ike: 1 week.

tomorrow will be 2WKS with this wonderful little baby boy.

You guys...I used to dread the night time - especially, after Theo rocked my world by NOT sleeping for 7.weeks.straight... - but Rocky and Ike have renewed my belief in sleeping babies everywhere;).

things are going so well...and as any mama knows...that can change on a dime but for now, I'm soaking up the chest cuddles and nursing breaks and 3HR stretches of sleep at night and quiet walks around Target - yeahhhhhh, we've been there a disgusting amount of times in only 2 short weeks!!:). 

Ike is a breath of fresh air and on those nights that Jacob walks in at 6PM from work and I then take Ike and lock us in my bedroom, away from the sass that has been the elder children:/...I just look at Ike and I just can't be sad or mad:).

i'll spare you the details on Homer and Theo and Rocky's poor attitudes - believe me, it's not 'adjusting to the baby' attitudes...it's 'they're assholes' attitudes - but we're dealing and digging up patience...patience...serenity.now;). And 4 hasn't been an adjustment at all. Really...once we had 3...it's hardly noticeable that there are 4 now! It's been a pretty seamless transition!:)

i'll also spare you the story about Rocky shitting on my rug. Rocky...my child...my human son. 

Shit. 

On my rug.

i'll also spare you the story about how Rocky threw a mini nerf gun at my face and I still have a slightly painful eyebrow because of it.

but I WILL share the story of Ike's first trip to the doctor!!!;)

after holding our breath in the waiting room for 45MIN, the nurse/MA? comes out to call us back and says:

"Ike-ey. Ike-ey Smith?" 

And I look around like...ummmm, I guess that's us, IKE. 

I considered making a quick announcement to the waiting area, letting them know that I had actually named my son, IKE. NOT Ike-ey;). 

On the way to the room I decided to correct the nurse, only because we had to spend some time together and I didn't want him to continue to be called the wrong name and end up looking silly when maybe the doctor corrected her or something.

SO I say: "No big deal - except that it is;) - BUT his name is just, IKE:)."

To which she responds: "Oh! Well, I'm definitely going to make note of that because I can see that getting messed up a lot?!"

me: CONFUSED FACE.

you guys...no name is safe;).

i'll leave you with that because Homer's in the bathroom with a poop situation that he describes as "juice"...omg.

Ike is screaming - only for the 3RD time in his happy life;).

Theo is running around dressed in an Ewok costume.

And Rocky has a plastic bag on his head.

i got this. I got thissssss.;).

#nailedit

anyone else fall into a state of depression after cutting all yours and baby's hospital bands off?

Cause that makes it all real and the birth is officially over and the baby is here and lifeeeeeeeee;(

beautiful photos by: Courtney Smith Photography

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.

"In raising my children, I have lost my mind but found my soul."

- Lisa T. Shepherd

thirty-eight weeks.

post by Casey.

these might, DEFINITELY, be my fav maternity photos...OF all.time.

COURTNEY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

38WEEKKKKSSSSSS. It's about this time where it gets a tad more 'real' to me. I never feel too anxious about 'gettin' this thing outta me' or anything like that...more so, excited about the story, how it will begin, who we'll be meeting at the end of all of this:). 
I feel really good and so I'm really in NO hurry to get to the end. We've been very fortunate.

this is also about the time where I don't, so much, like people - see: strangers - looking at me;). I take great offense to stares that aren't followed up with "you look so great!" or "your 4th? NO, I don't believe it!! I retract my first statement and replace Great with UNBELIEVABLE!!!". JUST staring is, basically, unacceptable.

i'll also go for my walks after dark or in the peace and quiet of the very early mornings. NO, I'm not trying to 'get things started'. I'm a human, with another human in me...out walking my big body...like a normal human. STOP STARING AT ME!!!!;)

you guys. I've also gained LESS than 45lbs, so far! I mean...I can do a lot of damage in 2 weeks but this is a RECORD low for me! Diet-inducing-heatburn FOR.THE.WIN;).


i'm so exciteddddddd!!!!!!!!


jacob and I settled on 4 names. 2 girls and 2 boys. We've got a pretty clear idea of what direction we're going to go but we like to wait and see what the baby looks like - HA. Just kidding. If we did that, we'd probably name it: What's That White Stuff On His Face Smith. OR just the sound of me sobbing...we're  working out the spelling on that;).
Nahhhh, we just like to wait until the baby is here and we've always just had a feeling in that moment. Nothing really to do with what the baby looks like:).

so I'm hoping to be back with another round of photos and a 40WK update in 2WKS!:)
Really though, how did we get here already?!:(

also. My hair has changed colors (liking the lighter better) and grown a measly 2IN in 9MO. I'm annoyed.

all the beautiful photos, courtesy of Courtney Smith Photography.