Introducing...

Jude Matthew Sarr

born April 1st, 2012

4:09 pm

8 lbs, 10 oz

22 inches

There's a new kid in town. He's squishy and squeaky and snorty. My already full heart has somehow grown to make room for this sweet little boy. I'm in love all over again.

Wanna hear how it all went down?

Why am I asking? I'm gonna tell you either way.

Buckle up..

Let's back up to last Thursday night. Matt and I packed up the car with luggage and one kiddo and headed to Visalia for the weekend. Matt's brother was getting married on Saturday, and both Matt and Paige were part of the wedding. We were going to play it by ear and see what baby Jude's plans were before we made any major commitments. As time went on, I felt a peace about heading 3 hours away from my hospital 4 days before my due date. So off we went.

Thursday and Friday went by without any signs of labor. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing we weren't going to miss the wedding (and that I wouldn't be sitting in a car for 3 hours while I timed contractions). The wedding was picture perfect, Paige actually walked down the aisle like she's been a flower girl all her life, and I trekked around in my maternity dress and cowgirl boots the whole day. Unfortunately the rain came during the cake cutting and scared us all away. I begged Matt to just stay in town that night instead of driving in the rain, but he stood firm and we headed home. Little did I know, I'd be thanking him in just a few hours!

Less than 24 hours before Jude arrived!

Cutest little flower girl I've ever seen.

Sunday morning, after tossing and turning most of the night because of some cramping, I got up at 6 am thinking "Maybe these are contractions?" I whispered to Matt that I was going to relax in the bathtub and see if anything progressed. He asked if it was an April Fool's joke, I laughed and said "nope", and started the bathwater.. 


Contractions came and went throughout the morning, but nothing closer than 10 minutes apart, and they stopped anytime I sat down. We figured if I was really in labor, it would probably take two whole days before the baby came (because that's what happened with Paige), so we took a trip to SLO for some light shopping and lunch. I had to stop and breath through some contractions while we were out, but I wasn't timing them so I wasn't sure how well they were "working". We headed home for Paige's nap time and decided to rest as well just in case. I laid down in bed at 2:00 pm. I had a contraction, then another 7 minutes later. Then another after 6 minutes, then again in 5 minutes, then 4 minutes. They were feeling fairly strong, and I was surprised they were getting closer while I relaxed. I got back in the bathtub to try to get through the contractions. It wasn't long before I told Matt it was time to go. I still had a feeling that it was going to be too early to go to the hospital, but I just couldn't handle anymore. In only and hour the contractions had gone from bearable and about 8 minutes apart to extremely painful and 3 minutes apart.


Matt talked to our neighbor about staying with Paige while she napped so we could head to the hospital. I climbed in the car, Matt grabbed a bucket in case I threw up, and we drove the 25 minutes it takes to get to the hospital. I remember Matt saying "Open your eyes and tell me we're not having this baby in the car" and me asking him to "get me an epidural when we get there." Other than that it was kind of a blur.


We made it to the hospital around 3:50 pm, Matt pushed me in a wheelchair to my room, I undressed, gave my midwife a urine sample, and Matt asked about the epidural like I had (I'm sure so sweetly) asked for. My midwife said "Ok, let me check first and we'll see". She asked me to head to the bed, I stopped at the sink because I felt like I was going to puke. Then I felt my water break, like a water balloon bursting all over the bathroom floor. Everyone was shocked, and I was sure I was going to die right there hovering over the sink.


I finally made it to the bed, my midwife checked to see how far I'd progressed, and said "Sorry sweetie, no epidural, it's time to push!" They hadn't even had time to prep the room, nurses were running around grabbing bedding and gloves and tools while I pushed. Jude was born with his cord wrapped around his neck at 4:09 pm. Did you catch that? He was born 19 minutes after we arrived at the hospital! 


I could see him halfway out with a face the exact color of a blueberry. It scared me. It scared Matt. I could tell my midwife was a little concerned. He wasn't crying. It wasn't coming unraveled. I felt like my body was going to rip open from my back to my belly button. I think I demanded "Get him out!".. maybe more than once..


And then he was out laying on top of me. He let out his raspy little cry (just like Paige's) after some time with an oxygen mask. He was finally here!

My little blueberry baby.

Paige watching with her daddy during Jude's first bath.

Jude checked out perfectly healthy after such a whirlwind of a delivery. We didn't know how much he weighed for the first few hours, and we were guessing between 7 and 7 and a half pounds. Then the scale read 8 pounds, 10 ounces! I thought they were pulling my leg. It was April Fool's Day, afterall.


We slept at the hospital that night, and woke up nice and early ready to head home as soon as possible. After all the paperwork and lectures and paperwork and a visit from the pediatrician and more even paperwork, we were on our way home with our little boy.

Paige missed me..

At the hospital, ready to head home.

Sweet big sister watching her baby brother snooze.

Jude and dad hanging out.

The many faces of Jude.

Jude fits right in. Paige loves to hold him and kiss him. She asks about him if she doesn't see him right away. She is (and has been for the past 9 months) a wonderful big sister. Although she is dangerously close to being a true two-year-old, she has been great through all the newness in our home this week. My mom stayed for a few days and helped with EVERYTHING. Laundry, dishes, organizing, playtime, diaper changes, baths, burping, you name it she did it! I can't thank her enough.


We went to his first doctor visit today, and everything checks out perfectly. We were told it's a good sign if newborns are back up to their birth weight by their second week. Jude is 2 ounces over his birth weight and it's been 4 days. 

Life is good.

My heart is bursting.

I love my little family of four.