Owen is here!

Early Friday morning, May 7th, around 2am, I started having contractions.  They weren't unlike those I had for the previous 6 weeks, so I wasn't convinced that this was the real deal.  I spent the day resting and around 1pm realized that the contractions were getting closer together and were getting stronger.  Around 4:30 I checked in with the doctor and was told to come in some time soon.  Matt took off from work a little early and we were at the hospital by 5:30.

After getting hooked up to monitors for an hour or so, we learned that I was probably really in labor.  I walked for an hour next and dialated from 3-4.  That was enough to do the trick--we were admitted!  We were lucky enough to have help from Jazelle in taking care of Riggins, so we were both ready for whatever was to come. 

Around 10 or 11pm I went ahead and got an epidural.  I wasn't very excited about being stuck in bed, but was ready to get some rest and really liked the idea of not feeling anymore contractions.  The epidural was the greatest challenge, and oddly enough, one of the greatest things that happened.  I was surprised and challenged by how little feeling I had in my legs and found myself feeling very "stuck".  Matt was very helpful in moving my legs for me regularly as I wasn't able to do it myself.  That included putting my slippers on..no wait, take them off :)  It was great to have when the time came to push as I didn't feel a thing :)

Around 7am I was given the ok to go ahead and push.  I decided to wait as I didn't want to be one of those people that has to push for hours.  I ended up falling asleep for another hour.  I officially started pushing at 8am and Owen Carl Beck joined us at 8:55am.  He weighed 7lbs, 4.9 oz and was 20.25 inches long.  Matt was even courageous enough to cut the cord!