Introducing Matthew Peter Thomas Spear!!!

I started having contractions on Friday, March 13th, around 6:15 am. They were about 6-7 minutes apart at that point. As I have been having contraction flurries for months now, we were not sure if it was worth going into the hospital or not but around 7:30, just as Jeremy and Katelyn were about ready to leave, we decided it would be better to play it safe and go get checked out. On the way, they began to come every 3 minutes and were getting more intense.

When we arrived at the hospital they brought us to a room and hooked me up to the monitors. I was doing ok but the baby had a few heart rate drops during the contractions and they were showing no sign of slowing down. After about 30 minutes, they decided to consult the doctor, who was in surgery, and get his opinion. We started calling people to let them know it was possible the baby was coming.

They finally got word from the doctor around 10:15 that we should deliver.....at 11:00!!! I was in shock that it would be happening that fast. No one was there to watch Katelyn yet and we did not have anything with us. I did not feel at all ready but the decision had been made. Grandad arrived at about 10:40 am and called Grandma to have her come too. Katelyn did not like the way Jeremy looked in the scrubs he had to wear and was very upset when we had to leave the room to head off to surgery. She calmed down once Grandma showed up and started to get a bit excited about seeing the baby.

Matthew was born at 11:44 am. He weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 19 and 1/4 inches long. He was very loud and kicked a great deal, throughout the delivery and after, just as he had since the 18th week of the pregnancy. :) Katelyn's initial reaction when she saw him was to go up to the bassinet and ask to hold him right then and there. When the nurse told her she needed to give him a bath, Katelyn quickly volunteered to help out with it.

We are home now and adjusting to our new family dynamics. Katelyn LOVES to be helpful and hold her baby brother every chance she gets. She has started feeding her babies 'Mommy Milk' just like I feed Matthew, and she can't wait until it will be her turn to feed him his first bottle in a week or so.