Oh the drama!

Our smallest girl has arrived! She was born on August 26th at 5:08am. She was 7 pounds 13 ounces and 18.5 inches long.



The story of her birth actually begins on Friday, August 21st. Michael, the girls, & I had gone into town to pick up the last of N's school supplies and to go to Michael's drum lesson. As we wandered through a couple of stores, I noticed that the contractions that had started earlier in the evening were not going away. They were staying consistent at 10 minutes apart. Until we left for the lesson. As we drove toward the music school, I realized that the contractions were getting farther apart. Again.



On Monday, the 24th, I had a doctor's appointment. My doctor said that for some reason labor will stop and start for some women. That was not the news I really wanted to hear. Especially since Friday's contractions had actually caused some progress. I was dilated 4cm.



Tuesday morning, the contractions started again. Since Michael had to be at work about 45 minutes after they started, we made the decision for him to go but stay close to a phone. It was also N's first day of school. We made it through the day with contractions that came and went at random intervals.



Then Tuesday evening the contractions started becoming consistent again. Finally about 9:30pm, I had one contraction and the conviction that we needed to head for the hospital NOW. We took the older girls to a friend's house and started on the 30 minute drive.



We arrived at the hospital around 10:30pm. I was hooked up to the monitors for about an hour before the doctor came to see if these contractions were making any progress. The verdict... still 4cm. We were given 2 options. We could go home & come back later or we could walk around for about 2 hours and be checked again. Considering the length of the drive, we opted to walk.



Michael and I walked around the hospital and parking lot until about 2:30am. Nervous, but excited, we headed back to the Labor & Delivery unit. Fully anticipating that I would be admitted, it was a HUGE surprise to learn that I was still only 4cm dilated. The only option given to us at that point was to return home and come back when the contractions were about 2 minutes apart.



We arrived back at the house around 3:30 am. Since neither of us had slept, we both tried to lay down. I soon found the only comfortable position for a contraction was to kneel on the floor with my upper body leaning on the side of the bathtub. It worked out well as the only thing I could manage was to pray. LOUDLY.



Suddenly, about 4:45am, I had a contraction. I yelled to Michael that I had to push. His response was "DON'T PUSH!!!" He managed to get me into the truck and we headed for the hospital. As we drove, I told Michael that I wanted an epidural when we got there.



A couple of minutes later, I told Michael that he needed to pull over and call someone. Thank God that there was a parking lot right there! Michael parked and called 911. As the operator walked through things with Michael, I struggled not to push.



Finally, the ambulance arrived. One contraction later, I told them that if I was going in the ambulance, the time to move me over there was now. Once inside, one of the paramedics began to prep my hand for an IV as the other was hooking me up to the monitors. As they were working, I had another contraction. I tried to breathe through it but instead I yelled that she was coming!

Sure enough, in one push, our little one was born. In the back of an ambulance on the side of the road.

The paramedics had told Michael that they would be driving with lights and sirens but if they pulled off the road it was because he was going to be a dad. Michael had gotten back into our truck ready to follow us. Apparently he heard me scream and he ran over to the ambulance just in time to see her birth.

It was definitely an interesting experience that I hope NEVER to repeat. Yet, it was and is such a blessing the way God orchestrated everything.

I hope to post pictures here in a day or two. If you want you can go to my sister- in- law's blog and see some that Michael sent her in a text message. Just scroll to the bottom of her post.

Birthday fun!

I forgot to grab the camera until N was ready for her cake. So, these are the only 2 pictures I have from her actual birthday.

We had a very good time. With our little one due to make an appearance soon, we did not want to cancel a large party. So, we invited one of N's friends and her family to join us for cake & ice cream. And of course a few presents.

I love N's smile as she looked at the cake waiting to blow out the candles.

I have to admit that I almost caved and bought a cake instead of making one. But I had made a promise and I followed through. N wanted a sunflower cake so I did my best. The icing turned out a bit soft and I thought it would end up sliding off onto the cake tray. I had enough yellow to go around each of the petals and ran out just as I finished the last one. The brown was certainly a challenge. I used brown, copper, black and red to get the right shade. Even at that, when I put it on the cake at midnight, the brown icing resembled an army green color. But in the daylight, it was just right. I think God caused some changes to occur while I slept.

N's official party will be on Sept 5th, so I will make sure to remember the camera next time.

Happy birthday sweet girl! We love you and are so blessed to have you in our lives!

More sunflowers

This picture with the girls was taken just a few days after the one in my post here.

It has been amazing to see these plants bloom.

I used to be in labor...

I had my 39 week appointment today.

Turns out that all the contractions I had last Friday were the real deal. Unfortunately, for some women, labor will start and then stop.

I am now 4 cm & 75% effaced. My doctor does not anticipate that I will make my next appointment on Friday of this week.

I am so glad to know that I will soon be holding our little one, but at the same time I am sad that I may end up missing out on N's 1st day of school and my closest friend's birthday dinner.

That is the latest on me & baby. I have more posts to come including some pictures from N's very small birthday party.

38 weeks and counting

And of course, no changes from 2 weeks ago. Still 1cm & 50% or maybe a bit more effaced.

My doctor told me at my last appointment that I couldn't give birth this week because she is at Disney World with her kids until Friday.

The way my contractions have been going, birth won't be happening any time soon. I am so frustrated with my body. I start timing contractions because they are getting more intense & take longer to get through. Once I time a few, the contractions get further apart or stop altogether.

I am so ready to be holding our little one. I am scared that the longer I go, the more she will weigh. When I had the extra u/s done at 27 weeks, they guesstimated that she was already about 12-14 ounces more than what the average baby is about that point. I love Michael, but I really hope he is wrong about a 10lb baby!

Silent debate

Silent Battle With The Pope

Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all the Jews had to leave Italy. There was, of course, a huge outcry from the Jewish community, so the Pope offered a deal.

He would have a religious debate with a leader of the Jewish community. If the Jewish leader won the debate, the Jews would be permitted to stay in Italy. If the Pope won, the Jews would have to leave.

The Jewish community met and picked an aged Rabbi, Moishe, to represent them in the debate. Rabbi Moishe, however, could not speak Latin and the Pope could not speak Yiddish. So it was decided that this would be a "silent" debate.

On the day of the great debate, the Pope and Rabbi Moishe sat opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers.

Rabbi Moishe looked back and raised one finger.

Next, the Pope waved his finger around his head.

Rabbi Moishe pointed to the ground where he sat.

The Pope then brought out a communion wafer and chalice of wine.Rabbi Moishe pulled out an apple.

With that, the Pope stood up and said, "I concede the debate. This man has bested me. The Jews can stay."

Later, the Cardinals gathered around the Pope, asking him what had happened.

The Pope said, "First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was still one God common to both our religions. Then I waved my finger around me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God was also right here with us. I pulled out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us of our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything. What could I do?"

Meanwhile, the Jewish community crowded around Rabbi Moishe, asking what happened.

"Well," said Moishe, "first he said to me, 'You Jews have three days to get out of here.' So I said to him, 'Up yours'. Then he tells me the whole city would be cleared of Jews. So I said to him, 'Listen here Mr. Pope, the Jews ... we stay right here!"

"And then?" asked a woman.

"Who knows?" said Rabbi Moishe. "We broke for lunch."

38 week appointment

Oh... the time is getting closer for our little one to make her appearance.

I have had fairly regular contractions recently but every time I try to see how far apart they are they stop.

My 38 week appointment is this afternoon so I will be updating after that. Especially if there is any significant news to share.

Sunflower

From this:

To this: (and please forgive the weird expressions the girls are making)

And soon, the smaller of the two plants will be blooming. We can see the flower, but it has not opened quite yet. I do believe that this is quite possibly my first success with NOT killing the plant in the first few weeks of its life! All the credit must go to God because, believe me, we have gone days without watering it. And God has provided us with LOTS of rain!

Happy Birthday Rachel!

Hope today is a wonderful day for you!

I love you!