The long awaited and much anticipaited post!

 

 Reddic Steven Allen

Born August 24th, 2011 at 4:22pm

8lbs. 11oz. 20in.

Well, I am finally getting around to sharing the news of the arrival of our 3rd son. I went into my doctors appointment at 40 weeks very ready (mentally) to have this baby. The doctor asked how I felt about getting induced and I told her I was all for it! I was worried she would say that the hospital was booked solid for the next week, but instead she said "how about tomorrow?". Of course, I said yes. I had never been induced before, but I wasn't really worried. I was very overjoyed at the prospect of not being pregnant anymore. We went into the hospital the next morning, and the doctor broke my water at 9:15 am. We were all expecting it to go a little faster, but it took a few hours before I finally got any contractions. They did let me walk around the hospital which was nice. Although, the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center is one very very small hospital, so it did get pretty boring walking up and down the same hallways 20 times. I got my epidural about 1 hour before he was born when I was dialated to 8-9cm. I love epidurals! So glad we didn't have a repeat of Grady's birth. Then at 4:22 he finally arrived! He was way bigger than all of us thought, even the doctor. At 8lb. 11oz. he was a full pound bigger than either of his brothers! Reddic (pronounced RED-ick) is a family name from Ty's side of the family, who was a pioneer who helped rescue the stranded handcart pioneers out on the plains. If you ask Luke, he will tell you the baby's name is Blobster Reddic Allen. He was very upset when he found out that we were going to name the baby Reddic and not Blobster after his favorite ipod game. We tried to explain that Blobster would be a really good nick name, but he insists that the baby's first name needs to be Blobster. Oh well, Blobster is kind of growing on me. I think Ty's grandma and mother of 5 boys herself said it best "The only thing cuter than 2 boys is 3!".  Since I tell stories better with pictures than words, here's a glimpse at his first few days of life.

Luke and Grady got to meet Reddic when he was only 2 hours old! They loved meeting their new little brother almost as much as they loved running around my hospital room. Thanks so much to my brother Jeffrey for taking all these pictures of Luke and Grady meeting their brother!

A family picture!

My brother Jeffrey and Ty's brother Aaron, who is a doctor at the hospital, were some of the first people who got to meet Reddic.

My mom came down the next day. Let me just say that Reddic is one ver alert baby. That is the nice way of saying he never slept! None of us ever saw him with his eyes closed at night for longer than 30 seconds for the first two nights! I am not exaggerating at all. By nights 3 and 4 he would sleep for a little while if he was being held, and finally by night 5 he learned how to sleep on his own! Needless to say I have been feeling very sleep deprived this week!

Dressed up in his going home outfit. This is the same outfit that both Luke and Grady wor home from the hospital. We spent a whopping 24hours and 30 min. in the hospital after his birth before we went home. While it was good to be home, I did miss the nurses, the quiet, and the room service at the hospital.

Reddic with Ty's sister April and his mom.

Loved having my sister Emily come and stay with us for 2 days!

A couple random pictures from his first day or two home.

So handsome after his first bath!

An elusive sleep smile!

I was so happy to have the help of my mom, Ty, my sister Emily, and lots of in-laws these first few days. My mom went home yesterday, and somehow I have made it through a day and an half mostly by myself. The hardest part is just trying to have enough patience for Luke and Grady being so sleep deprived. One afternoon Ty took the boys out to the backyard for some fun on the slip-n-slide.