Delivery

Finn-

Most of this will be more then you will ever want to know, but I will want to remember it!

Your delivery was my smoothest yet! Honestly, it couldn't have gone any better and I just wish I could relive that wonderful day over and over again.

All my other babies were early, so I anticipated your early arrival as well. Mimi was on call from Utah and every day we would talk about when you were coming. We wondered if you would come before or after Cole's birthday-but his birthday came and went-and you were still cozy in utero.

On my appointment on April 6, as I was about to leave, Dr. Seiler asked (almost as an after thought) if I would like my membranes stripped. I was 38+2 weeks. It caught me by surprise, I hadn't even thought about it before. I thought it for 2 seconds and said YES! Mimi's flight was the next day and I thought it would be perfect. Well, she did and I immediately felt crampy, but I've heard you feel that way for a while and it isn't necessarily indicative of labor. I was determined to start labor though. I tried ALL my tricks. I came home just as the boys were getting out of school and took everybody to H-E-B to get a pineapple. ( A co-worker told me to eat one when I was about due with Ivy, and my water broke that same night) I made ALL of the kids, even Cooper, hop in the shopping cart and I pushed it around to get my pineapple. We went home and I ate the whole thing before soccer practice. At soccer practice I guess I was starting to contract. I was feeling some mild pains, and I guess they came and went but they honestly weren't strong enough to keep track of times. I walked around the field the WHOLE time though! Everyone was laughing asking if I was trying to go into labor. I said, YES!

After we got home and the kids were in bed, I was watching a show (Designated Survivor) with dad and they starting getting stronger and more regular. I starting timing them after the show and they were about every 5 minutes. They were barely strong enough that I would have to stop what I was doing during one, but not strong enough I felt like I had to go to the hospital yet. I knew it was coming soon though, so I showered and dried my hair, and put make-up on and everything!

After I was ready, I debated going in or not. I knew I could wait longer, but I kept remembering my cousin Brittny and how fast she went 2 weeks prior (no time for an epidural), and I decided to see if I was dilating-because I love my epidurals! At about 1 I told Mitch I was just going to drive there and see how far along I was, and I'd let him know if he needed to call Melissa Coleman. I drove there, turned around, drove there, turned around again, and finally decided to just see. When I got there they said Dr.Seiler was already there. Janice was my nurse and she got me all hooked up and was doing my admit. I was talking to her about how I wasn't really hurting all that bad, but at the same time noticing how they were starting to hurt more after arriving. She said I was 4 cm (I had been 3 in the office that day). I still wasn't sure what I'd do. One of the other nurses had gone out and told the Dr. during the delivery she was finishing up and she said to keep me, she'd be in to break my water! I hurried and called Mitch. He got there just before Dr.Seiler (Thank you Melissa for coming so quickly!) and when she checked me she said I was 6 and she broke my water. I knew it would be fast from that point and it was. The CRNA (Jeff) came in immediately after (wish it had been before!) and I was hurting really good but he managed to get my epidural in. During that time, they moved a postpartum patient from the floor up to 6th because they were totally full that night. I had done all of that in the triage room. After my epidural I finally got a room, and Ashley took over as my nurse.
She said "I'll be in to check you in 2 hours" but i knew it wouldn't be that long. About 10 minutes later I called out feeling pressure, I was ready!

Dr.Seiler came in, Desi was my baby nurse, and I pushed once-I could feel you literally blast out SO quickly-it shocked everyone! You got to join me on my chest, and it was totally surreal! You were born at 2:36 am. You were so blonde and fair, and looked so much different than our other babies to me.

The next morning we discussed baby names. Our favorites had been Charlie, Grant, Leo, Maxwell, and Finn. Once I saw you, I felt like Leo and Finn were the best fits. I was leaning towards Leo and Finn was dad's favorite all along. Finn means light/fair. We thought about both of those names for the day. The next day I decided that since I have picked everyone else's names I'd give Mitch a chance and we made it official. Finn Bradley Squires.

We stayed an extra day at the hospital for jaundice, and left to go home Sunday afternoon. We got home just before Mimi and the kids were getting home from church.