McCoy Thomas and His Story....

                                             Here I am in all my pregnancy glory less than one week before delivery

McCoy's Birth story:  I started having contractions a couple of weeks before McCoy was born, but after a nice hot shower they would fade away and stop.  Contractions started late Saturday afternoon (March 20) and were consistent but not regular or following any pattern, so I took my shower and went to bed.  The next morning I got up and realized that I was contracting again.  No problem, took a shower and went to church.  Although the contractions didn't stop, they were now regular at about 15 minutes apart.    However by late that evening they were 10 minutes apart and Jeffery was ready to go to the hospital.  I was NOT.  I was not going anywhere but to bed to get a good nights sleep.  I woke up Monday March 22 at about 3:30am feeling not only contractions but also sick, still I was not going anywhere.  Jeffery got out of bed at about 5am ( by this time I was either throwing up, contracting, or going to the bathroom) and started to pack bags for the hospital.  I insisted that we wait and go see the doctor first.  Jeffery took Boyd out to my sisters house and we dropped Riley and Joseph off at school.  I told them we had to go the doctor to make sure the baby was alright, but I'd pick them up after school.  By the time we got to the doctors office, the contractions were 5-7 minutes apart and we were sent across the street to triage.  A short time later the doc came in to see us.  Contractions were 1-2min apart, and it was time to get ready for the c-section!  Things started to happen very very quickly, with people poking me here and there and numerous papers to sign and before I could come to terms with what was actually happening I was walking down the hall to the O.R.  I wanted to keep on walking.  So with Jeffery in scrubs sitting next to me holding my bucket so I could throw up, we welcomed our 4th son into our family.

     McCoy Thomas Anderson- March 22, 2010     6lbs. 2.2 oz 18in.

Because he was almost 4 weeks early, they took him into the NICU. His blood sugar levels were low, which was common considering I was in labor for 2 days and that effects the baby.  They also started him on antibiotics and an IV, and then the truly awful part began.

He never needed oxygen, he maintained his body temp, all of his cultures and tests were all normal and negative.  A healthy baby! From the start he has been very alert.  He would stop crying at the sound of Mom or Dads voice and would even turn his head toward us as we spoke.  However, he had to be weened from the IV.  He nursed beautifully for over a day, he latched on without problems he was awesome.  But being a newborn, he slept through a feeding, we just couldn't get him interested in eating.  The nurses in the NICU got worried, telling me because he was preterm he wasn't fully developed to tell himself that he was hungry and needed to wake up.  So they put a tube through his nose to feed him.  I was a wreck to say the least.  I could write forever about the situation, but I won't.   I am however very very thankful for the power of the priesthood.  After the NICU told us he wasn't going home for several days, I was literally sick.  Jeffery had a good family friend, Brother Butler, come up and together they administered a Preisthood blessing on our little baby.  Jeffery came back into my room reassuring me all would be alright and it was.  Our little McCoy never missed a feeding after that.  The power of God is real and I am so blessed to have a worthy husband to hold His priesthood.   I am also thankful for the best feeding lactation consultant who recommended we weigh McCoy before and after he nursed to show the doctors how well he really was doing.  I was discharged Friday afternoon and moved down the hall and 'roomed in' for a night.  Saturday morning we headed home McCoy and Mom together and we couldn't get out of there fast enough!

Because of the H1N1 and RSV viruses, the three older boys couldn't come and visit us in the hospital, another terrible experience for me to go through.  I missed them so so much.  They were very excited that their new baby brother and mom got to come home.

Boyd is so excited "I'm finally a big brother!"

We are very thankful and grateful that Grandma Kay could come down from Flagstaff and help us.  She made life so much easier and I knew my boys at home were in excellent caring hands.  We love you Grandma Kay!

Grandma and Grandpa Clouse came down too.  My Mom stayed the last couple of nights in the hospital with me so that Jeffery could finally get some much needed rest and also to be some emotional support.  It was so good to see  parents come through that hospital room door. 

We love you McCoy!  We have waited a long time for you and are so happy  we can have eternity together!