Babies, Babies, Babies

Warning: This is a birth story so if you don't like that kind of thing, go ahead and skip this post.

And, uh, it's a little long.

Friday morning my dad came over bright and early so he could be here for the kids while I went in to get induced. Maybe. First I had an appointment with my doctor to decide if we really wanted to induce me or not.

After a few hours at the doctor's office, being hooked up to some monitors, getting an ultrasound and a blood test, we decided it would be better to wait. I was dilated to 4cm, though. That was good news, but I kind of thought it would be more after having contractions all Wednesday night that were 3-4 minutes apart. We had actually planned on going to the hospital Thursday morning if they were still going, but they weren't.

But, it wasn't like nothing got done on Friday! The guys came and put the new window in the girls' room downstairs, and my dad brought a door that he put on! It was so exciting! Since my dad was here with his truck, I had him take me to Home Depot so we could get the rest of the stuff for the room. I ended up spending a lot more than I had planned!

Pete and I got to work painting that night after the kids were in bed. We did one coat of the pink that night, then another coat in the morning. I also painted the downstairs bathroom blue, and, oh, it's so pretty! I love both colors! (pictures to come... sometime)

My dad came back Saturday to help us (Pete) put wainscoting up on the walls, and we got my brother to come help too. I helped out a little, but I mostly stayed out of the way, cleaned the house and watched kids.

Watching a movie with the cousins - they were really happier about this than they look! (Our next project is to fix that wall behind the couch.)

It was probably 8 or 9 by the time everyone left, and the girls were all set to sleep down there for the first time. They were so excited! (I wish I would have taken more pictures!!)

Anyway, just before everyone left I decided I should start timing contractions because I was starting to have a lot again. They were the same kind I was having on Wednesday: not painful, just really tight and uncomfortable. They were about 4 minutes apart, but I wasn't too concerned. I figured I'd just go to bed and have a repeat of Wednesday night.

I woke up during the night several times, still noticing the contractions, but they were about the same. Then at about 5:00, Ethan woke up with a bad dream. I got him calmed down, and when I got back in bed I started timing again. My contractions were still about 4-5 minutes apart so I woke Pete up and told him we probably should go to the hospital soon, but that I wanted to wait just a little longer before we called anyone. I just hate calling people so early in the morning!

So, I laid in bed for about an hour, and I was just thinking, "I should get up and get something to eat before we go because it's probably going to be a long day and I'll need my strength." Plus my stomach was growling.

Then, all of a sudden I sat up, saying, "Woah!" because my water had just broken! I probably scared Pete to death! He jumped up and grabbed me a towel. I could not believe how much water it was either! Yikes! By the time I got to the shower, I had my next contraction, and BOY what a difference that water breaking makes. It was already really painful!

Pete called my dad and our neighbor to come over until my dad got there. She was very nice to come over so early in the morning! She got here at about 6:30.

We were all settled in our awesome, huge room at the hospital by about 7am. My contractions were really strong and close together, but I really wanted to try to do this one naturally. I kept telling myself, "I can do this. I've done an Ironman - I can do this." At one point, Pete reminded me of this, and I said, "An Ironman is a lot more fun!" He was a great coach, though. He also kept having me think of the contractions as one more mile I could tick off or just a hill I had to get over, and he kept having me imagine all the people cheering at the finish line.

I made it until 9 (2 hours), then I was crying and shaking and saying "I can't do it!" and I was hardly getting any relief between contractions. When the nurse checked me again, I was only at 4.5 cm so I told her, "Ok, Epidural then." Now I could understand how people on TV get to the hospital and want an epidural right away. I've always just had it get painful so gradually that I've been able to wait a while.

The nurse told me that with the epidural I might progress a lot faster because I would be able to relax and let the contractions do their work. I was NOT relaxing before the epidural. After I got it, I was so happy. I just laid there thinking about how this was the first time in 9 months that I was able to just lay there without feeling any pain in my belly, back or hips.

It was kind of funny because I was just laying there texting my sister for a while. I thought my phone would have kept better track of the time of these texts, but it only shows the time twice. I'm thinking there must have been more time passing than it shows. (maybe Katie's phone shows the times and she can get me that info...) Anyway, here's part of our conversation:

8:57am

me: I'm in the hospital. We'll get to meet George soon!

katie: What happened? All that work yesterday

me: I guess so! My water broke while I was laying in bed this morning. It was pretty crazy!

...

me: I just got an epidural. I like.

katie: Well, now you know what it's like to go into labor

me: Yeah, I'm so happy about that!

...

me: She just checked me and I'm 8cm! Wow!

katie: Two more to go!

me: !

...

10:02 am

katie: Is he here yet?

me: Not yet but I'm at a 9 now. We're really close!

I loved my epidural and was glad to just be excited now. I was sublimely happy from here on out for the next few days. I did start feeling nauseated again right before they had me start pushing, but once I started pushing I felt better.

I don't know how long I pushed for, but it was a little while, and at one point my doctor said, "The baby's not doing great so lets try to hurry and get him out." That made me nervous, and helped motivate me to push really hard. They had set up a mirror for me so I got to watch him come out which was really surreal, and it was such an awesome feeling to get him out! I don't think there's anything that's more of a relief than to have your baby come out, see how beautiful he is and hear him cry.

George was finally born at about 11am, 5 days after his due date. He was 8 pounds 4 ounces - my biggest baby. My others were all in the 7 pound range. Only 20 inches long, though. I think that's shorter than Ethan was. He has reddish blond hair, almost exactly the same color as mine, and he's just so sweet!

(first bath)

I love that I was able to go into labor myself! It was so much better that way! I'm also so glad I didn't have to have another C-section. Those really hurt! :)