Surprise Packages

Early in the year, 2007, Roon and I were having a disagreement.  Bug was approaching his first birthday, and for us, that meant it was time to talk about having another baby.  I wanted one, Roon didn't think he did. 

I guess I should clarify that.  It's not that Roon didn't WANT another baby.  Every time I got pregnant, Roon would go into panic mode.  "Is THIS the baby that's going to put too much pressure on my wife's heart?"  He just didn't want to go through that again. 

SO, we debated.  Roon kept winning, with his sensible logic attained from all my medical professionals.  I was to stay on the mini pill until I finished nursing Bug, and then we would revisit the issue after my next cardiac check up. 

April 2007 came.  I wasn't feeling "right".  Bug's birthday was one week after mine, so I decided that as a birthday present to myself I would stop nursing him one week early. 
April 12, 2007, I nursed Bug for the last time, put him down for a nap, and went in the bathroom to take a pregnancy test.
I was completely taken off guard when it came back positive.  I was on birth control!  I was still nursing a baby!  But I was happy.  I was ecstatic!  After all, I had inadvertantly won the argument about whether 3 kids was enough for our family. 
Roon, with all his "logic", couldn't deny that this was obviously what God had wanted for us, so he got used to the idea.

My due date was early in December.  What is it with us and baby girls coming in December?  That's right, at 20 weeks we found out she was a girl, and we both couldn't have been more excited.  2 of each!  It was perfect!  Not to mention it gave our children a symmetrical pattern, something that makes Roon especially happy.
Towards the end of my pregnancy, I started having some moderate to severe cardiac issues, that had not been present with my other pregnancies.  Several tests revealed that my next open heart surgery was imminent.  I was strongly encouraged by several doctors to call it quits after Boo was born, and for the first time, I was prompted to listen.

October 2007, I was helping my friend Baub with a church craft day (Super Saturday, for those who speak LDS).  Even though I was 8 months pregnant, I tried to help haul more things than I probably should have.  Towards the end of the day, I was having back pain.  A lot of back pain.  Only, it was coming in waves.  About 10 minutes apart. 
DANG!
Not only was this baby a total surprise to us, but she was now trying to make a surprise appearance 6 weeks early! 
Roon met me at the church, Baub took my kids, and we were off to the hospital after a call to my doctor. 

Several hours later, we left the hospital, no baby in hand, and a diagnosis of an "irritable uterus".  Taking it easy, and drinking lots of water were to be on my agenda for the next few weeks. 

Since my cardiac anomalies cause me to have to drive an hour to a specialist, and her higher tech hospital for delivery, we were given the induction date of November 29th, and the countdown to D-Day began.

November 18th, we went to church.  I was sitting in one of the meetings, and noticed I was having fairly regular, uncomfortable contrations.  But, I reminded myself that my uterus was probably just feeling irritable, and tried to ignore it. 
When I got home, I layed down, drank some water, and continued to contract.  I got up and walked around, and continued to contract.  But, I was being induced in 11 days, I had never gone into labor on my own, and my mom wasn't there yet.  I couldn't possibly be having a baby.
So, Baub and I went to visit some of the other women from our church.  And, I continued to contract.  When it reached the point where I couldn't hold my train of thought, or talk through them, Baub and the sister we were visiting suggest I might be in labor. 

As soon as I got home, I called my doctor, and within the hour we were dropping the kids off at Baub's house, and driving to the hospital. 

My progress was slow, but steady.  I was admitted, with the promise that if labor stopped during the night, they would induce me the next morning. 

By lunch time the next day, Boo was born...

Bug loved her immediately...

And our family was finally complete...

Sometimes, the BEST gifts, are surprises.

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY, BOO!  WE LOVE YOU!

On a sidenote, 3 out of our 4 children were born on the 19th of their specific months.  What are the odds?!