Taysom Joseph Hixson's Birth Story

Oh, where to start...I guess this story begins a few days before Taysom's birth. It all started with a BYU game. The opening game was Thursday, Aug 30th and the baby was due on Sept. 5th. It's been a big joke that Vaughn would be gone to the game and I would go into labor while he was gone. He knew that if he went to the game and missed the birth that he'd better not bother coming home. He could just stay in Utah permanently! 

I had an appointment with my midwife on Friday morning, but Vaughn wanted me to go in on Thursday to see if I was doing anything and if there was a chance that I could go into labor fairly soon. Of course she couldn't say for sure or not, but Vaughn wanted her opinion on if anything "might" happen. 

So Thursday I went up to the appt and when she checked me she told me I was dilated to a one. I was so frustrated and just covered my face and groaned. I have never gone past 39 weeks before because of inductions and with the Mason and Sam I had been at least a four on the day of my inductions. So to hear that I was only a one and past 39 weeks was so discouraging! I had decided to not be induced this time and it was totally freaking me out! The unknown and I aren't friends. I have really bad anxiety, so I was just a little stressed. Anyway, she told me I was a one and then a few seconds later, while I was covering my face, Mickey (my midwife) tapped my arm and when I looked at her, she help up four fingers. I got all excited and kept asking her if she was sure. 

So when I was all put back together and she came back into the room I asked her what to expect now. I had never been in the position before and I just didn't know what to tell Vaughn. She told me that Vaughn should go to his game. She said if I had any questions or concerns about anything she could come over to my house at any time to check me or just to be with me. She also said there were things she could do that could delay the birth for long enough for Vaughn to make it home in time. She lives just a few streets behind me, so I was really comforted knowing she would come over if I needed or wanted her too. 

So I sent Vaughn a message telling him we needed to talk. It was probably the fastest he has ever called me back!! So I didn't want to influence his decision in anyway, so I told him what Mickey said. I told him he should go and if anything were to happen, Mickey would be right there with me. So we talked about it for a little while and he was going back and forth and finally decided that he wasn't going to go. After he made his decision I told him that I was dilated to a four. Once he heard that he said he was glad that he made the decision not to go.

So Thursday night was Meet the Teacher for Drew. He was so excited to go and see who his teacher was going to be for first grade. He was so excited to see that he had been put in Mr. Avery's class and that his two good friends, Kyler and Troy, were in there with him! So we headed over to his school and  found his classroom and his desk and most importantly we met his teacher! Mr. Avery seems like he will be a great fit for Drew and his personality! 

So all this time is going by and I am starting to feel really guilty that Vaughn is missing the opening game. I wasn't having any contractions and I just felt like he should have gone down. 

Friday morning, I didn't realize it then, but I now see that I had a "burst" of energy. I saw it as, this baby is coming sometime soon and I will have company, so I better have my house ready. I cleaned the boys/guest bathroom, the family and living rooms, the kitchen, my bedroom and most of my bathroom. Um, I guess I should just say my whole house, because that is most of it. Anyway, I did all that and I wasn't really that tired. Usually the littlest chores will kick my butt and I would take a 2 hour nap afterwards! Anyway, while I am doing this I am having contractions. Not even contractions that I was worried about. I have an app on my phone that helps you time and track them and they were so far apart it was crazy. I would have like three really close then it would be like 45 minutes between the next ones for a few hours or so. 

During lunch I had to pause and breath through a contraction and Vaughn asked me where my pain level was. I told him it was probably about a six and the look he gave me, almost made me hit him right in the nose! He was like a six? Seriously? So then I got mad at him and started being a brat to him and told him that he had no idea where my pain was and he shouldn't be telling me that it isn't a six because I was acting like it was a three or four. Now that I am out of that situation I can see what he was talking about. He just thought that I was handling it really well for a six and thought I would be complaining more with that level of pain.     

I kept calling my mom, just to pass the time and she kept asking if she should come up to Jerome or still go to Rexburg for a wedding the next day. I told her the contractions were so sporadic that she should follow through with her plans. Nothing was going to happen.  

Fast forward through the day with more sporadic contractions. . .

10:30 pm. I was on the phone with Alayna talking about decorating my friend, Candria's house for her birthday the next day. We couldn't get a hold of everyone and so we were just going to wait for a little bit longer before we just headed out ourselves. After another five or ten minutes I just lost all my energy. I called Alayna and told her I was sorry, but I just couldn't go. I was going to go take some tylenol pm and go to bed. I felt so bad about not decorating. It would be the first time in almost four years that we haven't done it. 

10:45 pm. I had a really weird contraction and I just felt like I had to go to the bathroom. So as I got up I felt kind of a little pop and Vaughn told me that I had blood all over me. I was shocked. I went into the bathroom and almost immediately I could tell the contractions were a little more intense. For a few minutes I totally freaked out. I started shaking and shivering and just stood there in shock. Finally, I told Vaughn we needed to call Mickey, because I thought my water had broken. He called her and she said that she would like to check me at the hospital. She said we had some time, so Vaughn called Malita and woke her up (Sorry!!!) and asked if she could come over and stay with the kids. Then Vaughn and I both took showers and Vaughn packed my bag while I dried and straightened my hair and put on my makeup. We called Mickey about an hour later telling her we were ready and walking out the door to the hospital.

As we were walking to our car, parked in the driveway, our neighbors daughter was just coming home. She got a huge smile on her face and asked if we were on our way to the hospital, we told her we were and she started laughing and told us congratulations. I was so embarrassed! It was almost midnight. That is supposed to be the safest time to NOT run into neighbors! She was excited for us, so I guess I shouldn't worry about it, too much...

Anyway, so like two minutes later we were at the hospital (yes, it is that close) and went to check in. Mickey met us in the admissions and took me back and left Vaughn to fill out the paperwork. They took me to the deluxe (or not so much) suite named Aspen and had me change into a gown. By the time I was done, Vaughn was done as well and there with me. Mickey checked me and I was dilated to a 7, but the baby was still really high. Also she told me that my water had not broken, but that I reached 100% effacement and that was the gush that I felt. 

12:01 am - Mickey broke my water and they hooked me up to the monitor for a few minutes, just to check the baby's heart rate and then Mickey asked if I wanted to sit on the ball. So I got on the ball and and rocked and breathed for about an hour. The contractions were intense, but as long as I could breath and focus on them, they were manageable. Finally, I felt a ton of pressure. With my medicated births that was my sign that I was complete and ready to push. So I really thought I was ready to start pushing. I got back into the bed for Mickey to check me and I was disappointed to hear that I was only an 8. Mickey told me to stay on the bed and put me in "Mickey's position" on my side. I laid on my right side for two contractions and felt like I had to go potty. So I got out of the bed and when I came back she put me in the same position but laying on my left side. I didn't even make it through one contraction when I felt like I needed to push. 

1:13 am - That is when I felt like I lost all control. This baby was coming and it hurt! I lost control of my breathing and started to panic! Mickey asked me to roll onto my back and I couldn't move. I finally made it to my back and then she asked me to grab my legs. I still couldn't move and couldn't do it. I don't know if the baby moved down a little and with feeling him move, it gave me motivation to get him out! I didn't really push, but bore down with everything I had. I knew the only way to make the pain stop was to get him out and I wanted him out NOW!!

1:19 am - He came out with two "pushes". It was the best feeling to finally have him out. I really didn't know if I would be able to live through the birth! I am such a wimp! I remember just feeling like it was the most paralyzing pain I had ever felt before. Something I was totally unprepared for. I remember that as soon as he was born that I lost the adrenaline rush. I was exhausted! I could barely keep my eyes open and just laid back while Vaughn helped clean the baby up and cut his cord. 

So at 1:19 am on September 1, 2012

we welcomed Taysom Joseph Hixson to our family! 

He weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces and was

20 inches long!

He has a ton of dark, long hair and the cutest feet ever!

He has Vaughn's feet and upper lip!

He has my perfect little ears!

He also didn't really cry for the first 24 hours!

I thought we had lucked out for sure!

He still doesn't really "cry" it is more like an eagles screech!

He is a calm baby and we completely adore him!

It was different having Taysom sleep in our room. In Boise we always sent the baby's to the nursery so we could get some sleep. The nurses would just bring the baby in when they were hungry. This time Taysom just slept while he wanted too and we got almost six hours of sleep that night!! 

Vaughn was exhausted.

 He didn't look too comfortable, but I guess if you are tired enough you can sleep on just about anything!

Vaughn is such a good daddy! He is amazing with babies and a great helper! I have never had to change a diaper while in the hospital! I love it!!

My mom ended up leaving Rexburg early to come see us. Not long after she got there, Malita brought the other kids to meet their new brother!

The kids were so excited to meet him!

We were so anxious to go home and we were released that same afternoon!

Taysom was so tiny! He looked like he was drowning in his carseat! 

We came home to an awesome sign on the garage! The kids did a great job with decorating it! We came home to an empty house (my mom and Malita took the kids to a reception in Arco) and it was nice to just relax in my own bed!!