Jasper's Birth

Fourteen days ago Jasper was born, but the story began fifteen days ago.  It is crazy how two weeks can already feel like a lifetime!  So much of my life has changed, and Trevor and I both feel like we are totally different versions of ourselves.I was due Thursday, February 17th.  On Wednesday, the 16th, I had a doctor's appointment.  I was slowly becoming miserable; I was huge, uncomfortable, my back was pinched so I could barely walk across a room, and most of all, I was impatient.  Luckily, Trevor decided he wasn't about to miss this appointment.  He had a feeling that they were going to make some big decisions that day about when I was going to deliver, but I wasn't nearly as hopeful.  I think I thought that I was going to be pregnant forever at that point.My doctor was becoming concerned with how big Jasper was getting (little did we know), so she wanted to send me for a ultrasound and a stress test for the baby.  She told us that if everything looked good, and if he was getting as big as she thought he was that she would induce me that week yet and that we could pick Thursday or Friday.  Why wait until Friday, right?We headed right to the hospital for the tests, and as we drove it felt like we went from, "We are never having this baby!" to "We could have this baby tomorrow," in an instant.  We were anxious, excited, nervous, and of course I was starting to think of all the things I would have to get done that evening before we headed to the hospital the next day.  After spending a couple hours at the hospital, the nurse was calling our doctor to schedule my induction for the next morning.  Jasper was measuring slightly over 40 weeks, and I was ready to go.  As we drove home it was crazy knowing that the next day we would have a baby!Our alarm was set for 4:20 AM on Thursday, but I only slept 3 hours that night.  I was just too nervous and anxious. As much as I am a planner, I don't know if it is a great feeling knowing exactly when you are going experience the pain of childbirth.  It may be better if it just sneaks up on you.  Here we are right before we headed out the door for the hospital.We arrived at the hospital at 5:45 AM, and by about 6:45 AM I was already started on Pitocin to start my labor.  At 9:00 AM, my doctor broke my water, and by 9:45 AM I was in pain.  Everything that I had read, everything that we had learned in our classes, and everything that I had imagined doing to help went out the window.  I wanted an epidural!  Cheers to all the woman who can do it without one, but I am definitely not that woman.  So from 9:45 AM until 11:00 AM when the epidural finally was completed, it was pure hell.  My contractions were every 2-3 minutes apart and were lasting 1 minute.  By 11:15 AM the epidural kicked in, and I was talking and laughing.  We honestly rested and watched TV until about 2:45 PM.  The resting was much needed because I pushed from 2:45 PM until Jasper arrived at 4:10 PM.  It was absolutely exhausting, but when they laid him on my stomach, it was all worth it.No one could believe how big he was!  Jasper was 8 pounds, 12 ounces and 20 inches long.Our first picture as a family.  I look exhausted, hot, and bright red from all the hard work I just went through, but I don't want to forget this moment ever because I am proud of what I now know I am capable of.I love this picture!Here is our first picture together once we were home.  And boy were we glad to be home.  I only got a total of 4 hours sleep while in the hospital; I was totally delirious by Saturday.We are absolutely in love with our baby boy!  These two weeks have probably been the hardest of our lives, the work never seems to end, but when he is sleeping, or starring up at you, or makes a funny little face it makes it all worth it.  I will definitely be posting more pictures of him soon.  We have had one mini photo shoot and are going to have another this weekend, but I wanted to get the story of his birth up first.  Hopefully I don't traumatize him already with the amount of pictures I am taking of him!