Birth Day

Hayes David Kerr arrived on a Saturday. It was the day before Halloween. My parents (Grammie and Papa) arrived from Florida the night before. They had thrown around the idea of stopping in New Orleans for the night, but something made me urge them to drive on to Houston. SO glad they did. Saturday morning I was very uncomfortable. My back ached and I couldn't find a position that suited me. In my perfect birth plan scenario, I would have had my hair "done" and my house would have been in order. Not so much. I was so uncomfortable that I decided to take a shower and wash my hair. When I got out of the shower with my dripping wet hair, I decided that it was time to call the Doctor. Fifteen minutes later, my dear friend Steph was scooping my kids up to take to her house, and my wet head was heading to the hospital! To say that things happened quickly from there would be an understatement. Hayes was born just a little under three hours later. And boy oho boy, was he perfect. It was love at first sight.

I immediately saw both Ashton and Emory Anne in his features. He was 100% all Kerr at birth. Super handsome, just like his daddy.

A few minutes after he was born, he started making grunting sounds and it was determined that he still had some fluid in his lungs. The NICU team was called down and assessed him. After trying a few tricks to get the fluid to move out, the Dr. decided to admit him to the NICU. Apparently this is common during "quick labor". The baby doesn't have enough time in the birth canal to compress the fluid out of his/her lungs. Who knew a quick and easy labor could have a downside?! Well, what a downside it was.

Hayes was in the NICU for a total of six days. My life consisted of days spent at the hospital, afternoons and evenings spent with the older children and then back to the hospital at night after they went to bed, all while pumping every two hours to stimulate my milk production. Upon realizing that Hayes would be staying in the NICU for a few days, I asked my Dr. the morning after his birth if I could go home. It was Halloween, I felt great(physically) and I really wanted to have some normalcy. So, discharged I was...less than 24 hours after giving birth. Daddy and I came home, trick or treated with two precious little indians, then headed back up to the hospital until the wee hours of the night.

Grammie and Papa were amazing. They pulled double duty and did whatever was needed of them...all while battling Shingles (Papa) and the stomach flu (Grammie). Yes, you read that right. It was an interesting week.






Ashton and Emory heading to meet their baby brother the morning after his birth. Emory pointed at him, yelled, "baby!!!" and then said, "down" meaning, put me down so I can run around the NICU, please. Her visit was very shortlived. :) Ashton was quiet and kept asking daddy, "What's wrong with baby Hayes?". He very softly petted the blanket that Hayes was wrapped in and stared at him for a good ten minutes, all while keeping his head laid on daddy's shoulder. He continued to act very quiet and a bit irritable until the day that we brought Hayes home. As soon as we walked through the front door with his baby brother, he immediately went back to his "normal" self. Amazing how observant and aware he was.

FINALLY, after six very long, worry filled days, our sweet baby Hayes came home. Oh, what a glorious day!!

Ever since arriving home, Hayes has remained covered in kisses and cuddles. He fits so well into our family and we already cannot remember life before him. I look so forward to the years to come with my little punkin. Well, with all three of my punkins! :)