{Tate's Birth -- February 8th, 2013}

Friday February 8th I woke up feeling pretty dang good.  I was scheduled to have my c-section that next Monday on the 11th, so I decided to go have lunch with both boys one on one at school one last time before the baby came.  I got up, got ready, and I made a quick trip to Target for a few things. While I was there I started to have a pretty strong contraction.  I really, really tried to not think much about it because I still had several errands to run and I needed to go grab lunch to bring to the boys. 

I grabbed lunch at Wendy's for Tagg and went to meet Tagg first.  After eating with Tagg I ran quickly to Taco Bell to grab Thatcher's lunch all the while having pretty strong contractions.  I went back to the school and ate lunch with Thatcher and of course instagramed our last lunch dates before baby brother arrived (I had no idea that would be in a few hours!)

I went home and turned on Food Network and started watching Ina Garten and one her ridiculous Hamptons dinner parties and started noticing my contractions were not going away and in fact were getting stronger.  Oh shoot.  I know this sounds nuts, and I'm often very crazy while pregnant and let the little things really get to me, but I really wanted to hold out until the 11th because I liked that date better than the 8th.  I know.  I'm crazy.

I was on the phone with my mom and told her I was feeling pretty strong contractions and realized I probably should call Todd and let him know.  30 minutes later while I was in the carpool lane to get the boys, I knew that these contractions were the real deal and it was time to head to the hospital.  So we called a good friend and she most graciously offered to take the two boys and I went home and grabbed my packed bag just as Todd got home from work and we headed out.  This is when things got really real for me and knowing that I was about to be sliced into that night sent me into a huge anxiety attack and I literally started to freak out.  I'll never forget dropping the boys off and my sweet Tagg looking at me as he went inside and he said, "you're going to be okay right mom?'  Oh boy.  I lost it.  I reassured him, but seriously inside I was a mess of nerves.

We got to the hospital and it was packed!  I guess everyone pregnant lady in Frisco went into labor that day because the hospital was overflowing so they couldn't get me into my room, and left me in triage for a little while.  While we were in there the lady the curtain over had her baby. Seriously.  Then the nurse comes in and checks me and of course I am not dilated   I never dilate even in hard labor.  Good thing I wasn't a pioneer, I'd be toast.  So she calls my doctor and waits for instructions.  She comes back in and tells me that unfortunately my doctor is "off" that night and her partner was filling in for her.  Up until that point I had no idea a doctor could be "off".  I was like, ummmm come again?  I was ticked.  Not at my doctor really, at my body!  So her partner, Dr. Ward, comes in and tells me they are going to give me some medicine to see if they can relax my body and have the contractions stop.  They give me a shot and almost immediately I feel totally drugged up and loopy.  I think I even fell asleep for a few minutes.  I was REALLY out of it.  But even though I was really relaxed my contractions just kept getting stronger and stronger.  So Dr. Ward comes back in and tells Todd and I that we are going to have our baby tonight!  It was a surreal moment!  After all the waiting we were finally going to meet our new little guy.  

After that I don't know if it was because I was so drugged up or nervous and excited but things went pretty fast.  Todd got suited up in his O.R. gear.  The nice nurse that was assigned to me gave me my IV and it was actually painless!  A total first for me!  They wheeled me back into the OR and as I sat on the table talking to the anesthesiologist about the massive needle he was about to insert into my spine everything felt quite dream like.  The spinal was awesome, didn't feel a thing.  I cannot say enough good things about the doctors, nurses and staff at Baylor Frisco, I really loved my whole experience there.  This was by far my best c-section!  I laid down and I remember getting really upset at Todd because he was standing up next to my head wanting to watch the c-section!  I didn't want to see his facial expressions as they cut into me, so I kept yelling at him to sit down!  I was crazy!  I so blame it on the drugs.

About 20 minutes later they announced that he was coming out...

When they held him up over the curtain for Todd and I to see him for the first time it was amazing and one of the most beautiful memories of my life.  Seeing his face was so incredible.  I absolutely recognized him and it was like seeing him for the first time I felt like saying, "oh, it's you!"  He was so, so familiar to me.  As they were cleaning him off and Todd was over taking pictures of him, I listened to his cry and was filled with such joy.  When they brought him over to me I just could not stop kissing him!  Everything about him from his cry to his smell to his eyes were so familiar and wonderful and I knew looking at him that we finally got him here!  It took one heck of a journey to do it, but he was finally here and healthy, and he was absolutely worth the struggle and the wait.  He just fit perfectly into our lives and family like a missing puzzle piece.   

Tate Eugene Bishop 

(middle name named after my Dad)

Born at 7:48pm on February 8, 2013

7 lbs. 9 oz.

20 inches long. 

Daddy with Tate...he has got to be the first one to hold all of his boys.   

This is such a classic Tate face I love it! 

Hello handsome boy!

Don't mind the death warmed over look...I did lose a lot of blood the doctor said.

Sure love this babe! 

His big brothers could not love him anymore and he has totally melted their hearts.  

Seeing them with him is one of the biggest blessings of my life. 

Going home...