welcoming baby maxwell

around 3:45 am, on september 26, i woke up with contractions, but they weren't super intense so i just got up and walked around trying to get comfy. they weren't stopping, so around 4:15 i woke my husband up {it took a good ten minutes for him to actually wake up enough to understand what i was saying} and told him what was going on. he sweetly suggested that i roll over and he'd scratch my back. i didn't think that would do the trick...but i did, and within two seconds of him scratching my back, he was asleep again. i kept trying to get comfortable but nothing was working. this went on for two more hours, until finally i decided that enough was enough. i really didn't want to get sent home from the hospital but at this point, i didn't care. if anything, we would be able to get pre-registered. i finally got danny out of bed and we threw a few essential items into the diaper bag and around 7 am we were on our way to the orem community hospital.

as soon as we arrived, my contractions basically stopped {go figure!} but we went in anyway and checked in. the nurse asked for my name, and i told her, while smiling. i'm sure she thought "she thinks she's in labor...but she's not..." they admitted me to the back, had me change into a gorgeous hospital gown, and minutes later sent a nurse into check me out.

within seconds of checking me, she said, "yup! i feel a head! you are dilated to a four so let's get you admitted and start your i.v. you are going to have a baby before you know it." we couldn't believe it.

the next few hours were a complete blur. ann {my nurse} escorted us back to the room where we would stay/deliver the baby and then she started my i.v. and called the anesthesiologist to get my epidural started. by the time he got there {around 9:30} i still wasn't in a lot of pain but the second i got my epidural...i was in heaven. people tell you epidurals are amazing, but i guess you can't fully appreciate them until you are the one receiving it. after 9:30 am, i didn't feel any pain. at all. it was amazing.

around 11 dr. judd came in and broke my water for me to speed up the process a little bit. he estimated the baby would be born around 4 pm {i was still only at a five} so he left, and danny and i just hung out. still in shock. {i think it was finally starting to sink in that we were about to become parents}

at 12:30 ann checked me again and i was at an eight. she said, "looks like this baby is coming sooner than we thought!" and she went off to call dr. judd. i decided then was a good time to call my mom and have her head over to the hospital and by the time she got there at one, my room was filled with nurses and doctors getting ready to deliver a baby.

at about 1:05 they told me to start pushing...and at 1:13 maxwell scott entered this world. it was the MOST spectacular thing that i have ever witnessed or been a part of. seeing my little boy for the first time was miraculous. i couldn't stop crying. dr. judd made fun of me, telling me i was crying more than the baby.

but seriously, it was wonderful.

i couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.