Well, William is already 4 1/2 weeks old and I'm just now getting around to blogging about him! Where did the month go??? Looking back it just seems like one long day. One VERY long day.
But alas, here we are. A little delirious from sleep deprivation, yet madly in love with our little guy.
First things first. I should back up and write a little on how William entered the world.
A month leading up to my due date (November 20th), William had us a little worried. My last month of pregnancy, neither William nor I gained any weight. (I know. It was like some cruel joke. The ONE time in life when I actually wanted to gain weight, I couldn't. Go figure.) Steven even had me pounding peanut butter protein shakes like it was my job. However, nothing worked. So, our doctor wanted to induce me or perform a c-section because she didn't want him staying in utero longer than he needed to be. "Better to be growing outside the womb since he doesn't seem to be getting adequate nutrients from your placena." This obviously wasn't the news we wanted to hear. But we just prayed a lot trusting that this hadn't taken God by surprise and hoped that William would come on his own before the 20th.
And he did!
Saturday, November 17th, I woke up and told Steven that I was having some weird cramping. Neither of us really believing it was early labor, we proceeded on with our normal plans for the day. A big waffle breakfast, a long walk around our neighborhood, a foot massage, a lunch date and running random errands. By the time we got home it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon and my cramps hadn't gone away. They had actually gotten stronger and closer together. (Now I realize that it is now totally obvious that I was in labor, but for some reason I was in total denial.) I finally suggested to Steven that we should time these "cramps". Sure enough, they were already 60 seconds long and only 3 minutes apart! Still not totally convinced I was in labor, we called the American nurse to ask her opinion. She told us without a doubt that this was "it" and that I should make my way to the hospital within the next hour.
The rest of the night went something like this:
5 PM: Arrive at the hospital. 3 cm, 75% effaced.
7 PM: 5 cm, 100% effaced. I start to get serious. No more talking, watching DVDs, laughing, etc. From there on out, I was all business!
9 PM: 7 cm. Did a lot of walking and leaning on Steven. Moving felt better than lying down. At this point I may have told Steven that we were definitely going back to America for our next kid so that I could get a "freakin' epidural". :)
11 PM: 9 cm. Contractions were 2 minutes apart, but also lasting 2 minutes. The doctor breaks my water. At this point I may have told Steven that William was going to be an only child. This is also the point where my mom (at home in America, receiving text messages from Steven on my progress...) accidentally dropped her phone in the toilet, thus cutting off her only form of communication with us. Oh Marsh... :)
12 AM: I start pushing. It hurts. A lot.
12:45 AM: I tell Steven that I am going to die and that I can't go on.
1:00 AM: I'm still alive and still pushing.
Sunday, November 18th at 1:07 AM: William Takashi Sauder enters the world as a healthy baby boy weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 20 inches long!
We were so thrilled that he was heavier, longer and stronger than the doctors expected him to be. We were also thankful that he came on his own and I was able to have a natural labor without any major complications. (However, I'm still not far enough removed from the experience to say that I'm ready to do it again... ha!) But seriously, the experience was surreal and something I will never forget. What a special, unforgettable moment for me and Steven. Here's to our new and improved life with our little miracle!
But alas, here we are. A little delirious from sleep deprivation, yet madly in love with our little guy.
First things first. I should back up and write a little on how William entered the world.
A month leading up to my due date (November 20th), William had us a little worried. My last month of pregnancy, neither William nor I gained any weight. (I know. It was like some cruel joke. The ONE time in life when I actually wanted to gain weight, I couldn't. Go figure.) Steven even had me pounding peanut butter protein shakes like it was my job. However, nothing worked. So, our doctor wanted to induce me or perform a c-section because she didn't want him staying in utero longer than he needed to be. "Better to be growing outside the womb since he doesn't seem to be getting adequate nutrients from your placena." This obviously wasn't the news we wanted to hear. But we just prayed a lot trusting that this hadn't taken God by surprise and hoped that William would come on his own before the 20th.
And he did!
Saturday, November 17th, I woke up and told Steven that I was having some weird cramping. Neither of us really believing it was early labor, we proceeded on with our normal plans for the day. A big waffle breakfast, a long walk around our neighborhood, a foot massage, a lunch date and running random errands. By the time we got home it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon and my cramps hadn't gone away. They had actually gotten stronger and closer together. (Now I realize that it is now totally obvious that I was in labor, but for some reason I was in total denial.) I finally suggested to Steven that we should time these "cramps". Sure enough, they were already 60 seconds long and only 3 minutes apart! Still not totally convinced I was in labor, we called the American nurse to ask her opinion. She told us without a doubt that this was "it" and that I should make my way to the hospital within the next hour.
The rest of the night went something like this:
5 PM: Arrive at the hospital. 3 cm, 75% effaced.
7 PM: 5 cm, 100% effaced. I start to get serious. No more talking, watching DVDs, laughing, etc. From there on out, I was all business!
9 PM: 7 cm. Did a lot of walking and leaning on Steven. Moving felt better than lying down. At this point I may have told Steven that we were definitely going back to America for our next kid so that I could get a "freakin' epidural". :)
11 PM: 9 cm. Contractions were 2 minutes apart, but also lasting 2 minutes. The doctor breaks my water. At this point I may have told Steven that William was going to be an only child. This is also the point where my mom (at home in America, receiving text messages from Steven on my progress...) accidentally dropped her phone in the toilet, thus cutting off her only form of communication with us. Oh Marsh... :)
12 AM: I start pushing. It hurts. A lot.
12:45 AM: I tell Steven that I am going to die and that I can't go on.
1:00 AM: I'm still alive and still pushing.
Sunday, November 18th at 1:07 AM: William Takashi Sauder enters the world as a healthy baby boy weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 20 inches long!
We were so thrilled that he was heavier, longer and stronger than the doctors expected him to be. We were also thankful that he came on his own and I was able to have a natural labor without any major complications. (However, I'm still not far enough removed from the experience to say that I'm ready to do it again... ha!) But seriously, the experience was surreal and something I will never forget. What a special, unforgettable moment for me and Steven. Here's to our new and improved life with our little miracle!
Just born and lookin a little blue! Steven called him a little smurf :)
First family photo!
Our little bugaboo--all the nurses thought William looked like Steven :)
Picture with our great doctor, Dr. Supreeya!
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