the Harvie Family: We Welcome with Love

Kyler Hayden Harvie

7.8.14 @ 2:19pm

9 lbs. 2 oz.

20 inches

A Birth Story:

Round three was not like the other two. This was neither good nor bad but instead different. We decided that we would keep the gender of this little one a surprise. After all, we had a boy and a girl so this one was simply a tie breaker. Besides, who doesn't like a good surprise anyway? Right from the get go, we both felt we were having a boy. I did have a few dreams I was having a girl but my overall gut visioned lots of blue. Roderick was desperate for a brother and I really wanted that for him. Mckenna has Kiki and Mara next door and Roderick always feels a bit, well, left out. You can only play so much house. Being the "dad" can be exhausting.

This pregnancy was also different in that I was much less anxious this time around. I did end up getting gestational diabetes for the third time but not until the last trimester (I had it by 14 weeks with Mckenna). I also had nothing planned for this baby… no clothes, no crib, no bedroom. I am a huge planner so for me, this was not typical. I don't think I had the time to plan, as I was so busy teaching 5th grade at Somerset a few days a week, working at the Co Op in Roderick and Mckenna's classroom and just doing the day to day mom stuff. Although I felt stretched thin most of the time, I think it was all good for me. Really good.

The biggest difference this time around was the delivery. I knew I had to be induced at 39 weeks. No problem. My body responds well to pitocin and this was to be my third time (no sweat). The day before my induction, Dr. Lawler softened my cervix. I thought I was going to go into labor right then and there and I wanted to. It was 7-7-14! My friend Orser's birthday and a great day to be born (7+7= 14- ha) I ended up going home just shy of midnight and coming back early the next morning as scheduled on July 8th.

I was induced at 6:30 am and by 1:30pm, I had my epidural and was pushing. This was about to be the shortest labor yet! I was thrilled… until… he got stuck. Yep, thats right. He was face up (posterior) and not coming out without being injured, even with broken clavicles. My doctor said the words "c section" and I panicked. I was crying, scared and completely devastated that I had to go to the operating room. I remembering shouting that I didn't want a c section and that I could just push him out as I did the others. I also remember my doctor saying loud and clear, " this is not about you. This is about your baby."

He was right. And I knew it. This is just one of the many sacrifices I will make for Kyler and I am happy to do so. At the time, I felt disappointed. I didn't know the gender and I had visioned the doctors and nurses taking the baby out, holding him/her up and having harv yell, "its a boy! its a girl!" Instead, everything took place in an emergency manner (change in heart rate) behind a blue curtain.

Life doesn't always go as planned. And after watching the people closest to me suffer REAL disappointed and devistation, I was able to move on rather quickly. After all, surgery or no surgery, I was able to bring home a HUGE healthy baby boy and for that, I am forever grateful.