Tales from the Taylors: He's Here!!

Everett Blair Taylor

Born Thursday September 11, 2014

Riverton, Utah

Rather than having a birth story that took hours, you Everett have a birth story that took a month! Yes, a month! It all started with my 35 week check up appoint with Dr. Twelves on August 13th. She asked me if I wanted her to check and see if I was dilated at all. I said sure and low and behold, she told me I was dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced! I was shocked. She told me that you would probably come in the next week and a half to 2 weeks. She said the goal was to make it to week 37 and that I wouldn't be making it to my due date. My appointment was on a Wednesday. Dr. Twelves was leaving for Lake Powell that Saturday! So I was totally on board for you to come when she got back which would be week 37. When I told Aunt Chelsea about it, she decided that we better take family pictures with me pregnant that Sunday, fearing you would come that next week. Aunt Tiffany had her Dr apt with Dr. Twelves that same week on Thursday. Dr. Twelves told Tiffany that she was dilated to a 3 and 70% effaced. Tiffany was 38 weeks along. And guess what, Aunt Tiffany had Lawson the day after her Dr. Apt. on Friday August 15^th. That made me even more nervous that you would come soon! So I started getting everything ready for your arrival-clothes washed, room decorated, new carpet, carpets cleaned and furniture bought. Well, the weekend came and went and so did another week. I had planned on going up to the Cabin the 23^rd-24^th with Larlie and your aunts. I didn't want to go all the way up to Park City if you were on your way. So I scheduled an apt with Dr. Twelves’ nurse on August 21st. She checked and I was dilated to a 4 and 90% effaced. She said that I was fine to go up to the cabin and walk around the Park City Outlets. So, that is what I did. It was great getting away and having some girl time. I worried with every Braxton Hicks, that you were coming, but luckily you let me enjoy the weekend crafting, chatting and laughing!

When I met with Dr. Twelves at my 37^th week appointment, August 28th she was surprised I was still pregnant. I was too! The Tuesday before my apt I totally thought we were going to the hospital to have you. I was having cramping/contractions that were 60 sec. long and 3 minutes apart. When I got off the couch to finish packing the hospital bag, the contractions slowed and then stopped! WHAT?! False Labor! I had even called 2 neighbors to let them know I might be needing one of them to watch Variah. But, no such luck! You were just testing me. At my Dr appointment, Dr. Twelves measured me and I was the exact same as the week before! Grrr!

At the next appointment, week 38, on the 3^rd of September, I had Dr. Twelves strip my membranes to see if that would help you come. She told me that as far along as I was, she would probably see me that night or by that Saturday. After that appointment, I was dilated to 4 ½ and still 90% effaced. That night I told my Young Women and the leaders about my appointment. They all suggested different things to try to get you here. I tried them all. No such luck! That weekend came and went, and still no arrival by you! At this point I was SUPER frustrated!! I had been told over and over again that you would be coming soon. I would have been a lot more patient if I hadn’t heard any of those promises and predictions!

So needless to say, when I met with Dr. Twelves on Sept. 10, I was DONE being pregnant!! We decided to schedule an induction for the next day Sept. 11. Because we scheduled it the day before, I was 5^th in line to be induced. I was supposed to call the next morning at 9 to see what the schedule was looking like for the day. And depending on how many ladies had gone into labor or not, I might have to be induced on Monday the 15^th or Tuesday the 16^th.

Wednesday night, Sept. 10^th, I went to Young Womens and watched them play some volleyball. After I got home Dad and I put up some green beans in freezer bags and then headed to bed. As we were lying in bed chatting, my contractions started up. It was about 10:45 and the contractions were lots stronger than anything I’d had so far in the pregnancy. Because of the false alarm I’d had before, I got up and started walking around to see if they would stop. They didn’t go away, so we decided to start timing them. Pretty soon they went from 10 minutes apart to 5 minutes apart and pretty strong. I walked from the closet to the bedroom to the kitchen to your bedroom to my bedroom to the closet and all over again. When the contractions would hit I would high step it and march with my knees extra high to combat the pain. I did this when I was pregnant with Variah and it worked pretty well. After walking around for a bit, we called Larlie and told her to get her stuff together and head down to our house. I called Julia Robertson and Brooke Franco. I got a hold of Brooke and she came right over to sit at the house with a sleeping Variah.

Dad and I hopped in the car and drove to Riverton Hospital around 12:30. I had a contraction on the car ride and while we were checking in. After checking me in, they put me in a room where they could monitor your heartbeat and the contractions. They also checked me-I was dilated to a 7 which meant I could be admitted to a delivery room. HOORAY! It was now about 1:00 am.

They got me into a delivery room and called to get my epidural. The contractions were pretty painful and I was hoping that epidural would come soon! The anesthesiologist came for my epidural. He was the same dr. that gave me my epidural for Variah! He only works a couple days/nights a month, so it was amazing we had him again! He was able to give me the epidural around 1:45. He nicked a blood vessel while giving me the epidural, so it took a little longer than normal because he wanted to make sure the needle didn’t slip out because of the bleeding. Luckily it all worked out though. At 2:00 a colleague of Dr. Twelves broke my water and I quickly progressed to a 9. In fact things were going so fast he decided he should stick around in case you decided to come before Dr. Twelves could get there. They called her at 2:10. The nurse decided to give me oxygen because your heart rate wasn't very good at this point. Luckily Dr. Twelves soon got to the delivery room and I was allowed to start pushing. Unfortunately the epidural hadn't fully kicked in, but enough to take the edge off of the contractions. I gave 3 pushes, took a break, pushed for 3 more and then they decided to give me more oxygen. They also decided to use forceps to help get you out. I pushed 3 more times and out you came. The cord was around your neck, you were face up rather than face down and you were a big boy! You were born at 2:35 am, weighing 8 lbs. 13 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. Dad helped cut the cord with Dr. Twelves’ help and then you were off to be measured and checked out. The nurses kept talking about what big hands you had. They also mentioned that the umbilical cord was beautiful-a candy cane looking cord. They cleaned both of us off and then I was able to hold you. I was so happy to have you in my arms finally! We spent the next several hours in the delivery room resting until a postpartum room opened up at 6:30. We stayed at the hospital until Saturday Sept. 13^th. We had visitors from Larlie and Variah, Grandma and Grandpa Taylor and again Larlie, Variah, Pop and Aunt Caitlyn. All of them loved holding you, but Variah loved it the most. Coming to the hospital room for the first time she kept saying “So Excited!” She loves you so much already!! In fact Dad called Larlie at 3:30 just an hour after you were born and she told him that Variah woke up at 2:30 crying. Larlie checked on her and after calming down, Variah asked if Daddy was at work and if Mommy was having a baby! She knew you were entering the world at that moment! You had a connection to her right when you were born!

We sure love you Everett and are so happy to have you as part of our family!