May 14th, 2019; that sounds like an excellent day to have a baby.

Fields William Robbins came barreling into this world at 12:56 pm. 

Since our little buddy inherited the stubborn gene that runs strong in our family, (and because I didn’t want to go 10 days past my due date like with Jones) an induction date was set. The morning of the 14th Danny and I got up and ready for the day. We had dropped off jones and the dogs at my moms house the night before. I love being induced. I was able to shower and do my makeup and take one last bump picture before calling over to the hospital and getting the call clear to come in! 

We arrived about 7:40 am and before it was 8 o’clock Dr Larsen had already come in, checked me, broke my water and started me on pitocin. I labored unmediated until the contractions were on top of each other and topping the charts. Around 10 am I got my epidural. It was a busy day at the labor and delivery ward - there were seven of us mommas all in labor. After I got my epidural we called Hannah, my birth photographer, and told her to come down. 

At 11 they checked my cervix and told me I was at a five. Once 12:30 rolled around I was at a seven. My nurse said that they would check me again at one o’clock but to let them know if I started feeling any pressure. Once things are in motion, I start going pretty fast. (I went from a four to an eight in five minutes with Jones.) it was not even 12:45 and I start feeling pressure. I asked Danny if I should let them know or just wait since they’d be coming in 15 minutes. He said he didn’t know, and that I should do whatever I want. Haha. So I push the call button and let them know I’m feeling a lot of pressure. The delivery team begins filtering in and when they lift up the sheet baby boy is right there, already starting to crown! The urgency picks up as Dr Larsen rushes in, throws on his gear and says, “next contraction, push!” I didn’t have time to do any prep or practice pushes, baby was coming! The first thing Danny said to me when he saw Fields was, “his head is huge!”

The next contraction came and I started pushing. It ended up being a long contraction so I was able to push again. This push had little man’s head come out, but his shoulder was stuck. I pushed again. As I pushed, i could hear the urgency in Dr Larsen’s voice as he kept telling me to push. Danny was given my right leg and told to pull my knee towards the floor while another nurse pushed on my stomach. And then, seconds later at 12:56, my little Fields was born. Weighing in at 8lbs 11oz and 21.25 inches long, little chubber was bigger than Jones! (I was so happy I didn’t go over my due date with him! Can your imagine how much bigger he would’ve been?) when they set him on my chest this wave of relief washed over me. It felt as if I had been holding my breath for the past nine months. Exhaling and cherishing the weight of my squirming, angry newborn, I couldn’t help but think, “I did it! He’s here!”  

It worked out that my mom, Jones, Julie and Mitch had come by to drop off lunch just as Fields was born! They hung out in the hallway until I let them in. After Fields was cleaned up and given back to me for some skin to skin he instantly started routing around. I started feeding him and he gulped away happily. It was a good 15/20 minutes before Danny even got to hold him! Little dude was hungry and I had to pry him off so he could meet his dad before my mom broke down the door in anticipation. Hahaha. 

After Danny passed him back to me, he went to get Jones so that these two brothers could meet. Jonesy was so sweet with his new little brother and so excited to see and hold him. It was such a sweet moment to have us all around our newest addition. Finally the rest of the fam was let in and they took turns passing him around while I scarfed down my cafe rio. 

We left the hospital two days later. Fields had come out pretty bruised since his head was chilling in the birth canal all morning, so it was hard to tell how jaundice he was until they did a billirubin test. We were sent home with billi lights and had to have Fields’ bloodwork done nearly everyday of his first week of life. Finally at 9 days old we got the ok that the jaundice was going down and that we could send back the lights. 

It’s been a whirlwind being in the newborn stage again and trying to figure out a routine and how to function with little sleep as well as keeping up with the three year old. I love my little Fields. I can’t imagine life without him. He is our perfect, little, rainbow baby that was exactly what this family needed. Thinking back to his delivery while we all piled onto the bed to admire our newest addition, I remember feeling like our whole family was there. And while Banks and Peyton live in heaven and may not be physically with us, they were there. Welcoming their little brother into the family.