Paul's post - time for Samuel to be born

Michelle came home from seeing her doctor today and told us we were
going to the hospital to meet him there. He wanted to induce the labor.

We arrived there around 3pm and sat around for a while before Michelle got a room. I tried to get the kids situated in the waiting room but eventually let them in to her room in the labor and delivery section at the hospital. Everyone was quite nice as our entourage milled about.

Phalen ended up staying in the waiting room and didn't want to be around. Kylee wanted to watch, but I said no and she stayed in an adjoining room.
Megan and Jessie had "front row" in the two seats facing Michelle's bed and Jackie wasn't there. (She was more interested in having a sleep-over and swimming with her friend Aubree.) I stood next to Michelle and pushed hard onto the base of her spine during each contraction. She said it relieved some of the pain and it really made me feel important :) Once they put the oxytocin on to her, the contractions quickly started spiking up much higher and seemed to get sort of random.

Her doctor had decided she'd have an epidural (although Michelle said she didn't want one). While she was getting that put into her, she had a contraction and said she *wanted to push* and the anesthesiologist quickly got one needle-full into the tube thing in her back. Michelle did push, and a nurse said saw the baby's head! The room went into a panic! They rushed out to get Dr. Nader and he came in with all of his stuff and everyone rushed around getting ready.

The anesthesia was barely coming on, and within the next three or four contractions Michelle pushed Samuel out. The "pushing part" was over in less than a few minutes. It was so incredible to see him come out; he looked sort of blue and was coughing a bit. They said that since he came out so fast, he didn't have time to get the junk in his lungs cleared out. He was so big and so healthy looking. I really felt like falling apart at that point, but stayed level-headed through it all (I asked for this in prayer and that prayer were clearly answered).I watched the Doctor cut the umbilical cord and then he pulled out the placenta which was pretty interesting looking, but quite gross.

I didn't faint or throw up, but I did cry some. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

As Michelle held Sam while the nurse was wiping him off, I watched and told the Doctor about how birth is such clear evidence for a God in heaven. He agreed.

Samuel Isaac Ricketts
7/24/06 7:03pm
9 pounds, 15 ounces