Best Early Christmas Present EVER!

I'm back. Back to Indiana, back to my blog, and back to my old routine - at least for a couple of hours. That's when some of our Christmas family will start arriving. But that's not what I'm here to talk about at all. (Although having the kids and their families come home IS the GREATEST on-time Christmas present ever.)

Friday we went to Louisville. Sarah, our youngest was having strong, regular contractions off and on for several days. We (Beth and I) just couldn't take a chance on missing the labor and delivery that we felt so honored to be invited to. We spent the weekend walking and shopping and timing contractions that came and went at the whim of Somebody with a great sense of humor. We were relaxed, though, knowing that Monday would be "B" day since, at 1 day short of 41 weeks, she was scheduled to be induced.

Monday morning she went in and even the machines clocked regular, close and strong contractions. The doctor broke her water and that was the closest she came to be induced. One thing about Sarah...she labors beautifully.

Here she is at about 4 centimeters. (She was 3 to 4 centimeters and 80% effaced when she arrived.)
Here she is in the throes of the greatest agony she had experienced ever ... and at 5 centimeters:

And here she is about a half hour before the birth but an hour or so after her epidural.

And here she is with the greatest early Christmas present EVER 13 minutes after he arrived:

And again at 39 minutes post birth:

Does my daughter know how to have a baby or what!!!