Well, It's been 3 whole years since I lasted wrote.... so that's pretty embarrassing. And as you can imagine, a Heck of a lot as happened! Including the birth of baby #2, Marshall Waite Stratford, and announcement of baby #3! Not to mention graduations, jobs and trips. Pretty much I don't even know where to start, so sadly we'll skip the last 3 years and just write about Marshall's birth story so I have it for my records.
Here goes nothing! But let me tell you, it wasn't nothing. It was painful. It was also amazing! Ok, from the beginning:
Marshall was conceived... jk not that far back.
So Marshall stayed cooped up in the womb all the way until 40 weeks and 2 days. I was totally shocked about this because I'd been taking progesterone injections since week 16 to prevent preterm labor so I thought at 36 weeks (when I stopped) I'd go into labor! But I guess the crummy, painful things worked.
Marshall was born on Tuesday August 15th 2017. And it's been a whole year! so happy birthday Little Marsh! I started having painful contractions, not very far apart, on Friday night that lasted for like 2 hours! Then went away through the night. It was so weird. Saturday morning they continued. We decided to go in because I have no idea what I'm doing, and I was dilated to a 2.5-3 still so they sent me home. My dad sympathized with me and said, if you were here we would have just let you get started! That would have been nice, but I endured these painful contractions all through Sunday when people encouraged me to go in again. I was so embarrassed because I hate getting sent away, but better safe than sorry, I guess.
Also everyone says, your contractions will be strong and consistent. Well when I was actually ready to be there, they totally weren't consistent! They'd go for a while then stop for like 20 minutes. So I was definitely confused. Don't trust anything when it comes to pregnancy! I swear everything goes, and labor DOESN'T have to be consistent. Also my contractions felt totally different than the ones with carter! With carter they were definitely more endurable. I felt like I could have gone to the end, which I almost did. They were painful, but more in a super crazy knock the wind out of me way. These contractions felt like this extreme, horrid period cramp from hell! Seriously I was like, I've never felt this, what the heck is happening! So much pain. I totally sound like a wimp, but I thought my pain tolerance wad pretty high until these things. They were just so different and with carter and Marshall both, I was in labor for like 3 days before I actually was admitted (in Marshall's case) and decided to go check it out (in carters case).
Anyways, We decided to go in again Sunday night. I think my dear mother in law was in town and waited with the boys while they slept. I think I hadn't made any progress so We got sent home AGAIN around 1 or 2. I was super embarrassed so all of Monday I was totally dying and needed to go in and wasn't sure If my water was leaking or anything so finally all my friends convinced me to go back in Monday night. You guys, I went in 3 times! You would have thought I'd known more, but apparently not! My mom made it to town by Monday and I was finally admitted and at 5cm! Thank the freaking heavens.
They broke my water, and I got an epidural at like 6cm and I was dying haha oh man. But after that it was smooth sailing! It was totally awesome. I just rested and wasn't in pain and was totally comfortable. The epidural was great, I could still move my legs a bit and was able to still feel as much as I needed to. I think after the epidural it took like 2 hours before I was ready to start. So by the time I was admitted it took like 4-5 hours to see baby marsh. It was so crazy, I totally felt this weird pressure like something was sinking or moving down and I was like, "Wo! something just happened." and the nurses checked and said, yep you're ready to push! I thought, Hah! this is insane! such a different experience than with carter. so everything was totally fine up until that moment, then I laid back to get ready to push and they said, "ok go ahead!" And I just couldn't. I got sooooo nauseous all the sudden! I thought, oh shoot I'm gonna barf. And I think I mentioned that I was going to throw up and they got me a bag and I totally tossed my cookies all over! Not to go into top much gruesome detail, but this is birth we're talking about here so I will anyway. I'm such a gross thrower upper! For some reason The acid like closes my throat and since it also came out my nose I totally can't breathe so I just make this terrible gasping for air sound, like I"m dying. Preston always gives me extreme concern when it happens. Everyone just keeps asking, are you ok? can you breathe? and I choked out, "No." but then started to calm down. I guess it didn't help that I was on my back. Anyways, It was so gross. I just kept apologizing and they said, it's ok its actually pretty common. I thought, what the heck, really, I've never heard of it happening. But, that was pretty much the only thing that was unexpected. After that I pushed for 4 times for 10 seconds each and out popped Marshall! They just put him on my chest it was the weirdest thing of my life! I mean, It was amazing and I was just kind of in shock like, that was insanely easy and this baby just came out of me. It's kind of sad that it's never really been this huge emotional experience meeting the babies. I mean, with carter it was a totally different, exhausting emotional rollercoaster. With Marshall, I was emotional because my emotions are crazy, and I was just so incredibly happy to see him but mostly it was just shocked at the whole thing! It's amazing! Like, that seriously just happened! haha oh man. I remember it vividly. Such a funny feeling. The joy and confusion. It was awesome. I honestly don't remember what Preston's reaction was, I think he cried.. but he was just super excited and laughed like he does when he's super happy. He was awesome throughout and was just such a comfort to have there. I don't think I could or ever want to be in labor without him.
So, there was Marshall! So dang little. I guess they moved us into another room at some point and It was a lot of exhaustion and baby crying and no sleep for us. But we were so in love with him! He was/is the most perfect little baby.
When carter came in to see him, it was the cutest thing of my life. He was so excited and just kept saying, I love him! and he was so incredible sweet and would sing to him and tell him stories and put his head on him and tell him he loves him. Oh my gosh he's always been the best brother. I'm so grateful Marshall has him to look up to. He's always been awesome with Marshall and such a good helper. Also, my mother in law came to see him, and well as my parent's. My dad is awesome and will always be there when we need him. He could only come for like that day, and he drove up anyway. Seriously if I said, "Dad can you pick us up and take us to beaver?" he would drive all the way up to get us. (I know because it's happened.) Thanks dad, love you! We finally went home after a couple days and it was kind of rough. Marshall was having a hard time nursing and every time we'd try, he would scream for an hour before he could latch. I would just sob because it was so stressful and at one point carter was having a melt down and I was like, "mom I can't do this!" and was just sobbing. I'm so glad she was there. I literally would have died without her. She made life the easiest it could possibly be with a new baby, meals. clean house, playing with carter, etc. She stayed until Friday, and when she left I just cried. Carter told me, "It's ok mom, I'll help you." and I just died. he's just so in tune, the bless-ed little child. So I'm grateful for that sweet dude. But after about a week Marshall got the nursing down and it's been great every since! Totally a different experience from carter. It was so easy and so quick and I loved it. I'm actually trying to wean him now and it makes me want to cry. I'm so sad. I just want to be able to go on a trip with Preston before the new baby, and he's never taken a bottle and part of me needs space with this pregnancy, but part of me doesn't want to stop nursing him.. so I don't know. It makes me sad. I don't know what I'm doing.
Back to the birth, even though the first week was pretty rough, ever since Marshall was born I was just so happy! It was summer and we'd go outside and play and I just totally adored him. He was like this little ray of light that brought me so much joy. Immediately I thought, I can do this again, this is awesome! which was so different for me. Not that I didn't feel that way with carter, I love him with my whole soul, but the newborn experience was such a different one for me. I was also extremely blessed to be living where we were and surrounded by such amazing friends and neighbors. It felt like such a breeze! The transition was so much easier and I loved it. obviously there were ups and downs, but that baby just fills my soul. Seriously. I think Heavenly Father did that on purpose because he's been a lot more challenging in all the other ways haha. (love him but, seriously its true.)
But, man I love those boys. I'm terrified to have another, and feel like I'm totally in over my head, but I know I'll figure it out because I know Heavenly Father's hand has fully in the transitions with having both my babies and just in my life in general and Iv been super blessed. We can do this! Yay babies! ok I'm done. I'm just in an excited mood today!
That's is, that's the story! 1 year later! :)
Marshall, we love you with all the fiery passion of our beings!
