As the due date approached, we were hoping that the baby would come a few days early, like Madelyn did. Jill was so kind to spend the week with us in case we needed to head to the hospital and have someone to take care of Maddie. We went on walks, played at the park, went out to eat, watched movies, and had a wonderful time with Jill while playing the waiting game.
Finally on the due date, October 1st, I started having regular contractions around 9pm. However, they stopped after about 45 minutes. Again, I had contractions around 2:30am, but then stopped. So by Thursday, we decided to go ahead and schedule to be induced Friday morning.
Friday morning, walking into the hospital at 6:15am, both Todd and I looked up to see a clear night sky with stars shining. It was going to be a beautiful, blue sky day.
The nurse started the IV at 7:15am. From our room, we had a great view of the sun rise over the mountain and valley. Each time the nurse turned the dosage up, Todd and I chatted and I had contractions but not anything painful. Finally after the final dosage increase, I immediately was ready for the epidermal. Then the nurse said I was already at a 10! It was time! She quickly called the doctor and made the preparations. The doctor must have had his running shoes on because he showed up very quickly and was out of breath! He broke the water and I started pushing. Little Ethan arrived at 10:48am, weighing 8 lb 6 oz and was 20 inches long. The nurses all agreed he was a beautiful baby with long toes.
I could tell Todd was so proud to be holding his son, just by the way he looked at him.
After several hours, I was settled in our room and Todd met me there after going with the baby to be tested and bathed.
Our first visitor was Grandma Jill.
Then Debbie and Dave were in town for Dave's sister's wedding, and stopped by to meet little Ethan.
Due to changes in their flight, Dad and Mom arrived in town around 9:30pm and came straight to the hospital to see the baby. All the visitors just oooed and ahhed over him!
Saturday morning, Mom, Russ, and Dad came. Then Todd arrived and we started marking names off of the list. We narrowed it down to Ethan, Everett, and Aaron. I thought he looked like a name starting with "E" or "G". Todd chose "Ethan". He said, "I just couldn't take Ethan off the list." So Ethan Todd Fisher it was! We enjoyed watching conference during the day.
Sunday morning, we packed up and headed home. This was Madelyn's first meeting of her little brother. She went full circle---as she first didn't know quite what to think of him and was really shy, to then warming up to him, and finally, she was trying to grab his hand and lay on him.
Welcome to the family, little Ethan!
