Welcome Levi Serhiy Lewis!

I woke up at 3 a.m. and by ~5 my contractions were 4 minutes apart. Ryan said if they stayed that close for 30 minutes we'd go to the hospital. We had joked about me having the baby in our bathtub (okay, I had joked and Ryan wasn't into the idea... The midwife at my last appointment also warned against it b/c I'd have what is considered a "dirty baby")... so we wanted to play it safe. I was also strep b positive for the first time and sure they wouldn't get their 4 hours of antibiotics into me (which they were able to do).

(Yes, I have a really short birth ball. I thought about getting a bigger one, but I actually really liked having the smaller one. Sitting on it was much more like being in a squatting position and not just sitting on a rolling chair).

I'm spoiled... after only 4 hours in the hospital I was bored... bored. I was dilated to 7 when we arrived and I was still dilated to a 7... and getting a little discouraged. We had a discussion about breaking my water. At first I just wanted to wait it out, but like I said, I was getting bored and discouraged...

This discussion was all intermingled with a discussion about how to get keys to my mom who was supposed to be taking our boys to the ward Christmas breakfast starting at 9 a.m. Ryan had packed my keys in my hospital bag and we didn't think we had a spare van key. He almost left to take them the keys, but I wasn't sure he'd be back quick enough. She did find a spare van key and the boys had a great time!

They had a "snowball fight" with tube socks that were later donated to a local shelter.

 Levi's bag of waters was bulging through my cervix, but apparently there wasn't enough amniotic fluid to keep it taunt and the midwife wasn't able to break it. She did do some pretty good damage on Levi's head though and I gave birth to him within the hour even without my water being broken.

I was on the monitor for 20 minutes and then they said I could get up and walk the halls more, but I was pretending to sleep through the contractions and it seemed to be working. It was easier to relax when I was laying down. I told Ryan to let me know when it had been another 20 minutes so I didn't stay in the same position too long. I was also actually enjoying having the monitor on because it helped form my mantra and imagine Levi moving down the birth canal.

 Levi Serhiy Lewis was born Saturday, December 1st (on his due date) at 1007 a.m. He weighed 8 lb and 5 oz. and was 21 inches long (the same weight and length as Benjamin). We're 3 for 4 on  the midwife missing the birth of our sons. We warned them I have precipitous labor, but I think the real problem would be precipitous transition. You'd think 4 minute long crazy hard contractions would have tipped them off that it was time to stick around. The nurse was there for the first one, but then left the room. After one or two more I needed to push. 

Ryan ran out of the room and as he went, I cried "Don't go". He's fast. He didn't even hear me. I could visualize our baby falling on the floor. By the time Ryan got back (one push later) the baby had crowned. Ryan was a bit worried he was going to have to catch the baby. Luckily a random nurse was in the hallway and he didn't have to go all the way to the nurses' station. By the time she arrived with her gloves half on (her fingers weren't in) on my second push, our baby's shoulders were rotating and he was out.

Levi had a short umbilical cord (James had a battledore placenta -- is this a product of GMO foods?!) and he was laying on my belly when the midwife showed up (she said it's the first delivery she's ever missed). I think she was really flustered. I'm hoping Levi's umbilical cord had stopped pulsing by then (and she said it had), but I'm not sure.

 Grumpy baby getting his first bath.

Basking in the warmer and happy once again.

 In honor of Levi's circumcision (and the 45 minutes I had to myself), I painted my toenails. I'm glad I can reach my feet again!

 Napping with daddy! I think we have a photo like this of Ryan with every baby.

 James (as happened with Benjamin when Alexander was born and Alexander when James was born) seems so huge now. He brought my hospital bag back with daddy when they wouldn't release me Sunday night and he kept saying "I miss you mommy". He also says "Baby Levi is so cute."

 One happy Grandma, a B'jamin, and one happy Xander (notice the cookie!)

Stir crazy Mama taking photos.




I was blessed to have nice roommates (a new maternity wing is under construction with private rooms) and only one nurse without good bedside manner... the one who told me I wouldn't be discharged and then took my blood pressure and said "They won't let you out with blood pressure like that" (It was 94, but had been in the 70s all day). He probably shouldn't have been in the mother baby unit!

Originally, Ryan was supposed to be deployed right now, but there was another Chaplain who REALLY wanted to go and took Ryan's place. Ryan has mixed feelings about not going (I told him I would have hired a doula and a photographer if he had been gone and everything would have been okay)... but I'm really grateful he was here. He's a great labor coach!