And then there were 5!

Ramsey Curtis Hofmann

Born on August 13th at 5PM

7 pounds 2 ounces and 19 3/4 in

The past 4 days have been AH-mazing! Can't believe this boy makes us a family of 5 now! I'm going to brag a bit now, continue reading if you can take it...

I was praying hard for an early arrival of this boy. I didn't think I'd be lucky enough for him to come early, considering Hudson was 8 days late and Nova was evicted 2 days before 40 weeks. My friends were having their babies left and right and it was killing me! I was just way too excited to have to wait 40 weeks or more! I didn't want to be induced but I was really considering it if I did make it to 40 weeks. We were SO ready to meet Ramsey!

I had a doctors appointment Thursday morning (the 13th). I was 38 weeks and 6 days pregnant.  My doctor said I was 3-4 cm dilated and 60% effaced. I asked her if she would strip my membranes and she did but had said they were pretty much seprated already naturally. She was confident I wouldn't make it to my Tuesday appointment. But I couldn't believe her! I was dilated to a 3 for 1-2 weeks with both Hudson and Nova, AND stripping my membranes with them never worked. I had little hope!

Went home and went about my afternoon with the kids. I laid Nova down for a nap at 1:30 and me and Hudson sat on the couch watching our shows. And then soon after started the back pain and cramping. I figured it was just from my doctor stripping my membranes but it quickly turned into contractions and 5 minutes apart! Curtis texted me at 2 and said work asked him to stay for overtime but I told I thought I was having real contractions and if they weren't gone in an hour then he'd better come home. I texted him back 30 minutes later and told him he had to leave now! The contractions were already having me crouch over in so much pain! Oh back labor is the devil!! I was kinda sorta planning on going all natural this time cause I felt I handled labor with Nova so well but the back labor quickly changed my mind and I knew I would be getting an epidulal ASAP! I told Curtis he'd better hurry! He works an hour away and I was a bit nervous with how things were progressing! I had text my mom too and asked her to come watch the kids! She was 40 minutes away though! I finished packing my bag and threw stuff into the car. I figured I'd be able to wait for one of them to get here but oh no! I texted my friend Reyna who lives a street over to see if she could take my kids while I drove myself to the hospital! Thankfully she replied right away! I got the kids ready, droped them off real fast and headed to the hospital which, thankfully, was only 5 minutes away this time! I think it was no coincidence that I switched doctors so I could deliver at that hospital! Or else Ramsey would have been born in the car on my way to Banner Desert! Curtis called me while I was on my way to the hopsital and I told him to meet me there! We both got there at about 3:45. It was happening so fast I didn't even have time to process the fact that we were about to have a baby! Just had my eye on that epidural!

Of course we had to sign papers first. My contractions were like 3-5 minutes apart now. Once in triage, which I didn't know was triage I though it was going to be the delivery room cause it had everything but nope! I paniced! I knew they still had to check me and monitor me and ask me questions.  And I was afraid there would be no time for an epidural. I told the nurses that I have fast babies so they rushed! They knew I wanted an epidural ASAP! I was already 6cm dilated when I got checked at about 4 o'clock. Then they moved us to our delivery room before they even finished with triage. The contractions were so painful!!  I'm so happy the nurses were so quick with everything! They kept asking if I was feeling any pressure to push during my contractions, I think they were worried my doctor wouldn't make it! They got me all hooked up to the IV and soon after the anesthesiologist came in. Hallelujah!  OH how I love epidurals! 

After the anesthesiologist left my nurse checked me and I was 8cm 

and it was 4:30 now. The pain slowly faded and I had about 15 minutes to relax and then my doctor showed up. She was going to check me and break my water. She said I was 9cm and told the nurses to get everything ready now! I pushed for maybe 5 minutes and a squishy, warm, dark haired, little boy was placed on my chest. Oh those moments are my favorite! I cry every time! So special and so heavenly! He hardly cried at all and was just so content to be on me. And holy crap I just had a baby in three hours! Again!! I never thought that would happen twice!

I loved this hospital! They made me do skin to skin with him for an hour which we didn't know was a rule cause after 30 minutes Curtis said OK my turn! And the nurse was like no, he's with mama for an hour! Haha. So he was able to nurse right away. Once I got him latched he stayed on for about a half hour! This was a much better start to nursing than my experience with Nova. 

So after an hour and half on me they finally took him and weighed and measured him. Then they made Curtis do skin to skin too! Haha. But I know he secretly liked it. ;)

After we got into the recovery room my mom brought Hudson and Nova. They were so cute with him! Didn't want to hold him though. Just liked looking at all his little features. And Hudson thought it was cool that he would grab his finger. I loved watching them finally get to meet baby Ramsey! Now at home they don't mind him much. Just go about their playing. Although Hudson told me today "I like baby Ramsey. " So sweet! Nova did hold him the night we brought him home. That was cute!

I've been feeling great! A much better recovery from the last two! Thank goodness too since I have two other kids to keep up with still! Breast feeding has been a world of a difference compared to Nova! Ramsey is an awesome nurser! It's still been real painful for me though! I have not had to use any formula and don't plan on it! I've been trying to get him to take a paci cause I need a break sometimes but he definitely prefers to nurse! Thankfully he took his first bottle today! That helped! The kid loves food! Maybe I'll actually have a chunker!? This may be cheesy but I had him on the day I quit nursing Nova a year ago! I thought that was special. :) He's been sleeping really great at night too! 5-6 hours! It would be longer but I wake him after 6. Don't know how I got so lucky! He is just the most patient little guy too. And loves to held of course.  He's so perfect!

He's quite literally the boy of my dreams! If you read my last post about him then you'll know I had a dream of a dark haired little boy we named Ramsey before I was even pregnant with him. Kinda special! And here he is! I really didn't know how I could love another baby boy, since my baby boy was Hudson! But that hasn't been a problem at all! So much love! I'm so thankful for my happy, healthy family of FIVE!