Michael Hutchinson Glenn

October 11th. That's the day Michael was going to be born. I was positive. You see, Adaline was born the day after her due date (at 1am, so barely) which was a Tuesday; Matthew was born on his due date, which was a Tuesday; so, naturally, this baby would be born the day before his due date, which was a Tuesday-October 11th! It made perfect sense! Plus, at my 39 week appointment, I was almost 3 cm dilated already. My mom was flying in on Tuesday morning and I was just so excited because I felt pretty sure that our baby would be here by Thursday at the latest. Plus, I had officially passed my kidney stone on Sunday, and with that out of the way (literally) I felt totally ready to go!

Two cuties singing the hymns very loudly at church

Yup, I made that and peed it out. So weird.

My toes were ready to have this baby!

I woke up early Tuesday morning and was too excited to go back to sleep, so I went ahead and got ready. We were ready to go to the airport WAY too early, and then my mom's flight was slightly delayed, so we ended up waiting for almost an hour. It was totally my fault because I was just so excited. It was finally time!

We ran some errands during the day and then went out to Little J's for dinner since the baby would be there soon and it'd be easier to go before he/she was born (LOL, little did we know we had plenty of time). The next day we went to another JoAnn's, another Costco and hung out. I didn't sleep very well Tuesday night or Wednesday night because I was so sure that labor was going to start any time. But then I felt like I was too tired for my body to feel like it was safe to have a baby. I was way in my head.  On Thursday, I had my 40 weeks and 1 day appointment that I just knew I wouldn't have to go to. I was so disappointed to be going! The good news was that I was almost 4 cm dilated, but still! After the doctor, we went to a park, mailed a birthday package to Harris, and played/ate lunch at Chic-Fil-A. I guess I was starting to feel impatient, because that night we went to another park, and Andrew and I walked laps while my mom played with the kids.

We had a few dance parties to pass the time

Andrew had Friday off of work, but I can't remember at all what we did. I think we mostly spent the weekend running little errands and waiting around for something to happen.

I was so sad to go to church on Sunday because the previous week I had basically told everyone, "peace out, next time I see you I'll have a baby." Haha That night we went on a really long walk. I'd been having regular contractions lots of times over the last month, and again today, but they just didn't feel like the real thing. I had also started to get worried about our baby because he sometimes wouldn't move for long periods of time. Two Mondays before, I had actually called the dr's office late at night and she scheduled for us to go in to monitor the baby. As we were getting ready to go, he finally started to move around so we ended up not going in. Well, today I was feeling that same way. I'm not usually a big worrier, so it was really weird. Even Andrew said it was odd and he'd never seen me like that. He gave me a blessing and I felt better and soon started feeling more movement. I was just so ready for our baby to come so I could stop worrying about him in that way.

40 weeks and 4 days

By Monday, my mom, the kids, and I were getting really bored. hanging around the house reading books was getting old really fast. So we decided that we would take the kids to Rockin' Jump the next day so they could finally get some energy out and we could have something planned. Of course since we had finally made a plan...

40 weeks and 5 days

Tuesday morning I woke up at 6 while Andrew was getting ready and couldn't go back to sleep because I was hoping labor would happen real fast since the midwife I preferred was on call for 2 more hours. Haha I was having contractions about every 10 minutes, but this had happened lots of times so I didn't get too excited. When Andrew left for work, about 7, I told him I really didn't want him to go to work, but I also didn't want to have him stay home only to wait around for nothing. So I got up and showered and figured if it wasn't labor, it would change/slow down/something. The contractions kept up and I was feeling them in my back a lot and I was also feeling lots of  pressure, like the feeling of wanting to push, but I knew it was way too early and it wasn't quite right. By 7:30-7:45, I had started trying to reach Andrew at work. He doesn't have great cell service and is often in the plant instead of his office.I probably called 15 times, but wasn't ready to call the control center and have them page him-although that's exactly what I should have done. He finally called me back a few minutes later and we had about a 20 second conversation where I told him I thought he should come home...now.

All this time, I was in my bathroom getting ready, and my mom was in the kitchen with the kiddos. She didn't know what was going on because I still didn't want to be wrong. but I was utilizing my hypnobirthing and had to sit or kneel during each contraction-it was killing my back and the pressure was so uncomfortable. As soon as Andrew got home, he started getting stuff in the car and we left for the hospital. We left just after 8, and it took us about 40 minutes to get over there, but luckily it didn't feel nearly that long to me. Andrew was doing an amazing job of holding my hand and telling me positive things and helping me to stay relaxed and focused. With Matthew, I just listened to my hypnobirthing tracks the whole time and that was enough, but this time I really enjoyed and needed Andrew's help. He parked and wanted me to walk up to the curb, but there was no way that was going to happen. I asked him to get me a wheelchair so he ended up valet parking the car-genius. I had my eyes closed the entire time until we got into our room, so I have no idea what the place looks like.

I got checked in and changed, the nurse checked and I was at a 6. Even though this was my third baby, and I can tell the difference between braxton hicks and actual labor, it's still reassuring to be told "yes, you are in labor, your baby is coming."
Soon after we got checked in, Andrew and I could hear a newborn start to cry in another room. Andrew and I immediately looked at each other and I got all teary-eyed and excited about how close we were to meeting our new baby.

Baby number 3!

To help with the timeline: I texted this to my sister at 9:50am

Andrew just keeps taking pictures. lol

Right from the start, my nurse, Rebecca, was so good about waiting until I was in between contractions to ask questions or check progress, etc. She asked if she could start an iv just in case we needed it later. Remembering what happened with Matthew, I told her that she could try once but that was it. The iv didn't work so I promised to drink lots of water. Unfortunately, I didn't eat breakfast before we left and I was now starving. The only thing they would let me eat was sherbet, jello, something like that. I settled for some jello but I was still so hungry.

We had gone over my birth preferences, which stated I didn't want my water broken, but the pressure was all wrong and making me extra uncomfortable, and so I asked to have my water broken. The midwife came and did it and I was at 8 cm by then. This was around 11am, I think. Since it was baby number 3, she expected him to come flying out, so she just stood there waiting. We were telling jokes (Andrew told the muffin joke, bless his heart) and just chatting. I guess it became apparent that baby wasn't coming super soon, because she eventually left to go check on someone else. I was glad because I couldn't exactly speed things up and I didn't feel like we were quite that close yet.

We chatted with the nurse from the moment I got there until Michael was born. We learned about where she was from and where she went to school, talked about the different areas of the hospital that she's worked in. She was so sweet; I absolutely loved her! She kept complimenting us on how well we were working together and how impressed she was that I was so calm as far progressed as I was-she said other unmedicated birthing moms at 8 cm are screaming and pulling her hair. That brought a hilarious picture to mind, but I don't think she was joking. She was also really good about halting the conversation when it became obvious that I was having a contraction. At one point I told Andrew that the back pain was difficult to deal with and she immediately jumped up to grab a peanut-like an exercise ball but shaped like a peanut-so that I could lean over the top of the bed and sit on it. It was so awesome and I was thrilled that she'd gotten it for me. One funny thing that happened was that I got up to go to the bathroom-all that water I promised to drink-and during a contraction, more amniotic fluid leaked on the floor. I went back into the bathroom so I could wipe my leg and the nurse said, "don't worry about that, I'll clean up the floor." She really thought I was going to mop the floor while in labor. Nope, no thank you.

Before I get to Michael being born, I have to give a big shout out to Andrew for being the most amazing labor partner ever. He was standing and leaning over me the whole time so that he could be right there during contractions to rub my back, quietly talk to me about how great I was doing/help me focus on bringing our baby here, or massage my head. I know his back must have been killing him, but he didn't let on in the slightest and just stayed so attentive the entire time. I absolutely could not have done it without him-or at least not done it well. When I had Matthew, Andrew really didn't need to do much to keep me calm and focused, but this time I really depended on him.

Michael was kicking and moving around so much during labor-much more than I remember the other kids doing-right up to the second he was born
At some point, I felt like things were changing: I was quickly transitioning from hot to cold, I was starting to feel like breathing down a bit, and was getting that feeling like I wasn't sure if I could really do this-all signs that he was almost here! So I got off my knees into more of a seated position and they called Amanda to come back in. She said my cervix wasn't quite dilated all the way because a little part was stuck over his head. I remember feeling like things weren't happening fast enough, and everyone was trying to tell me that it was fine and he was coming. In between contractions I was still hanging onto the conversation. I honestly think that if I had stayed focused and relaxed in between contractions, rather than joining the conversation, that he might have been born a little faster. But I just love talking and couldn't turn off my social side. When I felt like I wanted to push, I didn't scream, or become completely taken over like last time. I was really proud of this! I was still just pushing slowly and then I decided that I wanted him here faster and I could make that happen, so I decided to just go with the feeling to push. After that, he was here after about 2 or 3 good pushes. I remember after his head came out, there wasn't the great relief I was expecting, and Amanda said he had his arms crossed across his chest in a bear hug and that's why the rest of him was more work to get out.

Andrew and I got to see for ourselves that he was a boy. We were so excited and it was really fun to have that be a surprise! I got to hold him right away and I was elated. I just kept telling Andrew, "I did it, I did it. I made it. He's here. He's okay. He's perfect." After all the stress and worry I had about whether or not he was okay, I felt SO relieved to finally have him in my arms. We sent out a couple pictures to family, and we tried to narrow down what we would name him. We were so thrilled.

There aren't even words to describe this feeling. So in love!

 Born at 12:43 pm on Tuesday October 18th
All three of my kids have been born on a Tuesday!

8 pounds 10 ounces
21 inches long-My biggest baby by half a pound

Amanda, the midwife, left and then the nurse was checking my uterus to make sure it was contracting to stop the bleeding, but every time she would push down on my stomach, multiple huge blood clots would come out, which is a very gross feeling. I could tell from her expression that things were not good and she gave me a shot of pitocin in my leg. Next, another nurse put in an iv and started me on one of two bags of pitocin. Amanda came running back into the room, and they gave me a shot of something else in my leg and a couple pills up my bum to keep trying to start/strengthen contractions and stop the bleeding. I was now in so much pain now from the pitocin and all the pushing on my abdomen, so they started giving me all the pain meds. I had to pass Michael off to Andrew because I couldn't hold him and deal with the pain. I was cringing too much and didn't want to hurt him. We had gotten some good bonding time, but it was still a bummer that I couldn't hold him anymore.

In pain and wanting my baby back

I was freezing cold and shaking like crazy from all the cold fluids being pumped in and having lost so much blood. I was also feeling pretty dizzy/dazed/out of it from the pain meds. I can't remember much of this, but I know the bleeding eventually got under control and the midwife and nurse were able to leave while Andrew and I hung out with our newest baby. I got to snuggle with Michael again and so Andrew fed me lunch while I warmed up, nursed Michael and waited to be cleared to go to the postpartum wing. We finally got over there around 4, got some dinner, settled on his name, and started texting and calling family now that things had calmed down and we had a name. As much as I wanted to see Adaline and Matthew, after everything that happened after Michael was born, I was way too exhausted for that.

Just. So. Hungry! Yes, of course I finished that.

Kristyn and Lydia came by later that night and, since I was STILL starving, they were my angels and brought fries and milkshakes. It was extra awesome because I'd been wanting a milkshake for basically the last 6 months but didn't let myself have one. It was nice to have some friends to chat with since the hospital doesn't provide much social stimulation.

Somehow I only got Lydia. Sorry, Kristyn!

The next day, Adaline and Matthew got to come! I was so excited to see them! They were so cute and looked so old walking up with their presents for Michael and wearing their big brother/big sister badge. I met them in the hallway and then we went into the little waiting room so I could visit with just them for a minute. They looked disappointed and were kind of acting like "what's the deal mom? We want to meet our brother." They were SO excited to hold him and to see me and Andrew. They were both super sweet with Michael and kept asking back and forth to hold him every 5 minutes.

Family pictures with everyone looking are a thing of the past

Ah, so much sibling love!

Matthew could pet Michael's fuzzy head all day, every day

After all that waiting, grandma was pretty thrilled too

Poop face

How old does he think he is?

We're ready to get out of here!

Every time he went to the nursery, he would come back with another hat

When Andrew, Michael, and I came home the next day, the older kids were ECSTATIC. They immediately started running around and yelling "baby Michael" and climbing on me and Andrew. It hurt, but was really sweet at the same time. I'm so glad that they fell in love with Michael so quickly and I have loved watching them go crazy over him every day.

We are loving life with our sweet, new baby