Introducing: Baby Cake!

Kate Susan Buchanan was born at 5:44am on Monday, February 13, 2012.

She weighed 6 lbs. 6 oz., 20 inches long and is perfect in every way.

Zachary can't say "Kate" yet, so he has and still does call her "Baby Cake". I think it's adorable.

Kate is the 16th grandchild to be born on both mine and Scott's side of the family. Pretty special. 

 The story: (Some love to hear the details of a baby delivery, some not so much. Here it comes. If you are not up for it, just move along through the cute pictures and I won't mind. I need to have this recorded.) It all begins with a mystery that has yet to be solved. I could be on TLC's show "Mystery Diagnosis". About 4 or 5 weeks ago I was so sick. I spent a whole day totally nauseous. So nauseous I couldn't do more than lay on the couch drinking soda and eating saltines. That night I started throwing up. The vomiting was so violent. I would throw up until every thing was out and I was dry heaving every 20 to 30 minutes all through the night. That combined with intense stomach sickness, chills and being very pregnant meant that was the worst I had EVER felt. I'd never been so sick. It was AWFUL! It lasted about 6 hours until the morning and then I could finally sleep. I thought for sure it was a stomach bug and was pleasantly surprised when no one else in our house got it.

Here is where it gets confusing . . . the same exact scenario I just described then happened every single week after that. Each Tuesday (and then Monday and then Sunday) I was so nauseous and then spent the whole night throwing up. In the morning I was fine, exhausted, but not sick anymore. I told my doctor about it after the third time and he was concerned, but couldn't figure it out. He tested everything to see if there was anything serious going on, but everything looked normal.

So, week 5 of this started this past Sunday. I felt nauseous most of the day and then even worse in the evening. I was able to read the kids some books before bed (including "The Berenstain Bears' New Baby") and then Scott took care of putting them to bed while I layed on the couch sick. I knew where this was going. It was the same as the previous weeks. I knew I wouldn't be sleeping that night. Scott went to bed and I stayed down stairs and started throwing up at about midnight. I was so sick. I vomited every 30 minutes until about 4:30am. At 4:30 I had a contraction that was really painful with a lot of pressure. This had happened the other times I was sick too because I would get so dehydrated that contractions would start. Once I could keep fluids down they would just go away so I assumed that would happen with this one. A few minutes later another really painful contraction happened. Scott came down the stairs in the middle of it. He suggested we go to the hospital to get some fluids in me. I wondered what to do, but as soon as I stood up and started walking around I knew it was time to go and we needed to go quickly.

Scott called one of the Young Women in our ward, Chloe, who babysits the kids and has been our emergency person to call if I went into labor at night. We went to get her, she came running out (THANK HEAVEN!!!!!) and then we sent her running into the house to be with our sleeping kids. Oh, I will always be so incredibly grateful for that girl!!!! We drove to the hospital and along the way the contractions were getting more and more painful and closer together. I was so happy to finally be at the doors to the hospital at 5:05am. I then had to stand at the counter though and tell the lady all my information while I was having the most painful contractions I had experienced one right on top of the other. I just wanted them to put me in a bed. As we walked to a delivery room I asked the nurse if I could get an epidural right away. I changed into the gown, climbed in bed and the contractions were coming even closer together now and there was so much pressure. 5:15am-The nurse checked me and told me I was dilated to a 4 and that my water had broken. I had no idea, but it must have happened one of the times I threw up. The anesthesiologist came in the room and put an epidural in while I was having contraction after contraction. He said it would take 10 -12 minutes for it to take affect. They turned me back on the bed as soon as it was in and the nurse came to check me again (probably because I was groaning in pain). To my shock (and hers) she said, "You are at a 10 plus 2. I can see the head. It's time to push." I yelled, "Nooooooo." I knew there had not been enough time for the epidural to kick in. But, I had to do it. I pushed hard four times and felt her come out (Scott provides a few additional details that I will not include here).  I had never felt that before. It was quite amazing. I'm glad with four births I at least got to feel that once . . . oh and that it didn't last long. She was born at 5:44am.

Things got even crazier from there. Baby was delivered AND THEN the epidural kicked in full force. I was completely dead numb from my toes to my shoulders. I couldn't feel or move a thing. I was supposed to hold this new baby, but couldn't. My body was in shock. I started shaking uncontrollably, I started vomiting, I turned stark white, my blood pressure fell and my head was pounding. I felt like I was in a daze, like in a different world with everyone talking all around me. That didn't last long, but it was weird.

Very soon baby Kate and I were wheeled to our room for the next two days and everything was wonderful from there.

In our room I felt so much better and got to watch Scott and the nurse give Kate her first bath from my bed. She screamed and cried and did not like at all being cold and getting her body washed, but she sure loved her head getting washed with warm water. In heaven.

My 8 minute epidural final wore off after a couple hours and I felt GREAT! I don't know why I bounced back so quick, but as soon as I could stand, I was up and in the shower and moving around. Feeling good. Then the other kids then joined us in our little hospital room and it was mayhem.

The first thing I heard when they walked in was Zachy's deep 2 year old voice saying with much enthusiasm, "Hi Baby Cake! Hi Baby Cake!" He was super excited to check her out.

Brielle got her turn to hold her new sister. I told her to smell her because she just had a bath and smelled so good. She said, "Well, at least she doesn't smell like throw up anymore!" I don't know where that came from but it still cracks me up. She must be thinking that well, I was throwing up and Kate was in my stomach with it all that time. Makes sense.

Ava is so sweet and gentle with her. She wants to hold Kate any chance we will give her. She is very attentive to her noises, her nursing, her diaper changes, everything. She is a good big sister already.

This kid thought he would win the baby over by flashing his Roger C. Allred gap. I think it worked. Zachary likes saying hi to her and likes that she is around but that is about it. Mostly he is just loving that all of this means daddy is at home all the time.

Auntie Tawna and Uncle Kory came to visit. This was Kory's first time holding a newborn baby. He did quite well. They then stayed the night with our kids at home so Scott could stay with me. So nice of them. Zachary always loves Kory around and Tawna even got our girls all dressed up in pink and red for Valentine's Day.

Daddy with Baby Kate. I love this picture.

Grandma Rama came and brought Kate the most gorgeous knitted sweater and bonnet. It was something she had always saved for a baby girl of her own. She never had one and we feel so lucky to have it for Kate.

Papa Fred singing to his 16th little grandchild.

After a looooooong night the night before, a crazy whirlwind of a morning delivering a baby and a busy day we finally got to go to sleep for the night. This was little Miss Kate saying good night before she headed off to the nursery.

The next day was Valentine's Day and it was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I was done being checked on constantly, I felt good and the Pediatrician had asked us to stay that day just to help Kate learn how to nurse. So, I spent a lazy day in bed just holding my new baby. If I needed anything I just rang my little nurse bell and they brought me drinks, food, snacks and took care of everything. Scott joined me in the afternoon for a delightful nap in the hospital bed holding Kate. It was lovely.

Exactly 24 hours old.

We even enjoyed a romantic Valentine's evening in the hospital. They brought us a dinner for two with sparkling cider. Scott had steak and a baked potato with cheesecake and I had chicken cordon bleu. We watched "our movie", Return To Me, and were happy on our pretend vacation. All until Scott had to rush out to go get a very sad Zachary at Grandma's house and take the kids home to put them to bed. That is life now.

Wednesday morning, February 15 we packed our tiny girl up (who now weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz.) and took her home. I was so happy to be back at home with the other kids and in my bed. It has been wonderful to have little Kate here with us. We are all just hanging out, being lazy in our pajamas, holding this sweet new baby. We're in love and sooooooooooo happy she made it here safe and healthy.