A Baby Story: Layla Edition

I realize it's way past the point of interest on this one, but I just really want to record the event for future reference. So here goes. Three months late.

It was Thanksgiving weekend and I was really seriously uncomfortable. I had had several stretches of time where I thought I must be in labor and then in an instant it was over. I was getting annoyed. And I had realized by that week that if the baby didn't come that weekend, then I would come during Spencer's finals week, which I didn't want. And I wanted to have the baby before my mom came out so as not to waste any of her time out here. So, there you have it, the perfect date had been calculated.

We had Thanksgiving dinner with Spencer's brother and sister-in-law, Cliff and Gina, as well as a few families in the ward. The Hennemans were there and told us that she used castor oil and that it really worked for her. I figured that since her husband is a doctor and since my body seemed to be all ready to go, it was a feasible option. I thought about it for a while. Then on the next night (friday night), Spencer and I decided it was do or die time. So he went to the Hennemans to get the castor oil. I took some. Then I took some more, and then I took some more.

Then I called Robyn and felt like a cheater. I suddenly felt really irresponsible and hasty for having done such a thing. I called her to say that it was possible that I'd go into labor that night, and since she's the one we plan to have come stay with the kids, she ought to know. I felt really dumb.

Then I went to bed feeling really normal and like it was all in vain. Until about an hour later. From one to 3:30 I had regular contractions. I started to pack bags and wake people up and by 4:30 am we were on our way. Spencer had a Playboy energy drink which he'd gotten at a marketing conference, ran down the street to get the car, and did a little leap and a scream as he loaded me in the car and jumped in. He was really excited.

The people at the hospital were less excited. We got there and got checked in by 5:00 am and by then the nurses are at the tail end of their 8-hour night shift. They weren't feeling very peppy. I wasn't feeling awesome but I was feeling excited. I was more peppy than they were, in any case. I felt dumb telling them that I took castor oil but they just smiled and said that it's normal and fine. They monitored me and said nothing was happening, even though my contractions had been coming 1 1/2 to 2 minutes apart for like 2 hours and I was dilated to a 4.5 (only .5 more than I had been the rest of the week). I was told to do the "walk" until 7 am. So Spencer and I circled the small triage center for 1 1/2 hours. I'll tell you one thing, walking and standing are a much better way of dealing with contractions than lying on your back. That's got to be the most painful position when you are in labor. If you are going to do it without drugs, don't lie down.

Meanwhile they were trying to get ahold of my doctor but couldn't. It wasn't my doctor's fault. Something was wrong with the connection, I guess. Anyway, my doctor was like, "what? It's her third, her births are fairly quick and uncomplicated, and she's dilated to a 4? Just check her in for goodness sake!" And so it was that I was finally admitted within another 1 1/2 hours had the epidural. Love that epidural. sooo much.

Our nurse in L and D was Ashleigh. She was so peppy and pleasant and seemed to really know what she was doing. We loved her. She even laughed heartily and said she loved it when Spencer erased "Father: Spencer" on the white board and replaced it with "Sperm Donor: Spencer". (I was so embarrassed and screamed at him to take it down. He thought it was pretty clever.)

Dr. Lawson showed up quite quickly and instead of doing the usual, "I'm just going to poke my head in and then disappear until the last five minutes of this ordeal and then charge you like I spent my entire day here" thing, he stayed with us the entire time. He just hung out and talked to us and got to know us. He was really great. We liked him.

Ashleigh, Dr. Lawson, Spencer and I all made official guesses as to the time of delivery and if it was a girl or a boy. Dr. Lawson and I guessed before 11:00, Spencer guessed 11:30, and Ashleigh guessed noon. I guessed boy, Spencer and Ashleigh guessed girl, and I don't remember Dr. Lawson's guess.

I had been feeling awesome, drifting in and out of sleep as I was totally relaxed by the epidural. Then around 10:00 am I started feeling contractions again. I pressed the button that was hooked up to the epidural, which was supposed to make it shoot more into me, but it didn't. I could tell I was pretty close to having the baby, as the contractions were basically one on top of the other. I could feel the pressure of the baby and I was not thrilled about this. It took several minutes for them to fix the epidural line so that the drug was coming through the tube like it should. So for about 15 minutes I could feel it all and then it started to fade away. Within 5 or 10 minutes of the epidural working again it was time for me to push!

Everybody was getting into position. They moved a mirror for me, which I was feeling mixed about but figured I could look if I wanted and if I didn't, I'd just look away. In the end I looked and was glad I did--it looked different than I imagined. Anyway, everybody was bustling around and Ashleigh was like, "Okay, almost time--don't push yet", and Dr. Lawson was like, "You're ready. Don't listen to them--just push". It was kind of funny adn since it wasn't my first it didn't stress me out at all. I just started pushing. Within about 5 minutes the baby was out.

Now, recall that this was a sex-surprise--we hadn't found out if it was a boy or a girl. But in the moment that I should have been waiting to hear the announcement I wasn't even thinking about it, I was just in awe at the beautiful little baby that I had just borne. "And it's a... GIRL!" Dr. Lawson said, but it didn't even register to me for a few seconds, it being a girl just seemed so obvious or something. You know, babies ARE girls. That's what they are: GIRLS. Spencer and I were so happy and excited and elated and thrilled....as usual, Spencer shed a few tears as he became a father again. My eyes get all watery, but I don't let 'em roll like he does :)

I had been planning on the name Corinne for basically the whole pregnancy, but suddenly at this moment it just didn't seem right. I just couldn't call her that. I didn't know why. So we sent out announcements without names. When we spoke with my mom she reminded us that it was in fact my grandma Orton's (Clora Fontella Lay Orton) birthday: Nov. 28. We decided we'd really like to consider that in finding a name for her. It took us a day and a half to decide on a name. It was almost Darcy Fontella, almost April Clora, almost a bunch of other things. But we felt really good about Layla.

The first thing I noticed about Layla was her really cute feet. She still has the cutest little baby feet. The other thing I noticed was her hair. She had dark dark hair. Not a ton, but enough to consider her NOT bald, which was a first for our offspring. She also had it on her ears and her shoulders, dark, soft hair. It was so cute.

From the beginning Layla was the sweetest thing. I just can't imagine life without her, already. She brings so much joy and a new level of completeness to our little family of five (not that it's complete just yet). I love to have her close to me, just like I do all of my children. I guess nowt hat I've got three I can sit still and really appreciate the few moments of quiet, still mom-and-me time we get, instead of thinking of all the other things I need to get done.

Layla's birth was a great experience. I hated being alone in the hospital, though. Spencer had to be home with the other two girls at nights and for much of the days, so I was alone. Luckily I was feeling pretty well so it wasn't too hard for me to get up and change the baby and stuff like that, but I felt so alone and so tired and just wanted somebody to be there with me.

It was a great birth and a great recovery. She is a beautiful baby with a shining, happy personality. Can't wait to watch it all unfold. And for as much as I hate being pregnant, I'm kind of excited about doing it all again. Just not too soon.

Cadence-, Campbell-, and Layl-isms

Layla is so flippin' cute that it's dangerous.  Those of us around her all the time are often  tempted to squeeze and chew and kiss her to the extreme.  Luckily usually she gets off with no more than peanut butter or chewed goldfish smeared in her hair and maybe some painfully loud, "I LOVE LAYLA SO MUCH" whispers right in her ear (thanks to Cadence). 

We like her.  She talks more than any baby I've seen.  I mean, if she can get you to make eye contact, BAM!  She's got you hooked and she's going to coo and sigh and babble for as long as she can get you to listen.  Even Cadence was not as talkative as Layla is.  She smiles at everybody and she takes all the overly-zealous cuddling and kissing and loving like a champ.

Campbell is a a little spitfire these days.  She has become quite opinionated and her vocabulary is increasing every day.  One of my favorite things that she does is "the headcount".  She looks around and names all the family members present.  It's so funny, like she's constantly keeping track of where everybody is.  She does that about once an hour, all day.  Another thing I love is her "counting".  She has the cadence of counting down, just not the words.  "Doo [one], do [two], do [three]!"  It appears that she can count to about 5, except that all the numbers sound the same.  She uses counting to make it clear that she is not going to wait around (just like mom--the time out count down).  She hates time out but if Cadence is in time out she will go sit quietly next to her with her arms folded. 

And for some reason, she has this fetish with putting food on her toes.  She lifts her toes up to the table and smashes food into them.  And then when I'm wiping her clean she begs me to clean her toes off with the same rag I use for wiping her face.

One day I decided to be a fun mom, so we made a fort.  It was a mess.  A really exciting mess.

Cadence is really into dressing herself, wearing swimsuits/leotards for everyday play clothes, and the Spanish language.  Since most of the time we aren't doing anything particularly special these days, (it's pretty tough to get out, with all three, in the cold--can you imagine how long the bundling process took?  Another day, another post) I don't fight the dressing battle.  I let her choose.  It gives me leverage for when I need to call the shots, which she doesn't like me to do.  Ever.  So most days she wears either a swimsuit, a leotard, or a princess dress.  Or a strappy little summer dress.  In any case it's ALWAYS inappropriate for the weather.

Cadence overhears Spanish being spoken a great deal, since many of the families in our building are Chilean and Argentine.  She has really become interested in it. She pretends to speak it and the gibberish that comes out of her mouth is a very good imitation of Spanish.  At least once a day I'll say something to her, such as, "Cadence, please put your pajamas on",  and her response will be, "Mom, en espanol, please".  Naturally, she loves Dora.  She's learning a little each day and asks us to translate her bedtime stories into Spanish, too, which is impossible for me and really difficult for Spencer.  Any suggestions on how to continue encouraging this?

Cadence is often overheard saying, "I love you so much, Layla!!!  But I don't love Campbell."  She give hugs and kisses out to all the family and then refuses to give them to Campbell saying, "I don't have enough 'lovesers' left.  I only had one hug and I gave it to Layla."  Don't worry Campbell.  Merica wasn't particularly fond of me until she actually moved away to college and finally had to live life without me.  And now I''m indispensible (well...).  Deep down, Cadence loves you.  You're too loveable.

I look at pictures like this and I can't use words to describe the love.  This is my everything, sitting on a couch enjoying the moment.  And Cadence is. of course, in swimsuit, by the way.

And I made this quilt. (with a great deal of help from my mom).