August 25, 2012
The best end to the "couple stage." We enjoy a lazy morning sitting on the front porch reading. We decide to go mini putting in the afternoon. Go home to take a nap. I pause outside Gracie's room wondering when she will arrive...will she have a "Paladino" nose... will she have Alex's eyes? Nervous excitement to meet the little person inside me. We take a nap, get ready, head out to Heaven on Seven for voodoo chicken enchiladas. While enjoying my incredible dinner I feel a contraction and throw my fork. No more contractions. Enjoy the rest of dinner, grab gelato, and take a walk. Wow, my stomach feels weighted and heavy. Let's go home and rest. Go to bed, wake up after a terrible dream that I was pushing so hard in the stirrups that my feet start bleeding. Cuddle with Alex and pray. Pray for protection during labor. Prayed for the safety of my child. Prayed that God would give me sure fire signs that when I was in labor, I was in labor, none of this 24 hour stuff. God puts my mind to rest and I sleep until 7 a.m.
August 26, 2012
I wake up at 7 with light cramps. Are these contractions? Well, I'm awake now, might as well go eat some cereal (a pregnancy delight). Cramps are getting a little stronger. Feeling flutters. I suppose I should start timing these. Six minutes apart. I wake up Alex at 7:30 to help me time these. Cramp. Five minutes. Cramp. Call doctor. Doctor says to stay home as long as possible and keep timing. Four minutes. Shower, pack toiletries, start vacuuming. It's after 9:30 now, three minutes between cramps, Alex is getting nervous, need to leave now. Call hospital on the way there to let them know. Call parents to let them know we are having a baby today. Get to hospital and are waiting in triage room. Nurse checks to see if I'm dilated.... I cry. I'm either 3 or 9 cm dilated. Nurses can't get a hold of doctor. Terrible cramps. Intense. Beginning to feel like I need to push. Want to walk around but hooked up to a machine. Definitely in active labor. Alex is pacing and starting to complain to nurses. 10:30 Doctor arrives. Makes joke about if I'm ready to have a baby today. Alex jabs that he thought he was going to have to deliver our baby himself. I'm fully dilated. Doctor asks, "Lets talk about meds, do you want an epidural." I say that I think I can get this baby out without it (I told him to ask me only one time). Get moved to labor and delivery room.
I walk around for a couple of minutes but keep collapsing in pain. I start freaking out to Alex about if I should have gotten the epidural. He reassures me by telling me that this is going to be the most painful thing I'll ever experience. Thanks Alex. Tells me he just wants me to be okay and that if I want the meds, get them. I decide I need to push NOW and no meds are needed. 11:30 nurse comes in and doctor wants to break my water. (I started watching TLC's A Baby Story at 38 weeks pregnant....terrible idea...don't want my water broken for me). Doctor leaves. Start pushing a little and my water breaks. Feels hot and now I feel gross. Oh well. Start pushing. Continue pushing (for an hour) and the baby's head crowns. I scream, "I don't think I can do this." Everyone tells me I'm doing great and that I have to do this. Baby's head is out. Start saying, "Get her out, get her out." Keep pushing. 1:30 p.m. baby arrives. Alex cuts the cord. I ask if she's a girl (nothing about her room was gender neutral). They place her warm body on me. I'm in shock yet so in love. She's precious. She's perfect. She's ours.
Our precious blessing gave us a million scares in our first year as parents. Thankfully, through the worry, we have prayer and guidance from the Lord. The child-growing, child-raising process is teaching us more each day to rely on Him. Grace Marie is our precious gift and we're so blessed that God has given her to us. Happy birthday to our baby Grace.
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