the silveys: September, Baby Jude is born

Ah, September! How I was looking forward to you. I was super duper pregnant and more than ready for our little one to be born. Here is Kate, loving on some of her babies.

My kids love to dress up. Colin was really excited about his Superman underpants. He knows that Superman wears his underpants on the outside, so he did too.

The kids in their Gunthers shirts from Dad's work. If one kid puts his shirt on, then all the kids need to put their shirts on.

Chef Gray.

He might get bigger, but he stays just as sweet and crazy.

I love how Gray insists on carrying around all of his accessories. I guess I should find a man purse for him.

What a cheeser.

The kids took these pictures of us. This is about a week before the baby was born.

I didn't want my face in this picture.

Gray as Prince Phillip.

Gray as Prince Batman the Explorer.

Gray as Prince Superstar the Explorer leaving on a business trip with his chihuahua.

Kate the cheerleading princess.

Kate told me she was dressed like a movie star. I asked her to do some movie star poses.

Classy.

Gray didn't want to go into the house after church. He was lying with his face in the grass until I went in to get the camera. I'm sure the neighbors thought it was hilarious to watch a very pregnant me try to get a very stubborn 2-year-old off of the grass and into the house. All while wearing a skirt. Blerg.

Colin writing some cards for his family and friends. Gary cracks me up still.

I have no words.

Baby Jude! Jude William Silvey was born September 19, 2013 at 2: 58 pm. He was 8 pounds 5 ounces and 22 inches long. This is the only picture I had on my phone of him in the hospital on the day he was born. I know Nate and Granny and Nana have some, I'll have to get them to email them to me. The first fews days he looked a lot like Gray, but as he's grown he's looking more like Colin did. But out of all of the boys he looks the most like his daddy.

Here's the rundown of Jude's birth: I knew I was going to be induced. I went to bed too late and woke up too early. Nerves. Nate and I went to the hospital around 6:00 am. We got checked in, and I got hooked up to IVs and stuck in bed. I told the nurse that I knew nothing was going to happen until Dr. Taylor showed up to break my water, and she actually listened to me! She tried to get him to come in right away, but he said couldn't make it until 10:00. I was dilated to about 3 for several hours. The pitocen on its own doesn't do much for me. Dr. Taylor came around 11:00 and broke my water. I was hopeful that I would be ready to push about an hour after that, the way I had with Kate and Gray, but no such luck. I was stuck at a 4 for like 2 more hours. At 2:00 I asked the nurse to check me again, and I was 5 cm. About 10 minutes later I felt a lot of pressure and like I should start pushing. This was a first for me. With my epidurals I've never felt anything, but this time I did. She checked me again and I was complete and ready to push. Unfortunately, I had to wait another 40 minutes for the doctor to show up. The nurse almost called the resident to come deliver the baby because it was taking Dr. Taylor so long and I was feeling the need to push. I wasn't in pain or anything, but she told me to push the button on my epidural, and like a sucker I did. Then when it actually came time to deliver the baby I couldn't feel a thing and had to be told when to push! Grrr. Anyway, Jude didn't just slide out like Kate and Gray did. I had to push more than once. Probably like 5 times. And then he was born! Dr. Taylor said he had shoulders like a linebacker. He was a little twisted up and his arms were wrapped funny around himself. Dr. Taylor had to twist him quite a bit while he was being delivered. Jude was also the goopiest and hairiest, just like his daddy. Jude had dark hair on his ears, shoulders, back, and down the sides of his face. He had A LOT of long hair on the back of his head, but not very much hair on the top of his head. Despite all that, he was still beautiful and adorable and Nate and I were immediately in love with him.

Aww. Snuggles with mom. Day 2 of life on Earth.

Getting ready to leave the hospital. Jude didn't have any of the low blood sugar problems that Gray did, despite the gestational diabetes, which was a blessing.

Coming home in his carseat.

Gray playing with some stickers. He obviously had a good time.

Baby Jude at home. His face is already a lot smaller than at birth.

Gray was under the bed playing with Seth's old laptop. He was sleepily lying down and just smacking the keys with one hand. It made Nate and I laugh pretty hard.

Colin was fast asleep and still holding up his book like he was reading. Adorable.

Nate reading a story to all four kids. Four kids?! What the what?! It still blows my mind sometimes.

Jude wiggled one arm out of his nightshirt.

I don't remember why they insisted on having their picture taken, but they did.

Camera shy.

Cute sleeper from Aunt Hannah.

Gray, looking good, as always.

One week old. Jude doesn't like being naked, so he really doesn't like being changed. But he also spits up a ton, so he gets changed a lot. Which is why he is always crying when I take his picture.