He's Here...And We're All SO in Love!

Yay, our sweet baby boy has finally arrived!  He is just the most precious thing and we are SO happy to have him join our family!

I know that I will blog way before I actually right everything down in a journal or scrapbook of some sort, so bare with me as I share our little guys birth story (feel free to scroll down and just look at the pictures...I'll never know whether you actually read it or not!).

First off either our baby did NOT want to come out, or my body just wanted to keep him!  I was due May 13th and as I've mentioned before Jonah was a day early and Jax 2 days early, so naturally I figured I wouldn't go past my due date.  But I did, so at my doctors appointment on the 17th, my doctor said he'd like to induce me the 18th if I didn't mind...and NO I didn't!  It really is weird walking into the hospital not in active labor.  Both my other labors were in the middle of the night so I had to go through the ER, everything went so fast, so I don't remember much of actually arriving.  Once I was there, I got changed and they set me up to an IV.  I tested positive for Strep B this time around, so they had to get antibiotics in me and my doctor was hoping to do that at least 4 hours before I delivered.  So that meant waiting to break my water (the plan originally was to show up, break my water and then if nothing happened, they'd start a pit drip).  We totally weren't expecting to have to wait like that.  

So this is me while I was still happy and feeling good...nice and round and puffy.

The doctor decided that while I was waiting, he'd get a really slow drip of pitocin going so that maybe it would help move things along while we were waiting.  I got a few contractions from it, but nothing really.  After the 4 hours, they gave me my 2nd and last dose of antibiotics, then the doctor broke my water.  About 15 minutes later I started having contractions, which got harder and harder.  This is me definitely feeling it (but obviously not too bad yet, 'cause I'm still smiling...kind of).

I've always had an epideral in the past, but this time I decided I'd try to do without.  I wasn't trying to be matcho or all natural or anything.  My last 2 I got a U.T.I. from having a cathitor due to the epideral (well its not from the epideral, just because of it).  That made my recoveries super long and super painful.  With 2 kids at home, I really did NOT want to deal with that again, so I figured some pain now for a few extra hours was worth not having pain for a few more weeks.

Man, was I in for a world of hurt!!!  I had NO idea what pain was before this (okay all you who have gone natural - no laughing!)!  I could deal with the contractions (I'd felt that before), especially because I had at least a few seconds in between to take a breath and relax.  I tried staytoll to help me relax my back a little more between contractions, but it made me so dizzy that the nurse only gave me like 1/3 of the dose.  Not long after my body decided it was time to push.  Now that was something I definitely had never experienced before - in the past the nurse or doctor would tell me to push and I'd push.  This time it didn't matter if they wanted me to push or not, my body pushed.  I seriously felt like I had absolutely no control over my body.  At one point the doctor told me to move my knees up and I seriously felt paralyzed - I couldn't move a single part of my body - it was crazy.  My body was uncontrollably shaking.  I felt like I was pushing forever, but David said it was more like 15 minutes.  David's favorite part was when the doctor said, "okay, try not to push, I've gotta get my other glove on!"  That was seriously the most intense 15 minutes of my life, but I did it and now that its over I'm glad I did.  During, I just thought I was stupid :).  I'm just SO thankful that my labor went so quickly - from start to finish it really was only maybe 2 hours.

Its incredible how all that pain seems to instantly go away as soon as that baby comes out and was handed to me.

And here he is...

Jamen Daniel Radmacher

9 lbs 11 oz

20 inches

He's a BIG boy!  Jamen has definitely been my most difficult baby before birth - my hardest pregnancy, my hardest labor & delivery, but so far my easiest baby (but then again he's not barely 2 days old yet!).  He is just the sweetest thing!

Here's Jamen's proud papa!  He even grew a groovy stache just for the occasion! :)

Not even an hour after he was born, Jamen had visitors!  Big brothers Jonah and Jaxon were SO excited to meet their new baby brother!  Jaxon kept asking me, "your baby come out?"

Jonah was the most excited for his brother to come and just absolutely adores him now that he's here!  Jaxon's excited and very interested, but is still in his own little world.

Gramma, Grand Pa, and Aunt Carina also got to meet baby Jamen!

The first 12 hours in the hospital were pretty quiet.  I'm not real fond of being in the hospital with people talking in the halls and coming in and out of the room, waking us up, but I got my own room, so it really wasn't that bad...that is until 9 the next morning when they brought in a lady who had just had an emergency c-section.  I didn't mind so much that she was there, but not even 15 minutes after she arrived, she had a mass of visitors that were loud and rude and literally were there until we left around 8pm.  Every time I had to use the bathroom, I had to walk through a crowd of people in my hospital gown holding my fem supplies...not too cool.  The lady's other 2 kids (who were 7 & 9) kept coming around the curtain and staring at us or they'd walk on the other side of the curtain and run into the baby bed...really annoying!  There was only one 15 minute break before another crowd came in and it so happened to be when my kids came to visit.  We tried our best to keep them quiet, but apparently it wasn't good enough for them because at one point the lady's husband said real loud and sarcastic, "oh, honey, aren't you TRYING to rest?"  I was beside myself.  As soon as my kids left I told the nurse I was DEFINITELY going home tonight!  They were all annoyed too, but didn't do anything about it.  So much for getting some rest in the hospital...thats such my luck!

This is David and Jamen enjoying each other during the calm before the storm!  

Here's baby Jamen at exactly 1 day old!  He looks like 1 month old!

It was such a relief to leave the hospital!  The ride home was so nice and quiet and peaceful! :)  As we drove up the driveway, Jonah and Jaxon came running out, "Where's the baby, where's the baby!"  Jaxon was hillarious yelling, "I so ecited!" The boys made us this sign (ignore the fact that its covering Jesus' face!)

The boys were so excited to see their brother again!

Jaxon was sure not to waste any time introducing Woody to Jamen!

Of course they both had to hold him before bed!

I think he's just perfect!

All in all I'm glad to be home - even with my noisy kids, its still quieter than my hospital room!