So grateful, so happy.

Archer Jason LaFroth was born on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at 1:48 p.m.--almost 3 weeks early! He was 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 20 inches long. I am so full of thankfulness and happiness that he is here safe and sound. I forget how precious and miraculous these little newborns are. I don't think of myself as a "baby-person" but when it comes to my own little babies, I guess I am. I can't stop gushing and wondering over him and his tiny toes, ears, eyes, hands, everything. I can't believe he was inside me and now he is here, it's so wonderful and amazing!

 Archer looks at Daddy for the first time.

The kids come to visit!

Kayla holds Archer

(as best as she can with her fractured arm)

Cousin Sloan with Archer

Grandpa with Archer

Oma and Archer

Tanner and Archer

 

For those of you who are interested in "all the details," read on.  I'll try not to give too much information! :) 

As many of you know, I've been hoping Archer would come early.  I've been feeling pretty miserable in my pregnancy lately.  When I repeatedly expressed this wish to Jason last Friday, he said, "He can't come until after the basketball game on Saturday.  It's our season finale and we are undefeated.  Do you think I could still play if you go into labor in the morning?  I should be able to get back in time."  Ummmm...nice.  Now you know how much Jason loves to play basketball.  I was able to accommodate him and NOT go into labor on Saturday and his team did win their final game.  Phew!  On Sunday he told me he had a lot of work to do on Monday so it would be great if I could wait until after Monday (as if I really had a choice in these things).  I assumed I still had weeks to wait but I told him I would try. :)  I did end up going to the hospital on Monday but not because I was in labor.  Kayla crashed on her motor scooter and we went to the hospital for x-rays on her arm.  It was fractured but we couldn't do anything about it until Tuesday.

Around 3:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, my water broke.  This has happened with two of my kids but it was unmistakable with them.  It was a flood that couldn't be missed.  This time, it was more of a trickle and I wasn't sure.  I called the doctor and she said to go to the hospital and have it checked.  I went by myself because I didn't want to get Jason and the kids up in the middle of the night if it turned out to be nothing (this was my 5th visit to the hospital in a week).  Well, it turned out to be something after all.  My water really had broken and it was time to have a baby.

Once the contractions started, I knew I had to decide whether to have an epidural or not.  I'm rather scared of the epidural and that is why I had my first two children natural.  However, Hunter was posterior (face-up) and the labor was very long (18 hours) and the delivery was brutally painful.  I didn't want to go through that again so I decided to overcome my fear of that epidural and try it out with Tanner (my 4-year-old).  It was fabulous!  After Tanner was born I thought, "I don't feel like I've been run over by a freight train, how nice!"  In spite of that, I felt scared to have an epidural again.  Once the contractions got painful enough, I decided to go for it.  I wish I could say it was a fabulous choice again but no.  Something went wrong this time and though my legs were sleepy and a little numb, nothing else was.  They kept trying to fix it but it just wouldn't work right.  I suspected this baby was going to be posterior again because of the horrible pressure in my back and it turned out he was.  I won't describe how awful the pushing was but I made it through (barely) and he is here!  At some point, I did want to tell the doctor and nurses to knock me out and grab that baby themselves but I didn't think they would accommodate me.

So, now he is here and I'm happy and thankful and happy and thankful.  Did I say happy and thankful yet? :)  I just keep thinking what a miracle the whole thing is.  I'm grateful for all of my children and I'm especially thankful that the other kids are big enough to really help me.  They are taking turns holding him right now so I can write.  My mom always comes out to be with me when I have a baby but she won't be here for a couple of weeks because we didn't expect him so early.  I know I'll be okay because my kids will help me.  My in-laws and other friends have also been a huge help to me already and I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who has reached out to us---THANK YOU!  Thank you for the food, the babysitting, the shopping and the many well-wishes and other offers of help.  I have felt so much love from so many people and I just wish I could express my thanks enough.

By the way, Kayla did get her arm casted in the midst of all this.  While I was recovering in one section of the hospital, Jason took Kayla to another section of the same hospital to get her arm casted.  The boys watched T.V. in the room with me and my mother-in-law went hunting for a nursing bra for me since I couldn't find one anywhere in my house!  On that note, you would think nursing would come easy since this is my 4th child but I think it is hard every time.  I always feel tempted to abandon it and bottle-feed but I'm trying to hang in there.  It hasn't been too bad (nothing like my first one) but it isn't pain free and I'm told it's supposed to be when you do it right.  I'm sure it will get easier and I'm also sure I'll slip a few bottles in there when I need a break; I always do.

This has turned into quite the long post so I'll end now.  I'm ready to rest anyway.  I forgot to mention how fabulous Jason has been.  I just assume it's a given to everyone who knows him.  One of the great things about Jason and new babies is that he's always willing to hold them when they are fussy.  He'll soothe a fussy baby for hours and never say, "I give up."  I can't say the same for myself so I feel super lucky to be married to such a patient man.  I will miss him when he goes back to work next week!

Goodnight.