You Down With O.B.B.

OLIVER BRUCE BALLARD

Born January 25th 2013 at 6:06 pm

7 pounds 2 ounces 20 inches long

HIS BIRTH

The night before I was to be induced Kyle called labor and delivery to see if they could guesstimate as to when we would be called in. The girl said we were 3rd and historically it is anywhere from 9-12. So we called Caitlyn and told her that she didn't need to stay the night because they wouldn't call until later. 

Gus was up a LOT that night!!!! At 5:20 am I get a call from Kim Postma from labor and delivery saying did you get our message? I guess they had called at 4:30 am, one of the times I was up with Gus. Kim said they wanted us there by 6:00. I hurried and called Amy so she could have Caitlyn come down, and we hurriedly got ready. It was a slightly drizzy drive over, I was crying already thinking that I was shafting Gus. It was such a weird emotion. I was afraid the love I would have for this new baby would take some of the love I had for Gus. Strange. We got to Labor and Delivery around 6:30 or so. I got hooked up to the IV by 7:00, that is also when Dr. Lunt broke my water. Then the waiting game began. I was handling the contractions pretty good until 12:30 or 1. I was dilated to a 4 with contractions every two minutes. After the epidural at 12:30 I fell asleep for an hour (much needed after the horrible night with Gus). At 2:30 Dr. Lunt came in and I was dilated to a 5+ or 6, at 3:30 the nurse checked me I was a 6+, then the next hour they had me rotate side to side which helped a ton (they did this with Gus at hour 22 and the next baby I have I am going to start laying side to side at hour 1). By 4:30 I was a 8 and my mom and Ashlee showed up (Amy and Naomi were both home sick). At 5:30 I was dilated to a 9+, the nurse called Dr. Lunt he showed up close to 6:00. When he showed up I pushed through 1 contraction and he said ok ok thats enough, he hurried and got ready. I pushed through 2 more contractions and out popped baby Oliver. I was the one who cut the cord!! I loved my epidural this time, I never pushed the pca pump, by the time I was ready to push I could move both my legs but felt no pain. I felt everything during the delivery besides pain it was amazing! My sister Amy said she could have been drinking a diet coke when she delivered her 2nd (Caitlin) and I felt the same way. Everything about this pregnancy, labor, and delivery has been much easier. My tail bone doesn't hurt HALLELUJAH , which makes life easier I can actually do normal daily activities this time.
Oliver has been such a good baby since the moment he was born. He has a much milder temperament than Gus has ever had. He breast feeds like a champ and will go 3-4 hours between feedings, which makes nights a dream come true! I haven't eaten dairy since the first 2 days, both nights I ate dairy Oliver had the worst gas, it was so sad. I cut out dairy and he hasn't had issues since. Oliver takes a binki which I have mixed emotions about. Kyle's Aunt Shelley came and visited us one night and she is all about horoscope signs. She said Kyle and Gus are both water signs, and Oliver and I are air signs. Then we told her about their temperaments which she went crazy over. lol.

HIS NAME
Oliver gets his name from my Mom's side. Her great great great grandpa was Oliver Stratton Sr. Who was asked by President Brigham Young, along with 11 other of the most successful farmers, to go to Virgin, Utah and raise cotton and molasses cane. Oliver was very well educated and helped build the St. George temple, and held the priesthood of the seventy. Now this is where it gets interesting. I am named after Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton, who married Oliver Stratton Seniors son, James Albert. Here is a link of a story published in The Friend about Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton. CLICK HERE
Oliver  Senior's wife Harriet died leaving a 6 month old baby. Harriet asked Emily Amanda to take care of her baby and other children. So Emily Amanda along with James Albert took care of the children along with Oliver Senior who lived for 8 years after Harriet passed away.

I cut the cord

Gus facetiming with Dad and Oliver

Dr. Lunt. The Best!