February 16 - Fletcher James arrives

We finally arrived at the hospital around 5:30pm. They started my IV for the GBS by 6pm. They monitored my contractions which were every 3 minutes, but they were not intense at all. I could feel them, but they didn't bother me at all. I had to have the antibiotics for 4 hours.

At 10:15, Dr. F came in and broke my water. Within 15 minutes, my contractions started to become intense. We asked for the epidural right away! Unfortunately their paging system was down, and the anesthesiologist never got the page. So, I sat there and waited, one hard contraction after another. Finally she arrived around 11:30pm, and shortly after midnight, I felt fantastic! So great, that we all decided to take a nap!

The nurse came back in to check me at 1:45am, and I was 6-7 cm. She thought that my bladder felt full, and since I couldn't feel it with the epidural, they emptied my bladder for me. At 2:10am, I felt the contractions again. So, the nurse decided to check me again, and I was at 9 1/2. They started prepping the room for delivery. Mom, Kate, Travis and I were quickly awake, realizing that we were almost there! At 2:25am, I could feel my contractions more and more and had that feeling that I was ready to push. She checked me again, and I was a full 10cm and ready to go!

I only pushed 5 or 6 times, and Fletcher arrived! He came very quickly. Even Dr. F almost didn't make it into the room in time. He got there, just in time to catch Fletcher. Kate & Travis were worried that they were going to have to catch him.

He was a little blue upon arrival, but pinked up pretty quickly.

Born at 2:52am on Tuesday, February 16, weighing in at 7lbs. 6oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. He was a full pound heavier and a full inch longer than his sister was at birth!

Travis checking out his new boy!

We're so happy he is here!

Dr. F.

Olivia was excited to come visit us in the hospital. Luckily the hospital had just lifted the ban on visitors to the mother/baby unit, due to H1N1. I was so glad she got to meet her brother in the hospital.

She even walked down the hall with us. She insisted on helping me push his bassinet.

Since Fletcher was born in the middle of the night, we didn't get to ring the bell when he was born (plays a nursery rhyme throughout the hospital, indicating another baby was born). So, we took Olivia down to the L&D unit so she could ring the bell for the chime. The nurse behind Olivia was my nurse when I delivered Olivia. She was FANTASTIC!!!

Great Grammie with her newest great-grandson

Our new and improved family of four!

We are so happy to have Fletcher home with us. We went through some struggles to get to him, but they were all worth it. The miscarriages paved the way so that he would be here. Without those trials, he would not be here, and I'm so thankful that he is! It was all worth it.

February 15, 2010 - The day the world changed

On February 15, I was just one week away from my due date with Fletcher! Olivia was 4 days late, so we expected something similar this time.

I had experienced a lot of Braxton Hicks (fake contractions) with Olivia and again with Fletcher. They weren't painful, but you could feel them. I was working from home on the 15th, and had my 39 week appointment later in the afternoon. I had noticed that I was having a LOT of BH contractions. I tried to pay attention to how frequent, but I was working and didn't keep very good track. But I could tell they were coming about every 3-7 minutes. But still, nothing painful.

I went to my doctor's appointment. Fletcher's heartbeat was sounding great! The doctor then informed me that he was going to be on vacation next week. I told him that wasn't allowed! I then told him about the contractions I'd been having all day. He decided to check me to see if I had progressed from the previous week. I was only 1 cm at my 38 week appointment. So, he checked me and I had progressed to 3cm. He determined I was in early labor. WOW! A whole week early! So, he asked how far away Travis was and how quickly he could get here. He said, if you want, we can just have you come up to the hospital and I'll break your water and get this thing done tonight. YEAH!!! I was so glad that my doctor was on duty and would be able to deliver Fletcher.

So, I asked if I could go home and get my things, and they said that would be fine. I headed home, called Travis, Kate and my mom to let them know what was going on. I went and picked up Olivia from school, so I could say goodbye to her before I left. Fred and Sue came over and kept Olivia overnight for us. The picture below is the last photo of us as a family of three! We left for the hospital just after this.

January/February 2010....still catching up

This is what happens whenever Olivia eats her cereal in the living room. They're like vultures!
The sticker gypsy!

My birthday! Travis invited our family and our friends out for dinner and then back to our house for a Maggie Moo's ice cream cake! MY FAVORITE!!!

Resting the cake on my belly!

Melissa, me and Jamie.

Olivia enjoying a good seat for watching a movie!

Olivia preparing her Valentines for her friends!

Her cute outfit for Valentine's Day. My mom made the cute pants!

Olivia all dressed up for her Valentine's date with her daddy! They went to see the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie and then to McDonald's for fine dining.

Daddy and his favorite little girl!

Thanksgiving & Christmas 2009

Nothing starts off the holiday season like the annual Christmas parade!
Decorating for Christmas is a day long event in our house (sometimes two days). This year, Olivia got to have her own Christmas tree in her room. She LOVED it!

Great Grammie also came to help. We have so many of her old decorations, she enjoys watching us put them on our tree and around our house.

This is shortly before Thanksgiving, so I'm probably around 26 weeks along.

Getting ready to go to Grandpa Fred & Grandma Sue's for Thanksgiving dinner!

Thanksgiving with my mom, always includes the annual holiday photo. We don't really enjoy doing it anymore, but my mom really likes it, so we do it to keep her happy! Here's a pic of my mom and her grandbabies!

They all got dressed up like witches to scare us! So cute!

Getting ready to have her picture taken with Santa!

With our tree

One of Olivia's favorite Christmas gifts. This is a charm bracelet from Grandpa Fred and Grandma Sue. It had all the characters that she met at Disney (and then some) on it. It's a great keepsake!

She LOVES her new Tink chair!

Happy to help Grandpa open his present too!

Olivia helped bake brownies for Santa!

Sprinkling reindeer food for all of Santa's reindeer!

We always open one gift on Christmas Eve. This year, she opened her new "bugs". One is Ray from the Princess and the Frog movie. And the other is Blaze from the new Tinkerbell movie.

Helping get Santa's chocolate milk ready for him.

Tinkerbell snuck in our house to drop off a present for Olivia. A picture taken of them in Disney!

I love this face!

She was happy to get her new doll, she named her Madelyn.

She loved the new pop-up book from Uncle Joel, Aunt Amy & cousin Brooke.

Her bounty!

Off to Papa & Grandma Cindy's house.....more presents!

Lovin' on Papa!

Playing with her new horse. Another favorite gift!

Santa always arrives at Papa's house! He usually arrives when Papa isn't around, but last year, Julia started to pick up on it. This year, Uncle Bruce wasn't around to see it!

Gazing at her new horse!