Dear Graycen,
I wonder if you will ever even want to know this information. Sometimes boys get a little squeamish. Maybe someday it will be valid/valuable to you or maybe your wife. So here it is while it is still fresh on my mind: My memory of your birthday.
A couple weeks before your due date, July 23rd, I was asked by my doctor if I wanted to be induced early. I was given the option of the 16th as the soonest. I felt a little pressure picking your birthday, I hope you like it. :) I figured the week between the two holidays would be a good one. Your daddy and I are jealous because we always wanted pool party birthdays.
On the morning of July 16th, we called the hospital to make sure we were still good to come in. We left at 7:30 am for Alta View Hospital. My doctor, Dr. Alicia Jones, came in and broke my water around 9:30 am. I was super happy to have that done instead of letting it break all over my house and car- or worse in public. I sat in my hospital bed while they started the patosin and waited for my water to drain. About an hour later I was given an epidural. It was pretty great. I felt the needle but just the same as the IV needle, no big deal. I felt a little sting in my right hip/thigh, the doctor said that was a sign that he was in the right spot. Everything went perfectly after that, I didn't even need to give myself any extra doses. Besides a few contractions before the epidural, I felt no pain or pressure. So we napped for a couple hours. :) At around 2:30 pm I was told by the nurse that I would push in 10 min. 10 min later we were still alone in the room, and I was bleeding. So we called the nurse in and she had me push. I pushed through one contraction - one 10-second count, and she told me to stop - We needed the doctor. I told her so. ;) When the doctor got there I pushed twice and I had a son. That easy, I even was able to feel you come out. I was not able to with your sister. Your daddy was so excited he dropped my leg and got yelled at by the nurse. And I cried. and cried some more. I felt with your pregnancy that I was a little preoccupied with taking care of your sister. We were not as focused on your arrival as we had been with her. You were a little more of a surprise - like oh! he is here! So when I saw you for the first time I got to feel that rush of excitement and emotion and pure love. I really feel so blessed to be your mom. I love my family and it feels even more complete with you here.
Love you.
Mommy
Here are some videos
( don't worry it doesn't show any of me)
