My This N That Life: Stinky's big day

Stinky was due on St. Patrick's Day, 3 weeks away and ~~still barely a blip on my radar~~ constantly on my "Am I really going to be a mommy of three?" mind.

In all my "barefoot and pregnant" glory, 36 weeks huge.

I went to bed, thinking about all the things I hadn't gotten done that day, and all the things I had to do tomorrow. Tomorrow came and I went about my (very hectic) day...First Steps (early intervention) transition meeting for Bugsy, 8 hours of work teaching 3 and 4 year olds, a quick lunchtime shopping trip to buy hats and socks for the baby, a quick dash home to make a mac-n-cheese dinner for the kids, and as promised, a "Getting ready for Kindergarten" program for Little Lou, all the while secretly having contractions every 4-5 minutes.

I'd known since early morning (probably 9 or so) that I was in the early stages of labor. It was hip cramping, I can't walk right now, labor. I didn't tell anyone, just kept my smile one. I knew if I told, they'd make me go to the hospital, and I was just plain too busy. That's how I am, folks. These things should happen when they're supposed to, or I just might not have time!

At 8pm, when I finally took myself to the hospital, I was exhausted, nervous, and 6 cm dilated. A friend met me at the hospital to take my kids until my mom could get there, and my husband was there a few minutes later. My blood pressure was up, so my doctor, conveniently the doctor on call, decided to keep me overnight.

I crashed, hard, and when ~~I woke up~~ the doctor woke me up the next morning, I was...6 cm dilated. Labor had paused overnight. She debated sending me home, but a major snowstorm had started overnight and, once I am in hard labor, my labors tend to be speedy. She didn't want me giving birth on the road, so she kept me and observed me.

Around noon, my doctor broke my water, and I began having a few contractions again. Around 2:30, I still wasn't in "hard labor," just sporadic contractions, and was 7 cm dilated. The doctor ordered pitocin. At 3:50, I was still 7 cm dilated, and pitocin was started. At 3:11, Stinky made his appearance. Did you see that? 20 minutes earlier, I was 7 cm. I'm telling you, my labors are fast and furious. I DO NOT recommend labors like that! I'll spare you the details, but it's not pretty.

Stinky was born, one day shy of 3 weeks early, on a Friday afternoon.

He was 7 pounds, the smallest of my babies by far. (Little Lou was 8 lbs 1 oz, Bugsy was 8 lbs 14 oz!) He was the earliest baby, and the only one that decided for himself when he'd make his debut. Bugsy and Little Lou were waiting in the waiting room with Nana and Poppy to meet their new little brother, and were super excited to push the "new baby" button to play Brahms Lullaby and let the hospital know a new baby had been born.

They were so tiny!

And just like that, we became a family of five!

People, they grow fast! Today, Stinky is wild. He's full of never-ending energy from sun-up until well after sun-down. He's a lover, constantly telling all of us, "Lu-you too!" He's a climber who I am constantly removing from the kitchen table. He literally dives head first of the the furniture. He's the first to start a wrestling match with his siblings, and the last to stop. He loves his dog. He won't touch a vegetable to save his life...unless you consider chocolate a vegetable, then he'd eat them all day long. He loves to sing and wants me to "spell dat, mommy" all the time. He's trying to hard to potty train. He loves trains and dogs and babies. He's canine as often as he's human right now!

I'm in that swinging denial stage, folks, where I zip back and forth between, "Wow, guys! Stinky is two!" and "Wow, guys...Stinky is two." But he's two. He's VERY two, and he's ALL boy. I love that little monster more than I can ever say!

Happy Birthday, Stinky! Mommy loves you!