Ryker's grand appearance!

Ryker's day has finally arrived!!!

I am so excited to meet this sweet baby boy & at the same time time I am absolutely terrified! I just want everything to go perfectly so he gets here all safe and sound. Then starts all the fears of the unknowns...and what comes next. I just have to try to not think about that part & focus on the now.

So after approximately 10 hours of labor, two epidurals...(with only 20 minutes of the second epidural working before he was here), & LOTS and LOTS of emotions, anxiety & tears. Our sweet baby boy was here weighing in at 6 lbs. 8 oz. 19 inches long & looks identical to my other two babies :) With beautiful olive skin, dark long hair & blue eyes. Looks just like Daddy!! :)


THE TWO MEN IN MY LIFE :)
Immediately after birth he was handed to me for long enough for him to grab a hold of my finger, me kiss him on the forehead, then be passed by Daddy so Daddy could give him a kiss & then handed directly through the window to the NICU. It was heart wrenching but I knew it needed to be done to make sure he was safe.

Daddy was able to immediately go over to the NICU to be with him. I was so grateful for that so he wasn't alone!



PROUD DADDY!


Soon after birth my girls were there to see their baby brother. They were so excited! However they don't allow anyone under the age of 14 into the NICU so my girls wouldn't be able to see him until he was being transported to Primary's. But at least I got to show them lots of cute pictures of their baby on the camera.

They told me I wouldn't be able to go see him for an hour or two so I could recover a little. But after spending a little bit of time with my girls & looking through all the pictures Jason had taken of him...I was sick! I couldn't stay there any longer! So I told the nurses I was going & asked them if they would help me into the wheel chair so I didn't have to do it myself. They really didn't want me to go so soon but I think they realized that there was no stopping me!

FINALLY GET TO SEE MY SWEET LITTLE ANGEL!


JUST STARING AT MOMMY- I LOVE IT!!



THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD TO FINALLY HOLD HIM!



Shortly after this next picture I started to black out & had to put him down.....:( I felt so light headed, I had go back to my room to lay down...... I have never been so mad at my body in all my life! I wanted to stay there with him forever! But at least I was able to spend a little bit of time with him so soon after birth!

SUCH A PERFECT BABY!!!!

DADDY WITH ALL 4 OF HIS BIG KIDS WAITING TO SEE RYKER



ADDI HANGING OUT WITH AUNT TISH & HER BABIES


BRAYLEE FINALLY SNUGGLING ME!
Ever since Braylee got to the hospital she wouldn't come near me because of the IV in my arm, wires, machines, etc. I can understand how it can be a little intimidating for a child. This was the best feeling to finally have her snuggle me :)


So, after my kids had been waiting at the hospital for the majority of the day, the Doctors told us that they would not be transporting Ryker to Primary Children's until tomorrow because he was doing so good! This was great news, however it meant that my kids would have to go home tonight with out seeing their baby brother :(



So the next day all four kiddos were super excited to back up to the hospital to go see Ryker!


The transport nurses were so sweet! They took Ryker into the waiting area during the transport so that my kids could really stop & see him! It was so awesome to see the looks on all of their faces.


Our Family of 7 :) :) :)


Addi was SO EXCITED!!!


Here is when Addi realized for the first time that this baby IS baby Ryker & that he wasn't in my tummy anymore. She looked at my tummy & said "Ryker out your tummy Mommy!" LOL...Love this girl!


Headed to go get some lunch with my girls. I was so excited to spend some time with them...Yet feeling so torn after getting Ryker all settled at Primary Children's. I wish there was a way to be in two places at once....REALLY Mom's should be able to do that for their kids! :)


MY SWEET BABY SNUGGLING INTO ME :)


SUCH AN AMAZINGLY TOUGH LITTLE BOY! STILL SO HAPPY & SWEET AFTER HAVING NUMEROUS TESTS DONE.

COMMUNICATING WITH DADDY


After 24 hours in the CICU at Primary Children's they told us that Ryker was doing so good that they didn't feel it was necessary to have him there & that they would move him to the recovery floor to be closely monitored. Here is his first picture there. Finally get to have some sun light through the window :)


BRAYLEE'S 1ST TIME HOLDING HER LONG AWAITED BABY BROTHER


ADDI'S FIRST TIME HOLDING RYKER. SHE WAS SO EXCITED TO TELL ME THE SHE IS A BIG GIRL & SHE IS THE BIG SISTER NOW :)


THEY BOTH ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEIR BABY!


JADD GOT TO HAVE A SPECIAL TRIP UP TO THE HOSPITAL JUST HIM. HE WAS SO EXCITED TO HOLD RYKER!


TRETT'S 1ST TIME HOLDING RYKER. HE GOT TO COME UP TO THE HOSPITAL AS WE WERE GETTING DISCHARGED & HELP US TAKE RYKER HOME :)


GETTING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL!!!! 4 DAYS OLD & THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MY LITTLE RYKER GETS TO WEAR CLOTHES. HE IS SOOO CUTE!!!


RYKER IN THE CAR DRIVING HOME!! :)

Before we left the hospital we had a lot of questions and concerns about what choices we needed to make for our baby, to make sure that he gets the absolute best care possible. This is a whole new post that will come soon. Its extremely emotional so it may take me a while to get it out, but I will do it hopefully soon. Until then you can go to www.miracleryker.blogspot.com to get updates from my sweet sister Tisha! I absolutely do not know what I would have ever done without her in all of this! Thank you Tish!