Introducing Isaac Andrew

Some of you have asked me to share Isaac's birth story! So, at 1 week and 4 days old here we go...

Saturday morning, Sept 24 we got 2 phone calls. The first from Andrew's brother Michael (who was the birthday boy that day) saying that his wife Jessica had their second daughter, Kiersten Jemma. We were rejoiced with them when we received a second phone call from Andrew's sister Laura and were told she also had her 4th boy, Jace Nicholas. Andrew sister and our sister-in-law Jessica delivered in rooms next to each other! How crazy is that? Wow, the pressure was on! I was dilated to 3cm but no effacement yet and still 3 weeks to go on my due date. How long would it be for me?

Saturday afternoon was exciting. My girlfriends Courtney and Cristie threw me the most incredible baby shower that day at 10am. Both girls really went all out! The decorations were hand-made, paintings, I-S-A-A-C wooden blocks, initialed party favors and all! We enjoyed many yummy foods, played games, opened gifts and they prayed over me and Isaac's delivery. Andrew came to pick me up around 1:30 and all the action then started at 3pm.

Only 2 hours after my shower contractions started. I wasn't sure what to think. Since Sunday was our anniversary we had lined up a babysitter for Saturday night. So all through-out our 7 year anniversary date we were timing contractions (pretty unforgettable)! Then at about 1:30am I decided that these contractions weren't going away. Ahhh...I think it's time...but I'm not sure. So reluctantly I text my doctor and she suggested that I go to the hospital to get checked and then have someone call her. So we woke up our next door neighbor friends (who were the on-call middle of the night keepers of our children) and they rushed over to crash on our couch.

By the time we got to the hospital and got all checked in it was close to 2:30. I was checked and was 4cm and 80% effaced...they kept me. We called our neighbors again to tell them they would need to get comfortable since they would be there the rest of the night until relief came in the morning:) They were great and assured us that wasn't a problem.

Around 5 am came my epidural. Yay! The one medication I didn't want to miss my window on. It was great and working well until all of a sudden at 9am I could feel every contraction and just my low lower parts were numb. Uh oh! Not good. My doctor had run to drop off her kiddos at church and so the nurse called the anesthesiologist and requested more meds. I got more and my feet just went more numb not the contractions which were by-the-way super hard at that point. So just as I'm about to loose it the nurse walks in again and sees how much pain I'm in. She decided to check me again before trying other meds. She says, "oh, I see why you're in so much pain...it's time to push!" She runs out to call the doctor, who is on her way up. She rushes in and PUSHING begins. I pushed through 4 contractions (about 20 mins later), out came Isaac, dark hair and all! AND...that's our baby story!

I do want to say a special Thank You to my wonderful husband who coached me, held my hand, breathed with me and prayed me through. I love you honey!

Also, a big Thank You to my amazing friend Courtney!! There are no words for how well she took care of our family during this time. She relieved our neighbors that Sunday morning, took the kids to church, home to play with her kids, to spend the night, took Sydney to school Monday and entertained Aaron until Andrew was able to come home. There is no way we could have done this without our community. They are our family and we thank the Lord for them!

Pictures of Issac were taken by Jenny Thebault (thank you, thank you Jenny)!!