We are so excited to have Everett with us in our Family! He is the sweetest little thing! The story of his coming to this earth goes a little something like this...
Thursday was an interesting day. I (Melissa) started having contractions in the morning, but they were very inconsistent. They were, however, also very painful. During the day, they became more painful, however, never any more consistent. By about 4:00 in the afternoon they became where if I sat down, they would stop, but the second I stood up, they would start again. They were painful enough that I felt like they were true labor pains... after-all, nothing else seems to hurt the way labor does... so if it was feeling this bad, what else could it be. With a little internet research, I discovered false labor can feel just like the real thing... however contractions are inconsistent and stop when you rest. O.K... I figured that was what I was dealing with. I wasn't happy about it either. If I am going to be going through pain... it better be for something. Other than these horrid contractions, the day was going really well. My mom was in town so she was able to stay home with the kids during their naps so I could run off and take care of a few errands. And as I was driving home from the store after picking up the spray paint I need for the "boys room" dresser renovations, I thought... man life is good. I guess I knew it was about to become a whole lot sweeter with a new little man to enjoy!
I "went to bed" around 10:30 feeling pretty positive that the night wasn't going to result in much sleep. The un-contraction contractions had woke me up the night before, and I was sure that they had only gotten stronger - so my odds weren't looking too great. I was right. At about 10:42 I got up to use the restroom, anything to distract me from the pain I was feeling, and ended up just pacing around the bathroom for five miserable contractions. I walked out, put my clothes on, and warned Andy that false labor or not - something had to happen... I was not going to be able to just go on with things the way they were going. I went to the living room, Andy put "newlyweds" on for me, and I was going to try to wait it out so that the nurses didn't just send me home with my inconsistent contractions. A few more contractions came, and I noticed these ones were 5 mins apart. Did this mean they were no longer false labor, and the real deal??? Andy decided to go lay down again, but about as soon as he layed down, I started calling. He tried hard to ease the pain while I cried and frantically moved around the couch. "I want to go to the hospital", I said. "I don't know what else to do". So, he went and put all the hospital bags and cameras in the car - ran up to wake my mom and tell her we were off, at least for now. We hopped in the car, well, I wobbled and cried my little way out to the car, and off we went. Two contractions later... we had arrived. The Emergency staffer pushed me up to labor and delivery while Andy parked the car. The sweet lady pushing my wheelchair asked if this was my first. I said no... my third. She then asked if I was catholic. I replied, no, I'm mormon. She said... oh yeah, you guys like to have big families too. I kind of chuckled... in between tears, and thought how sweet she was as she rubbed my shoulders in the elevator. Andy caught up to us about the time we walked into labor and delivery, and we were both pleasantly suprised at how quickly they got me into a room, and got me all hooked up. They never assumed for a minute that I was not in real labor, and never acted like they may be sending me home. This was a very welcome difference from both of my previous delivery experiences. With Stella I was sent home once, only to return later that afternoon to deliver, and with Sterling I was treated as if my water actually hadn't broken... and that I was probably mistaken, until the nurse was able to check me and realized I was a 5 and that things were probably as I said they were. The nurses this time around treated me like this was it from the instant I walked (rolled) in. It was nice. The nurse checked me and I was at a 7. What??? A 7? Sweet... but can I still have an epidural??? Thats all I could think! I was re-assured that I still could. Thank heavens. At this point I was progressing quickly, and once the lab was done drawing blood, I was able to get the epidural. I was an 8-9. Now this epidural was different than any that I have had before. I was able to feel everything... well except the pain. It was awesome. I could still move my legs, I could tell when it was time to push, etc. etc. So, almost as soon as the epidural was done, it was time to push. Then it was three pushes... and Andy looked at me and said he had dark hair. WHAT??? Dark hair??? I had been picturing this baby as Sterling with dark hair. I think that was the only thing my mind could come up with, but I also assumed that he wouldn't look how I pictured. So to hear Andy say dark hair was kind of a shocker. I asked him about 12 times if he was serious. I could't figure out if he was kidding or not. Then the doc came in, and it was two pushes before they layed him on me. I could not believe my eyes. I was thinking... this can't be our child. He looks nothing like the others. His face was blue, he had dark black hair - and lots of it, and his eyes were way puffy so they basically just looked like slits. Plus, his cry was a little softer than the others, (although still quite loud, and he wouldn't stop for anything) and I just could not believe his hair!!! He was the sweetest little thing, stopping his crying only once he heard my voice. MELT MY HEART!!! They let us have him for as long as we wanted before they took him away to be cleaned up and fully checked out, and we were just loving it. Andy said right away that the name Everett was perfect for him because it was different from our other kids names... with the S's and all, and he was different than them too... well, at least at first look:) I was very relieved to see that he was ok. I have worried about him from the beginning. I think it is a combo of how different this pregnancy was and how so many of my dear friends have had so many struggles with babies recently, I started to worry that things wouldn't be quite as good as they seemed. Well, they were, he was precious, and so far seems to be just about the sweetest thing possible. I love the moments when he just stares. I am in love with his hair, and cherishing it every moment because I know the chances are fairly decent that it will all fall out and be replaced with blond curls. Here are some pics of the little stud muffin for your enjoyment!
Stella turned 4... don't know how that ever happened. One day she was a baby... now she is a full on little girl. She wanted a "tangled" birthday party. I got online with her to look up some cake ideas... that is the last time I will ever do that! She saw the one she wanted... and so I got stuck making the most challenging cake possible. It had me stressing for weeks... and busy as a bee for 4 days trying to make the monstrosity. But, it turned out well (meaning it did not tip over and actually tasted good... she enjoyed it and I felt like I had accomplished something I didn't really think I could) Although the cake looked no where near as perfect as the example I had to go off of... it was good enough for stella... and therefore good enough for me. On her actual birthday we had an enjoyable evening as a family... making sure Stella knew we loved her and thought she was special. On the saturday after her birthday, her friends came over, sang her happy birthday, gave her some presents (all things that go over really well with her) and then we went to bouncy bratz for some running and jumping. In her mind I think the day wasperfect. In my mind... it was a little mind boggling. I still cant believe she is 4... that means I dont have much time before she starts kindergarten... and that seems like it is when it is all over. My baby is getting so big... For her birthday we got her a fishing pole... which she loves... and dance lessons. She has been showing off her dance moves all the time. The other night during family prayer I noticed her tapping her feet one at a time. After the prayer was over, she looked up with a big grin and said... "I was doing toe drops!" Funny little girl! She was also spoiled by her grandparents. She has all the princess dresses and accessories she will ever need. She is one happy little (big) girl:)
