We scheduled an induction date for BB3 like we did with Branson so that hopefully he'd be a little smaller for an easier delivery. So the night before we met Gm Bailey at Corner Bakery for dinner and to transfer the boys so they could spend the night with Gm and Gp. I can't even explain how wonderful it is to have Gm and Gp Bailey close this time around and that they are so willing and able to have the boys spend the night (a few nights!). It really took such a load off of our minds and allowed us to relax and prepare for our newest addition.
A picture of the boys konked out at Gm and Gp's house. I missed them so much when I saw this picture, but knew they were having a great time!
Our last picture as a family of four! These boys are SO excited to meet their new baby brother. They have been so sweet and loving and excited my entire pregnancy (I'm almost sad for the belly kisses to end!). They both hope the baby looks like them (Nolan hopes for blonde hair and blue eyes, and Branson hopes for brown hair and brown eyes. Personally I hope for a mix of the two!).
Since it's an induction we weren't guaranteed a spot so we had to just wait for a call from the hospital telling us to come in. With Branson they called just after 9am so even though we knew it wasn't guaranteed we still kind of expected that again. 9am came and went so we called and they told us to keep waiting and call again at 1pm if we hadn't heard. As it got close to noon we got antsy and decided to go get some lunch near the hospital just in case. Justin let me choose so we went to Zupas and chatted a bit - about how excited we were to meet our newest little man, wondering what he was going to look like, and going over potential names again.
After lunch we still hadn't heard so we went next door to Barnes and Noble to waste time. At 1pm I called again and after a little bit of confusion on the phone they called back and said they had been trying to get a hold of me, but the call dropped every time or something?! So they told us to come in! Ahhh! It's go time!
One note is that I knew I wanted a blessing from Justin, but spaced it before we left the house. We actually parked the car and started walking into the hospital before I remembered. So we decided to go back to the car and he gave me the sweetest blessing there in the car. I was still nervous, but felt better after that.
We got there at about 1:30pm and after all the check in stuff we got the epidural and things going. With Branson we got there at about 9:30am and he was born around 7pm so we expected a late night. Plus things didn't seem to be moving very quickly and I was starting to worry my doctor wouldn't be able to deliver him like she had my other two. I was at a 4 for quite awhile and just as I was starting to be resigned to the fact that my doctor wouldn't be there (Since it was already past 7pm) the nurse checked me and said, "you're ready." In fact, the way she said it Justin and I weren't really sure what she meant so Justin asked for clarification and she said, "ready to push!" We were so surprised, but so excited and ready!!
Oh and one funny thing I want to note - we had the TV on during labor, it was a Home Alone marathon because it was Christmas time. And I seem to remember with the other boys the TV was turned off when the doctor came in for the delivery, but it was left on this time so Caden was born with Home Alone 2: Lost in New York on in the background! 😄
After only 20-30 min of pushing he came! That feeling of your baby being placed on you is truly unlike any other. It's so wonderful I might just keep having babies to experience it again and again :) I remember feeling him coming out and just leaning forward to grab him. I didn't even want to wait for them to hand him to me. In fact I think I said, "Ohhh, give him to me!" or something like that and then I just held him and cried because he was so perfect and beautiful.
Also, maybe TMI, but only a 2nd degree tear this time! Yay! My doctor joked that if I keep having babies maybe one of these days I won't tear at all haha.
When they took him to clean him up, that's when Justin took over. As he did with the other two boys he got to watch and dote over his new son while they weighed and measured him, cleaned him up, etc. I think he loves that part and he does such a good job.
So happy and relieved!
Oh that sweet face!
Proud daddy!
Since he was born after 8pm and I was exhausted and needed time to recover a bit the boys didn't come until the next morning. According to Gm and Gp Bailey they were very upset that they didn't get to come that night. Poor guys!
I couldn't wait for the boys to come. They had been so excited for so long that I just knew it would be the sweetest moment when they met and it was!
The first question from Gp Bailey was of course what his name was going to be 😃
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About his name -
When Justin let me have the name Branson for B-man I knew I wanted to do my best to give Justin a few more votes when it came to naming our next baby. But then, not long after we found out BB3 was a boy, I realized that he would be born really close to Granky's 100th birthday and felt pretty strongly that I wanted to give the baby Dasil as a middle name. I mean, I couldn't pass up that opportunity right?! They would be almost exactly 100 years apart! Plus Granky is so special to us and anyone should be proud to carry his name. Not to mention I knew just how much it would mean to Granky. I think he's always liked the idea of having someone named for him, but I'm sure had long since given up hope that it would ever happen.
I still waffled a little bit because even though it's for a middle name, Dasil is not a name you hear...ever haha. I kept throwing the name out there, but didn't tell Justin how strongly I felt because I was worried he wouldn't like it at all. He didn't really say much the first several times I brought it up so I had no idea what he was thinking. But then one time I mentioned to him that I kind of wish when I had changed my last name to Bailey that I would have made Mathews my middle name because my given middle name, Melissa, doesn't really mean much to me and doesn't have any significance (although I did like being MMM :)). However, Mathews has been such a part of me and my identity for so long, plus it ties me to my ancestors. So I wish I would have thought that through a little better. Anyway, the next day Justin said he was thinking about what I had said and that he really feels strongly about using family names as middle names because he wants them to mean something to the boys. Then he said without hesitation that he wanted to give the baby Dasil as his middle name. I was so happy he felt that way and it just felt right ever since.
As for his first name, just like with the other two boys we didn't decide until after he was born. I honestly had just one name that I loved, but Justin didn't like it at all haha. He had 3 names that stayed at the top of his list, and really 2 that were his favorite. I struggled a bit because I didn't think either of the names really 'flowed' well with Dasil as the middle name and it bugged me. But the night he was born, in the middle of the night, I thought about his name and just felt like Caden was the right choice. So the next morning I told Justin that I thought his name should be Caden and he agreed. So there you go.
♥ Our first picture as a family of 5 ♥
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About 1/2 hour after the boys came, my parents and Mallory showed up. I was so glad they were there and able to see Caden so soon after he was born ♥ Cousin Paul and Aunt Susie also came to see the new little cutie.
Nolan loved holding Caden. Once Grandpa Bailey asked if he could have a turn holding the baby. Nolan reluctantly agreed but told him he had to give him back after. So cute!
"Meeting" (Skyping) Aunt Brianna in New York!
Ready to head home!!
We've brought all three boys home from the hospital in the same BYU onesie 😃
The older boys were SO excited to come home to find baby Caden there. They kept asking if Caden got to stay with us forever 💙
Honestly, from the time we told the boys there was a baby in mom's tummy, and especially now that he's here, Caden has brought out such sweet side to both of the boys, but especially Nolan. He is kind, protective, and gentle with Caden. Branson is always a sweet boy, but he has really done well with his new role as a big brother. He sometimes loves on Caden a little too hard haha, but it's so sweet.
Before Caden was born the boys decided that Nolan wanted to be in charge of bottles and Branson would be in charge of binkies. And they have taken their respective roles very seriously!
We are so grateful to Gm and Gp Bailey for spending 3 days and 3 nights with the boys at their house! We couldn't have done it without them. Here they are loving on their newest grandson.
We're all pooped!
Aaaaaaand...my heart might just explode. I love these three more than they will ever know! I hope so much that they are always close and have fun being together.
