The Birth of Baby Anderson!!

We welcomed our new little boy, who has yet to be named, on  August 24th 2011 at 5pm. Here is the story....in pictures :) It was such a beautiful experience with my favorite people surrounding me. Not to say it wasn't hard, those last moments were something else, but it was beautiful and is such a miracle!!

Last belly shot 40 weeks 5 days

Around 9, just chillin and waiting for things to pick up. Labor started the night before but was nothing big. I've had plenty of false starts so I wasn't getting my hopes up. But when I woke up around 6:30 and they were still there I was getting excited!

1:45, things are picking up....finally! Our friend Anita came to be the photographer, but she had to leave our house at 3 to catch a flight to Switzerland :( We are so sad that she didn't get to stay for the birth but glad that she was there for the time that she was. Thanks Anita!

About 2:45, things move up a notch yet again and the midwife is on her way!

Woot woot, filling the tub, the kids favorite

3ish, waiting for the fracking tub to fill and saying bye to Anita. Things are moving WAY faster than I anticipated.

3:30ish Ahh sweet relief, water takes away about 50 percent of the pain and I give major props to women who give birth on dry land :)

My sweet little helpers!

4:15 Things are really moving

It was about this time that Karley got here. We are sooo grateful that she came and took such amazing pictures and that her little man is such a good baby and will stay with a sitter! I love you K dawg!

4:30 ahh, no contraction is always something to smile at!

Checking on the little one.

4:42 Blessed relief, my water breaks! Phew, I thought it was the head what with all that pushing.....

but only for a minute, now the real work begins!! 4:48

A break.

I love this man!

4:54 Crowning, youch!

Elyse is feeling the head, for what turns out to be a while, I didn't want to push when I didn't feel like it and I didn't feel like it for a few minutes!

4:57 Elyse is feeling the head come out and getting ready to catch the body!

About 1 minute later he is here!!

The moment when we all see that it's a BOY!!

Note the look on Elyse's face, she is SO disappointed that it's not a girl, it was a sad moment. Levi was right next to Valeriana (the midwife) and while I was pushing kept saying, "kass calm down, Kass calm down" hah!

A little bit of blood goes a long way in the water, I tore just a little which is what makes the water so red.

As the placenta is coming out Levi cautiously observes.

Elyse is cutting the cord with Gayla, the midwife's assistant.

I love this guy...more than words can say, everytime I do this with him my love for him just reaches a new high.

Newborn exam.

The weigh in 8lb 14oz!! Hefty!

A well deserved after birth snack...yum!

Welcome to the world baby boy, we love you so much!! Please forgive us that we can't think of a name for you, but don't worry we will!

We are so grateful to our wonderful midwife Valeriana, she helps make the experience so lovely and so relaxed. She brings so much love and knowledge to each birth that I have been lucky enough to attend with her, we just feel so blessed to have had her at our 2 homebirths! Thank you!!