Heading Home ... A Family of 5

A typical hospital stay is 2 nights, but I just didnt want to be away from everyone for that long. Brooke and Ryan were excited to have their new brother home, and we were too. Luckily everything worked out in the hospital and I was able to get discharged only 24 hours after Luke arrived.

And we are off! Heading home with baby Luke! 

None of us has a clue what's in store :)

The Siblings Meet

The (big) kids came to the hospital to meet their new little brother. They were pretty excited to see him, but more excited about the cool view from the windows ... and the McDonalds they brought with for dinner ;)

Luke William Schneider

After weeks of on and off contractions they finally picked up ... We HOPED it was the real thing but were leery of getting rejected from the hospital.  Contractions grew close together around 4pm, so Aunt Jean was invited for a sleepover just in case.

The kids acted like crazy maniacs till 730, showing off their singing, dancing and racing skills for their Aunt (who, of course, was totally impressed). We got them into bed and hung out till about 9:30 before we decided to head into L&D.  While the contractions were still coming, they just weren't that strong ... Yet we nervously drove in hoping it was time.

In L&D they basically said what we already knew.  I didn't have a lot of progression and they weren't sure I was actually in labor yet.  I sat being monitored for an hour and awaited word from my OB.  The nurse came back and said "you have two options..."

My heart sank.  I was sure those two options were 1) walk for two hours or 2) go home and come back later.  I was wrong!  My options were to 1) walk for two hours or 2) get admitted!  After 38.5 long weeks I couldn't imagine waking another step - we chose to get admitted around 12:30.

The process was different, and slower, than our last two. First, the epidural hurt. A lot.  Second, I had multiple instances of my blood pressure dropping during the process causing waves of nausea and a general sense of panic.

630AM: told "pretty soon"

730AM; OB and nurse switch shifts. They tried to wait but the baby was taking too long!  

930AM: he's officially stalled , no progress since 630 (stuck at 7)

1045AM: getting impatient 

1100AM: time to go ... But OB got called to deliver baby in another room because mom was "uncomfortable". Grrr!

1145AM: She's back! Thank goodness!

1200PM: Its go time,for real

At 12:15PM we finally got to meet our handsome little man!

And here he is! 

Luke William Schneider

04/14/14

12:15PM

8lbs 6oz

21 inches

Little Picassos

Ryan Art - Chalk Preschool