Owen Michael

I will start this entry off by saying Happy Birthday to me! I have hit the ripe OLD age of 28 today. I am creeping up on the big 3-0 but not as fast as Ian:) I kept saying for the last few weeks that ALL I wanted for my birthday was to NOT be pregnant anymore and home with a healthy baby boy. I got my wish and on Tuesday, November 18th Owen Michael entered the world at 2:53 p.m. central time weighing in at a surprising 8lb11oz. He was 20.5 inches long. I KNEW he was bigger than Jacob was at 7lb11oz. Ian and I were taking bets during labor (once I finally got my epidural that is). I thought about 8lb maybe but not quite that big. He is a wonderful sweet little boy who is fitting very well into our family.

Labor was not too bad. If you don't care to read a birth story you can skip to the bottom or just look at the pictures:) I won't be too graphic though!

I had so much anxiety after a horrible delivery with Jacob and then Nathan's delivery was an easy induction so this time to not have everything PLANNED was freaking me out. Thankfully my best friend Valerie is close and had planned to take the boys so at least I felt that was under control. I wrote last Sunday that I had contracted off/on the three days prior. I contracted yet again Sunday night and the tapered off. Monday came and I just could not go to work and sit. The pressure was enormous. So Ian, Nathan and I went to get a few groceries and then I took the rest of the day pretty easy. My wonderful friend Heather came and visited with me for a couple of hours that night which really helped to pass the time. I went to bed that night thinking I would be dealing with all the same aches and anxiety the next day. I then woke up around 2 a.m. to a contraction. I figured oh great here we go again but soon realized these were not changing patterns and were not only hurting they were consistent. I taking a shower and coming downstairs to try to let Ian sleep. Finally I tried to lay back down in bed and told Ian in the process that this very well could be it. They were not letting up. By 6 I was really hurting and they were probably about 7-10 minutes apart. I took another shower and thought I might possibly be leaking. I think it was wishful thinking:) I was also starting to get the shakes which was freaking me out because I knew it was because of pressure. I called Valerie and being the wonderful L&D nurse she is told me to not be in denial it was labor:) Ian helped me get Jacob on the bus and we took Nathan to preschool at 9:15 and then headed up to the hospital. Oh I should mention my favorite part. I was to call the Dr office prior to heading to the hospital. So, here I am coming off a contraction half laying across the kitchen counter and I call the office. A new lady answers the phone and I explain to her that I have been in labor since 2 am and need to come in. She replies with "I'm sorry the Dr is in Surgery until 1pm today" Needless to say I was not very nice to this lady. I all but yelled at her and told her there was no way in hell I was sitting at home until 1 pm and that she needed to tell me what to do NOW. I got a "please hold" then she came back on and told me to go up to the hospital (which is a 40 min drive from my house no less).

So anyways off we go. My contractions were 2-5 min by the time we got there. I walked into the lobby and the lady said "2nd floor and good luck" so obviously I looked bad:) At this point I was near tears afraid they would tell me I was not ready to be admitted. I just wanted to be DONE. They got me in and checked me and while my water had not broken I was at a 5! Thank GOD we were having this baby! This was sometime after 10. They got a hold of my Doctor finally and got me processed and about noon I got an epidural. Thankfully the contractions spread out once I was laying down again but each one hurt worse and lasted longer. I was ready for some relief. My dr checked me at 12:15 right after the epidural had started to take effect and I was at 7. I was really surprised but happy and thankful to have gotten that epidural. At that time the Dr broke my water and left saying I had 45 minutes to have him as he had to be back in the office by 1 (joking of course). I told Ian no later than 4 for sure. I had one scary moment when my blood pressure plummeted I guess due to the epidural. I had not experienced it last time with Nathan so it scared me to death. I knew something was not right and then had a lovely time throwing up my breakfast but with some meds and laying down within a half hour I felt better. So, I laid there and tried to rest. Owen was going crazy and so it was really a neat treat to get to watch him and feel him move the last hour before he was born. It is something I will not forget. I started to get the shakes. Almost like the chills with chattering teeth but I was not cold. I told the nurse I thought I might be close and she was going to check me when the Dr came back to check me. It was right after 2:30 which funny enough I had an appointment scheduled with him for 2:30 that day. I told him how I was feeling and he said it was probably the epidural but he would check. He did not even have to do anything but look and said um nope you are right hes here. He literally threw on the clothes and got me ready. It was funny to sit back and watch. He told me quickly how to push again as a refresher and with one contraction and ONE push out came Owen's head. He suctioned him really well as there was some merconium and then pulled him out. That was it just ONE push. Talk about amazing. Due to the merconium the nurses and dr took him and made sure everything was out of his system and got him all cleaned up. While Ian was not able to cut the cord and I was not able to hold him it was still perfect. Ian was THERE. That was all that mattered. Owen was crying and healthy and pink from the get go. He had apgars of 9 and 9. I did not have too much damage and am healing nicely. I can finally sit! I guess you would have to have a baby to understand that.

Owen is wonderful. The boys are totally in love with him I can't imagine how someone so tiny can make my heart so full. It is amazing how in love you can be with your child just a few short days after you meet them. He is a fairly good sleeper if we can just get him to be content to sit by himself for a short while while he is awake. For now he wants to be held and sucking onto something at all times he is awake.

Life is really good! I have a house full of "men" that love me:) I can't ask for more. Having Ian home for a bit is wonderful. Especially when he cooks! For dinner he made us Chicken Cordon Bleu and for dessert Pumpkin Cheesecake. SO SO good. I tell girls all the time make sure you marry someone who can cook! It pays off.


Ian and I with Owen waiting to be freed from the hospital.


Owen ready for the trip home in his blue bear suit



Ian and Owen



Owen doing what he does best sucking on something!