After impatiently waiting 38 weeks and 1 day our Little Baby Rockstar was born on Cinco de Mayo at 8:33 pm. Yes, on 5/5/2011 our 5th Boy was born. And his name you wonder? Well, I'll fill that gap in later.
Baby Rockstar in Concert LIVE--only a few minutes old!
I am the first to admit that the 38 weeks and 1 day that led up to Baby Rockstar's appearance were not the most peaceful weeks in my head. Each time I have found out I was pregnant I was excited--except one time when I was surprised--but also excited! Unfortunately, the excitement wears off about the time I find myself head first in the toilet throwing up everything (or nothing) and I pretty much whine and complain from that moment on. It's just what I do.
Not so happy about the lighting and wardrobe for his debut appearance!
Baby Rockstar's pregnancy was no different. I got crazier and crazier every day and was not shy to share that crazy with anyone who would listen. There were a lot of parameters around me trying to give birth to this little baby too. First, the ward Father's & Son's outing was the end of April so I had to make sure I didn't go into labor that weekend. Then there was the Dance Recital at the end of the week I was actually due--May 21st. (I was counting on a 37 or 38 week pregnancy. The thought of 40 weeks with a low rider belly is more than I can process!) Kaley really wanted me to be on the other end of the headset backstage during the recital and wouldn't settle for a phone conference from the hospital. So I had to avoid going into labor too close to the recital. I also started keeping tabs on where Dad was on call so I'd know if he was at Chandler Regional or not. (I really wanted to deliver there because all the other boys were born there).
Bradley--The Big Bro Pro!
And then, in the middle of my Third Trimester, Scott had the opportunity to go back to work for Eli Lilly & Co--a pharmaceutical company which we worked for before and were very excited to go back to. The only thing was he was going to be out of town for training starting at about Week 38 1/2 of my pregnancy and be gone for 3 weeks. I laughed at first and told him it wasn't that I wouldn't miss him but I pretty much knew what to do and would be ok without him. Did I have a choice, really? Pretty much there was not a great day for poor Baby Rockstar to be born. Plus there was the added stress of finding a suitable holiday to have him on. (It turns out all our boys are born on holidays, anniversaries or other people's birthdays so I needed to give Baby Rockstar that same opportunity, right? See how scary my head is!) Like I needed to add worry to crazy. Watch that blow up inside my brain!
Bryson--Excited to be a Big Brother again!
So after 38 weeks (and 1 day) of Plain Cheeseburgers Protein Style from In-N-Out Burger and many confessions/pleadings to everyone around me that "I was done" being pregnant, I FINALLY went into labor. Now, this is how mental I am. I actually look forward to this part in the pregnancy process. Not just because it means having a sweet smelling baby in my arms. No, it's because it turns out I totally ROCK at giving birth! I consider it a blessing for surviving all the voices in my head during the previous months. Labor for me is like a challenge. I love it! Don't get me wrong--contractions hurt like a really angry blood pressure cuff that won't shut off! My dancer brain says: "It's really no worse than sitting in jazz class while one specific teacher from my dancing past tortured me during a stretching warm-up one day and said 'Go a head and cry. It won't bother me.' " I had no idea she was preparing me so well for the pain of childbirth! But I digress. Back to how I ROCK at birthing babies!
Brock--Completely captivated and anxious to finally BE a Big Brother!
With Baby Rockstar, I started timing contractions at 5:45 pm--that was after feeling a little crampy during the day and then suddenly realizing while I was fixing dinner that it might be a good idea to start timing those cramps! After snapping at Scott on the phone for not being home the exact minute he said he would, snapping at the kids briefly for messing around during dinner and trying to breathe through the contractions while not making a big deal of it all in front of the kids, Scott did get home and we called Mom so we could head to the hospital. Mom called Dad and told him to go back to the hospital. I felt really bad. Poor Dad had barely been home 10 minutes and had to turn around and go back. By this time it was almost 6:45 pm. All the commotion threw the kids into mini nervous breakdowns except for Bradley who yelled "Mom, I know you're in pain, but Good Luck!" I did laugh at that! The others tried to hug and kiss every part of me as we left. I've always gone into labor in the middle of the night and the kids have just woken up to find Grandma there in the morning. So to I think it was weird for them to watch us leave. But as kids do, they got over it and went back to dinner.
Blakers--The brother who named him Baby Rockstar finally gets to meet him face to face!
As last minute additions to our hospital packing I grabbed "The Devil Wears Prada" to watch during my stay (I was in a great mood now and a shopping/fashion movie seemed just right) and I suggested we grab a towel in case my water broke in the car. When Scott came back with a hand towel I suggested a beach towel and reminded him the interior of his new car was not leather.
Katelyn, Megan & Adam--Concert Tour Groupies!
Scott has learned over the years that the minor bumps on the roads turn into major speed bumps to a pregnant lady in labor so he drives very conscientious of that. Bless him! We got to the hospital, got checked in and when I got checked in triage I was already past halfway to being ready to go! It's like my brain splits in two and half concentrates on managing the pain and the other yells "You Go Girl!" Anyway Dad came in, got the scoop from the nurse, they moved me to a Labor & Delivery room and called for an epidural STAT. (I don't think they actually said STAT but everyone agreed the process was moving along quickly). Once we got to the Delivery room and the Candy Man arrived (my cute name for the anesthesiologist) I listened, as I held remarkably still for the Candy Man to give me my epidural, to Scott tell Dad and the nurses how fast he was driving on the freeway and Dad tell Scott he was watching for our car stopped along the side of the freeway to make sure we were not trying a roadside delivery. After my feet hit the floor (literally, from being completely numb) I questioned Scott about his rate of speed which we shall never speak specifically of again. Apparently I have not yet convinced him of my incredible talent for multi-tasking--Even in the middle of contractions! Dad left to microwave his dinner but before he even got the microwave door open the nurse called him because Baby Rockstar was about to leave the Uterus! (Thank you, thank you very much!)
Aunt Kaley and Cousin Madicyn--Madi still chillin' in the womb and Baby Rockstar just chillin.'
So 1 contraction and 3 pushes later Baby Rockstar was hittin' the hot notes! And that is why I totally ROCK at Labor. The end seems so easy that I easily forget the insanity of the previous 38 weeks and think "That was fun! I could do that again!" I know, everyone is thinking Heaven Help Us All!!! Don't panic. This kitchen is in lock down for now!
". . . I wanna rock and roll all night. And party every day! . . ."
But what about his name? No, we didn't put Baby Rockstar on his birth certificate. All the boys names start with B. And as I mentioned in an earlier post, Blake nicknamed him Baby Rockstar in December and it sort of stuck for the rest of the pregnancy so I felt obligated to honor that. Why? I don't know. I told you my brain is scary. Also, our boys middle names are family names. So. . . (drum roll, please) Brett Michael Grover is now our in house Rockstar. Brett--to get a great shock and awe effect from my brother Brett. Michael--after my Dad's brother who only lived a few years. Bret Michaels is the name of real rock star for all those non-Poison fans or anyone who didn't see Celebrity Apprentice last year. Coincidence? Not a chance. I totally thought this one out in my scary head. He is our Rockstar forever!
Sing it loud, Baby!
I am so thankful to have an understanding and patient husband (his patience and understanding genes really kick in well during pregnancy) who doesn't hesitate a second to order my favorite Paradise Pie from Chili's no matter how late it might be, great kids who got pretty quick to run when I called and be an extra set of muscles for me on days I really didn't feel great, my siblings-both outlaw and in-law who helped me keep laughing through my insanity, my Laundry Fairy for without whom we would all be sitting in dirty clothes, an amazing Mom who would come up with all kinds of things for us to do to take my mind off how miserable I was and last but certainly not least my Dad, who is the only man on the earth that comes close to understanding the crazy that goes on inside the head of a pregnant lady but doesn't make her feel crazy about being crazy! Love you all!
Welcome Baby (Rockstar) Brett!
