Baby Anthony

Now that Anthony is 4 weeks old, I am finally getting some more pictures posted on here! After my previous experience with shoulder dystocia during Joseph's birth, my doctor and I were not anxious to wait very long after the baby's due date to deliver the baby. I was due on Mar. 15th and we scheduled an induction for Mar. 17th. I went to the doctor's office on the 16th for my last checkup and everything seemed fine. She did tell me that she thought this baby would be a big one like Joseph.

We went home and 1.5 hours later I started having contractions. I didn't pay too much attention at first because I'd been having so many contractions off and on for the previous week or two. Then I realized that they were 5-7 minutes apart, but I still was reluctant to think it was real, because I'd had so many false alarms. However, less than two hours after they started, I felt a strong pop and quickly realized that my water had broken on its own. Luckily for us, Dan's mom had been there for a week just for this reason, so we were able to dash right off to the hospital.

Wouldn't you know, though, that this would end up being my longest labor. Not that it was that long, by any means, but when your longest previous labor was 4 hours, 7 hours seems long to you. After my extremely painful time with Joseph, I started getting very anxious about the same thing happening this time and I opted for an epidural. Never having had one before, I was really not prepared for the extreme tingling and numbness in my lower half. I got the worst case of restless legs and I could not relax, and I kept trying to hoist myself into a better position. It was crazy! I hated the feeling so much I was ready to let the thing just wear off! I even had Dan turn on the TV so I could try to distract myself. I sort of watched some show about wolves attacking humans. I know, weird! When I used to deliver babies, I always used wonder how women could watch TV while they were in labor. Now I know!

Finally, at about 11:30 I was ready to push and I then realized how very nice it was not to be in so much pain. I didn't even break a sweat! My doctor got there shortly and she offered to let me wait until midnight so he could be born on St. Patrick's Day and I said no way! Within a few minutes, our baby was born. He did not get stuck and I was able to have him up with me right away.

Baby Anthony getting weighed. He weighed exactly 0.1 ounce less than Joseph did. But he was a little longer and his shoulders were not as broad, so no getting stuck!

He did not like getting a bath.

Except for getting his hair washed. He loved that part!

Here are Mommy and baby, ready to go to the postpartum room. He did not have a name at this point. We had had trouble agreeing on a name, and had brought our list of about 10 name choices with us. After things settled down at the hospital, we looked at our names and quickly agreed on Anthony.

Anthony Joseph, all tuckered out and fast asleep.