Happy Birthday Baby boy

Three years ago I gave birth to the most amazing little boy ever.  He makes me laugh.  He's a trouble maker.  He LOVES to throw things - I better get him into baseball early!  He LOVES the colour yellow.  He loves Gordon (from Thomas and Friends train).  He loves to sing and listen to music.  He really loves his older brothers - each for a different reason.  Blaine is his little buddy, Parker is the guy he gets 'rough' with. 

My life changed for many many reasons the day you were born Kiefer.  And I would never ever change a thing.  You are my miracle baby and you never cease to amaze me.  I know we have our struggles ahead, but I fought hard for you to come into this world the way I wanted, and I won, so I will continue to fight for you.  And WIN. 

I'll never forget the day.  I love you to the moon and back baby. 

Wednesday, October 14th
Daddy was in the city today for work and then went to Nana’s house for dinner.  He had a game of hockey to play at 8:15 pm and since my midwives appointment the day before showed my cervix STILL closed up tight, I told him to go play his game and enjoy.
Derek had karate that night so I had to pick him up.  Holly (babysitter) helped me get the kids all ready for bed and we loaded up everyone in the car and left just before 7 pm to pick up Derek.  On the way home from getting Derek, both Parker and Blaine fell asleep.  When we got home I carried Blaine to bed but it nearly KILLED me!  I went to the neighbors to ask if he could carry Parker to bed (at nearly 45 pounds there was NO way I could do it!)  I joked with the neighbor that if I even tried to get Parker in the HOUSE it would put me into labor!    After the neighbor left I went to the bathroom and noticed a bit more of my mucus plug had passed, but this time there was a bit of blood with it.  I called Daddy to tell him but told him there was no cramping at all so not to worry.  Everything you read says when you pass your plug it could still be WEEKS – and since just the day before I was still CLOSED up tight I didn’t think anything was happening. 
At around 8:10 pm I got a pretty strong cramp.  Stronger than the Braxton Hicks I was experiencing – but not as strong as how I remember labor feeling.  Around 8:20 another cramp – but the same sort of feeling.  Since both little boys were in bed and Derek was getting ready for school the next day, I decided to get into the tub to relax a little.  8:24 pm I had my first “this is it” contraction.  GREAT!  Daddy just started playing hockey at 8:15 – and he’s the GOALIE!!  I tried his cell phone anyways, but there was, of course, no answer.  I texted him that “I’m in labor – come HOME!” and then I looked up the number of the hockey arena.  MIRACLE among miracles someone answered the phone in the office. 
“Hi my husband Paul Birkbeck is playing hockey right now on I believe the team name is The Rock.  This is his wife and I’ve just gone into labour.”
“Oh my God,” is what I heard on the other end.  “Oh my God, do you want me to tell him to meet you at the hospital?!” 
“NO!” I replied, “I’m not driving myself there!!  Tell him to meet me at home.”
I then kept experiencing the contractions about every 7 minutes and they were gradually getting stronger.  By the time I got out of the tub half and hour later, they were now 5 minutes apart.  I called Grandma and told her she should come over to watch the boys and that Daddy would be home in 20 minutes.  Daddy came home still in his hockey gear – green sweat pants!  He looked like a leprechaun!  I told him to change and we started the drive to Scarborough.
I was a bit worried in the drive, because the contractions started to feel like they were going into my back – but I was sitting down in the car and it was very hard to move around so Daddy kept reassuring me that once I could stand up again things would be fine. 
Once we got to Nana’s house, we called the midwives.  Mommy told a little white lie saying that we lived with Nana so we could get the midwives to take on my care.  Aviva, our midwife, talked me through 4-5 contractions and said that likely it wasn’t time to go to the hospital yet, but that she would come over and check me to see where I was at.  We needed to go to the hospital once I was around 5-6 cm dialated.  I felt like I was probably around 2-3 cm. 
Aviva came in and checked me right away and gave me quite a surprised look. 
“We need to go now!  You’re 5 cm and I can stretch you to 7 cm”
The stretching was PAINFUL!  I could NOT believe it!!  I had gotten to 5 cm relatively easily.  The last time I was in labour I was SCREAMING for an epidural before 3 cm!  Granted I was having back labour last time, and that is something VERY different from normal labour. 
Aviva called the hospital and notified them we were on our way, and JUST our LUCK!  Dr. Silver was on call!!  Dr. Silver was the OB that I had a consult with at 36 weeks to see if he would support our trying for a VBA2C.  He WAS very supportive at the time but warned us that depending who was on call – we may encounter some resistance. How lucky it was that we had HIM as our consulting OB and now he was the doctor in the hospital on call! 
We arrived at the hospital and got our room and settled in a bit before walking around.  I labored for almost another two hours and Aviva checked me again only to find out I had progressed VERY little since arriving at the hospital.  I was very disappointed in this, as I wanted an ‘intervention free’ labour.  Dr. Silver checked me as well, after some heart monitoring, and said that I was barely 8 cm – only 1 cm further along than I was 3 hours ago.  Along with Aviva, they decided to break my water to see if they couldn’t get baby to come down a bit further to help things progress.  That’s when the REAL pain started.  VERY powerful contractions and I walked for a small amount, but the contractions were coming on fast and powerful.  After about an hour, I told Daddy I didn’t think I could do it, and I might need some pain relief.  He looked me in the eyes and said, “You are doing it.  Keep going.  We’re almost there.”   He was so strong and stood up to me when I wanted to give up. 
We went back to the room and I labored another hour and the contractions started to feel like they were EVERYWHERE.  My back, my entire belly, my entire body!  I told Daddy I couldn’t do it any longer.  I needed an epidural.  I couldn’t take the pain.  He told me no several times, but my body was shaking with every contraction and now they were right on top of one another – no breaks.  Daddy looked like he was going to cry.  I told him before we went into labour NOT to give in to me – to stand up to me and make me do it completely naturally but he could see how much pain I was in.  He gave in and told the midwife we needed an epidural.  She knew as well how badly I wanted to do it all by myself so she suggested she check me to see where I was and perhaps I could make it the rest of the way.
She checked me and again the surprised look.  Baby had come right down and I was fully dialated!  I was ready to push.  And as soon as she told me that, I got my first urge to push.  She told me to wait as she needed her back up midwife, Kristie, there before we were ready to push.  I stifled three contractions and then couldn’t take it anymore.  Avivia called in a nurse and I started pushing.  Shortly after, Kristie arrived and we continued to push.  I found it REALLY hard to find the “baby spot” but I knew exactly when I had it and when I didn’t.  I pushed for over an hour and was getting really tired.  With every contraction I would push 3 times and most of the time I would only get one of those three pushes “right”.  Kristie leaned in and said, “Krista I know you’re tired, but you have to dig down and find some energy to push this baby out.  Get mad.  Get the energy somehow.  You need to get this baby out with the next couple of pushes or Dr. Silver is going to have to come and vacuum him out.” 
I realized then, I had done it.  The baby was coming out vaginally no matter what!  And damn it all if I’m going to let someone use a vacuum at this point!!  I had done it all on my own and I was going to FINISH it all on my own. 
Two more contractions and 4 more pushes and the baby was out!  I SCREAMED when the baby crowned and came out.  Hey my only scream!  I think I did pretty good. 
I’ll NEVER forget (or at least I hope I never do) the feeling of giving birth.  The baby coming out of my body and INSTANTLY having a wet soggy crying baby placed on my chest.  All I could keep saying was “oh my god, oh my god, OH MY GOD!”  Finally I managed to say, “you’re so beautiful, we did it.”

Hurray for Handmade!! :D

Well, September is behind us now so of course we're all starting to think about that big "red and green" holiday at the end of the year.  I mean, how can we not?!  I actually took this picture in JULY.

With the hussel and bussel upon us earlier and earlier every year, this year I have decided to try to endevor to do things a little more wholesome.  Granola.  Hippy?  I'm trying to do something handmade for each person I normally buy for.  Don't get me wrong.  I still have to buy the supplies to make the gift, but for me, the true gift is the time it takes me - all the while thinking of the person I am creating it for. 

Oven mitts made for a family member a few years back. 

Yesterday I completed my first gift.  I'd post a picture...but uhm, it's a gift y'all!  This is no easy feat for me as I'm looking for work, working on my excel certification now, and taking care of all the house and kids at the same time.  Think about starting it yourself.  It doesn't have to be something big.  A handpainted frame.  A drawing.  Some cookies, or a cake.  It doesn't have to take 3 days to do, but any time you spend will mean so much more than some trinket that will (at least in this house) get lost or broken.  One of my favorite Christmas presents ever was a doll house my Dad assembled for me.  It's still at my parents house to this day.  It's not super sturdy, but knowing that my Dad took the time to assemble it for me, made it THAT much more special. 

So if I can do it, so can you!  Should we start a movement?!  :D