Sloan's Birth Story

IWe had our 39 week appointment on Thursday, April 24th. Everything looked great. I was 2cm 50% effaced. I lost my mucous plug early Friday morning. I anxiously waited for labor to start anytime after that, but got nothing. I'd have a few contractions and then they would stop. Nothing consistent and nothing intense. Saturday morning we went to Rory's soccer game and sat in the hot hot sun (check out farmers tan in pic below). I was having contractions, but still nothing intense. Just typical contractions, very similar to Braxton hicks. 

My belly during a contraction. Check out baby's butt on left side. 

We came home, ate lunch, and everyone napped. I tried to nap but ended up feeling anxious. I had 3 contractions that had a little more umph behind them so I got up and showered just in case something were to happen. Long story short, I went all day Saturday having contractions that gradually got more frequent but still only felt like Braxton hicks. Around 6pm they got a little more intense, just a little. At 8:30ish I got a really strong contraction with lots of pressure. A few minutes later I had another and they continued to come and were only 5 minutes apart, if that. I went to tell Don, who was in the living room reading Rory a book. He called his parents to come over and stay with the kids. I timed my contractions again. They were 4 minutes apart when we left the house. We headed to the hospital and got  to L&D at 9:30pm. My contractions were 3 minutes apart. After all the hoopla, the nurse finally checked me and I was a "stretchy 7cm". She called Dr. Dodson and began to get the room prepared for baby. Dr. Dodson arrived quickly and checked my cervix. 9 1/2 cm!! She broke my water at exactly 10:30 pm and our precious baby GIRL entered this crazy world at 10:51pm on April 26th, 2014. Eva Sloan. What a beautiful surprise!!

 Rory and Lhana were stoked to meet Sloan. They both held her and were so gentle. Lhana didn't want to let anyone else hold her. To say she was excited would be an understatement. She gave Sloan about 75 kisses, minimum, within the first 5 minutes. Lhana's eyes glistened with pure joy! Thinking about that moment now still makes me smile!

The bond they will share will be unsurmountable (I hope)!

Meet Eva Sloan

We are overjoyed and thrilled to welcome our precious Eva Sloan Riggins into this world! She made her appearance on April  26th @ 10:51pm. Weighing only 6 lbs 5 oz she is one tiny ball of perfection! She looks some much like the other two! Check our her and Lhana's newborn pics..

Eva Sloan... Baby GIRL!!

Oh my holy goodness! It's a girl! A girl! She is perfect and 100% healthy. We are so thankful. It's about 2 hours post birth and I'm still in the delivery room on cloud 9. Don is watching and taking pictures of Sloan's first bath. Ah... We have another baby! We have 3 babies! God is so good. I'm exhausted, sore, hungry, excited, sleepy, but mostly, for a lack of a better word, content. I feel so calm and humble. We are so blessed.

It's Friday! 5 days until EDD...

It's Friday! Woohoo! We had our 39 wk. appt yesterday. Baby is doing great. I measured 36 weeks which means baby has definitely dropped and may be coming soon? I hope. HR was in the 130's. I am now 2cm, 50% effaced. Not that great, but it's progress. I am scheduled to work tonight and I would really like to have a baby instead! I lost the majority of my plug this morning so labor could be just hours away, Yahoo!..or days, Boo. Don is playing in his CHS golf tourney this morning, but after thy baby can come anytime. We are ready!!

39 Weeks and Anxious is an Understatement!

Today we are 39 Weeks and baby is still in tow. I'm still feeling great but feeling very anxious. This waiting game is no fun. My bags are packed, kids outfits ready, car seat loaded, baby clothes washed. Just waiting. Last night I had some contractions about 6-7 minutes apart for a short period of time. They were so intense with so much pressure that I began getting things together and panicking a little bit. Ha! Lhana came so quickly that I'm extremely nervous about not making it to the hospital on time with this one. Good thing Tanner is only 1.75 miles away! Surely I can keep baby in for that short car ride :/

Rory is so ready for baby he can't hardly stand it. He asks all the time if today is the day. He told his teachers last week that baby was coming. He wants baby to sleep in his room. Lhana is going to want to hold the baby and cover it up constantly I'm sure! She loves to wrap her babies, feed them, pat them, get on to them, put them in time out, all those things a mommy does, ha! They are going to be the best big brother and sister. I can wait to add a 3rd one to these two smiling faces! 

Both Lhana and Rory are so convinced that this baby is a boy. Lhana will NOT let you mention baby girl before she quickly corrects you and says, "No! Baby boy!". Don and I are leaning towards a girl. Eek!! We can't wait to find out!

Size of Baby: 7lbs

Total Weight Gained/Lost: + 22lbs
Maternity Clothes: Yes. But most of my shirts are now too small. This belly is huge!
Movement: it's slowed down.
Sleep: waking much more to pee and roll over, but sleeping good and waking up well rested
What I miss: Moving around with ease. I love being pregnant, but it does get exhausted trying to move furniture or do laundry with this big ole belly.
Cravings: chocolate, fruit, ice cream, anything to drink. I am constantly thirsty.
Symptoms: mild back pain (after moving/lifting patients all night), heartburn, indigestion, strong Braxton hicks, pressure on my bottom, ligament pain, nerve pain in my right leg. This pain is show stopping! I can be walking and suddenly have to grab my thigh and hunch over with pain. It only lasts for seconds and is so random. I think baby has settled on a nerve.
Highlights from this week:  Celebrating Easter! The kids hunted eggs at Tanner on Saturday and then on Easter Sunday we had my family over for an egg hunt and then went to Don's parents for dinner and more egg hunting! The weather was beautiful and it was so nice to spend time with both of our families and enjoy this dwindling time as Riggins Party of 4!

38 Weeks & Waiting

Here we are...38w2d and anxiously waiting on baby #3's arrival. We had our 38 week visit yesterday and I am 1 cm dilated. 1cm?!? What kinda crap is that. I was 2 cm 4 weeks before Lhana was due. Goes to show that every pregnancy is so different. I swept, mopped, did laundry, even went and walked 1.5 miles yesterday morning before my appointment hoping that it would help. I have been having some pressure but nothing like I did with Lhana. In fact, I still feel really good. Dr. Helton asked if we were considering induction and we declined. I will wait on this baby until next month if I have to. The majority of my anxiety and anticipation for baby's arrival is my work schedule. I have a hellacious schedule coming up next week and it sure would be nice to have this baby instead of going to work, but looks like baby is going to hangout a bit longer.

37+ Weeks...Finally Full Term

37, going on 38 weeks. It's so bitter sweet at this point. The end is near, as well as a new beginning. Overall, I still feel great! We are so ready to meet this sweet baby (all of us, especially Rory who asks every day when baby is coming), but I know I'm going to miss the time it's spent growing in my belly. I love the kicks and jabs, the punches and rolls. I've even come to love the hiccups in the last few weeks. Pregnancy is such a joy. It something everyone should be able to experience. The love and bond that forms with a creature you've never met is simply magical. Something I will miss. Can you tell I'm becoming emotional in these last few weeks?!? I came home from work this morning and Don said something and I started crying for no reason. He wasn't even talking to me, haha! It's only the 2nd time that I've cried during this pregnancy (Insert applause here). The first was that dreaded day when we came home and our floors were not what we had ordered and we were banned from our house yet another week! That was devastating...or so I thought at the time.

Size of Baby: 

Total Weight Gained/Lost: +21lbs
Maternity Clothes: They are all getting a bit too TIGHT! Almost there...
Movement: All the time! Baby is very active again!
Sleep: Not so good. Insomnia is kicking my booty. 
What I miss: Good sleep
Cravings: grapes, sweets
Symptoms: heartburn, STRONG Braxton hicks with LOTS of pressure, but no real contractions :(, muscle burning "down there" which hopefully means I'm dilating, major increase in appetite. I am hungry all the time. I think baby has dropped and given me more room for food! Mmm! Insomnia. Frequent peeing, mild swelling in my legs after work. 

Highlights this week: Getting Lhana potty trained! Sweet girl is so smart and has picked up on it in just days. She loves to go "tee tee in the potty" and get a fruit snack! We are still in diapers at night, but I'm okay with that. She loves her "Barbie-Lina" panties and can take them on and off by herself! She has a Barbie Movie with Thumbelina As the main character so every Barbie has become "Barbie-Lina". Our baby isn't  our baby anymore! Another bitter sweet moment ;( Sniff Sniff...