Team Warren!: November 2010

I'm going to attempt to remember all the details surrounding our most recent experience of bringing a baby into the world...
Saturday, November 13, 2010
We took Livi to the zoo the weekend prior to Brooks' birth, so we thought we'd give it a try this time, too! We had a great day looking at all the animals and watching Brooks run around like a little wild man! We shared some hot french fries and a slushy BEFORE going to the petting zoo :) That night, I ate some jalapeno poppers with cream cheese! I wanted to see if maybe the combo of the zoo and something spicy to eat would bring sweet Butterbean to me sooner!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Woke up kinda bummed because there were no contractions. Obviously the zoo and spicy poppers had not done the trick :( At church, we asked our SS class to pray for us in the weeks ahead, as we had a tough decision to make. We weren't 100% sure we wanted a c-section for this Butterbean, but I was a little apprehensive about trying a VBAC. There were risks with both, but at least the c-section would be scheduled and not willy-nilly! We went to a friend's birthday party and then to Bible study, where we again asked friends to pray for us and this decision.
Monday, November 15, 2010
7:30 am - My feet hit the floor. Was that a contraction? No. I don't think so. So I got the kids up, fed 'em breakfast (skipped breakfast myself), and started getting ready to go to Target. Was that another contraction? Can't be, can it? I called a neighbor (THANK YOU CORY!) to hang out with the kids while I went in to see my doc and make sure. Around 9:45am we confirmed that, indeed, they were contractions (and strong ones at that!:) I was already 4cm and 70%. We decided to go to the hospital for some monitoring. I figured they'd send us home in an hour or so once they realized my contractions weren't leading anywhere, just like any other normal Braxton Hicks. While Matt was frantically packing the car, I was hugging Livi and Brooks and watching cartoons. He couldn't understand why I was so calm, but I just didn't believe this was it! By 11:00am I was hooked up to a machine at the hospital. The nurse couldn't believe I was "rating" my contractions a 4 out of 10 on the pain scale, as they were off the chart...literally...but kinda few and far between. Matt and I watched some Sports Center, talked, prayed, texted, talked, I slept a little between contractions...but then they started getting more intense and we realized we weren't going home today! Around 12:30 pm I was another cm dilated and moving downstairs to the labor/delivery wing! By 2:00 pm my IV was pumping, antibiotics were flowing (Group B +), and I was just waiting (patiently) on my epidural (Got it around 2:30pm!! Whew!!) At 3:20 pm my water broke on it's own and by 4:28 pm I informed Matt (rather calmly) that he needed to get the nurse b/c it was time! :) Our nurse came in and realized that she needed the doctor, as in, RIGHT NOW! Dr. Levin was pulled from another labor/delivery room to help us. 10 minutes and 4 contractions/pushes later...Matt gleefully announced, "Holly, IT'S A BOY!" 4:38 pm - Landon Tate Warren made his wonderful entrance in to the world. He had a head full of dark hair! We thought he looked just like Livi and Brooks. He cried for a few seconds, but stopped immediately when put on my chest. There he was! Looking at me, face to face! The big beautiful eyes I'd been dying to see for so long! 8 lbs even, 20 inches even! I couldn't even describe the instant joy he brought to my life. It's like nothing else. Immediate love. Unconditional.

Kisses for her new little "bruvver"

What a precious face!

I just wanna squeeze him!

Cute rolls, wrinkles and a snarled lip! :)

It's amazing how God uses prayer. We prayed for months about a c-section vs. a VBAC. I worried about it from time to time, but nothing like the weeks leading up to our due date. I didn't feel 100% about either direction. We asked so many people to pray with us, that we would do the right thing. I knew I really wanted God to choose the due date, but I also knew I didn't want a crazy, whirlwind delivery like with Livi. In the end, I think it's so amazing that God took every ounce of worry and removed it from my life. He took control and said, "Today's the day. No more wondering." He saved me from the stress. He took the decision out of my hands and made it His own. Thank You Lord for the wonderful blessing of Your guidance! Your love is so overwhelming, so complete, so undeserved! Thank You for Landon's life and your hand in it! Thank You for his health and his future! I pray he comes to know You at an early age and can be a witness to everyone around him. I pray he'll surround himself with friends who also love You, but will reach out to those who may not know You. I pray he'll marry the Godly woman you have set in place for him and that he'll be the leader of that household in every Biblical way you've described in Your Word. I pray his life will be a blessing to You!

With the rest of the week looking great, how could we have known we'd fall victim to a cold snap on the day of Livi's party?! We considered changing the location from the park to our house, but in the end it all worked out! Praise the Lord the sun came out and the kids had a blast! The star of the party had to have been the cake...I had NO idea it would cause such a stir! Thanks Publix! :) Livi had a great time with family and friends! Thanks to all who came! Here are some pics (and 1 from Halloween!)