Welcome Rebecca

I finally have a couple of free minutes without kids and am excited to post about our new baby girl!

For three weeks I was having fairly regular contractions that would come every 10 minutes for an hour or two and then fade away. So on Saturday when they started in the afternoon I didn't pay much attention to them. Around 3:30 after much prodding from Tim I started keeping track of the times. I think he could tell they were getting stronger because he kept asking me about them and telling me we should get ready to call my dad to come and take the boys. By 4:30 they were definitely coming closer together so I gave in and agreed that we could take the boys to dad's house and if they were still strong there I would call the doctor.

Sure enough, by the time we got there the contractions were coming every 5 minutes but I was pretty sure they were going to disappear like every other day. However, I called the doctor and we were sent to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I signed in with the information desk while Tim parked the car and was asked if I wanted a wheel chair. I said that would be great for when they need to bring me up and so the lady brought one over and insisted I sit down. I informed her that my contraction were easier if I was standing and I'd wait to sit if that was ok only to be told by her that it was hospital policy that I sit in the chair. Now I'm not usually a confrontational person and if this was my first labor I probably would have just sat down, but this is my third and I know what I want. I kindly said again that I am much more comfortable standing and that I would just stand by the chair and wait for my escort. Again, she insisted I sit down. I should let you know that during this back and forth time I'm of course having to pause for a contraction. In the end I won out. I guess I'm a pretty stubborn pregnant woman when in labor!

So we stood by the chair waiting for someone to come and take us to labor and delivery. My contractions kept coming closer and closer. After 15 minutes or so they were about 2 minutes apart and the guy at the emergency desk offered to call up and see what was taking so long. I think he was afraid he might end up delivering the baby! Turns out our favorite lady from the information booth failed to call up and let them know we were waiting.

Finally someone takes us up to labor and delivery triage where I'm put on monitors and the nurse checks me right away only to find out that I'm already 7-8 cm dilated. So they hook me up to an IV (I was strep B positive this time) and immediately take me up to a delivery room. I meet the nurse there and she quickly goes to call the doctor who is about 45 minutes away. The nurse starts setting everything up and when the doctor walks in the door I'm at 10 cm and ready to push. It was another super quick labor for me - yah!!

Our little girl was sunny side up and giving me tons of back pain that made it almost impossible to push, but after about 45 minutes and the doctor working to turn her, she was born. They cleaned her off a bit and put her on my chest for some snuggle time which was great! After about 10 minutes it occurred to me that no one had said anything about gender, so I had to ask, "It is a girl right? I didn't check!" With happy reassurance I was told yes, we had our little girl.

Then when they took her to bath her and check her over, they brought me paper work. Turns out I was suppose to sign it all upon arrival but things progressed so quickly they didn't have time. So after the fact I was signing the permission slips for them to treat me. lol They put her on the scale and announced that she was 7 lbs 3 oz and 19 inches long. I knew there had to be a mistake - I make 8 lb babies. "What?" I asked. The nurse repeated the numbers and I simply couldn't believe it. When my first was born at 8lb 1oz he was considered small in my family.

We ended up staying in the hospital for two nights and came home Monday. I feel great physically now and Rebecca is doing well. We don't have very many clothes small enough for her so she mostly swims in 0-3 month sleepers and is just adorable as can be. Here are some pictures from the last 5 days!