't need any practice.  I could feel pain down there on my left side and told the nurse so she suggested turning to the other side.  When I did that though the baby's heart rate immediately dropped so they had me turn back and put oxygen on me. John and Dr. Bass got there and I was ready to push.  Two contractions later and Kate was born at 9:17pm!  

happy, relieved, and pain free after the epidural

oxygen on, texting a few people letting them know she was coming soon!

and here we go..

She's here! (sorry for the leg shot)

Kate was so purple when she came out and they put her on me.  Dr. Bass and the nurse didn't seem one bit concerned, so it didn't worry me too much.  I just kept expecting them to take her and help her get some oxygen, but they didn't for what felt like awhile.  I kept rubbing her, trying to get her to cry.

8 lbs 9 ounces       19 3/4 inches

tired and so happy

I'm thankful Kate has been a nursing champ from the beginning.