Anyway #1 most important: EVAN IS HERE!!!!
Here's the details on his arrival:
Well I had a doctors appointment on Feb 22nd, which was my ultrasound due date, but the dr said I wasn't progressed enough to be induced, so I was super bummed but there wasn't anything I could do about it. Well as the week went on and it still seemed like he wasn't wanting to come, I was getting more anxious. So I looked online for any advice to get labor started. I had already tried the most common advice, walking and ... well sex, which did not seem to make any difference. So I read about castor oil, which is generally used as a laxative, also helping labor begin. I thought it couldn't hurt to try it, so I made Jake take me to Walmart to get some. Now it was OIL so it wasn't the most pleasant to drink but I mixed it with some juice so it wasn't as bad. I took it at 10pm on Friday Feb 25th, thinking that by morning, which was my original due date, it should kick in, IF it was going to work at all.
Well 4am I wake up to go to the bathroom and I kinda have what feels like period cramps. I go lay back down, but I notice that the cramping is coming and going pretty consistently and I think... are these contractions? So I had downloaded a contraction timer app on my phone so I start to time them and they're coming about every 4-6 minutes. Which is when they say you should go to the hospital when they get that close, but they weren't very painful and I was afraid they were false labor so I waited it out until 6am and they hadn't let up so I wake up Jake and tell him "It's time" just like all the cliche' movies. haha So we get to the hospital and I'm put in a room at around 7am. They tell me they're going to just observe me for an hour, so we wait and the contractions keep coming but after an hour they checked my cervix again and said I haven't changed so I was afraid they were going to send me home but after talking to my doctor they decided to admit me and induce my labor. Yay!!
So since we know we're definitely having a baby today I tell Jake NOW we can call family and let them know. So they put in the IV and by 11am I got my epidural, which was just FANTASTIC! About 20 minutes before the anesthesiologist got there the contractions got A LOT stronger and more painful. I don't know why anyone would be crazy enough to do it natural. My mom, dad, and Season came to the hospital, and so did Jake's family. They broke my water at about 1:30 and that seemed to really get the ball rolling. I went from 5cm dilated to 9cm in half an hour and a little while later, after 40 minutes of actual pushing we had our precious 7lb 14oz baby boy at 4:32pm. I didn't think I would cry but after he was out, it was such a rush of relief and joy and hormones I did let loose a few tears.
After 2 days in the hospital, with lots of visitors, both mom and baby were released home. At his two week check-up he had gained 13 oz and grew an inch! Guess all that pain during breastfeeding the first week was worth it. And it really was more painful than labor was. I'm so glad I didn't give up on it, even though I seriously considered a bottle more than once. Bean flew in from Cali on March 3 and left March 9, since Jake would be returning to work. She was such a help with laundry and dishes, and occasionally changing a diaper, though she mostly left that duty to me. haha
It still feels so surreal almost a month later, but I can't say how grateful I feel to have a beautiful baby and he is healthy, all ten fingers and toes. While he may have flaws to me he is perfect. I probably kiss his little baby face 100 times a day and tell him "momma loves you" even when he's crying. I love that I get to be with him all day and hope Jake doesn't feel like he is missing out. He is such a good dad, even when he is gone from 6am til 11pm, going to both jobs and school, to provide for us. He will still change diapers or watch him so that I can sleep or shower or just have some me time. I just am so excited for our little family and can't wait to see Evan grow and become his own little person.
