Kesslyn's Birth Story

It was 12:30 a.m. on Monday, August 31st when I was abruptly awakened by a loud "POP!"

My water had broken and our little baby girl was ready to come!!!
I rolled over to Clint and said,
"My water just broke and this little baby is coming on the school deadline!"
I could hardly believe what was happening...

I remember feeling very excited, nervous, and confused all at the same time...

I got up out of my bed and went straight to the bathroom.

The gushing of water that kept on coming confirmed what I already knew...

Kesslyn Natalia Trickett would be born TODAY, August 31st, 2015!

I stood at the sink brushing my teeth and putting my make up on (Yes, putting my make up on! ;)

But I felt kind of nervous and felt a little unprepared.

With 5 weeks left until my due date, I had not packed my hospital bag nor made any arrangements for my other children...

I asked Clint to go and wake Kierra so that we could tell her what was happening. She too was a little confused as she was half asleep when Clint told her that I was going to have the baby.

She lay in her bed for a minute and then promptly JUMPED out of bed when she realized what Clint was saying! 

She came in the bathroom with Clint and I where I began telling each of them what to do...

My instructions were very passive as I myself was still in shock with what was happening, so I finally said, "Kierra, will you Google What to Pack in a Hospital Bag?"

We all began laughing at the humor in this situation!!! At this point smiles and laughter came easily...

We were excited and my contractions hadn't started....YET...

We packed my bag, got in the car, and headed to the hospital still feeling quite relaxed...but my mind was blazing 100 miles per hour thinking of all of the things that I still needed to do today, the people that I would need to contact, and arrangements that would need to be made...

"I guess the 8 dozen hamburgers and hot dogs we ordered for the block pool party that we were hosting for today won't be needed!!!"

"I'll have to call Lorelei to let the neighbors know we won't be hosting a party since we are kind of busy HAVING A BABY!!! :)"

"I need to call Laura so she can be ready to come take the baby's pictures..."

"How long should I wait to call Laura?"

"Who can help my kids get off to school?"

"The kids are going to be soooo excited!!!"

"I can't wait to finally meet her..."

Those were just a few of my thoughts as we were driving to the hospital which is only about 10 minutes from our house...

THEN, as we slowly walked into the hospital, my contractions began to come...

I KNEW this would be quick, and my thoughts started changing...

"She's 5 weeks early...I hope she will be OK..."

"Oh No...This hurts..."

"I've never had a natural child birth before...with my blood clots and blood thinner I won't be able to have any pain medication or an epidural...Oh No...this is going to hurt..."

We checked in at the nurses station where they took my information and promptly took me to my room...I changed into my lovely blue gown, laid down in the hospital bed, and took a deep breath...

It was now 1:43 a.m.

Upon arriving at the hospital I was only dilated to a 3, but I knew it would probably progress pretty quickly because my contractions began coming very quickly and very strong...

and besides, this was my 6th baby!!! This should be a piece of cake, right???

"Cake??? Did someone say cake??? All I can say is OUCH!!!..."

In between my contractions Clint and I would talk about what needed to be done next...

I let my mom know we were having a baby!

Tell my sister that we are here at the hospital...

Text Laura and tell her it's time...

Up until this birth, it has always only been Clint and I in the room when our children were born...

But I know everything happens for a reason, and this time, because of my blood clot complications and having this baby NATURAL...I needed a little help. I was so grateful not only for my sweet husband who is ALWAYS by my side, but I was also grateful for my Rockstar nurse, my angel sister Tiffany, and my friend and photographer Laura for capturing it all for me...these are some of life's most sacred moments, and with these pictures to remember it by, tears fill my eyes and I have the same flood of emotion return time and time again when I see them. They are priceless.

This is one of heaven's finest moments when the veil is parted and life begins.

After what felt like forever (and it had only been about an hour) I asked the nurse to check me because I was sure with all of the pain I was going through, I MUST have been almost fully dilated...I was soooo discouraged to hear that I had only progressed to a 4... But, there was a moment of laughter as my sister Tiffany pulled up the "Pain Chart" and asked me where my pain level was...
I now knew what a "10" felt like...AWFUL! But we laughed together as I explained that there was no "smiley face" on the pain chart that represented my pain...I told them that it was off the charts and that they needed a "bitter beer face" for pain levels over 10 :) ...

My sweet husband so patiently stayed by my side the whole time...the ice chips helped for about
1 and a half seconds :)...

I remember at one point telling them that I didn't think I could do this...
The pain was so intense, and I knew after I said that, that I really could do it.
 I had to do this.
I had angels by my side and I was so excited to meet our new little angel too...

This picture right here means so much to me.
 Knowing what I was experiencing, and then "holding on"...
and my CTR ring reminding me that THIS is Choosing The Right.
Following God's plan and creating an eternal family with my sweetheart is what I am meant to do.
Being a mother in Zion is what I am meant to do.
Remembering that I can do "hard things" and that in the end it will all be worth it.
Oh so worth it.
(The CTR ring that I wear is the same CTR ring that Clint mailed to me while he was on his mission...it means soooo much to me in soooo many ways...AND it is my Clint Trickett Reminder! :)

I held on tight to my sweetie, breathing and trying to stay in control...
I remember saying "OUCH" a LOT...and although I only progressed 1 centimeter in the first hour that I was at the hospital, the rest went by so fast...
It's almost a blur...
In about the next 2 hours I had completely dilated to a 10 and felt that unbearable urge to "push"...
I only had to push once or twice and in a matter of minutes the intense pain I had been feeling
was suddenly gone...
and I could hear Kesslyn...
The sweetest sound that a mother could hear...

Kesslyn Natalia Trickett was born...It was Monday August 31st at 4:49 a.m.

She weighed 6 pounds and 2 ounces and measured 19 and a quarter inches long...

She is the littlest of all of my angels...but just as sweet...:)

Sometimes, I have no words...

I love him with everything that I have...

These pictures are priceless to me...and speak volumes of the feelings that I experienced that day...
I feel a deep sense of love and connection to my Heavenly Father as I realize that I am helping to bring about an important part in His Plan of Happiness...
I realize that life is precious and we are truly a part of a miracle...

This sweet little baby girl has immediately stolen our hearts.
My "mother's heart" has reached bursting capacity!!!
  I am so blessed...
I love her so much...

Kesslyn's actual due date was October 4th, and so she had joined our family 5 weeks early!
I felt like she heard me talking about her coming to our family and getting to "go to school with Kambriella" by being born on the school deadline :)...
And although we were so happy she was finally here safe and sound we had a few obstacles to overcome...this picture was the last time I saw her that day...
It broke my heart to see her go, but her tiny little lungs were not as strong as they needed to be, so they were taking her away to get her the help that she needed. And although I missed her terribly, I was so grateful for the doctors, nurses, and medical advancements that make life possible.
She is here.
She is precious.
She is mine.
Forever.
:)