So we have 4 kids! What!? It's surreal to think we are a family of 6 now. But we are excited! So here is the story of Maryanne.
We found out we were pregnant in September of last year. In August we spent a couple weeks in Washington with Julie's family. Funny story - the first week we took care of her sister's 2 youngest (ages 8 and 5) while her sister was in Europe with the rest of her family. Going places with 5 kids got us lots of "are these all yours? Wow!" Comments. I finally started responding yes just so I didn't have to explain. And now we have 4 kids so I'm sure I'll get similar comments. Anyway.. I ran a half marathon while in WA with my sister. I felt horrible and ran poorly, only finishing thanks to my sister's continual encouraging. I had a feeling I might be pregnant but didn't know. Turns out I was! Which would explain the throwing up after the race... Or maybe I drank too much water.
So yay! We got pregnant! I am very grateful to have had easy pregnancies. I am sorry that others do not have pleasant experiences with this or have trouble getting pregnant or have miscarriages. I do not know why I was not given those trials, but I feel for those who have them. This pregnancy was like the others, with typical nausea at the beginning but good feeling the rest of the time. I am truly grateful for that! I didn't gain a lot of weight and felt this baby would be similar to Rachel, who takes after the petite side of my family. We found out it was a girl, which didn't surprise me. I had felt like it was a girl and always liked the name Mary. We had hoped for a little friend for Scott but were so glad she was a healthy baby.
Side note: For a couple years we discussed moving to a warmer place, closer to family. If the opportunity came with a job we wanted to take it. So Kurtis arranged it with his job and got the go ahead to be able to move away from Rochester and work remote from home. After much fasting and prayer we decided on Florida. Where in the state is still TBD but it's happening. Oh, right when the baby was due. Brilliant idea. But things worked out and we put the house on the market (2 weeks before the due date) and sold it within 36 hours. Had the inspection and appraisal before due date as well. I had a lot packed and my mom arrived to help more. She came 2 days after my due date (April 12) and was to be there 10 days.
I decided to go with the miwives at my hospital this pregnancy. I always had a good experience with my deliveries but wanted to try it, plus they are all female and I like lady doctors. :) So they all said I'd probably not make it to this day or that day, that I was dilating and such... Liars! (Like they know) but still, that false hope is real!! I did my first ever stress test and it turned out fine (which really is a good thing cuz I'd rather have a healthy baby) but then they said they wouldn't induce til 12 days (because I was due on a Sunday I got to have a reprieve and get induced on a weekday). Well my mom was leaving that day and the thought made me super depressed, and I felt horrible and responsible and just wanted to have my baby! I went to church a week overdue and got those sad looks from people. I made a pitiful call to the nurses on Monday and they kindly said just to wait for my appt on Tuesday.
Well, let me tell you! I decided enough was enough and took matters into my own hands. Kurtis had to go visit someone from church so my mom and I watched a graphic episode of "call the midwife" where the mom had a breech baby. So grateful for modern medicine! And then I took a shower and decided to turn up the music and dance this baby out! So after inconsistent contractions for 9 days, I awoke at 3:30 AM Tuesday morning with painful contractions about 10 min apart. I wasn't optimistic so I layed there for a while and then got up and watched tv. I didn't wake anyone because again, I wasn't optimistic. But they persisted and got stronger and so by 6 it was time to go. Sarah had woken up to use the bathroom and I think I scared her because I was obviously trying to hide my pain and we were leaving my Mom in charge.
I told Kurtis on the way there that I definatly wanted an epidural, just so he knew. I did Sarah natural and the others with drugs. Why go back?? We arrived at the beautiful new women's hospital (the private bathroom I had was bigger than my bedroom, I swear!) checked in at 6:30 and the rest was a painful whirlwind. The kind midwife still on call was the most 'Aux natural' of the three and kept suggesting laboring in the tub. By this point my contractions were minutes apart and extremely painful. I just wanted the drugs dang it and felt like I was going to explode! And then I started crying and saying owie! Owie! Owie! like a little kid. It's amazing how you totally forget that horrible, horrible pain! I just held on to the side of the bed so hard and Kurtis' hands during the contractions that seemed to last forever. The baby was moving down so quickly I didn't think he was ever going to arrive. Luckily, he did. If it had been another 15 minutes it wouldn't have been time I'm sure. But we did a spinal block(?) instead because I was so close and it would wear off like a big shot of novicane. Ahhhhhh drugs. Heavenly! I could function again. I had to wait to dialate a tiny bit more and the midwife was with another lady. They also broke my water to move it along.
I could still feel a little and suggested they check me again, and sure enough it was time! The same doctor who delivered Sarah came in and asked if it was if she delivered me because the midwife was with a women in distress. Sure! Why not? I wasn't in pain so who cares anymore! One contraction and 3 little pushes later, my baby was born. I always marvel at that actual moment. I also marvel at my pushing, which they kept telling me was good and doing something but since I couldn't feel it I couldn't tell. So crazy. Anyway, the moment when the baby pops out (that's really what it seems like!) amd they place the warm, purple being on your chest is so breathtaking! That was just inside me! She's here! We are parents (again)!
So the whole labor in hospital was less than 3 hours. Our little girl was born at 9:10 AM. 9 days late.
Maryanne Jean Tucker
8 lbs 5 oz (our biggest baby!)
19 inches (which I think is wrong, they got 21 days later)
I spent 2 glorious days in the hospital letting the nurses snuggle my baby so I could sleep and ate all the room service I could and watched enough pointless tv to last me a while.
Her name - I liked the name Mary (apparently I like biblical names since we have a Sarah and Rachel) but I do like classic, simple names. Anne is my middle name and I wanted to use it if we had another girl. Anne with an 'e' of course! Kurtis wanted them together as one name so I agreed. I didn't think she needed a middle name with a long first name but he lobbied for a middle name in the hospital. So we looked online and thought of names to fit. Somehow we agreed on Jean. I have a friend named Jean but that's not necessarily where it came from. We just agreed on it.
We are so, so grateful for or healthy little girl and happy to have her as part of our family. Her siblings want to hold her constantly and poke her eyes to make them open. :)
Pictures will be added as soon as I get to am actual computer not the ipad...
2013
