"Labor Day"

Saturday morning Dr Barnes wanted me to come see him at his office for a "check".  His plan was to break my water and send me home until contractions got 5-6 minutes apart.  After several unsuccessful attempts (but definitely was able to scrap my membranes) he advised us to go home and walk to try and get the contractions to start.  Around noon we were to call Dr Barnes to give him an update.  Instead of going home we decided to go walk around Town Center.  First stop was the Dollar Tree store since we heard there were some good deals on everyday items.  Our basket was full of Halloween treats for the kids and birthday goodies for Dylan & Abby's Disney themed birthday party. 

Forty Dollars later we went to Gap Kids to get Colby a few items.  I told Scott we were going to walk there and he looked at me as if I asked him to walk across the state of Florida.  Thought we were supposed to be walking to get this game going?!?! After that we decided to go to Sams Club to walk around there to buy more time before calling Dr Barnes with an update.  During all this time of walking I was having some contractions but not strong enough or consistent enough to to make a run for the hospital.  We called the doc at noon and he said to come on to the hospital and say that I think I may be leaking some fluid and have them put me on a monitor.

We arrived at the hospital around 12:30 and they checked me, my urine and put me on a monitor to see if I was having any contractions.  At this point still 2-3 cm and 60% effaced.  Unfortunately my favorite nurse was not there but she hooked me up with Kailey who was awesome too.  She called Dr Barnes and he gave the go ahead to start the induction.  It's official, we will welcome our final addition to the family sometime today :-)!!!

IV in, fluids started, pitocin going very slowly.  My mom is at the hospital, Dad and Glynda are on their way and we have called John and Patsy (they are in Jacksonville shopping).  From here it was a waiting game. 

Oh you ask you that is in the chair?  It's Pop Pop :-)!! Lea and my dad were there too just no picture of them waiting.  Predictions are being made and "daddy to be" is documenting it on our video camera and we were trying hard to find the Florida State game.  The game was on ESPNU which the hospital didn't have but we were lucky that one of the other ESPN stations would flop back and forth between games so we got to watch a good portion of it.  As for the predictions the latest arrival time was 10:20 PM, I believe the sex was divided, and the weight was anywhere between 6 lbs 10 oz and 7lbs 10 oz. 

Kailey, our nurse, says she is ready to bump the pitocin up and have Dr Barnes break my water but wants me to get my epidural.  Anesthesiologist is called, epidural is in with no problems and Barnes is on his way to hospital to break my water in hopes we will be delivering a baby soon.  Just a short while after water is broken (6:00 PM water broken) Kaley checks me again (6:45ish 6 cm) and to her surprise she feels baby's hand!  Her face definitely showed some concern along with a little bit of confusion.  She decided to go tell Dr Barnes.....as she is leaving the room I begin to freak out!! Apparently no big deal to the Hall of Famer Dr Barnes.  He says he has seen this before not to worry.  Ok then that is what I must do....easier said than done.  We all laughed and said baby was already doing the tomahawk chop....GO NOLES!!!!

Not only am I thankful for my family who was at the hospital to support me and hold my hand but my friends who were just a text away! My mom could see it my eyes as I lay in the bed with my little worried look upon my face.  She just came over and touched my hand and said not to worry that I needed to focus on me and the baby.  Nikki who texted back (6:56 pm) and said "Will Pray. Nothing you can do it. It's all in God's hands. Just let it go & trust God. Try and enjoy the process - this is the last time. So excited for you!".  Kristy, my sister in law, texted (7:31 PM) and says "All is Ok". Your heavenly Father is holding baby's hand. He knew what you need before you did. If you abide in him, and he in you, YOU can do nothing without him. Trust him! He's holding your eternal security. I think he can care for your gift". Then my step sister was sitting on the couch and every time she saw worry in my eyes or a tear fall down my face I knew she was praying.  MOST of all my husband wanted to make the worry and fear go away.  His look tells me everything will be OK and that it will all work itself out.  One way or the other our new baby would enter the world and as long as baby/mommy are healthy and well that is what matters.  The monitor reassured me that the baby's heart rate was doing just fine. 

Shift change....Leslie is now our nurse for the night.  Good thing it wont be long.  She will have me out of here in no time.  I am very nauseated and tired.  Not sure if I feel sick because I haven't eaten all day or the medicines or laboring or all of the above but I hate feeling like I could puke!  I can have only ice chips and as I eat them I am imagining them to be the best food ever!! Time is passing and at 9:15pm I am 7 cm!!  Finally pass the 5-6 cm after hours of hanging in that area.  The contractions are coming quicker and getting stronger but then all of a sudden they start to slow down.  This goes on for about the next 2 hours! Baby's hand is still on the top of his/her head which is making it hard for him/her to descend which is making this process go SO SLOW!

From about 9:30-11:30 family is in and out of the room.  Going from the room to the lobby.  I made Scott, mom, & Leah order a pizza and eat something.  I tried to sleep some along with playing on my phone...thank goodness for today's technology.  Scott was on our computer looking at old pictures of Colby, Dylan, & Abby along with organizing more of our photos.  Ron Draa kept us laughing with some of his text as we wait.  I text Kitty's phone (9:21 PM) and say - 7cm.  A text comes from her phone (9:38 PM) and says "Sister, push that thing out already! Is Scott doing ok, I'm sure he's pretty tired by now?" My response " Hi Ron :-)" He says " Yep it me. Wife passed out drunk @ 9pm. Lightweight. I'm up drinking til you pop that critter out!" I respond " Woo hoo love it! Best get its game on quickly". Then another text from Kitty's phone (10:17 PM) 12 beers in. How we doin? do you need me to make a run to Publix fur nnnother 12 pakc so I cun hung? er should I swith to tekilla? I respond "Have another of something pls. Baby is being sooooo stubborn. Baby must be a baby Scott". Ron's response " Dont blame em. Life is good where he/she is. I can b there in 2 hrs if u want a real man by ur side. Btw, since its a Batsch I guess we wont know for a year or two if its a girl or a boy?!?!
Last text from Ron, still coming from Kitty's cell, (11:28 PM) Tekilla did me in. signing off Batschs. Good Luck. Prayers headed ur way.  Also through out this time frame Scott thought it would help to send me a picture of our cat Simba and any of you who know this cat know that did not help :-).  also Lynn asked for a picture of me so Scott thought it would be funny for me to mess my hair up and make a face as if I were pushing.  Anything to make the time to go by faster!

About 11:00 I realize that I am feeling the contractions on my left side and towards the middle of my lower abdomen.  They are about 5-6 on a scale of 10.  Leslie checks me around 11:15 and I am about 8 cm.  Because I had to have morphine at the last minute with Abby and it made me feel tired, sick and weird there was no way I wanted them to dose me again like that.  I decide I can handle the pain...besides it wasn't that bad.  As the contractions got closer they became stronger and I began to realize that my pain level was a 10 out of 10.  Anesthesiologist came in to give me a bolus but now my legs are getting pretty numb and I don't want to not be able to push when needed.  I used the side rails to grip as hard as I could and remember gripping my hand into a fist then hitting my forehead (not hard) to help get through each one.  At one point I was having a contraction then the BP cuff would go off, then a contraction, then the BP cuff, then a contraction, then the BP cuff......UGH!!!! I was getting so irritated and becoming that woman who I never wanted to be while giving birth!
It took me about an hour to go from 8-10 cm while enduring this pain but knew once this baby was here it would be well worth every bit of it!!!

It was time to find out who God gave us....Blake or Teagan???? The prepping begins so I can do my job and we can finally meet this precious bundle of joy. 

I invited my mom, my mother in law and step sister into the room for this delivery.  In the past Scott and I have been by ourselves and then he goes out to the lobby to announce what we had and how we were doing.  This time I asked that my mom got to say Boy or Girl!  She was so excited.  After only two big pushes.......

12:47 am on Sept 4th Blake Edward entered our wonderful world! Blake weighed 7lbs 15 oz and was 20.5 inches long! I couldn't believe it was finally over and we had our precious little baby to hold and love on. He's PERFECT!!!!

Mommy and Daddy are as proud as they can be.  Just overwhelmed that we could bring a 4th child in this world to love and bring home to our awesome family we already have!!!

Scott went out to tell Papa, Grandpa, & Grandma the good news and invite them back to meet their newest grandson!

Ha! Sorry Leslie you didn't get rid of me as quick as we all thought.  Basically I was her only patient all night.  Thanks for being such a great nurse.

As mommy text friends to announce that baby finally made his arrival the family takes a moment to admire and to love on the new baby boy. You will see that Pop Pop made it to see his grandson shortly after his arrival.  He called just as Blake entered the world and joined the party.  In his mind he had the best of both worlds....Gator game with a Gator win and still made it to the hospital.  We were just glad Blake showed the world that he could do the tomahawk chop as he was trying to show his face :-). 



Now it was time to head to the OR and the family is pooped (as if they just did a bunch of hard work) and ready to go home.  The only problem was there wasn't going to anyone to take pictures of Daddy giving Baby Blake his first bath.  Mom to the rescue stayed a bit longer and took pictures of this special moment. 

So excited to have Dr Barnes deliver Blake into this world.  He has been there for all my babies and having him there for this last one meant the world to me.  He had his final "call" day on Tuesday Aug 30.  He told us it would be his honor to deliver and be apart of this with us!

Having my amazing husband and our wonderful family for the final addition was more than words can describe.  So thankful for thier support, prayers, and strength to help me get through this day.  I love you all!!!