The night before my contractions Jake and I were getting real antsy. We wanted our boy to come and we couldn't wait much longer. We had my dad take us on the bumpiest boat ride of my life. I'm surprised this kid didn't slip out on accident.
Following that we went on our nightly trek, but this time we ran a bit. Yikes. When I say a bit I mean like from one mail box to the next, or for fifteen seconds at a time. I literally thought my knees were going to buckle. I miss running so bad. I've never been a great runner. I would do a little cardio whenever i got myself too the gym, which is never as often as I should. Jake had promised me my entire pregnancy that when it was all said and done... we would run together. Start out really slow and work at it. At some point we would like to do some type of race. A very small race.
The next morning I wake up just feeling "different". I had my regularly scheduled Dr. Apt. at 1:40 that afternoon and I feel super crampy before we even leave. By the time we are in the car I'm starting to think that these are the real deal. They weren't very consistent, and they were far apart, but boy they sucked. I see my Nurse Practitioner because my Dr. is out of town. JOY! I tell her that I was pretty sure that I was having contractions. She checks me to see if I've progressed any since last week. A flippin half centimeter is all. I went from a 2, which I had been for a month, to a 2 1/2. I was pissed. She tells me that she doubts I was in real labor and said that whatever contractions I was having would probably stop soon. She did tell me though, that what I thought was an ingrown hair of some kind was a hemorrhoid... and I hadn't even gotten to labor yet. Good grief. Jake and I walk out of there a little discouraged because we were hoping she was going to send us straight to the hospital. Our bags were already in the car. Haha.
We head back to my parents house and lay around for a bit. Sure enough my contractions don't go away and they get bigger and better. by 8pm I feel like I'm dying, they are five minute apart and it's time to go.
We get to triage and check in, weigh in (BLAH) and get in my cute gown. She checks me and I'm still a two and a half. I'm thinking WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! How can this be happening. When the nurse hooks me up, Jake is able to see the contractions. I think for him that's when it became real. Our nurse was a doll, except she tells me she wants me to walk around the hospital for an hour and come back to see if I'm in TRUE labor. If these contractions were the real deal, then I would progress. Jake drags my swollen butt out of there and we walk around the halls a few times. It lasted 15 minutes and then I sat in the waiting room and watched Real Housewives... Still feeling like death. We go back in, she checks me again, and she tells me I'm almost a 3 1/2. Good enough to get admitted. YES!
We check into our room and it's HUGE. Things start get get real uncomfortable for me so I hop in the jacuzzi for a bit. It felt like heaven, but that was short lived. A few hours later I'm ready for my Epidural. The first one anyway. It only takes to one side. So I still feel contractions BAD and by now they are 2 minutes apart and last longer than a minute. SO we try again. This epidural was awful, I remember just quivering because I was hurting so bad. This one works and I'm SUPER numb. Good thing too, because we had a LONG night ahead of us.
After being at the hospital for 11 hours, I feel "the urge" and start pushing. An hour later he arrived. June 14th 2011 at 9:29 am. Flag Day :) and what would have been My Grandparents 63rd wedding anniversary. Such a special day.
Never in my life have I felt so incredible. That moment was truly a piece of heaven and God's work at it's best. I created this little Miracle. He's Jake and I. He's ours, and we are a family. It was the most amazing experience. Had I had more than just my Mom and Jake in there with me, it wouldn't have been right. I needed them on my sides and they encouraged me the whole time. We were a team.. and we did it!
