Catching up

Now that our 6th blessing and 4th son has made his debut and we are slowly adjusting to the new change in our home I feel like I can finally sit down and blog about something...anything, if I still have any followers! So I realized after uploading almost 180 pictures to my computer that I have almost a whole years worth of "stuff" to blog about. I know this is already November but in the next couple of weeks I'll be blogging about our summer. Ha! I wanted to go in order but decided the newest most recent thing was the birth of Naison and some of you have asked for my birth story so I chose to blog about that first. Otherwise you won't be seeing that post until next November! Yes, I do tend to procrastinate. :) So, in a nutshell, sorta here's his birth story.
We chose to do a homebirth this time. I will start by saying that not everyone is a good candidate for homebirth and on the contrary, not everyone that chooses this option is crazy and out of their mind. I firmly believe if the LORD is not leading a couple to have their baby at home then they shouldn't! Josh and I spent time praying about this decision and did not make it uninformed or without complete peace that God would be surrounding the entire process. There are so many "small" ways He proved to us that we were making the right decision for our baby though I won't go into them here. So...my due date was Nov. 10. I have NEVER carried a baby past my due date so didn't think I would this time either. My MIL was praying for Naison to arrive on 11/11/11 as was my own mother rooting for that date as well. Sure enough, on 11/11/11 at 4 in the morning I woke up having contractions and immediately thought to myself that they didn't feel like Braxton Hicks anymore. I was calm at first, letting Josh sleep and not too quick to assume I was in labor. Went downstairs, got some cereal (LOVE cold cereal. :), went back upstairs (contractions getting a bit more intense), sat in the chair in my room praying...started freaking out a bit, woke up Josh, prayed together, bundled myself up and went for a walk in my neighborhood praying some more. :) Decided it was too cold so only walked around the block once, plus it was dark and I kept thinking a bear was going to get me. :) At this point, I sorta (well, more than sorta) became overcome with fear of labor. COULD NOT stop shaking and crying. This is not typically how I respond to labor but I think being at home for the first time got the best of my emotions. Then, labor stopped! NEVER, EVER, EVER! have I had false labor so I was a little bummed and relieved all at the same time. OH, all while I was laboring on my own Josh was being proactive and filling the birthing tub with warm water. When my labor stopped I told him he should stop filling the tub since I didn't want a tub full of water standing in my room for days for fear that Silas or Macy would try to climb in it and drown. He insisted to continue filling it (it was equipped with a heater to keep the water warm.) Then he got ready for work and left. I took a shower and proceeded to go about my normal day when 2 hours later I started feeling those familiar labor pains again. This time I was really hesitant to call my hubby to come home but when the contractions started picking up I decided I would rather be safe than sorry. So, I called Josh, he came home. Called the midwife so she could prepare her things. Called my MIL to come as she was lined out to sit with the kiddos and was hoping to be here for the birth. Everyone started arriving and things got a bit hectic with all the people here. Jessica (my Pastor's wife) came and got the kids, everyone except G man. He wanted to stay to see the baby. My midwife came up to my room where my candles were glowing and soft celtic music was playing. I felt very comfortable and at ease at this point. I truly believe God allowed labor to halt in the beginning to allow me to focus mentally. Mif (my midwife) massaged my tummy with lavender and frankinsence and while doing so I had a pretty intense contraction. She offered to "check" my progress and confirmed I was dilated 7 cm. For being at 7 cm. I still felt an almost unbearable urge to push and got into the birthing tub right away. I asked her if I could push, being uncertain if that was okay only dilated 7 cm. She gave me some helpful relaxation techniques to try to breathe through that feeling but it was almost like I was trying to fight against a natural instinct and I just absolutely couldn't! After about 20 minutes of being in the birthing tub I felt literally baby's head moving down and out! I was birthing a baby! We knew the cord was around baby's neck but didn't realize it was around his neck and body wrapped 3 times. His head came out but his body was clamping down on his cord so it was urgent that I get him out quickly except after he was halfway out I gave up! I no longer felt like pushing and just felt as if I didn't have it in me to finish. Then I looked down at baby and up at Mif and saw the urgency on her face. I knew she wanted him out quickly so by God's grace he gave me an extra measure of strength and with one more push baby was born. He was not breathing and was bluish/grey. This is typical with water birth and nothing to be alarmed about but this time it felt different as if he may not start breathing. After about a minute of Josh and I rubbing him, talking to him and praying he took that first beautiful gasp for air. Mif had just then put him on oxygen. What a wonderful sound to hear his lungs going at it wailing away and to see his face fill up with life and color. So thankful to God for an amazing experience and the best labor/birth experience I could hope for. I absolutely would do it again if the LORD allowed. I've done 5 hospital births and the 2 experiences can not be compared. My hospital births all went well but the connection between Josh, me and the midwife was something that tends to get lost in the hustle/bustle of the hospital scene. After Naison was born Josh was able to carry him downstairs wrapped up in his warm towels and introduce him to Greyson while Mif stayed with me. I was able to nurse him right away and have a long restful nap. Josh ran to get me Starbucks and Olive Garden while Mif and Joella (my chiropractor and Mif's partner) took care of weighing Naison and giving him vitamin K. He also had his first adjustment. :) We are so thankful for Naison Soldier and look forward to many years to come raising him up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD. He is our little Soldier!