And Then There Were Three.

Today was finally the day! The waiting game ended and we welcomed Jackson Cole into our hearts and home at last. We had been on the edge of our seats for days since my labor began on Saturday evening after the third in a series of purposeful uphill, after-dinner walks. Contractions were 4 to 5 minutes apart all throughout the weekend but weren't progressing in their intensity so we spent the next 4 days taking long walks, short walks, uphill walks, downhill walks, eating pineapple, driving over speed bumps, and a few other alleged labor-boosting activities in hopes to help the labor along. Finally, on Tuesday afternoon after another routine walk down to the waterfront, I began having the type of contractions that cause women to cuss at their husbands (which for the record I did not do) so we called the doctor. She told us to meet her at the hospital and away we went in a flurry of anxious excitement.

By the time we arrived at the hospital and were admitted, I had been in pre-labor for 72 hours already at this point. Next came another 14 hours of active labor that definitely pushed me to the limit. I was determined to go through natural childbirth no matter what. I roamed the halls of the hospital wings with Dan moaning my way through each contraction as I walked, knelt on all fours, or clung to the handrails. I drowned the contractions in the jacuzzi tub, and rolled through them on the birth ball. But once 5:30 AM rolled around, my cervix came to a screeching halt at 9 cm and refused to budge. Jackson's positioning was preventing him from coming down the birth canal and with each contraction his heartbeat plummeted. After 2 hours of prayer and trying alternate birthing positions, the doctor said that we had to do something and do it quickly for fear that Jackson wouldn't be able to handle the dips in his heart rate much longer.

And so 86 hours of natural labor culminated in roughly 30 minutes of surgical intervention. I was hooked to an IV, given a spinal block, and prepped for an emergency c-section while Dan donned a pair of scrubs. It was just a few minutes later that I heard the cry of my son fill the operating room from behind the blue tarp shield pinned in front of my face. It was one of the most incredible and surreal moments of my life, first hearing the cry and then finally meeting face to face OUR SON when Dan placed him on my chest.

Weighing in at 7 lbs. 12 oz. and measuring 20" long, little Jackson is completely healthy and had a great first day outside of his mommy's tummy. He's filled his share of diapers already and has impressed the nurses with his mad breast-feeding skills in addition to capturing the hearts of both sets of grandparents and a handful of sweet friends who came to the hospital to greet him.

In between contractions, Dan was keeping Facebook updated on our progress. And hogging my hospital bed.

Minutes before being wheeled into the Operating Room.

In the OR getting ready to meet Jackson at last.

Listening to our baby's first cries.

Weighing in.

Our first family photo.The very proud grandmas.

And the proud grandpas.

First time holding my son.

Blankenship party of three!
Exhausted after a long, amazing day.
Cutest baby on the planet.