2 months old: Mabel's Birth Story.

2 months ago today, Mabel Audrine was born.

It all started at 5 pm on July 15th. I had to be at the hospital to start our induction. The process started right away and went rather quickly after that. Daniel and I hadn't wanted to leave the night before the actual induction date because that meant one more night away from Nora and Braden. However, my cervix wasn't thinned out quite as much as the Dr. would have liked, so he brought me in the night before. After filling out the paper work, answering all of the questions, and getting hooked up to every monitor known to man, it all began.

Sadly, it kind of became like a date night for the two of us. I got to hold Daniel's hand, talk to him, eat McDonalds with him and watch a movie with him--all without a single distraction. At about 6 pm, the nurse began my cervadil. It's a little tampon-like medicine that they insert into the cervix to help it soften before they begin the actual pitocin the following morning.

After watching one movie (at about 9 pm) I started having a horrible migraine. A strong, aggressive, fast acting migraine. It was from this point on that I was given nubain as often as they would let me have it for pain. I wasn't in any other pain at all, but looking back I probably wouldn't have even noticed because the headache was so bad anyway.

The night went quickly as I fell in and out of sleep. Daniel slept on a small cot next to the bed the entire night. He was well rested the next day, and honestly so was I. At about 4 am, the nurse began the pitocin. At this point, the cervadil hadn't even done it's job of softening my cervix through the night, which was disheartening considering I suffered a headache and was away from the kids for nothing.

My mom came early in the morning to be with me, after I called her and told her about my head. I knew she was worried. My grandparents (my dad's mom & dad) went to the house to be with the kids during the day so that mom and Jeni could be with me at the hospital. Jeni had stayed at our house the night before with the kids. I felt completely at peace with it all, although it was hard--I haven't ever left them over night except that one time that Daniel & I went away for Valentine's Day and we came home super early the next morning because we missed them so much.
Anyway, my dad was at the hospital even earlier than my mom. During this entire pregnancy he kept mentioning that he wanted to be in the room when I had Mabel. He told my mom more than one time that he wanted to be there. He hasn't ever been near when I had the other kids so I understood his desire to be with us. He waited in the waiting room the entire morning.

The entire morning went slowwww.

I was only at a 1 when I got the hospital the night before. By morning I was still at a 1. The Dr. broke my water at 8:30 and said things should go quickly from then on out. I decided to go ahead and get an epidural at this point because there were only 2 anesthesiologists on shift at the time and lots of other patients in need of them. I wasn't in much pain but I knew I would be soon enough. The epidural process was terrifying for me this time but it took effect soon after I got the medicine.

In 2 hours I had progressed to a 'thinned out 3'. It was at noon that I had finally gotten to a 4. I was pretty tired and discouraged at this point. Things were just moving slowly. The nurse I had was amazing. Her and everyone in the room with me (Mom, Daniel & Jeni) began making bets on when I would deliver Mabel. I thought it was far too early to be talking about it, although the nurse insisted that it was going to happen quickly. They started taking bets at 12:30. I was "maybe at a 5" at this point.

Soon after this happened, I began feeling pain and alot of it. The right side of my body was starting to feel everything while the left side was still completely numb from the epidural. This was a scary thing for me because in the past, I have felt nothing. In fact, I hated hearing stories of how women's epidurals "didn't take" because I almost didnt believe them. At this point though I began to feel all of my contractions on the right side. They were intense, and there wasn't a break between them. The nurse had rolled me to my right side not long before this, so I thought it she came in and switched me that it would help move the medicine around in my body. Or that's what I had heard them say at one point or another.

Supposedly I had gotten pretty mean and aggressive with Daniel during this half hour when I was in pain and breathing through my contractions. He thought it was time for me to push so he took it upon himself to call the nurse to have her roll me and check me. I kept saying, "No you guys. I can't be ready yet...I was JUST only at a 5." I should have known better because it has happened this way both times before, but sure enough when the nurse came in I was at a 9. By the time that she made a quick trip to the hall, I felt pressure and was ready to push.

The Dr. came in calmly. It was the best atmosphere of any of my deliveries. Jeni had my dad come in the room and at this point I was so inside of myself that it didn't matter to me that he was in there. It wouldn't have mattered much anyway. I began pushing.

From the time I started, until the time she got here was probably only 13 minutes or so. Just a couple good pushes and she came quietly and calmly into our lives. Of course I had told everyone NOT to tell me what color hair she had. At one point I looked up at Daniel and asked him if he knew what color it was. He looked back at me with tears in his eyes, smiling and said yes. I cried a little out of excitement.

I had the easiest delivery. No tear. No episiotomy. Just perfect.

The entire room erupted in tears and laughter when this dark haired lady was born. Even the nurses were laughing. We definitely had the loudest delivery room on the floor...

My mom was THRILLED that one baby looked like daddy and Aunt Jeni. And when I finally got a good look at her, you know I did the same. I just didn't know what else to do. She took me by surprise but immediately I was connected and bonded with her in a unique way.

She absolutely stole my heart that day, 2 months ago and not much has changed. She still sleeps through the night, waking to feed for a few minutes at around 4:30 am. She is a little more fussy now days but as long as she can look up and see me, she calms easily. This curly haired sweetie with big lips and doe eyes overtook us in a whole new way. In a beautiful and wonderful way.

Happy 2 months, my love. You are a gorgeous, loving, beautiful girl. I am so amazed at God in you. You have brought more joy into my life than I knew was possible. I feel such a strong peace when I'm holding you. You have completed our family, Mabel. I fall more in love with you every single day.