December 2018

Cutie Patootie! 

Happy 1st Baptismal Birthday, Sweet Emmy Mae!

Sunday school Christmas Program at church. Both boys did a dynamite job (Micah was a reporter and Shiloh lead the children in singing

 Last soccer game of 2018 - a super foggy morning but that didn't stop our boys from rocking it on the soccer field. Micah had some great goal blocks and Shiloh scored his first THREE goals! 

 A mighty fine gingerbread house this year... although we forgot to take the after after photo. What a beauty it was! 

 

39.6 weeks - on Christmas Eve! For the last month of the pregnancy I had 2x weekly ultrasounds and non-stress tests. We had a bit of a scare on Sunday, Dec. 23rd. I noticed a major decrease in baby movement and so I went in to the ER just to make sure baby was ok. After the longest ultrasound of my life, baby was found to be in perfect condition. Praise the Lord!
 In trying to spur on baby to come, the midwives did 3 membrane sweeps. While they started some contractions, none were heavy enough to spur on labor. Although, Tim and I were perfectly happy that baby decided to come after Christmas! 

 Christmas Eve 2018

 Soon to be SIX Lawson stockings! 

 These three kiddos don't know how lucky they are to have this man as their Daddy. In addition to working his tail off to provide for us, he is an excellent role model for them and makes time to play! To say that Emery is a Daddy's Girl is a definite understatement. With my restrictions in pregnancy and lack of energy, Tim has had so much more time with especially Emery. I truly don't know how I would've survived this past nine months without him and his help. 

 Super cute cuddle blankets from Emery's sweet Birthmother, Kasey -aren't they adorable! 

Baby Lawson bump - the perfect parking spot for toys courtesy of Mr. Shiloh

 Friday, December 28th was my final non-stress test before my scheduled c-section. Baby's heart rate and movement were great but bp was slightly elevated. When measured I was only about 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. In trying to induce labor, both midwives Mallory and Beth tried did a membrane sweep and also suggested trying castor oil to spur things on. I got home about noon and took the downed the nasty oil in a pb chocolate shake. Nasty stuff. Thankfully I avoided the most common effect of it but it for sure got things going. By 2:45 I was having steady, strong contractions. In wanting to labor as long as I could at home, I went on a walk, tried to take a rest and got some final errands done around the home. Mom, Nyleah, and Adalyn drove down from Tim and Alexas home and arrived at our home at 4:30ish. By that point, I was having strong contractions that lasted just under a minute every 4 minutes.  I was so afraid that my labor would stall out when we got to the hospital. Thankfully during the drive, things continued to progress. Following a prayer in the car, Tim and I slowly walked up to L&D. We were checked in quickly and set up on the fetal monitor. To my dismay, I was only 2-3cm dialated but the contractions continued to be super strong and close together. The intake nurse was close to sending me home but said I could walk around for an hour as the nurses did a shift change. Tim and I roamed the halls of the while the contractions kept going strong. I remember doing lots of rocking back and fourth, lunges and squats, anything to dilate.
Sure enough once back in the room, I was about 5cm dialated and 80%. The nurse finally admitted me around 8:00pm. Thankfully, the anesthesiologist came somewhat soon after getting to our room and got me hooked up with the epidural. I still was progressing rather rapidly, with little to no breaks between contractions. They came super fast and super strong which made baby's heart rate slow quickly. In an effort to slow them down the contractions, a few medications were given, hooked up to the oxygen mask and several nurses (at least 5) came in and were trying to position me so her heart rate would pick back up. Of course it was all painful but I will never forget at one point I felt a sharp heavy pain like a hammer had been pounded on my uterus and pushing down. Of course, with the following contraction my water broke. I also will never forget during the chaos, seeing my doctor (Dr. Julie Adams, whom was on call that night) peeking in from the curtain with her arms crossed, just assessing the situation. Earlier in the pregnancy, I had shared with her my desire to try for a VBAC and she was all for it. She shared with me the risks of attempting a VBAC and I was comfortable with signing the waiver, because of course, I wouldn't be the 1% of VBACs that ruptured.... of course not!  While I knew what was in store once I saw her, I was thankful I was in her care that night. So, while assessing the situation and then after gently pressing on my belly seeing if there were any exceedingly painful spots (even with the epidural somewhat working at that point) she shared that it would be in the baby's best interest to move on toward a c-section immediately. Tim and I, although a little bummed, knew this is what had to happen. I was instantly whisked back to the operating room. I will never forget the midwife telling me that Tim would join us soon and the anesthesiologist telling her, "I wouldn't tell her that, he might not be able to be back here." The rest was all kind of a blur for me and so very fast. Thankfully Tim was able to be at my side for Noelle's birth. My uterus had indeed ruptured and when Dr. Adams made the initial incision, Noelle's little arm shot up out of the uterine lining. As she was pulled up and out, they found the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck tightly 2x. Noelle was quite little blue (lips, finger and toenails) but she scored perfectly on both APGAR tests. Praise Him! I am just so very thankful for the wisdom God gave our doctor and for the timing of it all. Had we waited any longer or had I not been at the hospital, mine and Noelle's story would've ended much differently. As if Noelle needed to prove what a miracle she was any more!!! Her conception, my pregnancy with her, and her birth has proven to me all the more how much HE is in control and He provides so mightily. 

Noelle Ann Lawson 

12/28/18 9:42pm

21in (mismeasured) and 8lbs 8oz

The culmination of 9+ months, many prayers, lots of puking, and one very tired mama.

What a ride we went through this little one and I. So thankful to have her in my arms finally!

 

Lawson...party of 6! 

How exciting for these big siblings to finally meet their little sister. A long awaited moment! 

Protective and doting big bros

Sooo serious. Our time in the hospital was very precious and a little rough with Tim getting over a cold, trying to catch up on some much needed rest and getting acclimated to caring for a newborn again. Another miracle that I was eternally grateful for was that I had started a cold a few days before going into labor. Once I began active labor, I did not have a single sign or symptom of a cold until 24 hours after Noelle's birth! Although coughing while recovering from a c-section is not much fun, I am so thankful that it wasn't a concern during labor/delivery. Thank you, Jesus! 

Going home day!!! Noelle was born on Friday and we weren't released until Monday, just to be sure everything was ok following the rupture and surgery. I'll be honest, as excited as I was to see all the kiddos and be home, I was not ready for the task ahead and the juggling that would ensue.  But, as always, the Lord was with us through it all and just barely, we survived! 

Checking out their newest little sister.

Our neighbors, the Campbells went up to the mountains and brought some cold, fun, white stuff with them.  Cul-de-sac snowball fight!!

Chunky monkey Noelle! Too sweet! 

I don't know how we would've survived without the help of Mom these first few weeks. She was simply amazing! The kiddos sure attached to her and much preferred her to our 

My oldest baby holding my oldest baby. 

Squishy face tummy time!

Plugging away at work on Grandma's computer