Spelled Just Like it Sounds: Our Son Jude

Much of what I say in this post will mirror what Ross already said in the previous one. But I don't know where to begin but the beginning. As I am sure it is apparently clear, I was ready to be done with the pregnancy. I had tried absolutely everything (excluding castor oil) that is thought to induce labor. I had tried everything multiple times!
Friday the 6th was the only day out of the last 4 weeks that I woke up and didn't think "today could be the day." The day before, I had decided that the 6th would be my last day of work before I went on leave. I knew that it'd just be easier as his birth was imminent and I didn't want to have to worry about my work once I went into labor. After I returned my material to my office, I went to the Mills Mall where one lap around the whole thing is a mile. I did 2 1/2 laps and I bounded up and down every stair that would make itself available to me! My mom and I went to lunch and afterwards, went back to the mall and did another 2 laps. I drove home slightly bummed out that I had only one contraction from all that!
I got so sick feeling that night - it reminded me of being back in the 1st trimester! Labor had begun. Less than 12 hours from my very first contraction of labor, Jude joined our family! I could not have made it through the labor if it weren't for Ross and our doula. The support of them is what carried me through. I'm also very pleased that I was able to have the birth that I had wanted; totally drug free and natural! Jude even surprised our midwife and the nurse - they didn't even have their gloves on when he was born! He came out with one of his hands at the top of his head - he was BRACED FOR IMPACT!

I can't remember what my priorities were 6 days ago. Jude has completed our family and we didn't even know it was incomplete before! We've been home for 3 days and 2 nights and it has definitely been challenging. I know that we will find our rhythm and things will get easier with time.

Overall, Jude is a wonderfully tempered baby for a 5 day old. He makes hilarious faces and expressions and each day, I see more and more of each of us in him. He got the intestinal system of his mother (shout out to all my Olaf buddies) so I have been trying some infant massage techniques as well as some baby gas drops to help him out. Tonight, we gave Jude his first sponge bath. He absolutely loved it! Afterwards it was like he was drunk on cleanliness. After he finishes eating, he gets periodic grins accompanied by slight eye-roll; a face I like to call "post milk intoxication". He makes me laugh and is just so amazing to have around.

Ok, enough babbling - on to some more pictures :)