Ellie's Birth Story

 First I'll tell about the pregnancy. It was by far the hardest one yet. Hormonal wise, sick, wise, and painful. The 1st trimester was horrible. I could hardly keep my eyes open, I needed multiple naps a day. On top of that I was depressed (for no reason, just hormone change, I didn't want to be because I was super excited, I was just sad and couldn't control it.) and so so so sick. I only threw up maybe 2 times-but the nausea never went away. Food gave me the worst after taste. I hated eating because the taste would never leave my mouth, I kept mint tums and mints by the side of my bed because it bothers me mostly as night. Unlike my other pregnancy I craved more salty food, and lots of meat. I ate a bunch of steak and hamburgers-which I rarely eat not pregnant. I loved fast food and ate it all the time-including lots of fried food, which I don't normally eat either. I was happy to eat pizza a couple times a week-which is super strange as well, because I am pretty much good just to have pizza once a month. In the first trimester I always wanted brisket. Rudy's, Spring Creek, Hutchins-any BBQ really. One night I was so so sick and so hungry because I had been to sick to eat all day, so Ty went out and got me some brisket and I felt much better. My skin was amazing, and all the way through it was still good, the best it has ever been- with the boys i broke out first trimester. In the 1st trimester I started to developed varicose veins on the back sides of my legs from ankle to above the knew. I never knew how painful those were. I could not stand long, needed lots of breaks (well if I had to I could) and it felt best to have them propped up, so at night when I could finally relax I would lay on the couch and prop my legs up on the ottoman. Tyler massaged them many times for me-which helps too. The pain did minimize during the 3rd trimester.

We decided not to find out if it was a boy or girl. We figured it was probably another boy, which we were VERY happy about but knew no one else would be, so we thought it would be more exciting to wait. If it had been a boy and we found out earlier-we would have never heard the end of it, and no one would be near as excited at the hospital! And they were all super excited come D-day!

Second Trimester. The sickness didn't leave till about 17 weeks in. After that it was still there but so so so much better and tolerable. The second trimester is where I really ate. I loved fast food the most (with the boys I hated fast food), all the good hearty stuff. I liked sweets, but they did make me a little sick which was totally opposite from the boys. My veins were still hurting and more now that there was more weight on them. I started feeling baby move around 16 weeks-but just barely. All my doctor appointments went smoothly. The sadness went completely away which was a huge relief. Braxton hicks contractions started about 18th week I think-which is an improvement from the boys where I started having them at 16 weeks. My energy levels went up and I was feeling good again, for the most part from about 22 weeks to maybe about 28 weeks. 

Third Trimester. It was rough as it always is. I could no longer sleep at night, even if I got comfortable I just couldn't fall asleep, left me to be so tired all day long. The pains in my stomach and upper abdomen started. Bladder pains started hurting more and more when I went pee. BH contractions were more often and they really did hurt, I think they hurt because of the scar tissue from the last babies. I had intense gallbladder pain constantly but mainly just after I ate greasy, fried food-so I had to quit eat all the crap I had been eating, which helped till the end when it was just constant pain.That pain was so bad, it bothered me more than any of the baby pains, but because I was so far into the pregnancy there was nothing they could do. I was so swollen. My feet were huge and hurt and my hands were swollen too-my calves were huggge-I couldn't even wear my knee high boots anymore.  My legs still hurt, my upper right side was killing me-which is the same place it has hurt with all the babies-right by the rib cage. Sitting was almost unbearable, driving hurt-pretty much everything hurt. I had so many internal pains that I can not describe. But through it all it was fine and I was happy and excited for the baby-but OK to wait till the end! All in all,  I would still say the 1st trimester was the absolute worst.

Delivery day! January 31st. Rewind to the weekend before. I'm pretty sure I was in labor. I had contractions every 2 minutes for most of the day on Friday night and Saturday. Every contraction hurt so bad-BUT not in the normal way a contraction hurts-I literally felt like my insides were going to pop-but I had hardly in pressure below. I decided to wait it out I was only 37 weeks. The next week I was still in so much pain. I had a doctor appointment that Thursday, they checked me and I was just a 1-which is typical for me I don't usually dilate and I think my cervix was 50% effaced. I went home and after that appointment- Friday the contractions started back up (well they never stopped, but just more frequent). Saturday we did lots of fun family things knowing it was pretty close to our last outings as a family of 5. I debated whether or not to go in Saturday, but decided my contractions were not enough, so I waited (like I always do). Sunday we finally decided to go and get checked out. We packed our bags, cleaned the house, and all headed to the hospital with high hopes but with a little fear that we would get sent home. We got checked in, got my gown on and started the whole question/paper process as they hooked up the belly machine to monitor the contractions. They were about every 3-4 minutes, ya! And as they pumped fluids through the IV, they only got stronger and harder and more frequent. At first the nurses were pretty sure I was going to get sent home because I was still only about a 2. They figured the doctor would just want to wait till I was more in labor. After the doctor called them back they came in and said, "You are having a baby today!" The doctor did not want me to progress anymore-having already had 3 c-sections it would be to dangerous. We went in about 3 and didn't get back to the OR till about 6:45ish I think. All of our parents were there, Megan and Kyle and G-mom and Pop. They had to wait for hours!!

Finally it was time. I was on the table, numbed up, arms out, sheet up. This was the worst c-section ever for me. The other ones I just could feel a lot of pressure-but they went quick (except Gavin's because he cut my bladder on accident) and I felt good for the most part, for as good as you can feel during a c-section. They had a hard time because of all the scar tissue, then another hard time because my uterus was see through, they could literally see the baby-which meant my uterus was very close to rupturing. That is why I was having so much internal pain with my contractions. They had to be very careful and wise on where they make the cut to ensure it wouldn't just bust. So that took a little longer. During I got so sick, I was seconds away from puking. I could smell my own flesh burning and it was so gross. The CRNA quickly pushed anti nausea meds and I had Tyler put a towel over my nose-it was bad. Because I was in surgery for so long (almost an hour-felt like a life time) they had to push more meds and I just felt weak tired and sick. 

Finally, they get sweet baby out-we had decided before hand that they would show me the baby and no one would say anything till I saw. But as soon as she came out, Tyler was so shocked and excited that he said, "It's a girl!"-to which everyone said, "It is, it is, it's a gir!!". The whole room was so excited. I didn't believe them, I said, "No its not, are y'all joking?" And then by that time they put her up in the air so I could see real quick then took her to begin doing all the new born stuff they do. Turns out she had a knot in the umbilical, and because my uterus was so thin-if I had waited any longer there was a good chance that she wouldn't have made it-or myself for the matter. 

Stitching up took forever as well. At this point I am SO excited, but so completely worn out. The nurse wanted her to have skin time with me and she even had me nurse her right there on the table-it was the most horrible thing. I was sick-my guts were out, I am in a super weird position-I finally told Tyler I was to sick and weak to hold her and felt like I was going to drop her, and he took her, thank goodness. The nurse that helped with the delivery is the same nurse I had several times with Zach and she was my nurse during Zach's delivery too, we love her so much-I give much of the credit to her for the reason that Zach is alive today! 

Finally, after who knows how long I get wheeled to a recovery room-no one was aloud in for 30 minutes I think it was. Which was pure torture for them. I was still so sick and tired, but better. Tyler was able to go see the family and update them on me and the baby and reveal what the baby was. We decided to prank them and he told them it was another boy. They all believed him. At this point it is about 9:30-10ish. G-mom and pop needed to go- so the nurse aloud them to come in alone. We told them the truth and they were shocked and surprised and so so so happy. As they left they didn't tell anyone else. Then the nurse finally let everyone else in. They were so sweet-passing the little "boy" around, asking what we were going to name him-that's when Tyler said, "well probably something girly." To which everyone either laughed or were confused and said something like , " a girl name? no!" And Tyler said , "Yeah a girl name because it's a girl!" They didn't believe us at all. I think they all literally went into a moment of shock, hahaha. It was the best moment! Beth undid her diaper to check and show everyone else (sorry Ellie). They were all so excited, the boys were over the moon (and super duper tired too). Soon after everyone left. I got wheeled to a room and Ellie was crying. She pretty much cried ever since she came out and at this point it was non-stop. The hospital doesn't give passies out so I had to have Tyler run home and get some. And from this point forward miss little Ellie did not stop screaming her head off, by Tuesday with no sleep-I was getting delirious. I had constant visitors (which was really nice that they could hold her-and she did sleep Monday while she was passed around, but then not again), constant cries, sick from pain meds, and in pain. My mom did sleep with me Tuesday night and Ty went home with the boys. She was up all night with me, neither of us could get her to sleep, and she would only stop screaming for very short periods (like no longer than 10 minutes). It was the hardest hospital time, but the food was fantastic. The hospital didn't have a nursery, but I had to have the nurses take her a couple of times so I could shower or eat in the moments I was alone. We came home and wonderful friends and family took care of us-the first few weeks the visitors were still non-stop (which was so nice and made me feel very very loved, but I was getting pretty tired, bc I tried to keep the house clean incase someone came over) . I had dinners brought to me for 2 weeks!! It was amazing, and I am forever grateful to all those the sacrificed there time to help us, and to my sweet neighbor who set it all up for me. 

So that about wraps it up! We are so glad Ellie joined our family and love her so much, her brothers adore her like no one else. Ellie you are the light of all of our lives and we love you more than you will even know!