Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, I'm NOT pregnant:)

Actually, I haven't been for 3 WEEKS!  Let me tell you, it's amazing!  I can bend over, I can move, I CAN DO THINGS.  AND MY VEINS ARE GONE!!!  I would say I can SLEEP now too, but I'm sure we all know the REAL problem with not getting much sleep;)

I have to say that despite having the most difficulties in utero, this baby is fabulous on the outside.  He's SOOO easy.  I can't compare to my others, because I've been fortunate to have awesome babies:)  Although, he is probably my best nurser!  He's fast and efficient!

A month ago I could not imagine what life would be like with him here.  Now that he is, I can't imagine life without him!

What a whirlwind it's been!  In my 8th month my belly pretty much stopped measuring on track.  I don't think it was until the beginning of my 9th that my midwife started to get concerned... maybe 8 1/2.  I started having ultra sounds every week, measuring my amniotic fluid because it appeared that it was low.  One of the first times they also measured Caleb.  Then October 9th came along...  My belly was actually SHRINKING!  My fluid seemed fine so I asked if they could measure Caleb again.  In three weeks time he had only gained 6 ounces!  Clearly something was wrong!  I thought, if I'm gaining weight... He should be too!  My STUPID dear ultasound lady kept saying "retarded growth" over and ovER and OVER!  I went back to my "checkup" room balling to wait to see my midwife.  She comes in and says I need to go over and be induced right away.  That basically my placenta was shutting down for some reason and that the baby is no longer growing.  I couldn't think.  All I could hear was "retarded growth" in my head. She started going into the "how long will you need to get back here" routine that I had with Samuel.  THREE inductions!  ugh :/

I call Dave still crying.  We pray and although the tears were flowing I had complete peace that this baby was going to be healthy.

We get to the hospital... ALL OF US!  AHHHHHHHHHHH!  I didn't really EVER have a plan on what to do with the kids.  The only thing we could think to do was to go get me checked in and then Dave could go back to put them in bed and Mike (our house guest) would be at the house with them.  Well, I get checked in.  The IV went in at 715.  My main nurse starts asking me a billion questions.  She hooks me up to the monitor and says "Wow, this baby looks GREAT!  Why are you being induced again?"  UGH!  So, I start balling AGAIN and telling her my story.  She says "Oh honey, that's just some term they use... your baby looks nice and healthy".  I instantly felt better.   My water gets broke SPONTANEOUSLY at 815.  Dave takes the kids home at 830.  I start having MAJOR contractions at 8:32!  I call Dave and tell him to HURRY.  Oh man, talk about 0 to 100!  I figured that since I was planning on getting an epidural anyways, why see how much pain I could go through... I asked for it immediately!  Remembering that it takes forever until it's actually in and working!  I call the nurse... "can we help you?"  "um yea, I need some PAIN MANAGEMENT"....  Keep in mind Dave is still off putting the kids in bed!  After an hour of getting fluids in, working through contractions, and leaning on my midwifes shoulder... the needle goes in!  :)  With Elora, Dave actually almost passed out when I got my epidural.  So, I was leaning on my nurse that time too..lol  It was probably better that he wasn't there;)  9:45 and everything was better!  Dave was back by 10.  I tried to rest.  Dave took a nap..lol.  He had been up since 6.  Rest was not on the agenda for me.  I could still feel my contractions and the stupid monitor would not stay on that little mans heart.  The nurse was literally coming in and out for the next hour when FINALLY she's like maybe we should check you... Um, yea.  His head was visible... This is alllll sounding too familiar!  My midwife had been going between mine and another woman's room.  So I waited.  They set up.  I waited.  Pushed 2 times.  The nurse said push again.  My midwife said no, don't push... He's coming out on his own.  lol, I didn't know who to obey!  And there he was, TINY but PERFECT Caleb Jude at 11:38 weighing 6 lbs 3 ounces.  I fell in love and we've been snuggling ever since:)