Tucker FINALLY arrived on Feb 2, 2012. He was five days late, and it felt like he was never coming out on his own. My braxton hicks had basically stopped, and the only time I'd thought maybe I was in labor was when our maid suddenly quit when I was two days late. Oh, the HORROR!?! After my well-deserved panic subsided, so did my false labor. Anyways, my doctor said I could be induced anytime, but I kept waiting, hoping I would go into labor, and I finally did the day before I'd decided to go ahead and be induced. Giving birth here was not that much different than in the States. Some things were better, some not so much. I showed up to the hospital thinking I would go as long as I could without the epidural, and that lasted about 10 minutes...When it was time to push, my epidural was so strong, I couldn't feel what I was doing, and that baby would NOT come out. After a couple hours, my doctor had to vacuum him out :( I was so disappointed in myself. But I cannot put into words how tired I was by then. At one point, I started puking and was too tired to even turn my head, and so I started choking and realized this is how I was going to die. Luckily Jonny saw what was happening and saved my life. I LOVE my doctor. The main difference I noticed out here was how much more I saw him while I was in labor than I ever saw my doctors in the States. He kept coming and checking up on me. However, it was very discouraging when I started pushing and he watched one push and then said something in Thai to the nurses and left, like, this baby's not coming out anytime soon. It was annoying that I couldn't understand a word of anything anyone said to each other, but I have no one to blame but myself for quitting my Thai lessons. Well they were probably talking about what a terrible pusher I was. Okay, so then when Tucker was finally ripped from my body, I was too pooped to even really hold him. He weighed 8lbs, 6oz, and was 21 inches long. I think. The conversion rates are confusing, and side note, America get with the program. We are the only freaking people not using the metric system. Recovery was really really rough, but is already seeming like a distant memory. I have a vague feeling that I felt this way after the girls too. Like I was hit by a bus. And the nurses brought me TYLENOL to deal with this pain. It took many many complaints from Jonny before they brought me the good stuff. Though I think we have much better after-labor pain management in the States, they did have this thing out here that I loved. They brought this UV light in twice a day and cooked my sore areas for 15 minutes, and I swear it made me heal tons faster. Tucker is such a good baby so far. Which is nice since the girls are bananas. Especially AJ. It will be a miracle if Tuck survives her. Something seems to happen to my children at exactly 21 months. They have a younger sibling born, and they turn into terrors. Very cute terrors.
He looks like such a boy in this picture. I didn't know how I'd feel having a boy rather than a girl, but of course as soon as he was born, I loved him to pieces. He just looks like a little man already. And I am hopeful with how mellow he currently is. We could use a child with a little less drama.
My mom took a hiatus from her mission and came all the way out here to help me. Unfortunately we planned on Tuck being early and since he didn't cooperate, we had to change her flight to stay out here longer. She is an absolute saint. Thanks mom!
The girls started sharing a room to make room for the little man. I had visions of them playing together in the morning and letting me sleep in. Instead they now wake each other up and we are now starting our day in the.....sevens :(
My cute little monster.
Who likes to steal my ipad and hide.
