Nolan Justice Kraus

Being pregnant and having 3 toddlers 4 and under brings its own challenges each day, to say the least. I started having braxton hicks around 27 weeks with Nolan and most people told me that was totally normal and happened to them all the time. At 32 weeks I started having random real contractions. THAT made me nervous. I am not surprised that I had them though. I took a 15 hour road trip to see my brother graduate from Army Infantry boot camp.
  Moved into a new house and was STILL carrying my 17 month old, 30 lb toddler around. 33 weeks and 6 days I had my 34 week appt. My doctor told me that if I went into labor that day they would stop me but the following day, they would not. The following day came {April 13th}, 34 weeks, we had a normal Saturday of playing, working, and grilling out. We sat down for dinner at around 5:30 and I had to breath through a few contractions. I didn't say anything and went about my night. I went to bed that night around 10. I started having pretty regular contractions so I pulled out the trusty contraction timer app. My husband was fast asleep so I laid in bed and timed, and breathed, and got more nervous. I wasn't ready, at all, to have this baby. I knew that he would spend some time in the NICU and heck, I hadn't even washed the carseat from when Ty used it. I was far from ready.

     Contractions were coming every 5-7 minutes so I got up and took a shower hoping they would stop. They didn't. I texted my friend and told her that I may need her that night to come stay with the kids. I started walking in circles in my house. The contractions got stronger. I called the doctor around 11 or so and they told me to come in.

     We arrived around midnight. I think. It's blurry now. I was admitted to triage and hooked up to the monitors. The contractions were now coming every 2-3 minutes and PAINFUL! I was for sure that this baby was coming and coming fast. They eventually checked me and she said "I can't even feel the babies head, you are high and tight". As much as I was thankful that the contractions weren't bringing on real labor, I was super annoyed. I laid in that bed until 5:30am with painful contractions and no "reason" for them.

    They released me from the hospital around 6am. I was told to go home and get some sleep. We got home and released my amazing friend, Susie, who stayed with our children all night. I immediately went to bed and slept until noon. I got up and had some lunch. Cereal. Looking back I wish it had been something much more filling!

    After lunch I walked into the bedroom to talk to Ryan and then it happened. My water broke. There was no getting out of it now. We were having a baby. Early. Too early for my liking. I called my friend back over until my gram could make it up from IN and off we went. No bag packed, no carseat in hand, just us.

    I don't even remember when we got there. Maybe around 1:30-2. I texted my fabulous friend, Leah, who was going to take the photos and she came up. I remember being upset that I finally had a birth photographer and it was going to be at the birth of my premature baby. It wouldn't be a "normal" birth, like I had always had. I was so wrong. This was the most perfect birth to have photographed. It was so powerful and raw. So different than my other experiences. I am forever thankful for the images she captured. You can see them and a beautiful video here.... Nolan's Birth

    Labor was pretty straight forward.  Kind of long. Ryan kept telling them that once I hit 4 cms it would go fast.  He was right. I was at a 3 at 11:15pm and he was born at 11:51pm on April 14th. His big brothers 18 month birthday.

    He was pretty beefy for 6 weeks early, weighing in at 6lbs even and 19 inches long.

.staticflickr.com/5501/9155109438_9179723584_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="nolan_3">
He did have to be intibated for breathing issues and had a little oxygen on for a few days.


I was so happy to come in and see his little face with no wires. It didn't last long though. He was put back on a feeding tube which he would have even after we got home.


Golly, he sure is cute.


    The NICU ride was eventful to say the least. He was in for a total of 2.5 weeks. In that time....The 3 bigs kids and myself had pinkeye. Ty had a double ear infection and phenomena  Jeff also had a double ear infection and I had strep throat. 3 total days I was not aloud to be with him. Talk about the most heart wrenching experience as a mother. Your hormones are all over the place as it is. You can't be with your new baby and your other babies are all sick. You're home because you have to be but you really just want to be cuddling your new baby. You feel guilty for not being happy that you are home with your other children. Ugh. Not fun.

   Kids and dishes are calling.

  To be continued......