Hey Hickory: IKE.

post by casey.

we welcomed our 3rd son into the world. Third son. Fourth child.

HOW?!??!!?!? - I'll tell you 'how' in just a minute but I gots to compose myself:')))).

IKE Ewalt Smith

October 15, 2017 . 151AM

8lbs 2oz . 19-3/4"

IKE: in Hebrew the meaning is, He Laughs. Laughter:) We also just liked it!

EWALT: a family name on my dad's side. My dad's mom, my grandmother's maiden name. I was named after my great-grandmother, Mildred Arlene Ewalt (Casey M-A-E...I was also born on her birthday, March 23rd:).

Some people have also mentioned that it sounds very Starwars-ey. Which Jacob is totally cool with;).

photos by Courtney Smith Photography:)

i know most love a good birth story but I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet - similar to all my births!:)

Ike came 3 days early, after about 5 hours in the Hospital and 2 pushes. You did wonderful, baby boy:).

some of the highlights were:

- me calling the Birthing Center at 7PM on 10/14/17 to let them know we were coming BUT that I planned to stop at Target first...and then we'd be there...they later told us that they all laughed prettyyyyy hard after getting off the phone with me!!!!;)

I also hung-up after that call and looked at Jacob and said: "WHY DID I SAY THAT??!?!? WHYYYYYY DID I TELL THEM THAT?!??!?". SO embarrassing...so typical;).

SIDE NOTE: contractions were too intense and we did end up skipping Target;(.

- unlike with the other kids' births, I was able to walk around at the Hospital and try to keep things going on my own this time around.

When we arrived at 830PM, I was 6CM dilated, which I was really happy with. I felt really calm and somewhat motivated to let things happen naturally for a while...it just...felt...right!!! I declined the epidural and wondered if I might actually do this shit au'natural...BY CHOICE...this time - if you remember...we didn't have time for it with Rocky and so that shit went down fast and painful but you know, crossed Natural Birth off the Bucket List;) - Rocky's Birth Story HERE.

After 2 hours of wandering the halls and trying the Birthing Ball for one contraction, I was STILL 6CM.

1045PM: EPIDURAL, PUUUUUUULEASSEEEEE!!

- I do have to say...I've had wonderful experiences with the Epidural and this time may have been the best yet. It most definitely 'took the edge off' but it was much more localized to my stomach/contractions and so I was able to, very much so, recognize contractions/feel that intense pressure/pain - but on a smaller pain level - and my legs hardly went numb but I felt really present for the birth and aware and it was really perfect for me.

- the epidural did slow things down. My contractions were about 3MIN apart prior and then slowed to about 8MIN:/

We even inquired with our doc about what happens after you're at the hospital for more than 6HRS?!?!?;) We've never been at the Hospital for longer than 6HRS before birthing a baby...which has been wonderful:).

- I was 8CM at 1AM on 10/15/17 and so they broke my water

- sometime after 130AM on Sunday, October 15, 2017...2 contractions and 2 pushes...Ike was born at 151AM:)

one of my favorite parts was them asking us if we knew what we were having and how excited they always get about the not-knowing and surprise to come:). Of course, they asked Jacob and I what we thought we were having and I replied Girl - and explained that I've guessed wrong with EACH baby so far...and Jacob, boy.

when they laid the baby on my chest they said to me: "You were RIGHT!!!!" and so I excitedly said: "OMG!!! We had a girl!!!!???!!!!". To which the doctor replied: "No, you were right...you ARE always wrong! It's a BOY!!!!".

We all died laughing!!:)

it's taken 4 pregnancies and 4 births for me to find this place of pure contentment:). They've ALL been wonderful. We are SO fortunate. Lucky. Blessed!! They've all been so so good and different and perfect in all the ways. But this time around, especially...I wasn't too anxious. I felt at peace about what was coming and what would happen...the unknown. I feel especially excited about the future.

this isn't me announcing that we're 'done'. :)

but what I think I'm trying to say is that I'm finally embracing the hard and the easy and the scary and the recovery and finding patience and...I'm finally taking the time to take care of myself in all of this. It's SOOO much about this family and these babies. But I finally feel like I'm still here too. And I can have them and give them all that I have...but that doesn't have to be it. I get a little bit too and that's OKAY!!!! If anything...me taking care of ME is going to pay off for them as well:).

and I'm not just talking about making time for a Target run;). I'm talking about asking for help. And putting things off. Embracing our messy days. Letting go of the guilt. Taking time to use the fancy/organic butt spray;).

i'm very happy:)

the kiddos are in love and have already started physically fighting each other for their place in line to hold baby Ike. That's gonna be cute for like 37 seconds;).

now that I'm home...we're settling in and Jacob and I have already talked about our game. How we're gonna do this. The answer is: we have NO clue;). BUT we're not scared about that. We're just pumping ourselves and each other up!!!

"let's not yell at them!!!"

"let's try to be SUPER patient!!!"

"let's not argue over who has it harder or has gotten less sleep or is more stressed out...at 227AM!"

"if the baby is screaming and I haven't slept in 4-1/2 dayssssss and Homer's hiding behind the chair with my phone playing a video game I said no to and Theo is screaming cause she can't watch Spirit on Netflix and Rocky just came out of the bathroom wearing my $27 lash lengthening mascara all over his god.damn.face...We will NOT . TURN . ON . ONE . ANOTHER!!"

i know that all of this is bound to happen and saying it out loud and preparing for the worst...has actually only benefited us:). I couldn't do this without Jacob - wait, I currently am...cause he's at some sort of Sportsman's Banquet on my 1st night home...!?!?!?!?!! - I encouraged him to go...no worries:).

SO...baby Ike. Good grief. We love you so much. You're surrounded by a mess of love. SO much of it. It's evident to me on the most mundane of days, how much love there is in this family. But especially, every time these babies arrive:)

Find your tribe. Love them hard.