Brady Ross Onofreychuk was welcomed to our family on Thursday March 13th, 2008 at 8:05 am. He was born weighing 7lbs 8 oz and 19.5 inches long. I guess after all my whining of him coming earlier than the 17th, paid off. Yes today would have been my induction day, but the little man couldn't wait any longer either and so arrived 4days earlier.

Just a warning, I'm not editing this message... Time will no longer allow such perfection...

After 2 days and 2 very long nights of intense "Braxton Hicks" contractions I find that I was actually in labor... It started on Monday night with some noticeable contracting, but come Wednesday evening I was in so much pain from my contractions we went into the Hospital to see if it was time. I wasn't convienced because my contractions were still only 7 minutes apart, but it was the pain of them that I couldn't get over. I was having to "breath" through them. Upon our arrival to the Family Birth Center I find that I'm dilated to 4cm (up from 2 cm at my office visit the day before) but until the contractions are closer together there wasn't enough of a sign to keep me in the hospital. So home we go at 12:30am (thursday) very discouraged and concerned about the pain level. I got a sleeping pill to try and help me sleep that night, but all it did was make me feel drunk and very tired- it couldn't mask the contractions so not only was I extremely uncomfortable but equally as fatigued. Finally around 4:30 am the contractions were getting closer together (4-5 min) and enough to warrent another try at the hospital. After phoning in my SIL to come stay with the boys, we headed into the hospital just before 6:00am.

This time there was more "excitement" upon my arrival. I was now dilated to 6.5 cm, the contractions were 3 minutes apart and so immediately checked into a room. After starting the IV and getting all the admission stuff done, it was 7:00am and my Dr just arrived to check me out (now 7cm) and break my water. Ouch!! This took my pain to a whole new level and the epidural couldn't come soon enough, thankfully the Anthesiologist was coming in as the doctor was leaving, so by 7:25am I had my epidural. Not more than 3 contractions after that I was feeling the urge to push and couldn't hold it back, my nurse called the doctor back to hospital (she was on her way to the clinic) and I could hear urgency in her voice. I had a difficult time pulling myself together in between the contractions and I guess I was a little intense? My epidural was numbing my legs at this point and I was feeling some relief but not a lot. I had to breath through a couple pushing contractions until my doctor got there and just as she walked into the room at 7:55am I was having another that I couldn't ignore, so I pushed about 5 good hard pushes and there he was... at 8:05 am Brady Ross. Yikes just 2 hours after walking into the door, I had my baby.

This delivery may not have been even paced and pain free as Dylan and Riley's but the outcome was just as wonderful and perfect. Yes he's perfect!! We are at home~ just the 5 of us today, adjusting to life with a newborn again. The boys love to hold and kiss him, and are having their own adjustment period as well, but all in all we are doing well and happy to have our little Brady home.