Zakery Richard Anderson is here!

Zak finally decided to come into this world on February 25th, 2011.  He wanted to be different than the other two and tease me to death by coming only 4 days short of my due date!  He was born at 6:09 am weighing at 8 lbs. and 3 oz.  He was 18.5 inches long.

It was Thursday night, and my friend and I decided to have a girls night and watch a movie.  Derek had been working all night hours and I was a little down because I hadn't had a baby, so we decided to distract ourselves.  I had so many false alarms that any contraction didn't really seem to phase me anymore.  I had contractions throughout the entire movie, but I tried to not get too excited because every time that had happened, I would get let down because they would stop.  We enjoyed the movie and had a good time just hanging out.

I called Derek around 11:30 and warned him (this was the third time of doing this) that I was having contractions and MAYBE it might happen tonight.  There was always that, it might not, at the end of the conversation.  When Derek walked in the door at 1:30 am, my water broke.  We were laughing for joy because we knew that it wasn't going to stop this time!  We were so excited that our little boy was finally coming that we could hardly get ready to go!  Derek's brother was staying with us the two previous nights and since things weren't progressing we decided this night to just have him on call.  Of course it happened the night he didn't stay over!  We gave him a call and he was there within minutes!  Such a good brother.  We got packed up and headed to the hospital.

When we got there, I was at a 3.  Not much change since my appointment the day before.  The contractions started up and were getting really strong.  Derek was able to keep me calm throughout the entire process.  As we got closer to the transition stage, I would have a couple bad contractions that I couldn't keep control and wanted to get and epidural, but Derek reassured me that I could do it.  Derek did such a good job keeping me focused and relaxed and we really had some neat experiences of teamwork during that time.  I was sitting on the birthing ball on my last contractions and then I knew he was coming.  I quickly got on the bed and was in excruciating pain!  I lost all control at that point.  Nothing could have prepared me for that moment.  Everyone was just screaming at me, "Push Jeni!  For the sake of your baby, PUSH!"  I was!  I was giving everything I had, but Zak was stuck.  He came down the birth canal sideways and his shoulder was trapped.  The cord was also wrapped around his neck and so all my pushing just wasn't enough.  The nurses were pushing on my stomach to get him out.  All I could see was fear in all the faces around me.  Derek was terrified.  I pushed as hard as I could and he finally came out.  He was blue as blue could be and wasn't breathing.  I have never been so scared in my entire life.  I didn't get to have that bonding time that I was so excited for.  Everything was just chaos after that and all I wanted to hear was a cry from my sweet baby.  I waited and waited and he finally screamed.  I had never felt so much relief in my life.  My baby boy was okay.  I held him and nursed him and couldn't be more thankful at this amazing miracle.  He was so blue, but so beautiful.

Later that afternoon, Derek went home to get the kids.  They were so excited to meet their new baby brother!

Bria is a total baby hog!  She would not give him up and was so sad to find out that he wasn't going to be going home with her that night.

Erik just kept saying, "Baby... Zak!"  He was just beaming with pride being the big brother!

Doesn't get better than this!

Bria and Erik came back the next day and Bria held Zak the entire time singing songs to him and showing him his new stuffed animal.  Bria loves this baby so much!

Zak had visitors come to the hospital...

Kaylie and Alyssa, his cousins

 Grandma

 Aunt Dani

 Grandpa

I forgot to get pictures of others that came, so sorry!  Aunt Teresa came and gave him the most adorable frog stuffed animal.  Grandma and Grandpa brought him a blankie and an adorable little outfit and flowers for me.

The second day at the hospital, we tried our very best to get ready to go home because the kids couldn't handle being away from their baby brother anymore!  We were so excited when it was time to pack up and go home all together as a family.  It was so fun to get in the car with our three cuties and look in the backseat to see them all sitting there together.  Bria couldn't stop looking at her new brother.  It was so precious.  We are just so grateful for our new addition to the family.  I couldn't be happier and I can't stop holding my little miracle.  It is amazing how much love you can give.  I am so blessed to have such a sweet family and Zak has just added so much more love. We are a family of five!  I never thought that day would come, but I am so glad it did.  Life is just amazing and we are just so grateful that we get to raise these sweet, innocent children.