Hello World

So at some point in time today was my due date and I never thought I would say this but WOW I'm glad Dr. BT wanted to induce on the 15th. Today "RJ" Robert Joseph is 10 days old! At birth he weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and was just barely 20 inches, on Friday at the doctor he had regained all the normal weight loss and stretched out enough to be 21 1/2 inches. He is more and more alert everyday and all that bellybutton talking paid off for Charlotte, he watches her and is very content sitting in her lap listening to her talk and talk and talk. He also loves daddy's shoulder for sleeping much like his big sister did/does. Charlotte is adjusting fairly well so far. She's an excellent helper and likes to be involved unless it's a diaper changing.
Many have asked about the name... Well there's enough Roberts in the family already but it was incredibly important to Rob to share his namesake, and as long as we were going family names, both Rob and I had a Grandfather named Joseph, which was convenient for the J. So RJ it is and of course now I can't imagine him being anything else.
WARNING LABOR STORY...As far as the actual labor and my inducement fears it all went well and was reasonably quick. We got to the hospital at 5:00 am (YUCK!) Once we got checked in and registered, they hooked me up to the monitors and surprise I was already contracting and almost 4 cm dilated. I was really calm and content. We had an awesome L&D nurse. They started the IV for fluids and Pitocin around 7:30am and by 9:30am Dr. BT had checked in, broken my water (which popped and gushed) and headed to her office causally saying "I'll be back by noon, don't have this baby before then" . After that labor really kicked in (talk to Rob but apparently I was really on edge but laboring really well) and by 11:20, I was epidural ready. The epidural was in place by 11:45 and I was back to myself. Nurse Mary decided to check and see if we had progressed and I was 10 cm and complete (ready to push) however there was no doctor so we waited and waited (it seemed longer than 15 minutes) by the time Dr. BT was ready I pushed through 3 contractions and there he was. He was an angry little man and several nurses and staff told us the loudest one they had heard! I didn't care though because he was here! Finally here! It was a really long pregnancy and he could cry all he wanted it was very euphoric from my point of view.

Our family and friends who have helped out over the past week have been fabulous! We love you and are very thankful for the extra attention. So many of you have been on this long journey with us and have been there to listen to my worries and frustrations, thank you for all your kind words, thoughts and prayers. Life is just that much better with you in it.