Jacob Nicholas Stone has arrived!

I'm sure everyone who reads my blog already knows that he's here, but Jacob Nicholas Stone has arrived. He was born at 3:38 am on April 26. He weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs, 13 ozs and 20 inches long. He has a good bit of brown hair and could only look more like his big sister did if he was a girl.

I want to tell his birth story so I'll be able to remember it later. I don't remember all of it now and it's still fresh.

I was supposed to be induced on Monday, April 26th. We went to the hospital on Sunday night to get settled. I got there, got into a room and into a gown and got hooked up to the monitors. Josh took this picture of me before I was stuck in the bed. Huge and ready to meet this little baby!

After I was settled in, I got a pill that was supposed to help ripen my cervix so that when they started pitocin in the morning around 4 a.m., I would progress more quickly. The nurse said that the pill actually started labor for less than 10% of women.
It quickly became obvious that it was going to be a long boring night for Josh and me. We tried to watch TV, but he couldn't hear because the sound only comes out of the thing on the bed. He tried to lie on the "couch" that was supposed to be his bed. Yeah right. I decided that he should just go home. That way I could just be comfortable and relax without worrying about him, and he could get a decent night's sleep in our bed. The nurse even said it would be unlikely that we would have a baby that night. Josh left about 8, and I watched some TV.

At 10 the nurse asked me if I wanted an Ambien. I told her I was tired and didn't think I would need it. She gave me another dose of the pill. (BTW, this pill was about the size of a large sesame seed. Who would have thought it would be so powerful?) I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn't get comfortable. I had an IV line in case I needed it and had the monitors on my belly. Every time I rolled over, they would have to come in and readjust them. I was having contractions, but nothing too strong or steady. Needless to say, I couldn't go to sleep. At 12:45 or so, the nurse came to check them again and I asked her if I could have the Ambien then and still be alright at 4. She said she thought so. She lied.

Not long after she gave me the Ambien, I noticed the contractions were coming more quickly and getting stronger. I asked her if I could have some pain medicine. She told me I would have to wait 20 minutes since she had given me the Ambien and that she would have to check me. I was at 4. I don't really know why I didn't call Josh then. I think I thought I would just go to sleep. After this everything is pretty hazy.

The nurse left and I think I must have dozed off. I woke up to my water breaking. I was so out of it, I could barely get the button to call the nurse. I kept grabbing the phone instead. About 7 nurses came in and got the bed changed. One of them called Josh. I called my mom since she was supposed to be there to cut the cord. I don't really remember talking to her, but I called her at 2:45 according to my phone. I think the nurse called the anesthesiologist then, but I'm not sure. At some point after her calling Josh, I got a spinal block.

All I remember going on after that is telling one of the nurses I had to go to the bathroom. She kept telling me I couldn't get up, but I kept telling her I needed to go. She checked me and said, "She's crowning." Somehow I didn't push until Josh got there. I remember the doctor coming in and I thought he looked really tired. Why I remember that, I don't know.

Josh said when he got there, the nurse told him he better hurry up. He came in and 5 minutes later, Jacob arrived! Josh said I pushed 3 times, but I only kinda remember that. My mom missed the whole thing. I don't really know when she got there, but I remember seeing her when I was holding him.

Holding Jacob for the first time. I vaguely remember this.


I may actually be asleep here. I don't know. I don't remember any of these pictures being taken. The next thing I remember is surprising the nurses when I stood up by myself to move from the bed to the wheelchair to change rooms. I was pretty out if it until mid morning on Monday.

This is as close as we got to a family picture. Josh got left out.

This was a much different experience than with Lily. I guess it's good because I don't really remember it hurting or anything, but I don't really remember those first few hours either. I do know I will never take another Ambien!

We are at home now and getting adjusted to our new family of four. Lily loves her baby brother. Josh doesn't get to hold him because Lily always is.If he's not eating, she's holding him. Lucky for him, he eats alot! He's a champion nurser and a sweet little man. He's a snuggly little baby, and he doesn't really cry. He looks so much like her, I can't get over it. It's been more than a week, and it still amazes me how much they look alike. I guess I have strong genes!

Thanks so much to everyone for the congratulations and kind words you sent. We are very happy about our new arrival!