Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Parker Cameron McCullough Has Arrived!


This picture was taken a couple days before I went into labor. I had wanted to capture a picture of how huge I was getting and we had just gotten home from church and the kids were playing with the stuffed animals that were in the baby's room. I am 37 weeks in this picture and this was the longest I had ever carried a baby. I made it to Tuesday and went to the doctor where I was dialted to a 4 and 60% effaced, so I was wondering how long it would be until he finally came. The doctor stripped my membranes and I went home and just kept wondering when it would happen. Well, at 5am the next morning I woke up with a contraction. Then 5 minutes later had another one, then 5 minutes later another one and I was thinking...this is it..I think? I woke Cam up and said that we should probably go to the hospital and it was so weird this time to just be able to go and not worry that it was too early. We even had enough time to stop outside of the hospital and snap a pic. I have never been able to do that before!

We got to the hospital around 6:00 and I had my epidural by 7, so I really didn't even have to be in much pain, which was very nice! Cam and I just hung around and napped and watched tv and then by about 10 I was ready to push. Only a few pushes later and little Parker came into the world!

He weighed 7 pounds and was 20 inches long. He has hair that is much lighter than my other two kids and we still can't quite figure out who he looks like? His light hair kept throwing me off in the hospital and I kept thinking he wasn't mine. He has big hands and long arms and is just about the sweetest baby in the whole world! How cute is this when he found his fingers?

The kids weren't very interested in him at first, but they warmed up quickly. Taggart asked, "Why is our baby so red?" and "What is his name?" When we told him it was Parker, he said that he didn't like that name. I told him he could call him Parks for short and he LOVED that, so now that is what Tag calls him all the time.

Daddy is in love and already wanting #4! Can you believe my husband, who I had to talk into having a third child, now wants more? Crazy, I think, but I guess we will just have to see... Not much cuter than Daddy and his sweet new baby boy.


After we brought him home, his bilirubun levels kept going up, so we had to put him on the lights a few times. He was so good and I guess enjoyed his little tanning bed! After about a week of going to the hospital daily to get his blood drawn and worrying about him getting enough food and pooping all that jaundice out.. and it finally went down and we were free and clear! Yeah!


Taggart and Maddie have been pretty cute with him. Maddie is being a little Mother and they both like to hold him, but not for very long. I think they get inpatient when he doesn't really do much. He hardly even cries, so I think that they forget about him at times!

Today he is 3 weeks old and he is the best baby in the world! I usually have to wake him up during the day to eat and he only wakes up once in the middle of the night. I guess I forgot how much newborns sleep because basically that is all he does: sleep and eat. He did have a little episode the other day and we had to rush him to the doctor because he was crying, choking, and not really breathing, but it was reflux (just like Taggart had) and we got some meds for him and he hasn't had another episode since. Weird, I know, but I will take it. It is just so sad to see him in pain and I hope this medicine continues to work. I am sooo in love with him and I want him to stay at this age forever. I am so much more relaxed with this 3rd baby and am enjoying every minute of it, minus the 25 extra pounds that I'm carrying around! But I feel really good; I'm not tired and it is so nice to be able to bend over again, and not have sore feet!


We just want to welcome our sweet little Parks into our family and let him know that we all love him very much! It is amazing having a newborn in our home again and just realizing how incredible it is that we can create this beautiful new life. I can't believe that 3 weeks have already flown by and I kinda want to push pause on life and not let him grow any bigger! There is nothing better in the world than snuggling with him! Hopefully he will continue to be our little Angel baby! We love you Parks!!

13 comments:

Jeni said...

congratulations guys! He's beautiful. I'm glad you're feeling good Mandy.

Joel and Kristie said...

He is just sooooo GORGEOUS!!! He looks like his Beautiful MOMMA!!! Congratulations you make perfect precious babies!!!!

anne said...

How sweet! I'm glad your labor was good. That always makes it nicer. :) And I'm SO jealous that you are done already. I'm on the last 3 months which are the worst. Isn't it weird how time goes by SO slow when you're pregnant and then the second you have your baby you're like, "What!?! They're 3 weeks old already?"
Anyway, congratulations!

bladenfamily said...

He is so cute! Congrats! Playdates are on! What days are best for you?

Amy said...

Oh my gosh! He's freaking adorable! I wanna kiss those sweet little cheeks! Only a few more days and I can kiss my own tiny boy. He definitely has more Ayotte in him than your other two. Glad everything went so smoothly! Congratulations!!!

Dion Seneca said...

What?! Cam wants another? No Way!!! I was shocked you even got #3 out of him. But I have to say, two of each is pretty darn good...I think you should go for it!

What a sweet baby boy! I am so happy for you!

Ricki said...

So glad I can READ your blog again! I am also stunned that Cam would even mention #4!!! Are you kidding me?!!!! He is adorable! I can't wait to meet him in person, so make it soon please! :)

raw mom said...

oh i LOVE him!!! what a sweet baby!! an ps how BIG does maddie look!?? we miss you guys so much! drew still talks about moving to loganm...she says mom, did you live in logan when you were little?...i think she secretly wants to move there ;) we will HAVE to visit one day!

oh and ps again...maybe since this birth session wasnt so freaky crazy and his wife and baby were actually GOOD this time...well, maybe thats why he might be ready for another munchkin!!! plus "parks" is so dang cute...that might help too! yep...i wont be calling him much more than parks...i LOVE it! xoxoox congrats my beautiful friend!

Trish the Dish said...

Congrats! He is so adorable!!! Sounds like you had a sweet labor too. It's too bad you had to deal with that pesky last month of labor though :)

The Wells Family said...

awe! that makes me baby hungry! another darling baby to add to your bunch. :) i am so glad everything went so well and you are adjusting. you deserve it after so much stress after the last two.

i love that cam is already asking for more kids. :) i think the more kids you have...you enjoy and relax more because you know what to expect (most of the time!). rob and i are switching places on our views....he is ready to stop and i think i might want one more. :)

congrats again to your beautiful family!

Heather and Trevor said...

Congrats!! I loved seeing you today & then reading about your birth story here. I am so glad I got to see little "parks" in person. he is darling! love his blonde hair so much too! What good babies we were blessed with! I am so glad Cam wants #4 too. what a good daddy & mommy you are! :) much love from us!

Sarah said...

Congratulations!

Brooke and Tyler Todd said...

He already looks so different from the last pics I saw. He is perfect! So sweet! Maddie looks sooo tall and beautiful! How is it possible to change so much in such a short time?