Brotherly LOVE

The boys are in LOVE with their sister, here are a few pictures of the first days enjoying Haven at Home.

Cole was hiding his underwear...LOL

Going HOME

We all checked out good Friday morning so we are headed home.  Levi and I did not rest well last night, so we are excited to get home to our own space with the boys and sweet Haven.  I'm looking forward to a weekend at home to start to adjust to three.

Pretty in Pink 

BIG Day

Last Belly Picture 

This is the day we have been waiting for, although not how I wanted it to happen.  I had to have many talks to myself as well as Levi with me, I was disappointed in not having experienced "going in to labor" on my own.  But Levi kept assuring me that one way or another we were having a healthy Baby today!  Best husband ever...he keeps this CRAZY type A grounded!

We arrived at the hospital at 7 am for the induction!  We had a great nurse and I think they flag my chart with a huge red sticker..."retired nurse give her a student or three."  (I joke I am retired with everyone since I no longer practice).  After a million questions, the student nurse got to try my IV...I'm pretty sure it was her first time, poor girl was shaking like a leaf and I am pretty sure she hit my bone she went so deep!  Fun times to start the day!  

After getting my IV in I was hoping we were gonna get this party started.  My nurse informed me we would just wait for dr Freeman (8:30) he would check me break my water and then start pitocin at the same time!  WAIT WHAT??  I knew that meant it was gonna get REAL FAST!

My other inductions we did a couple hours of pit to get things going and then broke my water and I went really fast after that.  Different baby different experience!

Last Picture as a family of 4

By 10:30 I kicked everyone out of my room but Levi, they were starting to annoy me and I was done be looked at. LOL!    Levi left to get some coffee and I quickly started to feel the contractions getting serious.  With both of the boys my labor was all in my back, and this delivery proved to be the same.  I texted him I needed him to get back.  I held on until 1130 and asked to be checked, knowing I really didn't want an epidural.  I knew if she said I was a 7 or 8 maybe I can handle it, BUT I was a 5...a 5!  I immediately welled up with tears and decided on the epidural.  We waited another 30 minutes (1200) for the epidural...so after the epidural I was an 8 (1230).  I knew the second she later me back I was complete, but decided to wait a bit in hopes the baby would move down some.  

While waiting, I got very emotional telling Levi this wasn't how I had envisioned this delivery.  He seriously is the best ever, telling me it was nothing to be disappointed about we were about to have a healthy baby!  (1250) I tell him to get the nurse, she checks and I am complete.  (1300) dr Freeman arrives and we start pushing.  Judson was so easy so once I started pushing I knew this one wasn't gonna be as easy.  The babies shoulders ended up getting stuck so people were scurrying around when finally SHE came out (1313).  Levi has always announced what it was in the past but today it was my turn...A GIRL...a healthy beautiful girl.  

SHE is here!

First look!

James party of 5

Big brothers were so excited

Judson gave me his blankie in-case I was cold

Daddy's GIRL

Haven Mae James 

3/26/2015 @ 1313

9 lbs 8 oz. 21.5 inches long 

I have loved the name Haven forever, I went to nursing school with a Haven.  It has always been our girl name.  Mae has double meaning it is my grandmothers middle name as well as Levi's grandmothers middle name.  And to top it all off our sweet girl was born on Levi's granddads birthday.  

We could not wait for the boys to come and for us to tell them they had a sister. They were over the moon and so excited. 

40 +5

We had our last official OB appointment on 3/25, I am officially 40 5/7 pregnant!  We had a sono to look at fluid, baby's activity and size.  Well, size seems to have won out on this sono...estimated baby at 9lbs 11oz. The sonographer, Levi and I were all in denial, there was NO way that the baby had gained 3lbs in 4 weeks!  Levi joked that the baby would have gained better than his fat cattle in the feedlot...that's a little francher joke for you!   

Needless to say, following the sono we saw Dr Freeman and he said he would let me continue to try to go into labor on my own...this had been my ultimate goal since both boys were induced. But only until 41 weeks Saturday, which he said really meant an induction on Friday.  I had this all planned in my mind how awesome it would be to have a fast, natural labor...I had dreamed and researched about it for months.  However, the  9lbs 11oz. Estimate ultimately won out...we scheduled an induction for the next day.  We decided since the boys were already taken care of it was silly to go home for one night just to come back on Friday.  PLUS this meant we could be home by Friday night if all went well and enjoy the weekend at home with new baby and both boys! 

Spring BREAK

We had my 40 week baby check up on Thursday of spring break and decided to stay the weekend in hopes Baby James would come!  Well, baby did not come but we had a blast as our last weekend as a family of four!  We packed in a lot of fun: swimming, arcade, batting cages, go carts, a birthday party, shopping and the zoo!  I am so glad we were able to get away and enjoy these crazy fun boys we have been blessed with.  

Spring Work

Over spring break we helped Levi move and haul cattle to new pastures.  The boys got a little stir crazy in the pickup, but it's some of our most fun times and conversations.   I love their innocent questions and quality time we have without electronics and distractions!!  We packed in a lot of family time this week...Love LOVE!!! 

Date Day

Levi and I have wanted to watch American Sniper for weeks!  But we either had too many errands to run or one of the boys every time we came to Amarillo.  We finally saw it a few weeks ago.  I was speechless.  I have always had an enormous amount of respect for our military but this movie actually opened my eyes up to so much more!  I believe EVERY American should see this movie!!