It's a…

…BOY!

But first let me back up….Monday I headed back to work since baby didn't show any signs of coming (though I had still been experiencing steady contractions, they weren't labor contractions…just a bunch of false labor that was becoming increasingly annoying and now taking place throughout the day and not just at night).  The kids hung out at home with dad, and broke in A's new tea set.

Tuesday I took J to preschool, in UNDERWEAR!.  Granted, he isn't potty trained, and hasn't shown the slightest interest in going potty, all the other kids in his class are, and his teacher prefers underpants and any subsequent accidents over pull-ups…so we made it work.  I'm proud to say this little man came home from preschool in the same clothes he went in = no accidents!  However, he also didn't go potty at all while there.  So clearly he can hold it.  He did proceed to throw a temper tantrum once we got home for a diaper so he could go potty…. baby steps I guess.

Tuesday I also had a doctor's appointment.  There had been little to no change from my previous appointment the previous Thursday, with the exception of the continued contractions.  The Dr inquired what I wanted to do (induce or wait) and I told him I'd like to wait.  So we finished the appointment (which included a cervix check and sweep), and I went on my merry way.  That afternoon and into the night I felt as I had all previous evenings, though maybe a bit extra crampy (which I attributed to the check and sweep - its common to be crampy after that).  I went to bed like normal, expecting to go to work the next day.  Somewhere around 115 I woke up with an intense contraction and tried to go back to sleep.  A short while later I got another one, and another one.  I don't know how close together they were, or how many I had, I tried to keep my eyes closed and sleep.  

At 145 I got up and poured a bath. I got in the tub and tried to relax.  I got out of the tub sometime around 215 to use the restroom, and from there on out, I knew I was in labor, and it was coming fast.  I cried out to Justin, who had just come to bed about an hour prior, and he stood with me for a contraction or two before heading off to call in the troops.  I was hesitant to make any calls prior after our false alarm one week (to the day) prior.  This was right around 230 in the morning.

He then headed out to load up the car and remove A's car seat so I would have somewhere more "comfortable" to sit than the front seat.  When he came in, I told him that as soon as my mom arrived we were leaving - the pressure was building fast and this baby wasn't going to wait for anyone.

Right around 3am, I was making my way down the stairs and to the car when both my mom and Victoria, our doula, arrived.  We were out the door right then and there.  Thankfully, this was not rush hour, and the roads were nice and empty.  

We arrived at the hospital at 330 in the morning, and were met at the door by the nurse.  We were rushed back through to triage.  Given the state I was in, an the relative emptiness of the triage area, both Victoria and Justin were allowed back with me (they normally limit it to only one person), and I couldn't have been more grateful.  While I wanted and needed Justin by my side, Victoria instinctively knew how to help me through the contractions, and advocated for me when I couldn't continue to sit on the gurney and needed to change positions.  

While in triage, I was assessed at 6cm, and we made our way back to the delivery room where I had requested to continue to labor a bit in the tub. I labored for a bit in the hospital bed while the tub was filled, then moved over into the gloriously hot water.  I continued to labor there until the urge to push took over.  When that happened I moved back to the bed (while the idea of a water birth is intriguing, I have no desire to have one, coupled with the fact that the hospital we delivered at does not allow them in their tubs - you have to prior approval in writing from your OB, and provide your own tub…)

I was re-checked when I got out of the tub and was at 9.5 cm, and fully effaced.  Regardless of that remaining half a cm, the urge to push took over, and after one or two contractions (3 maybe 4 pushes) we had a baby!  My OB hadn't arrived yet and the resident who was called in "just in case" ended up delivering the baby.  On top of everything else, baby was born en-caul (with the amniotic sac still in tact, meaning my "water" never broke), with spontaneous rupture as baby started to kick after delivery (super rare event).

Once the bag was removed from baby, and the cord was unwrapped from his neck, he was handed up to me.  The Dr and nurses had been informed by Victoria prior to delivery that I didn't know the sex, and didn't want to be told, but rather see for myself.  After catching my breath and embracing the first few moments with the baby, we maneuvered the blankets to discover we had added a little BOY to our family!

Beau Charles arrived at 417 in the morning, approximately 3 hours after the start of labor.  He weighed in at 8 lbs 0 oz, and was measured at 20.5".  My OB showed up about 10-15 min after we welcomed B into the world.  At that point, he delivered the placenta and had Justin cut the cord.  We embraced our new little man and spent over an hour skin-to-skin bonding, cuddling, and nursing.  After all that, B was taken over to his little isolet for measurements and to be checked over by the nurse.   When all that was taken care of, Justin got some cuddle time with the little man while I took a quick shower.  We then headed upstairs to our room post partum room.

Grandma and the kids came by before lunch, and got to meet B.  J is over the moon with his new brother.  He is constantly asking to hold him, and showing him off to friends and family, both in person and via FaceTime.  A is a little more hesitant.  She wants to hold B but only if J is holding him.  She has taken more interest in her baby dolls though, and has occasionally "changed" their diapers or nursed them.  Both kids love helping change B's diapers, and often fight over who gets the clean diaper or who throws the dirty one away.  Also, J gets very angry when I try to explain to him that only mommy can give B milk from her boobies…that "his boobies" don't have milk.  He doesn't quite understand…and every feed he witnesses (which is quite a few, this kid eats every 2-ish hours lately) he asks to feed B with his boobies.

We got discharged and sent home Thursday afternoon.  Which means that the kids stayed the night with Grandma, and she got J off to pre-school in the morning, where he got to show his teacher and new friends pictures of his new brother on Grandma's phone.  Grandma also took A to her 2-year well child visit.  A is weighing in at 28 lb 4.5 oz (71%) and measuring 35" tall (86%), and right on track with all developmental milestones (even ahead of the curve with a few thanks to big brother's influence).  When we got home from the hospital, the kids were there with Grandma and anxious to see their new little brother again.  They each took turns holding him.

Friday morning J woke up and came into our room as I was finishing feeding B.  He climbed into bed on my side (for the first time in a long time) and cuddled with us. 

Then it was off to the pediatrician for me and B, and Costco for Justin, J and A.  As of Friday, B was weighing 7 lb 8 oz (49%) and measuring 19.5" tall (36%), and by all accounts is looking fabulous.  The rest of Friday and Saturday were spent hanging around the house and adjusting to life as a family of 5.

Sunday morning Justin re-installed A's car seat into my car and we headed over to Grandma's for a day out of the house.  The kids got to swim and expend lots of energy, while B and in snuggled inside.  He did also get to meet Aunt Barb and Grandpa too!  After dinner it was back home for baths and bed.  I did catch a sweet moment between J and A on the way home…they were holding hands ::sigh:: 

Now I'm off to feed B once again, and pray I can get him to sleep before 2am (we have a bad case of day/night confusion at the moment, and he's a regular party animal between 9pm and 1 am.   Needless to say I'm one exhausted mama, but my heart is overflowing with happiness.  "Hands full, Heart full"