Andi Anderson

This picture is OBVIOUSLY AFTER my EPIDURAL! This pregnancy and labor and delivery was VERY different from my other two. Where to begin.... Because both the boys were early and because I was HUGE, I thought for sure I would go into labor early. This is an awful way to enter the last few weeks of your pregnancy because you are on pins and needles each and every second. So needless to say, I was going crazy waiting for it all to begin and each false alarm was very upsetting.
But then Tuesday morning around 2:50am I thought it had to be it. My contractions were SO real but they weren't very close to one another. With the boys I felt them when they were about 3-5minutes apart and at that interval, you can pretty much count on going to the hospital. But here I was, in pain, but only 8-10 minutes apart. I woke Andrew up around 4am because they went to about 6min. and we talked and planned and so forth. But then at about 5am, it all stopped. I got up to take a shower and see what was going on - nothing. I think about 5:30am I fell back asleep. 6:30am the boys woke up and so we were all up - Andrew made crepes and I had occasional pain but I didn't know what to think of it. So I decided that either way, I was going to go to the doctor's to check things out.
9am the office opened and I called. At that time I was also back to ten minutes apart and thinking this could be it. My nurse, Donna, told me to come on in and maybe they would break my water. Annette arrived here at 10:15am and Jackson was very understanding that we had to go to the doctor's to get Baby Andi.
I got there and was dilated to four and not really in active labor. After walking around for 20minutes, I came back dilated to 6, fully effaced, and ready to go. After breaking my water at 12pm, the show really started. I had never been that far without an epidural and I do not recommend it. We went straight to the labor and delivery floor and I wanted to scream. I felt so gross and so miserable. A LONG half hour or so later I got the drugs - YES!!!! You wait nine months for that pleasure and so I really feel I got jipped because I only had the "goods" for about an hour and a half :( Which meant, I wasn't feeling it as much as I have in the past and so I really felt things this time. Granted it wasn't drug free, but it was more than I wanted.

After maybe five minutes of pushing, Andi made her way into our world! We thought she had dark hair - turns out it's WAY blonde!

My parents were waiting OUTSIDE the door of course but were in there the minute they got the word.

We couldn't believe the resemblance to Jackson.

Later Annette and Tori brought the boys - our first attempt at a family picture was interesting to say the least! At first Jackson was not thrilled to be in the room - he saw my IV's and basically turned the other way and left me in his dust! But once Andi was brought into the room, Jackson was willing to come back and wanted to see "Baby Anni". Just like he was with Ryan, Jackson was so in love! Ryan, ummm not really sure what was going on :)

We were just there 11 months ago, Andi is healthy, and I couldn't sleep due to all the noises and the thought of my sad little man away from us - SO we asked to leave a day early and so after our 24hours from delivery, we were able to leave!!!

We can't believe just a few months ago Ryan was in this very seat looking this small. Actually - SMALLER. Ryan was 7lbs 6oz and Andi was 8lbs 3oz (but leaving today she's only 8lbs - still my biggest because Jackson was 7lbs 12 oz).

It's great to be home. We were blessed once again to have our families so close, willing and able to watch the boys. But I think we will all rest better tonight being back together under one roof in our own beds - there's nothing like it :)

Mr. Ryan is now officially the BIG BROTHER!

Andi has been very sleepy since we have been home - what a day for us all!