THE SAUER FAMILY: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALBERT JOSEPH (AJ) SAUER!

HE'S HERE! And here early! AJ Sauer arrived on March 20th, 2007 at 8:00 a.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 7 oz., and was 19 1/2 inches long (good thing he was 16 days early, otherwise he would have been a 10 pounder)! Brian and I actually went to the hospital around 10:30 p.m. on March 19th because I was having trouble feeling AJ move. Everything checked out perfect, he started moving, and we were sent home. Four hours later at 2:30 a.m. on March 20th, my water broke (a gush not a trickle). Brian went into panic mode thinking I was going to deliver right then and there on the bedroom floor, but we both managed to get our stuff together and were on our way to Mount Carmel East Hospital a little after 3:00 a.m. We turned around once to get Brian's cell phone, and we did have to stop and get gas. The contractions started in the car around 3:15 a.m., and we arrived at the hospital around 3:30 a.m. The nurse that sent me home earlier was still there and was with me through most of my delivery. By the time I was settled into the labor and delivery room I was already 100% effaced and 3 cm. dialated. The contractions were bearable for a short while, but the pain was all in my back and quickly intensified. By 6:00 a.m. I was 6 cm dialated and asking for the epidural (there is a reason these Doc's are God-like on a labor and delivery floor). Brian later told me that he about gaged as he watched him insert the needle into my back (all I felt was the previous numbing shot). At this point I thought I might get a couple of hours rest as I relished in the joy of modern anethesia medicine, but to my suprise I was complete and ready to push a little before 7 a.m. I couldn't feel a thing as the pushing began, so the nurse had to watch the monitor for my contraction to let me know when to "bear down." An hour later, our precious, perfect little son was born! We have been so blessed!

Dr. Friday showing off our new son! He came out screaming!