Baby Taya Belen Rubalcava is here!!

All in reverse order of course!!! BABY TAYA BELEN RUBALCAVA is here!!

6 lbs 5.6 oz

19.5 inches

13.25 inch head

12.75 chest

5:01 pm on Thursday 1/28/2010

Going home from the hospital

Big brother Ranan holding his little sister for the 1st time!

Big sister Jada holding her little sister for the 1st time!

Daddy and Taya

Baby Taya

Daddy, Mommy, and Taya

Mommy and Taya!

Our little Happy Family!

Getting shots!

Well-- let the QUICK birth story begin! I woke up with minor contractions at midnight on Thursday and had them off and on till about 2 am. They subsided enough for me to sleep again until about 5 am. They were happening here and there- but nothing I didn't think would go away at any point. I continued on with our daily routine of getting kids dressed, breakfast fed, Jada to preschool, morning walk, morning shower, etc....after getting Jada from school and feeding the kids lunch- I thought I better actually drink alot of water, lay down still, and rest to see if they go away and start timing if they didn't. From 12-12:30 they were 10 minutes apart lasting 60 secs, 12:30-1:00 they were 8 mintues apart. Drew woke up from his morning sleep (he worked the night before) and asked how I was doing. I said that I was having contractions consistently- but nothing close enough together to worry about yet (I have been in denial the last 2 weeks). I put the kids down for naps at about 2:00 and went to lay down with Drew. He noticed my "heavy breathing" through the contractions and thought they were coming a little closer than that. We decided to call the doctors office and see what they said. They said to go in and we'd check to make sure. I told them it would probably be a couple hours so we could wait for Drew's parents to get here to watch the kids. I am pretty stubborn, a little in denial, and didn't want to look stupid heading in to the hospital with my 3rd kid and not really far enough along that they would send us home.

At about 3:00 I called Sarah and asked if I needed her to come quicker than Drew's parents. She agreed but I still held off for about 30 mintues. She came over at 3:30 and we headed out b/c they were getting closer and closer. Scottsdale Osborn is a good 25 minutes away as well.

We pulled up to the hospital just after 4:00 and went into registration. We were there for about 20 minutes and the contractions were about 3 mintues apart by this point. We went into triage and got hooked up, did more computer questions (the nurse took FOREVER). I kept joking/seriously asking..."is anesthesia on their way?" She would laugh and keep going. Now my body takes a while to dilate and efface (I know this from my other two kiddos)- but once I get to a 6- I have the baby usually within 45 minutes. I was 1 cm dilated at my last appt...(big whoop)-- thats why I knew I had a ways to go when I was at home. I made this comment to her as she noticed that I started to shake. She stopped what she was doing and decided to "check" me. I turned to Drew and said-- they aren't stopping- there is no break inbetween these contractions. She checked- and "loudly" to be heard over the curtain to the nurses station said..."We have a bulging bag of water and complete in here. We are having a baby." She quickly started to move and I asked, "does this mean I don't get an epidural?" She said we would have a baby in a few minutes and there was no way. I then turned to Drew and said.."I'm scared to do it natural." They RAN me down the hall all the while I was telling them that she was coming out- I was pushing and nothing I could do about it. Dr. Carter was at Shea hospital so they grabbed a doctor from the practice she RAN to the hospital and immediately broke my water (which was the ONLY thing keeping her in). I gave a half push and her head came out- then a even lighter push and her body came out at 5:01pm. She was sooo tiny- I turned to Drew to make sure she was okay (secretly feeling guilty she wasn't fatter), but probably a blessing b/c I had her natural.

She is so tiny, with dark dark thick brown hair, dark blue eyes...and a pretty good mix between my other two kids. There are times I see Ranan, then other times I see Jada in her. She cried alot more just after birth than my other two did- but probably b/c she wasn't drugged. She is a bit more of a crier in general than the other two though-- not bad at all though. She eats wonderful-- I am a human cow/pacifier- but not complaining.

We left the hospital exactly 24 hours after she was born (we don't ever like to stay long), and enjoyed a pretty good nights rest in our own beds last night. She went down at 10, slept till 1:30, then till 4:30, then till 8:00. She didn't cry once and went right back to sleep after she was done eating.

It still amazes me that a beautiful little life is created, matured, and born from a mother...definately the closest I have ever felt to my Savior. They are true little miracles. We LOVE you Baby Taya!!

(Since this was all SOOO quick-- we didn't get any video or pictures of the birth itself-- so everything is about 10 minutes after she was born so Drew could run to the car and grab cameras). On a side note-- we are VERY grateful we had Sarah come over when she did instead of waiting for Drew's parents. We HAD her as they were pulling up in our driveway. I joked with Drew as we were getting in the van to leave..."should I grab towels just in case?" Little did I know...we were only minutes away from having her in the car!