Mesh Underwear is Hot: The Grayson James Story

We're on day 5 of being a family of 5, and I'm finally sitting down to chronicle what's been happening. It will probably take all day with all the interruptions, but c'est la vie. That pretty much sums up anything in my life these days. Case in point, it has taken me half an hour to get this much typed.
As you are aware from the last several posts, I was beyond ready to go into labor and meet our last baby. You also know from the last post that the dr. I saw last Wed. was willing to help try and move things along. And whatever the heck she did - WORKED! About 3:30 that afternoon I started having very sporadic contractions, and by the time James got home from work around 5:30 they had regulated to about 10 minutes apart. From there we timed them anywhere from 3 - 7 minutes apart and they were pretty intense. James finally suggested calling the doctor's office to see what they thought. I was being a little stubborn about it because at the office I was told actual labor probably wouldn't start for a day or two, so of course in my mind I could never be the exception to the rule. Because Grayson is kid 3, they didn't want to take any chances on a super-fast delivery and told me to come on in and get checked out. Commence frantic running around. Even though I thought we were ready to go I realized I hadn't pulled anything together for the boys, and, of course, between contractions I had to finish loading the dishwasher. Can't leave a messy kitchen, you know.
We arrived at the hospital around 7:15, I think, and James had some kind orderlies meet me with a wheelchair while he waited with the boys for our friends, Mac and Jeanne, to arrive to take them home with them. What an enormous blessing that they were ready and willing to meet us at the hospital! It saved tons of time (which turned out to be a good thing) and there was such peace of mind knowing they were in loving and more-than-capable hands.
Meanwhile, in the birthing unit, I was being asked the most absurd of all questions you can ask a woman in labor who has just walked up to the labor and delivery desk: "What brings you in today?" Well, nurse, I was just passing by.....
So after my most recent contraction subsided, I let her know that I was in labor with child #3 and because my membranes had been stripped (sorry for the rated-PG term there, for some of you) at the office earlier that day I was told to come in and get checked out. Three contractions and a quick change into stylish hospital wear later, James joined me in the triage room. I will say, to any mom who has ever had to labor alone, you have my utmost sympathy and admiration. Just those few minutes of laboring without James with me was incredibly scary and lonely.
They hooked me up at that point and began monitoring my progress. By now the contractions were very painful (I think I told the nurse I was at a 7 or 8 on the pain scale), and I remember saying to James, panicky, "What if they send me back home in this much pain?" Now I need to send out props to all you mothers who labor naturally. I am NOT cut out for it. I wasn't a raving lunatic or anything (in fact, for me to make noise or do a lot of moving around makes it WAY worse), but the mild amount of panic I felt during the contractions I did experience leads me to believe that I couldn't hack it without the blessed drugs.
Long story short, they kept me and in about an hour's time I progressed from 5 to 7 cm dilated. As soon as they got me in the birthing room the anesthesiologist was called (praise the Lord!) and they got my epidural going. Then the doc came in looking stern. He was a little put out at the person I had seen earlier that day for helping me along, since he was concerned that with my labor not starting completely naturally it would slow down and possibly stop. He did break my water to keep things moving after the epidural kicked in. From that point it was just a waiting game.
Around 11:00 I was told it was "go" time and after only 10 minutes of pushing (a new record for us, down from 2 1/2 hours with Jeran and then 45 mins. with Ben) Grayson arrived. Because we decided to keep the little guy's gender a surprise this time around it was a pretty amazing moment when he came out. But I would also liken it a little bit to the ultrasounds when we found out that Ben and Jeran would be boys. Both are pretty equally exciting, but I think because of the prolonged wait period to find out it made the moment of his birth a little more suspenseful. In a good way.
I really had prepared myself for some small level of disappointment if my last baby was not a girl, but that never hit me. I have been ecstatic since the moment he arrived that he was also a boy. There is something so fabulous about knowing that my boys can grow up buddying around together, doing all those boy things, and yet seeing what different personalities and interests they will have. Also, I've had some experiences with girls in recent months that lead me to believe that type of drama is NOT for me. Not that I mean to imply all girls are filled with drama (although I guess I just did), but I think I'm actually better suited for the straight-up energy and bustle of boys. Soooo...it's us and our three sons!
Next post will be about how the adjustment home has been going. You can expect that one in another one to three days at this rate.