Cody Joseph Cluff joins the fam-damily!!

Since I've waited so long to write about this, you will be getting the

condensed....lack of sleep from a new baby version.

For the most part of this pregnancy, I felt great! I worked at Kanab High School in the Special Education department until just a week before I had baby Cody. He was very active, especially in the evenings. The girls loved feeling him kick and watching my tummy as he did somersaults and kicks.

Here is one of the few pregnancy pictures I have, this was taken about a week before getting to hold him in my arms.

The last month was a looong month! The day after Christmas I came down with a horrible cough. I had wheezing in my lungs and was coughing so hard I was gagging/dry heaving. Those of you who have had babies and then jumped on the trampoline know what happens out the other end. Well, each time I coughed/gagged I had a similar experience. I had all the symptoms of pneumonia without taking the X-ray to prove it. Being pregnant, there wasn't much we could do about it. I did get an anti-biotic and thanks to my SUPER HUSBAND, Ben, I was able to get lots of sleep during the days. After a couple weeks of this, It started to ease up. However, I had been having random contractions and they started picking up during and after the cough.

On THURSDAY Jan. 19, I woke up and as soon as I was out of bed I was having contractions every 3-5 minutes (The tues. before I had an appt. and I was dilated 3 cm). The contractions weren't too painful, but we thought we'd get out and walk and see if we could help them progress. The contractions did cause a lot of pressure along with the cramping. We made arrangements for the kids and started walking. It seemed to be working. By 4 in the afternoon they were very regular and starting to get more uncomfortable.

So, we decided to go check in the hospital. With Kimber we were at 2cm in the morning and had her that night. Well, we checked in and I was still only 3 cm. They gave me the first IV dose of the antibiotic for the Group Strep B and told me to walk another hour then come back and they'd check me again. We did, they were still regular, every 3 mins now. I went back in an hour later and Dr. Ott checked me again. Still just 3 cm. I was a little frustrated. They monitored me and yep, contractions every 3 minutes. We still thought we were going to have a baby soon, so Dr. Ott gave me the second dose of the IV antibiotic. Then we were given the choice to stay at the hospital or go home and come back in 4 hours. By then I should be closer and more dilated. We opted to go home, get the girls settled do Kimber's treatment etc. then come back.

That is what we did. I still had contractions every 3-5 mins. We headed back up to the hospital that night and everything was prepped for the baby/delivery when we arrived. The nurses were waiting for us and ready to get us going. Well, they hooked me up and checked me, I was STILL 3 cm. and still having steady contractions. UGGH!

Again, the Dr. gave us the option to stay and watch the monitor or go home. We again opted to go home and try to get some sleep. He gave me some ambien to help me get some rest and we were instructed to come right back up to the Hospital if

1-The baby's movement slowed

2-My Water Broke

3- The contractions got much harder

We went home and everything continued to be the same. YES, the Ambien nocked me right out and I got the best night of sleep I had in months! But as soon as I was up the contractions continued. You could feel my tummy get hard as a rock!

I was miserable, but did NOT want to go to the hospital until this kid was ready to come out!

So we continued to monitor the contractions....they were hard but I could still breath through them. The kid kept moving and my water didn't break so we just kept on waiting. I had an appt. scheduled for the following Tues. I didn't think I'd make it that long, but turns out we did.

To add a bit to the mix. SUNDAY Jan 22 came and that night Kimber was rolling on the floor in pain. She was holding her tummy and just acting miserable! Ben listened to her tummy and felt it. Her CF concerned us because of the complications that come with it and the digestive system. We decided to take her to the ER. Ben ran her up and I stayed with Holdyn. Kimber had an X-ray taken and she had a serious impaction clear up into her small intestine. Poor gal had an enema and then had to drink some powder the next couple of days to help get things moving. She was miserable and that night she slept next to our bed, running to the potty all night long. No sleep for momma or dad that night.

MONDAY came and things continued....my contractions included. Just after lunch Holdyn's teacher called from school and said she was not feeling well. We ran and picked her up. Half of her class of 12 students were home with the 'throw up' flu. Holdyn had caught it! For the next 24 hours she walked around with a bowl and her hair tied back. She slept next to our bed that night...again, a night of no sleeping for mom and dad.

TUESDAY had arrived. I was still having contractions regularly, and I was sure hoping to have some progress after 5 DAYS of regular contractions. We dropped the girls off at Crazy Grandma's and we went to the appt. I was exhausted, frustrated, and hoping for some good news at this appt. The Dr was as surprised as we were that we didn't have the baby before the appt. We had just sat down in the exam room when I started to sweat. I then started to shake and the Dr. walked in just in time to say looks like you caught the flu!! They grabbed me a little barf bag as I laid there in mysery. They quickly gave me a shot and a Rx for anti nausea. Then checked me and yep, still 3 cm.

Dr. Ott looked at me and I think his words were, "You look like ...pause...." he wasn't sure what to say, or what was appropriate to say. Then he said we need to help you get feeling better. Go home and get some rest today so you are ready to have that baby tomorrow. Come in the morning as soon as you are up and ready and we will get you started!

THE BEST NEWS YET!! I was 38 weeks exactly! He didn't want to do anything to hurry things along until 38 weeks unless it was medically necessary.

We made arrangements for my parents to come over the next morning to take the girls and we were at the hospital the next morning by 9am and they broke my water. Things have to start happening now! Well, the contractions and walking continued until about 1. They checked me again and I was still 3 cm!! The Dr. decided to add in some pitocin to help things speed up! It worked. A few more hours of walking and I was FINALLY to 6cm. I had originally planned to go all natural, but due to my mental state and physical state of exhaustion from the previous week we went for the epidural. After I had that I was on top of the world :) and by 7pm I was at 10 cm and ready to go! Dr. Ott had Ben dress and ready to help deliver! As we started the pushing

process the Dr. realized the baby was turned face down instead of face up. Next thing I know he is on his knees up to his elbow-quite literally- trying to turn the kid inside me by the baby's head.....THANK YOU Epidural! After pushing for about 30 mins (Which is about 25 minutes longer than the previous two deliveries) we got the kid turned and one more push he was out! Way to go Cody! He had a pretty nice cone-head. I wasn't dilating because of the way he was positioned....his head was pushing on the wrong area....hence the backend pressure during all the contractions. The rest is history! I felt soooooo much better than I had in weeks by next morning. Sore, YES! But overall, I felt GREAT!

Proud Parents of a BOY!

Grandma Baker holding her 27th Grandkid!!

These girls were SOO excited to FINALLY have baby Cody home!

Our first family photo....I look awful but the rest of them look cute as ever!

We are so thankful to have our little Baby Cody monster here! He has survived a week and has proven to be a GREAT baby!

He eats, sleeps, and poops like a CHAMP!