Two weeks after the fact!

I have been meaning to write to let you know I am not still pregnant. Thank goodness! I did in fact have our baby and he surprised us by coming ten days early. I had gone to the doctor on December 7th and the plan was to be induced on the 11th. Marshall had it all set up to have substitutes take over his classes that day and the following Monday and we felt organized. My doctor stripped my membranes that day and I had been at a 2, but we didn't think anything would happen. Famous last words...

That night Anna had a piano recital at a local assisted living place. I soon discovered what it feels like to have one's water burst. I felt a pop while sitting and a bit of discomfort, but nothing else so I sat through the rest of the recital. It wasn't until I stood up at the end to go that the flood gates opened and I realized my water had broken, all over the nice new couch of this new facility. I guess I had been sitting just right to keep it from leaking out. I quickly sat back down, which stopped the flow, and texted Marshall about what had happened as we were on other sides of the room. I told him to find someone that worked there ASAP so they could be made aware of the mess. Meanwhile, I tried to sit calmly and talk to other parents and keep the kids happy while they we were wondering where Marshall was. Once Marshall showed up again with someone I told Anna's piano teacher, who I was talking to, that my water had broken and I needed to go. I then made me way out to the van in a soaking messy trail of fun. So much water!!! The kids were jumping up and down, super excited around me.

We dropped the kids off at home, I changed clothes, and we headed to the hospital. When we got there we found out I was at a 5 and there would be no sending me home. Labor started to really kick into gear and Marshall was good enough to answer all the millions of registration questions while I tried to breathe through contractions. I wanted an epidural with this one since I have only had one with my other deliveries, but the anesthesiologist was in an emergency c-section. By the time he arrived and gave me the epidural, it was time to push. Everyone was a little surprised at how fast it all happened, except for Marshall and I since we know how fast I go. I never did get the effects of the drugs, but it did make for a quicker recovery. Hyrum David McConkie was born at 9:33 pm on December 7th. He was our smallest baby at 6lbs. 10 oz. and 19 1/2 inches. It was good he was smaller since the little monkey came posterior. He did have some distress due to meconium in his lungs, but they were able to get him cleaned out and breathing well. Whew!

We love Hyrum. We choose to name him after Marshall's third great-grandfather, Hyrum Smith. Marshall has always liked that name, which I didn't know. Plus after playing Hyrum in the Joseph Smith Story play this summer, Marshall felt an even closer connection to his ancestor. As for David, we liked the flow of the name. Interestingly enough, Joseph Smith told Emma to name his last baby, who was born after he was martyred, after Hyrum. She named him David Hyrum. And now we have the reverse. We are just geeks like that, I suppose.

Hyrum is a mellow boy and very patient with all the loving and holding he gets from his siblings.  He is one strong little guy who likes to look and move around. The nurses at the hospital were surprised at how active and strong he is. I had the added fun to my recovery of getting a bladder infection, but now am doing a lot better. Having a baby at 36 is an adventure! Marshall and I have decided we are old and adjusting to a new born is a lot more difficult than we remember. But we are soaking in every moment with this sweet boy that we can. His siblings, especially his older sisters, are all good helpers. I am still amazed that he is here and healthy. He truly is a miracle. God is merciful.