Week one with a newborn...

Day one:  If you are ever lucky enough to have a sixth child at the hospital make sure to go with an arsenal of comments like --"we love having a house full of kids!" and "I'm so glad I'm the one with these kids too!" or "we just take it a day at a time."

 Didn't sleep one bit in the hospital.  Jackson spent the night with the nurses who were all nervous about his grunting and choking episodes. We went home a little before our 24 hours were up.

Day two:  Jackson still kind of chokes when he spits up.  He isn't grunting as much as he was in the hospital since he threw up a bunch of mucus but he still makes me nervous enough that I am extremely hyper vigilant.  He hasn't cried even once.  Just kind of grunty.  Not much sleep.

Day three: I've never been so swollen in my life.  My hands and feet are shiny and my face has swollen so my eyes look like I belong to a raccoon family. I'm sure the copious amounts of IV fluids during labor and delivery haven't helped the situation.  Even my jaw is so swollen that I can only touch my front four teeth when I close.  Is my body going to recover from this?

Jack eats pretty regularly every three hours.  He falls asleep quickly so if he acts like he's hungry within 30 minutes or so I feed him on the same side and count it as the same feeding.
Comment of the day comes from Benson.   "Hey mom, are you done milking yet?!"

Day four:  My mom is still coming over every morning and does a couple of loads of laundry and makes me breakfast.  I'm spoiled.  Jackson isn't grunty anymore and I am not nearly so worried about him choking.  Night wasn't too bad last night.

Day five:  I still don't want to leave my room.  Thankfully lots of friends are helping drive the kids to all the activities.  It was Sunday today and I slept the entire three hours with baby Jack.  He cried for the first time today.  Cute little wail.

Day six.  I am starting to feel normal again.  I can finally touch my teeth together.  Jackson is adorable.  He still very rarely cries but I am tired.  I am not nearly as tearful this time around as I have been sometimes.  Though I did almost cry today when I saw a picture of a newborn penguin and its mom...

One week:  I seems like an eternity ago that I was pregnant.  Almost immediately after Jack was born I felt the absence of his movements and his little spirit in my tummy. I found myself wishing I was still pregnant more than once.  I can't believe I would say that.  The difference between this time and the other times is that I know this sweet stage in life will be over in just a heartbeat.  Missing a nap or two is such a temporary state of existence.   I'm enjoying every minute--except the first few seconds when he starts to nurse--yeouch!  As my mother always says--"this too shall pass" whether it is a good time or a bad.

The day we all fell in love.

Jackson Rustin 24 hours old

It is amazing how we women like to talk about labor and delivery.  I think it's actually therapy.  It keeps us from having post-traumatic stress syndrome.  And it is a magical moment we don't want to forget.

We had a baby last Tuesday.  We were able to go to the hospital and have labor induced one week early.  We started a little bit of pitocin and my more-than-ready uterus immediately started contracting every 2-3 minutes.  Not painful, just uncomfortable. 

After a couple of hours Dr. Coleman came in (about 11:00) and declared that it was time to break my water and he kindly and wisely suggested we get an epidural before the watery event. 

The epidural was placed, my water broken and--as usual--intense contractions commenced immediately.  That is when it became very evident that the epidural was working only on the left side of my body.  ugg.  After a good 30 minutes or so the anesthetist came back in to try to fix the problem and discovered that the catheter had pulled itself out. (about 12:00) During the course of the day we figured out that out that the anesthetist had a dental appointment later that afternoon with my dad; so I told him that I was going to call and tell my dad to only get him as numb as he got me.  Unfortunately, there wasn't anything that could be done (short of surgical anesthetic) with the rapid intensity of the contractions/dialation and with the baby positioned against my right side.

By this point contractions were extremely intense and I put Rustin to work trying to keep me comfortable.  (move my leg a little, I need some ice, help me sit up etc.) There is no one more comforting than Rustin.  My mom was there also and she helped a ton.  I'm a lucky girl.

The second epidural was placed to no avail. (about 12:30) The baby was posterior and grating against the nerves in my right side with every contraction, which were every two minutes lasting 60-90 seconds.  My left side was completely numb. I was able to sit up and lean forward on a birthing bar and that was enough to take the pressure off my back.  Rustin and my mom would press a hot blanket against my back during each contraction and things were tolerable.  The effect of the epidural and labor made my blood pressure plummet so I had bags and bags of IV fluids and several doses of stimulants to keep me from passing out. 

Before we knew it it was time to push.  This was the only moment of true tears on my part but my worries were unfounded.  Unlike my previous five deliveries, pushing brought total relief from the pain of contractions.  Jackson flipped over and into position at the last second and three contractions later he was born--at 3:37 p.m.  It turned out that he had the cord wrapped tightly around his neck so he took a little coaxing to get going at first.

All told it took about 7 hours, which is double my other labor and deliveries.  I can't complain though--for a 'not perfect' delivery it wasn't so bad.

Baby Jack continued to have some distress for the first couple of hours after birth so he took a visit to the NICU to have some IV fluids and a little extra monitoring.

Jackson went to the NICU just after Rustin left to round up the kids and get everyone dinner.  No new mother should ever be left alone after giving birth!  I was almost panicked.  I wanted my husband and my kids and my baby.  I felt completely out of sorts.  I was still feeling the effects of all the fluids and stimulants.  I was saved from certain insanity when a good friend (Mitch Moffitt--also our pediatrician...) stopped by and offered to check out the baby and give me some grounding words of encouragement.  Thanks. One of those tender mercies for sure.

Rustin and the kids arrived at about the same time Jackson was brought back to my room.  I felt calm immediately.  The kids couldn't stop smiling and the baby was as sweet and cute as ever.  The kids offered to stay with me and sleep on the floor.  I was tempted to take them up on it.  It's amazing how strong the bonds of family are.  We all felt it.  One of the nurses commented about how the kids were waving goodbye until the elevator door closed.  It is completely different to have a baby with an entire support group of my husband and kids.  When we had Benson the twins were seven.  Today they are almost fourteen.  The difference is immense and so comforting.  I have been promised that my children will be my greatest joy in life and I truly believe it.

A Handsome Hatchling

We have a baby!
Jackson Rustin Hatch
April 5, 2011
8 lbs. 6 oz
21 inches
3:37 pm

Really cute.

This is the first of our kids to be born with no facial swelling, no redness and  hair.  We are all in love. And feel truly blessed.

The day I fell in love...

I have to admit I have been a bit of a whiner this last week or two.

Up until this point I have been able to avoid most of the fun-pregnancy-related things that have afflicted my previous pregnancies. That is until about two weeks ago.  This last few weeks have brought on a wealth of fatigue, heartburn, nausea, swollen feet, stretchy joints, carpal tunnel and sleeplessness...need I go on?

My illogical pregnant mind fears that this might literally go on forever and suddenly a couple of weeks seem like unconquerable years. 

My ideal delivery would include a set induction date ( a week early?) with the anesthesiologist waiting in my hospital room. None of this water-breaking-at-home with a mad frantic dash to the hospital in excruciating pain. (We've done that twice...)  But I fear it is not to be.  

It seems I have the pregnancy version of the Plague. I am a VBAC.  (vaginal birth after cesarean) I have had two normal deliveries since Austin's large, posterior head and a failed forceps attempt forced a surgical delivery more than 11 years ago.  But still there is some increased risk of C-section if we induce labor. But not inducing labor increases the chance (and my worry) that I will have a giant baby and have to repeat the difficult labor that ends in the OR... So I wait and worry.

For some reason it has been hard to remember how much we have wanted and anticipated and looked forward to this little one...

So it was in this state of mind that I went to an ultrasound to check the size of the baby on Friday at 37 1/2 weeks.

Here's what we saw.

Instantly all my worries and complaints vanished.  I mean instantly.  My heart just wanted to burst with love the minute I was his little face. How could I have ever complained about carrying and sustaining the life of this cute little bundle?!

In that room I felt a rush of peace and calmness.  This little (7 lbs. 14 oz. !!) boy is worth any amount of discomfort.  Suddenly waiting a couple of weeks doesn't seem like such a big deal.  Not when I know what is to come.

37 at 37

I never thought I would be 37 weeks pregnant when I turned 37.  Crazy!  I am surprised how much I love the idea of having a baby now.  Back in my younger/wiser days I was sure that I would be the best mom if I have babies in my twenties when my body was healthiest...  While I agree that pregnancy and newborns were probably physically easier in my younger days, I love being a little wiser and more established.  Love it.

And I can not say enough about having older kids around to help out.  They can make dinner for themselves and me if needed.  They can clean their room and do their own homework.  And babysit.  Awesome!

We believe in being honest...

Today I walked outside into the backyard (actually I didn't make it off the steps...) where just two days ago I planned to plant so many beautiful flowers and trees...

I changed my mind.  I decided that it is all too much work.  I'm just going to buy a commercial size jug of season long weed killer and douse the whole place.  One look at the bumpy lumpy 40 year old lawn and all its faults sealed the fate.

Apparently our lovely pooch has taken his personal responsibility to recycle very seriously.  That big hole next to the soggy pile of mint is his personal attempt to assist me in my plantings.  He filled it with paper plates and {I believe} a naked barbie.  He didn't chew the barbie. Just took her on a sight-seeing trip.

It's a good thing he is cute and very sweet.  And soft. Because some days he is about to become a 'Lady and the Tramp" dog.  Any yes that is my belly in the way of the picture...

The Garden Spot.  Complete with squash that has been waiting to be harvested since last year. 

I have determined that growing babies and growing gardens are incompatible.  At least for now.

Bloomin!

Why is it that I am obsessed with the weather?

I love it when spring finally comes.  It distracts me from the inside of the house and gives me fun things to think about.  I  actually have a seed catalog that I often fall asleep reading.

I know just what vegetables to plant in the garden.  Last year we missed most of the garden harvest due to a really rotten case of morning sickness.  This year I can't actually reach the ground to plant any veggies but I have hope that I will have a baby here sooner than later.  Actually one month from now.  Crazy!

I have to admit I am looking at and planning flowers to keep my self from sinking into the last-month-of-pregnancy-I'm-sure-this-will-never-end state of self pity.

Here's what makes me smile...

1--A cutting garden.  Who needs vegetables anyway?  Especially when I have a father who cannot restrain himself from planting every color and variety of potato available.  This is going along the fence in my garden spot.  Cone flowers, echinacea, black-eyed susan, verbena, daisy, and I need some good filler plants.  I've actually rarely planted perennials because we have always moved so often.  I've decided not to wait any longer.

2-- Knockout roses.  I want these along the front of my house in front of the bushes we planted last year.  Ever read about these beauties?  Hardy, compact and disease resistant.

3-- Trees.  My boys are obsessed with trees.  I think they always have been. There is a beautiful weeping willow on the way to Dal and Land's school and they always say "Look at that tree!  How long will it take to get one of those?  I wish we could just transplant that big tree!"

London Plane

Look at that bark--it looks like a water color painting!  These trees are all over temple square in Salt Lake City.

Navajo Globe Willow

fast growing and not as messy as most willows.  Looks like a big umbrella!

Weeping Willow 

(though most landscapers insist that this is a messy disease prone tree.  It looks like a dancing girl and it is my first love in the tree world...)

And of course I can't go without a couple of 

Blue Spruce

I also need to thin the irises and plant some day lilies in with them so we can have blooms in the late summer as well as spring. 

Of course actually doing the work is harder than imagining but that's what kids are for right?!