I am happy to report that Steven Gage Harwell made his arrival today, March 21, 2007 at 4:20pm weighing in at 7lbs even and 19 1/2 inches long!
Micah is doing very well considering. Last night she didn't get much sleep due to the contractions, so they gave her Stadol which helped, but since she was still a tight 1cm this morning, the doctor broke her water around 9am...by 11:30ish, she was hurting, but only at 3cm dilated, so they gave her the epidural and that really took the edge off and allowed her to sleep. They checked again about 1:00 and she was 5-6cm dilated and 80-90% effaced. At 2:30 the nurse checked again and she was fully dilated and effaced, so the pushing began. She was such a trooper, but was really getting tired toward the end. The OB had to cut her and then she tore in addition, so the repair for that was extremely painful and Micah was in a world of hurt. They actually had to stop the repairs and give her more Stadol for pain. That worked, but then she was really out of it for most of her visitors and the baby's first several hours of life.
I left the hospital at 9pm and she'd had her epidural, IV, blood pressure cuff, finger pulse, and catheter removed. She'd taken some pain medicine by mouth, drank about 4 Sprites and had several bites of crackers, red jello and peaches. She even got up to go to the restroom, so she is really doing very well.
The baby is of course, the most beautiful child in the world (right after my Jenna!). He's a good baby so far (but aren't they all in the hospital?!) They are thinking, barring any complications, they'll be able to go home on Friday. Jenna and I are heading out to Chattanooga tomorrow and Steve will join us on Friday morning. We'll be back on Sunday afternoon in time to visit with Micah. If you wonder why you don't see any pictures of Jenna with the baby, it's because they absolutely would NOT let her even on the floor. Steve had to stay with her most of the time because I was with Micah the entire labor. I made it to her right as she was getting the epidural and stayed until tonight. It was just me, her mother and her boyfriend during the labor and delivery and MAN! What a miracle to watch! I've never been able to be part of a birth before and it was unbelievably cool! God is awesome to have created this process! I will always be glad that Micah allowed me to be part of it. And to find myself and Pam coming together despite our differences for the love and support of Micah was another little miracle in and of itself. I could go on and on. And right now, I'm ultimately exhausted, so rather than babble on, I'll attach a few pictures and hit the sack.
The picture of me and Gage is an awful one of me and you can't really see Gage, but you get the point. I took the picture of Micah and Gage right as I left the hospital this evening and then the one of the men are three DIFFERENT generations...baby Gage, then daddy Steven, then the grandads...Steven's dad, Micah's dad, Steve (mine) and then Micah's stepdad, Barry (Pam's husband). I thought that was really an awesome picture. ENJOY!
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