Introducing....

Daddy holding Kellan for the first time. I couldn't ask for a better dad for our boys.



Mommy stealing kisses already.

Everyone admiring sweet Kellan.

Big brother Cason checking Kellan out. Not quite sure what just happened.

6.7 #, 18 3/4 inches long

Napping with my precious son.

My boys. I couldn't be happier.

Our new family of four...LOVE IT!!!

Grammy and Kellan

Papa and Kellan

Aunt Kelsey and Kellan

Aunt Kortney and Kellan

Carley, Carrie and Kellan

Alan, Addison and Kellan

Cason showing Addi and Carley his new computer

Daddy and Kellan

Brothers!!!

Kellan on his first day home.

...Kellan Christopher Kates. Kellan arrived Tuesday, November 9th at 8:47 am. He is absolutely precious and cuddly. He has dark brown hair and a darker complexion than his big brother. We are on the fence with whether or not he looks like Cason...he looks just like Kellan, and I wouldn't change a thing. I was so nervous about having enough love and time for another child, however, I haven't had any trouble "fitting him in." He is such a blessing to our family. Big brother didn't concur at first, but is adapting slowly. He woke up this morning asking for him...isn't that sweet? I think it took a few days for him to realize that mommy and daddy were still going to play with him and love him just as much.

So, let me tell all of you about the events of Kellan's labor and delivery. On Monday, Nov 8th I went to see Dr. Jordan, who let us know I was dilated 3-4 cm. After my appointment, I went to work for a few hours to import charts and had very regular contractions all day. As I was cooking dinner that night, the contractions got stronger and stronger but continued to stay about 4-6 min apart. I called my parents and put them on "stand-by" as Kelsey and Kortney were going to watch Cason through the night if Kellan decided to join us then. Immediately, the contractions stopped. I was so disappointed and wondering if these contractions were ever going to be the real thing. I was beginning to get so frustrated with the fact that I had had contractions every day for 1-2 weeks but was not going in to labor. I went to bed around 9:30pm that night and little did I know, I would wake up with "the real contractions" around 12:30am-1:00am. I woke Chris up (who had just gone to bed at midnight) and asked him to get me a glass of water. I couldn't believe it...the water didn't make them go away. It had always made them go away. We called my parents and Kelsey and Kortney headed to our house, Chris loaded up all the bags and I paced...taking breaks every 4-5 min with each contraction. I had told Chris from the beginning that I wanted to experience the labor process more because my water broke with Cason but I wasn't having contractions. They started me on medication to induce contractions and I got my epidural real early. I didn't want to do that again...I wanted to know what real labor felt like, and I did. We got to the hospital at 2:12am and I was dilated

5-6cm, still having regular contractions. Kellan's heart rate was in the 120's and he was doing good. I got a shot of Nubain for the pain around 3:00am and it helped a lot for about an hour. After an hour, the contractions were beginning to get unbearable and I was now dilated to 7cm. They called the anesthesiologist to come do an epidural for me and I got up to walk around the nurse's station. I was so paranoid about everything slowing down after I got the epidural. He arrived around 4:45am and the epidural went great. It took effect very quickly and relieved every bit of my pain. It was the craziest feeling ever to not have function and feelings in my legs. I continued to progress every hour when the nurse checked me and my water broke around 7:45am and Kellan's heart rate had come up to 140-150's, the nurses said he was sleeping earlier. Shortly after I was flooded with exhaustion and became very nauseated (I did the same thing with Cason right before he arrived.) Sure enough, the nurse came in to check me around 8:15am and I was complete and Kellan was ready. She told me not to push until she got the doctor there because it wouldn't take long at all. This was music to my ears, could it really be going this smoothly? I mean, I was in labor for 12 hours and pushed for 2 hours with Cason. How could this only be 6 hours in to it and Kellan be right there ready to enter the world? Sure enough, Dr. Jordan arrived and I began pushing at 8:40am and we met our son at 8:47am. You read it right...7 minutes...2 pushes!!!!!! Kellan was crying the second he arrived. I was able to hold him immediately and it was amazing. Cason joined us very soon after and was so confused as to what just happened. He had just seen mama lying in the bed with monitors, IV's and oxygen and now she is holding a baby!!!

We stayed in the hospital that day and night and were discharged around 12:00pm the next day. We were so happy to be home, however, Cason was not so happy about seeing bubba here. He had been napping at my parents when we left the hospital so mom brought him home when he woke up. He rang the doorbell and Chris answered it while holding Kellan. After the door opened and he saw them, Cason held his hand up and said, "NO!" Poor guy didn't realize it wasn't that easy to get rid of bubba. Cason is doing much better with his brother now and even asks for him when he wakes up in the morning. He still needs mommy or daddy in the floor playing with him at all times but he isn't acting out as much as he did at first. We have all adjusted and are loving our new family. We are just one big happy family of four!