Baby Taggart

Well, it’s been a while, but I do wanna document my life on this blog…. I will start again!  It’s been about 6 weeks since I had this little bundle.  We are ENJOYING him to the fullest.  It was a whirlwind to get him here, but we are glad he made it safe & sound.  I’ve written the “novel” version in my journal right after I had him, but I’ll share some of his birth story here:

On Thursday, September 26th I had a drs appt & this lil baby had TURNED on us, so the doctor, Alan & I decided it was the best to try & turn him that day & hope he stayed that way.  It was a terrifying decision to make for me.  I had heard so many HORROR stories about how badly it hurt to have a baby turned, plus all the RISKS involved in turning a baby, but in the end I felt peace knowing it was the best decision for me.  I arranged to have my wonderful MIL come & watch our kids while Alan & I met up at the hospital.  It was about 4pm.  The doctor came in & with just a little head grab & a push this baby moved into the correct position.  I barely felt the Dr. push on me & it wasn’t painful at all…. THANK GOODNESS!  They had to give me a RhoGam shot ..JUST IN CASE…. & then we were sent home.  Too bad it took 3 hours to GET the shot!!! ANNOYING!  I didn’t get home until after 9pm!  Good thing my MIL was so kind to help us out! {It was TERRIBLE to have to WALK out of L&D without a baby!  I vowed to myself I never wanted to be sent home once I came in.  I HATED walking outta there!!}

I had a drs appt  that following Monday morning to make sure baby had stayed head down.  Yep, still head down, but not dilated on my part…. which is totally normal. Next appt was then on Thursday to again make sure all was well…. yep, I was tired of appts! Yep everything was normal, but this time I was almost dilated to a 2… that’s HUGE for me!  I had felt different, so my dr did a lil pushing on my cervix told me I would probably have contractions & sent me on my way.  I had random contractions that day & ALL NIGHT LONG!  Nothing regular though…. Kinda frustrating & EXHAUSTING!!  Friday I had random ones again… every time I moved or changed the activity I was doing they would go away… UGH!

Saturday morning I woke-up to contractions.  I didn’t get my hopes up AT ALL!!  I decided to stay in bed as long as I could…. Hoping they'd get stronger & NOT go away! Finally I got up about 9am to get ready for Zachary’s soccer game.  I showered…. still had contractions.  I got dressed, did my hair, put on make-up…. still contractions.  I was a lil hopeful, but didn’t REALLY know if this was IT.  As we packed up for the game they became stronger & my Hubby insisted on calling Grandma…my mom… to meet us at the game.  At the soccer game they definitely became stronger & uncomfy, so we headed to L&D after we dropped our kids back off home with Grandma.  As I got checked in my nurse said something about Dr. Sumsion not being available to deliver on Friday & she wasn’t sure he was today. I told her to call him & tell him to become available cause I didn’t want another doctor delivering me.  HA HA!  I’m a jerk!  {he ended up being available}  When the nurse checked me I got the WORSE news EVER!  I was only dilated to a 3!!!!!  AGH!!!  I began to BAWL!!!!  {like any pregnant, mature woman would!}  The nurse comforted me & said I maybe a 4, but she didn’t dare stretch it cause my water was so low it might break.  She said she’d call my dr & see what he wanted to do.    She came back with the best NEWS… Dr. said to KEEP ME!!!  YAHOOOOOO!!!

 

Dr. Sumsion came, checked to make sure baby was head down, broke my water, & I was automatically dilated to a 5 & fully effaced.  That’s what the nurse & Sumsion thought would happen once they saw how hard my contractions were & how low my water was. 

After that my contractions DID NOT STOP!  They were one right after another & EXTREMELY painful & hard.  I wanted to go epidural-free like I had with Kye, but I was having MAJOR doubts!!!  I was in tears & wishing to be done & I felt like I had just started.  They came & checked me about 30 minutes later & told me I was changing quickly…. the nurse said if I wanted something to ease the pain I should do it NOW cause there wasn’t going to be much time.  Alan whispered in my face… “YOU CAN DO IT!”  It’s what I needed to hear to know I could keep going!  Contractions were hard, my hips ACHED with pain through every contraction… which was so weird… & I had no breaks, but 3 hours after being checked in, I had the most handsome baby in my arms…  & I was FULLY enjoying him!!  I was so glad to be done!  Sumsion was so sweet about everything! I felt truly cared for.   I really loved the way he took care of me & explained fully everything he was doing during the whole process & afterwards.  I have NEVER had a dr. do  that before & I LOVED it!!  {he’s been my first LDS dr & it makes me sad that I didn’t have him with ALL my kids…. it was just a different way he approached things that I appreciated & totally related too, but I did love my other drs & wouldn’t have changed had insurances & such not forced me to… funny how life plays out!}  I remember feeling very RELIEVED to NOT be pregnant anymore!  I shouted for JOY once he was all the way out!!  Taggart Alan Madsen was 7lbs. 15oz, 22inches long & born at 1:57pm.

   We didn’t have a name for him until Sunday afternoon.  When Alan brought the kids to come see him we told them his name & they were ALL excited about it!!!  It was FUN to tell them first!!!  {I had a HORRIBLE first night with a dumb nurse, so I thought ALL night about a name… mainly the middle name is what we were unsure about.}The kids were ALL so excited to see him, hold him, & be right by him!  Emma & Zach battled over him the most, but Kye was equally excited to hold him once it was his turn.  It was fun to see their excitement!  Kye came in the room & mainly sat right by me in my bed, which was fun to snuggle him!!  But he made it known that he wanted to hold the baby TOO!!

We spent 2 days in the hospital… Which was nice, but lonely on my part!  It wasn’t my first time staying alone, I had stayed alone with Emma cause I HAD to…. I shared a room in California, so Hubby’s couldn’t stay….Weird experience all together!  Hubby stayed with me with  Zachary & Kye which I LOVED, but I think he didn’t.  This time we decided it was best for him to be home with the kids.  It WAS the best decision, but it was bitter sweet when people would leave… I was EXHAUSTED, but wanted someone to visit with too.  I felt sad every time my kids & Alan would leave, especially, even though it was EXHAUSTING to have them there.  I was just glad they could come visit often & for long periods of time because it was the weekend.

 

Taggart & I also enjoyed Aunt Megan, Uncle Blake, Uncle Davey, Grandma & Grandpa Ferguson, & my good friends in my neighborhood…. Megan, Anna & Liz.  It was fun to have visitors come & be able to have real conversations with them while we all enjoyed snuggling a baby.  Although it was lonely being alone, it was also nice to have some alone time to just ENJOY him!  & SLEEP!!!  I did enjoy feeling like I could just relax with my sweet little bundle & drift into slumber!!!

After 2 days we headed home & got to be taken care of by my Amazing Hubby for 2 days & then my wonderful Mom came for 2 days to take care of me.  It was AWESOME to have help…. especially in getting my kids ready for school!!

              

We were so blessed to have MANY dinner come to our home.  Between ward people being assigned & offering, good friends, wonderful family, & neighbors I didn’t cook dinner for 2 WEEKS! I felt so blessed….especially cause Alan went outta town that 2nd week….that was EMOTIONAL, but I am proud to say I MADE IT with WONDERFUL people to HELP me!!!!  I still have freezer meals I made before hand in the freezer that I get to use when I just have a rough day, or don’t feel like cooking!  I also have had WONDERFUL friends who volunterily have taken my kids to school & picked them up with their kids, so I have only had to go pick-up my kindergartener since having this baby… WHICH HAS BEEN SUCH A HELP!  Yes, I miss taking them, but it’s nice not to have to worry about what Taggart’s schedule is each day & not having to take him out in the early morning cold is wonderful!  I don’t have to be ready to pick up my kindergartener until 1:30, so that’s been NO BIGGY!!!

We are adjusting to having a baby.  I knew it would be hard since it’s almost been 4 years, & my kids are so independent, but we are managing. {when I had Kye my oldest kids was 3!! BIG DIFFERENCE from last time!! It’s nice to have helpers!}  Most of the time I cannot believe I am a mother of 4, but I LOVE IT!! 

THANK YOU to EVERYONE who has helped, made visits, & phone calls! or anything else!  I am feeling so BLESSED….I am so glad to have this time of year to truly focus on all my many blessings cause I have so much to be thankful for!!!  Now hopefully I can just get back on this blogging bandwagon & keep this updated!!! ;)