Dozens of Cousins

I am sure you are aware that our new baby is here. I love hearing peoples stories of going into labor so I thought I would share mine. This is going to be long and detailed so for the guys you can just read this is

Jackson Lewis Ridner

7lbs 4 oz 20inches

August 8th 2009

For those who like the details. I guess we will start with my last doctors appointment. It was on Friday the 7th (10 days before my due date). My doctor came and checked me and said "I will surely see you this weekend". I hate when they say things like that. See I have pretty much been in labor for the last month having contractions and dilating and such. So hearing things like that only makes me crazy. I responded with "We'll see" and he said "come on have faith". As I was checking out I realized he didn't have me make another appointment. I thought he must really think the baby is coming this weekend. But not wanting to get my hopes up I convienced the checkout lady to schedule me one for the next week.

I came home and told Chad what the doc had said. Chad responded a little more opptimistic with "great let's get that baby out" So we did all the things to help labor along including spicey salsa from El Charro (Really HOT i don't recommend it), sitting on the excersise ball, and rubbing my ankles. Which produced some contractions but since I have been having so many we didn't get too excited.

By the time we got ready for bed the contractions had pretty much fizzled out. I was disappointed that nothing had happened. I tried to sleep that night but couldn't. Usually I am kept awake by contractions but tonight I just couldn't sleep, I didn't know why. So around 4:30 I decided to get up and go downstairs. I sat on the couch and turned the TV on. Around 5:00 I got up to get a bowl of cereal and was brought to my knees with a horrible pain. It was like the movies where the first contraction hits and they say "it's time" except I was still in denial. So after it passed I got my cereal and sat back down. Soon another hit and another. I timed a few and they were about 8 mins apart. Chad came downstairs a little after 6:00. He was going to run. I told him I was having some serious contractions. He asked if I wanted him to stay home but I said I was ok and nothing was going to happen in the next hour. Labor is a funny thing, during a contraction I think I might die and I need to go to the hospital right then! but once it passes I think I can maybe wait a little longer. So i guess he asked in between contractions. So I continued to be in pain. I laid in bed and took a bath only for them to get worse. At 7:30 I called Chad and asked him to come home. They were about 4 mins apart and really painful. Around that time the kids started to wake. Poor Jake woke to me on my knees moaning in pain. He was worried about me but not enough to not ask for breakfast.

Chad was home soon but still a little skepical that I was in real labor. We had been sent home from the hospital earlier that week. After seeing me doubled over for a few contractions he was convinced and started making calls for someone to watch our kids.
The time line gets a little foggy here but in between contractions I finished packing our bag and the kids then would run to the bed to make it through another one. Adam Slack came and got the kids and took them to his house. And we were off to the Hospital. On the way there I realized we didn't call the Dr and tell him we were coming. So we called and to the answering service that we were on our way and to tell the Doc. We arrived at 8:53 and hurried to the Labor floor. Stopping a few times for contractions. They were just a couple mins apart now. We told them my name at the door and they said didn't have the paper work on me yet (since we forgot to call) But could see I was in pain so hurried me back to the triage room (where the take you to make sure you are really in labor) A nurse came and checked me and said you are about complete meaning fully dialted. Holy Cow! If we had waited much longer then I would have had this baby in the car! So they wheeled me in the bed back to a room and started setting it up for delivery. That is when the panic set in. I had been exceptionally calm until then. It was all happing so fast. I just got here and now the baby is coming. I hadn't planned on doing this natural. Sure I had thought that would be "neat" but I had really meant it. I hadn't read any books or prepared in any way. Yes, this is my fourth baby but being numb from the waist down is way different. The contractions were so bad I wasn't sure I could take them any longer. I started to cry and looked at Chad and said "I can't do this" But of course I didn't have any other choice. Meanwhile one of the nurses decided to strike up a converstation about baby names with Chad. Chad being the social bug he is engages in the conversation all the while I think I might be dying. So also straight out of the movies I tell Chad "STOP TALKING". to which he kindly does. Soon my always calm doctor walks in and suits up for delivery. He tells me to push when I feel like it. Chad asks if he can help deliver and also suits up.

So I start pushing and the nurse from earlier starts "directing" me on how to do it. Keep in mine my doctor and 4 other nurses are in the room and this is the nurse for the baby. She is telling me things like don't make any noise when you push and breath through your noise. It took everything I had not to slap her. But I made it through and at 9:21am he was born. 7 lbs and 4 oz. 20 inches long. Thankfully our smallest baby. We hadn't decided on a name so we waited until we were finally alone and agreed on Jackson Lewis. Calling him Jacks or Jack. I know Jake, Jack, Reese, Rylee. Its all very cute and my hesitation to name him that but I got over it and decided to go for it. And for you who might not know Lewis is my maiden name. So I guess that is about it. Thats the story of our little Jacks. And here are a lot pictures to go along with it.

Our camera decided to not work at the hospital so these are all from Chads iphone. Emilee let us borrow her camera but I haven't got those yet.

Me Dying

Just Born

He came out with a mohawk

It was Christmas in June for us! We set aside some money we received (thanks Dad!) and gift cards (thanks Auntie!) from Christmas to take a family trip. We had the best weekend. We went to Chattanooga for two nights. The kids did great and we had a blast.

Here is David and mini-me. Maybe it's the freshly shaved head but they sure look a lot alike.