Theo is born!

It is hard to believe that Theo is already a week old today... this past week was a blur, and it's hard to blog when you have a little baby snuggled asleep on your chest!

We had been waiting since his due date (16th) for labor to start, but I knew he would come when he was ready, or as Jon thought, after I was able to eat a long awaited breakfast sandwich from a food cart we had been meaning to visit on Saturday. (The Big Egg in the Mississippi district, and it was delicious.) Saturday night I started having the usual regular contractions that I knew would either go away with sleep or lead up to the Big Event. Sunday morning I woke up shortly before 4 am with painful, regular contractions, and I knew labor had started. After talking with the midwife on call she said she expected to see me later that morning in the hospital. Hours later, she said she would be expecting me in later that afternoon...and then it was that evening for sure! My mom had arrived from Boise, and my contractions were getting to be very intense, but not quite close enough together. I was in tears and we decided to go to the hospital, if only to get checked with the possibility of being sent back home. 
After being checked, waiting an hour, and then being checked again, I was dilated to a two. This was discouraging after 20 hours, but the midwife assured me that I was hovering between early and active labor. She sent us home with Ambien at midnight, and I took a bath with the idea that I was taking a break from these contractions and getting a little sleep. Thirty minutes after trying to get some sleep I had bloody show, called again and she wanted me to come back. I was reluctant as I thought my labor would not have progressed much. After we got there she said two wonderful things--I was dilated to a seven and, fill the tub! (I was planning a natural waterbirth)

The tub was such a relief, as the contractions were still there but I was able to relax and float. I got in at about 4 am, and the time passed so quickly. Before I knew it I was feeling the unavoidable urge to push. I was dilated to a 10 (this was done by slipping a flashlight into a vet glove and checking it underwater), which was interesting because transition seems to have presented itself earlier when I was at a two rather than when I was approaching a 10. Pushing was an adventure. I was making these low noises I didn't know existed (think cows singing karaoke). It felt intense. I had many conversations in my head encouraging me to keep going! Before I knew it, forty minutes had passed and there was a crying baby in my arms. It was so unreal and amazing to share the next twenty minutes with Jon just looking at our baby boy. He was predicted to be about 7 pounds and ended up being almost 8 and a half! (That was a fun surprise)

It's funny how merely a week later I am digging deep to remember the painful details of childbirth. Those parts have just become unimportant and overshadowed by the joy of Theo's birth. I prayed for the faith that my body would know what to do, and Jon gave me the confidence and motivation to go through with everything without fear. I love our new little family.