He's here!!

After MUCH anticipation, waiting, inpatience, false labor, and watching 4 friends who were due the same week as me have babies....mine finally came :)  And he's PERFECT!!!  I could not be more in love with this little boy!  I really didn't know how I was going to love him as much as my girls--cause it turns out i like them a lot.  But he has completely won me over and I will never be the same!

Technically he was a week late, but UNtechnically, he was 2 weeks--as in, i thought for sure he'd come at least a few days early because Eliza did.  He had different plans.  And although my impatience is what's ruled my life for the past 15 days, now that he's here I barely even remember it :) 

(40 weeks pregnant)

(41 weeks pregnant!!!)

My water broke yseterday morning, around 5:30 am.  I had been saying all along how awesome it would be to have my water break before labor even begins--that way i'd be SURE to get to the hospital in time.  And lo and behold--it did!  My dear neighbor came over to be with the girls until our sitter got there, and we arrived at the hospital at 6:30am.  Labor didn't really begin until after 10am, and even so it was VERY early labor--contractions 10 mins apart, and fairly mild.  We walked the halls, bounced on the exercise ball, and tried to get things going.

By about 1pm, the Dr. convinced me to start pitocin.  I'd been hoping to avoid that stuff, since i didn't have a great history with it with Grace, but they started me on the lowest possible dosage, and within 2 minutes my contractions went from every 10 minutes to every 2-4 minutes. 

By 3pm, I was dialated to a 4.  By 4pm, I was ready for my epidural.  And by 6pm I was ready to push!!  My epidural only really took on one side, which wasn't too bad until about the last 5-6 contractions--holy moly those were INTENSE!  but soon after I started pushing, and everything was BLISS and HEAVEN and i could feel just enough to know that my son has the BIGGEST head--but it didn't hurt :)

When he came out he was blue as blue can be, and i was freaking out.  All the nurses kept saying how great he looked, but all i could see was a little blueberry and i wanted a strawberry!  Sure enough, after a minute or two he pinked up a bit, and i got to hold my son.  And I've fallen....

 madly...

 in...

LOVE!!!!

He was born at 6:33 p.m., and much like i'd anticipated--he is our biggest baby--8lbs 5oz.  20.5 inches long, and a 14.25 inch head (13-13.5 inches is average)

 

Reid left soon after he was born to go get the girls.  They could not have been any cuter with their baby brother.  Grace was protective, Abby was excited, and Eliza was curious about everything.   

They were here until about 9:30, and then Reid took them home, where our dear friend spent the night with them, so Reid could come back and be here with me and get his own turn with our little boy!

So far he's a really great baby.  Nursing is going well.  He sleeps all the time.  He likes to suck on his fingers and hands and binki. 

And he still doesn't have a name.  Logan and Asher are officially off the list, though i do still like both of them.  It's narrowed down to:

James Reid Allred (named after Reid's great-grandpa, James Allred)

James Ashworth Allred

Harrison Reid Allred (Reid's grandpa was a Harry, but I can't quite do Harry :)

I really like Harrison, Reid really likes James.  But in the midst of thinking about this last night, i was surfing through some shows and landed on PBS airing a James Taylor concert.  And of course he was singing "Rock-a-bye Sweet Baby James."  So that song has been in my head all night, and it's made me like James a whole lot more :)  Maybe it was a sign...

Whatever your name is, we LOVE you little boy!!  Thank you for finally deciding to come face the estrogen-loaded Allred home that is your new world :)  We needed a little boy!!!