Royce

We're not sure WHO is happier that he finally made it.........US

or HIM!

(Seriously, isn't he just an ANGEL?!?!?!)

So the story...........skip ahead as you need since it will be loaded with details for my family......since I didn't have a cell phone in the hospital, didn't really call anyone and was zonked out for 2 days while I was there anyway.

Saturday I did the leaves, went to the store (NEVER go to the store during a snowing around here, people FREAK out and buy all the milk/eggs/bread there are!), ran another errand, took a nap and made dinner. By that night during family scripture study I knew it was happening. We called our good friend Wendy C. to come on over with her two kids to spend the night but were really worried about her getting out of her driveway (I hadn't checked outside either and was a little concerned I would be delivering at home if I was snowed in as well) My contractions were only 4-5 minutes apart and really weren't painful, but I knew they would progress and I wanted Wendy over here before it got too late. I kept telling Brooks we could probably wait to go to the hospital but I didn't want to have Wendy haul her family over at 1:00 a.m.......so we just went on over about 9:00.

They checked me and I was at a 4 and clearly having contractions enough for them to keep me, but they really weren't that bad. We sat and joked with the nurses for a while and Brooks even knew one of the residents there. One of the nurses walked out of our triage room and I guess mentioned, "That couple is so funny and nice. This is her 6th baby......they must be Mormon." :)

We got in my room, turned on the Oklahoma vs. Nebraska game and just sat around and talked with more nurses. I maybe got up to a 5 but still, I wasn't too uncomfortable. Then at 11:30 (after the football game) I was a little antsy. I KNEW I should've stayed at home a little longer, because it wasn't going as fast as I wanted and I really just wanted to get Brooks home so he could sleep instead of keep him there all night just waiting. (Afterall, I knew he was taking all 5 kids to church the next day and had a ton of meetings) So I had the doctor break my water.

Shortly after it got to the point that I wanted an epidural and I got it around 1:00 am. Immediately I was feeling better, and VERY tired. So they turned out the lights, left me alone and I had Brooks lay down on the couch to catch some shut-eye for a while. It was a relaxing time. I closed my eyes for a while, then just peacefully watched the contractions on the monitor get larger and larger and closer and closer together. Royce started kicking me on the top of my belly and we played the game together we did so often towards the end where he would kick at certain spot and I would tap his heel and then he'd move it. Then I would tap it again, etc. It was a very sweet and intimate moment with him, one I will always remember and treasure. I knew it was going to be one of the last moments I would have with him in my belly.

I was right.

I no longer felt his legs up high and I started feeling some pretty bad pain and stretching.

I called the nurse in (it was a new one, apparently mine was on break) and told her I was feeling a lot of pain. She told me it was because I sat up straight and all the epidural went down lower then my uterus, etc. That made sense, but I still wanted her to check me.

She did. I was at a 10, I knew it by the look on her face.

Then she said, "I'll go get your nurse. Is this your first baby?"

Brooks said, "No, her 6th."

Then her face went white and she called the doctor and hurried out.

Two contractions later, he was here. My perfect prince. (2:18 a.m.)

(you can see my wet forehead from all the wet washcloths I make Brooks put on my forehead while in labor!)

They left me alone with him for a hour and a half, to nurse, snuggle and get the last good shut-eye I would have in a while.

I got to my room finally at 5:30 am and had constant people coming in for the next 30 hours. Checking me, checking baby, taking temperatures, asking if I know how to nurse, if I had any questions, or what I wanted for dinner (actually she was the ONLY guest I liked......and if you're going to kiss up to SOMEONE, kiss up to the Nutrition/Cafeteria person because she will HOOK YOU UP if you do. I had the BEST food each meal that I got to pick), etc.

Thankfully Sunday about 5:30 I FINALLY got to see my other kids. It's crazy how bad I missed them.

(okay, so I posted this picture twice and can't figure how to get it off.....oh well, it's a cute one)

Royce is by far the most popular one in the family right now and so I try to hang out with him as much as I can because I like hanging with the popular people. :)

The kids then sat and watched some cartoons while I just sat and stared at how beautiful my family is.

OKAY, so I want to show you why Royce is so special and how cool he is. Check out his 2nd and 3rd toes..........

They're totally connected! Both feet have it. I noticed it and pointed it to the doctors (who had not noticed it) and they mentioned that it's VERY common and that it's a genetic thing somewhere back in one of our families. My first thought was, it's TOTALLY a Smith thing. Brooks denied it. There are 5 bones, so maybe after a year they'll cut them separate and it won't be a big deal at all. Okay, so the BEST part is when Brooks' mom came out here and I showed her the toes, the FIRST thing she said was, "Oh, my SISTER had that on her toes!"

I could NOT stop laughing!!!!!! (I love being right!)

This is the sweet face I got to stare at in the hospital. I couldn't kiss is enough.

While we were there President Obama was speaking at the building next to/behind the hospital. It was fun watching all the police and roads blocked out my window.....well, while I was awake anyway.

Oh, and ANOTHER plus about giving birth on a Sunday is they give you a free Sunday paper........and if you know me, I was excited to have the extra set of coupons!

And look who takes a binki so well (not to mention nurses great.....no issues at all!)

I MISSED having a bundle of blue around.

And now we're home........more posts on that later.