He's here!

Well, today is my actual due date, but someone decided to come a little early!

Zane Alexander was born on February 5th at 3:20 pm

Weighing 8lbs. 4oz. and 19 1/2 inches long

I am very happy with how everything went, so here are the birth details!

I started having my first contractions on a Sunday, and on my appointment that Monday I was dilated 2cm and 100% effaced. I continued having regular contractions for the next few days (ouch!) til my appointment on Wednesday.

Alex and I had packed up all our things for the Wednesday appointment, because I was REALLY hoping to stay and have the baby! I was pretty uncomfortable. I asked the midwife to check me again to see if I was progressing and I was at 3cm then. I was quite disappointed to go home since I was in so much pain, but I had to.

Then came Thursday morning. The contractions had gotten worse and were now about 4 minutes apart, so I woke Alex up and we got around and went to the hospital. We got there about 7:30 and I was at 5cm, so I got to stay (YAY!). I had told Alex on the way there that I would REFUSE to go home even if it wasn't time yet :)

I chose to get the epidural, even though I was already at 7cm by the time I got it, and probably could have gone without. I knew it would take a little but longer, but I wanted a bit of relief and rest at that point.

When we got to the hospital I had been told that none of my midwives would be there (due to some scheduling thing) and that a regular doctor would deliver the baby. I was pretty disappointed because I really liked the midwives, too. BUT, a few hours into things one of the midwifes shows up and says that she had changed her schedule for the day so she could deliver the baby! I was very happy about that, she is super nice.

Anyway, everything was going very smoothly and I only pushed for a half hour. It was nothing like I thought it would be (which is a good thing!) and apparently the first thing I said after they handed the baby to me was "I could do that again". All the nurses said that wasn't really something they hear at that point :)

Now on to pictures!

Alex has been enjoying his "paternity leave" by holding the baby a lot and playing video games. Sometimes both at the same time :)

Alex and Zane in his hospital hat

Zane's coming home outfit was pretty special because it was also Alex's coming home outfit! It was a little big...

All swaddled up

The family picture
And my "40 Week" picture!

More pictures to come!