Introducing Miss Ruby

Ever since I was pregnant with Colton I've wanted to have a really good birth story.  Just for fun.  I went into labor on my own with Madison, but her heartbeat was being crazy and, since it was my first baby, things were going very slowly, so they ended up giving me pitocin to regulate things.   With Jaxon I was induced just for the heck of it.  With Colton I had hoped to go into labor, but ended up being induced because of my mom's work schedule (and I'll be honest I was beyond miserable).  With Hudson I held out as long as I possibly could.  But when I was 2 days overdue and showing all the signs of preeclampsia, the doctor decided I should be induced, and I agreed.  

With Ruby, though, I finally, finally got my awesome labor story!  

My entire pregnancy I've been praying (literally) that I could go into labor on my own.  I really wanted to try to go naturally just for the heck of it.  I talked to my doctor a couple weeks before Ruby was due and asked her if she would be willing to strip my membranes.  This is what put me into labor with Madison, so I was hopeful it would work again.  She agreed that she would do it right before my due date.  

My due date was October 17.  On October 13 I went to my regular obgyn appointment at around 12 p.m. and my doctor stripped my membranes as promised.  By 7 p.m. I was having contractions and getting excited.  They weren't super regular, so Chris and I walked around the block a few times around 9:00.  This got contractions going again.  I came home and got in bed.  My contractions were getting more regular, but not regular enough to go to the hospital.  I did start timing them, though.  I fell asleep for about an hour.  I woke up around 1 a.m. having contractions again.  They were about every 5-7 minutes for 4 hours!!  The only reason I didn't go to the hospital was because it was the middle of the night!  I was waiting for them to be every 5 minutes for an hour.  And every. single. time. that they had been every 5 minutes for 45 minutes then the contractions would kind of die off for a little while.   It was ridiculous. 

 Around 5 a.m. I finally fell asleep again.  At 7 Chris got up to get the kids ready for school.  I was still having sporadic contractions, so I told Chris that after the kids left we could go to the hospital, and if I was dilated to 5 cm maybe they would break my water.  Well I got out of bed to do Madison's hair and by the time the kids were gone, so were my contractions.  I walked Hudson to the park to see if that would get them going again.  Nope.  For the entire day of October 14 I had sporadic contractions.  They were strong, but not regular at all.  My poor children have probably been scared for life, because more than once they witnessed me having a pretty strong contraction.  They would all crowd around asking me what was going on, and I couldn't talk because of the pain, which, of course worried them.  After a couple of contractions they did figure it out though, and they became less concerned.   

By Thursday, October 15, my contractions were even less frequent.  I had resigned myself to the fact that stripping my membranes didn't work ,and I was just going to have to be induced Monday, as scheduled.  I was making plans for the weekend and trying to figure out the best way to survive 4 more days of being pregnant.  I called my mom and arranged for her and my dad to come down over the weekend so that they could be at our house Monday when I went in to have the baby.  I got Hudson to school, came home and got a few things done at the house, and then I decided to go get a pedicure.  After my pedicure I got myself some lunch and then decided to make a couple of returns before picking Hudson up from school.  I went to the mall to make a return and was feeling pretty terrible by the time I was done.  I wasn't having contractions, but I was feeling a lot of cramp, gassy pain and pressure, nothing new really, though.  I picked Hudson up from school and came home and tried to just lie down.  All my big kids came home from school.  I was still feeling gross so I decided to keep Madison home from choir practice, which is a 25 minute drive away and sitting in the car sounded terrible.   Madison could tell I was feeling horrible, so she offered to help keep Hudson happy so I could rest.  I did make the kids dinner AND we got all of our homework done, so I felt good about that.  

By the time Chris came home from work I was having contractions, but still nothing regular.  Mostly I was just having a few contractions and a lot of the crampy, gassy pain.  We got the kids to bed and I took a bath.  Chris was watching the baseball playoffs and I was just kind of timing my contractions, which were every 10-12 minutes and hoping they would get more regular. I texted a friend to tell her that I was having contractions again, and to be on stand-by, but that I wasn't super optimistic.  My contractions were really painful, but still, not regular.  They slowly started getting closer together, but the closest they got was about every 8-10 minutes. 

Then, around 10:15 they started getting a lot longer and stronger and closer together.  And suddenly I knew it was time to go to the hospital.  I'm not really sure what exactly prompted that decision, because it came on so suddenly!  I yelled up to Chris to tell him it was time to go to the hospital and texted my friend to come ASAP.  Chris didn't really even know I was in labor, not that I did either, so he was a little surprised.   I think we both had figured it was a repeat of Thursday night.  Well it wasn't.  

My friend, Holly, arrived around 10:30 and by the time we got in the car I couldn't walk.  I was dying.  My contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes and they were terrible.  I did have the presence of mind to tell Chris to get a towel incase my water broke and a cup incase I threw up (I always throw up when I'm in labor).  I'll admit at this point I started screaming and telling Chris I needed an epidural.  And also telling him not to go 90 mph, which he was doing (Ha!).  We pulled up at the hospital around 10:45.  We didn't even park the truck.  We just turned it off and locked it at the entrance.  Chris got me a wheel chair and ran me down the hall (still screaming with every contraction).  It was like the movies.  He ran me into labor and delivery, past the check-in desk and into the delivery room.  I'm sure the nurses all thought we were a little nuts and being overly-dramatic.  They told me they would get me an IV and a hospital gown and then they asked me what number baby this was.  When I said, "5," one of the nurses yelled, "CRAP" and they all started running around like crazy people.  I didn't get an IV or a hospital gown.  They checked me and I was fully dilated and crowning.  

We had to wait for the doctor for about 10 minutes, which was pretty comical because they told me to just lay there and not push.  Ha. Ha.  While we were waiting my water broke.  The doctor came in and I started to push.  I'm pretty sure I would have had her within about 15 minutes of getting to the hospital, but, lucky me, she was traverse, just like Hudson.  I was a little panicked about that, because I had to push for 1.5 hours with Hudson and I did NOT want to do that without an epidural.  

I'm not going to lie.  I was not a serene person at this point.  I don't think I was really going crazy, but Chris said I did keep saying, "Get this baby out of me."  He also told me later that the scenes in the movies when women are giving birth and they are sweaty and screaming and pale are very accurate.  I guess he thought I was going to pass out.  I never felt like I was going to, but it was crazy, crazy painful.  Thankfully, I only had to push for about 30 minutes and at 11:48 our sweet little Ruby Elizabeth was born.   I was really proud of Chris because he actually cut the cord this time, with the other 4 he didn't.  I think after watching me give birth naturally, though, he felt like he kind of had to!

Ruby's birthday is 10-15-15, which I think is an awesome birthday!  Chris actually told me when we got to the hospital that I needed to get her out by midnight so she could have that birthday! She weighed 7 pounds 1 oz and she has some awesome cheeks!

Daddy and his baby girl!  1 hour old!

My sweetheart!  We didn't get checked in and settled until 3 a.m.  

The kids had no idea that I went to the hospital.  After I got to the recovery room, Chris went home to sleep so that he could get the kids to school in the morning.  The next morning he told the kids I was still asleep in my room and then he said someone was on the phone for them.  We surprised them by face timing with Ruby!  

They were all so thrilled!  They had been anticipating me going to the hospital, and every morning when I was home and every day after school when I was still home they were upset that I hadn't had the baby yet!

Chris got the kids to school and Hudson to a friend's house. Then he came up to spend the day with me.  Look at that tiny girl with her daddy!

The hospital had the cutest little bow hats for the girls.  I love them!

After school the whole family came up to inspect their sister!  Those are a bunch of very excited kids right there!

I can't find the picture of Colton holding Ruby, but here are Madi and Jaxon with their baby.

Hudson was a little worried about me being in a weird place, so he wouldn't come near me, and he wasn't super impressed by the baby.  He's changed his mind now, though.  He loves her.

The whole Wise family!

Friday night we had our celebration dinner at the hospital.  Since I had Ruby at 11:48 on Thursday, I only got one full night in the hospital, which was kind of lame.  Chris was totally worn out from being up the night before and running the kids around all day.  He was definitely super dad getting everyone where they needed to be!  

Saturday Chris and all the kids came to pick us up!  My parents didn't come until Saturday night, so it was just the 7 of us for a few hours.  The whole way home the kids were arguing and being annoying and Hudson was whining because he was hungry and Chris and I were just laughing because here we were bringing another child into this chaos!  Thankfully everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, even the big kids, too naps when we got home.  I think they were all worn out by the excitement of the last couple of days.

So there you have it!  My exciting, natural, crazy labor story!  It's a little crazy how I was in labor for a few days and then my delivery was super fast and dramatic!  I'm so glad I have a fun story to tell, however, I'm fine with only having one very dramatic story!  As far as natural birth goes here is my pros and cons list (having experienced both)

-pros: exciting

empowering

no IV (this was probably my biggest pro, I hate that dumb IV)

no water retention, due to no IV

no back bruise from epidural

not numb afterward

- con: much more painful

exhaustion (when I had Ruby I was really worn out and almost felt more sedated than when I've had an epidural, which was sad because it made me less excited to hold her)

stitches hurt afterward

not an easier recovery (I know people swear that having an epidural makes recovery more difficult, I didn't have that experience)

Finally, a lot of people have asked about Ruby's name.  All our other kids end in -on.  Ruby isn't a family name.  We just liked it.  We thought it was cute, feminine, and unique, but not weird.  After extensive searching, we couldn't find a feminine name ending in -on, or even -n, that we both liked, so we just went for something totally different!  Her middle name, Elizabeth, is after my grandma, whose name was Elsbeth.  Elsbeth is the dutch version of Elizabeth, so we just "Americanized" it. 

summer!

Well, school ended and summer came in all its glory.  We had a really good summer this year.  Last summer was really stressful.  I had two extra kids a couple days a week and a nursing baby who still took two naps and a three-year-old who needed a nap, but on a different schedule than the baby... it was a lot.  But this summer was much less stressful.  I kept things very simple.  I tried really hard not to over do things.  We actually just did a lot of things with our family.  Not that we didn't see our friends, but I was okay most of the time just hanging out with the kids and enjoying them, except when they were fighting, which let's be honest, is quite frequent.  Everything is definitely not rainbows and butterflies at our house.   But most of the time I only had my own 4 kids who were fighting with each other and not my own kids AND their friends.

Grandma and Grandpa Wise came to visit at the beginning of June.  I can't remember exactly why.  They came a lot this summer for some doctor appointments for Nathan and some job searching for Dave.  Anyway, they were able to watch Colton's indoor soccer game.  

They also watched Madison and Jaxon's swim meet!  It's always fun to have visitors. 

Hudson continued to be crazy.  I'm pretty sure there is syrup on this plate.  He loves licking syrup off the kids' plates if they leave them on the table.  

One afternoon I had the boys help me do some house projects (Madison wasn't home).   We installed a broom rack in the laundry room.

And we made some boards to hang swim team ribbons on.  The boys enjoyed using the tools. 

This is Jaxon telling me how to play Pokemon.  Jaxon LOVES to talk (and talk and talk and talk) and he gets really animated when he explains things.  I love how excited he gets!

Hudson being crazy again.  Always with the climbing.  

One morning when Chris and I were praying before he left for work we heard a loud thunk upstairs.  Chris thought it was just a door, although I thought someone had fallen.  A few minutes later Madison came downstairs, white as a ghost.  She had woken up feeling sick, gone to the toilet to throw up, didn't throw up, but felt dizzy.  So, she sat on the toilet lid and then passed out.  Thankfully she didn't hit her head on anything!  For the rest of the day she was in bed and, for the morning at least, I made her stay in her room so she wouldn't pass out again.  We have an old iPhone that we use as an emergency phone for the kids if I leave them home for a few minutes.  It just uses internet.  Madison kept calling me on FaceTime all morning from her room to talk to me.  It was kind of funny and kind of annoying.  She also likes to text me frequently about exactly how terrible she feels and she uses about a million emoticons in every text.  

Sometimes life gets really hectic.  One night Jaxon had a basketball game and I had to teach at a weeknight Relief Society meeting.  We were all rushing out the door to our various places.  I got everyone where they needed to be and did my presentation.  When I sat down I looked at my feet and realized I had worn my pool sandals all night.  Which really isn't a big deal, but usually I try to wear nicer shoes when I present at church, and I thought it was even more funny that I didn't even know for about 2 hours.   

Hudson at the pool.  Not sure why I took this pic, but he's cute and funny. 

Madison and Jaxon and Colton were old enough this summer that I felt comfortable leaving them to run occasional errands at very close locations.  Kroger is only 3 minutes from our house, so I would sometimes go grocery shopping while Hudson was asleep and the kids were watching a movie.  One afternoon I left them alone for the sole purpose of going to Sonic to get a drink and then sit in my car alone to drink it.  It was wonderful!

Jaxon and Colton got invited to a fun trampoline party.  I thought it was very sweet because they both had lots of friends at the party, but they spent most of the time playing together.  They really are best friends!

For Father's day we did Dad Olympics with a group of families from the ward.  It was pretty fun.  There were a bunch of different competitions and then whoever got the most overall points won.  

The orange pass is always my favorite!  Nothing like two grown men getting cozy... ha!

For Father's Day Madison helped me make Oreo truffles.  Chris loves Oreos.  He usually requests something with Oreos in it.  

Jaxon made Chris an awesome "Dad" mask.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but the top of the mask has the letters DAD.  Leave it to Jaxon to be creative like that!

The evening of Father's day I came into the living room to find the kids rubbing Chris's feet and feeding him sour patch kids.  Those kids sure know the way to their dad's heart!

This is what shopping with Hudson looked like all summer.  He's gotten better, kind of, but really he's super hard to take to the store.  Even if I give him a treat.  

One day we brought Smart Food to the pool for a snack, which is the kids' favorite.  Jaxon was cracking me up floating around the pool in his tube eating his popcorn.  Tough life. 

Three boys watching their dad play softball!

I found these TOMS for the baby at Nordstrom Rack.  I almost died.  I'm so excited to dress a baby girl on a bigger budget than the student budget we had when I had Madi!  Plus, girl clothes have gotten even more cute in the last 9.5 years. 

Jaxon officially finished his first chapter book all by himself.  I know Captain Underpants has a lot of potty humor, but it has been the series that has taught Jaxon to learn to love reading, so I'll deal.  It hasn't seemed to affect his daily discussions too much (i.e. no potty talk), plus it's what has sparked his love for creating comic books!

We were at CostCo in June and they had their backpacks and lunch boxes out and on sale.  Madison and Jaxon both have the same brand of back pack and lunch box and I've been really happy with the quality, so Colton got to pick out his Kindergarten lunchbox and backpack.  He was thrilled.  

More of Hudson's hard life.  He's mad because I won't let him get down and climb all over everyone during dinner. 

Sometimes my kids leave body parts on the counter.  Just for fun.  Gross. 

The pool at the gym opened a huge new water park section this summer.  The kids really enjoyed going.  Colton was even just barely tall enough to ride one of the big rides!

My aunt and uncle drove through one night so we went out for some yummy bbq.   Bbq has become a favorite for us.  Chris loves to smoke meat and we love to try out different bbq restaurants.  

Early morning swim at the pool.  We had the whole pool to ourselves.  

I tried really hard this summer to take the big kids on a few "dates"-- pretty much fun activities that were not Hudson appropriate.  They didn't have swim team on Fridays, so a few Friday afternoons I got a sitter and we went to do something fun.  This Friday afternoon we went to see Inside Out at the theatre.  We very rarely take the kids to the movie theatre, so it was a treat.

Jaxon decided one Saturday that he wanted a swim cap.  Then he was annoyed that he couldn't hear with his cap on, so he pulled it up like this.  It was pretty hilarious.  He eventually decided that swim caps aren't super comfortable and he didn't wear it for the rest of the season. 

Like I said, Jaxon got super-hooked on books this summer.

If he started a new book he pretty much read everywhere.  

Our great friends the Kormylos moved to Boise this summer.  It was a sad day.  We miss them.  Here are all the second grade buddies with Graham.  

And Colton and Rocco and Caden.   We all miss our friends.  

Madison, Jaxon, and Colton did an art camp this summer with some people from another ward.  It was very fun.  They all LOVE to do art projects.  These paper mache puppets that they made were super cute!  They were all really proud of them.  

And finally, right before 4th of July my in-laws came back for another appointment.   Debbie kindly offered to take Madi and Jaxon back to Arkansas with her for 2 days until we came up for 4th of July.  Then my nephew got sick, so she ended up having room in her car for Colton too.  So, all 3 kids ended up going to Arkansas for 2 days and leaving me home with just Hudson, which was kind of awesome!