Warning: Long post. Just some random thoughts about our amazing and exhausthing week. You may want to skip some of the details, you decide.
I figured a new addition to the family was certainly blog worthy. I have to admit that I feel super guilty about not posting anything in the past 20 months of Isaac's life. Truth be told...I have been a little busy. We finished dental school in Michigan in May 2009, moved to Minnesota for an associateship for the next year, and finally we switched jobs and moved in July 2010 to South Carolina (7 months pregnant... growing another little one was probably the most exhausting part for me :0) Plus this summer was SUPER hot here!!! So we've been fortunate enough to experience a really cold winter in Minnesota and now a really hot summer in South Carolina. I'm ready for some moderate weather now.
On to the big news... Blake Martin Wilcox (our little B.M.W.) arrived at 2:02 on Sunday September 26, 2010...two hours past his due date, the little stinker. He weighed 7lb 12 oz and was 22 inches long. He is our smallest single, yet his head and chest were the same size as Isaac (crazy how that happens) who was more then a pound bigger and an inch shorter. Blake is opposite of his brute of a brother... long and lean... but they are both loud. I've decided that the loud part is a blessing because Blake can let me know when he needs me... or needs some protection. LOL
We decided to have a midwife again since I had such a great experience with Isaac. However, here in this part of the south, Midwifes cannot deliver babies in the hospitals. They only deliver at birthing centers or at home. Since the closest birthing center is over 90 minutes away (and I hate the car when I'm in labor), we opted for a home birth. Never in a million years did I think I'd have a baby at home, but I should know by now to never say never. When I met with my midwife it all just felt like the right thing to do. Since I wanted to have a water birth and I have a great tub with jets for labor, I figured I didn't need a hospital or center. Plus my tub was much better than the bath I labored in with Isaac, so that was a bonus.
We feel so blessed that the home birth all worked out perfectly! I had been having contractions all day, especially after taking some natural cotton grass root the evening before and all morning, walking the mall with Grandma Gail, and then taking Caster Oil (DISGUSTING). My labor really kicked in around 6pm. My contractions were pretty consistently 2 minutes apart from then on... sometimes they would stretch to 3 minutes but that just meant the contraction was lasting longer. It all involved a lot of back pain... not fun, but necessary to get the job done. At least that is what I kept telling myself. Brandon and G.G. put the kids to bed by 8:00 so they all slept through the whole thing. I spent the night laboring in my room until I had my midwife come over around 10:30-11. I was a little surprised that I was only dialated to 5 cm. Then I got into the tub for the remainder of my labor. Around 12:30 am I started throwing up, which has happened for every one of my labors once I reach 7 cm, so I knew things were progressing. My water didn't break until I started pushing around 1:45 and then Blake was born at 2:02 in the water. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever experienced, but as always, it is so worth it! We are all so in love with out little man!
I've spent the last week enjoying "Baby Blakey" (as the kids call him) in an state of exhaustion. Like most pregnant women, I hadn't been sleeping well for quite some time. The night before I had him I only slept about 2 hours thanks to an entire night of inconsistant contractions that didn't go anywhere. Then on his due date, September 25th, I got to endure an evening full of labor, delivery at 2:02am, and all of the aftermath that wasn't concluded until about 5:30 am. Brandon and I slept until 8:30-9:00, which was when Grandma had the kids come in our room to meet their new brother. (I don't know what I would have done without Gail here for the five days before Blake was born and the five days after. The big kids had another adult to practice reading and spelling with, which was a huge help to me since I usually do it by myself because Brandon gets home too late. It takes a long time to work with three kids that are learning to read, help them with their homework, and practice spelling. Plus I got to nap pretty much every day and Isaac got some good quality grandma time. He was so distraught when we dropped her off at the airport. He kept crying "No, No, No, No!" while slapping his legs. He did not want her to leave. I could totally empathize... it's always hard when visitors leave. I'm sure she needed a break because she worked non-stop while she was here. Thanks Gailie, we love you! We won't make you work so hard the next time you visit, I promise!)
The big kids had been asking me for weeks when the baby would be born. I kept having to tell them that the baby's birthday would be a surprise, even for me. For the last week or so they would refer to the calender, where I had written "due date", to count how many days were left. I kept thinking, oh great, I hope this baby doesn't go past his due date. I had gotten my kids hopes up for so long that this baby would be born by then. I am so thankful we didn't have to wait too long.
Needless to say they were all so excited to meet our little Blake. This time around none of them were nervous to hold him right away. Everyday since, there is usually a line to hold him right after school. As always, Isabelle would hold him all afternoon if I let her. Levi has actually surprised me by how much he wants to hold him... almost as much as Isabelle. Landon likes to hold him too, just not as often or as long, but he loves to give him kisses. Isaac has adjusted well to his new baby brother. He has the cutest "baby voice" he uses when he talks to Blake. He'll get all high pitched and kinda sing "Hi-ee, Hi-ee, Hi-ee" over and over. He thinks it's his responsibility to make sure Blake has his binky. Earlier in the week he would try to shove it in his mouth, but now he will hand it to me to give him. He also loves to touch him, especially his head and face. I'm trying to get him to only touch his tummy or where his clothes are, but we'll just say it's a work in progress. The stressful part is that Isaac can climb EVERYTHING, so I don't have a great safe place to lie Blake. He climbs the couch, my really high bed, he can open and close every door, and he can throw things into a crib or playpen. So for now Blake has a little portable bed that is on my dresser. Crazy place to nap, but it's the safest place to protect him from Isaac, our cute little brute! He just wants to love on the baby, but he doesn't realize his own strength.
Isaac is pure joy, with a little bit of stress mixed in. We call him our bi-polar baby with good reason... he can be the happiest kid in the world and then the next second he is in a fit. Afternoons are usually when this side comes out, unless he has the big kids to follow around and play with. He LOVES his big brothers and sister, and tries to do everything they do. Weekends are his favortie because then he has them around all of the time. Also whenever daddy gets home his mood instantly changes and he's happy again. He is totally a daddy's boy, which is such a great thing since I'm a little busy with Blake now.
I just feel so blessed to be the mommy of such amazing little spirits!
September 25th... the last, albeit silly, picture taken before Blake made his grand debut early the next morning. Isabelle and Isaac both had a thing for my huge belly! Isabelle just loved to rub my belly and feel Blake kick (very powerful and bony I might add). She was always pulling my shirt up because I guess it just wasn't the same through the layers of clothing. Like Isabelle, Isaac was constantly pulling my shirt up and he would do the same so I could rub his tummy... sweet boy. The habit of pulling my shirt up was a little harder to break for Isaac after the baby was born. Now he has moved on to being very involved in nursing. I'm talking on my lap while Blake is eating. It does get a little crowded but I've had to juggle two babies before, so it's doable:o) I would have to say that my favorite part about this whole pregnancy was how Isaac loved to be rocked in the chair before his naps. He would completely conform to my girth and he was always gently pushing his whole body into me like he just couldn't get close enough! This was and still is one of the highlights of my day (minus the big belly...I'm glad that isn't in between us anymore). I love to snuggle that little/big guy! I really wish I would have gotten a picture of him doing this...well, technically I did get one but it's blurry:( 
September 8th... Isabelle Rose... just because I find her breathtaking!
Isaac getting in on the action, and of course Isabelle's always willing to play or snuggle with a baby... or anyone really.
September 4th... Levi and Landon while visiting friends in Raleigh, North Carolina. They found a caterpillar and wanted to show it off... I guess I forgot to capture the bug in the photo. That's okay though because I got the most important subjects.
Our buddies... well 5 of the 9 kids on our outing to feed the ducks. The little kids didn't want to hold still for a picture, but who can blame them when there are ducks, turtles, and fish to see. We are sad to be moving away from them once again. We will miss the West family! It's a good thing their mom and I were college roommates so we will always keep in touch. Have I ever mentioned that I had/have the best college roommates ever?! Yet another way I have been so blessed!
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