The Story

Some people love birthing stories and some would rather walk hot burning coals than hear the details of birth, so if you consider yourself a member of the second category then I suggest you stop reading here:)

I was five days past my due date and feeling pretty hopeless that a baby would ever be born and seriously doubting the fact that there was even one inside me at all.
Not my finest week.  

I had been sitting at 4cm for almost 2 weeks which I thought was completely ridiculous.

Finally Friday morning around 9:30 I started feeling contractions!

I was so excited.

I had never really felt contractions before, so the whole month prior I would ask myself if every jolt, pressure, or movement was one, but I knew as soon as they started that morning that these were for real.

I happily went about my day feeling contractions through the whole thing but never anything that I couldn't handle.

We cleaned the house, went to the park, visited Targhee's parents, went out to eat with my parents, (they had just received their mission call to Johannesburg, South Africa the day before and wanted to celebrate:)

The Park

Targhee went down this slide about 10 times lol:)

 

My attempt at the teeter-totter.

You know all those old wive's tales of how to go into labor?  I guess you can add this one:) I was trying to bounce him out!

Texas Road House.

Targhee and I also ate here right before I went to the hospital with Leilani.

I guess this too can be added to the old wive's list. 

There really is nothing like steak when you know you're about to go through the pain of labor.

We came home, put Leilani to bed and then started a game of Pinochle with my parents (a favorite pass time of ours).
I had been watching the clock for a few hours now and noticed that the contractions were getting harder and more predictable (a perfect 4-5 minutes apart).
At about 9:45pm I told Targhee it was time to go to the hospital.
He rushed me there, but I assured him we had plenty of time.  He gets a little stressed out during this part of the parenting process:)  I was the one who was reassuring him that everything was just fine.  In fact, as I sat at the table playing games with my parents I told them I could labor like this any time.  I would much rather be up and around doing things than laying restricted to the most uncomfortable bed known to man (aka- the delivery bed).
It is so unnatural to me that they would make you LAY in a bed without moving because you just might mess up the monitor while you are experiencing strong consistent spurts of pain.
Even when you stub your toe you don't just sit there.  You jump around, fall to the ground, grab your toe screaming OUCH!!! No one just lays motionless in pain.
Dumb! Dumb!
Well when we got to the hospital they of course strapped me to the above mentioned bed.
By this time the contractions were harder and much more uncomfortable so I was getting a little testy.
Rightfully so, I think.
Especially since when I got there, they checked me and I was still only at a 4.
That was the most disappointing news I had heard all day.
I was angry they made me lay in the stupid bed and angry they made me stay strapped to a monitor.  I didn't need a monitor to tell me when I was having a contraction!!  I could tell ya!!
Finally about 11:20pm I had had enough!
I ripped the monitors off (literally...) jumped out of the bed and walked to the bathroom (to make it look like  I had a good reason for getting out of my bed of containment:)
When I got back the nurse came in and told me I needed to lay back down.
I refused.
Again, not one of my finest moments lol.
She assured me it would only be for 10 more minutes.  BUT...if I hadn't progressed any more after those ten minutes they would have to send me back home.
I was furious!
How could they send me home?
I was obviously in labor.
Their stupid monitor proved it!
So I grudgingly got back in the bed and no sooner had one more contraction passed that my water broke!
HA!
Take that you nasty nurses!
(Actually, they were quite sweet- I feel bad that they have to deal with ornery pregnant women all day).
That was one of the weirdest feelings I have ever felt.
I told Targhee either my water just broke or I just peed my pants about 2 gallons worth.
He went and got the nurses who said, "Well, looks like you're staying here after all."
"Ya think!"
(I think I accidentally said that one out loud and Targhee gave me the "don't do it Monica" head shake).

Now despite how this all may sound, I cannot tell you how much better this was for me than my first baby.
I felt peace instead of fear. I felt prepared instead of anxiety.
I was so grateful the whole time for those feelings because I had prayed for them.  I knew that my prayers were heard and answered and that everything would be ok.

They took me to a delivery room and gave me an epidural.

I went from a 6 to a 10 in a little over an hour.
I could still feel the contractions but the epidural had taken the edge off so I was a bit more amiable.
I could even enjoy the sweet nurses a little bit more, but this cracked me up...
The nurse who had been working with me thus far checked me right before her shift change and decided I was at 9 and 3/4.
Really?
You can tell 3/4 of a centimeter with your fingers??
I think she had just been reading Harry Potter at her little nurses desk and had "platform nine and three quarters" on her mind OR she just really wanted to go home and actually voicing that I had reached a 10 would delay her departure time.
Either way we had to wait forever for the new nurse to make her rounds and when she came in she was just going to check my monitors etc and leave.
I said, "Um wait, the last nurse said I was at 9 and 3/4.  Aren't you going to check me?"
She turned and looked surprised, "Oh.  You want me to check you?"
UH YA!!
Let's get this show on the road lady.
So she checked me and sure enough I was full on ready to go.  To this she replies.  "Ok, I'll go call the doctor."
Call the doctor??
You mean the doctor was not called at "nine and three quarters!!" (sorry, this must be said with an English accent)
How ridiculous!
So again, we waited.
Targhee says it wasn't really that long but to me it felt like an eternity.
Finally it was time to push.
I pushed for 30-45 minutes.  When his head came out the doctor said, "Woah!  BIG boy!" lol  She and all the nurses immediately started making guesses on how much he'd weigh.
Usually the head is the hard part and then the rest of the body just kinda falls out with it, but not this little guy.  Nope!  Apparently he has his dad's broad shoulders.  So the most difficult part was getting his shoulders through.  But, I did it with no rips or tears. (Only a woman who has born a child can truly appreciate that I think).
It is such a euphoric feeling to finally get that big body out and see your baby for the first time.
They are all squishy and purple and yet the most beautiful thing you've ever seen and then when you hear them cry you can't help but smile.

So at 2:17am on March 10, 2012, Baby TJ was born.
9lbs 5oz and 22 inches long.
(All the nurses guessed too low:)

About an hour after he was born.  My adrenaline was still running.

The first time he opened his eyes.  About 24 hours after he was born.  He was so content.  We just sat and enjoyed each other's company.  It was such a sweet time and he has been just as sweet since we brought him home.  He has some fussy times but for the most part is a relaxed baby, something that is totally new to me.

Leilani wasn't allowed to come to the hospital because of their visiting rules right now.

I felt really good so we went home a day early to try to get some sleep.  Hospitals are not in the business of giving their patients sleep.  Every 30 minutes someone is coming in to check...I don't know...something.

Leilani meeting TJ for the first time.

The first time she asked to hold him.

I feel extremely blessed right now.  It has been so fun transitioning into a family of four.  I have really enjoyed these past few weeks.  I haven't even minded the middle of the night lack of sleep, which if you know anything about me and how I feel about sleep, is a really big deal, so for that I am very grateful.  Targhee has been an amazing companion.  He is always available to help where ever he is needed.  He was able to take the first week off of work and I think having him with me made a huge difference.  My mom and dad have helped a lot too.  So all in all this has been a much better experience for me.  I'm grateful for a God who knows our desires and is willing to bless us when he sees fit.

Welcome to the family TJ!