I have been selfishly keeping him to myself for 3 and a half weeks now, and enough is enough. It's been so hard to blog (or do laundry, or dishes, or vacuum for that matter) for these past few weeks because I can't justify putting this perfect little baby down for any reason. I have been spending an uncharacteristically low amount of time on my computer lately, and a very large amount of time smiling into the face of my sweet little boy. He's incredible, he's finally here, and he's mine! I still can't believe it.
Every second of it, the 4 a.m. feedings, the dirty diapers, the sore post-labor body, is amazing and I am so grateful for it!
On the morning of November 18, we headed to the hospital for my scheduled induction. Isaac was adamant about making an entrance, and insisted on making us wait a week past his due date of 11.11.11. We got to the hospital at 7:30. At this point, I was surprisingly sane. I've never been someone who does well with medical things. Okay fine, I'm that person, you know, the one who passed out in health class every year from junior high on up, the one who won't tell you if there's something in your contact because the sight of you tugging at the bottom half of your eyelid makes her faint, the one who swore she would become a nun because the thought of enduring childbirth was just too much... (no offense to the nuns, but I'm glad I didn't end up following through on that one.)
Blake and I got to the hospital and rode the elevator up to the labor and delivery floor with a very tired looking new father who had rushed to his car to get his new baby's car seat so he and his wife could take their son home. My nerves started to subside a little and the excitement of meeting my new baby grew.
...Until we checked in to our room and the nurse handed me a hospital gown and shut the door. Blake and I looked at each other and finally it all became real. We were about to be parents. I was going to have a baby, me of all people! We were going to leave this hospital with our son! After the initial mini-breakdown fueled by the fear of it all, I put on the hospital gown and declared myself ready to have a baby. (Because having a baby is such a monumental occurrence in the first place, in my mind it is worthy of being declared.)
The nurse came in and put my IV in, which, ouch! She messed up, she even admitted it. I'll spare you all of the details. The doctor came and broke my water. I wanted to feel contractions for a while before I asked for an epidural. Looking back... why? Anyway, I waited a couple hours in to the contractions before they became pretty unbearable. After the epidural, I was a much more pleasant person to be around I'm sure.
True to Peterson woman fashion, I dilated pretty quickly and was ready to push around 4:45 p.m. After about a half hour of pushing, Isaac was born at 5:11.
8 lbs. 1 oz.
21.5 inches long
dark hair
dark eyes
big hands and feet
my little Isaac.
Literally the second he was born, the nurse laid him on my chest and he reached up and touched my face. It was the most amazing experience to finally get to see my baby. This was the baby I had been thinking about, praying for, and waiting to hold for a lot longer than the past 9 months. I finally had him.
I think what shocked me the most was how much I felt like I knew him. I recognized him. He was so familiar to me, immediately. It was incredible.
And now, please enjoy this display of a million pictures:
The day before my due date, my sister took these last-minute maternity pictures
Looking a little rough before the epidural. Those things are a miracle I tell you!
Such a crazy feeling. So many emotions, but mainly just so excited!
My sister Stephanie drew a picture of what she thought Isaac would look like on the hospital whiteboard, and my niece Lily drew pictures of "mermaid ghosts," because, what else?
Post-epidural, and life is beautiful once again
This was the view outside my hospital room. It just can't get better than this.
Oh look, it just did! This is Isaac just a few minutes old.
Hours old, this was our first night in the hospital.
One day old, much less swollen and extremely adorable!
So tired. Our first day home from the hospital
And here's a few pictures of Isaac when he was a week old.
We are so grateful for a safe delivery, a healthy baby, and our new little family of three. Throughout these past few weeks of new motherhood, my testimony of a Heavenly Father who loves us all eternally has grown so much. I am so grateful for this little person that I get to raise. It's hard to explain, but Isaac already has such a calm countenance. He is a very calm and contemplative little baby. I can't wait to watch his personality develop and to be the person who gets to help him cultivate his good qualities. I feel so lucky to get to have this little guy. I keep saying I can't believe he's mine! I just hope I can be the type of mother that this sweet little boy deserves.
