Frankie's Birth Story 2020

                                                                  Frank Patrick Brayer

Oh my sweet Frankie, my 3rd sweet baby, my second baby boy...what an crazy pregnancy and birth we had with you! 

We decided we wanted to try for a 3rd baby and got pregnant right away with you!  We were very excited to be welcome another baby, Coco was the MOST excited!

 I felt really tired and lots of nausea during the first trimester, I drank lots of bubbly water to help. As soon as the second trimester started I felt much better! We found out you were a BOY and Clark was so excited to have a brother. Poor Betty was a little disappointed, but we knew as soon as you were here she was going to be such an awesome big Sissy! 

There were a few issues during my pregnancy, a little bleeding for about a month, and you were continuously measuring small so I went back and forth from my regular OB to a High Risk doctor. Mommy worries a lot, but everything turned out fine. 

 About half way through my Pregnancy the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) hit the world. We had no idea, that in a few months the whole world would shut down. Lots of people were very sick and dying. Schools and work shut down, we ordered groceries, had to wear masks, and couldn't really leave the house to do anything fun. It was very very VERY hard to raise kids and be pregnant during a pandemic. 

Then My mom, your Coco, had a stroke. It was the hardest, most sad thing to ever happen to me. I was 8 months pregnant when my Mom died. She never got to meet you and that makes me so so sad because she loved you and was so excited to meet you. You gave me strength because I knew I had to stay healthy and strong to keep you well.

At the end of my pregnancy you were breech (in the frank breech position). My only breech baby! I tried swimming and flipping, and doing these upside down poses to try to flip you naturally. I was scheduled for an ECV and induction just in case you didn't flip, but you did, THANK GOD!

We kept the induction date, although the hospital was very very busy so they kept rescheduling later, just to make sure you would not flip back to breech. We got the call to go to the hospital in the middle of the night, so Papa and Auntie Rachel came to stay with Clark and Betty. 

They started the induction at about 2am and you were born at 9:42pm on 7/17/2020.  You were 6lbs and 19 inches, my smallest baby, but healthy and adorable. You were born at Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital. We named you Frank Patrick Brayer, Patrick in loving memory of your Coco Patricia. 

I had to wear a mask while I pushed you out and couldn't catch my breath often so they let me switch to the oxygen mask which really helped. I had an epidural which helped with the pain, woohoo! You came out pretty quickly and easily and my recovery was pretty good! I breastfed you for about 4 months, then you decided you liked bottles and formula better. You also LOVED your binkies, my only baby to take bottles and binkies, thank you buddy! It made Mommy and Daddy's life so much easier! Daddy started doing the night shifts with you to give you bottles, but you were still like your siblings and just preferred to be held all the time  and are not a great sleeper.

 You are so worth it all and we love all the smiles, cuddles, and happiness you have brought into our lives in a dark time. We love you so so much baby Frankie!!!

Betty's Birth Story 2015

Betty Marie Brayer

Born Friday September 18th, 2015

7:32 am Banner Thunderbird Hospital

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Girl!!!

Well it only took me a full year to finally sit down and write out your birth story.

It has been the craziest, busiest, yet the best year ever!

Let's start at the beginning. 

We started trying to get pregnant again in December, and to our surprise it happened right away!
Your brother was  1 1/2 years old, and we knew we wanted our kids to be close in age and best buddies.

I took several pregnancy tests and thought it was just too early to tell, but to my happy surprise I showed a picture of them to a friend and she said, "Annie you are so pregnant!" LOL!

Your Daddy and I were super excited!

Your due date was September 17th 2015, and I started seeing a new doctor at Glendale OBGYN.

I decided I did not want a midwife this time, just to get a different experience.

I heard your heartbeat at 8 weeks on February 3, 2015.

It is the best sound ever to hear your little baby alive and well and growing inside!

I felt sick alot in the beginning, with lots of food aversions and even lost some weight!

But once the 2nd trimester started I felt less nauseous, but got a lot of headaches and just felt very unmotivated to much of anything.

We announced our pregnancy on Valentines Day with a cute picture of your brother and a chalk wall.

I had a blood test done at 12 weeks to test for genetic disorders and the gender. 

 It took FOREVER to get the results back, but on March 24th, we found out you were a girl!!!

At my 20 week check up, we found out I had placenta previa.

It is a dangerous condition which could cause early labor and excessive bleeding.

I was crazy crazy worried, but thankfully it corrected itself by 28 weeks and we both had a super healthy rest of the pregnancy!

I took lots of belly pics and tried to enjoy the pregnancy, but I felt so lazy and yucky!

It was hard to work, and take care of your brother, and enjoy the HOT Summer!

We tried lots of different things to naturally induce labor, like reflexology, bouncing on a stability, walking, pregnancy tea, and spicy food.

At 40 weeks, on your actual due date, I felt like you were not moving around as much in my belly. Daddy was home from work so we went to the ER at 2:30pm while Grandma stayed with Clark.

They monitored us both and said we were ok and sent us home. 

I felt pretty tired, so I went straight to bed. At about 8pm I felt a big "thud" in my belly but just thought, "hmmm...that was weird."

Then when I stood up to go potty a few minutes later I kinda felt a little gush of liquid.

I was pretty sure it was my water breaking, but it was a light brown color so  wasn't too sure.

It turns out you pooped inside of me, but it was ok and did not cause any harm.

Daddy was putting Clark to bed, so when he came in our room, he called the hospital and they said for us to come in. 

Grandma came back to our house to stay the night with Clark, and Mommy and Daddy went to the hospital.

It was my first night ever away from your brother so it was kinda hard not to worry about everyone all night!

I started having contractions right after my water broke, so the hospital checked us in and told us we were there to stay!

They wheeled us up top the labor and delivery ward, and said that you were a little stressed in my belly, but they didn't know why.

I wanted to try to wait as long as possible to get an epidural, but I was in a lot of pain, so at about 2:30am I got the drugs.

Then I labored all night, with them flipping me side to side, and hooking me up to oxygen to try to get your heart rate to stop going up and down. 

They even warned us we might need a C-section, but thankfully we got to have a vaginal birth like I planned.

My doctor was out of town, so I had a different female doctor actually deliver you. 

I only pushed for a very short time and you came flying out!

My sweet tiny little baby girl!

Born at 7:32 am.

6 lbs 11 oz

21 inches

Brown hair, brown eyes, and absolutely perfect!

Mommy and Daddy both cried tears of joy, and felt so happy and relieved you were finally here with us.

Daddy cut your umbilical cord after a few minutes of delayed cord clamping.

Daddy got a little light headed after you were born and so we made him sit down and drink some orange juice.

Then he felt all better, and they set you right on top of me for skin to skin contact and to introduce breastfeeding. 

You stayed with me for a while, then they cleaned you up and weighed, and checked you.

Then they took us to our new room, where we stayed for another night and had family come and meet you!

Daddy went home to stay the night with your brother and get some rest, so Auntie Rachel came to the hospital and we had our first girls slumber party!

I was so so tired, so I sent you to the nursery for a little bit...and cried when you were gone.

I also called the nurse in several times to check your nose, because I thought maybe you had a stuffy nose and couldn't breathe well.

But you came back happy and we were both a little more rested.

The next morning, we went home and started adjusting to life as a family of four.

I felt so so happy and fulfilled. 

My heart could just burst with all the love I have for you, your brother, and your Daddy.

You are the most friendly, sweet, funny, little girl ever, and we just love you to the moon and back a hundred million times.

I love you sweetie, XOXO

Love, Mommy

Sleepy Snuggles

Nothing warms my heart more than

 my baby boy snuggling on my chest and drifting away to sleep.

Clark spent the first year of his life cuddled up with his boppy taking naps on top of me.

I would nurse him to sleep... fear of waking him kept us in this habit.

There were a mix of emotions that came along with this sleep habit...

but mostly I loved all the sweet snuggles and to watch him be so at peace.

I would put on one of my reality housewives shows or a chick flick
and enjoy the quiet time with my boy.

We tried to nap train him in the crib, but it was a tearful, frustrating battle where everyone lost.

 So, snuggled on our chests is where he rested.

It wasn't until I stopped nursing him at 13 months that he started napping in the crib.

It came with a whole new independence for us both, and extra time for Mommy to get things done.

Now the only sleepy snuggles I get are brief ones before laying him down in his crib for nap/night time.

Although they could be frustrating and inconvenient at times,

I cherish every memory of our special, quiet, sleepy snuggles.

A Daddy perspective:
 I love when Clark is snuggled into my arms and he gets more and more tired until eventually his head gets heavy and he drops off to dream land.  I have spend hours of time this past 18 months that I would have usually been sleeping holding my little boy in my lap and kissing his head.

These have been, albeit sometimes very sleepy, the most precious moments we have spent together.

 I hold him and tell him that he is the most wonderful little guy I could have ever asked for, and that he never has to worry about facing anything alone because his Mommy and I will always be by his side.

  Holding my sleeping child is pure bliss, even when I am falling asleep in his tiny little arms at 3 am.  He warms my heart and often brings tears to my eyes, just because I feel so lucky to have him.




Daddy's first sleepy snuggle in the hospital.