Brooks Thompson: A Birth Story

Oh, little Rookie.  We are seriously so in love with you.  
On Wednesday morning, April 27th, 2016 we called Madison Memorial Hospital at 5:30 a.m. to see what time we would be induced.  They asked us to come in at 6:30 a.m.  We got ready, grabbed our bags (that we packed that morning), and headed out the door.  Right before we left, I walked into our little Porter's room and made sure he was okay.  I'll admit I cried a little knowing how much his life was going to change.  It was going to change for the better, but it is still change. And I know my sweet Porter pretty darn well and sharing the spotlight was not going to be an easy transition.  Trent's cousin, Brittany, came over to hang out with Porter.  We are seriously SO lucky to have family in Rexburg this semester!
It took awhile to get answer all the questions, get the IV connected, and the antibiotics going.  They wanted to start Pit right away, but I told them that wouldn't be necessary.  And that I didn't want to start Pit until it was absolutely essential.  They are so wonderful at this hospital and totally respectful of your wishes.  Everything finally started around 8 a.m.  
At about 9:15 a.m., the anesthesiologist was on the floor administering epidurals to other patients.  My nurses new I wanted one, so they asked if they just wanted him to come in now.  I laughed and said, "Well of course, but I'm not even in labor?  Am I am going to get a sticker that says 'wimp' if I get an epidural when nothing has happened?" They laughed at that one.  They said they didn't know the next time he would be available so it was up to me. I knew the doctor was coming in sometime soon to break my water, so I just did it.  You guys, I got an epidural, and I wasn't in labor.  WAAAAY different experience than when I had Porter.   
My blood pressure dropped just a few minutes after the epidural. I couldn't breathe, I started shaking, and blacking out.  It's totally common, but it doesn't make it less scary! They gave me a bunch of something, and I recovered!
Around 9:30 a.m., Doctor Meredith came in to break my water and start that induction process.  He got there as soon as my blood pressure crashed and made the situation lighter.  I am always up for a good sense of humor during those rough moments, so I appreciated him. All they were going to do was start my water and see if things progressed without any other intervention.
After he broke my water, we played the waiting game.  I started having consistent contractions immediately after my water broke, but I couldn't feel a thing.  
Let me just add how much Trent loved his life during this labor process.  Last time he was very heavily involved.  Helping me get from place to place and through each contraction.  He was stressed, nervous, and exhausted.  This time, he picked out woodworking projects, watched T.V., slept, and basically was on a small vacation.   He is convinced this is the way to do labor and delivery.
From 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  we played the waiting game.  A game that I am NOT very patient at.  At noon, I get pretty discouraged because I was only at a 3.5 cm (I was at a 2.5 cm when I came to the hospital), and was basically only progressing a .5 cm every hour.  I could've delivered the baby at Noon because the antibiotics were completely given at that point.  So after Noon, I became restless. I started thinking that maybe I should do Pit and just get this process over with.  But my doctors and nurses are rock-stars and said as long as things are progressing, let you body do what it wants. 
At 2:00 p.m. my nurse told me I was at 5 cm.  Again, super lame.  I still held some hope though.  I came into the hospital with Porter at 5 cm.  It was once I hit a 5, that I went to a 10 within four and a half hours.  So I was hoping that my body might pick up the pace at this time as well.
At 2:45, the nurse came back again with her trainer (my nurse was a beginning and in training).  They both checked me, walked over to the sink and began whispering.  Finally, the nurse turned around and said, "You are at an 8.5 cm!" I was shocked. It had literally been 45 minutes!  The other nurse said that they would still wait about an hour to have me actually deliver the baby.  That would give me enough time to get to a ten and have the baby move down the canal.  They said if I started feeling more pressure to let them know though.
They literally were out the door for three minutes, if that when I called them back in and said, "I think we are going to have this baby sooner than that."  They checked me again and sure enough, I was at a ten and ready to deliver! They started getting everything ready when my doctor had stopped by randomly to see how things were going.   "We haven't done any practice pushes yet, but she is at a ten!" a nurse told him
He decided to stick around and see how things progressed.  Well, after ten minutes of pushing, at 3:06 p.m., our little Brooks was born. 
From the time they broke my water, to the time Brooks was born was a little less than six hours.  I felt no pain (but I am definitely feeling it during recovery), and Trent might never let me try natural again!   It was different, but it was still a positive experience.  It really has made me think that all birth stories are beautiful.  Because in the end you get a little human that is part of you.  And I feel so grateful that Brooks is ours!

Hello, Calexico!

Well, Trent is back from his trip to Calexico! And the town of Imperial just gained a new family as residents!
I trust my husband probably more than I trust myself.  Trent is logical.  He sees things for how they are.  He is neither cautious, nor spontaneous.  He had a football game last Saturday.  Its for a local league that a bunch of young/middle age men play in.  It is flag football, so it's nothing crazy.  However, his insurance just ended and we are in the process of switching him over to mine.  On Saturday morning, he reminded me he had a double header that evening.  I voiced to him my concern about playing without insurance. I think most men would brush the concern off.  I mean, the chances of him doing some major damage to his body in this local flag football game it pretty unlikely.  But instead, he agreed.  If something was to happen while he was playing this game, we would be screwed. Seriously.  Goodbye our entire savings and then some. So he didn't go.  The logic behind it made sense to him.  Don't put yourself in a situation where you could get hurt if you don't have insurance. And that is just one, super small situation in a host of other situations that have really made me come to trust him. 
So although I didn't go down to the Imperial Valley, I really did feel confident sending Trent. And honestly, he said it wasn't awful as we expected it to be.  It's very similar to how we are living now.  It's a rural area for sure, nothing like Phoenix.  But like an IF or a Queen Creek.  Where we are living is like Queen Creek with its shopping center {the one with Target, DownEast, Tillys, etc.}, and El Centro is like an IF with an actual shopping center, Costco, and other things.  The two towns are about 10-15 minutes apart.  Then you have Calexico, which is where Trent works, which is another 10-15 minutes apart from El Centro. 
Safety was a large concern for us, but as he interviewed people (the guys he works with, the guy at the front desk of the hotel, people in stores) and they all said Imperial was the safest place.  So he headed to Imperial to locate us a rental house.  And he did! He found a cute little 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house, which is perfect for us! My number one requirement was a backyard and a front yard with grass for the kids to play.  Honestly, it's a lot harder to come by then you think! But this house had it! A lot of our neighbors are border patrol/policemen.  The border patrol office is actually two blocks from our house.  So Trent felt great about the property and the area.  
A lot of people wonder why we didn't take another route or option. We had a plan A,B,C, & D.  And ALL of them fell through as soon as we heard about our location. So when we were thinking about if this was really right for us, we really didn't have anywhere else to consider!  Crazy enough, I think we are suppose to be there. So we are moving to California on a lot of faith, kinda like when we moved to Rexburg.  Trent is excited as ever to start with this company.  He said that he wished he could have started right then and there.  
We are hoping to hear back about our background check within a week and then sign the contract for that little property shortly after.  We are four weeks away from moving, and I want to cry when I think about all the things that need to happen. Baby. Wrapping up school.  Packing.  There are so many loose ends that I might just loose it.
I just need to breathe and take things a day at a time.

38 1/2 Weeks

On Wednesday, I will be officially be 39 weeks. That is also the day I am being induced. Wednesday people. This little guy's birthday will most likely be April 27th, 2016.
I am not a fan of inductions for myself. Others can do as they please, but I feel pretty strongly about letting the baby come at their own time unless there is a reason to intervene.  Well, GBS is that reason for me.  It's true, we could risk it.  Things maybe won't progress as fast this time around.  At this hospital, I need the antibiotics for 4 hours.  Porter was 4 1/2, but so what?  Maybe this labor and delivery will be longer.   I have gone back and forth so many times, and I always come back that I would rather be safe than sorry.  It's my job to make sure this little guy has all the best medicine and statistics in his favor.  So that's what I'll do.
So now my attitude is completely different.  I am not even going to try and labor with IV's hooked up to me.  Last time I used the birthing ball, tubs, and was hardly ever in the bed. This time, I need be in the bed the entire time during the antibiotics. So bring in the anesthesiologist. Hello, friend.
Also, this pregnancy is 5x harder on my body than the first. I just want to cry every. single. day.  The hip pain at night is unbearable.  I am awake every hour switching sides and rubbing my hips.  I feel like I have been to the gym and did a hundred of those inner thigh machines.  I can't sit unless my legs are spread so far apart that it looks weird, seriously.  Which obviously I can't do so instead I just wince all day long.  I feel like such a mess and today in church I begged Heavenly Father to just let it happen.  I couldn't sit and listen to the lessons.  I was so uncomfortable. And yes, I am still working Monday and Tuesday. So I will work until the very. last. day.
Every night I thank Heavenly Father for the blessing of these two little boys.  I feel so grateful to be able to have them in my life.  And I want to have more children... but honestly, our next gap is going to be a little bigger. Porter will probably just be starting Kindergarten when his next sibling is born. That is, if everything happens as we hope and Heavenly Father doesn't have other plans.
Here is to a smooth Wednesday and a healthy, happy baby! 

Bear World Adventures

Today was the first day of the Cubapalooza event! Admission to the park is half off and they introduce the new bear cubs to the crowd.  They walk around with the cubs once in awhile and people can pet them.  Trent and I are kinda obsessed with Bear World.  So as our last outing of three, we went!
Side Note:  I went to the doctor yesterday and had them check me.  They usually don't check their patients until 38 weeks, and I am only 37.  But I wanted to know before Trent left on his trip.  I am 2 cm dilated and 50 % effaced.  So that's awesome!  I also found that I have GBS -- you know that test they do at like 35/36 weeks.  At our hospital, if you test positive, you need to be on antibiotics for 4 hours before you can deliver your baby.  Well Porter's birth was 4 1/2 hours altogether.  When I explained that to the doctor, he said he would feel better if I was induced at 39 weeks.  That I would be on the antibiotics for two hours, then they would break my water, and then go from there.  I really, really, really don't want to be induced.  I wasn't necessarily set on a natural birth, but I do believe that if you let the baby come when it wants to come, things tend to go smoother. And if the delivery was fast or faster than Porter, I was totally willing to try natural again.  If I gamble it, he said the baby has to be monitored for 48 hours after birth.  I also read up on what could happen if a baby gets GBS, and it's just not worth risking it. So, looks like baby is coming the week of the 25th! So that is why this is our last outing as a family of three!
By the way, we did not zoom in at all.  The bears were really this close, and even closer at some points!  It was so amazing.  Porter got to drive all through the park (on Daddy's lap), it is his absolute FAVORITE thing to do. He loves driving Daddy's truck.  Mix that fact with a bag of Cheetos and wild animals, and you have yourself the happiest toddler in the world.  He could not stop talking about all the animals.  It was adorable. 

 After that, we parked our car and headed to the Petting Zoo, where of course, Trent strapped the Go Pro to his head.  Porter kept grabbing Trent's hand and saying, "Walk" or "Come On."  I seriously adore their relationship!

I always make fun of him for doing that, but I am so glad the did this time! Porter was super hilarious, lying with the pigs, chasing the ducks, and kissing goats.  So I am glad we got that footage.

After that, we headed to the amusement rides where Porter was able to ride the train, twice of course.  Then we went on this little roller coaster that gave me anxiety thinking about my little baby going riding it, but he handled it like a champ and had a blast.

Then, there was a ginormous Easter Egg Hunt! You guys know how much Porter loves egg hunts, so of course we had to do that too.  He is seriously too much.

 Then we went to interactive portion where Porter ran around touching everything and yelling out the animal names and sounds!

And then. FINALLY. The whole reason why we came was to pet the cubs with Porter. And it was super lame.  We saw the cub for literally 30 seconds and we barley touched it.  It was so quick I basically only got pictures of the lady, and not even Porter! I'm super bummed.  Is too much to ask to let a bear cub play with a toddler? Apparently so.

We asked someone to take our family picture and this is what we got:

I showed Trent and he started laughing. Hope you all enjoy our heads!