Nolan's Labor Story...or Rather Marathon!

As you read on my Thanksgiving post, I was starting to see the signs of labor on Thanksgiving or November 22, 2012.  All Thanksgiving Day I had irregular contractions and tried to walk laps around my parents' house to get them moving closer together.  I ate, and I ate and I ate but still no signs of baby moving fast were showing.  Jesse and I headed home Thanksgiving night with our packed hospital bag in the car still and tried to get some rest.

Friday, November 23, 2012

I had a doctor appointment Friday morning so Jesse stayed home from work and went to the appointment with me just in case they were going to admit me to the hospital.  I went in for my appointment and they immediately put me on the monitor.  I was having some light contractions but I was having a hard time feeling them myself.  Baby Nolan wasn't moving too much so they gave me some juice to get him to jump around and then it was off to ultrasound I went.  We were excited because we had not seen our baby since 20 weeks!  I did not need any ultrasounds for anything so it was fun to know we were getting a chance to see him.  He was in a position though that didn't show much.  His legs were crossed, his hands were covering his face and alls the ultrasound tech could tell us was that he was BIG!  The machine predicted 8 pounds, 11 ounces and it could be 7 ounces high or low.  AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I thought, "how am I going to get this kid out?"  I asked the doc if I could be induced but the answer was "No, it's happening....just slowly".  So we went home....yet again NO BABY!  That night we tried to induce Baby Boy naturally with some La Casa Grande but still no luck just a nice family dinner (and no margarita)!

Saturday, November 24, 2012
OK.  I'VE HAD IT. We played some games with family at my mom and dad's because Jeff and Paula (also very pregnant) were still in town waiting for baby.  At about 9:30 p.m. I was uncomfortable so we went home to get some sleep. This night I slept awful!  I was having contractions and they were getting worse so we headed to the hospital at about 11:30.  I was admitted to the hospital and dilated to 5 centimeters. We called immediate family and I was wheeled in to get my epidural.

Sunday, November 25, 2012
My parents showed up at the hospital at 2 a.m. and stayed with us as I was being monitored.  It was nice to have people to talk to because we didn't realize it'd be another 12 hours of no sleep, no eating (for me only!) and no baby!  Jesse's parents traveled from Minnesota and got to the hospital as the baby was being born.  Uncle Jeff and Aunt Paula were able to come later that night as well to meet their new nephew.  I had an easy delivery and was able to push Nolan out in about 45 minutes.  We had the absolute best nurses and doctor that delivered Nolan.  He was born at 8 lbs., 3 ounces, 21 inches at 2:33 p.m. in the afternoon during the Vikings vs. Bears game. How appropriate!  We were overjoyed and immediately in love.  Nolan was the most beautiful newborn we'd ever seen and we couldn't believe he was all ours!