We have a baby boy!!

Well here I am at 38 weeks... The Dr. was pretty sure I wouldn't make it past 39 weeks because of the progression I had made the past few weeks. Then we started the waiting game, everytime I called anyone they thought it was to tell them I had gone into labor! And I did, many times, but after a few hours it would stop. After a false alarm on Wednesday morning my Dr. decided I needed to come in the following morning to have them get the ball rolling since I was having such a hard time going into the next stage of labor. I seriously was in early labor FOREVER. I was so grateful to know our sweet baby would be coming the next day, and I didn't have to wonder anymore.

Sarah loved kissing my tummy and petting the baby...


Here goes nothing! I am all hooked up, got my epidural, and now we wait! Even with the Dr. giving me the Pit. and breaking my water, I still wasn't having regular contractions. But at least I knew what I had been feeling all week long was the real deal... and I wasn't losing my mind.

Mom and Dad came to keep me company, and to relieve Joseph so he could go get something to eat before things got crazy. Joseph's parents had Maddy and Sarah at their house. It was a bit weird not to have his mom with me too, she has been there for the first two, but I was grateful she was able to keep the girls for us.

We have a BOY!!
I still can't believe it. Benjamin Hinckley Jenninngs was born July 1st at 1:16pm. He weighed 7 lbs 9oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. He looks just like his sisters, red hair and all! Poor boy came out face up, so he had a nasty looking bruise above his forehead. That might be why I couldn't seem to go into active labor- since his head was not how it should have been. Joseph couldn't be happier to have boy in the house to keep him company!

Here he is getting his first bath, I don't think he liked it very much!

Little Ben getting his hearing tested... He passed!



Joseph's parents brought the girls to meet their new brother later in the evening. Maddy was in love with him right away... well, after she helped Daddy eat his french fries! She wanted to hold him and give him kisses. Sarah, on the other hand... not so much.

This was the only happy moment she had the whole visit. She gave Ben a kiss, and wanted down. She didn't want anything more to do with him, or me for that matter. I had to bribe her with M&M's just to get her to sit by me! Joseph's dad ended up having to walk her up and down the halls because she was SO unhappy.

I love having so much family near by! My grandmother got to come see Ben, her 10th great-grandchild! Who knows how many she'll end up with seeing that only 3 of her 9 grandchildren have had babies!

Ben and my mom (Mamacheri) bonding... She got to cut his umbilical cord! I don't think I've seen someone so happy to do such a chore. Ben makes 10 grandchildren for my mom and dad.

In honor of that they have dubbed him "BEN TEN" after the cartoon character.

Ben and my dad (Pops). There are a total of six granddaughters, and Ben makes the fourth grandson.

Proud Uncle Scott!

Ben meets Joseph's mom and dad for the first time. (Grandmama & Grandaddy) Ben is their first grandson, and their third grandchild. All red heads so far! Ben will have a new cousin in November, so we'll have to see if their fourth grandchild has red hair too!

Uncle Ryan! We call him big Uncle Ry Ry, so we know which Uncle we are referring to, seeing that I have a brother named Ryan as well. It was fun to have him there to see Ben, since he lives in Columbia. Hopefully Uncle Stephen and Aunt Naomi can come down and meet Ben soon!

Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Billy came to see us too, but for some reason I didn't get any pictures of them while they were there! We had way to many visitors in our room, the hospital only wants you to have 4, so it was a short visit with all of them, but it was nice when it was just the three of us again. I love this picture of Ben, it is like he's deep in thought.

Father and Son... Ben doesn't know what he's in for! Lots of Cubs baseball and George Strait. Joseph can't wait to do 'Boy' stuff. He was getting sick of Barbies and dolls!

After one night at the hospital we were told if we wanted to go home when Ben was 24 hrs old we could. And that's exactly what we did! Here is Ben all ready to be discharged. He was born at 1:16 pm, and we had all the papers signed and were leaving the hospital by 2 pm! Best hospital stay I've ever had! And the shortest!

Aunt Betty and Uncle Dale (Joseph's Aunt and Uncle) decorated our house with blue bows to announce Benjamins arrival. They were busy doing this while we were driving home... turns out we barely missed them!

In his car seat ready to come home!

Welcome home Benjamin!

Ben's first visitor once we got home... Our cat.

That's right Cocoa, now there are 3 kids to chase you around!

Getting a little nap in before his sisters return home... probably the only time the house has been peaceful since he came home!

Of course Ben has to be jaundiced.... he wouldn't be my child if he wasn't! The pediatrician doesn't think he'll get any more yellow, so hopefully that is true. Here he is chillin' in his swing. This was the best purchase ever made.

Poor little Sarah trying to squeeze in some mommy time. She is still a baby too, only 15 months old! She seems to like Ben more than she did at the hospital, and me too! She thinks Ben is a doll though, and wants to hold him and carry him around. When I don't let her she tries to hit him, so I have to keep an eye on her!

Maddy absolutely loves her baby brother. She called him her baby brother when he was in my tummy, so she is very PROUD that she was right. She tells me everyday that she knew she was having a brother.

Sarah loved holding Ben too, but then he got upset and started to cry... and he turns RED when he cries. It's quite the contrast next to Sarah's fair skin! The jaundice doesn't help that situation either!

I am so grateful for Benjamin, what a sweet spirit he is. He has already added so much to our home. I think we are all used to saying "him" and "he" now. For the first few days he got called "she" a lot! We have had some great friends come and give him clothes - and thank heavens for them, Ben might have had to wear some of his sisters clothes! It is fun to have to say "our kids" instead of "the girls". I'm so glad we get to experience raising a son. Joseph got started right away, Ben's first night home they watched a Cubs game together. Joseph watches them with Maddy and Sarah, but there is something different about watching one with your son. We are so blessed to have three healthy children, we are truely blessed.