I have the most wonderful excuse for not having blogged lately.  Jacob David made his grand entrance last week and he's been a bundle of joy ever since!

Jacob David arrived on Tuesday September 29, 2009 at 6:59 a.m. and weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 19 inches long.

The whole birth was a whirlwind experience.  First off, I had NO idea that me twittering about heading to the hospital at 3 a.m. would set off such a frenzy!  Secondly, I decided to forego epidural this time around (crazy, I know) so that made for a very vocal delivery room!  The kids remained in the room with David and I throughout the whole thing.  They watched Disney movies on TV while I labored and were right there, just feet away when Jacob took his first breath.

Here's how it all went down:

On Monday night, I started to feel contractions at about 8 p.m., but I seriously thought it was false labor and was sure they would stop.  Needless to say, they didn't stop.  I labored at home for most of it and at about 3 a.m. I could no longer wait.  My initial thought was to hold out on going to the hospital until after 7:45 a.m. – so that Nathan could go to school and everyone else in the house could be rested.  What was I thinking?  I was the one needing the rest!

So David jumped out of bed when I woke him and said, "honey, I can't wait any longer, we need to go to the hospital NOW!".  I packed a hospital bag (yes, talk about last minute!) between contractions and managed to call my mom to give here the scoop so that she could catch the first flight out that morning.  David and I then woke up the boys and dressed them.  They were a little out of it at first but after we explained to them that their brother was coming they were wide-eyed and busy tailed!  Such troopers!

On the drive over to the hospital I started thinking about all the family and friends I needed to call and alert.  One of them that came to mind was my sister living in Paris.  So I decided to twitter that we were heading for the hospital, thinking that she'd read it since it was mid-morning in France.  Little did I know that I'd resort to twittering throughout the entire labor process.  Not only was it part of my daily routine (and who really breaks that just because they're having a baby, right?), but it helped me take my mind off the pain!   I literally kept my phone by my side throughout the entire labor & delivery process.  I am sure the nurses (and my doctor) thought I was some freak addicted to my cell phone.  And, well, I kind of am!

Then, Kansas City's coolest female TV gal and personal friend of mine replied to one of my tweets and a local news story was born!  Jacob was born at 6:59 in the morning and by evening time, he'd made the 6 o'clock news!  I am certain I am not the first person to tweet their labor & delivery process but despite that our news piece ran in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and even on CNN!  And today there was a blurb in ink KC magazine about my tweets.

In between all of this happening, Jacob was battling the bilirubin!  He spent a day on the bili-bed in the hospital and despite the fact I wanted to come home so badly after the second day, I followed the doc's advice and stayed the extra day for the phototherapy.  We ended up being discharged on Thursday afternoon and had three home health visits to follow up on the phototherapy we were administering here at home via the bili-blanket – also known as the wallaby.  Jeez that thing was SUCH a pain! I am so glad it's over!

Fast forward to today.  Jacob is pure bliss.  He smells beautiful.  He behaves beautiful.  He IS beautiful!  I don't know what it is about the third kiddo but I find myself taking more time to just savor his newness.  I know how fast the time will pass and how he'll soon be off to Kindergarten. 

Nathan and Will have been amazingly loving big brothers, too!  They are having a ball with him and are the best helpers I could've hoped for.  I am so glad my swaddling days are back!  Even if it is only for a little while.  ♥