Samuel Michael Dudley

The Story...

as well as I can remember it! :)

We went in at 8am for our scheduled induction where I signed my life away... and his life away! I was all hooked up and my doctor came and broke my water by about 9:45am and they started me on pitocin. By about 11:00 I was only dilated to a 3 1/2, and thought this was going to be a really LONG day... I went into the hospital with both girls dilated to a 6 before I was even admitted. I got my epidural around 11:30.
My epidural was definitely strong, I couldn't feel a thing. They checked me again around 1pm and I was up to 5cm, made a little bit of progress. About 1:45, I started to feel something weird. Not pressure, it didn't hurt, just a strange feeling. The nurse came in and checked me, I was 9cm. So she called the doctor. She came in again at 2pm and I was fully dilated, ready to push... but had to wait for the doctor to come. So we all sat around the room, ready for this baby to come, until the doctor got there around 2:40pm. It took a few pushes to get him out because he was "sunny-side up"... they had to turn him during the contractions. Thank goodness I couldn't feel a thing, it was a piece of cake for me! Baby "no-name" was born at 3:10pm. He weighed 7 pounds, 7.3 ounces and was 20 inches long. Mike and I hadn't yet decided on his name, but had either Daxon or Samuel in mind. Before delivery day, I was leaning more towards Samuel and Mike towards Daxon. After he came out, and Mike was holding him, he said, "I think he's a Sammy." I said, "Really? I think he's a Daxon!" But after I finally got to hold him, I decided Mike was right... Samuel he is! :)
Everything went really well at the hospital. He looked great and sounded great. I still couldn't believe the size he was. My girls were 6.10 and 6.14 when they were born! I loved telling my sister that I actually gave birth to a baby over 7 pounds... and well over 7 pounds! AND he was 5 days early!
The girls couldn't come visit, the hospital (as most others around the country) have a rule that under 12 years can't visit. They also had a rule that only 2 visitors could be in the room at a time. We broke that rule when my aunt Karen and cousin Tyson came to visit (Mike counts as a "visitor".) But the nurse didn't seem to mind.My doctor, the pediatrician, and the nurses were shocked when we told them we wanted to go home that next day. They were really pushing us to stay a 2nd night. Are people crazy?? I wanted to get home to my girls. We were bored out of our minds at the hospital. You can only watch so much TV! Up in Washington, it was a different story. If everything goes well, and mom and baby look good, you check out after 24 hours!
Sammy didn't pass his hearing test. This kind of freaked me out a bit (and still does, but Mike keeps reassuring me he's fine). Both girls passed. I've never heard of someone not passing before. But I read that it does happen, and he very well could pass at his rescheduled test coming up on the 27th. They said his ears could just be filled with fluid, that's a common reason a baby will fail. We're pretty sure he can hear. He does get startled at loud noises.
We have loved having Sammy here at home. It's been so fun having a newborn around again, and so fun having a boy! We think he's the cutest boy in the world!

Maddie can't get enough of her brother. She drives me crazy all day long, constantly asking if she can hold him, feed him, burp him, help change his diaper. The questions don't stop... all day long! She checks on him throughout the day to "make sure he's still sleeping" and will come back and report.

Chloe is very curious. I'm pretty sure she thinks he's a baby doll to play with, so we keep him out of her reach! I caught her the day after we brought him home.... She heard some funny sounds coming from his bed and thought she should check it out!



We think Sam looks more like Maddie did as a baby, but has hair like Chloe's. But that being said, we think he has his own "look". So far, I think Sam is a definite mix between Mike and I. We're curious to see how he changes over the next few weeks.
So far, our little Sam is the sweetest little thing. He is so calm and content. He eats and sleeps great! This morning I woke him up just before 7am to eat... his last feeding was at midnight. But... I'm not going to get my hopes up. They seem to sleep constantly when brand-spanking new!
Sammy LOVES his pacifier already. He also likes to sleep with his face nestled into his blanket, all covered up, just like his sisters did.