Just a disclaimer: pics to come when I can download pix to the computer at home and not Trav's laptop here a the hospital. Go see facebook for pix now.
We got home around 12:30 am last night (trips to drop off kids' stuff and a stop at WalMart). I didn't go to bed until about 1:30 am. Of course, then I couldn't really sleep either. I finally got out of bed just before 4 am to call the hospital. I figured I'd get told to call back in x amount of hours and I could theoretically go back to sleep. Nope. They asked if I could be there at 5:15 am. I of course said, "YES!"
We got to the hospital on time and had a fairly easy check in (gee..I wonder if being here 4 times already had something to do with that?). They took me back to one of the rooms I had already been in. In fact, it was the room they wanted to put me in yesterday but Trav told them, "Nope. We've been in there, we need a different room." Stinker.
The nurse was really nice. Her name was Dawn. She actually helped with my sister's delivery in March and use to be her next door neighbor. My mom & I talked to her just a week or two ago as well when I was doing laps around the L&D floor! We finally figured out why we both looked familiar to the other one!
When I got here and got checked I was already at 5 cm. Mind you 5 cm is when I got my epidural with Caleb and my sister thought I was insane for wanting to wait that long. My reasoning was that I didn't want to have it wear off or stall like I did with Sam. Nurse Dawn started my pit drip at 6:10 am. We figured the epidural guy would be up by 7:30 am so I could get my epidural then. She said that with the way things were looking when she checked me that I'd for sure want to get my epidural before my dr. broke my water to be sure it kicked in. She assured me that I was going to go pretty quick.
At 7:10 the epidural guy walked in. The nurse and I were both quite surprised that he got there so quick. By about 7:20 am I had my epidural and my legs were feeling fuzzy so I was happy. This was the first relief from contractions I've had in the last 10 wks! At about 7:40 am Dr. Fowers stopped by and broke my water. He said I was at about 6 cm. My nurse asked me, "Do you know how best of friends you'd be with Justeen (Dr. Fower's nurse at the Lodge) if you had this baby BEFORE office hours?" I had a feeling I knew she and Dr. Fowers would both be thrilled if that was the case.
At about 8:45 am I was feeling all kinds of pressure. The epidurals I've had before have been fantastic. I don't feel any contractions and when it's time to push, I really have only felt a small amount of pressure. I wasn't prepared to be feeling this much pressure. Dawn came in and checked me again and said I was almost ready to start pushing. She had Dr. Fowers paged to come on over (office hours start at 9 am). Dawn told me that Justeen told her he had to see 1 patient first and then he'd be over. Glad it was a quick visit for that first appt this morning!
I started pushing just after 9 am. I felt tons and tons of pressure. Waaay more than I've felt with any of the previous 3 deliveries. I wasn't happy about this. I couldn't talk or do much more than breathe or nod to answer questions. Once I started pushing I wasn't about to stop - I could feel too much and wanted that girl OUT! Once her head was out however, her shoulders got stuck. They had to bring in a few extra nurses to help get her shoulders out. Once her shoulders were out, she slipped right out.
She took after her sister in that she didn't cry - like at all. She opened her eyes and looked around and was like "What the heck?". They put her on my belly and rubbed her down trying to get her to cry (we knew she was fine and breathing, they just wanted her to cry the gunk out of her lungs). Travis got to cut the cord and my mom was there (she was able to get there at about 8 am). Mom got lots of good pictures (some really good ones of Trav who was all smiles). She was officially born at 9:19 am (only 3 hrs and 9 min. after my pit drip was started). She was 9 lbs 15.3 oz and was 20.5 inches long. The nurses said if she was .02 oz bigger they would have rounded her weight up to 10 lbs even! Sure am glad Dr. Fowers finally started me today!
Brookelyn was looking for lunch not long after she came out and was cleaned up. She's a good little eater (she must be at this size, right?). I'm use to after having kids getting to keep them for an hr in the labor & delivery room and then dad taking them to the nursery to bath them, etc. Apparently they've changed their ways here at LRH. I got to hold Brookelyn as we rode up the elevator to my recovery room. Trav was totally bummed out I think. Then, when we got in the room, they bathed her on my bed! It was so much fun to be able to watch that! I haven't ever gotten to be a part of that before.
Since we got up to my recovery room we've just been hanging out. My brother brought Sam over after her dentist appointment and I can tell she's in love. She did not want to hand that sister over to anyone else to hold and did not want to leave my room! Luckily I convinced her that Grandma would bring her back when Grandpa got off work so the boys could see her too. After Sam & my brother left so did my mom & Travis. Mom had to go back to work and Travis had to go buy his textbooks up on campus (his classes start today). So, I've been able to just sit here and hold the sweet little thing for quite some time. I can't get over how much she looks just like Caleb! The only thing about her that makes me think of Sam is all her dark hair. All her chub reminds me of Nash. She sure is a good little girl though. Can't wait to take her home and let her siblings spoil her!
