{Special Delivery}

Let's take a little trip back in time and pretend it's September 1, shall we? I was so done being pregnant by this point. So. done. The whole house was clean, bathtubs and all (do you KNOW how impossible it is to clean a bathtub when you're 9 months pregnant?!?) and I was doing everything I could think of to get all those braxton hicks contractions to regulate. I drank all the raspberry tea my neighbor gave me, I was even speed walking laps around our property. True story. I bet that was a sight to behold. But at my doctor's appointment that morning my midwife Helene said I was dilated to a 4 but not effaced at all. Which kinda made me want to walk around with my legs crossed. ahem. Too much information? Anyway, my due date was September 11 (and I was really hoping not to deliver that day!) but she had scheduled me to be induced on the 6th if I hadn't gone in on my own because Louis was a 9 lb 3 oz baby a week early. I was really hoping to avoid that whole situation again. It was memorable enough the first time. So we went to Caroline's back to school night, thinking it was a nice public place for my water to break, but no luck there. By that night I was exhausted... and I started having contractions at 11 pm. Figures, huh? I was so tired I was trying to convince myself that they were just more braxton hicks. But Todd laid there with his hand on my belly and started timing them. Three minutes apart. Consistently. For 30 min. He was convinced, and I was just plain tired. He got up and finished packing bags. Still 3 minutes apart. He finally dragged me out of bed, but I told him I wanted to have a shower before going to the hospital, so he called my mom and got her on the road. He was so afraid we weren't going to make it to the hospital in time for me to get an epidural because all my labors had been 3 - 4 hours. Total. My mom got to the house (bless her heart!) and we woke up Elizabeth to let her know what was going on. I'm so glad that my mom was so close and that she was able to stay with the kids. Talk about a load off of my mind to know that they were being all loved up while I was in the hospital! I knew that she would make such wonderful memories with them, and answer all their questions and just make the whole time special. Finally we were off to the hospital, got all checked in and settled. Contractions were still 3 minutes apart and the bestest epidural man ever came right on time. He was so careful and did such an amazing job, I really think he is the reason that this labor turned out to be my best one yet. Three cheers for the epidural man! Things just quieted down after that, my contractions stayed steady and strong, but since I wasn't very effaced I ended up laboring through the night while taking little cat naps off and on. We were all really surprised that by 6:30 am there was still no baby! The midwife came in and broke my water and they started me on pit an hour later... not that I needed it. After 15 minutes (not even long enough for the drug to really start working) I was ready to push. This is where I give all the credit to Mr. Epidural Man (again) and made the experience so much more amazing and different than my other labors. I could feel the progress baby was making, but the pain was tolerable. Every other time I was so numb I had to have everyone else tell me when and how to push. This time the midwife and nurses kinda stood back and told me that I knew what I was doing and just go for it! It's hard to describe, but it was an amazing experience to really tune into my body and trust myself to know what to do and to feel baby's progress as he was born. Little stinker pushed his own arm through after just his "wrinkly little head" was out (OUCH!) and the midwife called him a "naughty little boy!" He was perfect. Adorable. And not a giant. Levi Fisher was born at 7:52 am on September 2nd and weighed in at 8 lbs and 2 oz and was 20 inches long. I cried, Todd cried, Levi cried. I was in completely in love. He fit perfectly all snuggled up in my neck with his tiny bum in my hand. I love that feeling.

Don't mind all that skin. There's just no dignity in delivering a baby.

I wasn't the only one who instantly fell in love. Golly, he looks so much like his daddy. He is so long and skinny. Long fingers, long feet, skinny little chicken legs. Never have any of my babies had such skinny legs. I guess I secretly took pride in my other babies' fat little thighs. I took this next picture on my cell phone and I'm wishing I had taken one with the good camera too. The look on Todd's face says it all, no?

...and then there were 6 of us. Sheesh, we can't even fit in a normal car anymore. We're doomed to minivanhood forever.

Introductions were made and Levi had lots of snuggles. Then we just had to unwrap him like a little present so the kids could check him out. Louis was amazed that Levi had all the parts he did, only so tiny! Tiny fingers, tiny toes, tiny ears, and even tiny little bippies! Amazing!

After holding Levi, Elizabeth made a comment to my mom about how surprised she was at how much she loved the baby, even though she had only seen him once. That's the magic of families, my dear. Love at first sight.

Louis still loves petting his soft head. He is seriously the softest baby ever.

Some one's not excited to be a Nana again!

My mom and dad, "Nana and Papa" the official spoilers of all grandchildren.

Proud Auntie Laura looking fabulous, as usual.

We stayed one night in the hospital, waited our turn to be released because there were 10(!) circumcisions that needed to be done (what a weekend for babies, and that's just the boys!) and we were released the next morning. Here's the little man all buckled up and ready to go home to all the chaos.

...and chaos there was.

But it was the good, my life is full of people who love me, and my babies, and each other kind of chaos. So I guess that means I'm a very blessed lady. Welcome to the family, Levi.