induction

Apparently I've been feeling nostalgic these past few days with Luke's birthday quickly approaching and I've spent a serious amount of time reminiscing about this time last year. Today was the day I went in for my induction and really should have been the day Luke was born. After it was over, I was so completely overwhelmed and exhausted, that I didn't post many pictures or write out too much of what happened. Maybe I was traumatized or maybe I was engrossed in the current situation of being a new mom that I overlooked documenting it. I came to my senses around the time that Luke turned six months old and wrote out his birth story.

Crazy as this may sound, but with the exception of my wedding day, that day was the absolute best of my life. Sure I was swollen, in pain, and strapped to a bed with no sign of food, but I was surrounded by people that I love most and had the most powerful experience in giving birth. Although I was technically in labor for 19 hours, only 2 ish of those were really painful before I got the epidural. If I had to do it all over again (which I will someday-and no-not in the next 10 months) I wouldn't change a thing.

Leaving for the hospital at 5:00 a.m. The last belly picture!

My mom gave me some amazing foot rubs in the hospital. My feet were so swollen.

Jeanne, Andi, and my mom were in the room as the pushing began.

So although I thought today would be the day Luke would arrive, it wasn't and I'm not the least bit disappointed. I will be remembering tonight as I'm getting ready for bed that that was about the time I started pushing to get him out. And a short time later...