So In Love - Part I

We got home from the hospital yesterday just before noon. While we were ready to get out of there much earlier, it was a crazy morning with all the many babies. We are home though and happy and just getting settled in. It's absolutely wonderful.

So you all want to know the story huh? I guess I can give you that much since you have followed my weekly reports throughout the pregnancy. So here it goes. It is long, but I want to make sure I remember it all and have it all documented.

Thursday afternoon I started having some contractions. They weren't hurting, but they were noticeable. I took the time on Thursday to clear out all my personal belongings from the office that I would need while at home and packed them all in my car. I left work early and headed to my doctor appointment. I got there early and told my nurse that I was contracting and she said if I was dilated to 5-6, I would be going to the hospital. I told her that wouldn't work for me just yet. I had a nail appointment at 4! She laughed at me. I got back in the room, stripped from the waist down and waited. I was anxious to see if I had dilated anymore.

My doctor came in making fun of me and me wanting to get my toes done first. She did the usual measuring saying I was still measuring small...35cm rather than 38. Since I have been monitored so close the last couple of weeks, she wasn't concerned. We listened to Skylar's heartbeat and she just kept saying how she was so shocked that I was in the office and she was even checking me. She thought for sure that I would have had Skylar since I was so dilated. She then checked to see if I had dilated anymore and was even more shocked to see that I hadn't dilated anymore. We were both wondering what the heck was going on. She finished up what she was doing down there and then I asked her if she was going to strip my membranes. She told me that she already did. That explains why it hurt so bad. We then talked back and forth on when we thought it would be happening and she was saying that she was on-call Saturday and could induce me if we could come up with a need. So, I got dressed and we went into another room where she did an ultrasound to check my fluid. Fluid was still good, Skylar looked awesome - just her belly was a little small, but other than that, she was perfect. No induction. I left there more anxious than when I got there. I walked right out not making an appointment for next week. I just figured I would call and make an appointment.

Off to my nail and toe appointment I went. And I loved every minute of it. She did a wonderful job. Getting my toes done was so relaxing. I could have easily slept considering I was functioning on three hours of sleep. I went ahead and got a pretty pink on my toes. Figured it was appropriate since I would be having a little girl. Next my nails and a couple of them have some clovers for St. Patty's Day. From there, I came home and started making dinner for Eli and I. Taco salad. And it was yummy. After, I went upstairs and soaked in a bath. And before I crawled in bed, I was sure to do a few jumping jacks. I was in bed early, just before 9, but didn't get to good sleep until a little after.

I woke up about 11:40 having to go to the bathroom and feeling really uncomfortable. I went in the bathroom and had to go poop so bad...however, I was having uncontrollable "cramps" and it was one of the worst bathroom experiences ever. It hurt so bad...like almost bringing tears to my eyes. But I made it through. I got up and started walking to bed and felt some fluid...like I had just peed a little while walking. This was at 11:50pm. I stopped dead in my tracks and said, "Eli, I think my water is breaking." I have never seen him jump out of bed so fast. It was so cute. He was asking me what I wanted to do and if we needed to go and I didn't know. I went back to the bathroom and sat there wondering if that was what it really was. I told him to go back to bed and let me see about my contractions. I went back to bed and when I would have a contraction, I would have some serious pain down low...like pain I had never ever experienced before. I didn't like it so much. And this started happening consistent...like every 5-7 minutes. I went back to the bathroom around midnight (when I posted birthday wishes for my brother) and called Kara in Vegas to tell her that I thought it might be happening. Then went back to bed to try and relax. Finally, it was getting so uncomfortable, I called my mom around 12:30 and said, I think it is time that I should be going. She started asking questions and then when she heard me go through a contraction she said it definitely was. My mom was up and out of bed, telling my dad to get ready and go get my sister. I actually started laughing because both Eli and I were still laying in bed!

Eli and I got up and started getting dressed and making sure we had everything. I went back in the bathroom. I could stop going. I had read that you get diarrhea, but didn't realize how true it was. While I did my thing, Eli loaded up the car. We were on our way. The drive to the hospital took forever it seemed. We got there and walked to labor and delivery and I told them that I thought I was in labor. They asked if my water had broken and I said that I was pretty sure it was leaking. I got checked in at 1am and they sent me down to triage. The nurse down there said she needed to check to see if my water had broken. She pulled the sheet up and took one look and was like, "Yep, I'm sure it has, but I still have to do the test." The test was in fact positive. I was in fact in labor and they were going to take me back down to labor and delivery. Before then, she got my IV started. I saw all the prep stuff for the IV and almost got sick and passed out! I am such a baby. I got all hot, clammy, and shaky. The nurse gave me a barf bag just in case. At this point, my parents and sister were there. Everyone was excited!

Down the hall we went to my room to get set up. I called my work and left a message saying I wouldn't be in because I was having a baby!!! I laid in bed and waited for all the fluid to get in me that needed to before getting my epidural. The nurse I had was fabulous. She was very informative and when she checked me I was at a 5. Moving along from the appointment I had earlier. I was feeling great. I didn't really feel tired even though I had only gotten roughly three hours a sleep (a total of six in two days!). As soon as I had the proper fluid amount, I was given my epidural (2:45am). I was so worried that it was going to hurt. The guy that did it had me sit on the edge of the bed. The raised the bed and I leaned into Eli and he went to work. Let me just say, that didn't hurt at all. The injections I get for my accident hurt worse than that! I laid down and they started it and it didn't take long before I realized it was working. I felt it more on my right side the whole time. It was so weird not being able to feel my legs. While I wasn't feeling any of my contractions, I was uncomfortable not being able to feel my legs. Therefore, I couldn't sleep, but I definitely rested. Eli was out until right when it was time to get things set up.

At 5:41am, I was dilated to a 8. At 7:30am, I was at a 9. The nurses came to change the pad under me and it was then they really got to see how I really couldn't feel my legs. The one nurse told me that I would have to roll over and I picked up my leg to move it and she didn't grab it and it flopped over like it was nothing. I had made it past being with the on call doctor and was told that my doctor was told of what was going on and she was on her way in. Such a huge relief. I love my doctor. By the time she was there, I was dilated to 9 1/2. She noticed that my amniotic sack was still in tact and broke it. I felt nothing. Everything in the room was prepped...this was 8:20am or so. My doctor had them turn down the epidural when she realized that I couldn't feel any of the pain or contractions. She ran to go do something. While she was out, more things were gotten ready and I was put in position to start pushing. At this point I was very nervous at the whole pushing thing and it really hitting me that my little girl would soon no longer be in me, but in the real world! The nurse had me practice pushing with a contraction. I listened to what she told me to do and the next contraction it was on. I couldn't feel anything! I didn't know how hard I was pushing. However, I must have been doing something right because she said it wasn't going to take long at all.

My doctor came in after my second round of pushing and when she realized how things were going, she instantly started gowning up. Eli kept telling me how wonderful I was doing and that things were happening. When I pushed again with the next contraction, my doctor told me that she was proud of me and rather surprised at how far along things were. The longest thing in my opinion was the waiting around for the next contraction. The pushing was cake - probably because I couldn't feel anything. At one point, my doctor asked if I wanted to feel her head. So freaking awesome! Eli was wonderful. Without him rubbing my leg and my back and telling me how well I was doing, how proud he was, and when to push harder, I couldn't have done as good as I did. He was definitely my rock. On the last round of pushes, my doctor had me push one extra time and it was then that I looked down and saw her head and my doctor pulling the rest of her out of me at 9:09am. I couldn't believe it.

When I heard her little cry, I started crying. Just seeing her the tears welled up in my eyes. Eli was crying. It was the most amazing thing in the entire world. As Eli was cutting the cord, the nurse unstrapped the monitors off my belly and she was then placed on my chest where a nurse and I worked together to clean her off. She was crying. I was staring at her, helping clean her, and I was just in awe of her beauty. She was absolutely perfect in every single way. Everyone in the room kept telling me how well I did and how easy I made it look.

She wailed away as the nurse checked her out and sucked out her mouth. Eli stood right over her talking to her with tears streaming down his face. I was completely overwhelmed with emotion. When they had her all wrapped up, I had them hand her to Eli. Wait until you see the picture I got! He handed her to me and the nurse told me to go ahead and feed her. I was so excited. She latched right on. When my doctor was done with the couple stitches I needed, people started coming in the room to see the little miracle. I also was brought breakfast. At this point I was starving, so I was trying to shovel food in my mouth, greet everyone coming in, and was feeding my daughter!

Everyone was in awe at her beauty, how perfect she was. She got passed around a little, but not for long because she was all about being on the boob. My life instantly changed. Being pregnant was the most wonderful, amazing experience, but having Skylar with me is even better!

There is more, but for now, I will leave you with this winded version. Part II to come soon! I will leave you with a few pictures taken from my cell phone. I forgot my camera cord at work!

Me and the angel just a few minutes after she was born.
Sleeping beauty - day 2
First night at home all bundled up.
She is to teeny tiny and perfect. I can't stop staring. I can't at all get enough of her!!!!