It started Thursday morning.
I woke up feeling like the Braxton Hicks were a little stronger than normal and hoping they would actually turn into something I took the kids on a walk around the block. Thankfully it was actually a decent morning. It was overcast but still a little hot and humid. Our walk got cut short thanks to Ramsey who decided to grab, with both hands, a prickly pear cactus. He would. Poor guy had his hands full of microscopic stickers and he wasn't happy about! I don't blame him! So we rushed home as fast as an almost 39 week pregnant mama could with three little kids on a bike and plasma cars, which Ramsey would not ride home for obvious reasons so I had to drag his car AND carry him most of the way. If that didn't start labor then I don't know what did! I did my best to wash Ramsey's hands and pick out what I could of the thorns. He wasn't too satisfied though.
We got invited to go to the park by my friend Nicole and I thought that would be a good idea for Ramsey to distract him from his hands and also hoping that the sand would rub the thorns out? Nicole and I were both convinced that today was the day! So as the hours went by I was more and more disappointed and felt no more signs of contractions. Thursday was definitely not the day.
I was really hoping and praying June would come by Saturday so we could be home and settled in time for Hudson to start his first day of Kindergarten on Monday! I really really didn't want to miss his first few days of school. So as Thursday ended my hopes of delivering early were coming to an end. She would have to be born Friday night at the latest for us to be home by Sunday.
So I went to bed Thursday night accepting that I'll have to wait until next Thursday to have this girl which is when I was going to be induced. Because Sunday- Wednesday were off limits! I didn't sleep very well at first. I was just uncomfortable, as always, but was also feeling those Braxton Hicks a little more that night too. By 12AM I started to wake up often from contractions. I didn't know if they were just random ones cause I had had those occasionally the past two weeks or if it was going to be the real thing. So I kept trying to sleep with little luck both out of being uncomfortable and excitement. By 2:30AM I decided I was just going to stay up, eat, and time the contractions. Which were still bearable. They were consistently 6-7 minutes apart and by then I knew this had to be the real deal! Buuut also still questioning it cause my last two labors were only 3 hours long and this seemed to be going a little more slowly. So I wasn't sure when I should wake Curtis or start thinking about calling my mom to watch the kids or having to wake up my friend Nicole who was going to take birth pictures. So I just kept timing the contractions which started to be a little more painful. Curtis woke up at 3AM to use the bathroom and I told him that he'd better just stay up. And we both did a happy dance cause this was it! JK we don't dance but we were really excited! We both showered and shaved and Curtis ironed a nice a button up shirt cause he wanted to be sure to look his best for his new baby girl. :D And I got back into my pajamas. Hah! I called my mom at 3:30 who thankfully answered my second call. We never talked about what would happen if I went into labor in the night! We weren't expecting it! And thankfully she was able to work out her work schedule to be here and watch the kids for us. We left for the hospital at 4. Which I was still questioning, wondering if they would even keep us since who knows how long I was going to be in labor for!? The contractions were only 5-6 minutes apart but definitely getting more painful. When we got to the hospital we tried to go through the main entrance which didn't open and then realized it was still too early and we had to go through the ER which was around the corner from the main entrance. I figured the walking would do some good. :P
We got check into to triage and the nurse checked me and I was disappointed to find out that I was only 3-4cm dilated. The contractions felt more painful than 3-4cm! Since they had no history of how far I was dilated before labor started she gave us 40 minutes to walk around and then see if I progressed any after that. We started our walk around 5 which didn't last long cause the pain really picked up! I had to stop and crouch down to get through the contractions. We went back to our room so I could pee and I tried to tough it out the last 15 minutes until the nurse would come back and check me but I couldn't. I told Curtis to go get her now so she could check me now! She came back, checked me, and hallelujah I was at 6cm! I decided I had better call Nicole by then so she could make it in time to take pictures! Things were still moving pretty fast but not 3 hours fast.
Once we got into the labor and delivery room I started asking for that epidural every 5 minutes. At lease it felt that way. :P The pain was getting to be a little too much OK?! Unfortunately they had to get the IV in first which took 2 nurses and 4 very painful pokes and digging around in my veins to finally get one in. That wasn't fun.Worse pain than the epidural in my honest opinion.
Nicole got to our room after 6 and around 6:30 I got that glorious epidural! Seriously, that's the best invention ever. And so are birth photographers.;) Things slowed down after that and the three of us just hung out. Haha. It was weird just waiting around. My last three labors there wasn't much waiting. I kept texting my anxiously awaiting mom and sisters "nothin yet". The nurses put that stupid peanut ball between my legs to help the progression and then came back and hour later to take it out to slow things down cause my doctor had left. What the? :1 My water broke on its own around 7:45 so I guess it did something. And then we just waited some more. By 8:30 I was dilated to 10cm buuut that's when the nurses tried to slow everything down so my doctor could make it back. June was still high up in there and I felt no need to push yet so it was ok I guess. My epidural actually worked a little too well and I couldn't feel a single thing! It made pushing a little bit hard.
At 9 my doctor was back and it was finally time to get this girl out! I pushed for almost 20 minutes and at 9:19AM that warm, squishy, little June was placed on my chest! My favorite moments EVER! It's just so special and amazing to bring a little life into the world! I'm so full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for allowing us this heavenly experience and giving us June! Looking at that sweet girl for the first time was just the best!
June Carol
7lbs 6oz
20.5 inches
Born Friday the 21st of July
You just have to stare at them! Memorize every detail of their fresh little bodies. I couldn't take my eyes off her.
June's arrival could not have been more perfect! I was so afraid to go into labor naturally knowing how fast my last two labors went. I thought for sure this time would be even faster than 3 hours and I was worried about not getting an epidural or worse having her on the way to the hospital! Or not being able to find someone to watch the kids in time. So I chose to be induced this time for peace of mind. Obviously I didn't make it another week to be induced and June ended up being my longest labor (9ish hours :P) and my earliest baby (10 days) and thank goodness too because it gave us time to get the kids taken care of and make it to the hospital. AND we were home in time to be there for Hudson!
It's funny, I geared up for this big change of having four kids only to find out how normal it has all been. Its been challenging for sure but you just do it. You just go about your days and it's just a new
June is loved very much by all her siblings! And it was so special to watch them see her for the first time! Nova couldn't wait to hold her. They were all whispering and staring at her just as much as I did. My heart couldn't take it! I feel SO blessed and I love my family so much. And I try to remember those special moments during the hard times cause it all really is worth it.
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