baby story.

So the days leading up to December 12 came and went and baby decided not to make his arrival so we went to bed on December 11 as normal, but Mark and I got little sleep as we knew big things were happening the next day!  We were up, showered and out the door before 6 to get to the hospital to have a baby!  (Thanks mom for coming to be with the big boys!).  Being induced once before I knew what to expect which from my experience with Levi, I'm not sure this was a great thing (he came fast and things were VERY intense with him), but none the less we were very, very excited about what was to come.  By about 8:30 paperwork was done, nurses had prepped me and our doctor arrived and he placed 1/2 the normal dose of induction gel to get things moving.  At this point I was still dilated to a 2 (which is what I was at 37 weeks), but I was having contractions on my own about every 15 minutes.  Shortly after the gel was placed I was contracting very regularly.  After about an hour I was able to get up and moving and Mark and I did some walking of the halls with lots and LOTS of good laughter... I think people thought we were crazy laughing loudly down the halls while in very active labor - but it's the laughter that get Mark and I through the toughest times.  Next we decided to try the tub as things were starting to be a little more intense and I was looking for relief!  By 11 I was checked again and still only to a 4 which was a bit surprising as with Levi's delivery I was pushing by this time!  But we had to make the call - an epidural or not?  I hadn't had one with either of my other deliveries, but after lots of consideration the weeks before, we decided to go ahead with one this time... so they came and gave one to me - an experience that was like no other - and then we waited for baby to make his move.  This was so different for me as I couldn't feel anything and there really wasn't anything I could do to make things speed up, we just had to wait.   I think I was also thrown off because I was told I may have some numbness in my legs, but it wasn't just numbness it was like each leg had gained 1 million pounds - I couldn't move.  On my right side I couldn't even wiggle my toes!  During this wait time our doctor asked Mark if he wanted to deliver the baby and right away Mark agreed.  He was so excited! Shortly after 2 the waiting was over, it was time to push.  The doctor and nurses had to tell me when to go because I just couldn't feel a thing!   After one round of pushing the doctor could tell his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice so he had Mark cut the cord as soon as he could and then had me push again and Titus Cohen was born...  a miracle.

Because the cord was around his neck he was very blue/purple and the nurses needed to suck the yucky stuff out of his lungs right away to get him to scream.  I was sooooooooo nervous as I couldn't see anything that was happening, I just knew they had Mark hand him off right to the nurses and he wasn't making any noises.  My doctor could tell I was nervous and kept saying, "Alisha, he's okay.  He's good."  But I don't think I really believed it until I had him in my arms. What a relief!  I was able to nurse him right away and he latched on first try! Right away I thought he looked a lot like Isaiah did at birth, but as the hours passed I could also see Levi in him and his very own features too. What a beautiful boy.

 My mom had the big boys and Caiden all day long and as soon as LeAnna was off work they all came up to the hospital to meet the baby.  Isaiah and Levi came in first to see their brand new baby brother.  They were so excited to meet him and wanted to hold him and love him as soon as they could.  The nurses had given him a clean up bath shortly before they arrived so he was still in his little cradle under the warmer so they got to see him in just his diaper first.  Then he got wrapped up and they were able to hold him.  It was so precious.  Along with his brothers, Titus had lots of visitors while we were in the hospital.  Thanks everyone for coming to see us!!

 Thanks to LeAnna, Kammy and my mom Mark was able to stay with me for the entire hospital stay -- THANK YOU!!   It was such a joy to be together the 3 of us and to soak up every minute of this brand new baby together.  Titus was so tired after his birth that he slept and slept his first night - after about 4 hours I tried and tried to wake him up to feed him, but he really wasn't interested so after 2 more hours I had to try even harder and got him to eat.  He was such a mellow little baby while we were in the hospital, but he was up a few more times the next night and the nurses did come and take him for a couple hours so we could get some sleep.  His blood sugar had to be monitored closely while we were in the hospital since I was diabetic while I was pregnant.  Thankfully all of his levels were good every time they checked.  He was all around healthy! (by the way - my blood sugar was never checked, guess once baby is born, mommy doesn't matter anymore, huh? haha)

 On Wednesday morning it was time for us to head home.   We were excited to take our new little guy home, but also a bit nervous...not only did I have to get to know this babe, but I also had to take care of the other two little boys...yikes!  The big boys were so excited for us to get home and they were very interested in their baby brother.  They wanted to hold him and touch him and look at him.

The transition from 2 to 3 has been easier than I expected.  We've had so much support from friends and family helping us - I don't think I can even count the number of meals that have been made and delivered to us (thank you very much - a HUGE help!), and then those who have come by to be entertainment to our big boys or even taken them on adventures (thanks dad for 2 trips to the museum!).  And all of this has happened while Mark's Adrenaline X Laser Tag has taken off at the mall.  It's doing better than we expected and the business keeps coming (thank you friends who have gone to play!! your support there is also so appreciated!). 

Titus' birth story is one all of his own, just like my other two deliveries.  We are so grateful to God that he has blessed us with three little boys.  All the Glory goes to Him!