Blake's birth story (continued)

I know I briefly touched on Blake's birth day through the lovely BlogPress app on my phone, but I've finally uploaded the 100's of pictures from that day on the desktop. So I am ready to tackle the big feat and give all the details!

I may have been ready to post this a little sooner, if it had not been for a minor glitch in my recovery. I had planned to write a separate post about that (after I wrapped my head around what happened), but I have decided I do not want to really go into great detail. Let's just say that a complication from the c-section landed us back in the hospital (the ER to be exact) not two hours after we had been discharged from L&D---with a newborn. If you had asked me before we left the hospital my thoughts on the c-section process, I would have said, "The best decision I ever made!" However, since I had an issue with my recovery, I have second-guessed my decision to go that route. Enough about that...I am healing, and we have a healthy baby boy. We are so thankful and blessed beyond measure!

So, we had a c-section scheduled for Monday, April 30th, but I had told Brett all along that I thought baby boy would arrive before that. And he did! My blood pressure was up at my last prenatal visit on Friday, the 20th, so she wanted to see me that following Monday. I went in on the 23rd, and I was dilated to 2cm, and effaced 50%. I felt fine and went about my week, doing my best to "take it easy." Well, I went into full-nesting-mode that Tuesday night and baked a quiche and some banana bread (guess it was my body preparing for all of the family who would be coming in to stay with us? :-)

I went to work that Wednesday, the 25th (the day he was born!) and felt good (bags had been loaded in my car for about a week at that point), but I emailed Brett that morning saying that I didn't think it would be long. I started feeling some pretty intense back pain around 3 o'clock that afternoon. So, I called my doc, and she wanted me to go in to the hospital to get checked out, since I had started to show some progress just two days before. I called Brett, told him I would let him know what they told me at the hospital. I asked him to pick up Jameston from daycare and arrange for my sister to be at the house to keep Jameston just in case.

Well, on my 20-minute drive (north on 75 at 4:00 in the afternoon :-) I started noticing that the "pain" was coming and going, about every 6-8 minutes. It was then I realized I was probably in labor, so I called Brett to have him meet me at the hospital (and he arranged for my brother-in-law to pick up Jameston).

I walked in and up to the 3rd flood and checked in. Don't know why they have you pre-register because there is still TONS of paperwork to complete (that you really don't want to when you are in labor)! Anywho, after about 15 minutes of filling out paperwork with quickly intensifying contractions, I was taken to a room and got dressed in the lovely hospital gown. They checked me, and I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced. That is when my awesome nurse, Olivia, said, "We are having this baby today!" Brett arrived about 15 minutes later excited as could be! In between contractions, we discussed our game plan (although we had gone over different scenarios before): whether we would have Jameston come up that night or the next morning, who all to call, etc. etc. I went through labor (contractions sped up to every 3 minutes apart) without an epidural for about an hour and half...then my water broke. And they wheeled me into the OR for the c-section.

Here we go!

He's here!

So in love!

Jameston came up to the hospital that night to meet his baby brother. He loved getting to see and hold him! Now his behavior since is a whole other post in itself!

Proud big brother!

Blake passed his hearing screening the next morning :-)

Jameston came up to the hospital again that next morning to see Blake. He was excited!

Time with Daddy:

Pops and Gigi also made it the the hospital the night of Blake's arrival and a couple of time after that. High five, Pops!

My three boys!

Jameston also received a gift from Blake: a "little Buzz" Lightyear, as he calls him. He was ecstatic!

And he was sure to give Blake a teddy bear lovie that he picked out himself in return. So sweet!

Headed home!

Our family of four

Getting checked out by Dr. Poole the following Monday, at five-days old

We are so in love with our newest blessing and feel so blessed to have another healthy boy! Next up: Blake's one-month write-up :-)