He's Here!

Hudson Isaac Froese

Born May 8, 2013 at 5:37am

8 pounds 4 ounces

21 inches long

The quick version of the birth story...I had some light contractions on Monday night but nothing that progressed so went to sleep.  When I woke up on Tuesday morning they were still happening, but not painful and again nothing progressing.  Ben went to work but I did call my mom and tell her that this could be the day - but not to get too excited.  Yeah right!! She called 45 minutes later saying her bags were packed and in the car for whenever she got the word to come :)  Well, as the day went on everything stopped and I was bummed and discouraged that it was a  false alarm.  I called and told my mom everything had stopped.  That evening when Ben got home from work, we went to Chipotle for a buy one get one free event they were having.  While in line, contractions started again and this time they were uncomfortable.  It took us 45 minutes to get through the line, and during that time they got stronger and made me uncomfortable enough that I didn't want to talk through them.  I started timing them at that point, and for the next hour or so they were coming anywhere from 4-7 minutes apart and lasting 30-45 seconds.  I still wasn't sure if this was the real deal, as I had been induced last time.  My worst fear was that I would go to the hospital thinking it was go time only to find out I wasn't really in labor!  When contractions got bad enough that I was curled up in a ball on our bed, Ben called his mom who thought it sounded like real labor and suggested we head to the hospital soon to at least get checked.  Ben and I got Carson to bed and I pretended to be into reading him a bedtime story even though I was having contractions - I didn't want to miss our last bedtime routine with him as an only child!  After he was in bed Ben called my mom and filled her in.  He told her we could call someone to come over if she wanted to wait to make sure we were actually having this baby, but she knew I wanted her here and jumped in the car right away.  By the time she got here two hours later, things were intense and I didn't want to get off the couch!! We got to the hospital and I was 6-7 cm dilated - we were going to meet our baby :)  

Last belly shot at 39.5 weeks pregnant - yikes!

One last photo as a family of three before putting Carson to bed

Delivery room 2305 - the same room Carson was born in!

After the epidural was in - feeling good now :)

The doctor wanted me to have two doses of antibiotics if at all possible before having the baby because I was strep positive.  The doses needed to be 4 hours apart - so because I was comfortable enough and my water hadn't broken, we waited until both doses were in.  Ben and I tried to sleep, but I laid there listening to the baby's heartbeat on the monitor.  I couldn't sleep I was too excited!  Ben was a trooper and woke up to keep me company :)

Note the time...

...seems like the perfect time for a game of Ticket to Ride, right?!

Yes, I won :)

After the second dose of antibiotic was in, they broke my water and things moved fast from there.  Three sets of pushes later and our little BOY was here!  It was so fun not knowing the sex of the baby and I was so emotional when Ben shouted out that it was a boy.  Truly a miracle and blessing from God!

Seconds after birth - first photo!

My mom brought Carson in to meet his new baby brother later that morning.  He was very hesitant when he walked in the room and ran to me and wanted up on the bed.  He warmed up quickly and soon couldn't get enough of Hudson and kissing him on the head!

Mom and Carson stayed through lunch and then headed home for nap time.  We enjoyed a quiet afternoon at the hospital just the three of us.  Later that evening the rest of my family came to meet Hudson.

Meeting grandpa for the first time.  He only missed sharing a birthday with him by two days!

Love his little hand grabbing my finger.

So blessed!

And a picture from my mom and Whitney back at home - Carson loved bath time thanks to his new towel from grandma!

It was a wonderful first day!  Hudson slept pretty well that night and the nurses loved on him so Ben and I could sleep, bringing him in every few hours so that I could feed him.  The next day we had a few visitors before it was time to head home.

The Yoders visited and Preston couldn't get enough of holding Hudson!

Maria visited before heading to her doctor's appointment for HER little baby due in October :)

Love that pudgy face.  We have a picture so similar to this from Carson's hospital stay - still one of my favorites!

Time to go home!