Better Late Than Never!

After my tests last Sunday revealed low amniotic fluid, it was recommended that I be induced that afternoon rather than waiting until Wednesday, as previously planned. I kept thinking that I wasn't ready, but really, we were kind of glad to have the ball rolling. By 6:00 Sunday night, things were progressing. At 8:00, the on-call doctor allowed me to eat, for which I was very grateful. (The vegetarian option for lunch that day had been cottage cheese and fruit, so I was STARVING and thrilled to get another meal!) At 9:00, I declared that this was our first and last baby...EVER. At 11:30, I asked for my epidural. By 12:30, life was good again.

The downside of the epidural was the blood pressure cuff that squeezed my arm automatically every 15 minutes ALL NIGHT. Michael enjoyed slightly more sleep than I did, but it was definitely a loooooong night. At 6:00 Monday morning, my awesome nurse Gwen came in to check me and said I had made good progress. We made phone calls telling our families and friends that we had a couple hours. Gwen checked me again at 7:00, things had suddenly sped up - but there was no doctor there to deliver. Gwen called the on-call doctor, who was a 30-minute drive away, and Michael made a few frantic phone calls. My mom, dad, and brother arrived before the doctor, so I got to see them before the birth. When the doctor arrived, I was able to start pushing. My reaction to this news was to throw up. :)

Not long after, Michael turned white and had to sit down. I thought, OH GREAT! My support man is down! Thankfully, Linda arrived just then and took his spot until he recovered. It was 8:00 by this time and I had Michael turn on Will & Grace. Seriously - how did I get so lucky? :) So I watched almost one whole episode of Will & Grace in between pushes, and Elias Adam Vink was born at 8:23am. Despite my calculations that he weighed right around 40 lbs., he was much smaller than that - 7 lbs., 13 oz. & 20.5 inches long. We got home Wednesday right around noon and have been keeping busy with his eating habits. Michael says he eats as much as his parents. :) He's really quiet and calm so far, fussy when we change him or if he's hungry, but he's not much of a crier, so once again, our luck is great! Incredibly, he changes every day. He's a different baby even at 5 days old. Today, he decided to stay alert after eating his meals instead of passing out cold. :)

I've spent the last couple days telling Eli and his father that Eli will be an only child. I am SO THANKFUL for a fabulous pregnancy and an amazing birth experience. My two requirements were quick and painless, and I definitely cashed in on those. We are loving this timeand enjoying every minute.

Pictures:
Eli with my mom
Typical Eli after eating
Eli & Buzz
SO TINY in his car seat, ready to leave the hospital
Eli with ElFab, Uncle Dave, and his betrothed, Amelie.