Joseph's Birth Story

Joseph was born at 8:18 AM on 12/31/2010.  I am writing this now just days away from his second birthday.  It is amazing how time just escapes you!!  I remember just feeling so bad on 12/30/2010.  I didn't sleep good that night and I just felt like laying down and being lazy.  I was teaching then and we were thankfully on break for the holidays.  I remember sitting on the sofa watching TV for most of the morning.

My husband called at lunch and I went over to Joseph's room and sat in his rocking chair.  I was telling Kevin how terrible I felt and he told me how his day was going.  Then, something happened.  "I think my water just broke," I told him.  I stood up and rushed to the bathroom.  "I know my water just broke," I said. I was in a panic and he said he was on the way.  I called my sister-in-law, Kim, and she came to pick me up and took me to meet my husband.  After meeting up with Kevin, we drove to the OB who sent us to the hospital.

I told myself I could tough it out.  Yeah...right.  Kevin made me walk and walk and walk around the hospital dragging my IV pole around in my lovely hospital gown.  "I am tired of walking," I finally told him in a more or less a growl.  That was the only time I let labor say something that I wouldn't typically say.

I labored all afternoon, all night, and finally started pushing around 6:00 AM on 12/31/210.  I pushed for 2 hours and he was finally here!  They placed Joseph on my stomach and I started crying.  He was beautiful!  The most beautiful baby I had ever seen.  8 pounds and .5 ounces of pure cuteness.  I had waited so long to see him and he was finally here!  I was instantly head over heels in love with him.

I ran fever during my labor with Joseph.  Joseph's sac didn't rupture enough and that was probably the source of my troubles.  We stayed in the hospital a day longer than we would have, just to make sure everyone was alright.  When the doctors told us it was ok, we went home...and boy was I ready to go home!

Days later, we were back in the hospital with jaundice.  That was scary.  He was so lazy and barely moved. They had to put him in his own "tanning" bed to help his levels go down.  I think they went up all the way to 19.  He was pitiful in there.  After two days, we were able to go home and he was no longer so yellow.  He looked more like a pink chubby baby.

Everything seemed to be fine and going according to plan.

Joseph after we got home from the hospital with jaundice.