Just Get Here When You Can

As most know, Ryan came to us nearly four weeks early after premature labor, six weeks of bed rest and contraction monitoring. So when week 30 came and went this time, I was excited! Making it past week 30 was my goal, but much to my surprise, the next few weeks would come and go without issue as well. The Wednesday before Labor Day, I was 35 weeks along and laying very still waiting on the doctor to come in when I noticed that I was having regular contractions. When I mentioned it to Dr. Hudson (not my regular doctor) he told me I would go down to be monitored, but first he needed to know if I had dilated. I was 1 cm and 60 percent so downstairs I went for monitoring. A couple of hours and a shot of Breathine later, my doctor, who was on call that day, came to check my progress and read my strip. She asked if I was trying to be exciting. Of course I was ... Ryan came at 36 week and 2 days so naturally I was expecting Avery to come early as well, but home I went.

Two days later and the Friday of Labor Day weekend -- how appropriate -- I could not get comfortbable enough to go to sleep because of some really strong contractions. I got up around 10:45 p.m., walked downstairs, and told Tim that I was driving myself in. At that point I had started shivering which was something I did from head to toe during my labor with Ryan. Could this be it? So, I got in the car and drove myself to the hospital while Tim waited on my parents to come stay with Ryan. Yes, having a child adds a whole new layer of complication. Do you load them up in their deep slumber and risk freaking them out? At least we have the option of calling parents to help us out. What do people do who don't have family nearby?

After several hours of monitoring, it was confirmed that I was having regular, strongcontractions, but they weren't causing any change so I was sent home, again. The following Friday, I got up thinking it was the day, once again. Before I was going to drive myself to the hospital, I made sure to drive myself through Chick-fil-A for breakfast just in case Avery was in fact coming. Seriously, do you think anyone has every driven themselves through a drive-thru while in possible labor? I still laugh at myself about that one, but eating is important ;) At noon, Dr. Hudson said if I had progressed then he would go ahead and break my water to get the show on the road. I was so excited! Bryce had speech so Hollye came by with the twins in aniticpation of a possible new baby. When Dr. Hudson came in, I was utterly disappointed when he looked at me and said, "I'm sorry, you haven't changed. I know that's not what you want to hear." No, it wasn't, but that's O.K. We're nearly at 37 weeks so how much longer will Avery stay put if Ryan came early?

My appointments always fell on Wednesday so I made it to my appointment the next week to see that there were signs Avery was coming, finally. But that small sign meant anywhere from 2 hours to 2 weeks, and 2 weeks from then was my due date... sigh...

On Friday, September 23, I found myself doubled over and contracting regularly. I insisted that we go eat at Cracker Barrell after work despite how I was feeling. I would get ready to order, then say "no, let's call Mom now" so she could tend to Allie, and then go back to ordering. I finally ordered and called Mom too. I happily ate and then headed to the hospital only to have a repeat performance of no change upon arrival or discharge. So now we are heading into week 38 and I'm thinking all this Breathine to stop the contractions and Procardia to control them at home has gotten poor Avery stuck on a rib. She will have to be evicted now! My next appointment was on Setptember 28, so I decided that I would ask Dr. Heaton to evict her on Monday, October 3, if she didn't come before then.

Apparently, I seemed to have the gestation of an elephant to everyone at work because I heard, "You are still here?" about 20 times the week before Avery decided to come. On Monday, September 26, I surprised everyone by showing up at Cracker Barrell for my boss' birthday breakfast, and I have to admit that I surprised myself too. So, another workday down and ... back to work on Tuesday, also Tim's birthday. Man, I felt so good too! No aches or extreme pressure while walking and no contractions. I went out at lunch and walked all around Target and the Auburn store picking out Tim's birthday present and made plans for my parents to meet us at Joe's Italian to celebrate. I started to feel a little weird in the late afternoon and decided to leave at 5 p.m. Each day I had been doing tasks that wouldn't carry over to the next day, so everything was tidy and clean. I gathered up a few more items and even gave Larry a check to pass along to another coworker just in case I wasn't at work Wednesday to give it to her (the story of my life for the last few weeks ... just in case I am not here would you ... ?). When I got in the car, I debated about us going to Joe's as planned, but decided if anything happened then we were just a few miles from the house. We sat down to eat and I found myself going to the bathroom a lot! The strange feeling never went away throughout dinner. As we were leaving, I leaned down outside of the restaurant to tease Ryan and I had a strange feeling, but I had just gone to the restroom. I casually mentioned that I thought my water might be leaking, but didn't make a big deal about it. Afterall, I had an appointment the next day at 9:45 a.m. so I'll just wait to see what they tell me then.

When we got back to the house, I continued to use the restroom quite often after enjoying some yummy red velvet cake. My parents were waiting to see if I thought I needed to go in to be checked so they could stay with Ryan. I finally caved around 9:30 p.m. and called the after hours line just to see what the nurse thought. I knew my water was leaking, but it wasn't gushing so I knew I had some time. I waited on hold for about 10 minutes and hung up and told my parents to head home because no one answered and that I would try to hang on till my appointment. Mom wanted to stay, but I told her that was being prepared and Avery wouldn't come if we were too prepared ;)

Just before Mom and Dad left ...

Getting comfortable and trying to sleep was impossible! I would get a little comfy and then have to go to the bathroom again or get a little comfy and then get a sharp pain. Around 2 p.m., getting even a teensy bit comfortable was a lost cause. I started timing the contractions that were getting more intense and found myself thinking "OMG, is this ever going to end?" Those were the longest 1 1/2-2 minutes ever. I could hear my friend Angie, a Labor and Delivery nurse, telling me, "trust me, you will know when it's time." But, was it time or just another false alarm? Yes, they are intense, but I've had some as intense as this during my previous false alarms. Just close your eyes and try to make it to 5 a.m., get up and shower, and go early for your appointment. The contractions seemed to last forever during their peak as I sat there watching the timer on my iPhone tick away. Around 4:30 a.m., I walked into the bedroom to tell Tim to get up "we have to go in. I can't take it anymore." I couldn't wait till my appointment, but I was going to try and shower before we left and even gave Tim the green light to take a showe as well. I struggled toward the shower turn the water on, have a contraction like no other, and slam the water off and yelled, "Forget that! We have to go now! Go get Ryan."

Tim loaded Ryan into the car sound asleep while I grabbed a few last minute items for my bag and struggled down the stairs. I kept thinking this is going to be the LONGEST trip, ever. They better not send me back home.

My water broke with Ryan so I knew to head to the hospital, and once I arrived, they gave me Nubane so I never experienced the continuous, ridiculous intensity. Iidentifying the "true" contractions this time was difficult ... until this point. I absolutely could not talk during the contractions once we got in the car. They went from intense to INSANE! I kept looking at the signs on the interstate and counting the miles + how fast we were going + time to park till I got into the hospital room and receive the I don't care medicine.

Finally, we arrive in the parking deck and there is one spot left for labor patients ... yay, that's mine! Amost there...nope, some inconsiderate employee wheels in there and takes MY spot so I roll my window down and yell at her, "Do you think you can park somewhere else since I'm actually in labor?!" She comes over to the car and escorts me upstairs, lol. At that point, I didn't care that she should be in trouble because someone was making sure I made it to the 3rd floor of LnD. Maybe it was meant to work out that way even though she was doing something wrong because I would have been waiting on Tim to get Ryan out of the car and it may have been too late for me. By the time Ryan and Tim made it to the room, I was already in my gown (they didn't even hesistate taking me to a room after watching me struggle to answer easy questions and fill out their little registration sheet) and in the bed. The nurse who checked me in was so sweet, but I kept thinking she is taking too long; I need some Nubane! She proceeded to check me and she had this look on her face that made my heart sink. I just knew she was going to say "you are 3 cm and 70%," which was the magical progress from the week before. But, I see her nod her head slightly and she said, "You are 7 cm." OMG, yay, today is the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then I think, "omg, 7 cm and no family is here yet!"

By 6 a.m., I was hooked up to the IVs, including my antibiotic for Strep B, and the families are on the way to the hospital when I finally ask nurse Kelley, "Can I please have some Nubane?" She told me "no" because I was so far along that medicine would affect the baby at that point, but "we are trying our hardest to get you that epidural." You are trying?!?! I panicked a bit because I was already fighting back tears after enduring some ridiculous contractions since 2 a.m., but really ridiculously intense ones since 4:30 a.m. Despite the discomfort, all I could really think about was Ryan sitting on the couch and getting scared.

The doctor who was on call, Dr. Lassiter, came in to check on things and Kelley told her my status and she looked at me and said, "Just get her when you can!" Kelley said "you almost had this baby on 65." Can you imagine if I had actually squeezed in that shower? Let's not think about that because I would have missed seeing the most wonderful person, the anethesiologist, who magically appeared through my door. Hallelujah!!! I made Ryan go out with a nurse because I certainly didn't want him catching a glimpse of that needle that was about to go in Mommy's back. The anesthesiologist almost didn't get to meet me because it takes about 30 minutes to process the lab work, so as long as that gets processed then you can have an epidural at 10 cm and ready to push - who knew? I was very thankful to see this doctor come in my room because that meant just another 30 minutes, roughly, till I was really cozy ... I can do this.

The nurses switched shifts around 7:30 a.m. when Kelley finished some paperwork on me. Diane came in to finish the delivery. Dr. Heaton came in around 8 a.m. and I was so happy to see her! She is absolutely wonderful and I missed her delivering Ryan by two hours :( But, she was here to bring Avery into the world ... after she went downstairs to help another doctor first :-/ So here I am all ready to go at 8 a.m. and I have to hang on for a bit. Diane made a comment that things would go fast because "second babies fall out." She told me with a very dry, sarcastic flare, "you better stop coughing or you're going to have that baby." For real?

Dr. Heaton came back into the room around 8:10 and suited up while joking about another doctor's manerisms. I don't think we stopped laughing from start to finish. I pushed three times with the first contraction and twice with the second, and Miss Avery Madison was born at 8:25 a.m.

I am so thankful for two, excellent deliveries! Meet our sweet angel.

7 lbs. 3 oz. 20"

The first time Ryan met his little sister.

He is so proud of Avery!!!