Ryker's Birth Story

Ryker Gage Tieman

07.29.2013

2:02pm

7lbs 7oz

20in

Time for the birth story people, and yah it's probably gonna be a long one so if you'd rather skip all the reading, I posted a slide show of all the incredible photos my sister in law took for me to document the labor & delivery...they are at the bottom of this post :)  I'll throw in a few of my very favorites along the way for those of you sticking around to read :)

A little background info first:  since probably between my 28 and 30 week appointments I had been feeling a lot of contractions. By a lot I mean, way more than the 'call your doctor if you have more than 4 in an hour'...They didn't feel like braxton hicks contractions that i've had in the past, I did have some of those but these were mildly painful and they felt like contractions that you get in the very early stages of labor.  My doctor mentioned that I may have an 'irritable uterus' this time around...irratating? yes!  Well because of this I was getting cervical checks at nearly every appointment and more guidelines to take things easy at home.  I always felt like I would be having this baby earlier than 40 weeks, but making it to full term was the goal :)  at my 36 week appointment I was only dilated to 2cm, no change since the week before actually and my contractions were getting a little worse but nothing that quite warranted a call to the doc or any L&D trips.  On Sunday night I did experience what felt like mildly painful menstrual cramps that would not go away!  I couldn't even try to time them or count them like I normally would when I had a contraction.  This went on for probably an hour and a half...after finally taking a shower they were gone, so I decided to hold off and call my doctor in the morning.

2:00 am: I wake up and think that I need to use the bathroom for the 12th time, but this time I noticed I was pretty wet.  'Oh crap, I just peed myself' was my first thought, when my water broke with Tenley it was a GUSH and I didn't feel any of this...I just woke up feeling wet and a little silly.  I also didn't think that it would possibly be my water breaking because I hadn't even made it to 37 weeks yet.  Still I made the trip to the bathroom and thought, I'll lay down for a while and then stand up...if anything comes out then I'll know my water broke.  I didn't even wait  to stand up because as I was laying back down I felt more start to trickle out, 'Oh crap, my water broke' was my next thought!  I have to say I was slightly freaked out, 1: because i still had a while to be pregnant, and 2: because after my water broke with Tenley things progressed very quickly!  I woke Jared up and immediately he called his Mom to come stay with the kids and finished putting the rest of my stuff in the hospital bag.  Got in the car, called my mom, texted my sisters, and off we went!  It takes about 40 minutes to get to the hospital from our house but I know we got there much much faster..Jared was speeding!  Can't say I blame him considering how quickly I went last time around...luckily tho I guess things were just fine and we didn't need to hurry at all.

(meeting her little brother for the very first time...absolutely precious)

We got to the hospital and all registered/checked in, which wasn't too bad of an experience at all actually...I was worried since the last go around was awful!  Our nurse was actually really nice and pretty funny.  By now you'd think I would be having regular and stronger contractions but they were still very mild and sporadic.  The nurse asked if I would be getting an Epidural and all of the sudden my months of planning an all natural labor/delivery were banging on the door! I told her I would not be getting any kind of medication and said one last little prayer in my head that I could do it...more background info: my previous experiences with getting an epidural have been bad, if not borderline terrible.  Dont' get me wrong, the drugs work for me, but they work a little too well for me.  I can't feel any body part below my chest, or any sensation in those areas at ALL!  It makes for a difficult pushing phase since I can't feel whats going on, and I've hated the recovery process and not being able to use my body for a few hours.  Both my previous labors slowed down after receiving the epidural and by slow down i mean pretty much stop...it sucks!  So when I found out I was pregnant this time I decided the best way to test my theory of Epidurals making labor harder/longer for me was not to get any, easy enough right :)

Once in the birthing suite I was able to just relax and try to get a little shut eye...my contractions were still pretty inconsistent, and I was only measuring at 4cm dilated.  It was a little weird actually, I'd have a contraction, then 10 mins another one, then 5 mins another, then 12 mins another...I think you get the point.  It felt like not much was really happening.  We got a new nurse at shift change, Gina, and she was a rockstar, I loved her! She asked Jared if he wanted to help deliver the baby and he was totally on board with the idea! My doctor also came by to check on me and kind of explained to Jared what he would be doing exactly, he is the best doctor in the world by the way :) So we talked about my thoughts on how I was progressing.  Basically he said I could continue doing what I was doing and wait it out for a while, or if I wanted to I could get pitocin to speed the contractions up.  Since I was going drug free I was honestly a little worried about getting pit so I just decided to see how things went on their own.  Dr. Bryan left to go to the office and said he would come back about lunch time to see how I was doing again.  By now I had also gotten a couple more visitors, my Mom showed up and then my sister in law Erin, who took the pictures.  It was so nice and distracting to have more people there to chat with or just listen to talk.  Erin was super funny and excited the whole time, so she was especially entertaining :)

(best daddy in the world)

Things started to progress a little more just before lunch.  Contractions were worse but not terrible, and they were still a little sporadic, though not as random.  The birthing ball basically made my contractions stop all together, so I just stood up most of the time.  Well my support team got hungry so they left to go get some lunch, and I decided to walk around the halls with Jared.  We walked for about a half hour and the contractions really picked up!  I couldn't walk through them anymore and just braced myself on the handrails.  Jared was such a great support through everything, he did a lot of back rubbing and counter pressure on my low back during each contraction.  We went back to the room so I could pee and the nurse could check on the baby, all looked good so I decided to go walking a bit more.  Again they got more painful and much more consistent.  I probably only walked another 20 mins or so because I was getting so worn out from the contractions, I really want to sit down for a while. By now my Mom and Erin had gotten back and Jared got to eat some food.  My doctor came back and now I was at 6cm.  We chatted for a while, he gave Jared a hard time for eating in front of me, and then he decided he would be going back to the office, but just wanted me to make sure I called him as soon as things got worse so he could come back.  

(a big brother again and SO very excited)

Well things got worse, a lot worse, really fast! The pain was getting pretty intense i'd have to say! The nurse could tell things were seriously progressing so she checked me and I was still at 6cm?! WHA?! I remember feeling so defeated emotionally, and physically.  In my head i was screaming! I couldn't imagine going through all this much longer and I had no idea how long it would take me to finish progressing.  The contractions were really close together and accompanied with a ton of pressure, my body would literally just shake during each one.  Sometime during all of this the nurse had called Dr. Bryan and he showed up pretty quickly. He walked in the door, looked at Jared and asked why he wasn't geared up, lol.  So Jared quickly put on his gown, hat, and face mask, all ready to catch the baby :)  Things got crazy pretty fast, all the sudden they had the bed prepped and my feet up in stirrups so i could start pushing.  I was a little confused since they had just said I was only 6cm, but honestly the pain was all I could wrap my head around.  Then the Dr. said push, so I pushed, and holy mama that was crazy!  It was a very different kind of pain than the contraction, but it was nice to push with the pressure instead of just breathing through it.  I kept thinking to myself, 'holy crap, i am tearing, I know I am tearing!" I think I pushed twice and then they asked me to stop so they could unwrap the cord from the baby's neck, then another push and out came the baby!  Jared pretty much guided the head and shoulders and put him on his fore arm then set the baby on me.  I kept waiting for someone to tell me if it was a girl or boy but all Dr. Bryan said was 'well, what is it?'...lol, I couldn't really see, but Jared finally said 'It's a boy!"  

I don't know if it was the relief of no more pain or just the emotion of having a sweet baby on my chest but I felt extremely emotional.  I'm pretty sure I shed a few tears, it was such a perfect sweet moment holding that new little boy and him just staring up at me.  I was in heaven, I was finally getting to meet this little mystery baby that occupied my belly for 9 months and I could have laid there with him forever!  

It's amazing to me how wonderful my recovery has been, nope I didn't even tear :) I was up and walking around immediately and I felt so great! I didn't need pain meds afterwards, and the first time I went to the bathroom I came out and told Jared, "I can't believe I just had a baby, there's no way!"  It has been such a blessing being able to move around and feel like myself again so quickly! especially with having 2 other kids at home!  It was by far the most painful and one of the hardest things i've done, but it was so incredibly worth it and I would SO do it again!! I definitely could not have done it without the support of my amazing husband, or my mom really.  They were both such great helpers!

Ryker has been such a great baby so far (i'm sure i'll do a separate post all about him later)  We love having him and it feels so good to have our family 5!!! I feel so incredibly blessed!

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Happy Birthday Kaleb!

Yesterday Kaleb turned 3! I cannot believe 3 years have gone by so quickly, but they really have been the best 3 years!!
I hate to say you are the guinea pig kid, but it's pretty much the truth buddy :) Luckily, you happen to be extremely patient and forgiving with your parents, and you love us even with all our faults, thank you Kaleb! It's been a lot of 'firsts' with you, we have learned so much and I know you will just continue to teach us!
Kaleb, you were the very first baby I carried inside of me, I got to experience those awesome baby kicks for the first time thanks to you.!
You made me a first time mom, it was amazing, even though getting you here was TOUGH! ;)
You taught your father and I what unconditional love really means, you also showed us what it's like to have unbearable, gut wrenching fear.
We experienced those unforgettable first smiles, rolling over, crawling, first tooth, first real boo boo, and first steps watching you grow!
We also got to hear 'mommy' and 'daddy' for the first time! although it was 'daddy' a lot more it still made our hearts burst with joy! and now we get full on silly sentences all day long.  My favorite is when you randomly say 'love you mom' :)
There have been SO many wondering new things we got to experience with you throughout these 3 years and it has truly made our lives FULL! We love you more than we could even try to express and we can't wait to discover all the new and exciting stages of your life still to come.  Just don't forget to be patient with us along the way ;)

some of your very favorite things:
Dad (yep, still)
Superheroes, specifically Ironman even though i've tried to convince you Superman is cooler...oh well
your blanket (yep, still that one too)
sleeping, you LOVE your sleep!
Ice Cream
Legos (the big kid legos, guess you're too cool for the other ones now)
your cousin Tanner, he is totally your favorite
oatmeal and pancakes, you would eat them at every meal if I let you
going to Nursery...as soon as the closing prayer in sacrament is done, you say "it's over" and literally run to class
wrestling with your sister
taking showers
reading books with mom and dad
getting 'cozy' to watch a movie
drawing/scribbling :)

Oh baby, another baby!

yes I am currently 30 weeks pregnant, but hey I'm just barely updating this poor neglected blog :)

Backstory: Jared basically wanted to start 'trying' as soon as Tenley was nearing her 1st Birthday...I on the other hand needed a little longer :)  It may be due to the fact that Kaleb and Tenley are so close in age, she was a surprise baby, or that neither of them are fully potty trained, or maybe because Tenley really was a challenge as an infant, but whatever the reason/excuse I had, deep down I knew a baby would be just around the corner either way.

I finally had a moment of clarity and decided, YES I am ready, and NO I am not crazy... so i gave Jared the green light after Tenley's 1st birthday :)  

Big Fat Positive: we really have been so incredibly blessed to be able to get pregnant quickly and I took a positive test the very beginning of December.  That same day I wrote on one of Tenley's diapers "Big Sis coming 2013", and waited for Jared to come home to put it on her, and convince him she needed a diaper change.  He was in such a grumpy mood when he got home, but that didn't last long at all :) We were thrilled!

Pregnant round 3: this pregnancy, much like the other 2 has been so great (another blessing!) This time we decided to keep it secret for as long as we could...at first it was pretty hard, i so wanted to tell my mom and sisters, but then it just got kind of fun...wondering if people were noticing my expanding waistline or were they just thinking i had one too many dazzo dogs? haha!

We made it facebook official when i was about 16 weeks I believe, back in the beginning of March.  We did tell my family in person first and my sister Donna just about killed me for keeping it secret so long :)  Another thing we decided from the beginning was NOT to find out the baby's gender this time. I thought there was no way I could handle it and would cave, but surprisingly enough it's been really easy! The hardest part is having to come up with names for boys and girls (we still suck at choosing names, and aren't even close!) This pregnancy has felt like it's just flying past me!  I know having 2 little ones is probably distracting me, but I love that I'll forget how far along I am and then feel pleasantly surprised when I figure out that it's further than I was thinking!

Gestational Diabetes, wha?!: at about my 28 week appointment I took the normal 1 hour test, and had ZERO worries since I passed with my last 2 no problem.  So yah, I was a little surprised when they said I needed to come in for the 3 hour test...I chalked it up to a bad meal the day of my 1st test, so again I figured I would pass with flying colors....WRONG! my numbers were very elevated on 2 of 4 blood draws so now I get to prick my fingers 4 times a day and log my numbers for the good ol doc to monitor.  I feel incredibly deprived of my favorite foods, and especially the whole 'no sweets' crap!  It's killer!  However, I am doing really well with watching my carb/sugar intake and the doctor is sure that if my numbers continue to look so good I should have no extra concerns with the labor/delivery.  He said I'm bound to have at least an 8lb baby just because the last 2 kids were 7.15, and 8.6, but he's not worried about me popping out a 10 pounder :) i'm really hoping he's right!  He did say that he would be willing to strip my membranes after 37 weeks if I'm up for it...if it works as well as last time I could be having this little guy or girl in the beginning of August!!  

I am really beyond excited to meet this little one!! I'm feeling pretty well with all things considered, i'm no where near 'prepared' for this baby to get here...at least not like i was with the other 2 :)  Maybe it's the attitude that i know what i'm doing, haha! I probably should start thinking more about names, and hospital bags, and first outfits...i'm sure it will all sneak up on me.  until then I'm gonna enjoy every second of feeling this baby practice it's little gymnastic moves!

*belly shot will be coming, honestly haven't taken a single one!

Conversations with Kaleb

So ever since Kaleb asked if he could get his toe nails painted 'pretty like sissy' and I told him that only girls paint their nails he has been obsessed with labeling things girl or boy :)
So here was our conversation just after dinner:

Kaleb: Mom! Kaleb a boy!
Me: Yep, that's right buddy, you're a boy.  What's sissy?
Kaleb: Sissy a GIRL!
Me: Good job, what about Daddy?
Kaleb: Daddy a boy, and Kaleb a boy.
Me: That's right, what is Mommy?
Kaleb: a mommy
Me: Yes, i'm your mommy, but I'm a girl too
Kaleb: (laughing) silly mommy, not a girl, just mommy.
Me: Yes, I'm a girl, just like Tenley
Kaleb: NO Mom! you're not a girl, you a mommy!

So apparently Moms are neither male or female according to my (almost)3 year old.  We are just something a bit cooler i guess :)

Christmas Time

On Christmas Eve we went to Tom & Shirleys and guess who came to visit?! Kaleb did much better with Santa this year, in fact no tears from either one of them :)

Christmas morning went in a flash! Favorite presents this year:

Kaleb - Nerf Gun

Tenley - baby doll

The day after Christmas we took the kids to see the Temple lights.  I think we'll go after Christmas every year from now on, the normal crowd just wasn't there.  It was much more relaxed and easy going :)  

We had a wonderful holiday season this year, can't wait for the next one!

AZ Wing Commemorative Air Force Museum

What better way to spend Christmas Eve for a little boy obsessed with planes!! We took the kids out to Mesa to check out the AZ wing commemorative Air Force museum (say that 10 times fast)  The admission was pretty dang cheap and Kaleb definitely had a great time!  They had small model planes everywhere, and then we got to just walk around the big hangars and check out all the life size planes :)  I think his favorite part was the little yellow plane wagon that he got to sit in!

We also got to go in the plane that was outside...I really don't remember what it was called (jared would be ashamed)  It's an old bomber of some sort and it was pretty neat.  Everything was really cramped, I cannot even imagine flying in the air in that thing!

a cabin trip like any other...NOT!

We decided to take another one of our spontaneous, "hey lets go to the cabin" kind of trips.  Plus we really want to go play in the snow!  Well this trip turned into quite the adventure, we got snowed in, couldn't go anywhere til we begged a neighbor with a plow to come clear our driveway and then dig out our van (the silver bullet did great on it's 1st cabin trip, haha)

Luckily there are some random snow clothes up at the cabin because we didn't have crap for snow clothes for the kids!  Took them sledding a few times, they loved it!  As you can see Tenley literally just layed in the sled and didn't move at all the whole time, it was pretty funny to see her just lay there and look around!

Kaleb getting comfy while watching a movie :)

 So continuing with our adventure....not only did we get completely snowed in and have to stay an extra day but the power went off.  It's happened a couple times going up to the cabin but only for a short time, this time it was ALL night!  We had to cook dinner on the fire and use candles and flashlights to go to bed.  It was kind of fun and annoying all at the same time :) Definitely a trip for the books, love that place!!!