Delivery Day

Just wanted to write down the story of Jude's birth so that in years to come I won't forget the beautiful day :).
At fourty weeks and three days I was feeling pretty hopeless about when the baby would ever decide to make its appearance into the world. For about a month leading up to labor day I had been having strong contractions at night that would wake me from sleep. It was so frustrating and I was beginning to wonder how I would know it was time.

On Monday November 1st I had been feeling "crampy" all day, tired and a bit frustrated that I was STILL PREGNANT! After watching some Monday night football I decided to try to go to bed and get some rest before the nightly "false labor" would begin. Like clock work right at midnight contractions started and woke me up. I tried to sleep through them and was awaken again at one, this time deciding that I need to start timing contractions because they were pretty intense. At two I woke Dave up because I was having trouble writing and timing and contracting at once. Contractions were three minutes apart and ninety seconds long. Dave smartly decided this was the real thing and called the Dr. who said we needed to be leaving for the hospital.

I decided I wanted a shower and Dave threw some last minute items in our to go bag. Thank heavens my mom was at the house awaiting the new baby and we didn't have to drop Eli off anywhere. At two fourty five as we were leaving for the hospital my contractions were about a minute and a half apart and about a minute long!!! We knew we might be cutting it close and booked it to the hospital.

After what seemed like the bumpiest car ride and longest sign in process EVER,  We were placed in a triage room where my contractions only seemed to get stronger and closer together. As a nurse checked me I was already at 6cm and we overheard her call out in the hallway, "second time mom at 6cm in here I need a labor room like NOW. "

It was a good thing that I wanted a natural drug free delivery becuase I do not think I would have had time to get an epidural if I wanted one. After two hours of laboring in the shower and with our wonderful midwife at our side, at around 6:15 I was complete and ready to deliver. I cannot say enough great things about our midwife. She was wonderful, encouraging of my wanting a natural delivery, and was there during my whole labor. There was no baby-catcher but rather a labor coach. I felt so supported and I really think her encouragement along with Dave's of course made this experience exactly the one I wanted.

Jude Andrew was born at 6:34. He was beautiful. I got to hold him right after delivery and Dave and I were both immediately in love.  It seemed like we didn't immediately ask if it was a boy or a girl. I knew it was a boy the second I looked at him.

When Eli was born I felt that I would never be able to love anything quite like I loved him. But I was wrong. My heart grew. And I fell in love with this little blessing in the exact same way. I don't know if words can explain the love a mother has for her fresh little ones. It is big. Thats all I know. If you read this someday Jude, momma and daddy love you so much and know that God must really love us if He has given us two beautiful boys to love :).