1st Family of 5 Outing

Today we made our first outing as a family of five. Getting three kids ready for church truly was not as stressful as I thought it would be. It definitely helps having the age gaps that we have. Beau is able to get himself dressed (when he isn't too lazy to do it) and Baine is so good about taking a Bath and waiting for someone to dress him. And sine Piper basically sleeps all of the time right now, she slept while we got the two boys bathed, dressed and fed, and then had time to get ourselves ready and then her. I sure hope mornings always go this way while getting ready for school, however deep down I know better :)

First Few Days at Home as a Family of 5

We have been home five days now as a family of 5. Things are truly going great and everyone seems to be adjusting well! I was most concerned about Baine, as to how he would handle a new baby, but he is absolutely taken by her! He always asks to "me hold it" and wants to know "where my baby go?". Beau obviously is being a great big brother as always. He loves to be in the same room as her, hold her hand when she cries, and is also very curious about why Piper has to nurse on mommy and where does my milk come from? Oh gosh, I wasn't ready for those conversations yet!!

Going home from the hospital! Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Piper has been such a good baby so far...I truly hope this isn't a honeymoon phase :). She sleeps so good, rarely cries, and is nursing like a champ! She has latched on since the moment I first nursed her as soon as she was born. She never needed my help, a nipple guard, or anything to help her get started. But oh boy am I sore from her being a good eater so far...I forgot how bad it hurts! Right now, Piper is only waking up two times at night to nurse. She will eat for about 20 minutes or so, and then fall right back to sleep. I can handle that!!

Daddy already is wrapped around her little finger. When we were in the hospital, I was stressing a little about how we have ZERO baby girl clothes for her. He kept telling me, don't worry about it that's minor. We can get clothes. Later that day, he and Beau went out to lunch and then went shopping for baby Piper. It was the sweetest thing ever to see 2 out of my 3 favorite men in my life shop for Baby Piper and spoil her. They even made sure to buy onesies that had ruffles on the butt, which Joe knows I love :) All three boys are already protective of her, and I just can't wait to see how they are with her when she is older.

Aunt Brookie, Uncle Austin, Bond and Banx have been extremely excited to have a new niece/cousin. They were so excited to come over once we got home from the hospital, especially Banx. She is going to have a new best friend now! :)

Picture (OVERLOAD) of Piper Collins Pierson 2-20-2017

We were so grateful for all of our family and friends that came to visit us and Piper in the hospital: Nana, Den-Den, Papa, She-She, Grandma Chelle and Grandpa Scott, Brook, Austin, Banx and Bond, Clint and Tara, Caleb, Shawn, Aunt Joi and Uncle Roger....thank you all of you! :)

Our nurse, Lindsey, along with Nancy, were my angels for this delivery!!! Forever grateful for those two! :)

Beau wanted to spend all day Tuesday in the hospital with us, and enjoyed the 1-on-1 time with mommy/daddy/ and Piper :)

Videos of Piper Collins 2-20-17

This video is of Baine waiting for his Baby "Yagon" to be born.  Yes, Baine thought there was a baby dragon inside of mommy's tummy :)

Beau was excited to baby to be born as well. Although he thought baby was a boy, just like mommy did!

Welcome Piper Collins!

She's Here!!! :)

Getting Measurements Done...Big Girl!

Beau and Baine Seeing Piper and Announcing Her Birth

Family Meeting Piper for the First Time

Welcome, Piper Collins Pierson

Ready to get this party started!

Last Sunday, Feb 19, we checked into the O.B. at 5:00 pm to be induced. As soon as they hooked me up to the monitors, I was having contractions already and 2-4 minutes apart! We were so anxious and hopeful that this meant Baby P would come soon on his/her own....needless to say that did not happen. They put Cervidil in me to help speed things up, but after a short time of it in me, Baby's heart rate shot up to 190 and did not like having those extra hormones going to her. So they had to take the Cervidil out of me within the first 30 minutes of me getting it. I knew right then and there this was going to be a long labor. Joe claims he also knew then that this baby was a girl, because with the boys they never had issues with me having Cervidil in me.

I thought I could be tough and make do with little to no pain drugs for most of the laboring process, and while I did do it with no drugs (until the end) it was horrible. From 5:00 that night until 4:49 pm the NEXT day, I was having contractions every 2-4 minutes and felt every. single. one. By noon on Monday, the 20th, I was dilated to a 3, but had funneled. I was so excited to hear them say I was at a 3, because with the boys once I got to a 3 I had them within the hour. Once again, not the case this time. Since I had funneled, it took me quite awhile to fully dilate. At some point, Baby P had turned and her head was no longer positioned in favor of me delivering. They kept telling me that's why I am not dilating more, her head needs to move and come down before anything else can happen. By 3:00, I had had enough. I was begging for an epidural. The anesthesiologist came in to give me my epidural, and right before that, our nurse Lindsey (who was a godsend by the way) gave me a quick dose of pain drugs that temporarily took the edge off. I felt like I had just consumed a margarita, or three :). After a few minutes those pain meds wore off, and the epidural was in. Right away I knew there was something different about this epidural compared to the ones I had with the boys. Only my right leg went numb. I still felt everything else. I was able to have full function of my left leg, and could still lift my hips and rear off the table when they asked me to. Normally, I shouldn't be able to feel anything below my waist. For a few minutes, I felt a little numb and wasn't feeling the contractions as bad. At this point, I was having contractions every 1-2 minutes and they were incredibly intense and strong. I was so nauseous and exhausted. I truly didn't think I was going to be able to push when it came time to deliver. After a while, the contractions were getting worse and more painful. I should not have been able to feel the contractions at all, so the nurse had a different anesthesiologist come check on me right away. While laboring in excruciating pain (kudos to all of the mom's out there who deliver 100% naturally) he decided the epidural must have slightly missed my spine and that's why it wasn't working. He decided to take the epidural out and put a new one in since I was only dilated to a 5, and wasn't showing any progress for quite some time. Getting the 2nd epidural put in was a nightmare. Needing to hold still, hunch over, and not move a hair while having contractions every minute was unbearable. I was screaming, crying and shamefully cursing. (I might have scared off every laboring mom in the O.B. that day!)  I do have to say, Joe and my nurse Nancy were my rocks during this. I was squeezing them, pushing on Joe, cursing here and there, crying, and losing all motivation. They are the ones who helped me through it and kept me pulling through.

Finally after the 2nd epidural was in, I instantly felt pressure to push. I told my nurse and I think she thought I was crazy. When she checked me she said "oh yeah, you're ready. Call Dr. Posthuma right away". The baby was starting to crown, and since we had to wait on Dr. Posthuma to get there, they had to help me breathe just right to keep myself from pushing. Finally Dr. Posthuma came running into our room, sweaty and a little out of breath, and told me to hang on a minute. I just remember "politely" yelling that I could not wait anymore and someone had to catch the baby. He said "wait I have to take my shoes off, they're new shoes! You can wash socks, but not shoes" The nurses and I gave him a look of death I think :) By the time Dr. P had his scrubs on and was positioned to help me deliver, Baby P's head was already almost out. With just 5 minutes of pushing, and only 3-4 pushes, Baby GIRL Pierson made her entrance at 4:49 pm. I was so overwhelmed when she came, in so much pain (because the epidural had not yet kicked in) and emotionally exhausted. Dr. Posthuma held her up in the air, kind of like Lion King, and said "look Paige, look at what you have!" All I could see was my baby and the umbilical cord, so in my head I'm assuming another boy. But then he said" it's a girl Paige. You have a healthy baby girl!" I was crying instantly. Bawling more like it. I was so excited just to meet my new baby, and to be done with the pain, but then to hear she was a girl, it was a wave of emotions I had never felt before. It was love at first sight. As soon as they placed her on my chest, and my tears were hitting her cheeks, I knew she was exactly what I wanted. As much as I thought I wanted another boy, she was the best surprise ever. We were so shocked to have a girl, that we truly did not have a girl name ready for her. She was nameless for the first 5 hours since we could not decide or agree on a name.

Baby P #3 was our biggest and longest baby! Weighing in at 8 lbs 12 oz and 21 3/4 inches long. She had curly, darker hair and looked just like Baine as soon as she was born. But after her first sponge bath, her hair quickly showed blonde in it and is already starting to resemble big brother Beau more than Baine. After talking out our favorite names and practicing calling her names to see which fit her best, Piper Collins Pierson officially became our 5th family member :)

 I have loved the name Piper for years, and while I didn't think it had any significance to it, Joe knew differently. The last conversation Joe had with his grandparents via Facebook was a couple years ago when they sold their last airplane. It was a Piper airplane. Joe had told his grandma "don't worry Grandma, I'll get my own Piper someday". No, Joe was not referring to an actual airplane, he knew deep down he would have a girl someday. He didn't share this with me until after we picked her name. It sent shivers down my spine :)  Collins truly has no significance to it for us. We just liked the name, and it was unique --- which is clearly our forte.

Welcome to our crazy family Piper Collins! Let the journey begin of a family of 5! :)