Baby Ethan is Here

BABY ETHAN: 6 LBS. 14 OZ. 20 INCHES LONG. BORN ON FEB. 16, 2011 AT 11:26 A.M.

Andrey and I were hanging out when the contractions started. We waited a few hours and when they were getting a little uncomfortable and 10 min apart, we called my mom and dad and took the girls (around midnight) to their house for their sleepover party.


We hurried over to the Intermountain Center Hospital in Murray. When i got there and they checked me I didn't really have any change. Still at a 3 and 75% effaced. I was so sad because we had waited so long before we went in. They told me I could stay another hour. Well after still no change they contacted my dr., Dr. Kaelberer and he said try one more hour and if nothing then I could come back when they were too hard to talk to and breath through.

I said a silent prayer and within two min. after the nurse left the room, the contractions got so bad- I didn't remember them ever being that bad with Ellie (later found out it's because she was breach). Another hour later, and after gripping the side of the bed and worrying Andrey, I was admitted. YAH!!! Ethan was going to be here soon.

We got into the room, got my water broken and the dr. saw that there was some maconuim (the baby's first stool) in it and that worried them because there could be a possibility that Ethan could have swollowed some (which can cause pnemonia (sp?) or other respritory problems or infections) so they called in the NICU people to make sure someone was there to check his lungs.

Until then, I just rested for a few hours trying to brave the contractions. ater getting to a 6 I decided to get an epidural (I would have needed one anyway since I was high risk, I just wanted to see how long I could go). The epidural was just as FUN (sheesh) as I remembered. lol The anesthesiologist (sp?) was super fast and it was not too bad and within min. I was in heaven and able to rest. Andrey and I took a little nap.

The only problem with an epidural as some of you may know, is that is slows down the contractions. So after an hour they gave me some petosin and the contractions started going crazy. Soon after they checked me and I was ready to start pushing. They joked that he would just slide right out, but he had a head like his daddy so it tood about 4 contractions worth of pushing to get our handsome boy out.

Andrey hurried and clipped the umbilicle (sp?) chord and they passed him off to the NICU nurses to clean him out. They found some of the maconium in his stomach. After clearing him out and wiping him down we were able to hold him. He looks so much like Ellie and a little Andrey Jr.

We went up to the recovery room and the nurse took him to check his vitals and then was going to bath him in our room but an hour later we heard some shocking news that he was admitted into the NICU. He had fluid in his lungs and they were worried about his heart (it looked too small). I was so heartbroken but instantly said a prayer and felt at peace. He would be watched over.

Andrey went down with the nurse to be with him and as visitors came we sent them down two at a time and I got to play hostess in the room. It was hard to not have my baby with me. As visitors slowed down, I was able to go down and see him. It broke my heart. He had so many tubes all over. He needed the Cpap to help his breathing, a feeding tube, an IV for antibiotics in case of infection, and then being under the lights for his Jaundice. The hardest thing was that we couldn't hold him.

Andrey and I were able to have time together to work on our faith and to be there for one another. We had Travis, my brother in law, come that night and, with Andrey, give Ethan a blessing. It was amazing to feel of the Spirit of that little baby and to feel of the Priesthood power that was there. I am so grateful for the blessings of the gospel and we quickly saw progress with Ethan's health. His lungs were doing better, his breathing as doing better, and by the second day, we were able to hold him, try to nurse him, and Andrey and I had fun bathing him at midnight our last night there. He loved the bath and it was fun to see Andrey so excited to be with his little boy. We had fun holding him as he slept so peacefully. We sure love him and are happy he is getting better and hope he continues to do so so we can have him home with us next week.

He looks a lot like Ellie and has my far-set eyes, but looks like a little mini Andrey. He is so handsome and we are just so excited at every chance we get to be with him.

I am so grateful for the great and easy delivery and for this special little spirit we get to have as part of our eternal family. It is amazing at how much love you can have for a person you have only just met. We are excited to welcome baby Ethan into our family. He was 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches long.

We want to thank all of you for your prayers, phone calls, e-mails, texts, and support. We love you all.