connor turns five

On Friday, December 5th, Connor turned 5! I can't believe he's that old already. I feel like the last five years have flown by. Here's his "birth story"...

He was due on the 3rd and I felt great still. On the 4th, I felt fine but a few people at work told me that I looked really tired. That night, we ate dinner as usual and watched some t.v.. Survivor (Pearl Islands) was just about over when I had my first contraction. I knew right away that it was a contraction...and I always wondered how I would know. You just know. So, Carl began timing them and at 10 p.m. they were five minutes apart so we called the doctor and headed over to the hospital. We arrived around 11:15 p.m. and signed in at registration. I remember refusing a wheelchair ride up to L and D. We got up there and one of the first things I told them was that I wanted an Epidural. The pain wasn't bad at all at that point but getting an Epidural was my plan from the beginning. I got in a room, they checked me and I was 4cm. dilated. The epidural came at 1:30 a.m. and we just hung out until I dilated to 10 cm. Between 12 a.m. and probably about 2 a.m., we had visitors in and out...my parents, sister Dawn and cousin Danielle. They eventually all went to the waiting room. At 4 a.m. I had reached 10 cm. and was told that I was ready to push. Shortly after I started pushing, it began to snow. I could see the snow through the window and I think it ended up being 6-8 inches. I pushed from 4 a.m. to 5:42 a.m., when Connor was born. Because I had the Epidural, I couldn't feel how to push, which is why I think it took so long. I couldn't feel a thing...it was a very calm, relaxing birth. We didn't know if Connor was a boy or girl and I remember that moment when the doctor said, "It's a boy!" It's such an exciting feeling to not know and then two seconds later be told. And there he was...our son. It's something I think everyone who gives birth should experience. On his birthday, Connor opened up his gift from us in the morning. We got him a Wii and I think he said, "Thanks so much!" at least 10 times. He was surprised and excited. He had school at 12 p.m. so he went in with cookies to celebrate with his classmates. Carl had to go to work so between 3 and 4 p.m., we celebrated his birthday with a cake that I made (out of a box of course). Below are some pics from the day. Happy Birthday Buddy!