Slade Eric Roberts

This sweet baby was so anxiously awaited by so many. When my due date had come and gone, as I knew it would. I could not help but feel as though I would be pregnant for the rest of my life. The pregnancy was an easy one, but I was ready to be able to bend over, and not feel as though I was going to die if I did not eat every hour. I think the number one thing that made me feel so anxious, was the thought of holding a baby boy, my baby boy, my son. I was told I was having a boy, and I did believe it, but a part of me was going to hold my breath until he was resting in my arms. I had made sure to stay very active this pregnancy so when the time came to get this baby here I could do whatever it took. So as I said my due date came and went, but that was only a motivator. So I went on lots of long walks, that happened to have several hills. I told the baby it was time to come. I plead to Heavenly Father. On the second day of being overdue I had lots of contractions, but I had swallowed my fate. I decided to let it be. Whatever was meant to be would happen. As long as he was healthy I would stay pregnant. Well the second day came to a close, and I climbed in my bed. I woke up  to go to the bathroom. As I settled back in my bed to go back to sleep I started to feel slight pressure in my back. I tried to not get too excited, but lets be real, I totally got way excited. To my pleasant surprise another came, and ten minutes later another, and another. I was ecstatic, this was it! So I went downstairs, I was like a kid at Christmas. I sat with my phone in my hand dying to record the next contraction. I called my mid wife, and she said to try and rest as much as I could, and just wait for the contractions to come. Well they came, but they were not getting any harder. In fact I felt as if they were getting easier, and further apart. To my dismay as I recorded the times I could see they were in fact getting further apart. So I decided to just sleep. So I slept, and awoke to nothing. I was certain it was a false alarm. Jeff asked if he should stay home, but I had an appointment with my mid wife at 10,  and decided that Jeff should go to work. It was the day of the eclipse so the weather outside was dreary, and looked as though it was going to rain. I loaded up my two youngest girls, and we headed off to my appointment. The drive is about 20 minutes away, and on the way down I had 2 good contractions. I was not thinking much about them. I had convinced myself I was crazy. When I showed up to my midwifes office, they were all shocked to see I had driven myself. I guess the thought of going into full blown labor while driving had not crossed my mind. My midwife asked how things were going. I let her know that I had only had 2 really good ones, and that was on my way to her office. Other than that my baby boy was still, and resting. My midwife and I decided to check me to see just if these contractions were just in my head, or if they were happening. Well to my complete shock, and delight I was dilated to a 5! A 5 with feeling very minimal, I could not believe it. Yet, I was concerned with just how much of nothing I was feeling. My midwife assured me it would happen, and encouraged me to go home, and rest while I could. I called Jeff, and he was shocked that I was at a 5 as well. I assured him though that it was going to be a while due to the fact that our little boy was taking his sweet time. I got home and began to clean, and get ready. When nap time came I decided to try and sleep. I was actually able to get in a decent nap. Jeff got home at 5, and began to nest. Yes he really did. He was as busy as bee running to and fro, cleaning here and there. He got the pool all set up, along with the hose hooked, up and ready for go time. While he was bustling around I was willing myself to have more contractions. I told our little guy he should get a move on it, and that we were ready. Jeffs mom had just gone back to Vegas on Sunday. She had been in town the entire week previously, and had appointments she needed to go to. Well bless her, when she heard I was at a 5 she canceled everything, and made her way back to Saint George. At 6 my contractions had moved to the front, and although they were not close together, they were getting stronger. I called my midwife, and she said she would head up just to be safe. My mother in law had picked up the girls, and they went to get pizza, and brought it back to our house. My midwife had gotten there just before them, and was just setting up. She said she liked that she was not rushed, and that she had time just to get ready. After my girls had eaten my mother in law got the girls stuff all ready to spend the night at her house, and left. After they left my midwife decided to check me to get an idea of what was happening. Due to the fact that again my son was napping, and contractions were not coming very often. She checked me and I was a a 8+! In fact she said she could stretch me to make me a 9+. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I could not believe how calm this labor had been. The tub was being filled up, and after I was checked my body kicked into gear. The contractions started to come about 5 minutes apart, and all I wanted to do was get in the tub. The problem was the tub was very hot, and they were concerned it would be too hot. Well I love hot baths, and really there was no stopping me. I had one thing on my mind "get into the tub". I got in the tub, and I seriously thought I had died and gone to Heaven. It felt sooo good. The contractions were still coming, but they were not so bad in the tub.  I told Jeff to call our friend Maegan who was going to come, and take pictures. He thought it was going to be a little ways, but I told him she should get here. She got there at the perfect time. The contractions had turned into much more pressure.In one slight push, my water broke. My midwife asked Jeff if he was still planning to catch the baby, and was explaining where to stand, and instead Jeff just jumped right in! He was more than ready for this baby boy. At that point I had begun to feel the urge to push. Which is so crazy to say, I felt the urge. Because I am so use to being told to push. So to actually get that sensation was so empowering. I was floating on my belly bearing down. After a few times, my midwife suggested the next contraction I should try turning over, and pushing that way. So I did just that, and within 2 pushes Slade Eric was brought into this world lifted up by his father, and put on my chest. In that moment time stood still, and I could not believe I had a son. Emotion took over and I ugly cried! I was so grateful for this moment. I was so grateful for the love of Heavenly Father that I felt. The last few moments before Slade came I had looked out my bedroom window, and looked up at the sky. I remember thinking how blessed I was, and that although this was hard I could do it because I was a daughter of God. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rcxEIb4oWA&feature=youtu.be