Welcome Rowan Flynn

He's HERE!  Okay, he's been here since January 22nd.  Still, YAY!

This is Rowan Flynn.  He was born at 6:35 on January 22, 2013.  He weighed 9 pounds 14 oz.  Yes, he is a very BIG baby.  Literally, he got stuck.  Doctor figured it out without anything crazy either.

He was born with no health problems and has none that we know of yet.  So I thank my lucky stars there.

Me, Minnow, and baby Rolly

We were on the way bright and early on Tuesday to be induced.... of course this was the coldest morning of the year.  That shouldn't be surprising.  We made it roughly across town and BANG....rumble rumble rumble.... the tire blew.  Of COURSE it did.  Coldest morning of the year, going in to be induced, naturally- tire goes.  So, we park it in a parking lot and call my sister.

She is kind enough to drive us to the hospital (which for the record is in a different town)

I'm happy to say that event is the worst part of the entire story.  But there really always has to be SOMETHING of note in a story like this- right?

So the induction was pretty standard- though I will say it only took 1 stab to get me with the IV which is astonishing given that it took 5 or 6 tries to get it right last time.  I have wiggly veins I guess.

Nothing wild happened, though I do feel sort of silly for having the epidural.  My memory of labor was about the least pleasant experience EVER last time.  I was only in active labor about 20 minutes.  My mom and sister stepped out and were barely out the door when they heard Rolly cry.

I got to hold him for a good long while before they took him to check his weight and measure him etc. It was wonderful.

Had we not already decided to be DONE having children (because really, 5 is plenty)  this experience would very likely have done precisely what the hubby predicted and made me want just one more.

NO.

5 is a great number.  It also happens to be as high as we need to go.

In other news, he's REALLY mellow most of the time.  We even SLEEP at NIGHT for about 4 hours at a shot.  Unheard of.  Really, very awesome.

Pixie, Punk with Rolly, Minnow, and Bruiser

So welcome to my sweet little Rolly.  We're so happy you're here at last.  

Countdown to Rolly

Can you hear it?  That clock ticking... tick.... tock.... tick.... I'm really ready to meet the newest addition to the pack.  Oh yeah, and be able to walk... and bend.... and maybe sleep in a bed again instead of the chair I've been sleeping in for the last 2 months.  Not that I expect I'll be getting much sleep.  I'm not insane, I have  had a baby before.

The big kids are at BM's.  Minnow is all packed to go to Granny and Papa's.  All of our crap is loaded into the car and I'm ticking of the minutes in my mind.

Not that I'm really looking forward to labor.  I'm not.  I'd all but forgotten the pain until about, oh... "You're 2 cm dilated" came out of the Ob's mouth.  Oh wait... that's right.  Last time I did this I wanted to die.  Why am I doing it again?  Temporary insanity?

Look familiar?  If you've ever given birth it does.  So this is my least favorite part.  So excited to meet our little Rolly, but terrified of doing labor again.  He'll be our last kiddo.  Really, because 5 even half time is plenty.  :)  At least for us it is.  2 full time, 5 half time.  It's a busy life.  Hopefully it's true what they say about second babies being largely easier to birth, and since he's allegedly smaller than Minnow was, that may help too.  Stay tuned....I'm getting induced at 8 tomorrow morning.

The mayhem that ensues....or... ready for roulette

Well I'm 39 and a half weeks pregnant.  This is, of course, code for... get this kid out of here!  Well... yes and no.  There are already 4 on the outside.  While, I can't sleep now- there are no guarantees I'll be doing so when baby comes either.  His eviction will be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  He keeps flipping around, so it's kind of a russian roulette scenario whether or not I'll get to have him naturally or not.

It's been a busy couple of weeks...

Found out Bruiser was being sexually assaulted at BM's house by her buddy's son.  Had been going on for quite awhile apparently.  Mom knew and didn't do anything about it.  I truly despise that woman.  Her solution wasn't that the kid never got near Bruiser again, just not overnight all night.  Really?  Wow.  We've been duly informed that we can't do anything unless she allows an overnight and he does it again. At the very least we have it documented with the therapist.  Explains at least partially this bedwetting/pants issue.

Punky passed out at school and started her "girly time"  about 3 days later...which is sort of what I figured it was about.  She's been pretty good actually, considering the sheer hormonal energy that is part of this milestone.

Pixie ended up with a ragingly nasty version of the flu, which she was quasi-medicated for, only to find out that she was allergic to the meds.  She's fine now, of course, but now Bruiser got it and I'm a little gun shy that he'd be allergic to the med too.  I'll still try it if the situation warrants....but jeez.

Minnow has been a lunatic for a couple of months now.  I'm sure at least part of it is because I've been a hormonal, crazy woman the last few months.  He has some kind of link to my feelings that I almost wish didn't exist.... because we make each other wacko.  Not to be discounted, is the fact that he is very nearly 3 years old.

So yeah, that's not even everything... it's amazing that I haven't been into labor at least once by now.