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My name is Anitra. I am married to Micah. We have three sons Mekhi, Kendrick, and Nolan.

My handsome guys

One of the best days of my life!

Proud big brother. He saw his brother be born and was so happy he cried!

3/8/07- Today was the big day! I was scheduled for my ultrasound this morning and I was so nervous I could not eat a thing. We opted to find out the sex and the ultrasound technician did the sex determination first and the "boring stuff" last. HE looks great and is already at 1/2 lb. Here are some pics...

He is waving hello

No doubt it is another boy (his dad is quite proud)

Here is his handsome little profile....

He is sleeping with his arm over his head. I guess all three of my sons will sleep this way!

Your eyes aren't deceiving you he is really that tall for 18 months!

Here is the entire family on Easter

We have finally decided on a name...

NOLAN WILLIAM!!!!

My Birth Story

I was originally scheduled to be admitted to the hospital on Wednesday at 6:00pm to start my pitocin at midnight. I was scheduled to be induced because my blood pressure was starting to get out of control. I received a phone call Wednesday morning from my doctor’s office stating that since this was not my first child and since I had been known to labor quickly I wouldn’t need to be at the hospital until between 9:00 and 10:00pm. I arrived at the hospital only to find out that the plans had been changed again! I was admitted at 10:00 and since I was already 4 cm. dilated I was not scheduled to receive my pitocin until 3:00am to prevent my doctor from having to come in at 6:00am to deliver my baby. I could not sleep partially due to my husband snoring and partially because I was so nervous watching the clock waiting for the pitocin to begin. I received my pitocin at 3:00am and started contracting in a regular pattern (every 3-5 minutes) after 30 minutes. By 5:00am I was ready for my epidural. The anesthesiologist came in to give me my epidural around 5:15 and explained everything to me. This was my third time having an epidural so I thought I knew what to expect…boy was I wrong! He gave me the shot to numb my back and that was fine but when he attempted to insert the catheter he hit a nerve in my back twice. He then had to move a few centimeters down and insert the catheter in another spot without brushing up against a nerve. I started feeling the warm feeling in my legs which told me that the epidural was working. He helped me lay on my back and I started feeling really hot and nauseated. When they took my blood pressure it was 115/52. This may be normal for some people but since my blood pressure is normally higher my body was not tolerating a drop this low so I almost blacked out. I had to receive a shot (through my IV three times and once in the hip) to bring my blood pressure back up. I was checked periodically throughout the morning and only managed to progress to 8 cm. My doctor came in at 8:45 to break my water and my fluid came out clear. For some reason, I became extremely nauseated after this and began throwing up. I threw up approximately nine times and was finally given phenergan through my IV to keep me from being so nauseated. I was checked again and still at only 8cm. By 10:30 I still had not progressed and Nolan was not coming down to press on my cervix. My doctor ordered an ultrasound and they discovered that he was facing upwards and not descending into the birth canal properly. From this point on it became a waiting game. Everyone thought that I would have delivered by now and I was just hanging out. Finally at 12:00 my doctor ordered that the nurse do something called “aggressive pushing” to help me dilate to 10cm. This consists of me pushing to 10 counts in repetitions of three for ten times. (a total of 30 pushes) while the nurse inserts her finger into my vagina and attempts to stretch the last 2cm. of cervix left. The hospital that I delivered at plays Brahm’s Lullaby over the speaker system to announce the birth of each baby and I swore I was going to kill someone if one more lady delivered her baby before me. I finished the 10 sets of pushes and had only managed to move Nolan down to a -1 station and it looked like delivery was never going to happen. I was frustrated, exhausted, and starving so I began to cry. My husband reassured me that I was doing a good job and my mom comforted me as well by telling me that she knew I was frustrated because the deliver y was taking a lot longer than expected but that he would come soon. I started to feel a very strange sensation like my body was bearing down on its own and pushing without me doing anything. I told my mom and my husband and my husband told me to call the nurse. I told her and she came into the room saying “surely not I just checked you two minutes ago!” She checked me and Sure enough I was complete! The nurse said “the head is right there don’t sneeze, don’t laugh, don’t cough don’t puke, don’t do anything!” My doctor came downstairs and into the room to deliver Nolan. I glanced back at my epidural drip and discovered the bottle was empty! I was told to push and I pushed three times. On the fourth push my husband told me he could see his hair (every cervix check prior to this I was told he had a head full). On the fourth push I felt the head bulging and out of fear and pain quit pushing. My doctor looked at me and said I know it hurts but you have to push through it. And I did. I pushed two more times and Nolan entered the world at 12:43pm. I did not need an episiotomy and I did not tear. Nolan had turned face down at the last minute which helped him move down. He is a healthy 6lbs. 12oz. and is 20 inches long. I listened intently after he was born and approximately 10 minutes after he was born I heard Brahm’s Lullaby announcing his arrival. We are all doing well and adjusting to life with another little guy at home. Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and support!!

Nolan William Murphy

Proud daddy

This is what tired and happy looks like

Checking out little brother

So sweet