I can't believe how EXHAUSTING these past 3 days have been since we've been home from the hospital. I knew being a mom to a newborn was going to be exhausting, but not to this extent. I am sleep deprived so please forgive any sentences that are not coherent or don't make sense.
I had a fairly easy delivery and feel really lucky that I wasn't in labor for hours like so many people are. Thursday morning (5/14) I went to my weekly ultrasound with the perinatologist and was told that the doctor wanted to take our baby the next day (5/15) because of possible low birth weight and my amniotic fluid levels were still low. I had a feeling they'd take him early but give me a little more notice than just one day. I started panicking because we weren't ready for him to be born quite yet and had so many things we still needed to do. I had to go back to the hospital that evening (Thursday) for a gel that softens my cervix but then was told to go home and come back on Friday morning at 7am for the Pitocin and to be induced.
The minute I walked out of the hospital that evening I knew changes were taking place in my body and I could barely walk. Apparently "the gel" kicked right in and I started having very small contractions. That evening about 1:30am my water broke and Dan and I headed off to the hospital at 3:30 to have this baby to start an adventure we never could dream about.
The doctors started the Pitocin at 6:00am and I had my epidural an hour later. That is some good stuff! The nurse checked to see if I had dilated around 8am and I was only at 1cm so they thought it would be an all day process. At 9:30am the nurse checked me again and I was only at a 2cm, confirming that I would be in labor for quite some time and they told me to relax and try to get some rest. One hour later I insisted they check me again because I started to feel a lot of pressure "down there" - (sorry to be so explicit). They told me that was normal but I once again demanded that something wasn't right and I couldn't handle the feeling I was dealing with all day long. The nurse gave in and did a check just to appease me, and by the look on her face I knew that I wasn't going crazy and the pressure I was feeling wasn't normal for a 2 cm dilation. She looked up and said, "Ummm, you've dilated to 9cm, let me go get the doctor". In ONE hour I had gone from 2cm to 9cm, and in 5 minutes was at 10 cm and was ready for this baby to come.
I immediately called my sister and told her to get to the hospital so she could take pictures and be there when David was born. She apparently drove like a bat out of hell a 30 minute drive only took her 15 minutes and the minute she walked in the room the doctor was ready to deliver me. I only pushed for 20 minutes which I feel so lucky about. I've heard horror stories of women pushing for hours and the thought of that scared the bajeepers out of me.
It was an amazing experience and I'm so glad everything went well and that our baby David joined our family safe and sound. Dan and I can't get enough of him! All I want to do is hold and kiss him and I haven't gotten anything done around the house because of that. I don't care though, I am taking advantage of this precious time I have with my new son and don't care if he gets too spoiled at this point!
Here are some pictures of his first 5 days of his life.

Heading to the hospital
38 weeks pregnant

Dad calling with the good news

6lbs 2 oz.
20.5 inches long
I love this picture- the minute he was placed on the scale he grabbed on to the side and would not let go. It looked like he was riding a toboggan.

Proud Papa

Aunt Noelle




I'm afraid I'm going to kiss his face off!

Heading home from the hospital. He was so tiny when he was born that the new born clothes I bought him didn't fit him. I had to go buy some preemie clothes to get us by for the next week or so. Hopefully he'll gain some weight so he can fit into the gajillion of fun baby clothes I have for him.


Our little burrito (I'm still trying to get down the swaddling technique)

First bath

Going on a walk with cousin Cameron

5 day check up at the doctor. He's gaining weight like a good little boy, which relieves me and makes me feel like I'm doing something right - considering the trouble I'm having breast feeding him.