Hayes Pierce Mullins

Our special surprise, Hayes Pierce, joined our family a week ago today.  Just as he surprised us back in January, his delivery was just as much a surprise.

Let's back up---Wednesday, Sept 5th was my last doctor's apt.  I went in thinking we would be induced early in the following week.  Due to my doctor's schedule the earliest she could induce would be Friday the 14th.  I was sooo disappointed because I was dilated to a '3 almost 4' and 50% effaced---and she wanted me to last until Friday the 14th??    She did not think I would make it to the 14th, but we left that apt scheduled for the next Friday.  I was a little nervous about making it to Friday so thankfully Matt's mom and sister came to stay with us until Hayes arrived.  We didn't know if they would be here a few days or a solid week, but they came and I was very thankful.  Being so far from family here in SA, it brought me so much comfort knowing that if I did go into labor the kids were taken care of.

I have had contractions for weeks now.  All day, everyday.  Nothing that I felt I needed to bust out the timer for, but contractions all the time.  Some contractions were way worse than others, but as soon as I would start to think maybe I should time them, they would stop or lighten up.

Sunday, September 9th---It was a normal Sunday morning.  I got up and got the kids ready for church.  Matt, Karen, Melissa, and the kids left for church and I stayed home.  (I haven't gone to church in a few weeks now because I am SO miserable sitting in those chairs for that period of time.  Matt has been so good about taking the kids without me).  I got ready for the day because I was going to meet everyone for a late breakfast after church.  I felt great and was not having any contractions.

Our last family of 5 picture taken at breakfast.

We had a great breakfast at the Magnolia Pancake Haus--delicious!  We even joked while we were there that it was so good that I would take it as my last meal before having Hayes.  Oh if we had only known...  Once we got home most of us went to take a nap and Matt worked outside in the yard.  I wasn't able to fall asleep for some reason...just rested.  About 2:30 I noticed I was having regular contractions.  Never timed them, but they were coming pretty steady and more painful than I had experienced before.  At 3:00 I went outside and told Matt I was having contractions and that we'd wait an hour (thank God we didn't wait an hour) and if they continue we should probably go on to the hospital.  Some of you remember my experience with Harper and how traumatic it was for me, so there was no way I was going to risk having an experience like that again.  No joke it wasn't 15 minutes later that I knew we needed to go on to the hospital.  It was like I went from a 4-5 on the pain scale to a 7 in minutes.  I went and told Matt to come on in and shower.  Melissa, who is a labor and delivery nurse in Plano, was so sweet and so helpful.  I could tell she thought we needed to get to the hospital and was pretty serious about it.  Once we left the house, I still didn't know if this was "it", but off we were headed to the hospital.  I never wanted to be that person who goes to the hospital only to get sent home.  In the car my contractions were getting worse and worse.  We live literally 5 minutes from the hospital, so Matt dropped me off at the ER and they wheeled me up to the 2nd floor of Labor and Delivery.  By this point I'm guessing my contractions were 2 minutes apart and intense---as in take your breath away intense.  The nurses were fantastic and super quick.  I had a team of probably 5 people working on me.  They got me changed and in bed quickly and started the IV, monitors, and took my blood to get the epidural under way.  (They require to test your platelets before you can get the epidural and that takes about 10 minutes).  I was at a 4 and 100% effaced.  At this point I was in PAIN.  Horrific pain.  My contractions were getting closer and closer and more and more painful with each passing one.  Deep down I knew I was going to have this baby with no medication and that terrified me.  A few minutes later I was feeling so much pressure so she checked me again and I was at a 6.  Finally, and what seemed like forever, the 10 minutes were up and I was able to get my epidural.  Problem was---I needed to push and BAD.  The nurse checked me again and I was at a 10 and he was coming OUT.  Thankfully they had called the doctor on call and she was there and ready to catch my sweet boy.  At 4:14 Hayes Pierce Mullins arrived with a head full of dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a sweet, sweet cry....and his mama did not have a lick of pain medication.  UNREAL that I went natural AGAIN.  From the time they got me hooked up to the monitors to delivery was 18 minutes.  Unbelievable--that still blows my mind.   Hayes weighed 7lbs 9oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.  Absolutely perfect.  We did not have our cameras or our bags--NADA.  The plan was to come up and get me settled in and then Matt would go back to the car & grab our belongings....Ummmm didn't happen.  This was total dejavu of Harper's birth.  Equally painful and traumatic to me---the only difference was it was FAR faster, Oh and that one small detail---we had a doctor and nurses in the room when he was born...what a difference that makes.

My first time to hold him after delivery...I was in such shock that that really happened.  I think I said a hundred times "I can't believe that just happened."

Thank goodness for our IPHONES because we did not have our cameras.

We made calls to family and of course no one could believe that he was here already.  Especially after that family of 5 picture we had taken a few short hours before.  Karen and Melissa got the kids ready to come up and visit us.  I still was in a state of shock for many hours after Hayes came.

So blessed, and so unbelievably thankful for these miracles I am surrounded by.

Watching Hayes get his first bath.  Biggest Brother, Bigger Sister, and Big Brother.

Gotta love these goofy grins--

One of the many outtakes.

Love those little tippy toes.

Matt taking a picture of the kids from inside.  Aren't they cute?

All clean...so beautiful.

 Our hospital stay was great.  They took great care of us and we enjoyed our alone time with Hayes.  He is so precious, so perfect.  We had many, many visitors while we were in the hospital.  I'll have to do another blog post for that.  I figured my first post would just be with our family. 

I still cannot believe I had him so fast and natural at that.  I am not one for natural childbirth.  It is not my thing at all.  I love my inductions and the peacefulness that comes along with no pain.  I am so thankful we went to the hospital when we did.  I cannot let my mind 'go there' when I think about if we had waited.  Come to find out my water had broken and Hayes dropped down and plugged it up so I never experienced a gush.  It does explain why my contractions went from minor to delivery in no time.

We are all crazy about our Hayesie boy.  Holton has done fantastic.  Hasn't been the least bit jealous and has been so adorable with Hayes.  He has been so sweet and cares so much about 'baby'.

How is life being a family of 6??  Well, I can't honestly say.  I'm on survival mode.  I am sooo exhausted that I might be cross-eyed.  My mom has been here all week which has been wonderful.  Matt's family will come on Tuesday.  Papa hasn't met him yet.  The help has been great and we are so appreciative.  The following week will be our first go at real life as a family of 6.

As unbelievably tired as I am, I could never express how thankful my heart is.  It truly is as if Hayes was always meant to be apart of us.  I don't know how we ever lived without him.  I could never express how much I love this baby boy.  I just didn't know that he was the missing piece of our Mullins clan.  When I see Hudson, Harper, and Holton with him--It really does bring tears to my eyes.  They love Hayes so much.  It's a precious sight.

I am thankful for my easy, healthy pregnancy, a safe delivery with a doctor, and most importantly a healthy baby boy.