Wow... two weeks already?

I can't even believe it's already been two weeks since Hudson was born.  I suppose it's time to finish "Part 2" of his arrival....
Welp, after Tyler met my mom & I at the hospital and we were in the birthing suite {around 2:30 pm or so}, my contractions stopped.  Yup.  Stopped.  Again.  The very same contractions that had me unable to speak & walk had completely and entirely stopped. 
Thinking once again that we were going to leave the hospital without an "outside baby," we asked the nurses if we were going to be sent home.  "Um, probably," said one super nice nurse, "but if you want, you can walk around & see if it helps."  So.... walking we went.  I think we did at least 30 laps around the maternity ward.  We'd walk past the nursery and joke about how *someday* maybe we'd have a baby in there too.  As we walked, my contractions started back up, but they weren't 'timeable' and they weren't as intense as before.
Then it happened.  My water broke.... during a fire alarm.  Faaaaaantastic.  We were shut in our room while the lights flashed and alarms sounded.  {You can't make this stuff up!}
After the excitement died down, we were informed that I was going to be admitted.  Finally!  It was really happening!  We were having our baby!
I had to sign a lot of papers.  Thankfully the nurses were patient with me & waited until I was between contractions {which were now back with a vengeance!} to talk to me.  They took my fingerprints and kept asking me if I wanted any pain meds.  "Nope."  That was always my response...until things got even more intense.  When I was at 4 centimeters, I decided that I'd see how the next two contractions went.  If they were really bad, I'd go ahead & consider my pain med options.  One {insanely painful} contraction took place and I looked over at Tyler and said, "I. Want. Drugs." 
With that said, an angel sent from above the anesthesiologist came in with his little cart full of goodies.  "The Epidural Man," as I called him, explained all the horrid side effects that could POSSIBLY happen to a human being {death being one of them...} but added that they were all listed under a "Less than .99% chance of actually happening."  Yet another {somehow even more painful} contraction struck as he was talking and I grabbed the clipboard and signed up.  The actual epidural installation part wasn't bad.  Not even as bad as having an IV inserted into my hand.  I was told that the effects would happen within 10 minutes.  Hah.  Try three!  By the time my next contraction rolled around, I was ready to tell "The Epidural Man" that I loved him.  I managed to go from 4 cm to 8 cm in less than an hour.  Woo!
The thing that impressed me the most about the whole "birth" process {other than a brand new life being brought into the world}, was how quickly the birthing suite {which was set up much like a living room-- couch, rocker, TV, etc} turned into a sterile, surgical place where medical things happened.  Blue paper was thrown over tables, tools {too scary to peek at} were laid out, gloves were on... and it all happened so fast!
Once I was at 10 cm, things started rolling.  Dr. Konda arrived & within a half hour, our little bundle of BOY was finally here!  When Hudson was born, he was blue {it scared me to death, but I remember thinking how much he looked little a little smurf} and he wasn't crying.  Tyler didn't get to cut the cord on account of these two things.  But, once he was in the warming thingy {?}, he was screaming his little lungs out and turning a nice pinky baby color.  Wow.  Tyler & I were absolutely floored.  I don't think either one of us could believe what had just happened.  Tyler's very first words about our firstborn: "He looks just like my Uncle Russell."  A comment I will never forget.