Part 2...Labor story

 
I will start with the labor story. At 37 weeks I couldn't take it anymore, so I stopped taking my contraction medicine and started overdoing it. It was great to get out for a few days! My body felt like poo because I was so weak and I swear any muscle I ever had deteriorated over the past 4 months of bed rest. My labor started Friday night and contractions where every 10 min and very strong...I decided I wanted to wait it out instead of hanging out at the hospital all night. Sat early morning we figured we better hurry and go in because contractions were every 4 min. Kader stayed with Nate's family because my parents had just gotten to Hawaii to visit Mark and Nat. Nate and I pulled up to the hospital, and I was crazy and decided that we should turn around and make a pit stop at Walmart first to get some treats. I think I didn't want to get to the hospital for them to just tell me that I had contractions that weren't starting my labor. I was so embarrassing at the store because I would have to stop in the middle of the aisle and grip something and breath like a mad man. People were starring at me like I was nuts. Nate finally convinced me we better go check in to the hospital. We got in just after noon, and Zane was born at 3:59! I guess it was full blown labor and now I kind of wish I went in a little sooner so I could relax with my wonderful epidural for a while. I love modern medicine and I am all about the epidural. I only got an hour with it before Zane decided he was ready. It was the weirdest thing ever because my water bag came out still intact when I got to a 10.  Nate said it looked like a white water balloon! Nutso! He yelled for the nurse to come in (keep in mind, 30 min before I was only at a 6!) they weren't expecting me to be ready yet. The nurse popped my water and the doctor finally made it in. Here is the best part...2 pushes! Zane's head is so much smaller than Kades and my body must have just known more what to do or something. I still got lots of stitches, but NOTHING like last time. I was actually able to walk out of the hospital and with Kade I couldn't walk, or sit like a normal person for weeks. I loved all my nurses and my hospital stay was night and day difference from the first time. Everything went SOOOO good! They didn't even weigh Zane for about 2 hours after birth. They let me have him right away for kangaroo care (which is like skin to skin) and Zane nursed like a champ right away. I loved being able to love on him for that long, I really think it helped me to bond right away. I can't believe how good of a nurser he is. I am think a lot of it has to do with that I am not learning everything new this time, but it just seems like every aspect of the newborn stage is 8 million percent easier this time around. I can NOT get enough of my Zane baby. I don't ever want to put him down.

This hospital stay was a lot more restful. The only visitors we had were Nate's family and they brought Kade to see us for about an hour each day we were there. Kade seemed to grow up over night. He is SO big now. With Kade's birth it was awesome to have all our friends come meet our new man and to show support...but honestly it was so nice to just have time to rest, and heal myself and spend time getting the nursing down. It has been great having friends come visit at the house since we have been home instead of in the hospital. Kade is SLOWLY coming around to accepting his brother. The first week he basically shunned me. He wouldn't even look at me if I was holding Zane and he couldn't even be in the same room as me when I was feeding him. It went from that, to more of just ignoring Zane but at least tolerating his presence. Now, he actually will randomly touch him. He will pat his head, and even tickled his feet a couple times. He still wants nothing to do with holding him. Kade has picked up on a new fake whine/cry. He sees the baby cry and that Zane gets attention...so Kade will cry and whine until someone picks him up too. I think that will get better with time. We aren't trying to force Zane on Kade and letting him notice him on his own terms. I am sure he will love him soon enough.

I can't believe I ever thought it would be hard to love a second child. I was really scared because I was a crazy mama when Kade was first born. I had some nasty post-partum hormones and total anxiety. I don't have any of that this time around. With Kade I had to write down every time I fed him, I was keeping track of diaper changes, the clock was constantly on my mind and I felt like a slave to the clock. This second time, I am just enjoying my new bundle. I never know what time it is, I am just going with my instincts instead of reading everyone elses opinion on how to be a mother.

The first few days home where pretty tough because Nate has had work training and it was just me with my boys. My mom is in town now and it has helped SOO much. It has allowed Kade to get lots of attention while I feed Zane. Zane also has his nights and days mixed up. I am not stressing about it because I know it is short lived. Some nights he will go right back to sleep after he eats...others he is a little gassy and cries alot...but it has all been manageable so far! I really can't get enough of having such a tiny little bundle. I don't ever want him to get bigger. He is is snugly and sweet and I love him with all my heart all ready!