Introducing...

Cosette Fae Shaha

I know I am woefully behind in my blogging, and I have every intention of catching up some day, but I really can't let this special time go by because there's nothing much sweeter than the births of my babies.

Cosette is number four!  I can't believe I have four children.    

And I can't believe I named one of them Cosette.  

So, a little background.  In December we were notified Ben had been nominated for the attache position in Madrid, Spain.  Of course we were elated at the prospect! This position requires five months of attache training in D.C. starting in August 2016… so we knew this summer would be our big PCS (permanent change of station) summer, and that we would be having a baby smack dab in the middle of it.  Yeah, we like to roll that way.

We've experienced some hiccups along the way, but long story short, we did not receive orders to JMAS (Joint military attache school) in D.C. until June 2 (we're supposed to report August 15). Our orders were taking so long that Ben had the foresight to get an EROD (early return of dependents) approved.  Essentially, the kids and I were authorized to return to Utah early on EROD orders so that I could prepare to have the baby there while Ben tied up all the loose ends in Stuttgart.  

So, on June 2 at 35 weeks and 3 days I flew back to Utah with the girls.  Pat and Nancy who had been visiting us in Germany flew back with James a week earlier so I wouldn't have to fly solo with the three kids.  Flight was smooth except that the inflight entertainment system was down… grrrr...

I was grateful to be able to deliver in Utah, considering my last German hospital experience (no epidural).  I found an OB online who came highly recommended, Dr. Wayne Young.  His office is at an Orem clinic, just minutes from my mom's house… directly behind the clinic is Orem Community Hospital where Cosette would be delivered.

My first prenatal visit went smoothly and it was fun to watch Dr. Young pour over my "mutter pass," which contains the impeccable German record of all my prenatal visits. I had an ultrasound and found that Cosette was 6 lbs. 10 oz., and was able to get some adorable pics of her in the womb.  At that point I was mentally and emotionally ready to deliver, I just needed my body to cooperate.  All the subsequent visits went smoothly as we discussed the birth plan and I expressed my desire to go into labor naturally instead of being induced.  This would be my second VBAC.

June was packed with cousins and old friends and swimming pools and finishing up my online college class and even though we were constantly busy, time stood still for me.  I don't know how it happens, but the days and weeks preceding birth are so painstakingly slow.  Ben worked hard in Stuttgart selling the car, preparing the house for the movers, painting, and then checking out of housing. I was so grateful I didn't have to mess with all of that stress and headache.   He arrived in Utah June 29.  

Cosette's due date was July 4, and I so badly wanted her to be born either on July 2 (James' bday) or the 4th… but both days came and went with no delivery.  On July 5 I visited Dr. Young and he was happy to report I was dilated to a three!  He stripped my membranes and made an appointment for me to be induced on the 7th.  I had very mixed feelings about this, but he said that it was his professional recommendation. I was sad because I really wanted to go into labor naturally.  We stopped by Macey's on the way home to pick up some grocery items and I felt strong contractions… I was getting so excited… this may be it!  But, then when we sat down to dinner at home with my mom, the pains stopped. That night before bed labor pains resumed, but that wasn't anything new, since I had been having pre labor contractions every night for the past couple of weeks.  I went to sleep next to Benny Boy, so grateful he was here in time for the delivery.  In the middle of the night James woke up.  I helped him to the bathroom and then he wanted me to stay near him as he fell back asleep.  I laid on the couch next to his little bed, and then eventually made it back to my bed.  At 5 a.m. I woke up to use the bathroom and immediately felt contractions.  I circled the family room trying to determine if this was the real thing.  I knew they were because the pain was stronger, it was in my back, and it was regular… I timed the contractions, every three to four minutes!  Wow, they came on fast. I started doing the last bit of packing and by 5:30 I was waking Ben up telling him it was time to go to the hospital…  He got up and gave me a priesthood blessing, so grateful I've been able to receive them with each delivery (except Emily when he was in Afghanistan). We drove to the hospital in my mom's car, I had two strong contractions on the short ride over there…that's how close they were.  The receptionist seemed to be taking her sweet time as she made copies of insurance cards and got us all checked in.  I was pacing the floor in quite a bit of pain.  They finally let us back and they took me to the pre labor room where they ascertain that I'm really in labor.  It didn't take the nurse long to see that I was. I was dilated to a five.  

She put me in wheel chair and pushed me to the delivery room.

At this point it was 6:00 a.m. and it was the staff's shift change.  I was already insisting on an epidural because the contractions were quite painful (all the memories of my last birth flooded over me and I was adamant I was not going to go through that again).  But the anestheiologist was no where to be found because he was checking out, and the new one hadn't arrived yet.  The nurses were calling his cell phone, leaving messages, etc. It was close to 6:30 or 6:45 before he finally arrived with everything prepared.  I wasn't happy at this point… Ben had been helping me through the contractions by pushing my knees against the back of the chair.  When the pain doc came, he was surprised at how fast I was advancing, and he administered the medication efficiently and with great care… I could tell he was very experienced and I was very happy for that.

Once the relief came, I was much happier.  It only took maybe two to three hours before I was 80% effaced and dilated to a ten.  But the problem was that the baby had not dropped yet.  The nurse, Stephanie, had me try various positions with a peanut ball to get the baby to drop.  After doing this for a couple hours, Dr. Young came in and checked me and said, "Oh, the reason the baby hasn't dropped is because she is positioned brow forward."  Instead of her head pointing down, it was tilted up so she didn't fit so snuggly down into the birth canal.  Her shoulders were also slightly twisted.  The doc gave me the option of pushing or using forceps which carried more risk, so I opted for the former.  After pushing for over an hour to no avail, the doc came back in and said, "Let's use the forceps."   I have to admit I was a little uneasy when I saw exactly what forceps were… they looked like huge salad tongs. He did his magic, and I'll tell you what, it was NOT comfortable, but after repositioning her, I only had to push through maybe three contractions and out she came!  All 8 lbs 7 oz of her… screaming her head off. So relieved and so happy, tears immediately sprung to my eyes. She was probably the least eventful of my deliveries considering Emily was induced with Ben on the webcam from Afghanistan, Caroline was an emergency c-section thanks to a prolapsed cord, and with James I felt every ounce of pain associated with delivering a 9 lb. 6 oz. baby.  So, yeah.  This one wasn't so bad.  

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One of my favorite pictures ever of Ben

At home… little chicken legs!

One week old!