And Baby Makes 5

September 13 was starting out to be pretty much like any other day in my pregancy. I didn't sleep well because of my hips, I was peeing every 30 minutes, and the contractions were starting in. I say starting in because I woke up with a big one about 3 am and figured yep, this is it. Needless to say, that was my last big one until about 930-10:00 PM the same night.

That morning, I got up and showered and got ready for work. Helped Andrew get the kids ready for school. Got Beckett loaded up in the car and kissed he and Andrew goodbye and wished them a good day. Nothing out of the ordinary. After bubba leaves I have about 20 minutes to finish getting Tatum ready and to the bus. We were ready to walk out and I decided to use the bathroom. I got that done and we didn't get nearly down the driveway and I pee'd myself (or so I thought).  I got her down to the bus and walked back. I had some mild contractions and by mild I mean just that....less than 20 seconds and no real "juice" to them. I decided to call in "just in case". I layed on the couch on my left and side and drank a full glass of ice water (just in case I was in false labor--this is what the doctor told us to do). I didn't have any contractions after doing this so I decided to get up and do two loads of laundry and finish cleaning up the house.

Around 11am I got really tired!!! I decided since I was home and this might be my very last day to myself to take a nap. I woke up around 2pm. I got up and ate the lunch that Andrew packed for me earlier that morning and drove to pick up Tatum. I surprised her and took her to Sonic for some 1/2 price smoothies. We made it home and finished up homework. My sister called me and I was going through the screnerio with her and she told me the same thing happened to her and to call the doctor. I called the doctor and first they chastised me for waiting so long to go in to get checked. I told them I would go in soon...

Andrew and Beckett got home around 6pm and I made a quick dinner. I wasn't feeling like eating so I just watched and then told Andrew that we should go to L and D to get checked out. Still not having "good" contractions at this point and they were will like 40-60 minutes apart. We called my neighbor and asked if she would take the kids for a few until we knew for sure and then my parents would come get them.  We left the house around 7ish, got to the hospital and was in triage around 8:00. They did a few tests on me and sure enough, my water had broke. They chastised me again and we checked in to have baby at 9:15. We called my parents and they already had the kids bathed and in bed. Now we just wait....

When we checked in I was still dilated a 2 but the contractions were a tad stronger. I still wasn't feeling them but they could see them on the monitor. At 10:00 I was a 3 and since I was moving right along they had talked them off the pictocin until 11:00. I got checked at 1045 and was a 4 and 80%. Still moving along quite nicely. I decided to go ahead and get an epidural so we got that at 1130pm. Andrew was exhausted so I told him to get some sleep. I think we both finally tapped out around midnight. I was pretty comfortable with the epidural. They checked me at 1245 and I was still only a 4 near a 5 and so they decided to give me the dreaded pictocin. I fell back asleep and at about 1:00am I got woke up out of a dead sleep by the feeling of baby descending. I honestly thought that she was just going to "slip" right out. I screamed for Andrew and pushed the button and told them that I needed to push "NOW". They casually thought I was crazy, told me they called my OB and she would be here in 15 minutes. They asked if I could wait--to which I so nicely said no way. I figured I'd be pushing a bit anyway. They "prepped" me and got a resident in the room just in case. They told me to go ahead and push. Push number 1 was her head. Push #2 her body. Yes, two pushes--one contraction! She was so fast. My OB made it right after I delivered the placenta. She was a little disappointed and I understand. She was able to sew me up (small tear) and stayed to talk just a little. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of them together:( Another thing I wanted to do!

Finley was born at 1:06am. She is gorgeous.

Poor Andrew. I had asked him to make sure to take pictures this time around but I delivered so fast there just wasn't time. He cut her cord and he put her on my chest. They cleaned her off a little and then little girl went straight to the breast. She wasn't playing around. Even the nurses were amused! I was nursing my baby girl within 10 minutes of delivering her. After that we did some kangaroo care. They tagged her and got her stats and we were off to our postpartum room around 3am. She transitioned in my room so I didn't get any sleep what so ever as someone had to be awake the whole time she was transitioning.

Mom and dad got the kids off to school. Andrew headed out in the afternoon to get the kids from school to bring them in. I was a little nervous as I wasn't sure how they would take to her. We had several other visitors that morning and Finley did very well.  Tatum was very excited. Beckett just wanted to play with all the buttons and switches he could.

The kids and Andrew left for the night ( Andrew doesn't sleep at the hospital as the beds there are not condusive to his back). I get more sleep with him gone I think.  Finley slept in my room that second night as well and it was very smooth. I think she was only gone from me for her PKU test as well as hearing exam.  I was still feeling some crazy after affects of the epidural. ( I was numb forever).

After everything, it was a very positive birth experience for me. I couldn't ask for more from my last birth. Our family is now complete (hoping that little inkling goes away) and we can now move on to the next chapter of our lives.