John Brooks Reed

I sat on my couch all day yesterday.  Literally all day.  

Because I didn't want Baby Reed to come on 9/11.  

As if I had one ounce of control over it, but just in case it would help, I did.

About 8:30pm, I figured it was safe to move again, and Josh and I went for a walk since Mom was staying with us.  We walked down N. Main and over to Lumpy's for some ice cream (chocolate oreo which is ridiculously delicious).  I was having some contractions, but not anything major or much different than what I'd been having for the past several weeks.

5am on 9/12 the contractions were a different story!  They woke me up and I knew pretty quickly that we were having a baby before the day ended.  I rested as long as I could, also wanting to make absolutely sure this labor was for real since we had a false alarm last Friday.  

It was, and so we got ready, Josh got squared away with work stuff, and we kissed and hugged kiddos and Mimi, and hit the road to Rex.  

Actually, since it was now 8am, we tried to circumvent Raleigh rush-hour traffic by taking a new route to Rex.  (I don't recommend doing that when you are in labor)

I think both of us were wondering if the jokes we'd heard about Josh delivering the baby on the side of the road were about to come true, but thankfully we made it to the hospital a little after 9am.  Being in the truck, stuck in stop and go traffic with no alternative was stressful to say the least.  But, we made it, and to be honest, I'd rather have done labor that way than sit in the hospital bed for hours watching the contraction monitor.  So we got checked in, had to wait for a room, tried not to have the baby in the waiting room, and finally got settled in a room a little before 9:30am, and found out I was 9cm!  

Just like last time with Mollie!

Dr. Stone broke my water and it had a slight trace of meconium in it so they called in the neonatology team to be there ready to check the baby right away after birth.  (I didn't make the connection, although they told me all of that, and it took me a minute to realize who all the strangers were in the room standing off in one corner!)

10am: fully 10cm and ready to push.

10:12am: We welcomed a beautiful baby BOY into the world!!

Healthy and whole, head to toe, Praise the LORD!!!  An answer to many, many prayers.  

Our Mollie was the most faithful to pray for Baby Reed...literally every night she'd pray

"Dear God, pay baby Reed, be helfy. Amen."

And BIG!?!  We had to look twice at this.  9lb 3oz and 22 inches...biggest yet!

Dr. Stone was wonderful!  I'm so happy she was the one to deliver him.

And every mama knows that having a good nurse makes all the difference during labor and delivery.  This nurse was one of, if not THE best I've had.

There he is...John Brooks Reed.  The tie is officially broken.

We wanted to tell the kids in person since he was born during the day (1st one for that).  Their reaction surprised us...we were expecting a big response when Josh told them God had given them a baby brother.  But all four of them were completely enthralled with Brooks the moment they laid eyes on him, and they barely acknowledged that Josh had said anything.  It was so funny!  And precious.

Yay for Baby Brooks!!  Finally!

So excited the waiting is over and Baby Reed is here!!  Best big sister I know.

Three sons...I hope they all turn out just like their Daddy.

Hudson has the unique privilege of now having both 

2 sisters (one older and one younger) and 2 brothers (one older and one younger).  Way cool.

Mollie will learn the big sister ropes from one of the best ever.

Carter came over to check on me first before checking out Brooks.  Sweet, sweet boy.

Reminded me of Josh's dad...James did the same thing for all three of our Georgia-born.

When I called Mom to tell her I was pregnant with Brooks, she said "The more the merrier!"

I couldn't agree more. 

Lots of Mimi-love from her now FIVE grandchildren!!

The nurse asked if the kids wanted to escort Brooks down the hall to get checked out.  Uh, yes!!

Proud 'Bigs'!!!

It's unanimous...thumbs up for Brooks Reed!!  

(Or maybe not quite thumbs up in Mollie's case...she's working on that, so finger up, then.)

A precious, precious gift from the Giver of 'every good and perfect gift' (James 1:17)

Josh got into quite a few conversations just from wearing this shirt while we were staying there.  

He loves me well and I'm thankful. 

Aaaahhhhh...back to the world of newborn snuggles.  Love.

I'm ready to soak it all up, especially because I know now how fast it flies by...