OUR BABY HAS ARRIVED!!!

So this is a little be-lated, but I have loved, loved, LOVED spending the last 11 days just snuggling, oohing, aahing, and otherwise spoiling our new little baby boy!

Tate Alden Courtney joined our family on April Fools Day at 10:25pm. He weighed in at 7lbs 10oz and was 19in long. Pretty good size for coming 2 weeks early.

With that said, his birth was an "unplanned planned" experience. Meaning....my doctor was going out of town and wanted to have the baby more than I did!!! I had a regular visit scheduled with the Doc that Friday morning. When he checked me, I was at 5cm. (The previous week I was a 4 and the week before that I was a 3. Typical pattern for me.) I tried to tell him that I was sure that I would hold on until he came home from his trip the next week, but he wasn't so sure so he asked us to meet him at the hospital at 6:30 that evening.

(*These doctor office pics are for you Kim and Bailey who have had some weird thought that it would be fun seeing me all big and prego! I'm a brave woman putting them on here!!!)

After waiting a short time for the doc, he came in and broke my water around 7:30. That was all it took to get me started. (No brainer I guess since I was already half way done anyway!) I let myself labor for about an hour knowing that as soon as I got an epidural I would be ready to deliver within 30 minutes. I guess I wasn't feeling "ready" to have him yet., but since there was no turning back at this point, I asked for an epidural. That was in and going around 9:00 and I was complete 45 minutes later.

Normally I push twice and the kiddo is here....HOWEVER.....this time I guess I couldn't remember what the heck I was doing OR my little man wasn't ready to join us yet either because it took me about 35 minutes to have him. But he is here and healthy and whole and we are all so very happy! We love his sweet little dimples, soft downy blonde hair and yummy new baby smell.

The past 11 days have been a whirlwind adventure. I'm still trying to figure out what our new "normal" will be and don't expect to have that figured out for awhile yet. I have felt like a new mom all over again...worrying more this time than even that first time about little things. "Did you wash your hands? Where's your mask? Do you think he looks too jaundice? Does he sleep too much?" And most pressing....bowel movements. Why do we obsess over our babies bowel movements??? I mean really. 5 days isn't TOO long to go without a BM is it?! Then as they get older (to my other kids ages now) you wish they would get over the humor somehow discovered in the discussion of a good BM and just stop talking about them altogether. And finally when we are old and decrepid, it's apparently a right of age to start obsessing about frequency and consistency all over again.

(*Steven and Meilia were just getting over nasty coughs and Wyatt was just getting one. They donned masks for the first week of Tate's life.)

But ANYWAY.......Tate is a little angel in our home. He is quiet and content. He sleeps well and seldom cries. The children love to take turns holding him and gazing in wonder at his tiny little ears, hands, and nose. I love to see their eyes light up when his open. And I love to see my big handsome manly man husband get all ooey and gooey over this tiny new little guy. It's another beautiful reason I love being a mom. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to have this new little guy in our home. I love you Tate!!! Welcome to our home and family.

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P.S. Holy crap! It only took 9 days but he finally started pooping. :-)