Labor and delivery story

        I started having regular contractions around midnight and most were about 5-10 minutes apart.  But I was so sure it was false labor, they felt totally different from what I've experienced before and they were only lasting for 30 seconds!  Thats not enough to do anything, right?  They felt super super sharp in my lower abdomen and back, rather than the all over achiness that turns to pain that I've had with the other three.  Exactly what I've read about false labor, to the T!
      The first hour or two I tried to sleep (unsucessfully), after which I gave up and cleaned my living room, watched part of a movie, and finally took a warm bath to relieve some of the pain.  So I didn't sleep at all, just tried to breathe through them and not disturb anyone.  Billy left for work around 6:30 and the pain was so intense that I started to pack my bag, just in case, and then I woke mom up and she jumped in the shower. I still wasnt sure that it was the real thing, but I needed a morphine shot or something to get through the pain!  I figured I could call my doctor and ask him what I should do- his office opened at 8 so I only had to wait for another hour.  But mom was convinced we needed to leave for the hospital and since my bags were packed and I wasnt in a condition to disagree, we left as soon as mom could push me out the door!  She wouldnt even let me look for the camera.
     We arrived at the hospital about 8 and went immediately to the observation room.  They checked me and I was at a 6, so we made some quick phone calls to Stephanie and Billy and then they moved me to the delivery room.   Still my contractions were only lasting about 30 seconds, but I guess they were strong enough!  About 10 minutes after they checked me the first time I had already progressed to a 7 and I told mom to get Billy on the phone and tell him to stop looking for a sub for his class and just LEAVE.  The anesthesiologist came in and I debated the whole epidural thing, but in the end decided to just go with it.  It took the edge off but I was still very much aware of and could feel my body and it did slow down my contractions, which, in the end, was a good thing!
    The doctor arrived and then suited up and then Billy finally walked in.  It was almost 9 o'clock (I'd only walked into the hospital at about 8); things were happening so fast! I was relieved to see Billy because as soon as he was there, it was time to push!  I pushed during three contractions and my doctor was amazing!  A couple minutes later I had a baby on top of my belly instead of inside, and Billy was snipping the cord.  I had minimal tearing and was quickly put back together while Pierson was showing off his new lung capacity.  He weighed in at almost a pound heavier than the other three!
    Anyway, recovery has been really nice this time (that is, after I discovered that Percocet and I do NOT get along) and we have all enjoyed a long weekend together.  The kids LOVE their brother and even Bennett tried soothing his baby brother by sharing his candy bar. Thankfully Pierson wasn't too fond of someone shoving anything in his face!
  Thank you for your well-wishes, gifts, and visits.  It  is all very much appreciated and we are all so happy to be home safe, sound, and all together!

Introducing...

Pierson Brent Shumaker

Born March 15th, 2011

9:09 am

7 lbs. 15 oz.

19 1/2 inches



Hanging out at home

Again, not the photographer, but I did have something to do with creating the kids!  I did a great job, didn't I?

Random update

  It seems most people have recovered from the holiday season and are back to blogging regularly. I have been lazy and since I am not that great at taking pictures anyway, I have really been slacking. But I figured today, rather than wait for something to happen that is "blog worthy," I should just write SOMETHING to inspire me and get the creative juices flowing!


   Generally, life is good! I am feeling very BIG and so so blessed. I am also finding myself bored and at the very same time overwhelmed with the amount of stuff to do before the baby comes (Yes, it is still "the baby" without a name)! I have my list of stuff to do: go through Bennett’s and baby clothes, clean out the garage, deep clean the van, organize food storage and the entire basement, even silly things like clean out the bathroom drain, cut everyone’s hair, and buy Cam a new pair of shoes...etc. Still, I am a little bored for company, you know? Its just not much fun to hang around the house and do it all by myself, just someone to talk to helps a lot. Stephanie and Chelsy have both been the lucky visitors to come chat while I clean within the last couple weeks, thanks guys! Still, I wish it were summer and Billy were home!

An update on Billy- we now know that he is officially in the interview pool for Assistant Principal for the Alpine School District and we are praying every moment that it all works out. We really really need it! He is such an amazing husband and father, much better at fulfilling his roles than I am (but I AM trying)!

  Ava has recently talked with her friends at church and learned all about Disneyland and has asked us every day since to take her :-) I haven’t been since I was about her age and I barely remember it. So I am not too anxious. However, if she keeps this begging us, and Billy gets a job, we may have to figure out how to let her and daddy have a weekend getaway for her birthday at the end of the summer! Ava has also recently informed me that she is "too old for naps" and now just plays quietly in her room for about an hour everyday while the rest of us nap. The pictures below are of her just hanging out in her room.

  Cameron received an early birthday gift from grandma Anderson and has spent the last couple of weeks pushing $6 worth of cars around on the floor. Somehow they are better than anything he got for Christmas...go figure. He has also started talking to my belly every morning (well, more like screaming into it "HI BABY, your going to come play with me!?!") When he's not making me cry he just crack me up! The other day I asked him to pick up his toys and he just flat out said "no!" I told him he was going to earn a spanking and so he asked "a hard spanking?" and I AFTER I said "Yes, very hard" he said "OOOOOKAY" and finally went to work. I have a feeling if I had said no, he would have opted for the spanking!

  Bennett is growing up and while I feel that I NEED it to happen because of the baby coming so soon, it is still bitter-sweet. I look at him sleeping at night and just want to pick him up and love him...but I don’t dare! He is on his own schedule when it comes to life. He is stubborn as all get out and knows how to make his voice heard (without even talking)! Currently all he says is Mama, Dada, Ball, and Uh-oh, but he does know some ASL and that helps. He has learned in the last couple of weeks how to open the freezer and it resulted in lots of messes; including a new half-gallon of ice cream melted and smeared all over his body and the kitchen floor. I wasn’t so happy about the mess, Ava and Cam were upset that there was no more ice-cream. Cam quickly solved the problem by starting to clean the mess up with his mouth by sucking it up off the floor!

  On a different note we are only 2 months away from Bennett going into nursery and we are SO excited! We are very tired parents juggling the kids and trying to keep them quiet during an hour of sacrament meeting. I've thought that it would be easier to bring the car seats in and strap them all down, but what kind of parent cant teach her kids to sit still? Apparently, me!

That’s all the random rambling I am capable of for now. Thanks for all your love and support! Our family is really quite blessed to have such wonderful friends and family!

McDonalds...

Unfortunately we spend A LOT more time at indoor play places during the winter (this happens to be at McDonalds).  I try not to think of the nutritional value of the meal....or the germs that are involved.  It is just so nice when mom doesnt have to make lunch and can sit and read a book and the kids are just happy to play!  Of course everyone is always ready for a nap after, and that is a huge bonus!  BTW- I do love Ava and she is adorable, but she was never around for many pictures.  She can make friends with anyone and takes off the moment we walk in the door.  I don't just ignore her.
I know you are all thinking that I suddenly became an amazing photographer (as my sister puts it, I love to take pictures of "fuz").  But no, I can not take credit.  My friend Jen is learning her new camera and took these pictures of my kids.  The adorable boy you don't recognize is her son, Corbin.  Anyway, thanks Jen!

November and December!

I haven't posted in forever but we have had a million and one things going on with holidays, church, parties, and whatnot.  So here is a few snap-shots from the last month and a half:

The kids LOVE Trafalga in Lehi.  Before it got too cold we made it there almost 2x a week! 

Ava on the Roller-coaster

You can (kinda) see everyone

 

 Cam waving"Hi! HI! Hi!"

 On the pirate ship together!

 Ava pouting

 pouting some more...

 Now it is Bennett's turn

 But here are some smiles

 Not exactly a centered pic, but cute anyway

 Aren't they just adorable?  Totally look like siblings!

 Bennett with his favorite person in the world!

He looks just like his daddy!

More Trafalga..

It's a boy. I mean... "ITS A BOY!!!!"

Yeah, so I really tried not to bawl during my ultrasound when I saw a suspicious looking "turtle" on the screen and the technician wrote "uh-oh" on the screen.  I am still getting over the disappointment but when I think about my 3 little boys playing football with their daddy it fades away.  Anyway, now we are in baby prep mode (again) and making our nice short list of baby things to buy which, BTW, actually includes cloth diapers this time.  I know I am nuts, but I spend $75 a month on diapers and I just cant do it anymore!  We are also discussing names and I am afraid this baby might leave the hospital known as "Baby Boy shumaker," "#4" or "unnamed."   Help me out here guys!
    Some unrelated happy news is that my parents are passing on their van to us for the winter so I will have a car to drive and a way to get places during the day!  I am SOOOOO excited.  Look out, a possy of Shumakers is coming your way!

    P.S. You know, I really hoped Ava had some spiritual intuition when she kept talking about her little sister.  I had really only been thinking about girl names and I had even started gathering girl clothes; but alas, I guess we cant always control these things.  However, if I had to pick who is in control, I wouldn't be picking myself.  So its all good, right?
    I should have gotten a clue last Sunday though when I was sitting in Young Womens and as I was looking around the room I got this sudden feeling.  I cant even describe what it felt like, but it was powerful enough to make me cry and realize that I wasn't prepared to find out that I was having a boy (if that is what the baby happened to be) and that a room full of girls was not in my future.  Still, I fought it and tried to ignore the feeling...but it didnt change anything!