William Hodges...11/4/10

The story of the day he was born is below but the pictures got way out of order...oh well.
Sherry and Addy Jane...this little one is 9 months old and walking everywhere!!! She is soooo precious!

Our little gnome on his way home. The outfit looked so cute when I ordered it and while I do think he looks precious, I think I might hear about this one from him 20 years from now. He looks a little funny...ha!

Daddy and his first baby.

Kate and me.

The twins the day we came home.

Fairy Kate and Princess Vivi playing dress-up the day we came home from the hospital.

Abby, Sam and Baby H

Kisses for Hodges

I love this picture. Kate cracks up at every little noise he makes.

Mary Catherine, Kate and Caroline seeing Baby Hodges. Look at Kate's sweet smile. I really do think she genuinely loves him to pieces. I can't lie...I was a bit worried about it...ha!

Grandpa Bill watching Hodges get cleaned up a bit.

Papa and Sissy with Hodges. Fran's maiden name is Hodges, so that's where his name came from. William is my dad's name.

Mommy and Hodges...

See...it looked like he was a redhead when he came out. My anesthesiologist had red hair and was so excited that Hodges might have read hair...ha! Turns out, it's black. So strange...

His story:

A little history: I was almost 2 weeks overdue with Kate when I was induced and, even then, she STILL didn't want to come! So....I was surprised when I began having contractions the week before Halloween. I never even had a tinge of a contraction with Kate until after hours of Pitocin and the doctor breaking my water...ha!

Anyway, I started having Braxton Hicks (painless and usually irregular) contractions the week before Halloween. I didn't think much of them because every pregnancy is different and I thought lots of people had BH contractions toward the end of pregnancy. Well, at my 36 week appointment, I had a contraction right in the middle of the doctor listening to Hodges' heartbeat. Oops. So, she put me on "modified bedrest" and ordered me to take it easy for the next couple of weeks...and I did. Which, let me tell you, was REALLY hard with a two year old and a strong desire to "nest"! Brad picked up most of the slack but we all know it's hard to hand over the reigns when you want things a certain way. We all survived though...and the contractions all but stopped except for several each evening which is pretty normal after a long day.

Fast-forward to November 3rd. Brad and I did some picking up around the house because the sweet ladies who help us clean were coming in the morning. I suppose I overdid it and I began having pretty steady contractions around 8 minutes apart and then they picked up to about 5-6 minutes apart around 3am. I got up and went into the den to watch some TV thinking they would go away. Well, they stayed at around 5-6 minutes. Still, in denial, I proceeded to get myself and Kate ready for the day (accidentally forgetting makeup...boo because I look s.c.a.r.y. in all of the pictures of Hodges' big day) and off we went to IHOP for a special "Mommy and Kate pancake breakfast" (we had to be out of the house early for the cleaners to work before Kate went to school at 9). We had a great breakfast of pancakes and eggs which I ate because, again, I was in denial that I was having contractions. I know...what was I thinking?!? Everybody in labor and delivery, that morning, was talking about how to handle the fact that I had eaten a pancake breakfast with the anesthesia and all during the c-section.

It was just that we had PLANNED for him to come on Monday, November 8th...it had been scheduled for months! We had company coming in for my cousin's wedding and staying through MONDAY to meet Hodges...when he was scheduled to come...ha!

After I dropped Kate off at Mother's Day Out that morning, I hesitantly called my mom and told her that I was having some painless contractions about 5 minutes apart or so and she said, "Sarah! That's what I had the day your sister was born! Call your doctor!" So, I did. And they said to go to Labor and Delivery immediately for monitoring. Since I was in denial, I pulled over and texted my sweet husband (so as not to alarm him..hee hee) and he called me right back and told me he was leaving his office and would be right behind me at the hospital. Then, I chatted with Lucy on my way to the hospital...she was sure I would have Hodges that day and was cracking up that I was driving myself to the hospital. What can I say...in denial. When Brad and I both arrived at the hospital, I told him that I hated to waste the nurses' time and his time and that I was sure they would probably just send me home. Wrong. As soon as we got to the check in window on Level 5 (L & D), they told me that I was being admitted and that I would have my baby at noon. Of course, I start crying because I was not planning this and was so worried about Kate. Brad calmed me down and I was able to get in touch with my friend, Mary Catherine (a big thank you to her), to make arrangements for Kate to be picked up from school (none of our family was in town yet) and I felt so much better knowing that Kate would be in great hands and well taken care of until family arrived. Brad's parents left work, quickly packed and hopped in the car as fast as they could and headed our way. And my parents were due at the airport around 5:30pm. When I knew that everything was going to be okay (especially Kate), I relaxed and began to get excited about getting to meet Hodges.

Everything went perfectly during the csection and out he came at 12:12pm, weighing 8 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 19 1/2 inches. He was perfect and I swear, a red-head, but it's black now. Weird.

Big sister meeting Hodges after Mother's Day Out. I have since talked to her teachers and they told me that Kate was "off" the whole day and talked about Mommy going to the hospital soon to have Baby Brother. I guess she just knew that he was coming that day. Wish she would have told me...ha!

Just minutes after he was born.

So, that's his story! We have had lots of visitors and Hodges got to meet ALL of his aunts and uncles and cousins on my side, his Papa and Sissy, his Granpa Bill and Grandma DeDe, Mary Catherine and Caroline and of course our great friends, The Shepards. Thanks to everyone who has visited and sent gifts and well wishes. We appreciate them all!!!