One week...

Well Carter, this post could have easily been me saying that I had one week until I would be induced to have you. Instead, it is telling you that today you are 1 week old!!

When Mommy went to the doctor last Tuesday (May 4th), I had been having contractions for a couple of days. My doctor "helped you along" a little & told Daddy and I that we amy want to wait a little while before driving back to Butler because you may decide to come that night or the next day. We left to go get some food & immediately went to the hospital because I started have very painful contractions. We waited in the parking lot until they were about 4 minutes apart & went to Labor & Delivery. They checked me & I was almost 3cm. They monitored my contractions for an hour & they were 1-5 minutes apart. But, the doctor decided to give me a shot for the pain & send me home. SIGH!! Your sisters and Mimi and Pa Pa and Anna were all ready to go... but I went home and went to sleep until about 3:30.

By 5:30 Wednesday morning, I was up out of the bed, taking a hot bath & getting my things together. I was having SUPER strong contractions that started about 8 minutes apart & got closer & closer together. Daddy took a shower and got ready and THIS time we took your car seat and our bags. We were pretty sure we wouldn't be back home without our Carter-bug. Once in Meridian, Daddy stopped and got Chick-fil-A minis because we figured it may be a long day.

We got to the hospital about 9:30 and they put me in the same monitoring room I was in the night before. The nurse, Deanna, remembered us coming in the night before. She checked me & I was 4 cm and 80% effaced. I stayed in the room for about 45 minutes while they monitored my contractions & were going to call my doctor to see what she wanted them to do. When we were alone, Daddy said, "If they tell us we have to go home, we're gonna lock that door & stay in here until it's time to have the baby." He was so anxious & excited. Thankfully, the doctor said to admit me, get my epidural set up and she would be in to break my water on her lunch break.

We got settled into our LDR room. It was REALLY nice. They had to hook up my IV's order blood work & all kinds of other stuff before I could get my epidural, but I was still doing ok. Finally, about 12:00, they came in to make me feel better! BUT they had to stick me 8 or nine times (which was actually 16-18 times) in order to get the epidural in. It was so painful & a little scary to have a needle in my spine THAT many times. But I kept reminding myself of how much better I would feel when it was in. And I did. Doctor McLaughlin came in about 1:00 to break my water. It was all going to happen soon now!! She said I would probably have you around dinner time. I became really tired, so I went to sleep. I would wake up every once in awhile because I kept throwning up. I would talk to Daddy & he would feed me ice chips & then I would go back to sleep. About 4:00, your sisters & MiMi & Pa Pa & Anna got there & came in to see me for a little while. Nannie & Me Ma were on their way from Birmingham.

About 5:00, I woke up feeling a LOT of pressure. I told the nurse & she checked me & said I was ready!! Everyone came in to see me one last time with you IN my belly. Me Ma & Nannie still weren't there yet. Dr. McLaughlin got there & got everything ready. She said she thought you would be about 6.5 to 7 pounds. Well 4 pushes later... my sweet baby boy was here!!! Dr. McLaughlin said, "Whoa... I was wrong, this is a big baby!" She put you on my tummy and Daddy cut your cord. He was so excited! He went over the the baby table with you while the nurses worked on you & he stated taking pictures. We were amazed to find out that you weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces & were 21 1/2 inches long! WOW!! And three weeks early!?!?! Daddy and I were immediately in LOVE!!!

That's the story of how you got here...

I'm so excited about the journey that lies ahead!!

I love you my sweet, precious, James Carter Dean!!