After giving up that he was going to come early like his sisters. I woke up last Tuesday morning (7/5/11) and got out of bed. Within minutes I was having contractions 5 minutes apart, which soon turned to 3 minutes. I called mom and said I needed her to bring me to the hospital and I called Ryan to take the girls to school. We got to the hospital around 10 am and I was dilated to 5. It took awhile to get to a room since they needed to call some nurses in. I was at 7 when we finally got to a room and my favorite doctor (the anaesthesiologist) was there within minutes to alleviate the pain. He did a great job and by the time Dad came in (who knew the anaesthesiologist) and then Steph. I had no pain and we all just hung out for a few hours. Dr. Purhoit came in, since Dr Watters had left out of town on vacation that morning (so Dad didn't get to deliver this one), and after 3 pushes he was out. All 9 pounds and 1 ounce and 21.5 inches of him. I was shocked when they told me how big he was. He looks like his sisters, but thinner and longer. He is such a great baby and it's hard to imagine our life without him in it. It's funny how an instant can change your life so dramatically. Joel was surprised at how well I feel after having him. I guess it just gets easier the more you have. He loves to snuggle into my shoulder after he eats...and he sleeps most of the day and night. He makes the cutest little noises when he eats and he hardly fusses at anything. 
The girls are fantastic helpers. Gabby is more concerned about him than I thought she'd be. She loves to get everything ready for a diaper change and puts it all away when I'm done. They both love to feed him and hold him. I think they are a little disappointed at how much he sleeps, but that won't last long. They give him the cutest kisses. Gabby is very protective of him. The other night mom and dad stopped by and Gabby was holding him. Dad asked if he could hold him and she put her hands over him and said "No, he's my Jeremiah". A few minutes later she said he could hold him "but only for one minute." Today Nana watched him while I took the girls to gymnastics. When we went to get him we had been chatting and then Gabby came up and said "Nana we need Jeremiah so we can go home". We still have some transition moments, but it's been easier than I expected. Bella I think would just sit and hold him. We are very blessed family of five!
