Introducing: Hudson Michael Wheatley

One week ago, we welcomed our new baby to the family...Hudson Michael Wheatley. (Reese loves to call him and introduce him by his full name, which is adorable.) I had a scheduled induction...for a couple reasons. Firstly, I was induced with Reese and it went very smoothly. Secondly, since my labor and delivery with Reese went fairly quickly for a first baby, and because everyone says your second labor and delivery goes much more quickly, I would lay awake at night panicked that once I went into labor I would be unable to get Reese where she needed to be, pick Michael up from work and make it all the way back to the hospital in time to get an epidural. Maybe that is irrational, but hey, pregnancy hormones make you that way. Ultimately, my doctor scheduled my induction with about 4 weeks left, and I could finally sleep with some piece of mind.

Michael and I arrived at the hospital at 5:30am and on the way we were still trying to decide on a name for the baby. (We actually continued this conversation through the entire labor part of the morning, with nurses coming in and out of the room and all.) At about 6:30am, they started me on the Pitocin (but I was actually having contractions on my own). At 7:30, my doctor came to check on me and break my water...I was still dilated to a 4. Before he left, my doctor said he would be back around noon to check on me, or sooner if need be. By about 8:45am, the epidural was in place and the contractions were feeling less painful--hallelujah! And at 9am, I was fully dilated. My mom showed up about fifteen minutes later, after getting Reese off to a friend's house. I did a few practice pushes with the nurse, before the doctor arrived; and at 9:39am, Hudson was born. (Take that, "I'll be back around noon"!) Michael was so cute as he watched Hudson get all cleaned up...he was a little bit giggly and told Hudson what a good boy he was to come so quickly...so that they could watch the BYU basketball game together later that evening. He said, "I've never watched a ball game with my son before." If I hadn't had the chills from all the IV fluid (or whatever it was that did it), I would've been melting. After some skin-to-skin time with mom, they took Hudson to the nursery to be weighed and measured.
His stats were: 8 lbs 2 oz, 19 3/4 inches





Hudson is such a dream baby. For now he sleeps and eats like a champ, which I hope lasts. We've had two doctors visits since coming home from the hospital--poor baby had a bit of the jaundice--and at 6 days old, Hudson was back up to his birth weight. (The doctor says they usually allow 2 weeks for that to happen.) Reese is loving being a big sister. She loves to tell him in a very high pitched voice how cute Hudson's _____ (legs, hands, feet, etc.) are and if ever he does fuss, she will say, in a very soothing voice, "It's ok, Hudson. It's ok."

It's crazy to me to think that we are now a family of four! But I am so grateful to have this little guy in our family. Reese sometimes asks me if Hudson is going to stay with us forever, and even though she doesn't fully understand my answer, it is such a blessing to be able to tell her, "Yes, Hudson is going to stay with us forever."