Happy Birthday, Dear Marshall...

I woke up at 3:00 AM exactly one month ago today, four days overdue, knowing that it was finally time. Michael and I headed to the hospital, made the important calls to our parents, and arrived at Northside at 5:00 AM. As Michael went to park the car, I hung over the registration desk in pain trying to check myself into labor and delivery. I remember two girls sitting in the waiting area watching me with a frightened look. They were there for their scheduled c-sections and obviously not in the pain I was. The next 15 minutes were the longest I had ever experienced.

We finally got check-in to our room and to my surprise I was already 5 cm dilated. At that point they started pumping me full of fluids so I could get my epidural. It didn't take long for me to swell up like a chipmunk....the fun had begun. The epidural was the best relief I had ever experienced. I have no idea how women go without it (...ASH!). Mom, Dad, Barry and Arlene all arrived within the next hour and stayed the rest of the time with us, trading spots in the labor and delivery room while we waited for Marshall to make his appearance.

At about 1:00 PM I was fully dilated. Doc came in and indicated that Mr. Marshall was still pretty high up there. He said to hang in there for two more hours. I had started feeling some pain again as the pressure inside mounted. TWO HOURS?! You have got to be kidding me. Forty-five minutes later, I experienced the craziest pain ever...something HAD to be going on. The baby was moving like a wild man inside, almost like he was trying to JUMP out of my body. The nurses were calling the Doc back to the hospital because it was time to PUSH. Mike was a great dad from the start...a real trooper. He had planned to provide support staying near my head but ended up being called to duty holding a leg when the doctor hadn't arrived yet.

Doc arrived and within 30 minutes, Marshall was here. It was 2:38 PM. He came out screaming, the best noise I had every heard. The tears started flowing. A special nursing team came in since I was running a fever and Baby Marshall had released some merconium in my body during labor. Luckily he was in great shape and needed no special treatment.

Our lives haven't been the same since that day. He has grown so much, starting to flash the most heart-warming smiles, and continues to bring more joy to our lives then we ever could have imagined.

Happy One-Month Birthday, Marshall!

Stats from today's check-up:

Height: 22.25 inches - 75th percentile

Weight: 11 lbs, 7 oz - 95th percentile

Marshall at 1 month - Big, big boy!

Trying out his Bumbo seat...

Sweeet baby boy...