It's Time.


This was taken on Hallie's birthday, two weeks before Hanna's due date.
I am putting this photo on here for those who requested a picture of my belly... this is the best I can do.

So that was on Hallie's birthday, I thought I'd have two weeks to go, and I was really uncomfortable, but whatareya gonna do?  Then a week ago Wednesday, when I thought I still had a week to go, I woke up and thought it would be an average day.  Hallie slept in, so I got to sleep in (7:30 a.m. DELICIOUS.)  We were having the missionaries over for dinner, so I spent the morning chopping veggies and getting it all into the crock pot.  Then I spent the rest of the day hobbling around behind Hallie trying to keep the house in as little chaos as possible, since Devin's mom would be coming two days later.  I clearly wasn't thinking much about baby coming yet, although my hips were killing me and it had occurred to me that that could be caused  by the hormone that tells your body to get ready for baby to come... but I had a lot to do that day, and baby was not scheduled for another week, so we kept going.  I spent some time getting all the paperwork in order for closing on the house (insurance, loans, property agreements, blah blah blah), and then around 3 I started making the focaccia bread for dinner that night.  That's when the contractions hit.  Hard.  So, I just worked around those and Hallie, and everything was smooth sailing.  I called the missionaries to see when they would be coming over because I hadn't heard from them yet, and they asked if they could postpone because one of them was sick.  I said that was fine with me.  (Devin said I was crazy, because I was not calling to cancel, but to see when they were coming.  Well, honestly, it never occured to me to cancel.)

Devin came home from work at 4 so we could go to the bank to get a Power of Attorney notarized (more house stuff).  I mentioned to him that I had been having contractions, that they were about eight minutes apart lasting about forty five seconds.  We thought that sounded ok so off we went.  At the bank the notary yelled at me when I couldn't sign because I was having a contraction (yeah at this point it was hard to walk too, but I tried to hide that), and then the tellers all got involved, and so I received quite a bit of attention.  We decided we'd take their advice, sort of, (they said I had to go straight to the hospital, and not stop at GO.) and we called the doctor's office.  When the nurse heard I was having contractions about six minutes apart lasting about a minute she said I could go in to the hospital any time I wanted.  I asked her if I had to, and she said I could go home and rest for a while if I felt up to it.  I said to Devin, "I want some of my bread before we go in. It won't taste the same tomorrow."

So we went home, baked my bread, served up the spaghetti, and ate a nice almost peaceful little dinner.  Then I sat on the couch while Devin ran around packing a bag for Hallie to go to a friend's house and making sure we had everything we needed that I hadn't already packed.  We dropped Hallie off, and drove to the hospital.  My contractions were now about three minutes apart, still lasting only a minute.  By the time we got to the hospital I could no longer walk, and I was shaking so badly that I was afraid they would think I was a junkie going through withdrawal.  They checked to see if I could be admitted and I was dilated to an eight, so off I went.  The nurses were relieved when they found out I didn't want an epidural, because apparently it was too late for me to have one anyway.

It took ten or so nurses to get an i.v. in my arm and I have five of the largest bruises on my arms to prove it.  I tried to wear a t-shirt the other day and the gasps from Devin and his mom convinced me that they were still to grotesque for public viewing and I am going to be in long sleeves for a while still I think.  I couldn't bend my left arm at all for a couple days.  But no worries, they did finally get one in, and it stayed in for about ten minutes before falling out.  They didn't try to put another one in because I was already pushing, and since Hanna came after three pushes it was a moot point.

She was born forty five minutes after I arrived at the hospital.  She was born four hours after the contractions started.

My bread was soooo delicious.  (The nurses asked what I was doing the whole afternoon instead of coming in, and they laughed at me when I said, "Making focaccia bread."  Well, it was the highlight of my day... until Hanna was born.


For comparison's sake, this is a picture of me when I was two months pregnant.  Raise your hand if you think I can ever look like that again. (Sigh.)

Comments

  1. 1. You're my hero.
    2. You will totally look like that again. You hottie!
    3. You're seriously unbelievable. Over the top. I want some of that bread. It had better be good!!! (But on the flip side, being in the hospital isn't really that fun.) :)

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  2. Congrats again and oh my gosh!!! 45 minutes LUCKY! How was your natural delivery? Did you deliver Hallie naturally or with an epidural? Sorry I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it to your shower tomorrow. Hopefully I can. I hope you are all doing well. You had better call if need something!!!!!!

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  3. even if it's just a cheeseburger and french fries...lol

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  4. I am totally raising my hand, because if you can't look like that again, I'm TOAST.

    And honey, you are Cuh-RAAA-zy! But I admire you for not having an epidural. I always knew you were one tough cookie.

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  5. you are one seriously amazing woman.

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  6. I raised my hand.

    And walking around all day and being at home probably helped you get through labor, so if you had gone to the hospital it might have taken way longer, and that would have been no fun.

    Or, maybe Hanna just wanted out. You should keep an eye on her, in case she she is a wild child ;)

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  7. You forgot to mention how i talked to you on the phone while you were waiting on that bread and breathing through some of those contractions. (i only freaked out a litte inside knowing you were having contractions on the phone with me.) But awesome job on Hanna coming only 45 min after going to the hospital. You totally rock and i cant wait to see you and your family. Keep me updated on your (maybe) trip to Houston in March/April. Don't make me come up there. You know i will!!

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  8. I am so proud of you, amy! You are the only person I know who I can discuss/compare natural labor with, and you give me hope/strength that I'll be able to survive labor and deliver with this next babe of ours. Your girls are SO cute, and you are absolutely hilarious! I wish we lived closer!!!! I'm going to miss you even more when you move to Nebraska. I hope you'll visit first!

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