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Ethan James Coyne entered the world at 11:30 am on February 28th at 7 lbs and 4 onces and 19″ long. Jamie won the bet, but I think she had the unfair advantage of feeling the weight… I had guessed 7-5, Chelsey had 7-7, and Kay had 7-0. As her prize, we decided that Jamie gets to keep the child!

We just squeaked out of having a leap year baby! Jamie was bound and determined to have this baby as soon as she knew he was fully developed. Following the trend of our first born, we looked at 37 weeks as our due date. Especially considering Jamie’s 6 weeks of preceding bed rest. This labor was eerily similar to Bennett’s.

Jamie started having contractions at 11:45 on February 27, 2008. We were worried that this labor could move at a much faster rate based on second labors of people we know (Cassi), so we didn’t take any chances. Jamie timed her contractions until they we one minute long and 5 minutes apart. At 1:30 am, we went in. Jamie had a doctors appointment earlier that day, and had been measured at 3.5 cm dilated. When she got measured in Triage, she measured 3 cm… less than encouraging progress.

They gave us the option to take a shot to knock Jamie out for a few hours so she could go home and sleep out the early labor, or to (as Animal prescribes!) walk it out. My warrior wife opted to walk it out. She did not want to go home. After six weeks of bed rest, and pushing out a large headed 7 lb 8 oz baby at 37 weeks 15 months ago, show wanted to have this baby ASAP!

She put on her game face and started pacing the hospital floors. The supportive husband I am immediately got coffee and pizza (both of which she was prohibited…). She hadn’t planned or dressed for this so she began her multiple hour baby march wearing UGGs. After one hour, she was checked as making minimal progress to 4 cm. They said to try another hour, because we were progressing enough that they didn’t want to send us home, but not enough to admit us. She trudged another hour and made it to the magical 5 cm!At 5 am, we moved to a birthing suit, got the epidural, and watched the hardest contractions of labor go by on a printed graph. Jamie put on her samurai headband (wet cloth), and progressed steadily over the next 6 hours. At 11:00, the nurse did another check and called the doctor about getting her in to deliver. Dr Hannon suggested Jamie “labor down” which is a technical term for do nothing.

Hannon made it into the room at 11:25 am, and when she went to do her cervical check on Jamie she said “he has dark hair”… The baby was ready to come! 4 minutes, 2 contractions, and 4 pushes later, Hannon says to Jamie “reach down between your legs”. “What?” asked Jamie… “Reach between your legs and pull your son up to you chest!” said Hannon, and Jamie pulled Ethan out of herself and into the world!!! How amazing is that? He let out a little cry, but was so peaceful from the start, and that continues into the present. Just a very peaceful, sweet, happy boy just like his older brother. He latched on and had a great first feeding.

Bennett made it in at 2 pm to meet his brother for the first time. He wasn’t sure what to think, but was very happy to see his parents who mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the night and left him with his aunt Chelsey and uncle Colin. He gave Ethan a kiss before he left, and we can’t wait for them to spend more time together.

Thank you Jesus for what an incredible blessing! For health, competent staff, a great facility for this experience, and for a fantastic support group of family and friends who we love so much. Thanks to Kay for standing by us through the night. Thanks to Colin and Chelsey for staying with Bennett through the night. Thanks to Marianne for bringing Bennett in to meet his brother and watching him for the next night. Thanks Alexis for helping out wherever needed and being there for the birth. Thanks ahead of time for all of you that we love who will be supporting us in the weeks to come.