I am going to attempt to dig myself out of the blogging hole that I am in. So much has happened yet so little time to document. I thought I would start with catching up on how we met Kai!
It started with walking the streets of Hollywood Studios for a day at 39.5 weeks pregnant because I just believed that Disney would send me into labor. This is the last pregnant pic I have I believe.
These lovely ladies had been here for a week or two because all of the other boys came early so we were prepped for early. So clearly we drug them with us to Hollywood Studios and sweated together as a family. ;)
I left for the doctor the following morning not feeling any different and being prepared to go past my due date with this one. I was honestly nervous because I simultaneously did and didn't want to be induced and I felt some pressure to make that decision. I got to the doctor and had a new medical assistant taking my vitals. She took my blood pressure twice and said it was a little high. I just assumed she was new and confused because my blood pressure had been on the lower side this entire pregnancy. Matt got there to meet me and discuss the plan with our doctor right before my doctor walked in and said "your blood pressure is high, you're two days away from your due date, do you want to have this baby today or tomorrow morning?" He took it again just to be safe and it was still 140/90 so we all concluded that it was probably the safest bet to go on and have a baby that day. We left the clinic and Matt went by the hospital to tie up some loose ends while I returned some library books (can't go slacking on your civic duties), ran by John's school to tell him the news and hug him (and cry in the parking lot), and then went home to grab my stuff and wait on Matt.
Here we are heading in about an hour after hearing "let's have this baby today."
We got all checked in and hooked up and ready to go when they hooked me up to the blood pressure monitor and learned my blood pressure was totally normal again. I think it was divine intervention at the doctor. I think God decided it was time to take the decision out of my hands and get this baby here.
Here I am laboring away with April my sweet nurse. She was great...even though she was in charge of the pitocin which made me hate her at moments.
As far as inductions go, it was completely easy. Doctor broke my water, they got a super low dose of pitocin started, they bumped up the pitocin before the epidural and I experienced the joy of the pain level 10 contractions for way longer than I wanted to before the epidural arrived, got an epidural, felt so much better until Kai had some heart decelerations that scared us to death, got him stable, pushed once, and there he was! That is obviously the short story version.
One funny thing that happened (well funny now)- the contractions were a minute apart and killing me and I finally cried uncle for the epidural when I was informed that I had to get through a bag of fluids before I could have one. The only problem with that was the bag of fluids was moving at a snail's pace because I had a weird kink in my iv. So...they messed with it a little and didn't have much luck getting things to move any faster. The contractions got so intense and I was so miserable that when the nurses left the room, Dr. Husband saved the day. He walked over and got the kink out of the iv and retaped it so that the fluid was pouring in and the epidural could come sooner rather than later. He apologized profusely and promised not to intervene any more, but he won forever brownie points in my book. I would have delivered the baby long before I got through that bag of fluids.
As far as third babies go, it is so much quicker. They told me it would be, but I didn't believe them. I progressed from 4 to 10 cm in a matter of minutes. The epidural also worked this time so that was a tremendous blessing. God bless those who go without. I just am not made of the moral fiber it would take. I start saying crazy things like begging Matt to take good care of our children after I die from too much pain experienced in one moment.
I was a little terrified to meet Kai. I knew in my mind that I could love another little boy as much as I loved the first, but my heart wasn't as convinced. I was so busy with the other two during his pregnancy that I didn't feel like I spent a lot of time pondering what he would be like or dreaming of holding him. I hate to say that because it sounds so cruel, but I just associated his impending birth with anxiety about what another baby would be like and how I would manage with things already being as crazy as they are with two young boys and a husband in fellowship.
And then they put him in my arms and oh my Lord was I ever in love.
He was perfect and looked just like his big brother Sam. He was so sweet and vulnerable and precious. And he was mine.
Kai Andrew Murray
7:55 pm
7 lbs 8 ounces
21 inches
They handed him to me and he took right to nursing like he had been doing it forever. It was truly the sweetest moment to just look at him and study him for a little while.
All cleaned up!
We had one visitor sneak away during the big boys' bed time and meet Kai.
The next morning the boys came in and my heart continued to feel relieved and rejoice at this meeting. I had stressed more than I can admit about how Sam would handle this transition. He is just a baby himself and I was so afraid of all of the jealousy and sadness that was to come.
I think Sam is crazier about Kai than any of us. He came in that hospital room and just walked right over and kissed him. He followed him around the room anytime someone would hand him off to someone else. He was so gentle and loving with him that I couldn't believe I had worried as much as I had.
John was as sweet as I expected him to be and continues to want to help some. Both boys are a little disinterested the majority of the time, but they do love when he wakes up and looks around a bit. They get so excited that "his little eyes are open!"
Loved these quiet moments in the hospital. Being in the hospital is a lot like a vacation with your third child. It is quite nice to just have one baby to be concerned with.
We couldn't get through this experience completely unscathed so we did end up staying an extra day for some light therapy for jaundice. John was also on the bill light so it wasn't new for us.
Some of these pictures got a little out of order.
Matt enjoying the "special meal" they do for new parents. Yes...that is lobster. It is such a funny but kind gesture for new parents. And you'll notice that real friends bring diet cokes to new mothers. ;)
I believe this was a middle of the night selfie.
Our little glow worm.
And then we were off! They actually continue to let us leave the hospital with more children.
We picked John up from school on the way home because he really wanted to welcome the baby home and then we joyfully entered the house. As much as I enjoyed the nice break from being mommy to all three at the same time, it was so so nice to be back with everyone under the same roof. I didn't realize how much I would miss the big boys and how much I would long for home.
Now we've been home for a little over two weeks and it seems like Kai has always been a part of the family. I am happy to report that the transition was infinitely easier than I expected and we are loving our new addition.
We kept telling ourselves if we named him Kai that we would be willing him to assume a laid back personality, and I think it worked. Well...for the first almost three weeks at least. Kai is such a sweet baby. He eats super well and pretty much only cries if he's hungry and even then he gives you lots of warning signs that he's hungry before he cries. He is nursing about every two hours or so so we're still up a lot during the night, but he's a pretty efficient eater so I don't feel like we have those typical hour long nursing sessions like most newborns. He is pretty content to be held or to hang out and watch the action in his swing or rock and play. He spends a good bit of time in the baby carrier as well as he gets dragged from one place to the next. Life doesn't really stop as much for subsequent babies, but I think I prefer it that way. I prefer normalcy as quickly as possible.
I think of Kai as our little spiritual awakening baby. He helped us to remember that God does have a plan and those plans are often far better than our own. I just knew that having a newborn during the busiest part of fellowship would be the end of me, but so far it's been manageable. Fellowship doesn't feel as horribly busy as I thought. The kids are so happy with their new brother. And I am more wrapped around these ten tiny fingers than I ever knew possible. What a blessing in deed.
Welcome to the world sweet Kai Andrew!
"Heaven blew every trumpet and played every horn on the wonderful, marvelous night you were born."