Baby Ricker.

This is a long and late post.  Feel free to just scroll through and look at the photos:)

Ricker Scott Elder
Born September 25, 2013

The birth story of our son begins on the night of Tuesday September 24th, 2013.  I was almost 38 weeks pregnant, but was feeling more like 58 weeks pregnant.  I was huge.  Our baby had been measuring big since our 20 week ultrasound and it showed.  The last month I was pregnant I swear once a day I was asked, "How many were in there?"  At first I thought, man pretty annoying.  Who asks that? Then I started getting creative with my answers.  "Three!  How fun right?!" or 

"Just one.  And I can't wait to meet him this December!"  

Everyone one in my ward, my friends, extended family members were really nice liars saying, "You are tiny!"  But my immediate family were the only ones I could count on to tell it to me like it is.  My dad was constantly saying, "Man, you must be pregnant with a baby Danny, that is one big belly!  Maybe he'll play football for BYU!"  So needless to say, I had a big old belly from about 23 weeks on.  

I had my 38 week appointment with Dr. Bean and I asked him how big he thought my baby was.  He felt my gigantic watermelon and said he thought it was probably 8 lbs, maybe high 7 lbs.  So by the time I delivered there was a good chance I'd have at least a 9 lb baby!  I didn't think I would make it two more weeks to my due date and our dog Bridget's due date was in a week.  I decided I needed to have our baby that night so I could have a week to heal before our puppies came.  

I had been dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced for 2 weeks and my doc was surprised I still hadn't had our baby.

So that night after Danny and Pearl were asleep I called on the help of Cher to "Walk this baby out."  So in an unbelievably comfortable, and just as ugly, Mu Mu and running shoes I began walking around the block with my mom.  Rocky called after we had been walking for a bit.  It was 10:30 pm our time but morning in Thailand.  He said Sarah suggested walking with one foot on the curb and one on the road to induce labor.  I quickly made the switch to the uneven walking and actually did start feeling more pains after doing so.  On our night walk we also picked up Nancy Butterfield who came and walked and talked with us.  It was actually really fun. Nancy and Cher are fun ladies and even if this wasn't moving along my labor, I was having a good time.

Danny ended up calling me saying Pearl had woken up mad, so we ended our ladies night out. 

I rocked Pearl back to sleep wondering how many more nights I would have with just us two.  Wondering how much longer she would be my only little buddy.  I couldn't imagine having to try and love another kid as much as her.  My feisty little redhead that I can't believe I'd only had for 19 months. 

I went to sleep around midnight having a few pains but nothing regular.  Danny went to work at 3 am and kissed me good bye as I fixed a bowl of Cap'N Crunch.  (And I wondered why I was huge?) I went back to sleep only to wake up around 6 am feeling a pain.  I timed the next one and it was 6 minutes later.  I called Danny and told him maybe he should come home so we could go to the hospital.  He was home within a few minutes.  We hurry and packed our hospital bag and waited for Danny's sister Rachel to drive down from Alpine to watch Pearl.

I was huge.

We got to the hospital a little after 7:00 am and they checked us in.  I was dilated to a 5 1/2.  With Pearl, they wanted to watch me for an hour to see if I kept dilating.  I really hoped that wasn't the case with this baby because my contractions were getting a lot worse and closer.  When the nurse asked about my first delivery I told her it was 4 hours start to finish.  She said that was super fast especially for a first time mom and that second deliveries were usually about half the time of your first.  I questioned, "Two hours from start to finish?  I highly doubt that."  She stood firm with her answer and said she thought our baby would be born around 9:30.   She said they weren't going to wait, they wanted to get me set up to have our baby.

 Even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't leave the hospital without our baby boy, it's always been a fear of mine to have to do the "walk of shame" out of labor and delivery with a giant belly and nothing to show.
Danny was super excited, I felt pretty calm except for the killer pains I was having every couple of minutes.  For some reason these were hilarious to Danny, weirdly making them seem funny to me.  I got my epidural around 7:30 and it was so awesome.  Even better than I remember with Pearl.  I got quoted saying, "I feel like I'm warm cotton candy."

Yeah, my epidural may've been laced with LSD.
  Then the wait was on.  My mom, Roxanne, Danny and I were hanging out in AF Hospital's version of Kate Middleton's suite watching the sun come up and shine through the pink swirly clouds.  (Atleast I think they were... could've been the LSD.)  I was doing my favorite thing, eating pebbled ice and then I even painted my finger nails.

My mom ended up leaving to take Pearl's car seat to Mindy who was now watching Millie and Pearl.  A few minutes later the nurse came back and checked me, I was worried I was going to be ready to push because I was feeling a strong urge to do so and I wanted my mom there!  My suspicions were right, I was at a 10 and feeling ready.  Luckily, out of our wall of windows we saw cute Cher running across the parking lot and we waited for her to get there.  It was a good thing we did because it all happened much faster than expected.  Dr. Lamoreaux, who also delivered Pearl was the doctor working that morning.  He had me do one push then said wait a sec.  His next instructions, "Okay, and now just a half push."  Whatever the heck that is?  To my surprise after that "half push," I heard the strongest most beautiful sound ever, our baby's first cry.  The doctor handed him to me while the nurse wrapped a blanket over his shoulders.  The nurse kept commenting on his huge hands.  I instantly loved my baby man-hands so much.  He had a ton of dark curly hair that surprised us all.

 He was perfect.
Pretty red lips, furry shoulders, chubby thighs, wide hands, long toes.
7 lbs 15 oz, 19 inches of love.
Danny was beaming.  I was bawling.
There is nothing like the first time holding your newborn baby.

Baby Man-hands.

When the nurses brought him back to us all cleaned up, his hair actually was blonde! It seriously is the exact same color as Danny's, so cute:)

I can't believe how obsessed with him I was right from minute one.  He came out the chubbiest most cuddliest little man ever.  I can't believe how happy he has already made me.  He came at a good time:)

His skin coloring is definitely different than Pearl's skin.  Poor girl is white as a ghost thanks to me.  Baby Ricker has Danny's coloring and hair.  I got the mini Danny I always wanted!

We had so many visitors at the hospital and unfortunately those pics are on a different memory card.  But thank you everyone for your love and support.

Six days old.

With both babies I swore I was just going to get their newborn photos done professionally and I always just give in and take them myself.  I haven't even had time to edit any (except two of these) but you can see how small he was.

Sibling pictures are proving to be harder than expected.

Pearl loves baby, "Wickuh." (as she calls him)

I forgot how much I love babies til' we had Ricker.  I guess I was in denial and thought Pearl was still a baby.   He is such a snuggly little guy.  The first week he was born I could hardly put him down, he was just too cute and sweet.  Now he wants to be held all day which I understand I've brought on myself but really, I can't squeeze him enough.  I'm grateful he is in our family and can't help but feel sad my dad isn't here to enjoy him.  I know he would be eating him up.  I hope baby Ricker can live up to my dad's name and make him proud.

I'm so late posting this, and it's crazy how much someone can change in just a couple months. 

Little 22 lb Ricker isn't so little anymore!

I'm going to have start  trying to catch up!