Ryland David Rader

Well, to say that a lot has been happening since I last posted is quite the understatement. Sorry to those of you that thought we may have fallen off the planet. Since our last post we visited California, Utah, Tennessee, and Georgia in one summer, found out we were expecting our third baby in three years, celebrated 4 years of marriage, potty-trained two toddlers, started Jonathan's masters degree, gotten several new church callings, had more than a handful of house guests, and planted our first garden, among many other noteworthy events. So we have been a little busy.

We didn't want to miss announcing the birth of our third child, Ryland David Rader.

He was born on February 24, 2010 at 12:15pm. He weighed 9lbs 4oz and was 22 inches long.

He is the sweetest little boy and is adored by his older brother and sister to a dangerous level. They always want to hold him and touch him and check on him. I am hoping that they will get used to him very soon.

Leighton said, "Mom, Ryland is crying. We need to take him to the doctor."

Savannah held up her baby doll with a pink outfit and said, "My pink baby, your green baby," pointing to Ryland in his green outfit.

For those of you who want to know about the birth...

I was having contractions very consistently Tuesday evening for several hours. I had been to the doctor that day and was still just dilated to a 3. I had been scheduled to be induced on Sunday, two days past my due date. Around midnight we decided to go to the hospital. We live very close to a new hospital which unfortunately hasn't opened yet, so we were over 30 minutes from the hospital where we were going to deliver. We didn't want to take any chances with the baby coming too fast. A wonderful friend came to stay at our house with Leighton and Savannah, and we headed out. My contractions slowed some on the way to the hospital and basically stopped when we got there and I was sitting in the hospital bed. I was very frustrated. I was still only a 3. They had me walk for one hour and I had contractions and progressed to a 4. Because I had progressed in one hour I was considered to be in active labor. We were admitted. Then my contractions stopped again when they had me in bed. I had to wait till almost 9am when the doctor came in. At that point they broke my water and started me on pitocin. The nurse later said I probably only needed my water broken, because my contractions picked up right away. I delivered at 12:15pm. We only stayed at the hospital one day. Ryland is doing great. And I am glad not to be pregnant anymore.