My favorite Little Preschooler



Cy started his first day of 2nd year preschool yesterday. He's been so eager to go to school since Ryker has been going for almost 2 weeks now. So he was beyond thrilled to go. He's going to the same preschool that he did last year. But for 2nd year preschoolers they go Mon, Wed and Fri from 9:00am-11:30am. His teacher is Mrs. Eggett and for some reason he calls her "Sister" (I think I've mentioned this once before). 

I don't know if it's because we have a newborn in the house, but Cyrus seems so grown up to me the last few days. Ya know those moments that you have when you realize how big your kids are? Yes, I have had a few of those this week.

Cy is in fun stage right now. When he puts his mind to it he can be quite productive.
I have been loving his sweet little voice. I wish I could freeze time and make him stay where he is. He talks really well, but there are a few words that we find funny the way he says them.
For example, he calls hand sanitizer.....Hanzitizer.
The... da
Cute... coot
Just little things like that make me wanna just eat him. Haha. He's constantly telling us how cute the baby is. "Da baby's so koot, Da baby's so koot.... Our baby's still so koot."

Cy you're the "koot" one. We love that you are in our family. It truly wouldn't be the same without you.

1 week old

 

Here we are a week later from birth. Can I just say the last week has gone by so must faster than the week and a half I waited for him after the due date? Why is that? Haha.

 

It's been a good, stressful anew eventful week.

 

Sunday (9/6) we hung out in the morning together before church. I was staying home but Jesse took the boys to our friend's (The Seaman's) baby blessing. But before they left I took a little video of Fynn while he was sleeping and caught the biggest smile of him dreaming. Oh it just melts your heart seeing that big grin, 

 Once the boys were gone it was just Fynnick and I to hang out. I gave him his first bath at home and he didn't mind it too much.

I do have to admit that I just love to stare at him while he's nursing. His hands are always posing and he just has the sweetest look on his face. Especially when he's awake.  This one time I thought his hand was so cute with his fingers all spread. He got Jesse's hands for sure. All of our boys have Jesse's hands and ears.

 That night we went to the Smith's to celebrate Sterling's 4th birthday (and now Fynn's birthday as well). But we had to compare Fynncik and Genevieve side by side. Funny how they had due dates one day apart and they ended up being 3 weeks apart. But Fynn is still bigger than Evie is. Which for her sake is a good thing. Better to have the girls more petite and the boys more solid.

Anyway, we had a hard time getting a good picture of them together. They both just weren't having it. So this is the best that we can do for the time being. I'm sure there will be plenty of them together in the future.

 

Monday (9/7) was Labor Day. Andrew came over to help Jesse in the bathroom. I just hung around all day trying to update the blog and feed Fynn. Feeding him is rather time consuming right now. But that's expected. And I really don't mind. I just find that I want to hold him all the time and just stare at him. When I was trying to blog I just wanted to still hold him, but needed to type. So this was my solution. Yes it may have cut the circulation off to my leg, but I didn't care because this little man has me wrapped around his pinky toe. Oh I just love him so much. 

 

I have to admit that I was a little worried that I wouldn't have enough room in my heart to love another child. But my heart found plenty of room and it's oozing with love for this guy. I've almost turned into a psycho protective mother. I have to remind myself that it's ok to let other people hold him, that is after I pretty much make them bathe in hand sanitizer (or as Cyrus calls it hanzitizer).   

 Tuesday (9/8) I took Fynnick down to our photographer's house in London to get pictures taken of him. And boy was that a longer and stressful process than I imagined could be. We were there for almost 4 hours. Trying to get him to sleep and pose him in all these sweet positions. It was hard to get him to corporate. But I think we got some really sweet ones. Can't wait to see how they turned out.

 Wednesday (9/9) I took this picture of him right after I had fed him in the morning. It makes me giggle. He looks like he's lost in thought. haha

 Then early afternoon we went to the doctor to get him circumcised. I'm glad we did it but it's stressful for me dealing with it until it heals.

 

We have a new pediatrician because our old one retired. Which is just so sad. He was the best pediatrician. This new one seems good, but I'm having a hard time with him. He wasn't trained on how to do the Gomco way of circumcision, only the PlastaBell way. And we have had both of them done, but the Gomco way was SOOO much better. So I wanted to do that way again, But because Dr Sabey wasn't trained in it we went with the PlastaBell way and so far I wish we would have had another doctor do it the Gomco way. It's going to take 10-14 days for it to heal. And right now it just looks horrible. I really hope it turns out ok. I worry about it.

This whole week I feel like I have been so worried about every little thing. Worried he's choking when he spits up. Worried he's not getting enough breast milk. Worried he's getting a cold from Ryker or me. Worried about his circumcision. Gaaaa.... I can't wait for that part of me to chill out. I'm sure Jesse can't wait either.

The first week or two of a newborn's life is almost cruel. Such a rough adjustment for these little ones coming from the cozy warm womb.

 

But here we are at a week old. Kinda fun. Our family really can't get enough of him. He's so sweet and brings a sweet spirit into our home.

 

Speaking of sweetness. I have to brag about how I have the best husband. So because I get up every 4 hours through the night to feed Fynn. Jesse ha been getting up with Ryker to get him ready and off to school. That way I can sleep in. And when I get up he's got the kitchen all cleaned up and the dishes all done. I mean come on. He's the greatest. Plus he works on the bathroom with every spare moment that he has.

 

It's been so wonderful having him home. He took 3 sick days for his last "go" and then now he's on his 6 day break right now. Tomorrow morning he's leaving for St. George to spend the weekend canyoneering with his dad and brothers. I'm super happy for him to go because I think he deserves it for all the hard work he has done. The poor thing hasn't really had much chance to play this summer. I'll be honest though, I am going to miss him this weekend. It'll be the first test to juggle the 3 boys all on my own. Eek. Wish me luck.  

Going Home

Friday (9/4)

We aren't the ones that like to stay in the hospital longer than we have to. Our insurance covers up to 48 hours, but we wanted to be headed home within 24. Some people think we are crazy because they like to take advantage of not being home. But it is just so uncomfortable. Jesse's "bed"  is just not cozy for him and I can't handle laying in a hospital bed. I ached for my own bed. Before we could leave though Fynn had to pass a few more tests and get bathed.

 

 

 

Heidi had the boys Thursday into Friday morning and after she dropped Ryker off at school she met my mom to drop of Cy to her. My mom had mentioned to me the night before that after she got Cy she would come back up to the hospital with Cy to visit.

 

It was time to bathe Fynn so Jesse and I went into the nursery to do that. Well actually Jesse did the bathing while I took pictures.

 

Then with perfect timing my mom showed up with Cy and Chan. So they got to watch him get bathed the rest of the way. 

He's all clean and relaxed.

 

After all that was said and done we went back to our room. When Cy saw me he patted my now 5 month looking belly and asked "Are we having anudder baby?"

 

I reassured him no.

 

"Well, it looks like we are having anudder baby."

 

Yes. Yes it does. Thankfully that'll go away with time.

 

Oh the innocent comments of a 4 1/2 year old. Anyway, once we got to our room Cy wanted to hold "Da baby". And I thought it was just so sweet that he wanted to so badly and that he was just loving it. He held him for a few minutes and then declared "I'm Done!" Thankfully he didn't just toss him like a toy that he's done playing with. He waited for us to take Fynn. I do love this sweet picture of them together. I really was so curious how Cy was going to act with new baby brother. But he just absolutely LOVES him and can't get enough of him.

 

(I can't count how many times I have heard Cyrus say or sing "Da baby's so coot, Da baby's so coot" since we have been home.)  

 



 Around lunch time my friend Candice brought us some lunch. She is so kind, thoughtful and generous to do that. I felt bad though when she came because I was nursing Fynn and about the same time a midwife came to check me and see how my bleeding and such was coming along. Then another nurse came in to get my vitals and another to get Fynn's vitals. So at one point Candice had to hang out in the bathroom. And before I knew it she had to leave. I felt so bad that we didn't really get to talk much.

I got cleared to go home and we were waiting on one more test on Fynn. Then we could go. Oh man were we anxious to get out of there. But when we finally were in our truck driving home at 5:30pm we were SO happy.

 We got home around 6:00 and had lots of visitors. Andrew and Emily brought us dinner. My parents brought us the boys. Then Tyson and Jessica came to visit as well. I loved having everyone there for the support but it was also a bit chaotic. But that's ok I'd rather it be that way because it shows how much we are loved by our family.

The boys brought me flowers and balloons and the look on their faces as they came through the front door was priceless. They were so excited to see us home and to give me these gifts. Man I am so lucky to have these boys. I know I say that all the time. But I really am so blessed. 

Going to bed that night was so welcoming. Oh it felt so good to lay with some heat on my back and to be in my own bed, What is it about your own bed being such a comfort? But I was extra grateful for my bed at that moment. I felt like I could heal faster being home. I could actually relax.

Home really is sweet and there is no place like it.

Fynnick's Debut Story

Thursday(9/3)

 

After talking to the hospital on the phone, I started to get ready, eat breakfast and gather the last of the toiletries that I would need. Throughout this whole time I was having contractions. Again, nothing consistent. But I liked it. I felt better about going in to be "induced" when I had already made my own progress.

 

Once Heidi arrived, Jesse and I were on our way. Still feeling very surreal that we would be having a baby by the end of the day. We were running a little bit late, so Jesse dropped me off at the front door and I went to check in while he parked the truck.

 

When I got to the Labor and Delivery Desk to check in they informed me that they were running behind and that they wanted me to come back in a half an hour. Because they got busy they can push back the girl who is being induced. But I told them that I had been having contractions. So they found a spare room for me.

 

Jesse came up to the room and we waited for someone to come and admit us. Because they were busy the Nurse Manager was the one that got us all settled. She was really nice too. 

 

They wanted to get me hooked up to an IV as soon as possible because I needed to get my antibiotics for the Group B Strep that I had this pregnancy. The Nurse Manager said that she was a little out of practice to start and IV and that he was going to go grab someone to do it. But then she asked Jesse if he wanted to do it (She had learned that he was a paramedic earlier). So he went ahead and did it. He had it all hooked up by the time the other nurse (who was going to do it) came in. I thought that was kinda cool that he got to do that for me.  

 

We got all settled and hooked up to the monitors, then Sandea came in to check how I was doing. I had made some progress. I finally was 80% thinned out and dilated to a 3. Wahoo. So this little man was coming that day no matter being induced or not.

 

They let me labor on my own for awhile before they gave me Pitocin. And that was for about 6 hours (12:30pm). At that point I was dilated to a 4. Kinda slow progress. So they started the Pitocin with a low dose and then Sandea came in to break my water. When she broke it she found that there was meconium in the fluid. She told me that might cause a problem with the baby if he doesn't cry when he first comes out. So they would have the respiratory people there on the other side of the curtain waiting just in case there was a problem.

 

My contractions were still not very consistent so they gave me some more Pitocin. After that the contractions started to get more intense and we decided to just start the epidural. By the time the Anesthesiologist came in the second dose of Pitocin combined with my water broken and having to sit up cross legged the contractions were right on top of each other and REALLY intense. I had Jesse, Sandea and the nurse Jessyka right there talking me through it.

 

I was so relieved when the epidural finally kicked in. After getting me all settled with the epidural and catheter, Sandea checked me and I was already at a 6. Wahoo. Sandea couldn't believe the progress I was making because of how inconsistent my contractions were acting. But for whatever reason I was making progress.

 

Around 2:30 Jesse called his mom (who was picking up Ryker from school) and asked if Ryker wanted to come up to the hospital for when the baby was born. Ryker was hesitant because he was invited to go with Cy and Sterling to a bounce house place for Sterling's birthday. Jesse told him to think about it and to call him back. When they talked again Ryker had decided to come up. I guess Heidi told Ryker that he'll always have the chance to go to a bounce house, but not have the chance to be there when the baby is born.

 

They got there around 3:15 and we talked for a little bit until Sandea came in to check me. They pulled the curtain aside so Ryker would be out of sight. And much to my surprise when Sandea checked me I was ready to push. Ryker got there at the perfect time. They had him stay on the other side of the curtain while I was pushing. Thankfully Heidi stayed to be with him. She told me later that he was just jumping up and down with excitement. At one point I heard him tell me "Push the baby out mama". Haha.



One of the nurses brought in a mirror for me to watch the birth. With my first two boys I didn't have a desire to watch it, but I went with it this time and really glad that I did. It was really quite cool.

 

The other cool part was after Sandea got the head out and the one shoulder she let Jesse deliver him the rest of the way and cut the chord. He was born at 3:36pm.

 

They then put him on my chest and he wasn't crying. So they had to take him away. But right as they grabbed him he started to cry. But they had to still take him just to make sure.

 

 But because Ryker was on that side and was able to see the baby.

 Once everything checked out they were able to bring him over to me to do skin-to-skin. He was acting so frustrated and nothing was soothing him. So they decided to have him latch on. He latched on instantly. For over an hour I got to have him skin-to-skin.

All the while Sandea was trying to deliver the placenta. Usually it just comes out slowly. But this one was acting very stuck. It took almost 40 minutes to deliver it. From what Jesse told me later, Sandea was really pushing on my uterus to loosen it. But it just wasn't coming. When I finally came out, it had ripped. So she had another doctor come in and feel up inside me to make sure all of the placenta was out. He said that it was. Because he had to reach up inside me to feel around, they gave me some antibiotics to make sure there wasn't an infection that could occur.

(As a little side note, again Sandea made it so I didn't tear or have to get any stitches. She is just amazing. It makes recovery so much better.)

So that whole time, Ryker was on the other side of the curtain just eager to come over and be with us. We didn't want him coming over while Sandea was delivering the placenta. He doesn't need to be traumatized by seeing that. I didn't even want to watch it.

After skin-to-skin was over and I was all cleaned up and taken care of is when they weighed and measured him. I was so eager to find out how big he was considering how over due he was. Results are as follows:

Weight: 8lbs 8oz
Height: 20.5inches

And we decided to name him Fynnick Rees Smith.

Heidi had left for a little while to go and pick up Cyrus and bring him back. Mike had arrived in the mean time and meet Fynn as well. We all got to be in the delivery room for a bit,  but after we finished up in there they wheeled me over to the maternity room with my little family following and Jesse's parents.

When we were all settled that's when we took our first family photo together. What a lucky girl I am to have been blessed with these 3 sweet boys and the best husband any woman could dream of.

My mom arrived to meet new baby Fynnick and was so sweet to bring us dinner. Oh we were so hungry so it was very much welcomed and devoured.

Mike and Heidi left and took the boys with them. Thank goodness for moms and mom-in-laws.  They were so willing to do everything that could to take care of the Ryker and Cyrus. What a blessing to have family around that will help us out when we need it.

After everyone left, Jesse and I were left to ourselves to relax(as much as you can in a maternity room). Jesse was excited that the First Utah football game was on.

During the night I had the nurses take Fynnick two times in between feedings so that we could get a little bit of rest.

When they brought him back to me after the first time he was acting very alert and aware. They said that he had spit up some amniotic fluid. This part always scares me because it's just nerve racking to see them gagging on it. He did it one or two more times when he was with us.

I snapped this picture of him after I had fed him. Jesse was asleep on the couch and I was up staring at this new babe. Already in love with him.

Emotional Decision

Wed(9/2)

I received a text from Sandea Tuesday morning asking me how I was doing and to tell me that I needed to go in to see her. She was asking me a few questions like if I wanted to go ahead with the induction scheduled for Thursday? Or to go in for more testing? I told her I wasn't sure what to do. So she suggested that I go into the office to see her Wed morning before she started to see her other patients.

 

I went in hoping that I had made some further progress because I had been having some contractions. But nothing consistent. I really just felt like I was having a heavy period. I met with Sandea and she checked my cervix. At first she said I was still at a 1. But then she said that she'd give me a 2. A very small 2. And there still wasn't any thinning.

 

Blah. 10 days past due and still nothing. As we sat and talked about what our game plan should be, we ultimately decided that we should go ahead with the induction Thursday morning. Sandea reassured me that everything would be ok and that I was at a point that would be good to induce.

 

I left the office super emotional. I called Jesse and just burst into tears. I just was feeling so sad that it had to come to this point. Not only had I waited so patiently for him to come and now I was having to be induced. Which is something that I just am against. And here I am going through with it. Also another thing was Thursday (9/3) is my nephew, Sterling's birthday. And I just struggled with the idea of them sharing the same birthday, Especially since I was choosing to make it happen that way.

 

When I got home, Jesse was home from work and he was able to calm me and help me see the good in all this. He reminded me that I had had a healthy pregnancy and the baby was healthy. Also that back in the day Mother's and baby's would and could die because of overdue babies. And that with overdue babies there can be a lot more complications during labor. So with all that in mind it helped settle my soul. That's one of the things that I just love about Jesse, he always has words of wisdom to share and he knows how to make someone feel at ease.

 

Well for the rest of the day we went boating with my family. Why not right? I had nothing else to do and I hadn't been able to go all summer with them. So why not go when I'm 10 days over due? Haha.

 

My parents had picked up Cy for me that morning before I left to see Sandea, so after Jesse and I talked things out we drove up to the lake to meet my family up there.    

 Even though I couldn't participate (mainly because I couldn't fit a large life jacket around me haha) I still had so much fun just being in the sun with my family. And besides it was the perfect distraction that I needed to keep my mind off of everything.

 Cute brave little Cy wanted to go knee boarding. He gets out there without hesitation. Jesse would go out there to get him started but once the boat started going Jesse let's go and Cy goes by himself. My dad drives the boat around in a circle so we can stay close to Jesse. I loved watching Cy out there just loving it. Smiling ear to ear and waving at us.

And of course, can't go without tube time.

Jesse left earlier than the rest of us so that he could go pick up Riker from school. He met up with us later to pick us up and help put the boat away.

By this point I wasn't feeling so good. I was feeling like I was having major period cramps and had a few contractions here and there. So I was hoping it was the start of something,

We went home that night and I was having contractions every 4-5 minutes. But as the night went on, the spread apart to 7-8 minutes and eventually 11-13 minutes apart. To the point that I was falling asleep. I thought maybe I could go into labor that night. But nope.

I didn't even get a good night's sleep even because I would have a contraction and it would wake me up about every hour. And I couldn't even get comfortable. I ended up sleeping on the couch because I didn't want to keep Jesse up.

Around 6am I called the hospital to find out what time they wanted me there for induction. They told me 7am. So I called Heidi and she came out to take care of the boys.