Axen Joel Linn

Axen Joel Linn

July 31, 2012

2:15 pm

6 lbs 14 oz

19 1/2 inches

Our second son arrived Tuesday, July 31. We could not be more ecstatic about the addition to our little family! 

Axen's birth was not much different from Titus', even though he was born in the U.S. and Titus in South Korea. Here is Axen's story...

We woke early Tuesday morning to head to the hospital. We left Titus sound asleep and Nana Kiki (Tim's mom) took care of him for us while we were away. We arrived at Baptist Women's Hospital around 5am. Once I was back in the room I would deliver in, I made the nurse check to see Axen's position; just 2 weeks before he was breach. Thankfully he was head down, but surprisingly high (but no one seemed worried). By 6am I was starting to receive the induction medicine. About an hour later Dr. Peeler broke my water and informed me I could receive an epidural whenever I was ready (this is a big difference; in Korea they made me wait until I was at a certain dilation... NOT FUN). I decided to hold off on the epidural until I could really start to feel the contractions; about 2-3 hours later I asked for it. Then we waited. The waiting was not bad- we had the Olympics to watch!! Which ended up being our entertainment for the next 3 days. 

Every hour or so the nurse would check dilation... 4cm... 5cm... and so on... Dr. Peeler came in and to check in on us and told me to let the nurse know as soon as I started to feel a little pressure. So about an hour later, I did just that. I could barely feel it, but wanted her to know. She checked my dilation and... Axen was crowning (what?) I could hardly feel anything!!!! I LOVE EPIDURALS! So then everyone... and I mean everyone... came in for the delivery. There was my Dr. 2-3 L&D nurses, 2 interns, the tech, and then the Neonatal nurse, oh and of course me and Tim. It was time to push... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and welcome Axen! I'm not kidding I pushed 5 or 6 times and that was it. I couldn't believe it myself! 

As soon as he was born, he was not whisked away, he was not beaten on the back or held upside down, no he was laid on my stomach and I met Axen Joel for the first time. It was the most amazing thing ever! 

Tim cut the chord, the nurses weighed him and cleaned him up, then we got to spend 2 entire hours with him before we moved up to the room we would stay in for the next 2 days. (with Titus they whisked him away from me and we didn't get to see him for several hours). While at the hospital several people came to visit (also different from in Korea b/c no one was there).

Titus meeting Axen

Family and Friends meeting Axen

Our Sweet Boy

Going Home

That's about all... when we arrived home Titus was standing at the door peering out as if he was waiting on us. From the first time meeting Axen, Titus has been so good with him; not jealous at all, which is a huge blessing!