Baby Luke is Here!!

Dear Kate and Riley,

I promise I'll go backwards and post about the rest of our summer some time. But for now Luke's arrival needs to be documented!

Because I have always been induced at least a few days before my due date, we didn't think it would be any different this time around. But, apparently this is the "busy season" for births (who knew!) and my doctor could not get me in to the hospital for an induction. It was super frustrating because in my head I had "checked out" from being pregnant and we had already bought a ticket for Grandma Janice to come out and help. The ticket was for the day before my actual due date and we thought for sure he would be born and possibly even home from the hospital by the time she got there. Instead we had five days to play and waste time (and try to induce labor).

Luke must have been pretty happy inside (maybe he sensed what he was getting in to down here). He seemed to have no intention of coming on his own. So four days after his due date, my doctor FINALLY got me in for the induction. His birth was easy-peasy (as the boys like to say). I got my pitocen, they broke my water and six hours later, we had a baby! He was the easiest by far and thankfully so because my recovery has been decent which I needed since by the time we got home from the hospital Grandma only got to be here five days. I had her for two full weeks after Brady was born so I was a little stressed about her leaving.

Today (last Wed. 10-17) was our first day being totally on our own (dad had to go to work) and things were a little crazy as I tried to get everyone dressed, fed and out the door by 9am. There was one point when the boys had somehow let Bella out the front door so they were chasing her through the neighborhood, Brady still in pj's, and I'm upstairs nursing and yelling at them out the window to get inside. All while Zach's carpool showed up to get him and the dog is no where to be found. Chaos! But I'm sure we'll get the hang of this three kid thing eventually.

Luke weighed 8 pounds and was 20.5 inches long. Our biggest by far. He has the softest black hair you've ever felt and I love to play with it while he nurses. I love having a tiny little baby, I love that by this round they don't stress me out. I think you understand better how fast it really goes and that everything from the pain to the sleepless nights will be over in a flash. I just love to smell him and hold him and kiss him. It's funny that I felt any disappointment at all that he wasn't a girl because I just can't even imagine it now. I look at these boys and I know they were all meant to be here as part of our family.

The boys love Luke, they call him Lukie and Brady especially loves to hold him and tell me how "TINY" he is (in the squeakiest voice). He tells me 100 times a day "I want to hold that baby!" He even told me he had milk in his "elbows" to feed the baby (can't decide where he got elbows from).

He looks like a mix of both boys-- Zach's nose and eyes, Brady's mouth. He has Zach's appetite and would eat all day long if I'd let him. He is a little fussier than I remember the other boys being and wants to be held all the time. That is a little hard with the other boys but we'll figure it out (or maybe he'll figure it out!?)

We love Luke so much and are so excited that he is part of our family. We are so thankful that Heavenly Father blessed us with this beautiful boy.

Love,
Mom

Finally! I was so happy to finally get in to the hospital. It felt like I was pregnant forever.

Our ocean view, we love Hoag

Meeting Luke

First family photo

Zach meeting Luke I think Grandma Janice has more pictures of this