Ethan Charles Whitsett has arrived!

Ethan finally made his appearance on Thursday, April 2 at 4:09pm. He was 7 pounds, 11 ounces and 22 inches long. Everyone is healthy and happy and doing great!

Here's how everything went: We checked into the hospital on Wednesday night after a great dinner at Amaya's to get everything started. After getting hooked up to the monitors, we realized I was already having small contractions on my own before medicine, I just never realized that's what I was feeling. Unfortunately, between the contractions, Ethan's heart monitor, and just being in a hospital, I didn't sleep at all.

The next morning, we got to take showers and get ready for the day before starting the IV. At around 6:30 am or so, the induction began and around 7:30 the doctor came to break my water. I had my epidural around 9:30 or 10. I had very little progress all morning, and was starting to get discouraged, but at around 12:30, they examined me and said I made it to 4cm. The nurse said that was the hardest part, and to expect to progress about a centimeter an hour from that point, so plan on around 6pm. A little while later, I was at 6-7cm, and a little later, I made it to 7-8. Around 3:00, I had a huge pain in the left side of my lower back, which come to find out was the little monkeys head saying I'm ready to come out, and I was at 10cm.

After everyone cleared out, minus my mom and of course Cory, the nurse got everything ready for pushing, which she said takes one to three hours for first-timers. I was not excited to hear that, but thankfully, after one contraction and 3 pushes, she told me to stop. She had to go get the doctor because the head was "right there." One hour, yeah right, like I can take that.

So we waited for the doctor, and when he came, we pushed through a few more contractions and met our baby boy at 4:09. Apparently, I'm a "good pusher." Thank goodness, because my doctor had to leave that day at 6:30 and my goal was to get it over with by then.

I feel very lucky and blessed to have such a great and relatively easy experience. Our doctor told Cory to watch out because when it goes that well, the mom usually wants another baby soon. We'll see how we do with the first one first. :)

Here are a few pictures from his first day:

His first bath, which Daddy got to participate in while Mommy sat around waiting and getting cleaned up. (Men are sooo lucky).

His first weigh in. Thanks buddy for not growing too big in Mom's tummy.

One with his eyes open from his first night home.