Meet Jansen Philip Melder!

Praise God he's finally here!!  My next post will delve into the name.  This post is dedicated to a brief overview of Jansen's fast and furious arrival and the pictures we've snapped thus far of our fourth Melder boy.

So, yesterday all day I had some back pain, reminiscent of back pain I was all too familiar with (I had terrible back labor with Koen and some with Penn), but it was coming and going and I was distracted with my day with the little guys, but I knew I think, in my innate being that the time was truly drawing near.  Around 4pm, after Koen got home from school, I could tell that contractions/back labor were starting to occur somewhat regularly.  But still I was able to deal with the pain while prepping dinner and helping Koen with his homework and watching the little guys play, so I was worried about bothering Doug at work.  By 5:15pm I could sense this was the real deal and texted Doug that he should head home from work (up in Wexford).  He didn't waste a second (he's always way more on top of the fact that I go fast and knows to get me going to the hospital and not wait around too much wondering about the right time to leave).  He was home at about 6pm.  We both ate a tiny dinner, super fast (I was starving, not really in the mood to eat with the contractions making me shaky, not to mention the anxiety of wondering how it's all going to go, but I knew that this could be my last chance to fuel up for hours).  Doug helped get the boys through dinner, cleaned up, into PJ's, etc. while I sat trying to stay calm and comfortable as I timed my contractions in the living room.  Yep, definitely 5 minutes apart.  Still managing the discomfort though which made me so nervous to leave the house and get to the hospital and have to really wait it out there, but Doug doesn't let me dally when I'm in labor.  At 6:45pm, our sweet neighbor, Jennifer arrived to finish laying the boys down for bed.  I was able to chat with her, but felt like the contractions and back pain were just coming in waves.  Still able to talk through it though.  Doug hustled me out the door as soon as he could though and we "enjoyed" the fresh air on the slow-paced, my-wife's-in-labor walk to the hospital.  By the time we got to the hospital, the contractions were 3 minutes apart, but I was still able to manage the pain well and stay calm by the grace of God!  We got checked in to triage and I was 6cm (was 4cm at my last doctor appt. on Monday).  Then we got moved up to labor and delivery.  I labored up there for about an hour.  The contractions and back labor were more severe, but I was able to keep moving around and dealing with it.  At about 8:30pm, I was checked again and was 9cm.  They broke my water and then starting at 8:36pm it was time to push.  After a grueling, yet speedy episode of pushing for 20 minutes, Jansen was born at 8:56pm.  We had a little scare right at the end as the head pushed out and the shoulders got stuck and the nurses and doctors had to push down on me to help get the last of him out quickly because he wasn't crying (it was agonizingly painful), but about 30 seconds after he was completely out, he gave a few little noises and then some great, healthy cries.  The pushing was very intense and I didn't even open my eyes to see him after that crazy ending, but once he was crying I just fell to pieces marveling that he was out, healthy and finally here.  Praise the Lord!!  I was so thankful to have been able to labor and delivered just the way I had prayed for (this was very similar to Penn's birth story which was my prayer as that was my best experience yet up to this one).  After giving birth without pain meds, I was a trembling, shaky mess, not to mention crazy emotional with relief and joy.  Here's my first meeting with my son, Jansen.  

He and I calmed down a bit and here's a picture of his sweet face.

The nurses were so amazing during the whole process and then after the delivery they brought me food and a little birthday cake to celebrate Jansen's birth.  How sweet!

Eventually I shared our new little bundle with Douglas.  Jansen looks pretty content in his Daddy's arms, contemplative even.

Doug did well to grab a picture of his precious footprints.  Just another reminder that the Lord has blessed us yet again with another healthy baby with all 10 fingers and 10 toes.  After months of wonderings, prayers and yearnings for that blessings, how can I not get teared up in the relief of knowing he's here safe and sound in my arms finally.  The waiting and wondering is over.  We have another baby boy to share our lives with.  Thanks be to God for his marvelous works!  Jansen weighed in at 7lbs., 7oz. and 20 and 1/2 inches.  

We got to stay in the Labor and Delivery room for 2 hours.  Then we moved on up to the post-partum unit.  Turns out they just finished refurbishing one side of this floor and had re-opened the rooms on this exact day and we are the first ones to stay in this room!  Talk about nice treatment!!  We didn't get to turn in for the night until almost 1am and of course after delivering a baby I didn't sleep really well (not to mention the couple interruptions for vital checks, etc.), but Jansen and Doug slept really well, so that's good that the boys woke up rested. =)  I had lots of time in the night to just thank my Heavenly Father for all these amazing blessings and answers to prayer.  I did eventually get a small chunk of sleep and woke up refreshed and excited to start my first day with Jansen.  Doug ran home at 6:30am to relieve our friend, Taylor, who stayed the night, so she could go to work.  He got to tell the boys the name, pack K up for school and get Tav and Penn ready for their fun day at home with yet another loving friend, Mrs. Reilly, who arrived at 8:30am.  Jansen and I started with a feeding for him at 7am.  He's a nursing champ already which is yet another relief and blessing.  He's also doing just fine in the diaper department!!  After a good feeding and a fresh diaper he was all wide awake and we had fun getting to know each other a bit. 

We are thinking his eyes look like a dark blue now.  Maybe similar to Koen's at birth.  Koen's turned at 9 months.  They don't look quite as bright blue as Tav's, but then again, we haven't seen them totally open yet.  His hair seems to be a dirty blonde, not dark brown and probably not as light as Tav's.  There could be a tinge of red in it perhaps.  

It was a pretty hectic morning (well, hectic for the fact it's just us and a snuggly baby).  The OB/GYN stopped by to say hi and then the pediatrician.  I got a shower which was fantastic and then poor Jansen got his circumcision.  He was a champ though and came back not even crying and I nursed him again and then he laid down for a sweet, peaceful sleep.  Look at that handsome face!!

Well, that's the update for now.  Next post I will explain why we named him and then hopefully later today I will do a blog post on Jansen meeting his brothers (should happen around 4 or 5pm tonight).  Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and loved us through this pregnancy.  It was a trying one, but totally worth it for this gift we have in Jansen.