Welcome Miss Atalie Belle

Well shortly after I posted my last blog post on Wednesday night, Atalie's birth story began...

You see I hit publish on my blog and then decided, everyone was sleeping and I was the only one awake still so I might as well make my time useful and pack the kids bag. I knew I had an appointment Thursday afternoon with my Dr. and he'd schedule my induction. So I needed to be prepared so I could figure out where and with who we were leaving our kids. My bag had been packed and ready, Atalie's bag was packed and ready, so I packed the other bag. As I waddled around the house for 45 minutes going back and forth putting together outfits finding shoes, socks, underwear, and all that stuff I started to feel some contractions. Nothing big, nothing I hadn't been feeling for a few weeks. I continued to pack and wrote myself some lists of things I'd need to grab last minute but couldn't pack right away because we use it on a daily basis. I made a list of what I needed to get done on Thursday (make phone calls, drop off a Dr's note top Diego's school, grocery list for fast easy meals for when I came home from the hospital). And then I headed to bed. By this time it was 12:30am.

I couldn't get comfortable, I kept feeling the contractions, but I was used to getting them more at night. By 1:30am I realized, "Holy cow these are coming more often now... I think..." See I've never gone in to labor on my own, I was induced all 3 times, so I had no practice with contractions at all. So I decided to get up and walk around. Maybe I was just so tired I was imagining it.

Jr is a light sleeper and being so close to the end he was used to checking on me in the middle of the night. So at 2am he woke up and realized I was no longer next to him. I was in the hallway when he walked out and scared the heck out of me. I told him I was possibly having real timeable contractions. So we decided to start timing them. Sure enough after an hour I had had one every 10 minutes. Knowing that it was possible they could stop I didn't want to go to the hospital and just have them send me home. But I also knew that by my 4th pregnancy... if I waited too long or if my water were to break, I could labor extremely fast and maybe not have time for an epidural. There was no way I wanted to chance that. But it was still only 3am and so I decided to shower and see if that helped. So I did but they still continued every 10 minutes pretty much on the dot. 4am rolled around and Jr was pressing me to go to the hospital as I was starting to get them stronger but still bearable, there were a few that I had to stop and breathe through. I tried to lay down and relax. It worked for a little bit and they started to ease up. But then my back started to hurt and that's when I was in pain. Albeit still bearable I was extremely frustrated that the pain in my back wouldn't go away. It was worse then the abdominal contractions. And so after Jr asking me one more time to let him take me to the hospital, I gave in.

My Dad was getting up to go to work when we told him we were gonna have to go to the hospital. So he stayed with the sleeping kids and we grabbed our bags and headed off. We got there a little after 5am and checked in. They took me straight to OB Triage, an all too familiar place for me since I was there twice a week anyway for all my non-stress tests and monitoring. One of my regular nurses was the one who took me back. We explained that I was having contractions since 1:30am (that we timed) and she hooked me up to the monitors while she called my Dr. After a while she said my contractions were now 8-10 minutes apart. I could definitely feel them every time now but still not in really bad pain. But they were starting to get worse.

After talking to my Dr. he told them to admit me since he was going to schedule my induction at my appointment that day anyway. So I just had to wait for a room. We made calls and Jr arranged everything, who was taking the kids to school and who'd they be staying with since we weren't heading back home. I was informed a room was ready for me and they would take me up and proceed to give me pitocin anyway to induce my labor and make things faster. I was okay with that. But 10 minutes later a woman made her way into Triage screaming in pain kinda like in the movies. Huffing and puffing, they checked her quickly and she was dilated to a 6 already and her water had broken, so my room was given to her.

I slept in triage for 2 hours before they got us another room. And we were taken away and I was placed in my labor room.


By this time it was 11pm and my Dad, Mother-in-law, and my bestie Tiffany had joined us in my room.


Right away they started me on pitocin and things got into swing quickly. I started having more painful contractions 5 minutes apart right away. Horrible pain I tell ya.


And they got the anesthesiologist in my room as soon as they could. Didn't take her long to have it in and then I was feeling better after a little while. And I got some much needed sleep! And Jr and the nurses got to be silly...



(On a sidenote: I was happy that a few of the nurses who have seen me throughout my pregnancy were there on the day I gave birth too.)

When I woke up again I was already completely dilated and they called my Dr. This was at about 4pm. It still took him an hour to arrive. But at 5pm on the dot he was there and ready to go.

By this time my epidural was starting to wear off so even though I couldn't feel the pain of the contractions I could feels TONS of pressure and it was hard to breathe. But everything happened quickly they had the room ready and I literally pushed one count of 10 and she was out. (The only time I really had to push was with Arielle and I still only pushed maybe 5 minutes with her) My babies pretty much just slip out everytime.





And just like that she was here. I immediately thought she reminded me of Diego when he was born. Then I couldn't believe how hairy she was! All my kids have been born with heads FULL of hair but Atalie was not only born with hair on her head, but hair on her entire body! She was like a monkey! And darker than my girls were. And I was so happy that this little Princess was finally here with us! The best feeling for sure. I don't care how many times you grow through it, it's awesome welcoming a new baby into your family. And I couldn't help but lock eyes with Jr and know he felt the EXACT same way. It's amazing how quickly our hearts can grow to make a place for another child. She's ours and she is perfect.

Born on April 8th at 5:11pm.
She weighed 6lbs 10oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.







My mother-in-law and sister-in-law were the firsts to meet her since they were also in the room when I gave birth.




But after I was stitched up they quickly gave me some apple juice and Graham crackers cuz I was starving!


Then the people started coming in...


Hello Grandpa!


Hello Nina!


Hello Tio Oscar!


Hello Tio Luis!


Hello Tio Juan!


Hello Nino!

And after all our visitors had gone we finally got some sleep.


And since Mommy never woke up until the morning... she spent the night hogging Daddy's sofa bed.


I pretty much slept off and on until Noon the next day while Daddy was on duty with Atalie. I really needed to sleep since I hadn't slept much the previous 48 hours. But when I did finally get up and shower I felt good and decided to snap a few pictures for myself.









And 23 hours after giving birth we were preparing to be discharged... and so we waited... Got Atalie dressed to meet her siblings... and Jr went picture crazy with me.








We thanked Mom for helping me and being there with us to welcome Miss Atalie. I know she got to see her before us and is probably smiling down hearing everyone say "Atalie looks like her Jamma!"


And exactly 24 hours after Atalie was born we were being wheeled out of the hospital for home!


We stopped and picked up the kids from my brother/sister-in-law's house where they were for 2 days.

They were happy to meet their baby sister!




And the girls fought over who was going to get to hold her... and they wore the "Daddy's Lil Girl" shirts that we bought them to match their baby sister.








And we finally came home and Atalie got settled in her pack n play.




I can't believe we're a family of 6 now!

Bittersweet

As I get closer and closer to having this little baby... I get more impatient, more nervous, more scared, more excited. It's like a whirlwind of emotions all lumped into one.

I am tired of carrying her in my body. My back ACHES! I feel constant pressure in my tummy that doesn't go away. Makes it hard to walk.

I am actually kinda scared and nervous for this labor. Yes, I know... I've been through it 3 times. But not 3 times without my Mom. I seriously am wondering if Jr and I will panic all alone there in the delivery room. I have expressed to him that I would like to have it just be him and I in the room when I deliver. I know some of my family especially my Dad will be waiting in the waiting room anyway. In a way I feel like I don't want to replace her. She was always the only other person I wanted in the room with me even though at each of my deliveries I did have other people besides her and Jr. But she took over and got me through everything. She held my leg, inspired me to push, yelled at me when I would start to cry with a contraction and tell me to stop crying and breathe! She was also the one who was the first to run to see the baby and count every finger and every toe and tell me how perfect they were. Most of the time with camera in hand. And my Mom was bad with a camera... pictures or videos. But these are the things I remember. But then again, can I get all the support I need from just Jr? I am scared that he won't know what to do and just stand there. I mean my Mom did everything, rubbed my feet when they were swollen, massage my back through the contractions, and make sure I had enough ice chips and my celebratory meal afterward. I mean, who else is going to buy me WHATEVER the heck I want to eat and top it off with a Venti Frap?

But most of all I am excited. I am ready to meet this little girl that had been cooking in my tummy for almost 39 weeks. I have an appointment tomorrow with my Dr. and he said he'll schedule my induction. So I will have this baby pretty soon. I am ready for some sleepless night. Well not that my nights are filled with much sleep these past few weeks anyway. But I am ready.

And for fun... Here's my Mom's videos of when Arielle was born 2 years ago.

Easter Sunday

So we decided to get together at the park this year for Easter. My Tia Kika got up bright and early and at 7am she rushed to the park to hold a spot for us. It was first come so we couldn't reserve. But she sacrificed for us and camped out ALL morning until Edgar got there to hold down the fort while she went and got ready. The things we do for our family!

We made a quick stop first to visit our Goddaughter Arianna and give her the basket I made for her.

Alayna really loves her.


My Princesses


We arrived finally a little after Noon. And slowly everyone started showing up for our 2pm gathering.

My girls wore their Easter dresses for like an hour and then only 30mins or so once we arrived at the park. They just couldn't play on the playground in dresses. Good thing Mommy is always prepared and they had a change of clothes.

But before then I took a few pictures of them with their dresses.









Diego learned to ride a bike... he literally got it on like the first try.


Me and my Daddy posed for pictures




And I posed with Oscar... the OG. He likes my sunglasses...


My brother bonded with his sons






Arie the birthday girl got lots of Daddy time which is like her favorite time.


I needed my time with him too... Arielle doesn't like to share him.


And then we're all sitting there relaxing and enjoying our day. I was having slight contractions through the day but nothing much. When all of a sudden I started to feel dizzy like the earth was shaking slightly beneath me. So I am thinking to myself "could I go into labor?" So I stand up from the bench and I feel it even more. When I peek out of the corner of my eyes and see all the women in the family kinda quiet and confused. And my aunt says, "Do you feel that? Is it an Earthquake?" And everyone starts in "I thought it was just me..." We all start telling eachother what was running through each of our heads. It was so funny!

Sure enough, my sister got on the phone to call our cousin in California to see if they had had an Earthquake. She said she felt the same as us and within minutes we found out about the Earthquake in Mexico. We were amazed we all felt it. It's all we talked about for a good 45 minutes.

So we re-enacted our reactions... EARTHQUAKE!


And we posed for more pictures:

Me and my sister (31 and 38 weeks)


And with the World's Best Grandpa


And then we finally did an egg hunt... while us women hid the eggs (or more like just spread them out in the grassy area since we had SO many) Jr kept all the kids held up like crimals so they wouldn't peek. And by kids that includes my Dad.


But once let loose the kids went wild!








And last but not least, I got a family picture! It's harder and harder to get us all in a picture.