So I realized I never really typed up a post about Ruby’s birth. There aren’t a lot of exciting details other than her! I didn’t go into labor like with Bailey, hoping for a vbac and end up with a c-section, I didn’t go in to turn a breech baby only to end up with a c-section like with Devon, and I didn’t have a check-up 6 days after my due date only to determine my fluid was low and get started, like with Carson. This was a planned c-section and we made it until that date and all went as it should have! Earlier in the pregnancy I had thought a lot about trying to have a vbac but we just prayed a lot about it and felt better changing doctors, hospitals and not trying a vbac. So, my mom was awesome and came to our house on June 5th early in the morning. We had to be to the hospital by 6:30, with the c-section scheduled for 7:30 am, so we made sure to tell the kiddos goodbye the night before since we had to leave so early. I sure didn’t sleep much that night! We got to the hospital and they hook you all up to the machines. I think the combination of nerves and fasting made me nauseous because I threw up a couple times while we waited to go into surgery. It is just plain nerve-wracking knowing you are about to be cut open!!! 
We prepped for surgery, meaning Dillon got to put on this awesome number: 
We went into the room for the surgery, and the whole surgical team came in. My doctor’s name was Dr. Lloyd and I really liked him. They also always do the surgery with another doctor from the office, which I liked. IMC just has some of the NICU staff waiting in the room for the baby, so they are just working in the corner with the baby after they are born. The anesthesiologist was strange, but really good. He numbed me all up, the room starts spinning and you just feel pretty darn weird. They poke you with a needle a couple times before they cut you—I remember that with Bailey—he said tell me if you can feel this and they poke you and then show you what they were poking you with. They put up the curtain, shined the incredibly bright REFLECTIVE light down on your abdomen and get to work. I had to avoid looking into the light because I could see what they were doing pretty well. And there was a lot of red! Dillon was up by my head watching, all while the anesthesiologist talked about the excitement of a fire the night before while this poor lady was having a baby. You can actually see him in the picture below—he decided to jump in for it while Dillon was taking a shot. I didn’t even realize he was doing that, ha ha! This was after Ruby was born and Dillon was taking pictures of Ruby while the doctors were finishing me up. 
My doctor said, “You are so thin we are going to have this baby out super fast!” And they did. Surgery started at 7:30 almost exactly and she was out by 7:58. 
Her cry was the most beautiful sound to me and made me cry too. 
I just love love LOVE those moments right after birth and just the amazing miracle of life. It truly is just so special and sacred. So off to the corner Ruby went with the NICU staff, her first apgar was 8 and then a 9. As I said in the first post about her, she was just crying and everyone was commenting on her pouty lip and how Dillon needed to get a picture of her pouting. The mood in the room was just so kind and light and fun. I loved it. The anesthesiologist stayed on top of my nausea and I didn’t have any shoulder pain—I had told him I was worried about that because it was so painful with the other two c-sections, so I was really happy we talked about it before and he made sure that didn’t happen as well. And since everyone was gently laughing at Ruby and her lamb-like crying, he said, “That’s how you know everything must be looking great with her.” I will say the ONLY thing I wish was that they would have let me see her for even just a second before taking her to the corner while they sewed me up. I got to hold her about 10-15 minutes after she was born while they wheeled me into the recovery room, but until then I just had to peer in the mirror and made Dillon come show me a picture of her on the camera. I don’t think that I shook this time quite as badly during it all, but I still did quite a bit—that shaking drives you bonkers and my jaw hurt from clenching it! I also itch like crazy from the morphine and continue to itch for the next 24 hours at least. They gave me something for it but it didn’t help all that much. afterwards. ANYWAYS! After they finished sewing me up and were finished checking out Ruby, Dillon came over with that sweet little bundle of baby and showed her to me. She was still crying out a bit and I got to see her cute little pout and she was just so cute and beautiful and I was just so in love. Well, from the minute we found out we were pregnant I was in love with her and hearing her cry was amazing and then seeing her was the best. If I was super woman I’d have more and more children, but I’m not so I will be oh so happy and content that I got to experience the birth of four beautiful babies. 
I love this picture of Dillon. 
One thing that was different was Ruby came to the recovery room with me and I didn’t fall asleep forever because she was with me! After having Devon, we had been up for so long that morning and by the time we had him I was so exhausted. I fell asleep in the recovery room because I was by myself and didn’t even hold Devon for like 7 hours (well, I did for a couple seconds before they took him to the nursery while I went to the recovery room). I was sad I had slept for so long but Dillon of course knew I needed some rest. With Bailey they also took her to the nursery while I went to the recovery room and so I didn’t see her for an hour at least. But Ruby was placed in my arms and was wheeled with me to the recovery room and I got to do the whole skin-to-skin right away and try nursing her right away. 
I was really dizzy and felt sick from all the drugs, but it was so nice to have that time with her. 
Dr. Lloyd came in and gave us a gift too. :) 
After the recovery room they wheeled me to my room I’d stay in the rest of the time. Jerry and Sheila were there waiting because they were on there way out of town and wanted to see her. 
I was so so hungry but couldn’t eat until dinner time because they were afraid I’d just throw up anyway, but that was pretty much the day! So so wonderful. I loved it. After Jerry and Sheila left, they took Ruby to the nursery to be checked out and Dillon went along and I slept. :) 
Of course the recovery is very hard. They made me walk sooner and use the bathroom sooner this time—I didn’t have to walk the first day with Devon and Bailey but they took out my catheter and had me walking by that afternoon. It is so so SO very painful to walk after a c-section, especially those first 3 days. It truly rocks your world. It is just some of the worst pain I have ever felt and ever so very slowly gets better—standing up straight is nearly impossible and the dizziness from the pain is awful. If you don’t stay on top of the pain medicine it gets really hard too, and that always seems to happen because I get optimistic and then as soon as I move too much it’s really hard. Thankfully I knew it would be hard and knew what to expect (which was also probably why I was terrified, because I knew it would be hard). Nursing also is very hard because you can’t rest your baby on your lap without a lot of pain. One nurse would push so hard on my stomach I thought I would scream in pain, so I just cried instead. The other nurses were fine though. It’s just hard, that’s all there is to it. 
Moving right along. Later that day my mom brought the kids. They asked her name and immediately started to say, “Hi Ruby Jane” and touch her so softly. They were smitten. 
Carson was also quite impressed with all the buttons on my bed ;). 
That night a nurse came in to give her a little sponge bath and bow for her hair. 
And I had to snap a couple shots of Dillon with her. He’s already starting with the funny faces from day one, hee hee. 
Other visitors we had were Eric and Michelle: 
Rachelle (who also took some pictures for us): 
Melanie and Ryan with their kids: 
My grandparents and Aunt Sandy (though they were taking Ruby for her echocardiogram so we didn’t get a picture of Aunt Sandy holding Ruby): 
Janina: 
and our friends the Bracken’s: 
Mom and the kids came once more but didn’t get to see her that time since she was having her echo. Bailey needed a mommy snuggle (and I needed some of hers!). 
And here are just a couple more hospital pictures to make the post even longer! 
I just love how teeny they are in the car seat!
And we’re home! My sweet friends decorated our house (thank you Andrea and Rach!). 
The kids came home shortly after that last picture and the sleeping was over for a while. ;). I’ll update more later. Yay for babies!!!