More Pics and the Full Story

Well, we're settling in here at the Petrey household into a new family dynamic. The adjustment is going well, all things considering. I think it'll be even better when everyone can get back on our normal routine. :) The girls and Ward are very gentle and very attentive to little Cade. It's pretty precious to watch. I know everyone saw Drew's "live blogging" during the labor but I thought I'd share the whole story...

Friday afternoon I thought something might be starting because the Braxton-Hicks seemed a little stronger. I didn't want to get my hopes up so I didn't make too much of it. Drew had to work a little late but when he got home MF and I went on a walk in our neighborhood while Drew, Evie, and Ward stayed at home and worked in the garden. Went to sleep a little before 11 and woke up at 12:30 with contractions about 5-7 minutes apart. I decided to go back to sleep knowing I'd wake up in an hour or two. No such luck because the Cadester was dancing around like a banshee in my belly, would calm down right before a contraction, and then would go right back to dancing after. Well, I figured I'd get up and do a few things, so I went to the basement to get the baby car seat and got the blanket and little insert for the carrier out of Ward's room. Thinking I'd better try to get some rest, I laid down on the couch to watch some Andy Griffith Show and try to go to sleep. Didn't work. In fact, at this point the contractions were 4-5 minutes apart and I was having to breathe through them. Knowing I couldn't walk in our neighborhood at 3:15 in the morning and that I was Group B Strep positive and would need antibiotics, I called Carrington. She told me to go on in, Drew and I packed up, and Karen got here about 3:30 to stay with the kids. We got to the hospital about 4, checked in, found I was 3 cm and 50% effaced, and got my IV and antibiotics started. We were able to start walking the halls at around 6ish and the contractions kept coming. Carrington got there and I was 5 cm and 75% at that point. At 7 was the shift change and our nurse turned out to be the mother of a girl Drew used to work with. Come to find out she is a South Carolina girl growing up in Camden, SC! She was absolutely WONDERFUL! Unfortunately, she is a Clemson fan but even so had the wonderful idea of hanging up Cade's Gamecock "going home jersey" and toboggan as a focal point for when pushing time came. :) See?

This is the portable tub that Drew wrote about. It was great and really helped to get through that last, really intense part of labor. Drew and Carrington thought we'd have a baby before lunch but realized about 1 PM Cade was taking longer than expected. Guess at 9 lbs, 2 oz we now know why!
One of our first shots together. As my dad and stepmom said, there seemed to be a marked difference between my appearance after this birth and after the birth of our other children. I attribute it to the fact that I had 1 1/2 hours of sleep in 36 hours including labor. :)

The "Team." Carrington (our midwife), Cade, me, Drew, Libby (our nurse), and Lisa (Carrington's new partner who is a midwife and wonderful herself). Between Carrington and Lisa they have delivered 2400 babies. What a blessing!

Our boy

Daph and I with our newest additions. Julee was 2 days shy of 8 weeks at this picture.

At Watauga Medical Center, they give new moms and dads a special meal of their choice: steak, chicken, or vegetarian. Drew got the steak and I the chicken, of course. Well, the meal was delicious and as an added bonus, they had the table decorated beautifully complete with a bottle of sparkling grape juice in a bucket of ice! What a very special touch!

Cade getting ready to go home Monday. When Ward had this on, it went to his knees. I knew Cade was a big 'un but it didn't hit me until I put this jersey on him. I said, "Boy, you really do look like a linebacker." The nurses said they kept referring to him as a lumberjack. That made his daddy very proud! ;)

Libby was our nurse again on Monday and she and I came up with the idea of putting a Tiger paw on her cheek while holding Cade in his Gamecock jersey. Believe it or not, I drew the paw on her cheek. Gotta love it!

Me and my chil'uns before leaving to go home. I don't have any of the first pics of them meeting him because Molly got them. She's going to be sending them to us.

Getting ready to head home! We've got it full up in there!

Cade's doing really well and nursing like a champ. Just like with Ward, my milk came in in under 36 hours. Those boys know how to get their food! We go tomorrow for a newborn check so we'll see what his weight is then (it was 8 lbs, 11 oz at discharge). Thank you again for all the well wishes and prayers and I'll try to keep updated as much as possible. Love to all!