James came down a week before Thanksgiving so he could be here in the event that I went in to labor. We did everything we could to get the labor started that week. I did some walking and sat on a birthing ball as much as I could and by Monday I was 3 cm dilated!! Still, the hospital wouldn't admit me because I wasn't considered to be in "active labor" until 4 cm. We had a false alarm run to the hospital that same night which is pretty frustrating but also a good thing because the hospital we went to was NASTY! So the week progressed and my contractions were still irregular. We did enjoy the time we got to spend together just me and James :) We celebrated our first anniversary and went out to dinner a few times to some nice restaurants. Sunday, the 27th, James was due to go back to Utah to finish up his semester. So that morning we planned to go to the hospital to have them check my cervix again hoping I would be at 4 cm so they would admit me. When I woke up I felt like it was a lost cause because I wasn't having any contractions at all... until we got in the car!! As soon as I sat down my contractions started and were all 2-3 minutes apart! It was crazy!! The hospital checked me and I was between 3-4 cm dilated but because my contractions were so close together they admitted me and gave me my epidural. That part was the scariest part but I knew for us to have a calm delivery where I wouldn't want to kick everyone's heads in, I would have to have the epidural.
This was all around 11 A.M. The nurses told me to get some sleep but it was impossible with how excited I was!! They checked me every hour and my cervix wasn't really progressing so they broke my water just before 3 o'clock. By that time they were thinking it would be at least 5 more hours before I had to start pushing but at 5:30 I started to feel my contractions more and like I had a lot of pressure "down there". Mom, Lise, Lex and Bart were all there just waiting around with James and I playing Words With Friends and Lex went and told the nurse. When she pulled the sheet up she was amazed that I was complete and she could see the head!! I had gone from 4 1/2 cm to 10 in 2 hours when usually you only dilate a cm per hour!! Immediately the energy in the room picked up but it seemed like forever until they were ready for me to push because I was so ready to go! I started pushing at about 5:45 and by 5:53 she was born!! I just remember everyone telling me she was almost there and keep going but that's about it. I was trying to block everything out and just push. Seeing her for the first time was surreal and I couldn't help but just cry at the amazing sight of her! I was in awe at how beautiful she was and how much James and I had anticipated meeting her! She was the most perfect thing I had ever seen!!!!
Adjusting to life with a new baby has been tough. She usually is up at 2 A.M. and doesn't go back to sleep for hours. She just wants to be held and at that time I just want to sleep haha but THANK GOODNESS for my own mama! She has been an angel taking the first half of the night shift while James is gone. He left on Sunday to finish up his semester and finals. We both miss each other so much and James just wants to be here with the baby. Mei Mei has melted his heart more than I thought she would. She is his little girl for sure :)
