3 Years Ago Today

Three years ago today on October 21, 2006 I woke up early and headed to the hospital to have labor induced. Ethan's due date was the 14th of October so my Doctor decided we'd give him another week to come out on his own and then we'd make him come out! We were scheduled for a 7:30 induction and we couldn't wait. It is amazing to think that we'd be going into the hospital and within hours we'd be parents. We got to the hospital and all set up to go. I laid anxiously in the bed with nothing to do but WAIT! I tried reading and watching TV but those activities didn't last very long, I was too excited to concentrate on anything but the fact that I was going to be a mother. By 12:30 I was fully dilated and ready to go. After pushing for three hours the Dr. gave me three options. 1) Keep pushing 2) Keep pushing and use the Vacuum to get the baby out 3) Do a C-Section.... Let me tell you after pushing for three hours I was almost ready for the C-Section, but the Dr. was more willing to use the vacuum. We did a few more sets of pushes and the Dr. was ready. One more set and out came our beautiful baby boy Ethan Andrew Nelson at 3:35pm! He came out weighting a hefty 8lb 14oz and measuring in at 21-1/4 inches! He was screaming by the time the cord was cut and was perfect in every way. I know I'm the mother, and of course I'm going to think he is perfect but seriously the boy had the most beautiful color skin and silky brown hair. His head had a little bump from the vacuum but when he came to my hospital room after being cleaned and checked fully the bump was gone. His head was perfectly round!

Please excuse the nudity! When I first saw this picture I had to go check on Ethan's foot to make sure his toe wasn't stuck like it is in this picture! What a happy camper he is here!
The very first Nelson Family picture! Ethan was already calmed down and loved being wrapped up in his blanket nice and tight! (Funny side story... They gave Ethan to me to hold and after about a minute I had to ask someone to take him for me because my arms were so weak from labor and the boy was sooo heavy I could hardly hold him up!)
Ethan looks a bit Asian in this photo, but look at those cheeks!

They let Ethan stay in the delivery room for about an hour or so and then took him and Daddy off to the nursery to clean him off and check him over completely! I was left in the delivery room by myself until my sister, brother-in-law, Dad and mother-in-law came in to join me. I was overcome with emotions as they congratulated me, especially when my dad came and gave me a hug. I couldn't believe that I, the baby of our family was now a mother of a very healthy baby boy! After a bit they walked me over to the bathroom and then wheeled me over to my recovery room. My sister and Dad were gracious enough to run to Burger King and pick everyone up some dinner. It was waiting in my room when I got there! Finally they brought Ethan into my room and I was able to hold him for a while.

Of course the nights in the hospital were rough. I couldn't get comfortable and neither could Chris. (Something about pushing for three solid hours and having a big baby makes it a bit hard to sit, lay, walk or really anything comfortably....)I must say I had the best bed in the room and even offered it to Chris, because I knew I wouldn't be comfortable no matter what I was sitting or laying on! Ethan was perfect, he didn't really cry or fuss that much at all!

Here is my little boy after his first bath, isn't he a cutie. He was very awake and aware of everything going on around him.

And here is our little chunk the next morning! Too me he was absolutely Perfect in EVERY way! He is our first child and will always hold a special part of our hearts because of that! Ethan was a great baby, sleeping through the night at just 5 days old. He has always napped well and loved to eat! No one every asked me how often I was feeding him, because you could look at the kid and tell he was getting enough food! Chris and I were convinced that he was born to eat straight from a spoon, he devoured his bottles. We had to purchase more nipples multiple times because the kid sucked so darn hard they would tear.

Three years ago today our lives were forever changed and I'm so grateful it did! Ethan is a great kid, loves everyone and tried to be nice to everyone too! He is a big kid, weighting in at 36lbs and measuring in at 39 inches today at his 3 year old check up! Thank you Ethan for teaching your parents SO much in just three short years! We LOVE you very much!