Mom Mode: Welcoming Baby Dean

It all starts at the BEACH...

Saturday morning, September 18th, Eric, Noah, Duke and I (with my huge baby Dean belly) took a walk along the beach. Noah loves to throw the ball for Duke and run in the freezing cold water. Yikes! I like to take photos and stay dry on the cold mornings! Ooooh, and chat on the phone with my lovely friend Jodie. We love the beach and all of us agree it was a wonderful start to our busy weekend.

While Eric fed Noah lunch and put him down for a nap I went to run up and down the hills and the stairs at Placentia Park. Yes I really ran. Unsuccessful in my attempts to spur on labor, I headed back towards the beach for a hair appointment with the very best stylist in OC! My sister Brandi of course! After, we all load up and head to the last event of the day, a birthday BBQ for our good friend Sean.

Driving down PCH Noah says "Dean, coming?"

Me "he is with mommy in mommy's tummy".

Noah "Ooooh"

Eric "I think Noah knows something we don't"

As we unload the car at they BBQ Noah yells, "Dean Coming!"

Just then I felt my fourth labor contraction that hour...

We spent 4 hours with amazing friends, 4 hours full of people agreeing my belly was too small, betting on birth dates, toasting to his health and drinking to his soon arrival. By the fourth hour I had to drag Eric and Noah out of there. Nausea had taken over me. Though I was having consistent contractions every 20 minutes the nausea was nothing new. It was, unfortunately, a daily fight throughout both pregnancies. At home I quickly changed into comfy clothes and snaped a photo of my belly to post on facebook.

The title was: DOES HE LOOK FULLY COOKED TO YOU?

That night, while Eric and I lay in bed I explained to him that I finally gave up. With only 4 days until my scheduled cesarean, I decided to give up my exhausting efforts to force this baby out naturally. That was the last thing said as we drifted off to sleep. Until 1am when I felt a very hard, loud CRACK and POP!

I thought, "Dean IS coming Noah"

2am in the Hospital. Contractions were on top of each other. They were more intense than the monitor screen would allow. I couldn't wait to get an epidural, and some Zofran. Throwing up during a contraction is just about the worse thing you could ever imagine!

Enjoying a Popsicle after I got my epidural.

My mother, sister and Kim were there for support during Dean's birth

Just a few short hours later our second little man was born.

Or should I say BIG BOY!

Eric is such an amazing father, and great with a newborn

I share this photo because it is the reason why I wanted to attempt a VBAC. Successfully having a VBAC gave me so much freedom, gave me the ability to enjoy some of labor, take care of Dean, and myself in ways I couldn't with a cesarean. This was 1 hr after giving birth.

Numy and Grampy were proud to have a second McCoy grandson

Deten and Auntie Stephani

Eric and I are blessed with amazing family and the most amazing friends. Nick and Jodie took Noah for two nights and brought him to the hospital to meet Dean. Jodie and I were able to catch up while admiring

Noah was not sure about where he was and what he was supposed to do in the hospital room. His reaction to Eric and I was normal, he said an excited Hi and wanted hugs, to Dean, he said Hi Hunter! We tried to explain that this is not (his cousin) Hunter, but Dean who we have been waiting to come out of mommy's tummy. It didn't really sink in...