Grae's birth

First of all being able to be there for Grae's birth was one of the most amazing experiences I will ever have.  I went through every emotion and I still cry as I think about it.  

Jadyn went in at 11:00 AM on Dec 22 to get started.  The nurses got her comfortable and started her on the potocin.  Her doctor was supposed to be in around noon to break her water but wasn't able to until 6 that night.  So she had been having contractions all day but wasn't really dilating very fast.  They gave her an epidural which worked great for about 1 1/2 hours then she was burning through it about every hour and could feel everything on the left side of her body.  They called the anesthesiologist in to try to fix it but by the 2nd time they called him in it was getting too late to take it out and try again so they kept giving her more and more and even put some other pain meds in.  After the doc broke her water at 6 things started moving fast.  He told her he would go home and eat dinner and the be back to check on her.  When it was time for her to start pushing the baby wanted to come very fast and her doctor was in an emergency c-section which I feel ended up being a blessing hes a great doctor but what happened with Grae coming so fast was he came out so forceful that it ended up ripping her completely up and the umbilical cord snapped from inside her.  The baby had the cord wrapped around his neck and just having to take the couple seconds to unwrap it made the force so strong that he came shooting out.  The doctor barely caught him and Grae was not breathing because of it so the nurse jumped right in and grabbed him from the doctor and got him breathing and was able to let Jay hold him while they took over an hour to stitch her back up.  All the while feeling it since the medicine had worn off again.  At one point I could see her cringe every time the doctor stitched so I asked her if she could feel it. The doctor said she probably just feels pressure but Jay said no I can feel the needle going in.  So they hurried and gave her some local shots to help.  Also because of the umbilical cord snapping jay lost a lot (I mean buckets) of blood they had to literally jump on her and give her a shot to help with the bleeding.  

Before Everything started getting crazy we had asked her labor nurse how things were and she had told us when things go bad they go bad fast.  And after she said see what I mean.  She was an amazing nurse and I am so thankful she was there for Jay.  The doctor that ended up delivering Grae was the head doctor over the labor and delivery and has so much experience and was so calm and amazing.  They told us that what happened with Grae coming so fast and the cord snapping is not a common thing and I am so glad he knew right what to do.  He told us that the baby did a number on Jay but said even Humpty Dumpty got put back together again and he would do that with Jay.  He had an accent and was very funny.

While Jay was being stitched up the kids snapped me and said look out the window they were down in the parking lot waiting to be able to see Grae but because everything going on we weren't able to hold him up so me and Jake waived and then all the nurses and doctor waived.  It was so cute.  And the staff thought it was so cool that they came to be there as close as they could.

When everything calmed down they let us stay in the room until around 3 am just being together and letting jay and Jake bond with Grae.  

It was such a spiritual experience to be there and I am so thankful I was allowed to be there with them.

Grae Steven Simkins was born Dec 23, 2020 at 12:43 am weighing 8lbs 1 oz and was 19 inches long.

Everyone's guesses.

 

The kids had also taken over this cute welcome home basket for when their new little family arrived home for the first time!

Jadyn and Jake and Grae first family picture

December

As always we try to cram as much Christmas into December while Jor and Bridger our down.  This year some of the things we weren't able to wait but so we substituted Joanie and Brad when they couldn't be here. 

We did our annual Tuacahn live nativity.

The kids were horrified that we made them visit Santa.  Even though I know the kid in them loved it.

 

The kids made Christmas sugar cookies

Jor made Jake, Jadyn, and baby Grae!

We ready Christmas stories.  I don't think Jantz will ever outgrow this tradition.

And had game nights

Jantzyn had a soccer game in Vegas but it was too close to Jay having the baby, so Terry Jaice, Jor and Bridger went down.  The plan was to go to dinner and then go through the light show.  But everything was still closed so they ended up getting fast food and eating it in the car while they waiting in line for the light show.

Me, Kiel (he was my date), Jay and Jake went out to Panda Garden and drove through our own little light show at the mall.

Gus sneaking a nap on the couch.

We made gingerbread houses.

And took a walk through the Desert Gardens. 

See if you can guess the one person that always has to make a face before finally smiling?

The kids slept in the front room in front of the tree.

We had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner and this year everyone got to meet Grae for the first time.

We gave Gma and Gpa their gifts while they were here for dinner.

And spent more time getting to know little Grae

One of my favorites!! All the girls gathered around the new grandpa and baby Grae!

We went on our Christmas Eve looking at lights drive.

This picture doesnt do justice to how big these blow up were.

Then the kids all slept down in Jaice and Kiels room like they used to when the 4 girls would sleep in there.

Taking over the family Gift (Stacy came up with this awesome idea).  A social distanced way of doing a big family picture.

And Grae was instroduced to his Great Gma and Gpa.

Our quaint little Christmas this year.  I love how the older the kids get the more fun we have just being together instead of what gifts we get.  My favorite gifts to watch them open the ones from each other.  They each put so much thought in to getting their person something they will love.

Each of us girls got Grae a stuffed vintage winnie the pooh and friend animal.

Waiting on the step and prayer tradition 

Jantzyn sent me a detailed list of what she wanted this year.  She got everything on that list except a dog. 

                          Opening gifts from each other first.

Then on to the rest of the gifts.  Jantzyn had a few more than the rest of the married kids but they love watching her open them.

All Kiel wanted was a nintendo switch and Jaice kept telling him she didn't have enough money to get it for him.  She really didn't but ended up making enough a couple weeks before Christmas.  So his reaction was so cute she she got him one.

Jor and Bridger got Terry a new camp chef and Jay and Jake got him corn hole so we are all ready to go camping again this summer.

The best part of the day was just being together and relaxing and having fun together.  Christmas still is magical it's just a different kind of magic now that the kids are all grown up.

Everyone hanging out at jadyn and jakes to be with Grae

I love this picture with all the kids gathered around Grae