Evan Mark 10/5/2012

For a few weeks now I have been having contractions, and we have had some "do we think this is going to be real labor?" moments, but we had those with Madelyn and ended up needing to be induced, so I was trying to tell myself that it wasn't going to happen.

Yesterday morning at about 5 am contractions were starting to feel stronger but I didn't want to get any one's hopes up so I tried to get a little more sleep and didn't say anything.  But, by the time Justin told me he was going to leave for work a little after 7 I said "maybe you should stay home...I think this may be going somewhere this time..."  For the first time ever I was right!

We got to the hospital around 10am and when they confirmed that I was 4cm dialated and actually in labor I was relieved.  After the last time I didn't think I would have forgotten how much it hurt, but I really don't remember it hurting as badly as it did.  Despite strong contractions that were close together, when they checked me again after the epidural I had only made it to 5cm and hopes of a quick labor were diminishing.  The decided to break my water around 2:45pm, but at 2:15 it actually broke on its own and from there things started to progress more quickly.  Finally, at 6:19 pm Evan Mark made his entrance, announcing his arrival with strong healthy cries.  He seemed to not be totally sure that this was what he signed up for.  He was 7lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long.

My parents brought Madelyn in the evening to meet her new baby brother and see that I was ok.  Thus reassured she got to go and spend the night at Grandpa and Grandma's.

 Although we are all pretty tired, we are thankful that Evan has arrived safely and that both he and I are recovering well.  Happy Birthday Evan!