Introducing Avery Ray

On January 30th, 3 days past my due date my husband and I went to the mall to walk around and try to let gravity do it's part. At 8:00 pm, just as I was about to give up, I began having pains in my lower abdomen and lower back. We went home after I began feeling too uncomfortable to keep walking. We tucked the girls in and went to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep because I couldn't stop timing contractions. At 11:30 the pain was getting stronger, and the pressure was stronger than I remembered ever feeling with my daughters so we went to the hospital. I hadn't thought about not being able to move around once I went to the hospital because of the heart monitor. Labor was slow partial back labor. My water broke at 7:30, and about three hours later I still was making no progress, other than very intense contractions every 3 minutes. I was running out of energy faster and faster so at 10:30 am after being told they'd probably be inducing labor in three more hours I recieved an epidural. I got a little sleep, and before they gave me the pitocin they checked around 12:00 pm and I was ready to push. I barely had the energy, but it hardly took any time at all. At 12:31 pm Jan 31st 2010 Avery Ray was born. He was 7 lbs 13 oz and 19 3/4 inches...My smallest baby yet. He is perfectly healthy, and worth all of the pain before, during, and after birth. He is loved by his mommy and daddy and his big sisters as well. He is nursing well, which after the complications I had with trying to nurse a baby with severe colic for 15 months, it is a relief to know he is getting enough. He's also a great co-sleeper. =) My oldest slept better near our bed, not in it.

With the third child, Ive come to realize some things:
1. I could do it over and over again
2. crying has never made me angry, but used to make me very nervous with oldest, less with Andi, and now not at all.
3. my family is complete
4. there isnt an age i dont like so far.
5. i do believe in love at first sight...its happened to me three times