The Arrival of Baby Quentin

 Lets just say this has been a long time coming. We have been anxiously waiting for this little boy ever since our little scare last month. We had 4 total hospital visits because I kept going into labor. But Saturday he finally arrived. 

Quentin Drake
7.15 lbs. 19'
Born 8-24-13 at 6:01 am

Friday I was having contractions all day. Around 3pm they started being a little more consistent. I wanted to make sure this time was it was the real thing so even though the contractions were 3-5 min. apart we waited a couple hours before we called the doctor. I made dinner and packed things up for the hospital and tried to prepare myself that I might not get to stay. The doctor did say at my last appointment that I was at 5cm, but I had regressed before so I didn't want to get my hopes up. So after we ate we headed down to the hospital. Johnny dropped me off so he could watch Daphne while I got checked in and then got checked. When the doctor checked me I was 6-7cm. He told me I was staying and would be having a baby! I was so excited. Johnny dropped Daphne of at the babysitters and headed over. I was hoping that I would progress quickly, but I didn't. My contractions even slowed down during the night. I was so disappointed, because they sent me home the last time because my contractions had slowed down. The doctor came in at about 4:30am and I was sure it was to tell me to head home, especially since I hadn't dilated anymore, but to my shock and relief she decided to break my water to see if we could get things moving.....man did they move. The next few contractions were not to bad. (TMI warning) I started feeling like I needed to go #2 so I went to the bathroom. When I got on the toilet the contractions stepped things up a few notches. I kept thinking I was crazy for not getting the epidural and couldn't remember why I had chosen to forgo it (fyi I hated the Epi with Daphne.) I called the nurses for some help because I had made a pretty big mess in the bathroom. When they came in they told me I needed to get back in bed cause they didn't want me delivering in the toilet so I walked very slowly and painfully back to bed. They checked me and they said I was at 8cm. I felt like I needed to push. In fact I had to do everything in my power not to push. They kept saying I was bearing down, but they kept telling me to try not to push because my cervix was still in the way. The hardest part of the delivery was trying not to push. They checked me again while I was contracting and said I was at 9cm and they called the doctor right away. When Doctor Reynolds got there she checked me and said it was okay to push whenever I felt the need. Pushing was hard at first. They really weren't coaching me as much as I thought they would. Once they did start coaching things went really fast. I think it took about three sets of contractions for me to push him out. He was born at 6:01am.  His cord was around his neck so Johnny didn't get to cut the cord or anything. They put him straight in my arms and he was perfect. He was so quiet and calm. I got to have a whole hour with him skin to skin before they took him to get him cleaned. I loved every minute. I could tell Johnny couldn't wait to get to hold him. He helped get him weighed and with his bath. And then it was Daddy's turn. You could tell he was smitten. 

While we were waiting to get transferred to my recovery room we talked about what to name him. That was the one thing we didn't' have ready. We discussed doing John Edgar III, but neither of us felt it was right. Then we discussed the two names we had been fight over. I wanted him to be named "Quentin Abel" and Johnny wanted him to be "Drake". We decided to combine them since both of us were pretty set with our names. 

My recovery was so much better this time. With Daphne it took me a day and a half to get out of bed and this time I was up walking around right after. The hospital stay was nice. I had great nurses. I wanted to come home sooner than I did to be with my whole family, but I'm glad for the rest. The first night was hard because he didn't take to breastfeeding as well as Daphne, but we have got the hang of it now and I am feeling really good and getting a good amount of sleep. I hope it keeps up too cause I have a lot to get done before our move.

 I really was anxious for Daphne to come meet her brother. She was so sweet with him, but not so much with me. She pretty much didn't want to have anything to do with me until the next day.  I know it is a hard time for older siblings, but she has fallen in pretty gracefully. The fist thing she says in the morning is "where baby?" Its so sweet. Its hard to get her to listen to me when I have to feed him and she is always messing with his swing, but other than that she is being pretty normal. I know I'm really lucky. I have been so scared about what I'm going to do with two babies, but it is going really well so far. 

On other news we are moving to Maryland a lot sooner than planned. We were hoping to get to stay here in Atlanta until the end of October, but now we are moving the 7th of September. Well Johnny is going on the 7th in the car with all our stuff and we will follow on the 9th by plane. I'm so glad Mary is coming to help us with the move because I don't know how we would do it if she didn't. I'm getting really sad to leave here, but I know we have to do it. I love it here and I love the friends I've made and I will miss them badly.