Ryker Craig Rich

Here are some pics of our new little guy. Ryker was born at 10:33 AM. He was 7 lb. 15 oz. and 20 inches long. He is such a sweet little guy so far. He squeaked a couple times and then was calm as can be.




I was in labor when I came in and was already dilated to a six. They were really surprised. They started everything about 6:30 am. I got my epidural before I was in any pain. Things went really great really fast. The only problem was that I think my epidural quit working or I wasn't pushing the button enough because those five minutes I pushed were the most PAINFUL EVER!! I didn't think I would be able to do it. My cute doctor and nurse kept up the encouraging words and somehow I made it through. With Coop I was completely numb and couldn't life my legs. With Ryker I could totally lift my legs and move myself around. I don't know how all of you do it without an epidural. Now we are all doing great!!

Coop isn't too sure about Ryker. He held him for a bit and then didn't really want anything to do with him. When we were trying to get pics, he hid behind the bed...Yesterday when we told him we were going to bring home a baby he said, "No, bring home a doggy."....Not this time!





On the drive to the hospital I was thinking to myself that I get to experience something today that I will only experience a couple times in my life. Though it is hard, it is so amazing to go through childbirth and welcome a new little spirit into our home! I am so grateful that families are forever!!

Here He Comes!!

I got some good news today!! Well, I guess you can say it's good news...I'm getting induced on Monday!! The ultrasound said this baby is 8 lb 1 oz right now but that's not the reason I'm getting induced. Once again, my BP decided to sky rocket now that I'm past 37 weeks. That means that I am now on bedrest until Monday. That is the not so good news. I always thought bedrest sounded awesome, but when you have a baby coming, your mind just races with everything you need to be doing to get ready. None of it's as important as our health though. I am already dilated to a 4 and the MD said that she wouldn't be surprised if I go into labor before Monday. How many of us have heard that before??? I'm just planning on Monday at 5:30 am! I'm so excited to meet this little guy! We'll keep you updated!

Just one of those days....

So, aside from the fact that I am not feeling the best lately I've been doing okay. Coop is a really good kid and I've been able to stay on top of things. Well, today I feel differently. It all started during lunch. I gave Coop some avocados to eat and he decided to smush them around in his hands. No big deal I would just have to do some extra wiping. The smushing then led to putting his hands into his water cup which then led to putting every lunch item in his already full water cup. Again, no big deal I just told him not to spill. The next thing I know I look over and he has his cup high in the air, looks over at me, and dumps all the green gushy messy water all over the floor. Yes, that was a big deal. I kept telling him not to ever do that again and he kept saying..."anytime mom, anytime"...hmmmm. I told him that was a bad thing to do and he seemed not to care. Just smiled and laughed which for some reason makes me even more angry...He did "help" clean up which was nice.
Well, off to nap time. Hurray!! My break time. His pants were all wet so I took them off and put him in bed. I was a little less angry because he kept asking for hugs and kisses. It had been about a half hour when I heard him playing around in his room. I decided to go put him back in his bed. I opened the door and the smell hit. No big deal. I'll change his diaper and put him back in bed. I look over at my dear little boy and he's holding up his diaper with poop in it and all. I look down and see poop smeared all over his legs, socks, bum, and this cute car mat he loves to play with. NOOOO!!! I do not want to deal with that now! One more surprise. I look over and see he has decided to take all his pee diapers out of the covered trash can and spread them all over his floor. I really just wanted to shut the door and walk away. Well, of course I can't and I proceed to clean him up, the room up and pick up all his nasty fermenting pee diapers. Once I'm done, I threaten him not to get out of his bed, I put his pants on and I'm out. I hear him out of his bed again and I go in and put him back in his bed and threaten again. "Do NOT get out of bed again!!! mean old mom says. He looks at me and says, "Okay". In his cute little voice. So, I leave his room feeling like a bad, mean mom. Then I started thinking...I'm so pregnant that my G tops won't tuck in anymore, I don't get sleep at night and I can't eat all the sugar I crave. I just cleaned up spilled water mush from all over the floor. I had to scrub poop off my son, and the rug and pick up reeking pee diapers. I actually think I handled today pretty well....I didn't curl up in a ball and cry. I'm a good mom :) I can do this!

Happy Valentines Day!!

Cupid arrived at my house a day early to deliver his special present. I have been suffering from insomnia the last few nights and so I was trying to get a nap in. Brad was watching Coop and told me they were going outside. Well the doorbell started ringing about six times and I was cussing wondering why in the world Brad wasn't just talking to whoever was at the door. Well, I drug myself out of bed and went to answer the door and this is what I found...




My own personal cupid!! Needless to say my anger quickly left and I realized how wonderful my husband is. He skillfully dessed Coop, cut out a heart and made wings to give me my present. :) What a cutie! Coop also delivered Valentines to his neighborhood friends like this...



Brad, you are a wonderful husband and father. I love you so much!! Thanks for the beautiful flowers and pedicure appointment!!

Baby Update

The end is finally in sight! I headed to the MD on Wednesday for the usual. These days I am getting an ultrasound, a stress test and then I meet with the doctor. It usually takes a couple hours, but it's fun to see the ultrasound and see him move around. The ultrasound estimated that he is 7 lbs 4 oz already!! I am in trouble. She said this baby will be at least eight pounds. These Rich babies don't come small!
I talked to my MD about induction and we set a date! If all goes normally I will be having this baby on March 2 when I am 39 weeks. I say if all goes normally because with Coop my blood pressure got really high towards the end and I was induced at 38 weeks. So far, everything has been normal so we will just continue to see what happens. I don't go back to the MD until the 20th. Only three weeks to go!!

When did he get so old??

So, I haven't posted for a while because I feel like I haven't done anything too exciting since December. Also, I don't feel like being exciting because I am 35 weeks pregnant and I feel like I'm 45. Oh well!! Soon this baby will be here.
Coop has been so hilarious lately. He comes up with the most random things to say all the time and it just cracks Brad and I up. Here are some examples:

Coop has been obsessed lately with things "hurting". My finger hurts, my leg hurts etc. It seems like it's constant. Well, the other night he was in the tub and he shouted out, "Mom! My bum hurts....come kiss it!" Needless to say, he had to go without.

We are in the process of setting up Ryker's room and we were putting together some drawers we had bought. Coop kept getting in the way and I kept telling him to move. He knew when I was upset because he would come up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, put his face an inch from mine and say, "Mom, how you doin today?" I can't stay mad long!!

Coop loves to feel daddy's beard when he hasn't shaved in a while. At church on Sunday I wasn't feeling like wearing tights (when do I ever feel like wearing tights), Coop came up to my legs and started rubbing them and shouted out, "Mommy has a beard!!" Yeah, didn't feel like shaving either.

Walking into Robert's today Coop was feeling his hair and he said, "Mom, my hair's too sharp!!"

At the grocery store I said something random like, "Oh, that's a lot of Moo-lah." Coop looks at me with a serious expression and says, "Mom, don't say that." My child is already embarrased of me and he is barely two!!

I'm sure there is a ton more and I need to be better about writing them down, but Brad and I are just loving the age our little boy is. He is such a cutie!!

Also, I make a trip to the MD tomorrow for another round of Ultrasound, Stress test and all that fun stuff. Hopefully he hasn't gained too much more weight in two weeks. We'll let you know!!