Emmy Lucille Whitaker

Naming your baby is TOUGH.  Getting Richie and I to agree on a name is near impossible.  But the names we have finally agreed on with all our kids seem to be perfect once they are here.

Mylie Joleen:  Mylie was a named we both liked, and Joleen is a mix between my mom, Joni, and Richie's mom, Eileen.  So that middle name is very meaningful and special to me, and I love and adore both of our mothers.

Michael Kevin:  Michael (who went by Mike), was Richie's dad's name, who passed away when Richie was 8 years old.  I thought it would be a wonderful thing to name our baby boy after him, and call him Michael.  Kevin is my dad who I think is the most amazing father in the world.  I wouldn't even THINK of leaving him out of my baby's name.  This name is also very meaningful to me, and I hope that Michael understands what great men he was named after and try to live his life the way these two men have/did.

Emmy Lucille:  Emmy was actually a name that Richie and I both agreed on quickly.  We went through some of our geneology to come up with a middle name.  Lucille was Richie's great-grandmother, (who is his mother's father's mother.)  We honestly know nothing about her but I hope to learn a lot about her and tell Emmy the meaning of her middle name as well.

Emmy's Birth Story
Emmy's due date was October 11.  I went to see my doctor on October 3.  I had told her several months beforehand that I had had a fourth degree tear (front to back) with Mylie, and a second degree tear (half way) with Michael, and that I would really like to avoid a tear this time around.  Well at my appointment she started talking about those tears and asked me if I had experienced problems with pooping my pants.  I wondered why in the world she was asking this question because no I had control over that!  Apparently, big tears like that can cause a life time of issues with that very thing.  So she was concerned that if I had another big tear I may have that lifelong problem.  She suggested getting a c-section.  Actually it was more like her telling me she REALLY thought I should do that.  I told her no, I didn't want a c-section.  So she said she wanted me to deliver early.  She said, "Okay let's schedule you for an induction tomorrow morning."  WHA????  That freaked me out a little.  So I called Richie and worried and worried but we decided to just do it.  Ugh though, that was stressful!  I had to rush home and get ready--pack my bags, get my house clean, and most importantly find a friend who was willing to watch my kids as my mom wasn't getting here until the 10th!

The next morning we were up at 4:00 am to get ready to be at the hospital by 5:00 am.  San Antonio Hospital is in Upland and it proved to be a great hospital for delivering babies.  Several months ago a woman contacted me about photographing her daughter's wedding in October (which I couldn't because it was too close to my due date).  Anyhow, she was the labor and delivery office lady and set me up with a great nurse.  The doctor broke my water and started my Pitocin around 7:00 am.  I begged for my epidural soon after that.  After upping my dose a few times then giving me a narcotic, my "hot spots" finally went away and I have seriously NEVER been so comfortable and relaxed!  Even though I was incredibly tired, I felt so good.  The nurse checked my dilation a few times, and the last time she did she said, "Oh wow!  You're ready!"  I asked, "Am I beyond ready?" to which she replied I was!!!  She could feel Emmy's head and she was just about to crown.  By this time I absolutely could not feel my legs at all.  In fact, when they lifted my legs to put them in the stirrups, I couldn't feel it at all.  Not even the pressure.  It was a huge surprise to me when I saw them lift and if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes would NOT have known they were even touching me.

Once the doctor got there it was bam, Bam, BAM!  I gave one hard push and she was out!  (No tearing, but I did get a nice episiotomy.)  I couldn't believe it was that easy this time!  (Mylie was 3 hours of pushing, Michael about 25 minutes).  I thought she was beautiful right away and loved how much I got to hold her before they really gave her a good cleaning.  Less than an hour and I was breast feeding.  Oh how I love my little Emmy.  She was 7 pounds 1 ounce, 19 1/4 inches, and born October 4 at 2:08 pm.

Mylie absolutely adored Emmy from the second she saw her.  She has wanted to hold her, feed her, burp her, etc.  She loves having her around and sobbed when I told her Emmy wouldn't be sleeping in her room quite yet.

Michael was totally oblivious to Emmy for a few days.  He noticed her a little here and there after that, but it wasn't until a few days ago that he has needed his mommy a little more, and that has made it a little more difficult.  My poor, sweet little Michael who is not going to get all the attention he needs and deserves, I do feel guilty over that.  But everyone says he'll be just fine.  I hope that's true.

I LOVED having my mom here.  I felt so relaxed and at ease.  Took her to the airport a couple days ago, fought back my tears, and came home. She's so awesome. The whole time she was here she was saying things like, "What do you want or need me to do? USE me while I'm here! Put me to work! Go out on a date! I would love to watch the kids! Where's the chocolate? What do you need at the grocery store? Go get a massage! Wake me up to take a shift with Em

my. I did some laundry for you. Here, bought you some gold Sperry's. Want me to make some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies? Dinner is on me tonight. Go shopping...without the kids!" etc. And on top of all that, my house was clean the whole time she was here.  Sure wish we lived close.  Oklahoma is anything but close!  Richie's mom will be coming tomorrow night, so I'm super grateful she will be here to help as well.