introducing.... (with birth story included!)

I woke on January 1st, 2011 before the rest of the house because of contractions coming every six minutes. I was overjoyed, thinking that maybe just maybe this little one would come on 'its' due date too. I got out of bed with eager anticipation, only to plop on the couch and have the contractions stop. Again. It made for a rather grumpy morning.
I had been pretty sick the days prior and was still pretty lethargic. I slept off and on most of the morning, read a book on my phone, played with the kiddos. Around 3:30, I talked Jordan into taking a quick walk outside with me- I was getting stir crazy and figured it certainly wouldn't hurt anything. We walked for maybe 5 minutes and came back inside and relaxed.

Around 4:30, I noticed that contractions were back, but I refused to acknowledge them and most certainly wasn't timing them- I didn't want to re-enter my foul mood. My mother-in-law made chocolate chip pancakes and we ate. Around 5:30, as I was sitting on the couch, I felt a small trickle (gross, sorry), and thought that maybe my water was leaking. I went to the bathroom about 900 times trying to determine whether or not it was. I eventually told everyone what I thought was going on- but told them not to get their hopes up- and hopped in the shower. My contractions were definitely regular by this point (though I still refused to time them, and still doubted that I was in labor), but I had tested positive for Group B strep and was nervous about having time for antibiotics, so I called the doctor.
He advised me to go ahead and come in... better safe than sorry. As we loaded our stuff up, I was becoming increasingly suspicious that this was indeed labor. I couldn't believe it! We were at Jordan's parents house, so the hospital was about an hour away. About 30 minutes into our drive, my contractions picked up intensity and were coming every 3 minutes. By the time we got to the hospital, I was having to concentrate through them and had no doubt that we were having a baby that night.
The doctor had us going to triage first because of my uncertainty when I called. We got to triage, I went to put on my gown, and my water broke all over the floor. The nurse took her sweet little time asking me way too many questions that didn't matter a bit, and I was hurting and ready to get settled. I knew we'd be moving floors and going to a different room, and I wanted to get there NOW. I finally asked (maybe a little rudely...) if we could speed things along. She answered (rudely) that if 'we had to hurry she'd just go ahead and check me then.' I smiled and said, "Great!" She checked my cervix and much to my surprise, I was 7 cm dilated.
We quickly got moved to our room.

By this point, it was around 8:30 or so. We thought this baby would be here fast with how quickly things had gone. My contractions continued to pick up in frequency and intensity. Things were going smoothly- I was able to relax and breath (and moan) through them. I don't remember the timing of things, but after what seemed like forever, I was checked again and had made no progress. Another bout of forever with contractions coming one on top of another, and no change again. They also determined that she wasn't positioned correctly and that what was slowing things down- her forehead was butted up against my pelvic bone and she couldn't descend because of it.

I was completely discouraged and knew it could take a long time... I got the epidural. Man oh man... it was so nice to be able to relax a little. It was probably 9:30 or so at this point.

The baby's heart rate had been dipping with the contractions from the moment we were hooked up to the monitor. It wasn't a problem because it would return to normal as soon as the contraction ended. Around 10:30, though, my contractions were coming continually with no break- and the baby was in distress. I still hadn't progressed any farther, and the baby's heart rate was dropping lower and lower without returning to it's previous baseline.
 They put oxygen on me and sent to prepare the operating room.
 Thankfully, things quickly turned around. The doctor was checking me and the baby's position, and discovered that part of my bag of waters was still intact. He broke this, and within minutes I dilated from less than 8 cm to complete and ready to push.
I was ready to push shortly after 11, but they wanted to give the baby 'just 5 minutes' to recover from the distress. It was a loooooooooooong five minutes. At around 11:15, they had the bed broken down, everyone in position, and finally gave me the go-ahead.

Two minutes later, my heart expanded in a way unexplainable...

as we laid eyes for the first time on our brand new 

baby girl.

Our sweet Nora James, 

born 1/1/11, 11:17 p.m.

7lbs 5 oz

19.5 inches long

 I can't explain the way it feels... again... to love a child, another precious gift. My heart is... overflowing. We are so in love, so excited, so blessed by this baby we've been given.

Sweet Nora James-

we are so glad you are here! You are so, so loved.

(all birth photos courtesy of my dear friend, Erin Maguire. Last picture of her sweet face was taken by her Mama)