A VERY Busy Week

I cannot think of a time that I was busier than in the last 10 days.  It's been quite an adventure.

Almost two weeks ago, Mama got sick with flu-like symptoms and was admitted to the hospital and (wrongly) diagnosed with Lyme Disease and Babesiosis.  For those of you not in the mid-Atlantic region of the Northeast, the symptoms are like that of Malaria.    Needless to say, it kicked my butt.
Had some early contractions while I was feeling like I got run over by a train.  Thankfully, they did not yield a baby that day.  Our pals the Sarchinos saved the day by watching Thomas until Nana and Papa Wuff came (at a moment's notice) to stay with Thomas while Mama recovered from the mystery virus.

Swimming with Allison

Soccer with Nana

Some antibiotics and a few days later, Mama was sent home to recouperate and gain strength to deliver a baby.  Thankfully, Nana stayed with us.

"Nana!!!"

A few days of laying VERY low yielded a much better Mama, who became anxious again to birth this boy in her belly.  There are many tricks that she tried, including, but not limited to pushing down on her belly, coaxing, pulling weeds and other various yardwork, vacuuming aggressively, etc.  Sporadic contractions continued, but none of the tricks appeared to yield a kid. 

Sunday night, one week after I was admitted to the hospital for the virus, dejected, I headed to bed very big and a little disappointed that I had gone over my due date.  Giving my teeth a good brush while Dad surfed the iPad, there was a faint pop noise followed by...you guessed it...some water running down my leg.  7/28 at 9:40pm.  After a quick shower and call into the OB/GYN, we headed out toward Vassar (the hospital).  Here we go!!!

Contractions that started at 7 mins apart (this is when they usually tell you to head in) literally hit a bump at the bottom of Mountain Road, where our ill-maintained road ramped the contractions up to two minutes apart (this is considered active labor).  Mike did his best to distract me from 10:22, when we left the house until 10:24, when the rest of my water broke through in the car, to 10:26 when they started coming fast and furious, to 10:28 when I incredulously noted the contractions were very close and very painful, to 10:32, 10:34, and 10:36, when I decided it was best to stop keeping track of these mounting pains.  We arrived at the hospital at 11:00, making fairly good time, and thankfully, not delivering a baby in a car on the side of the highway. 

With no time to lose, an agonizing Mama was denied any pain medication, an epidural, or anything other than a saline IV bag.  Things were progressing too quickly.  This kid was ready to get out and it was going to be au natural!  It only took 35 minutes of serious pushing, some screaming that Mike describes as "Biblical Death Screams," and some luck that at 12:29 am on July 29, 2013,  a whopping 9 pound, 10 oz, 23 inches long baby boy was born.  We warmly welcome our second son and Thomas' baby brother, RYAN STEPHEN McCOLLUM.