Covey is going to turn three years old tomorrow and do you know, I haven't journaled about his birth story yet? I mean, I haven't recorded the full story in one, cohesive entry. There are bits and pieces of it recorded in several places but somehow, these three years have come and gone like a dream. Future Covey, if you're reading this and feeling somehow slighted because the date I'm completing this is so much after when you were actually born, take heart. You have been the most incredibly joyful baby and toddler and you are so utterly adored by every member of this family and you're just not allowed to feel bad at all about it! I don't think you will. This is the overthinking mother in me. But you'll understand when you have five kids. :) I'm sure there are lots of other reasons to have long lasting beef with me. JUST KIDDING HOW COULD I SAY THAT we are best friends now and best friends forever and live in a tension free, blissful mother/son relationship.
I knew during my pregnancy that this would be my last baby and I just wanted my body to go into labor naturally. With Lucy, my water had broken at home, with Scarlett, I'd gone into labor on my own, with Isla, we'd gone in to get check out but I was put on Pitocin, with Tess we had a scheduled induction and this round, I just wanted to labor some at home before going to the hospital. I wanted this so bad! These things were not too much to ask!
Covey's official due date was May 25th. I'd had a check up at my OB on May 16th or 17th. It was obvious that baby was plenty big and that we were both plenty ready. He'd ask if I wanted him to do anything to try to help get labor going (strip my membranes). As much as I was ready to meet this baby boy, I told my doctor there was a dance recital that Saturday the 20th and I really wanted to go to it. Isla and Scarlett would both be dancing in it. I needed to see it. Then I could tell the heavens I was ready and I'd go into labor right after the recital. I was sure that was the way it would happen.
Dr Anderson told me he could schedule an induction for me that Sunday, in case I was too miserable to take it anymore. And that sunday would be the 21st. I had him go ahead and call it in just in case but that I still wanted to try to let nature take it's course. It's interesting how attached we get to our birth plan, even with baby number 5 and having learned that you really can't control these things.
We went to the recital. They were so darling! And I was the proudest waddling dance mom. So uncomfortable. But so proud.
Then afterward our dear friends Julie and Mervis Fullmer came with us to eat at this little mexican place on state street in orem. I stepped outside while everyone was having their lunch and I called in to labor and delivery. I scheduled an induction time of 6 AM the following morning. I figured if I wanted to still stick to my non-induced labor plan, I could always call it off. But I wanted the escape option!
Well, we went home afterward and had a typical Saturday evening. Until Scarlett began violently throwing up 11 pm that night. Threw up hard until 4:30 AM. I was up with her allllll night. I called labor and delivery at 3 AM in the middle of that night and cancelled my induction, telling them I
had been up the entire night and wanted to wait until I was rested. Finally got Scarlett resting once the throwing up was done. And then around 6 AM, I started to throw up. It was the absolute worst of the worst! I was having contractions the entire time, in addition to the most violent stomach bug. I was paying hell for all of my wrongs of all of my life! Here's my instagram post from Monday, May 22, 2017.
I went to doctors appointment, huffing and puffing at 9 AM on Monday morning. Body still not fully recovered, energy low, mood foul. He said my urine test showed I was in ketosis and it would be better if I could manage it to go into labor when I had gained my strength back and fully recovered. I was dilated to a 3.5.
The next day was Tuesday, May 23rd. Three years ago today, in fact. My mother and father in law called around 10 AM and said they'd be coming down that afternoon. It was a wonderful announcement to know they were coming even though Isla had been throwing up that day as well and I was so worried about everyone else getting sick, so worried about Jason getting sick and going into labor and him not being able to accompany me, so worried about other people cleaning up my kids throw up while I was in the hospital, so worried about bringing a new baby home to a germ infested cesspool.
They arrived and we spent a few hours together chatting a tidying and it was wonderful to have their company. At around 3:30, I called in to labor and delivery because I'd been having super hard, albeit inconsistent contractions. But they were hard enough to take my breath away. I called and she said I could come in and they would check my dilation and monitor me for an hour or so and see if I was in labor. I didn't really think I was but Linda encouraged me to go over and get checked out. So we kissed our babies around 6:30 pm and headed out the door. We decided to go grab some dinner together and headed to Brassa's for some autentic Mexican food. I cried the whole drive there and the whole dinner because of my baby Tess. I knew what was coming but she didn't. I knew she was going to be ousted as the baby of the family and my heart was so heavy. Even though, that's just the way it goes. I was number 4 of 5 and was ousted at one point, too. I still cried for her.
We got around to checking into labor and delivery at around 8 pm. I was dilated to a 4.5! A centimeter in a day might not seem like a lot but things were definitely progressing. I was still having hard contractions but again, not regular enough to time them. Everyone tells you textbook what it should be like and sometimes it just isn't that way. I sent this pic to my mom and Jason' mom. Everyone was so thrilled. But I still wasn't sure if my body was really doing this or if we'd be sent home for another few hours to sleep.
Here's the pic of the girls I got back from Linda after I'd told them we were all checked in and waiting to see. She said they were dying with excitement and Lucy was all teary. I of course burst into tears upon seeing this. So much emotion.
At around 9 pm, they suggested I walk around for a bit to see if that would help move things along. So Jason and I took to the hospital hallways at about 9:30, just the two of us. We'd been walking for a half hour or so. Everything was so quiet and seemed so empty. So it was a perfect opportunity, my last chance to be a pregnant show girl.
I kid you not, this jovial late night hallway jig sent me right into having a few of the hardest contractions on top of each other that I'd had so far. I had to stop walking, I had to stop talking, they were crazy, crazy hard. We headed back to the room and when they checked me I was at a 5.5 at 10:30 pm. It was a done deal, we were having this baby. So much excitement!
At around 2 AM, I was dilated to about a 7 and got an epidural shortly after. I was at a 9.5 just before 5 AM but for some reason it took 2.5 hours for me to finally dilate to a 10. We think that Covey's head was jammed a little strangely in the birth canal because nothing was happening. My epidural wore completely off and I just sobbed for the last hour or so. Every contraction was so painful and terrifying. They gave me a titch of Pitocin at around 7 AM, I closed my eyes and pleaded a silent, desperate prayer, and I knew the next time they checked me I would be at 10 centimeters and ready to push. I pushed twice maybe and that baby boy came at 7:29 AM on May 24, 2017. He was 8 pounds, 12 ounces, 20 inches long, our biggest baby and looked SO MANLY to me. So very surreal!
The girls couldn't stand being away. They loaded up into the van with Grandma and got to the hospital and Isla threw up all over in the back seat of the van. They had to turn around and go home and were all sobbing so desperate to meet their baby brother. What a nightmare! The next day they tried again and were successful. They'd never been in so much heaven! Everyone was overjoyed at his arrival and to meet him. Nothing quite so divine as the birth of a new baby into a family. 
Tess was feeling especially jubilant! Our family became a family of seven and our lives have never been the same. We love this boy so dearly and are so thankful he was sent to complete our family.
