It's still hard for me to believe I'm really a mom now!  I have to say that I had so many expectations about labor and delivery, and it was so different than what I was expecting... in a good way! 

On Friday, I woke up, no contractions, but lots of pelvic pain.  It was more painful walking, etc, but I'd had so many days like that before that I didn't think much of it.  Around 3, my mom and I went for a walk (which I was secretly hoping would get things going!), and then started having some light, somewhat painful contractions around 4:30.  Again I didn't think much of it because that had been going on all week.  Kevin, my mom and I decided to go out for dinner, and I was bugging Kevin to come home so we could go!  At 7:30 he was FINALLY ready to leave work and we decided to meet at the restaurant.  I was having more contractions by that point, and they were a little more painful, but I still thought it was nothing.  On the way to the restaurant (while I was driving!) I had my first really painful contraction.  My mom thought we should just pick something up and eat at home in case, but I said no, because I KNEW if we went back home it would end up being nothing!  And I was craving eating at this restaurant!  At dinner, my contractions got more painful and closer together, being about 6 minutes apart.  I started to get really worried and thought maybe I made a mistake insisting we eat out, especially since I was already 4 cm dilated and I knew I needed antibiotics during labor.  We basically shoved the food down our throats and Kevin and I headed for the hospital and my mom came back to our house to pick up our  bags and the very important "Texas dirt".  Kevin's dad brought a bag full of dirt from Texas to put under the delivery bed so Noah could be born over Texas soil (making him a true Texan!).

We arrived at the hospital at 9:30pm Friday night and walking in I had a major contraction that was really painful.  Headed to L&D to check in and another bad contraction.  Went to triage to be checked and another major contraction, at which point I asked how soon I could have an epidural!  And this after my wanting to see if I could go without one- I'd had enough!!  They said I was 5 1/2 cm dilated and admitted me and moved me into a labor/delivery/recovery room.  I was very lucky that pretty much as soon as we got into our room I got my epidural and by 9:50pm I was feeling great!  Thank God for epidurals!!  After that I felt no pain, and it was SUCH a relief!  My hats off to anyone who goes drug-free.  Kevin and I were able to get a little sleep knowing it was going to be a long night.  At 1:40am they checked my cervix again and I was fully dilated.  My water still hadn't broken so the nurse broke it for me and I was ready to push!  It was a weird feeling because I still couldn't feel the contractions but was being told to push.  I was worried whether I was pushing correctly so they brought me a mirror, which I didn't think beforehand I would want.  I pushed for about an hour and a half and by that point Noah was crowning.  I was feeling the contractions at that point enough to have strong urges to push, which I think was really helping.  But what really struck me was how calm the whole labor was!  Not much pain, no screaming, just very calm!  Since Noah was crowning, the doctor came in and I was shocked how quickly Noah was born!  That whole part was very surreal - I felt tons of pressure, but the last thing I saw was him crowning (I push with my eyes closed apparently!) and then I heard him crying!  I opened my eyes and was surprised to see a baby in the room!  I started crying- I can't even describe the feeling knowing he was out and born.  They put him on my chest and started cleaning him off and I just couldn't stop crying and smiling.  Kevin looked so happy.  And he's beautiful!!  I know I'm biased, but I have the most beautiful baby I've ever seen!  Kevin got to cut the cord.  Noah weighed in at 8 lbs 2 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.  I knew there was no way he was coming out less than 8 lbs!  But when he was coming out, he had his hand up over his head, so apparently his arm came out with his head, which caused me to tear quite a bit- my biggest fear (thanks Janet!!).  But maybe it was good that I was SO terrified of it, because it hasn't been as bad recovery/pain-wise as I would have thought it would be.  I'm pretty sore, but it's totally bearable. 

About 6am we were moved into our postpartum room where we spent the next 2 days.  Our hospital is really nice, all the rooms are private and Kevin had a cot to sleep on so he stayed with me the whole time.  And my mom was at our house to take care of our Bailey and Cooper, etc and come by for visits.  Being at the hospital after Noah's birth was pretty trying overall... I was SO ready to go home.  In the hospital, Noah was so good during the day but would scream bloody murder all night, so we pretty much got no sleep.  I had a meltdown Saturday night and hated our nurse, I felt like she was telling me everything I was doing was wrong and I felt like I wasn't being a good mom.  At 4am they took Noah to the nursery so we could get some sleep and in the morning (3 hours later!) I felt like a new person and SO much better.  Plus the awful nurse was gone and I loved our next nurse. 

Breastfeeding has been going REALLY well.  From what I've heard from so many people, I wasn't sure what to expect, but Noah seems to have latching down and is doing really well.  He's a solid eater, and my only complaint is that he bites down really hard when we first start.  Ouch!  But oh those eyes, when he just stares up at me, I'm in love!  And when he cries and that bottom lip gets going, oh it just breaks my heart!  He is just the sweetest little thing, and I just can't get enough of him.  But somehow there are never enough hours in the day and time just flies by.  I feel like I don't know what we've been doing for the past 3 days!  I think all I do is feed him. 

So we're back home now and it is SO nice and refreshing.  It's gorgeous outside and I'm feeling really good.  We went on our first family walk today and it was so nice to be outside in the sunshine.  And I look at Noah in his cradle next to me as I type this, just sleeping away and making little cooing sounds, and he's just absolutely perfect.  Like I said, I'm in love!