Introducing.....

HE'S HERE!!!!!!  The wait is over and he is finally here!!!!!  May I introduce you to.....

John Karl Laval Pedersen

Oh, this boy!  He certainly took his time in arriving.  He certainly gave me quite a lesson in humility, patience, and acceptance.  He certainly had all of us looking at the calendar, as the dates flew by and my dad's departure date crept closer and closer, wondering if he would ever come.  And then, when he did come....boy was he in a hurry to get here!  :)

As you will have read in the post prior to this,  my parents arrived on July 5th.....Jeffery's birthday and two days before my actual due date.  We had all been lulled into thinking that Sven would follow the precedent set forth by his two older brothers and arrive 5 days early.  I had started my tea regimen on Sunday, July 2nd and was convinced.....convinced, I tell you....that I would be in labor or have delivered the baby by the time my parents arrived.  HA!

Now, don't get me wrong.  Dave and I are eternally thankful to my parents for being here and helping cook meals and entertain the boys and keep the house tidy.  But my parents had set departure dates....and those dates kept getting closer with no baby yet and I was starting to go into full panic mode.  I wasn't concerned about my mom.  She left 2 days after my dad.  But my dad!  What if he left without having a chance to meet his new grandson?!?!  The thought was inconceivable to me.

So.....with the tea not working its magic this time.....I turned to Castor Oil.  Yep.  You read correctly.  1/2 tbsp in some orange juice and down the hatch.  (It wasn't that bad)  I started that regimen on Saturday, the 8th....one day after Sven's due date.  I was tired of being pregnant.  I was tired of everyone watching me like some animal at the zoo wondering when business would pick up.  I was tired of the surreal limbo this house had been in for over a week.  Tired, I tell you.  After two doses of castor oil, contractions started.....and then after 3 hours, they stalled.  I took a third dose that night before bed and voila! business certainly picked up!

10 minutes after we'd gone to bed (of course)....and 8 minutes after Dave had fallen asleep....the contractions came roaring back.  It was 10:45pm. I suffered through them until 1am and then decided I couldn't do it on my own anymore.  I woke Dave.....who's first question (remember, he was just roused from deep slumber) was, "You don't think you can wait until morning?!".  HA HA HA!!!!!  We have a good laugh about that now.  I told him to shower and then we needed to go.  I alerted my parents (thank God they were here and could just take over for us in our absence) and by 1:45am, we were walking into the hospital.  At 2:15am and after an exam, I was told I was 3cm dilated.  (Ugh....we had a long way to go.)  I couldn't believe this.  The contractions were insanely intense and right on top of one another to the point that I had no relief or time to recover between contractions.  It was the  most intense thing I've ever experienced.  I was exhausted and in excruciating pain with no relief and things were spiraling and I didn't know how on earth I was going to make it through another natural delivery.  Because of all this, they decided to check me again about 40 minutes later.  In 40 minutes, I'd gone from being 3cm to 8cm dilated.  !!!!!!!!!  UNREAL!!!!  It was almost go time.

The doctor, who was a hospitalist (because it was 3am and on Sunday morning) reminded me strangely of LeVar Burton.....you know, "Reading Rainbow Guy".  He was so chill and calm and my nurses were amazing!  And Dave......I would have completely spiraled out of control were it not for Dave.  2 hours and 15 minutes after arriving at the hospital and after 4 pushes, John Karl Laval was born.  It was the most intense and fastest delivery yet.....and I do not recommend such fast deliveries.  Ha Ha Ha!!!!!  But it was another natural delivery.  He came so fast that I didn't even have a chance to use the nitrous oxide (laughing gas) now available.....something I was really looking forward to.  Drat!

He was born at 4:02 am on Sunday, July 9th.  He weighted 7lbs, 11oz and was 20.5 inches long.  And he is perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  By 7:30 we were in the maternity recovery room, Dave had arranged coverage for that day's Masses, and we were ordering breakfast.  

And by 10am, my parents came with the boys to meet the new member of our Viking clan.  

Just like that.....we were a family of 5!  A week later, I'm still marveling at this thought.  

The boys instantly adored their little brother.  Jeffery is such a big helper.  And Jakob....oh, my little Jakob.  He has shown himself to be quite the caretaker of little John.  He helps calm him and tuck him in and becomes very nervous if John should even squawk.  I think Dave and I did a good job preparing them for their new brother and I think that the time with Oma and Papa prior to and after his birth was crucial!!!  (Even if they did act up a little bit while I was in the hospital)

And John?  He has inserted himself into our family beautifully.  Seriously.  So far, he is the most chill and calm baby.  He roars and comes to life when you take his clothes off, use diaper wipes on him, or he is hungry.  Other than those times, he is like a lion napping and being lazy in some hot African grassland.  Jeffery is our Monkey.  Jakob is our Bear.  I believe that little John will be our Lion.  

Because my parents were here, Dave was able to stay with me in the hospital all day long for the 2.5 days I was there.  He would leave every night to go home and help get the boys to bed but it was wonderful to have him there.  And before we knew it, 2 days had passed and it was time for us to go home.  

Upon our arrival at home, John was showered by the boys with the stuffies they had bought just for him.  :)  Such good big brothers.

AND.....Oma and Papa treated everyone with cupcakes from Pearl's to celebrate the occasion of our homecoming!  Such a wonderful treat!!!!  :)  And we even got to include my dad in the celebration before his flight back to AZ that day.  SO.SPECIAL!

My mom stayed for 2 more days after my dad went home and helped with the boys and got TONS of baby time.  :)  Because, well....they're only this little for so long.  

So, my little John Karl Laval.....welcome to this crazy house of Vikings and trains and NASCAR and Gentlemen of the Railway Board and baseball and soccer and all things music and Faith.  

You are yet another Rainbow Baby for our family (Jeffery is one too).  We hoped and prayed for you for so long.  And you are dearly dearly loved.  You humbled me by reminding that I am not in control of anything and gave me a good lesson in patience as I anxiously waited your arrival.  And now you are here....a week old already....and life will never be the same!  :)