Calvin's story

Wednesday was pretty exciting for me. I had started in labor! They were regular and though I was able to sleep that night I kept waking up counting contractions. I got up at 5 a.m. showered and got ready to look pretty at the hospital. 

Then Thursday got really dull.  My contractions stopped abruptly before they got painful. So we had an uninterrupted Turkey day after all.I took the kids on a turkey trot for donuts and hot chocolate down at the river while Brent played football. Then we had an awesome meal over at our friends the Martins. Brent kept telling them this was the best Thanksgiving dinner he had ever had. I was a bit offended, but had to admit that we were lucky that a baby hadn't got in the way.  I slept like a baby all that night and didn't feel a thing. 

Friday morning Brent left for the office to spend the day drilling and filling with Kennon as his assistant. I went for my first walk ever around my neighborhood around noon. During the walk I was thrilled to start a long contraction and this time it hurt like the real thing. 

But I had made rolls that morning so I hurried home to roll them out. We were all craving Thanksgiving again and we needed some more rolls. By 1:30 I was cooking away, having painful contractions 2-5 minutes apart and trying to get ahold of the dentist. He wasn't answering his cellphone or office phone. When I finally reached him he begged to fix a broken tooth first. I wasn't in too much pain so I debated messing up his day and left it up to him. 

I called him back during the next contraction and said, "Actually come home, I would feel much better if you did, please".

By 2:30 my obedient husband was home and I was cleaning up from dinner. We were trying to decide if it was painful enough now to head to the hospital. I spent about 15 minutes in my bedroom cramming hypnobirthing then came down and had him CUT MY HAIR. He made me wait till he finished his pie. After the hair cut, I called the Dr. and told her we might be checking in soon. 

Finally we got in the Buick and kissed the kids goodbye. We checked in about 4. I was still smiling and walking around during contractions and was hoping we didn't come too early and things would be a bit boring this time.  They checked and announced that I was 5 and 80%. Darn. We were too early. I am going to be here awhile. 

We got settled into our birthing suite and my midwife broke my water at 5:15. Brent settled in the corner with his remote planning on enjoying his suite for the next few hours. I heard him call the kids about 10 minutes later and told them it will probably be a couple hours. 

I was really upset but too out of it to say anything like, "No way am I laboring 2 more hours! On my side of the room things were changing fast. Within two contractions of my water being broke, I had a lot of pain and then the pressure of a head. I told the nurse that I was feeling his head there and she said, "Ok, I'll go tell your midwife." She came back in a couple more contractions and immediately checked me. 9.5. It was time to get ready to push. 

Brent snapped this picture right about then. He hadn't heard a word out of me in the last 10 minutes or so but finally perked up when he heard "9.5" called out.  Kashann might need some support now. Better get a picture first. 

I was totally unable to call for help. I tried waving him over a few times but he didn't notice. I was trying to hard to relax, go numb, float off on a raspberry jello,  breathe slow and deep, anything but  admit that I was dying over there. That's the whole point of hypnobithing. Never focus on the pain because then it might actually start hurting. Hah! 

The two nurses behind me had been whispering constantly at the computer and I wanted so bad to scream at them and the man operating the TV to please go away or stop the noise. But I couldn't because of course then I would be breaking my concentration admitting to pain not pressure. In my lap (Brent didn't get this in the shot, but it's right there) is my hypnobirthing book. I am pretty sure that is totally not the right way to do this because it is impossible to get yourself into a hypnotic state when you are flipping through pages everytime you get a break in between contractions. Brent might've found me way more entertaining then the TV if he had took the time to notice his birthing partner. 

Anyway, here we were ready to push and I had Zero energy and didn't think that baby stood a chance of coming out that way. It was probably the hardest thing I ever did getting him out, but Brent says I always say that. 

Oh, but it was awesome. I was so proud of my natural delivery. It took me about 10 minutes and of course it was all worth it in the end. It really went perfect. It hurt, hurt, hurt and it was dang hard. But the whole thing went so fast and was super thrilling. Best experience ever. Never doing it again though. 

                                    Calvin Jackson was born at 5:55. 
He has been Calvin since 16 weeks when I first saw him on the ultrasound and sent the text to Brent at work, "Calvin is fine" announcing our success in creating another son. Jackson is after my Dad, J Alan. The J stands for his mother Faye Jackson. I called Dad yesterday trying to settle on J. or J or Jay. He is just a J - no period. Which is a little weird and I just couldn't decide if we would regret it. He mentioned that J is for Jackson and suddenly I knew we had his middle name. We will call him Calvin J still but Jackson is too cute to leave out. 

He is so perfect. Ahhh, I love him. I feel like the luckiest momma ever with another little miracle. 

 Brent left 20 minutes after to go get some screaming children 15 minutes away. We had promised that they would be there right after. They showed up so early that the baby was still on my chest covered in his birth and I had literally nothing on, but a sheet as they had me slip my johnny off my shoulders and over him, skin to skin. It was pretty funny to have all these children on top of me, taking over the scene. 

They all wanted to see the toes.  oooohhhh :)

Brent can't believe he now has two. Calvin is the spitting image of Marcus .  . .and thus his Daddy too. 

They each held him though I warned him he wasn't ready for kisses. It was sooooo exciting for each one of them. Finally they placed him on the scales and we checked out all 8. 2 lbs and 22 beautiful pounds and inches of him. 

After the family of 8 reunion came to an end, Brent took them out for ice cream and left me and the baby to recover for the night. Luckily we had him quick so Brent could be home. I'm not sure who slept less. Me caring for a newborn or Brent at home with Marcus. Marcus woke up with horrible croup at 3 a.m and they spent much of the night in a steamy bathroom. 

My sister Candice sewed this for Calvin. It has a C on his shoulder and was the perfect fit. Even room to grow.  He wore it home. 

We took our one day old home last night to save a little money. That was the only reason. 

I wasn't ready to face it all again. 

 And it was a crazy welcome home. Way too many helpers and holders. I checked into my new room about 9 p.m. The room I kicked Savannah out of for the nursery. She is sleeping with the croupy 3 year old for a few months. I am going to sleep in her bed right next to Calvin until our nights are more normal.  I've never moved out of the room before, or asked Brent to but it just made sense so I could flip on lights. And I was pretty glad all night to have the room. He pooped 6 times in between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. And there were lot's of feedings to aid in those poopings. 

Today went awesome. We all stayed home with the newborn and two sick kids and had church down in the basement by the woodstove. Back to real life tomorrow. Brent's back at the office and the kids will need lunches, rides, breakfast, reminders, laundry washed, dinner, Ahhhh.. . . . 

Wish that life could stop for Calvin and I for at least a few more days and I could just hang out with him in my little room and ignore all that other stuff.