Number five is alive

And it’s a boy!

Mama and baby are doing fine and, believe it or not, there are things I’d rather do right now more than blog. We’re getting to know the little guy and Judi, who was convinced it was a girl, is recovering from the shock. More later. For now, enjoy the pictures.

Much closer…

Things are starting to move quickly here now, so I’m going to post a quick update during a lull in the action. Judi is doing great and her contractions are solid, regular and effective. It’s not easy on her, but she’s a trooper, and she’s making real progress. She has a feeling that when the nurse comes back in to check on her it will be just about time for a baby to show up…

The clock has started ticking…

So, we’re at the hospital and the process has begun.

Judi is in a bed, stuck with an IV and answering silly questions about her medical history (“Do you snore or have sleep apnea? Have you ever smoked cigarettes? Have you used any street drugs in the past year?). Once she is settled and they’ve monitored both her and the baby for a sufficient amount of time, the doctor will deliver orders for the administration of pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin, a drug used to stimulate labor.

Once that happens, we expect things to get moving pretty quickly.

Vitamin PUpdate: we’re moving along. The orders came in and the pitocin has started to flow. Judi is resting now and I’m watching the contractions on the monitor as they come.

Another Update: still waiting, but Judi says we’re getting closer. The combination of pitocin and epidural pain relief makes for really peaceful labor. It’s weird.

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Right on schedule

For various reasons, Judi’s doctor has decided that this baby should come on a pretty rigid schedule, so we’ve got an appointment tomorrow morning for an induced delivery. It’s more than a little strange knowing that, in just over seven hours, we’re going to have a baby.